text: contentLife Extension Magazine February 2012 Suppress Deadly After-Meal Blood Sugar Surges By Daniel Becker High blood sugar is fast becoming the leading preventable killer of maturing individuals in the United States. In addition to the 26 million Americans with diabetes, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that more than a third of the general population is now pre-diabetic.1 This may be just the tip of the iceberg. As Life Extension® members know, recent data confirm that risk for most degenerative diseases and death rise dramatically when fasting blood glucose exceeds 85 mg/dL.2 Yet the medical establishment persists in defining readings up to 99 mg/dL as "safe." By this measure, virtually all of us are vulnerable to diabetic complications. Even more alarming is widespread physician ignorance of the stealth danger posed by blood sugar surges after meals that can reach diabetic levels and last for hours—or even days. These after-meal glucose "spikes" inflict silent damage to cells via multiple mechanisms and have been linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, kidney failure, and retinal damage.3-16 The good news is there are documented ways to suppress deadly after-meal glucose surges. The most recent is a green coffee bean extract shown to neutralize a key enzyme that facilitates after-meal glucose surges. When tested on humans in a placebo-controlled study, this natural extract produced an extraordinary 24% drop in after-meal blood sugar in just 30 minutes!17 Silent Epidemic of High Blood Sugar The percentage of adults suffering from dangerous, chronically high blood sugar has been vastly underestimated. Currently, you aren't considered diabetic unless your fasting blood glucose is higher than 125 mg/dL. The range from 100-125 mg/dL is considered "pre-diabetic," while anything lower is defined as normal. Unfortunately, your risk for age-related disease is far greater at these "normal levels" than has been previously recognized. Optimal fasting glucose should be within the range of 70-85 mg/dL. A recent study of 46,000 middle-aged individuals revealed that more than 80% had fasting blood sugar of 85 mg/dL or higher.18 A similar epidemiological analysis of 11,000 middle-aged and older people found that more than 85% had fasting blood sugar of 85 mg/dL or higher.19 As Life Extension®has long warned, a thorough survey of the scientific literature confirms that maturing individuals with blood sugar levels in these ranges—below 100 mg/dL—are nonetheless at substantially increased risk of virtually all degenerative diseases, including: Cancer4,20-29 Cardiovascular disease5,9-15,17,30,31 Alzheimer's disease17,32,33 Kidney disease8,34 Pancreatic dysfunction35 Diabetic retinopathy (which can lead to blindness)6,36 Neuropathy (nerve pain and dysfunction)37,38 One team of researchers found that the risk of developing diabetes itself was increased more than seven-fold in people with fasting glucose levels of 105-109 mg/dL, compared with people with fasting glucose levels less than 85 mg/dL.19 An analysis of 1,800 maturing individuals revealed that coronary artery disease rates over a 10-year period in individuals currently defined as "pre-diabetic" were nearly identical to those with full-blown diabetes.39 A similar analysis of 33,230 men found that high glucose within the "normal" range was independently associated with a 38% increase in deaths from digestive tract cancers.40 These results underscore the critical need to redefine diabetes as fasting glucose above 85 mg/dL. Table 1: Increased Health Risks in People with "Normal" Glucose Levels Condition Glucose Levels (mg/dL) Increased Risk Developing Type 2 Diabetes 100-104 Up to 283%19 Stomach Cancer 95-105 Up to 130%49 First-time Heart Attack Above 88 242%47 Need for Coronary Bypass or Stent Procedure Above 95 73%50 Undetected Daily Diabetic Glucose Levels? Conventional medicine's approach to glucose control goes beyond the problem of outdated reference ranges. Fasting blood glucose concentrations alone do not identify individuals with an increased risk of glucose-related disease onset because they do not detect dangerous after-meal glucose spikes.41,42 The current diagnostic of fasting glucose readings is only a snapshot that does not adequately measure of an aging individual's hour-to-hour glucose status over the course of the entire day. By definition, fasting blood glucose tests are conducted eight or more hours or more after your last meal. This method fails to account for a vital risk marker specific to you as an individual: after each meal, your blood sugar rises sharply for at least two hours before returning to normal. Depending on the number and frequency of meals consumed, an aging individual may sustain dangerously high blood sugar throughout the day that will not be detected by conventional measures. A mounting body of scientific evidence suggests that after-meal glucose spikes inflict as much or more damage than high fasting blood sugar.43-46 For example, in aging individuals with "normal" blood sugar readings and "normal" glucose-tolerance tests, heart attack risk increases by 58% for a 21 mg/dL increase in after-meal blood sugar.47 And for a similar after-meal increase, risk of cardiac death increases by 26%.48 This means that if your blood sugar surges 63 mg/dL after a meal, your risk of cardiac death increases nearly twofold. One research team found that risk of stroke increased when fasting glucose rose above 83 mg/dL. And every 18 mg/dL increase beyond 83 mg/dL resulted in a 27% greater risk of dying from stroke!5 This means that an individual with a fasting blood glucose level of 119 mg/dL has a 54% higher risk of stroke-related death compared to an individual whose fasting blood glucose is only 83 mg/dL. If you wonder why stroke continues to disable and kill so many—despite better control of hypertension than ever—look no further than the epidemic of high blood glucose plaguing aging humans. These alarming data underscore the vital importance of suppressing after-meal glucose surges and controlling fasting blood glucose in order to prolong healthy life span. Control After-Meal Glucose Surges Elevated blood sugar is a silent danger that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, kidney disease, neuropathy, and retinal damage. More than a third of the American population is estimated to be pre-diabetic. Currently, fasting blood sugar levels higher than 125 mg/dL are considered diabetic and levels between 100-125 mg/dL are considered pre-diabetic. Life Extension advises that optimal fasting blood glucose levels are in the range of 70-85 mg/dL. A growing body of evidence shows that tissue damage and disease risk increase when fasting blood glucose levels are above 85 mg/dL. Coffee consumption has been associated with a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A beneficial compound in coffee called chlorogenic acid has been credited with coffee's glucose-lowering effects. In a clinical trial, individuals who received 400 mg of a green coffee berry extract containing 50% chlorogenic acid prior to an oral glucose challenge demonstrated a 32% reduction in blood glucose at 2 hours. The Little-Known Enzyme Behind Chronic Blood Sugar Overload Most people think blood sugar levels are determined by the amount of carbohydrates or sugar they eat and how well their pancreas is working. The truth is more complex. You won't hear this from most physicians, but your liver also plays a key role in regulating blood sugar, one that contributes directly to dangerous blood glucose surges after heavy meals. Under normal conditions, the liver keeps a certain amount of sugar in storage. If your blood sugar falls too low, it releases this stored sugar in order to boost blood glucose back to healthy levels in a process called glycogenolysis. If its stores of sugar are depleted, your liver has another means at its disposal to boost blood sugar: making sugar on its own from other sources, including fats and protein through a process called gluconeogenesis. Humans evolved this capability to prevent acute, potentially deadly hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) during near-starvation states. In young, healthy individuals, both these processes—sugar release or glycogenolysis and blood sugar synthesis or gluconeogenesis—are naturally suppressed after a meal to prevent blood sugar from getting too high. As you age, this balancing mechanism may become impaired. Your liver releases stored sugar and makes additional sugar after you finish a meal—precisely when your body needs additional blood sugar the least. At the core of pathologic glycogenolysis (release of stored blood sugar) and gluconeogenesis (synthesis of new sugar) is the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase. Heavy meals can activate this enzyme, which in turn tells your liver to release its sugar stores and helps it to make more sugar, despite the flood of glucose from the meal you just finished. It is this age-related dysregulation of glucose-6-phosphatase activity that accounts for the difficulty many maturing individuals face in maintaining optimal glucose levels. The dual processes of glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis triggered by glucose-6-phosphatase can keep blood sugar high even with a lower-calorie or low-carbohydrate diet since glucose can also be synthesized from proteins and fats. (Note those who practice calorie restriction are usually able to keep their fasting glucose below 86 mg/dL and after-meal glucose surges below 120 mg/dL.) Suppressing the activity of glucose-6-phosphatase is a cornerstone strategy in maintaining control of after-meal blood sugar spikes and limiting their potentially destructive impact. In the quest to identify compounds that might favorably target the glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme, researchers turned their attention to the fact that heavy coffee drinkers enjoyed dramatically lower risk of diabetes. How Much Coffee to Drink or Chlorogenic Acid to Take? Increased coffee consumption results in a substantially reduced risk of diabetes.57-61 The prestigious journal The Lancet published a 2002 population study that included over 17,000 people. The researchers found a 50% lower risk of diabetes among those who consumed 7 cups of coffee a day compared to those who drank only 2 cups a day.61 So why not just drink more coffee? Coffee "beans" are the seeds contained inside the plant's fruit, the coffee berry. They possess a significantly higher proportion of