Tony Virardi: Money that magically falls in your lap

So what to do with an extra $50,000 that magically falls into your lap? Free money, as my mom describes it. I can tell you one thing for sure. If that happened to me, it wouldn't last long - even if I didn't use it for that condo I've been trying to buy for the last 15 years or so.

For starters, my car is about 15 years old. Thank God I bought Japanese. The car has run flawlessly and only needed a few repairs (like brakes, tune-up, muffler and tires) for 150,000 miles now. She's been good to me. But I fear she's getting ready to quit. I'd probably give her to my nephew to get around in for a while. I would have traded her in when the cash for clunkers program was around, but the Feds only wanted your car if it got terrible mileage, like an old SUV, so you could get a new SUV with a little better mileage. Amazing, is all I can say about that. I guess a new car would run around $30,000. I would want to replace my old car with the model I currently own; that's how much I love my old car.

That would leave $20,000. I haven't had a vacation in a while. I would treat myself and my significant other to a stay in Europe for maybe 10 days or so. I'm sure France or Italy or both would light her up like a Christmas tree. I figure that would run another $10,000 to $15,000 for sure, especially with the exchange rate the way it is. But we love Europe, so we would go anyway.

That leaves around $5,000 to play with. I think I'd probably donate the rest to a charity - one that puts more of your money into the cause it represents than it takes out in salaries and other operating expenses. Dad always said, "Spread the wealth around so that one day, it would come back to you."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/impact_panel/2010/01/tony-virardi-money-that-magica.html#ixzz0di8EyJG6

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Ricky Byers Needs Your Help and He Needs It Now!

If you've been a follower of this blog for a while then you'll know who Ricky is, but if you are not and don't know about Ricky then let me tell you.

Ricky is a 2-time Cancer survivor - he has beaten this horrible disease twice and now he wants to beat it to the ground and stamp it out with your help.

You see Ricky is also a race car driver in the ARCA Series and he and Andy Belmont Racing have teamed up and put an awesome race package together. The package that they've put together is called 'Racing For a Cure' and all winnings made by the team will go straight into cancer research - the team and Ricky will never see one cent of their winnings. They've also set it up that anyone who sponsors the car for one race, multiple races, or for the season will be able to write off their sponsorship dollars because the racing program has become a Charity - hell Andy Belmont is even taking a hit on this because he is giving Ricky a competive car for half the price of a regular sponsored car because Andy believes in Ricky and his cause so much.

So that means a full-time sponsor would get a competive car at half the price and is able to write off their sponsorship money, while helping to find a cure for cancer. Ricky and Andy are also going to go Truck racing if they get a full-time sponsor, at no extra cost to the sponsor, to get more attention for his cause and for the sponsor.

Only problem is no one is coming forward to sponsor Ricky - they all think the deal is too good to be true, or they are more interested in the female racers. For the record, Ricky ran faster at the ARCA Daytona test than Danica Patrick in a car not even prepared by Andy Belmont, who just happens to put together some sweet rides in ARCA.

So here is the deal; Ricky and Andy firmly believe that if they can get to Daytona and race on Feb. 6th and finish in the top 10 a sponsor will come forward but they are about $30 000 short to run the full race. They only have enough money to get there, qualify, start, run one lap and then park the car for fear of damage and they absolutely refuse to do that! Its all or nothing! They aren't an 'also ran' team and they won't start acting like that now - they don't want to give the appearance of being something they're not so they will not start and park.

So here is how you can help: Ricky is going to create a 'fan car' in which you the fan can have your name put on the car for a donation as little as $5.00. Yep five greenbacks.

Here's how it works;

1. For a donation of $5.00 you get your name on the car and on Ricky's web site.

2. For a donation of $500.00 you get your name on the car in larger font and your name on the web site.

3. For a donation of $1000.00 you get your name or 'team name' if more of you go in together on the car, in even larger font and your team name along with your individual names on the web site.

Go to Ricky's site now to donate and thank-you for helping one man achieve his dream of Racing For a Cure.

Ricky's site address is http://www.rickybyersracing.com/

For more about Ricky please read this inspiring article by Karen Pistone of the Orlando Sentinal.

If you wish to sponsor Ricky for the full $30, 000 please contact him directly @ 1-205-229-0480 or email him atracingfouracure@aol.com.

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