Interview with Randy Petrick
Money Games: 85 Fun Ways to Save Money and Attract Abundance

Host:
Welcome! We’re here today with Randy Petrick, author of Money Games: 85 Ways to Save Money and Attract Abundance. Randy, with today’s high energy prices, falling real estate values, and struggling stock market, it seems you’ve hit on a topic that’s likely to interest many readers – how to save money in turbulent economic times.

Randy:
Thank you for the invitation to speak about my book. Writing Money Games has been an incredible experience and it has been a joy to see it move from concept to reality.

Host:
Let’s talk about the concept. What inspired you to write Money Games?

Randy:
The original concept was born over ten years ago in a conversation with a colleague, Chris Myers, who shared a passion with me for helping other people learn more about money. We were co-founders of a small investment club and one of our initial goals was for the club to be fun! Our own experiences had taught both of us that if saving money isn’t fun, most people just won’t do it.

Chris identified a major issue for the club right up front when she observed that our small initial membership wasn’t so much a function of our friends not wanting to invest as it was that they often lacked the resources to do so. The idea of “games” or fun activities designed to help generate investable cash just naturally evolved from there.

Host:
Is the club still in existence?

Randy:
Sadly, it’s not. A corporate downsizing unfortunately took Chris to one location and took me to another. As a result, our initial start toward co-authoring a book about fun ways to save money had to be let go.

Host:
Yet, here’s the book!

Randy:
That’s very true. I hope Chris will be proud of my single author final product. The concept was so unique and interesting that it stayed on one of the back burners of my mind for a long time. In more recent years, many people have encouraged me and supported me in the writing of the book. To all those participants in my many financial classes, and to my close friends who kept nagging (oops…make that “encouraging”) me to complete the project, I offer my heartfelt thanks.

Host:
Who will most appreciate what Money Games has to offer?

Randy:
Do you know anyone who has been struggling with his or her finances? Do you know anyone who has had difficulty in making ends meet? Do you know anyone who is mired in debt and just can’t seem to break free?

Host:
Yes, of course.

Randy:
Those are the people who will most benefit from this book. To those who may be reading or listening to this interview, let me ask you about your goals.
• Would you like to break free from the pressures of debt?
• Would you like to get out from under “all those lousy bills?”
• Would you like to save money like never before?
• Would you like to dramatically change your financial life for the better?

If so, you’ve come to the right place. Money Games contains the tools to bring all those changes into your lives.

Host:
Why did you choose to present money concepts in the form of “games?”

Randy:
Again, it goes back to the original notion that most of us just won’t save money because doing so is just plain boring. I can speak from personal experience on that one. For me, if something isn’t fun, I just won’t do it. For me to save money, I had to find ways to make saving fun. The ideas presented in Money Games all come directly from my personal quest to do a better job of saving money and to have fun while doing so.

Host:
The title also has the words “Attract Abundance.” What’s that about and how does that relate to saving money?

Randy:
That’s a great question! What I’ve found is that saving money and accumulating wealth isn’t just about taking practical steps such as putting spare change into a jar. Although the practical steps are necessary (and there are many of them in the book), there is a tremendous “multiplier effect” that hastens the process. That multiplier effect comes from a person’s mental mindset.

You must “be” a certain kind of person and “think” certain kinds of thoughts in order to “attract” certain kinds of things. Wealth building, for example, is greatly enhanced through giving, through increasing one’s education, through positive self-talk, and even through clearing out clutter! Those are all topics that are woven into the various games.

Additionally, I deliberately chose the word “abundance” because it has a broader meaning than just pure monetary riches. The same concepts that bring increased wealth into our lives also serve to bring other forms of increased abundance as well. It may be an abundance of friends, of joy, of peace of mind, or even wisdom. That’s exciting!

Host:
It certainly is. Nevertheless, let’s get down to it. The bottom line is that readers are going to want to know if these “games” are really worth their time. Do they really work?

Randy:
That’s a fair question. My answer is “YES!” How do I know? I’ve been using many of these games for the last 30 years. Different ideas have presented themselves at different times over that time period, but I’ve been actively saving and investing for a very long time.

To put it in perspective, thirty years ago, my entire net worth was $1,500…and that included my socks. In fact, it mainly included an old beat-up Volvo and not much else. Twenty-five years later, my net worth passed $1,000,000. Now, five years beyond that, it is on the downhill side heading toward $2,000,000.

Granted, I’ve had the same issues and obstacles to face as many of those who will be attracted to this book. The combination of high energy prices, falling home values, and a struggling stock market have lengthened my $2,000,000 timetable by at least two years from my original goal, but the lessons I’ve learned are still serving me well and I’m continuing to move forward.

Host:
There are many “investment” and “money” books out there. The bookstores are full of them. Why should someone choose this book over the many others?

Randy:
That’s another great question! First of all, Money Games is NOT a “get rich quick” book, a “how to make millions in real estate” book, or a boring “how to invest” book. (In fact, there is very little in the book about actual investing.) As you said, there are already plenty of books available on those topics.

Money Games is a book designed for the large part of the population who are really struggling just to make ends meet and who are desperate for ideas that will ease that struggle. Best of all, the ideas are presented with humor and fun to implement. As the cover says, “Money Games is full of delightful and inventive ideas to help you escape from debt and despair.” I’ve worked hard to make that true.

Host:
What was the best part about writing Money Games?

Randy:
The easiest answer to that would just be the thrill of seeing something you’ve created as an author actually in print and to actually hold the final product in your hands. The real answer, though, has to be what I personally learned related to my own financial life.

It is one thing to intellectually “know” the right things to do but quite another to actively and successfully practice them. Writing Money Games has helped me re-establish some great habits that had fallen by the wayside.

Host:
Any final thoughts you’d like to leave with our listeners and readers?

Randy:
For those who may not buy or read the book, and as a teaser for those who are considering it, let me end with a brief mention of five items from the top ten Golden Nuggets that finish the book:

1. Learn to delay gratification.
2. Seek wisdom.
3. Enjoy the moment.
4. Carefully consider how you use your time.
5. Live your life in ways that will cause others to truly admire you and your actions.

Now if I could only do a better job of following my own advice!

Host:
(Laughs!)
Thanks for your time, Randy. I’ll end the interview for our listeners and readers by sharing the last paragraph of the book. For me, it speaks to the depth and nature of Randy as an author I hope you will enjoy:

“May God bless you abundantly, and may you share what you’ve been so richly given. Share from your wealth of money. Share from your wealth of wisdom. Enrich others so that the circle of blessings may continue into eternity.”