beneficial phenolic acids (50%) than the berry (about 35%). An analysis of the proprietary green coffee bean extract used in clinical studies cited in this article reveals that just 350 mg supplies the same amount of chlorogenic acid found in 14 cups of dark roast coffee. The problem with dark roasted coffees is that the roasting process removes too many beneficial polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid. Green coffee bean extract also supplies the antioxidant compound ferulic acid, shown to exert a therapeutic anti-glucose effect in tandem with chlorogenic acid.61 After analyzing the blood of subjects given this green coffee bean extract, one 2008 study published in the Journal of Nutrition confirmed the presence in their blood samples of the same major phenolic compounds—including chlorogenic acid—provided by drinking roasted, brewed coffee. The researchers added that the compounds in green coffee bean extract were highly absorbable and readily metabolized in humans.76 In addition to their high absorption rate, the compounds in green coffee bean extract are believed to furnish stronger glucose-lowering protection than roasted coffee. That's because roasting destroys much of the coffee bean's beneficial content. Conventional "lightly roasted" coffee provides about 92 milligrams of chlorogenic acid per cup. Heavily roasted coffee provides far less chlorogenic acid. A cup of a new "polyphenol-retaining" coffee (with chlorogenic acid added back in after roasting) provides 172 mg of chlorogenic acid. So drinking one or two cups of this new polyphenol-retaining coffee provides 172 to 344 mg of chlorogenic acid, which are in ranges shown to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy. Green coffee bean extracts are available in new dietary supplements that provide either 200 or 400 mg of chlorogenic acid per serving. The typical dose for most people is 200 mg of chlorogenic acid before most meals. Those with higher glucose levels should take 400 mg before most or all meals. Chlorogenic Acid Combats Excess Glucose An abundance of studies confirms that, in addition to protection against various diseases,5,51-56 increased coffee consumption results in a substantially reduced risk of diabetes.56-61 The prestigious journal Lancet published a 2002 population study that included over 17,000 people. The researchers found a 50% lower risk of diabetes among those who consumed 7 cups of coffee a day compared to those who drank only 2 cups a day.61 Coffee's anti-diabetic benefits are dose-dependent. In other words, the more you drink, the greater the benefit. And therein lies the problem: drinking seven cups or more of coffee every day is impractical for most people. This set researchers on a quest to uncover the specific glucose-lowering agents contained in coffee. Skyrocketing Rates of Diabetes In 2008, there were an estimated 347 million people with diabetes in the world, up from 153 million just 30 years earlier.86 Researchers attributed about 70% of that increase to the global population explosion, but the remaining 30% are related to the rapid rise in overweight and obesity.87 Another reason for the sharp rise is that epidemiologists are finally recognizing that standard definitions of diabetes are inadequate. Simply measuring fasting blood glucose fails to detect up to 70% of people with disturbances in blood glucose regulation.88 An oral glucose tolerance test is required to detect such disturbances, particularly dangerous after-meal sugar spikes. What this means for you is that you simply cannot assume that you are not diabetic just because your routine fasting blood sugar measurement was normal. Know the facts, and take proper steps to ensure that you protect your tissues from the twin threats of chronically elevated blood glucose and after-meal sugar spikes. Coffee's contents are complex, containing more than 1,000 discrete compounds.62 Compelling new data reveal that the chlorogenic acid content in coffee is primarily responsible for its glucose-lowering effects via several interesting mechanisms.63,64 Chlorogenic acid inhibits the glucose-6-phosphatase enzyme that stimulates glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.65,66 As discussed earlier, excessive activity of this enzyme contributes to dangerous after-meal blood sugar spikes and high blood glucose levels between meals.67 Chlorogenic acid directly inhibits glucose absorption from the intestinal tract. Studies show that coffee with a high chlorogenic acid content delays intestinal glucose absorption.59 Chlorogenic acid inhibits the intestinal enzyme alpha-glucosidase that breaks apart complex sugars and enhances their absorption.68 Slowing the breakdown of those common sugars (including sucrose, or table sugar), dramatically limits after-meal glucose spikes. Chlorogenic acid-rich plant extracts have been shown to reduce fasting blood glucose values by more than 15% in diabetic patients with poor response to medication.69 A similar effect was seen in healthy volunteers, whose intestinal absorption of glucose was reduced by 7% following a chlorogenic acid-enriched coffee drink.70 And a chlorogenic acid supplement of 1 gram reduced glucose levels by 13 mg/dL, 15 minutes after an oral glucose challenge, demonstrating its ability to lower the after-meal spike in humans.71 A chlorogenic acid-rich extract of green coffee beans is also effective in animal studies against weight gain, reducing total weight and body fat accumulation by inhibiting fat absorption and preventing new fat production in liver tissue.72,73 Chlorogenic acid reduces liver fat content in animal studies as well, a vital factor in reducing the impact of overweight and obesity.74 Disease Risks of High-Normal Blood Sugar Cancer: Numerous studies—including one published in the May 17, 2010, online issue of The Oncologist that was so large that it included half of all type 2 diabetics in Sweden20—have found that the risk for cancer increases among diagnosed diabetics.14,23,24 Rising in lock-step with glucose levels as they edged up within the normal range were the risks for cancers of the endometrium, pancreas, colon, and colorectal tumors of a more aggressive nature.21,25,26,28,29 Cardiovascular disease: Subjects showed risks for cardiovascular events, cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular mortality that increased in direct relation to elevated—but still high-normal—glucose levels.9,11-13,15 One researcher commented that within limits, lower glucose levels, even among those without diabetes, resulted in lower cardiovascular risk. Coronary artery disease risk was twice as high in patients with impaired glucose tolerance, compared with patients with more normal glucose tolerance.77 While diabetes is defined as experiencing regular after-meal glucose levels of 200 mg/dL, one research team found a risk for stroke that increased as fasting glucose levels rose above 83 mg/dL. In fact, every 18 mg/dL increase beyond 83 resulted in a 27% greater risk of dying from stroke.5 Cognitive impairment: As blood sugar rose—whether within the normal or the diabetic ranges—the risk for this mild cognitive impairment and dementia increased.32,33 Kidney disease: Surges in blood sugar promoted a greater production of fibrous kidney tissue—which causes kidney disease—than a high but constant blood sugar level.8 The study authors suggested it may be fluctuations in glucose—more than the levels themselves—that produce the vascular complications implicated in kidney damage. Another study found a direct increase in chronic kidney disease as levels of hemoglobin A1c (a marker of long-term glucose control) rose.34 Pancreatic dysfunction: Beta cells located in the pancreas produce the insulin that helps control blood sugar. But high glucose levels can make these cells dysfunctional, raising the risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers discovered that mild beta cell dysfunction was already detectable in those whose glucose levels spiked two hours after eating, despite staying completely within the range considered by the medical establishment to be normal.35 Diabetic retinopathy: High glucose levels precipitate diabetic retinopathy—damage to the retina that can lead to blindness. In one study, retinopathy was diagnosed in 13% of people who later progressed to diabetes and in 8% of those who never progressed to diabetes.7 Neuropathy: As expected, patients with nervous system damage (neuropathy) whose postprandial (after-meal) glucose readings were above the diabetic threshold, showed damage to their large nerve fibers. However, neuropathy patients whose glucose readings—although elevated—remained well within the normal range still showed damage to their small nerve fibers. Within any blood sugar range, reported the journal Neurology in 2003, the higher the glucose, the greater the involvement of the large nerve fibers.37 Another nerve damage study in 2006 confirmed these results.38 Compelling Confirmatory Data A team of Japanese researchers recorded a 43% drop in blood sugar levels after administering green coffee bean extract to mice after a heavy meal.75 In a clinical trial presented in 2011, researchers gave different dosages of standardized green coffee bean extract, each containing 50% chlorogenic acid, to 56 people. Next, they gave the participants 100 grams of glucose in an oral glucose challenge test. The oral glucose tolerance test is a standard method of gauging an individual's response to after-meal sugar exposure. Blood sugar levels dropped by an increasingly greater amount as the test dosage of green coffee bean extract was raised, from 100 mg up to 400 mg. At the 400 mg dosage, there was a full 32% decrease in blood sugar—two hours after glucose ingestion.17 This means that if you had a dangerous after-meal glucose reading of 160 mg/dL, the proprietary green coffee bean extract would slash it to 109 mg/dL. These findings are in line with supportive data demonstrating green coffee bean extract's numerous glucose-fighting mechanisms of action. Other models reveal that chlorogenic acid favorably modulates gene expression to enhance the activity of liver cells and increase levels of the hormone adiponectin, which enhances insulin sensitivity and exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-atherogenic effects.76 Summary Twenty-six million Americans are now considered diabetic, while more than one in three are pre-diabetic. Recent data confirm that your risk for degenerative disease and premature death increases substantially when fasting blood glucose