On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The law provides for a one-time economic recovery payment of $250 to people who get certain types of Federal benefits. I’ve gotten several questions over the past few weeks about that one time payment, and how it works. There […]
7 Common Questions About The 2009 New Car Sales Tax Deduction
A while back I posted about the sales tax deduction on new car sales that was included in Obama’s 2009 Economic Stimulus package. Basically the provision in the bill gives every taxpayer who buys a new (not used) car after Feb. 16, 2009 the ability to claim a deduction on their 2009 income tax for […]
Don’t Fall Into The Trap Of Not Budgeting When Things Are Going Well
The past 6 months have gone extremely well for my wife and me. My job has remained stable through the tough times, I received an unexpected bonus and my blog income has been steadily increasing. Making ends meet is no longer a huge issue. We first started seriously doing a budget last year because we […]
New Legislation Will Bring Changes To The Credit Card Industry
If you’ve been reading this blog for any period of time, you probably know that I’m not a huge fan of credit cards. As a Dave Ramsey fan and facilitator for his Financial Peace University class, you’d probably understand why. In general I think that using debt and credit are just poor ways to get […]
Netbook Computers: The Frugal Laptop Alternative That Won’t Break The Bank
Recently my wife and I decided that we wanted to get a laptop computer so that we could check emails, do work and otherwise surf the web while the other spouse was on our main desktop computer. We no longer wanted to deal with the “are you done on the computer yet?” exchanges. (Yes, it […]
Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: Fools Spend
The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get. Proverbs 21:20 The verse is short and sweet – but gets right to the heart of the matter. Those who are wise with their money, plan ahead and save for a rainy day will have wealth and luxury. Those who are foolish spend […]
Don’t Let Your Emotions Cloud Your Good Judgement. Set Goals And Delay Gratification.
This past weekend my wife and I got away to the woods of Northern Wisconsin for a few days of fun and relaxation on the lake. Sometimes it’s good to get away to just recharge. A Weekend Away My wife’s family used to own a beautiful cabin on a gorgeous lake near the town that […]
Happy Memorial Day: Take A Moment Today To Remember The Sacrifice So Many Have Made
Remembering Happy Memorial Day everyone! Don’t forget to take a moment today to remember those fighting men and women who have sacrificed so much to allow us to remain free, and to be the greatest nation on God’s green earth. This weekend I stopped by my grandparent’s grave at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Bloomington, […]
My Experience With The Making Home Affordable Refinance Program: Part 1
Last month after reading up on the Obama Administration’s new “Making Home Affordable” refinance program, I decided to look into it for our household. We’re sitting on a 6.5% 30 year fixed rate mortgage right now, and we’d like very much to be able to refinance that loan into a lower APR. With rates this […]
Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: Integrity
Having integrity in your financial life and otherwise is an important component of having success. Without integrity riches mean very little.
Book Review And Giveaway: Upside Living in a Downside Economy
A few weeks ago I received a review copy of a new book written specifically for Christians in these tough financial times. The book, Upside Living in a Downside Economy, is written by Mike Slaughter, pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio. The book isn’t a very long one, but doesn’t waste […]
If You Were Strapped For Cash, How Far Would You Go To Make Money?
Times Are Tough, And So Is Finding A New Job We’re living in a down economy and thousands of people have lost their jobs. Budgets are tight! A lot of people are struggling to make ends meet, and they’re having to find new ways to make money. While listening to the radio this morning on […]
New Details About Making Home Affordable Program And Second Mortgage Modifications
After realizing that even a modification on a first mortgage won’t help some people if their second mortgage is still too high, the government expanded the Making Home Affordable loan modification program last week. The program was updated to cover second mortgages and liens. I know this was something that a lot of people had […]
Thesis WordPress Theme Review
Bible Money Matters has been live on the web since January of 2008, and in that time the site has gone through 3 different designs, not all of them that great. I think the site is now to a pretty decent place that I’m happy with. But let’s take a look back at some […]
