Pennies in the Jar Introduction As you may know, I ask everyone who subscribes to my newsletter three questions – their age, which social media platforms they use and what their dating goal is. They have three choices for the last question: 
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I want to keep my guy I want to find a guy I want my guy back Naturally, most women say they want to keep their guy. I’ve already written the best sellers for finding a guy and getting your ex back! Now it’s time for the trifecta – how to lock down your current man into an impenetrable relationship! A relationship no other woman would dare attempt to break up, and if she did, she would fail miserably. Isn’t this the final piece of the puzzle? Don’t you want to be that wonderful eighty‐year‐old couple walking in Central Park, holding hands, laughing and reminiscing about your past? Don’t you want to enjoy tossing your grandchildren on your lap with your current man some day? I know you do, so let’s get to work! First, let’s set the stage. I’m assuming you have read some of my other books. You understand men and you are both high value people. You get all that! You’ve done everything right and finally figured it out – this is the man you want. You have used my tests to screen him and he passed with flying colors. Your values and goals are aligned. You know this man and all his quirks. He has hobbies, a decent job or solid prospects. He has confidence. You are a high‐value woman. The two of you are solid and you would make one of the best couples in the world. And yet, you still see glimpses of him questioning everything you have. Your intuition still puts up a small red warning light every now and then. This may be not be very often, but it happens. You realize all couples go through hard times, but you want to do everything you can to minimize the risk of this happening. I get it. Today, I want to help you feel more comfortable with the man in your life. You’ve already done the hard part – finding the right man – now it’s time to work on keeping him. I am often asked this question: “Gregg, everything is perfect with my man. How do I keep it this way?” Wow! It’s rare I get asked a question like this. Most people have problems. Either they can’t find that special someone, or they aren’t happy with the person they are with. This question was quite refreshing—I have to admit. Think about it, what good is it to follow all my advice, find and date a wonderful man, then lose him because you don’t have a clue how to keep him for the long haul? First, my answer to the question above: “It’s a rare that I get an email saying, “Everything is perfect. How do I keep it this way?” The bottom line is you are asking questions which need to be asked. We can’t control everything but you can darn well bet we can increase your odds of surviving to be the elusive elderly couple – still in love after 50 years. This is where I come in.” “You are 24, going on much older, and this is a tremendous advantage to you. Your guy knows this. You already have many things I teach built into you—you don’t put up with addictions and you don’t make a man your hobby or give up sex quickly...all good.” “The key is keeping your powers charged. You both are going to screw up at some point. The question is, can you survive it? The elderly couple survived and they will be the first to tell you it wasn’t easy.” “Don’t seek perfection from your guy or from yourself. Instead, build a portfolio of experiences together which nobody can match or take away. The more experiences, the better your chances of winning that furry prize on the top shelf...a loving relationship which survives the test of time.” “Think about it. When 2 people travel, sail, or buy a puppy together, they build memories. Memories can keep people together for a lifetime. Even when a couple is apart for some reason, forced by travel or break up, memories can be a driving force which pulls them together again.” “Think of the secret to what you seek, the Holy Grail if you will, as a giant jar of pennies. All couples start out with the same empty jar. Some couples throw shiny pennies, which are good experiences, into the jar and some throw dull pennies, or bad experiences, into the jar. Some throw both.” “Your goal is to get as many shiny pennies into the jar as you can while keeping the dull ones out! At some point you hit the point of no return. He can’t break up because there is no woman who can ever replace you.” “From what you have told me, you have lots of shiny copper pennies in your jar—so keep adding!” “You are doing great! Keep doing what you are doing and don’t stop. Grow together, but make sure you grow on your own too.” I love this question. This is why I like to interact directly with my readers when I can. I spend so much time dealing with problems, building people’s self‐esteem, and other very important things, it’s easy to forget about couples who are actually happy right now, and all they want is for it to continue! Isn’t the answer I gave so simple? It really is. When you go to sleep at night and all your wonderful dreams are about your man, how do you replace that? You don’t want to, and you can’t! It’s a great way to define love and it’s The Holy Grail, if you ask me. Load up your jar with shiny pennies and watch your relationship flourish. Throughout the book, I will insert what I call psychological triggers. These are fun and helpful bits of information which will help you take your relationship to the next level. Relationship Insurance: Bright, Shiny Copper Pennies in the Jar In the introduction, I mentioned pennies in the jar. This is Gregg‐speak for bonding experiences you have as a couple. The bulk of this book is about different ways to add pennies to the jar. Many couples make the mistake of thinking the strong bond they have initially in their relationship will carry them through until death do they part. This is dangerous. Your relationship is always vulnerable if you don’t continue to have bonding experiences. That elderly couple I mentioned above – they’ve got hundreds of pennies in their jar. A good relationship takes constant work, but this doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to do. While you don’t want your relationship to fade, it’s inevitable if you put it on autopilot. The fact that you’re reading this book indicates to me you’re interested in doing the work. You have purchased the insurance policy on your relationship! As you read through each of the following chapters, you will find many ways of adding those shiny pennies to the jar. Each time you and your partner bond over one of these activities, it strengthens your relationship, makes it more affair‐proof, and helps you get to the goal of being that elderly couple together on a bench someday. In order to have a continuous flow of pennies going into the jar, you and your guy are going to need to make a dedicated effort – a commitment to one another and to the relationship. Your partner will become, over time, the one person who knows you better than anyone else. You shouldn’t be afraid to get a little silly and have a little bit of fun. We forget, as we grow up, how much fun it is to just go play. The next time you’re both sitting in the house, bored because it’s raining, grab your guy and go outside. Take your shoes off and dance in the puddles. Run around in the rain and get wet. Just have fun. Play. Be silly. If it still doesn’t sound appealing – think about this – you’re both going to need a shower and a change of clothes after!