exceeds 85 mg/dL. Yet the medical establishment persists in defining readings up to 99 mg/dL as "safe." Also overlooked in the effort to combat today's diabetes epidemic is the insidious process of after-meal blood sugar surges. Regardless of whether your fasting glucose readings are "normal," these surges can cause a diabetic-like state in the body that lasts for hours, inflicting undetected, system-wide damage to healthy tissues. Driving this danger is the little-known role your liver plays in creating and releasing additional glucose into the blood. This process, which regulates blood sugar in the absence of food when you're young, becomes detrimentally stimulated after heavy meals by the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase as you age. The result is a dangerous flood of sugar into your bloodstream after every meal. A breakthrough weapon to control these after-meal blood sugar surges has been identified: green coffee bean extract. It contains a compound called chlorogenic acid shown to target glucose-6-phosphatase and blunt post-consumption blood sugar levels by up to 32% in human trials. Understanding Gluconeogenesis The enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) helps to produce dangerous after-meal blood sugar spikes in two ways. It releases glucose from its storage area in the liver, and it promotes formation of new glucose molecules from non-sugar sources.78 The latter process is called gluconeogenesis. Traditionally, scientists have assumed that amino acids from proteins were the only precursors of glucose in gluconeogenesis.79 Recent discoveries, however, suggest that fatty acids are also important precursors of this dangerous source of excess glucose.79,80 Fatty acids contribute to gluconeogenesis by at least three mechanisms. First, excessive fatty acids stimulate gluconeogenesis and provide G6P the energy it needs to convert traditional substrates such as amino acids into glucose.81-84 Second, when triglycerides break down to fatty acids, glycerol is released, and then converted into glucose by gluconeogenesis.85 Finally, advanced computer models have revealed new pathways by which fatty acids are directly converted into glucose; the final steps in those pathways involve G6P.79 These discoveries provide further insight into the causes of the deadly after-meal glucose spikes. They also provide further incentives to block the enzymes that participate in gluconeogenesis, such as G6P. Green coffee extracts are an excellent source of G6P-blocking nutrients. If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension® Health Advisor at 1-866-864-3027. References 1. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p0126_diabetes.html. Accessed November 3, 2011. 2. 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Cardiovascular risk in patients with fasting blood glucose levels within normal range. Am J Cardiol. 2010 Dec 1;106(11):1602-5. 51. Srinivasan M, Sudheer AR, Menon VP. Ferulic acid: therapeutic potential through its antioxidant property. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2007 March;40(2):92-100. 52. Glei M, Kirmse A, Habermann N, Persin C, Pool-Zobel, BL. Bread enriched with green coffee extract has chemoprotective and antigenotoxic activities in human cells. Nutr Cancer. 2006;56(2):182-92. 53. Suzuki A, Yamamoto N, Jokura H, et al. Chlorogenic acid attenuates hypertension and improves endothelial function in spontaneously hypertensive rats. J Hypertens. 2006 Jun;24(6): 1065-73. 54. Watanabe T, Arai Y, Mitsui Y, et al. The blood pressure-lowering effect and safety of chlorogenic acid from green coffee bean extract in essential hypertension. Clin Exp Hypertens. 2006;28:439-49. 55. Ochiai R, Jokura H, Suzuki A, et al. Green coffee bean extract improves human vasoreactivity. Hypertens Res. 2004 Oct;27(10):731-7. 56. Onakpoya I, Terry R, Ernst E. The use of green coffee extract as a weight loss supplement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2011;2011. 57. Salazar-Martinez E, Willett WC, Ascherio A, et al. Coffee consumption and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ann Intern Med. 2004 Jan 6;140(1):1-8. 58. Pereira MA, Parker ED, Folsom AR. Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: an 11-year prospective study of 28 812 postmenopausal women. Arch Intern Med. 2006 Jun 26;166(12):1311-6. 59. Johnston KL, Clifford MN, Morgan LM. Coffee acutely modifies gastrointestinal hormone secretion and glucose tolerance in humans: glycemic effects of chlorogenic acid and caffeine. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Oct;78(4):728-33. 60. Bidel S, Hu G, Sundvall J, Kaprio J, Tuomilehto J. Effects of coffee consumption on glucose tolerance, serum glucose and insulin levels--a cross-sectional analysis. Horm Metab Res. 2006 Jan;38(1):38-43. 61. van Dam RM, Feskens EJM. Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lancet. 2002 Nov 9;360(9344):1477-8. 62. Available at: http://www.illy.com/wps/wcm/connect/us/illy/the-world-of-coffee/the-science-of-coffee/. Accessed July 6, 2011. 63. McCarty MF. A chlorogenic acid-induced increase in GLP-1 production may mediate the impact of heavy coffee consumption on diabetes risk. Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(4):848-53. 64. Greenberg JA, Boozer CN, Geliebter A. Coffee, diabetes, and weight control. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Oct;84(4):682-93. 65. Henry-Vitrac C, Ibarra A, Roller M, Merillon JM, Vitrac X. Contribution of chlorogenic acids to the inhibition of human hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity in vitro by Svetol, a standardized decaffeinated green coffee extract. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Apr 14;58(7):4141-4. 66. Andrade-Cetto A, Vazquez RC. Gluconeogenesis inhibition and phytochemical composition of two Cecropia species. J Ethnopharmacol. 2010 Jul 6;130(1):93-7. 67. Bassoli BK, Cassolla P, Borba-Murad GR, et al. Chlorogenic acid reduces the plasma glucose peak in the oral glucose tolerance test: effects on hepatic glucose release and glycaemia. Cell Biochem Funct. 2008 Apr;26(3):320-8. 68. Ishikawa A, Yamashita H, Hiemori M, et al. Characterization of inhibitors of postprandial hyperglycemia from the leaves of Nerium indicum. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2007 Apr;53(2):166-73. 69. Herrera-Arellano A, Aguilar-Santamaria L, Garcia-Hernandez B, Nicasio-Torres P, Tortoriello J. Clinical trial of Cecropia obtusifolia and Marrubium vulgare leaf extracts on blood glucose and serum lipids in type 2 diabetics. Phytomedicine. 2004 Nov;11(7-8):561-6. 70. Thom E. The effect of chlorogenic acid enriched coffee on glucose absorption in healthy volunteers and its effect on body mass when used long-term in overweight and obese people. J Int Med Res. 2007 Nov-Dec;35(6):900-8. 71. van Dijk AE, Olthof MR, Meeuse JC, Seebus E, Heine RJ, van Dam RM. Acute effects of decaffeinated coffee and the major coffee components chlorogenic acid and trigonelline on glucose tolerance. Diabetes Care. 2009 Jun;32(6):1023-5. 72. Shimoda H, Seki E, Aitani M. Inhibitory effect of green coffee bean extract on fat accumulation and body weight gain in mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006;6:9. 73. Cho AS, Jeon SM, Kim MJ, et al. Chlorogenic acid exhibits anti-obesity property and improves lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-induced-obese mice. Food Chem Toxicol. 2010 Mar;48(3):937-43. 74. Li SY, Chang CQ, Ma FY, Yu CL. Modulating effects of chlorogenic acid on lipids and glucose metabolism and expression of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha in golden hamsters fed on high fat diet. Biomed Environ Sci. 2009 Apr;22(2):122-9. 75. Murase T, Misawa K, Minegishi Y, Aoki M, Ominami H, Suzuki Y, Shibuya Y, Hase T. Coffee polyphenols suppress diet-induced body fat accumulation by downregulating SREBP-1c and related molecules in C57BL/6J mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Jan;300(1):E122-33. 76. Zhang LT, Chang CQ, Liu Y, Chen ZM. Effect of chlorogenic acid on disordered glucose and lipid metabolism in db/db mice and its mechanism. Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao. 2011 Jun;33(3):281-6. 77. Donahue RP, Abbott RD, Reed DM, et al: Postchallenge glucose concentration and coronary heart disease in men of Japanese ancestry. Honolulu Heart Program. Diabetes. 1987 Jun;36 (6):689-92. 78. Hemmerle H, Burger HJ, Below P, et al. Chlorogenic acid and synthetic chlorogenic acid derivatives: novel inhibitors of hepatic glucose-6-phosphate translocase. J Med Chem. 1997 Jan 17;40(2):137-45. 79. Kaleta C, de Figueiredo LF, Werner S, Guthke R, Ristow M, Schuster S. In silico evidence for gluconeogenesis from Fatty acids in humans. PLoS Comput Biol. 2011 Jul;7(7):e1002116. 80. Titov VN, Dmitriev LF, Krylin VA. [Methylglyoxal--test for biological dysfunctions of homeostasis and endoecology, low cytosolic glucose level, and gluconeogenesis from fatty acids]. Ter Arkh. 2010;82(10):71-7. 81. DeFronzo RA. Dysfunctional fat cells, lipotoxicity and type 2 diabetes. Int J Clin Pract Suppl. 2004 Oct (143):9-21. 82. Tonelli J, Kishore P, Lee DE, Hawkins M. The regulation of glucose effectiveness: how glucose modulates its own production. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2005 Jul;8(4):450-6. 83. Mlinar B, Marc J, Janez A, Pfeifer M. Molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance and associated diseases. Clin Chim Acta. 2007 Jan;375(1-2):20-35. 84. Goldstein JL, Zhao TJ, Li RL, Sherbet DP, Liang G, Brown MS. Surviving Starvation: Essential Role of the Ghrelin-Growth Hormone Axis. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 2011 Jul 22. 85. Finn PF, Dice JF. Proteolytic and lipolytic responses to starvation. Nutrition. 2006 Jul-Aug;22(7-8):830-44. 86. Danaei G, Finucane MM, Lu Y, et al. National, regional, and global trends in fasting plasma glucose and diabetes prevalence since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 370 country-years and 2•7 million participants. Lancet. 2011 Jul 2;378(9785):31-40 87. Finucane MM, Stevens GA, Cowan MJ, et al. National, regional, and global trends in body-mass index since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 960 country-years and 9•1 million participants. Lancet. 2011 Feb 12;377(9765):557-67. 88. Cosson E, Hamo-Tchatchouang E, Banu I, et al. A large proportion of prediabetes and diabetes goes undiagnosed when only fasting plasma glucose and/or HbA1c are measured in overweight or obese patients. Diabetes Metab. 2010 Sep;36(4):312-8.


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#roaming #mwc12
This story from Agence France Press, about tells it all about roaming. Even the mobile industry hates and fears roaming charges, if the people at the world's largest mobile event - Mobile World Congress - are anything to go by. Key quotes:
"We probably have two-thirds of the people here who have turned off their data, because they're scared to death of the roaming prices, and we're talking about people from the telecom world!" noted Jeff Gordon, chief executive of Syniverse, which deals with roaming issues for 700 mobile operators across the world.
According to Syniverse, out of 75 million people who travel to another country in a month, close to 70 percent never use the data service and half make no calls at all. Analyst firm Greenwich Consulting estimates that data roaming alone is an untapped 1.5 billion euro business in Europe alone.
"A smartphone is a great travelling companion and data services should be kept on rather than turned off, as they are today," said Magnus Rehle, director of the consultancy.
"The prices of international roaming have got to come down. None of us like surprises, we don't want to have to live in fear of the 5,000 euro bill," noted Gordon.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
false category {"scheme":"subcategory2_cr"}
A daybed is the perfect small-space solution for extra seating and bedding for guests. But when you're ready to change the look, it's hard to find daybed bedding sets that offer a truly great fit (and custom-made can be expensive). Fortunately, we have perfectly tailored daybed mattress covers and bedskirts, so you can redecorate as often as you like. And with our Custom Daybed ensemble, you can choose your fabric. While you're here, learn more about our bed pillows, slipcovers and bedding.
Product-Grid: > Daybed Bedding Page1
Product-Grid: > Daybed Bedding Page1


text:
Do What Works for You
Published on - November 9th, 2009 (Modified on - December 29th, 2009) (by J.D. Roth)
This article is the seventh of a fourteen-part series that explores the core tenets of Get Rich Slowly.
I struggled with debt for over a decade. I made several attempts to tackle the trouble, but nothing seemed to work. Compulsive spending was part of the problem — I bought anything I wanted, even if I couldn't afford it — but there was another factor, too.
Everything I'd read gave the same advice for debt reduction: Start by paying off your highest-interest rate debt. I understood the logic behind this, but I couldn't make it work.
The trouble was that my highest-interest rate debt was also my debt with the biggest balance (a fully-maxed $12,000 credit card at 19.8% interest). I'd plug away at this for several months at a time, but then give up because it felt like I was never getting anywhere.
Then I read about the debt snowball approach in Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover. It blew my mind. Here was somebody saying that it was okay (good even) to do something different, to start by paying low balances first. I tried it, and 39 months later I had eliminated over $35,000 in consumer debt.
In the process, I learned a valuable lesson. In order to succeed with money, sometimes you have to ignore the conventional wisdom. Sometimes you simply have to do what works for you.
The perils of dogmatism
There's too much dogmatism in our culture. People are convinced that their way is the right way to do things. I don't begrudge those who are certain they're right. When something works for you, you have a tendency to believe it's the right choice for everyone else, so you preach it with passionate zeal. I understand that.
The problem, of course, is that we're all different. Your religion and your politics and your financial tips work for you, but won't necessarily mesh with my situation and experiences. And mine won't fit with yours. There are few one-size-fits-all solutions in personal finance — or anywhere else.
For example:
- As I hinted earlier, there's no right way to pay off debt. Yes, you'll save a little if you tackle the high-interest stuff first, but you may have better chances of success by starting with low balances instead.
- There's no right way to invest. I like index funds, but you might prefer individual stocks.
- There's no right way to tackle your mortgage. Some experts recommend paying it off quickly; others recommend stretching it out as long as possible to take advantage of the low interest. The best choice is the one that best matches your goals for the future.
- There's no right way to be frugal. Some folks are unwilling to sacrifice organic groceries, and others are unwilling to take the bus. That's fine. Find ways to practice thrift that fit your lifestyle.
- Joint or separate finances? There's no right answer. Just because you can't conceive that a couple can have a strong relationship with separate finances doesn't mean that it's impossible. Millions of people do it with no problems.
- There's no right way to budget. Some people use a loose framework to guide their spending. Others need detailed line items. The best budget is one that you'll actually use.
- There's no single best savings account or checking account or credit card. There are plenty of great choices. Don't listen to anyone who says you're wrong for choosing a good option that works the way you do. (I don't feel bad about using ING Direct, even if they don't offer the highest rates.)
When you get trapped by the belief that there's just one right way to do something, you set yourself up for failure: If this "right" method doesn't work for you, you have no other options. You have to keep using it, even if you keep failing.
But if you allow yourself to consider other options, you give yourself multiple paths to success. Yes, you could use the "right" method — or you could take a different path to reach the same goal.
Doing what works
I'm not saying that it's okay to do anything you feel. It's not okay to keep on spending just because dealing with your debt is difficult or uncomfortable. But it is okay to try something new when what you're doing doesn't work. And it's okay to ignore the naysayers who complain that you're "not doing it right". Your want to find what works for you, not for somebody else.
Don't listen to anyone who tells you there's just one right way to do something. Each person is different. What works for one person may not work for another. Be willing to experiment until you find methods that are suited to your life.
Make informed choices, understand the consequences, and focus on your goals.
This is the seventh of a fourteen-part series that explores my financial philosophy. These are the core tenets of Get Rich Slowly. Other parts include:
- Tenet #1: Money is more about mind than it is about math
- Tenet #2: The road to wealth is paved with goals
- Tenet #3: To build wealth, you must spend less than you earn
- Tenet #4: Pay yourself first
- Tenet #5: Small amounts matter
- Tenet #6: Large amounts matter, too
- Tenet #7: Do what works for you
- Tenet #8: Slow and steady wins the race
- Tenet #9: The perfect is the enemy of the good
- Tenet #10: Failure is okay
- Tenet #11: Financial balance lets you enjoy tomorrow and today
- Tenet #12: Nobody cares more about your money than you do
- Tenet #13: Action beats inaction
- Tenet #14: It's more important to be happy than to be rich
Look for a new installment in this series every Monday through the end of the year.
This article is about Basics, Choices, Psychology
But do something, yes it is great to do research and try to figure out the best plan for paying off debt, the best savings plan, etc. But having a plan and getting started is better than researching the best plan month after month.
We ended up working the Dave Ramsey total money makeover baby step plan, debt snowball (modified to work for us) because I was researching how to buy a new and/or nused car without having a car payment and I came across Ramsey's drive free plan.
Mr. Sam thought I was crazy since we had $50,000+ in unsecured debt and I proposed to pay it all off in 1 year and with his mind for numbers he also thought it was crazy to pay off the smallest debt first (vs. the highest interest rate). But even though he thought I was crazy, he got on the crazy train with me and in 6 months we had 6 of our 7 debts paid off. Whoo-hoo.
Yes, do what works for you, but do it! Start small if you feel like the project is too big, break it down into small chunks, start off with balancing your check book, start off with saving $10 a week, start off with tracking your spending, start off with putting the credit cards away. Once you get going you get excited to do more.
I definately think this is the best advice of all when it comes to finances – heck, anything. There's so much advice out there about so many different things. It can't all be right for all of us, all the time, when we are such different people. So listen to the advice, by all means adopt some, but pick and choose the best bits for you, personally, at whatever stage of life you're currently at.
I have to remind myself of this every single day, especially right now, when I see my friends seemingly so much more successful (and wealthier!) than me…
great entry for a great series, thanks JD!
Wow! I love this article! Just like Rachel said above, it's probably the best advice that you can give anyone in financial trouble. It's also true what Sam says. You need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! You can read about things all day and not do a darn thing about it!
This is your most original advice so far: I wish your book was structured like that: with alternate solutions! Excellent!
Agreed with Sam above… the most important part of your slogan is "DO". Without action, none of it matters.
I agree! As some comments mention, do something even if it's a baby step. My husband and I paid off the smaller balance credit cards first, even before I knew who Dave Ramsey was. It made sense for us, and we could see real progress. That progress motivated us to pay down our higher interest loan, which we are still paying off. However, we have more money to apply towards it since all of our other credit cards are paid in full.
Debt snowball good.
Obsessive recording of debt balances . . . good? We did the debt snowball, and it worked wonders. I took the additional step of writing out the details about every one of our debts, principal amounts, interest rate, interest paid, total amount paid to date, anticipated payoff date and amount required to pay off today. I re-did the whole list by hand every month, even though the numbers really didn't change for many of the debts from month to month. And going through the process of calculating and writing out the details did stress me out some. But it also motivated me to see the numbers going down, bit by bit, and it drove us to figure out ways to make things happen faster, by saving more or taking windfalls and applying them judiciously to make the greatest impact.
Now that we've paid all the debts off, I don't write down anything about our finances from month to month – and our "next stage" financial efforts have stalled. Time for more obsession!
Yeah, I did the "pay-off high interest cards first", thanks to my wife's financial wisdom. But my balances were not, from what I gather in this article, as high as what you've had. My initial logic was the same as yours, pay off the smaller ones to free up the cash to pay for the big one. But my wife (we were still dating back then) made me stick to paying off the high interest because when she did the math, paying minimums on the high interest in the meantime would've hurt me more because I was losing more money on interest on one card than the rest of the smaller ones combined. So each situation is different and I agree that one should use whatever method that works.
As soon as we paid all my cards off, we cut up the ones that have high interest and low credit limits.
Now I am debt free and I even managed to start a savings plan. We now have one rule on credit card use… make sure you have the cash to pay for it… by that I mean, treat it like a check book. You can't issue a check if the money isn't in the bank. My credit card (I'm only using one now but I do have others safely tucked away) is always paid in full every month. So basically we only use credit cards because of the points, which is free money. I get $50 back for every 5000 points.
I agree whoileheartedly. Personal finance is just that. Personal. Each person at the end of the day has to do what they are comfortable doing. If it ends up not working it will be the experience that teaches them, not what someone else says to do. Good post!
I keep reminding myself that this debt I've accumulated these last 10 yrs(I was debt free until I married, gave birth, divorced) will eventually be done and gone. But something keeps coming up, car repairs & a son who refused to get a job when he was in high school, to circumvent my budget. I'm supporting the 2 of us now that he's graduated from high school. I've given him no option but to go back to school. He's received a Pell Grant. I'm getting by, and it seems like a long road to recovery, and frustrating as well. But my budget works for me on 27k salary.
My long time friend has issues with handling money matters. She requested some insight and help. However, when I explained that this works for me and that she may have to adjust to what works for her, she would call every day and exclaim that she "can't do it." That she has this and that to pay. That she's "forgot" to pay a bill, etc.
Because she asked for my help and then rejected a budget on her 75k salary, she now calls and is happy that she's working all this overtime to make ends meet.
Needless to say, I'm focused on myself and just nod and listen in agreement with my friend. I know I'll be debt free, eventually.
Now if only my adult son would get a job…..
Great advice as always. I used to have a spending problem as well, but somehow, there's been a complete turnaround. Now, I wait to buy things I'm not sure I need, and I often end up realizing I don't need them. I also discover ways to get things free and/or discounted, which I wrote briefly about here: http://haloblu.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-stuff.html.
I think my turnaround started with hearing Dave Ramsey talk about how we buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like. An a-ha moment, for sure. He also helped me realize that, even though I wasn't living above my means, I was living at my means like a little mouse on a wheel, getting exercise but never getting anywhere.
Yes–it's hard to listen to some of the financial advice out there and not feel discouraged. For example, when people talk about credit-card rewards, it makes me feel like I'm being silly for not using credit cards anymore and missing out on free cash back/airline points/etc.
But, I just keep in mind that I have to do what works for me. I've had trouble with credit cards in the past, and I'll though I'm sure I have enough self-discipline now that I'd be fine with them, psychologically I feel freer by not using them.
I'm happy to see this side of your self — "the philosopher J.D." — emerging in your writing!
You did not say this explicitly (and I know you still have a fear of scaring off readers with hyphenated words like self-knowledge and self-awareness) but self-knowledge is everything.
People generally like to be given the answers but there is more value in discovering the answers within one's self.
True success in personal finance begins with self-knowledge. Arguably, one can become more "successful" financially by acquiring and applying self-knowledge than by acquiring and applying financial knowledge.
Thanks J.D. I'm looking forward to more philosophy and behavioral finance from you!
Kent @ The Financial Philosopher
Dear J.D.:
I have to say I am becoming a fan of your blog and your writing. Rarely will you find a person admitting that they do not know everything and that what works for them might not work for others.
It is a humbling experience. It is hard to admit that what works for you might not work for others.For some reason, it is rooted in us to think that our way is the only way.
On the other hand, most people are too lazy to think for themselves. I have seen hundreds of self-help books, personal finance books. All of them have their own take on a certain issue.
Some of them even say that certain methods might not work for everybody. However, people just conveniently skip over that advice and then go on buying more and more books about self-help or finances.
They do not take the time to think about their own situation and take the time to think for themselves. People do not realize that those books are just guides.
Just like you said everybody is different, we all lead unique lives with our own unique financial situations and therefore it is crucial to maintain skepticism in everything that we do.
Thank you for sharing.
This is one example of when the old saying "time flies" actually helps you. I agree with the do something approach.
We decided to do auto paycheck withdrawl to purchase savings bonds for our emergency fund. We tried other methods, but all our previous savings vehicles were just too easy to tap. At the time, it felt like "forever" before a) we'd had 6 mo saved and b) we'd hit the 5 year mark to cash without penalty. It seems like we blinked and now it's done.
Same with the house. We've been paying extra on a 15 year mortgage. Our method was ad hock. Most months we at least rounded to the nearest $100. Some months we paid more (like after a tax return came back). Poof, 10 years went by like a flash and now we've got less than a year of payments left.
Time Goes by Really Fast which means you'll reach your goals faster than you ever thought possible. But you have to have the goals in the first place to see it happen.
Hey J.D.,
You're unique – so your approach to life should be as well.
There's no such thing as a blanket approach for the essentials: your life, relationships, personal finances, work, etc. You find what works best for you–what you're most passionate about and fits into your lifestyle–and do that.
There's a reason so many people are unhappy with their 9-5 jobs. Those are blanket approaches to a career, and it's not the best fit. Either the work isn't fulfilling, or the schedule doesn't work for them. The point is, they're not finding their unique approach to their work.
The same goes for personal finance. There's no one right budget or whatnot for people. If you move around constantly, than a house mortgage doesn't make sense. Depending on what you're investing during some part of your life, you change the percentage you allocate to pay off debt. You fuel your passions while cutting out spending on things that aren't important to you. And that's different for everyone.
Live for yourself. Do what works best for you, and you're on your way to living your life to the fullest.
Nice reminder that oftentimes the "rules" aren't what's best for us. We need to find that ourselves, but then our life becomes so much more fulfilling for it.
Great stuff as always,
Another possibility is to transfer the higher interest balances to the lower interest cards. Or to open a new account with an introductory rate and free transfers, transfer the balances, then pay off that card.
Once crimp in these financial advisors advice (Dave Ramsey especially) is that, while they are effective motivators to get out of debt, some make it seem like the world will open up to you once you're out of debt. It doesn't. There's that little issue of savings and retirement to deal with too. Dave's plan sets people up like a diet plan does – once the dieter hits their goal weight, most will gain it all back. Be careful of this trap with finances – it's easy to 'celebrate' being debt free, and basically diving right back in to debt again.
I agree that dogmatism is a big problem in the money field. I think it is because those who push certain strategies feel a need from a marketing perspective to be viewed as having gotten it right. So there are huge dollar amounts put into the promotion of certain ideas. When people see certain ideas being promoted again and again and again, they come to believe that there must be something to them. And then dogmatism sets in even among those most harmed by it.
I believe you are guilty of dogmatism yourself on the investing side, J.D. You may not see it. Few of us see our own weaknesses. But you rarely explore the weaknesses of the Buy-and-Hold Investing model. I have heard from several financial planners that their clients are losing confidence in the conventional investing advice. So I think it would be wonderful for influential blogs like this one to be active in exploring new ideas (I of course would not expect you to personally endorse new ideas until you personally became convinced of their merit — but permitting exploration of new ideas in Guest Blog Entries is a very different matter and I have seen you do this on the saving side on numerous occasions).
The problem with dogmatism is that those practicing it rarely see themselves as being dogmatic — they just think they are right. I hope you will take this comment in the spirit in which it is intended and give some thought to opening up your blog to criticisms of the Buy-and-Hold approach (which a good number of experts believe has been entirely discredited in recent years) in future days.
Rob, that's a funny comment coming from you.
JD this is a great article. It's absolutely true. I'm finding out things that work for me – automatic savings, using credit but not carrying a balance, pretending the savings money isn't there – and slowly building up the e-fund, slowly beginning to invest, etc. I'm really enjoying this series; it's a great refresher, and the articles are really well-written, clear and plain. Thank You!
@ Rob:
You make a great point that supports J.D's resistance to dogmatism; however, your final point seems to be more dogmatic than not:
Criticizing "buy & hold" is a dogmatic path. Investing strategies come in and out of favor. Also, depending upon how one defines "buy & hold," there are just as many arguments against it as there are arguments for it.
We then arrive back to the point that "what is good for some might not be good for others."
Also, the true problem with "buy & hold" is largely semantic. The meaning of the word is so broad and liquid that it borders on abstract.
Who actually buys an S&P Index fund and holds it for 10 years without dollar-cost averaging? Is this "buy & hold?" I don't think so.
Would you call Warren Buffett "buy & hold?" If so, what criticisms do you have of his investment strategy? Isn't "buy & hold" simply a value-investing strategy?
We are then back to the original point: What works for some might not work for others. Where people fail is not in strategy but in lack of self-knowledge.
Criticizing a particular strategy is too easy, especially when it is out of favor or when certain definitions and meanings are cherry-picked to support one's own biases.
J.D., in my humble opinion, need not change a thing about his direction or approach. He is simply admitting he does not know everything and is wisely admitting that his path is not necessarily the path that others should follow.
Humility derives from self-knowledge.
Kent @ The Financial Philosopher
Criticizing "buy & hold" is a dogmatic path.
I think some are confusing "feeling strongly about your beliefs" with "being intolerant of other beliefs." I view only the latter as constituting dogmatism.
There is no one on Planet Earth who is more critical of Buy-and-Hold Investing than Rob Bennett. I certainly don't say different. I view Buy-and-Hold as being the primary cause of our financial crisis. I view the promotion of Buy-and-Hold as the worst mistake ever made in the history of personal finance.
But I do not feel that I can properly be characterized as "dogmatic" re investing questions. The reason is that I always show respect and affection for those who offer arguments in support of Buy-and-Hold Investing. I have learned many important things from these people and am grateful for what I have learned. And I of course acknowledge that I could be wrong about things that I believe today (just as I believe today that I was wrong about Buy-and-Hold in the days when I believed in Buy-and-Hold).
I think of dogmatism as a process matter. So long as you are open to other points of view you are not dogmatic even if you have great confidence in your own views. I am intensely critical of Buy-and-Hold. But I enjoy hearing the other side. Hearing the other side helps me sharpen my own thinking and there is of course always that possibility that it will cause me to change my thinking (this has in fact happened on a number of occasions).
I believe what I believe strongly. I do not view it as fair to characterize me as believing what I believe dogmatically. I'm open to hearing the other side. I enjoy hearing the other side. I respect the people who present the other side. That's not dogmatism, according to my understanding of the concept.
Can most of those who "believe" in Buy-and-Hold say the same? My experience is that it is a rare Buy-and-Hold advocate who can show enough tolerance of those who hold different views to engage in warm and friendly conversations about investing with those people. I take that as an exceedingly bad sign for what this investing "idea" does to the humanity of the people who come to believe in it.
Rob, you haven't said what you mean by "buy and hold" so it's entirely possible we agree with you.
However, whatever you mean, it's dogmatic because you believe that everyone should do things your way and all other ways lead to failure. We KNOW you feel strongly about it, no need to keep saying it. But I've read your stuff on here before and I can't follow it. Ergo, it doesn't work for ME, and I'm not going to do it. I do what works for me. If it doesn't turn out, oh well. But that's a pretty big if, and in the meantime it's better than doing nothing.
I've been a fan of that method for quite some time now… that is, not trying to make the same fix for somebody else work for you, but rather adjusting it to your unique needs. It's a lot like dieting and personal fitness in my opinion; taking the advice of others into account, but ultimately acknowledging that each person is going to require a unique playbook.
Oddly enough, what I find most interesting about this topic (which in general, I agree with J.D. on) is the definition of "what works".
If you were to explicitly state the criteria for "working", then you could try any number of approaches to meeting that goal, and any of them that met those criteria would work. The goal isn't to pick the best methodology, as there is no best — only a pass/fail approach. You're free to choose your favorite from any of the ones that manage to pass.
A lot of people don't seem to like my budgeting system, which is essentially "save $X, pay the bills, have a positive checking account balance at the end of the month" because it allows me to spend arbitrarily in any category. But that's OK, because it meets my definition of "what works", namely, that $X is saved every month. Beyond that, I don't need to worry about it. I like the system and it works. Saving $1.1X or $1.25X would also work, but isn't something I require or even necessarily prefer.
Well said. It isn't a one size fits all world. I have in fact started a special series on my blog addressing just that thought. Well timed!
The debt snowball works because debt elimination is purely psychological. Financial planners say to pay your debt with the highest interest rate first because that saves the most money. The problem with this solution is that it is the hardest to complete psychologically. When you need to see progress to stay motivated, the debt snowball works wonders!
Good post, JD.
JD, thank you so much for posting this. There are so many supposed pundits out there who seem to have the answer for everybody. But the reality is that each person is unique and needs a unique answer. Very often, dogmatic answers to common problems start out as short cuts (in thought, emotion, or time). They can become dangerous when applied to everybody.
We need more options, financial and otherwise, that allow us to customize the right solution for us. If we can do it without adding cost and requiring a steep learning curve, we will need fewer short cuts to make our life easier.
And this is what it's all about!!
I love pointing out this sort of thing when the naysayers want to point out how "destructive" my car hobby is… First off, I can afford the spending, and secondly, the amount of happiness my cars bring me for the money spent is unparalleled.
Financial issues are hardly ever about the money, it's all about psychology. If it were so cut and dry, nobody would ever have trouble with it. (I'm so glad I can see it rationally instead of being overly involved emotionally speaking.)
Re Kathy B (post #10) – maybe it's time to tell your adult son-who-doesn't-have-a-job that it's time for him to get one, and start contributing to the monthly coffers or he needs to find another place to live. Some friends went through that with their daugher – she had actually quit school and was at home, without a job. They both said to her – either get a job and start paying us board or find a new home – life isn't free. For them, the tough approach worked. She's actually got two jobs, pays her board to them, makes her car and insurance payments and boards a horse…and she's realized that there's nothing cheaper than living at home! The offer is always open for her to live there for nothing (no job required) if she goes to school, and her parents will pay for school (that would be "her job" in their minds…go to school and get some good marks). Food for thought?
Well said. Too many "gurus" ignore basic human behaviors in their advice and that's why it never works. See: Suze Orman.
Thanks for the reminder that this method of thinking works within personal finance, but also universally.
JD, I like the thought but I think you need to flip this article around before you publish it. I was shaking my head toward the middle because, as Tyler said, you didn't really define "working" and I pictured people going along overspending because it *works* for them. But then at the end you say you aren't giving people permission to do whatever they want, but that there are various methods that work. I think that caveat should be at the top. People who are regular readers here know what you mean, but people reading you for the first time may get lost before they get to that point.
So many people reject principles as not working because they aren't committed. I hope in your book you throw out some ideas of what *works* for people.
I have never seen a PF/personality style book, guiding people toward what WILL work for them based on their personality. But if you aren't putting forth a book outlining your *plan*, then what's your point?
Great post JD.
Couple of small points.
Regarding paying off debt, be it installment, revolving or a mortgage, I have noticed the arguments usually asume a payment plan along with some type of relationship to wintery precipitation.
Actually, the best (and only) way to pay off a debt is to…pay it off. Now. With one big check. Today. otherwise you are paying it DOWN, not OFF
That is the best way. The payment plans, be it based on interest rate, balance, payment amount, alphabetical, rhyming, number of vowels in the creditor, age of account or age at which you acquired the debt are all debatable, and clearly at best second on the list.
Oh, and the best way to to pay DOWN debt is to rank it by RISK. Assess the risk of each debt (rate, balance, payment fluctuation, family memeber, IRS, uncomfortableness, whatever) and pay it off based on that. Then you are ranking based on…what works for you.
Agree, it's great to have advice from friends family, others, but in the end you have to develop your own system that works for you and stick to it.
"Regarding paying off debt, be it installment, revolving or a mortgage, I have noticed the arguments usually asume a payment plan along with some type of relationship to wintery precipitation.
Actually, the best (and only) way to pay off a debt is to…pay it off. Now. With one big check. Today. otherwise you are paying it DOWN, not OFF"
Unnecessary pedantry.
The problem with the "do what works for you" motto is that you don't know until hindsight what actually works for you! When you were two months into your "pay the highest interest first" method, you would probably have said it was working for you. Whereas, if you have blindly followed Ramsey zealots you would have paid off your debt much sooner.
Maybe your relationship with your wife is stronger because you have separate finances, but MAYBE after a couple years of trying joint finances you would find that it is even better.
I'm not advocating Ramsey or joint finances per se, but many people use the "this is what works for me" motto to really say "I don't want to change or admit I'm wrong."
I think the concept of "do your own thing" is really warm and fuzzy, but is ignoring legitimate financial advice really the best way to "get rich slowly"?
"unnecessary pedantry"
Since all personal finance boils down to simple addition and subtraction, clarification of the basics is prudent and therefore quite necessary to some.
Excellent article.
The problem is that there is a plethora of information on any and every financial topic. Whether it be paying down debt, budgeting, investing, etc. There is a hundred ways to do everything. How is anyone able to determine what is right? Or even worse, what is the best?
I think you hit it on the head. The best way and the right way are what works for you. Committing to what works for you. If you're not sure quite what that is yet commit to what you think it is and then tweak it as you go. Great advice.
I agree totally with "do what works for you." I could never understand the premise behind the "debt snowball" and I think it wastes money unnecessarily. However, to each his own!
Great article, JD. Personal finance is such a subjective, psychology-driven field. The mathematically correct approach only works if people can actually implement it succesfuly.
It's good to read your thoughts on the subject.
Anna #29 – I did, I even drove him to places to apply etc., but we live in the Las Vegas area and the unemployment is currently @ 10.9%. He's in school after I said that his way didn't work for 13 months and now he's going to do it my way. He now contributes for "food money" every month from his school money. I don't mind as long as he's in school and continues to get good grades.
Personal finance management is a better deal. there in no need to panic in this situation. Just think and decide that do you really need to plan your finance.
Des brings up a great point that we often don't know what really works best for us until we have the luxury of looking back. That's why we need to develop a way to test and measure, test and measure.
Agile businesses do this all the time. When we work with our own personal finances, we need to be equally flexible and open to find what really works for us. In that way, perhaps "do what works for you" is not an excuse to keep doing things as you are (and be more dogmatic) but encourages us to explore more ideas and get out of our prescribed circle of thought.
@ Rob #18
I appreciate your enthusiasm. For the record, and for the sake of friendly conversation, I never accused you of dogmatism; I simply stated that criticism against opposing views is a dogmatic path.
Reflecting on my own previous comment (#13), I probably vented on you some of my own discontent with the recent media noise chanting that "buy & hold is dead." Much of this noise was aimed at the passive, indexing, value-oriented investment advisers and financial planners, such as myself. By the generalized media definition, "buy & hold" never was alive in the first place. Their argument is the only thing that is "dead."
But how does one define "buy & hold?"
This was (and still is) my point: If one is to be critical of something, especially something as broad in meaning as the "buy & hold" investing strategy, then define what it is that you mean by "buy & hold," then proceed to criticize.
I could easily make an intelligent argument against "timing the market" as well, but my argument is weak without defining terms and stating the premise of the argument.
Once again, we find ourselves back at J.D's point: Do what works for you! I'm sure he's learned over the years of blogging (and reading comments) that there are many different paths to financial success and trying to force opinions on others is a misguided attempt, no matter how altruistic the intent may be.
The only "wrong path" is someone else's path; therefore, most attempts to hyper-intentionally convince others to follow a certain path or to discontinue the path they are on now is simply an empty display of knowledge, even if the intent is altruistic.
Teaching self-knowledge, which is J.D's underlying point here, is greater than teaching one particular view or strategy, whether it is "buy & hold" or any other strategy.
Thanks to all for provoking thought…
"There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees." ~ Michel de Montaigne
Kent @ The Financial Philosopher
If one is to be critical of something, especially something as broad in meaning as the "buy & hold" investing strategy, then define what it is that you mean by "buy & hold," then proceed to criticize.
Thanks for the helpful feedback, Kent. You are absolutely right re the point made in the words quoted above. But this thread is not the place for us to define our terms and then proceed to a discussion on the merits or lack thereof of Buy-and-Hold Investing.
If you would be willing to engage in some e-mail discussion of these questions with me, I would be thrilled. Or you could put up some comments at my blog and we could engage that way. Or we could have a back-and-forth discussions at your blog. Anything that works for you works for me.
My goal is just to get this conversation started. I think that J.D. could help a lot because his blog is so widely read. But I certainly don't mean to suggest that he is the sole cause of the hold-up in getting this conversation going. He is one guy writing one blog. I would like to see all personal finance blogs exploring these questions in some depth.
We have suffered an economic crisis and we need to figure out how to get out of it. This is not a question where there are winners and losers. We all benefit from having the conversation. If it turns out that Buy-and-Hold works, then we will have more confidence in it as a result of having had the conversation. If it turns out that Buy-and-Hold does not work, we can all get about the business of learning what does work.
My goal for seven years now has been the most modest goal imaginable — to get those who today believe in Buy-and-Hold to accept at least the possibility that they might be wrong so that we can get a healthy conversation started. I think that those people who are criticizing your investing advice are right, Kent. I don't think that you wake up in the morning with the idea of giving bad advice. But I think you need to open up enough to the possibility that you are wrong to let in what those criticizing your advice are trying to tell you.
Human beings have made mistakes about all sorts of things through the history of time. It's not at all my intent to find fault with people for having made mistakes. I of course have made mistakes myself and I believe strongly that the mistakes that were made here were made by smart people with good intent. So I wish that people could just let that aspect of things go.
I do believe that big mistakes were made and that it is imperative that these matters be explored by all interested in keeping our economic and political system from going over a cliff (and that of course should be all of us). It's not my intent to over-dramatize when I put it that way. I believe that that is a fair statement of the stakes that apply here.
I strongly believe that we need to get this conversation started (but this particular thread is not the place to discuss aspects of the question other than the dogmatism issue, which is the question put on the table by this particular thread).
@ Tyler #24, that's kind of my budgeting system! I never considered that I HAD a budgeting system, but like you say, if that works there's nothing wrong with it. I put X in savings, pay bills, and spend what's left, leaving a small cushion.
@ Des #37, I'm a satisficer. Once I find something that works, I stick with it; I'm not going to try every single method looking for the "best."
Adam, this post offers great advice!
People go from website to weblog, and buy books and CDs or attend programs to help them with budgeting money, saving, investing, etc, but never finding what works. Why?
Because we can't be successful playing someone elses game, not long term at least.
It's always good to seek advice and what ever information we can, but ultimately we have to settle on a course that works for each of us, with the unique circumstances we each face.
Just because a coworker is cleaning up in the stock market because of a program he attended doesn't mean we can duplicate that success. Seemingly small points can be the difference between success and failure and make all the difference.
Can someone please tell me what & as in "buy & hold," means? I see & frequently and cannot figure out from the context what it stands for.


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Critics PicksBen Brantley RECOMMENDS Charles Isherwood RECOMMENDS
Readers Favorites
The following shows have received ratings of at least four stars from Times readers.BROADWAY OFF BROADWAY
41 Readers' Reviews
August 27th, 20116:49 pm
I was very lucky to have seen Chinglish when it was premiering at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The show is a laugh-a-minute. Can't wait to see New York audiences love it too!
— Scott, Chicago, IL
October 17th, 20119:09 am
Finally a comedy that says something in a very funny and contemporary manner. This is a play that anyone who knows what is going on in the world can laugh and enjoy.
Do yourself a favor and get down to the Longacre Theatre and laugh.
— Mitchell, NYC
October 17th, 201112:49 pm
Highly recommended.
October 17th, 201112:49 pm
I saw CHINGLISH in Chicago and found the show to be extremely entertaining. The story is not only perfectly crafted but very timely; the two super powers- US and CHINA and what confusion and misunderstandings and mistranslations we experience between us. Soooo funny and meaningful. You will really love this play. Go see it and enjoy.
— Ben, NY
October 17th, 201112:49 pm
Having been to China, seeing the Ch'inglish signs, and learning that every word has many different pronunciations, this show has it right on.
The writing is fantastic, the set is great, the actors are so well directed, that you forget it's a play.
What a fresh, new, concept.
— Theater Junkie, New York, NY
October 17th, 201112:49 pm
I saw the play in previews and never expected to enjoy this unusual play so much. It is funny and clever and so entertaining. Kudos to the writer, director, production staff and the actors. I loved it !!! Go see it !!!
— dlazovitz, Somers Point, N.J.
October 17th, 201112:49 pm
What a marvelous play, I've always gotten a kick out of dialects and how every FAMILY that speaks any given language seems to have their own, and how people who speak the same language often can't understand each other at all, and you can take that in many different ways. And so does Chinglish, this is a marvelous cast, how they know when to switch back and forth from English to Chinese and how even the TIMING of the surtitles brings laughs, I just loved this. And this staging has one of the most innovative sets I have ever seen, and it performed like clockwork. I cannot recommend this more highly or thank the cast and crew enough for their work, it's brilliant, and I do believe in, to each his own, but if you don't enjoy this play in every way, try prunes.
— kennicott, Jersey
October 17th, 201112:52 pm
For me, the biggest flaw in the play is the basic concept that a US-based sign maker has gone to China to sell his product. Sign maker? What do the Chinese need US sign makers for? This is just a lazy way for the playwright to introduce humorously mistranslated signs. If the Chinese officials are serious about not repeating this problem, they could simply hire the American translator as a proofreader--problem solved. With the credibility of the play called into question early on, and with the stakes so low, there's no firm foundation for the various plot twists that follow.
At the performance I attended, the audience enjoyed the humor, and waited patiently through the dull scenes (especially near the end) so everything could wrap up and they could go home.
— claude, New York, NY
October 17th, 20118:42 pm
The Broadway production of Chinglish sparkles. Hwang's very funny script develops at a fast pace to unfold a story of cultural miscommunication on various levels. The cast handles the comedy deftly -- I especially enjoyed Jennifer Lim, Larry Lei Zhang, and Angela Lin. High marks for the dynamic set design that makes even the scene changes a pleasure to watch.
— Andy, New York, NY
October 18th, 201111:22 pm
It has been a while since I've had so much fun at the theatre! In a country and especially a melting pot such as New York, the story Chinglish tells, one about miscommunications and misinterpretations between different nationalities and ethnicities and the cultural clash between them, is perfectly adequate and relevant to the society we live in.
The humor of the play conveys well the message allowing the audience to enjoy the performance all at the same time.
Don't miss it!
— Bibi R., New York, NY
October 18th, 201111:22 pm
What a great play! Very well written, and the story is multi layered and has so much depth. The cast and acting is amazing, and well directed. I was glued to the play from the beginning to the end. It is very funny, yet very serious as well. The concept of the play is very timely and relevant to the today's world, especially US and China's relationship. Anybody who has been lost in translation (whether it is in travel, culture, business, or love) can relate to the story. This play is for you. Go see it!!!!
— Rebecca, New York, NY
October 19th, 20119:09 pm
The only praise I can give to this unfunny comedy is that the staging was brilliant. Too bad that's not enough to recommend Chinglish.
— Cage47, Nyc
October 19th, 20119:09 pm
I was at the October 19th matinee in the mezzanine, F center. It was often difficult to hear/ understand the dialogue when Jennifer Lim was speaking English.
The play often was very clever and amusing and there was a wonderful set.
— andy, phoenix
October 22nd, 20116:45 pm
Cute, smart and funny. Very timely, and worth your time.
— Jane, New York, NY
October 24th, 201112:05 pm
CHINGLISH's terrific cast is smartly directed.
The staging is clever and efficient; the sets are wonderfully creative and a joy to watch throughout the play.
Even if the premise of an American sign maker going to china seems a little off, this is a genuinely laugh out loud funny play.
However, after the novelty of the translators and subtitles wears off it seems like the playwright could have moved the story along a little quicker.
As much as I like this production, i think it would have worked better in 95 minutes without an intermission, not unlike last season's MOTHER WITH A HAT, which was originally problematic in two acts and then fantastic in one act.
— jonathan tweed, New York
October 24th, 201112:05 pm
Saw Chinglish in previews 10/22 and loved it -- as did the rest of the audience, judging by their reaction. Chinglish takes on a timely topic in a laugh-out-loud funny way. The set design was terrific, particularly the incorporation of Chinese translations into the set rather than on a separate screen or scroll bar, which made it very easy to follow, like captions in a cartoon. The cast was great, especially Jennifer Lim and Larry Lei Zhang. The clever plot kept me engaged and guessing until the end. All in all, Chinglish is great fun! Highly recommended.
— Cam, Rochester, NY
October 26th, 20116:21 pm
I saw the play last week and had a great time. Watching Jennifer Lim go back and forth between Chinese and English is truly astounding -- what a talent! The set is beautiful and allows for interesting scene changes. Would definitely recommend this one to family and friends. Enjoy!
— Gertrude, NYC
October 28th, 20115:14 pm
Chinglish is simply not good. The whole play revolves around one variation or another of the characters being lost in translation. There is not single real conflict, the stakes are never raised, and there is not one three dimensional character in the entire play. I have no idea why this is a play, it is more akin to a bad sitcom and even then bad sitcoms have more conflict. This is why people don't go to see theater. And the ending is simply ridiculous, pointless, and makes no sense. There could be a great play about American/Chinese business relations and how we communicate with one another but this is not the play. Also it's not that funny.
— Saw It Last Night, Brooklyn, NY
October 28th, 20115:19 pm
Smart, urbane comedy. Highly recomended... especially if you have traveled.
To me CHINGLISH is a metaphor for all areas of life where differences collide: men/women, rich/poor, city/country, east/west, art/commerce, ying/yang, democrat/republican.
Brantley may have had an off night. Go see it.
— David, New York
October 28th, 20115:19 pm
I got tickets to Chinglish last week and was really looking forward to going. Wow was I disappointed. The play revolves around the same one joke concept throughout the entire play. There is almost no character development and no real conflict. This is a bad romantic comedy don't waste the $100.
Chinglish could have been a funny poignant play about American/Chinese relations and how they are changing. Instead it was one dumb lost in translation moment after another.
— Josh, New York City
October 29th, 20115:59 pm
Very clever, very funny. Highly recommended to any businessman thinking of entering the Chinese market, and also for those looking for a good time and a lot of laughs
— Ken, California
October 29th, 20115:59 pm
It's entertaining, on a lightly higher than sit-com level. But it never goes below the surface. Characters are like puppets serving the playwright's designs. It's a fun evening of entertainment---at TDF prices only.
— persona, NYC
October 31st, 201111:24 am
This is a highly entertaining vehicle for some serious and heartfelt meditations on a cultural divide. It combines the farcical energy of bedroom comedy with the hilarity of linguistic confusion. Jennifer Lim is amazing, passionate, powerful, really funny. The bilingual dramatics are delivered with deft comic timing by a wonderful cast. The awkwardness of communication without thorough empathy and competence in a culture is mined for laugh after laugh with the Supertitle screen an important guiding presence. I've never seen a play approach this subject matter before. An ambitious undertaking but high-spirited and enjoyable to watch. A must for anyone curious about, or worried about, or enamored of, or reluctantly acknowledging of China's place in the world today.
— Sandy, New York, NY
October 31st, 201111:24 am
The first few scenes are primarily the mistranslation comedy to which all the reviewers refer. As the play continues, it develops additional depth. Ultimately, the play is also about the limits of all language. The characters use language to conceal, far more than they reveal.
October 31st, 201112:13 pm
I liked everything about the play except 1) the main male lead. He was incredibly whiny and sounded like he was yelling in monotone the whole time. I did not like him so it was hard to get behind him in the play 2) A little too much confusion in the translating became tiresome to listen to.
— Meadow, NY
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