I was reading an article today on Monster.com (no, I’m not looking for a new job) that was talking about things that millionaires do that set them apart from those who aren’t successful. It had some pretty keen insights that I thought were worth sharing. A lot of people like to think that most millionaires […]
False Starts And Budget Malaise: Getting Back Your Budgeting Momentum
If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s starting a budget. I have no problem tracking our spending for a month or two or setting up income and expense categories. I’m even able to setup a working zero based budget where we allocate every dollar to a category, leaving no money left over to just […]
Loving My New Camera: A Few Photos From My New Canon DSLR
Last week I received my new DSLR Camera in the mail from Amazon.com. A couple weeks ago I asked everyone which camera they though I should buy, the Canon EOS Rebel T1i, or the Nikon D5000. I ended up buying the Canon EOS Rebel T1i because I just preferred the way it felt in my […]
Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: More Blessed To Give
I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35 Giving of ourselves, our time and our money is a great way to change the lives of others, and for us […]
One Time Economic Recovery Payment Of $250 For People Who Get Federal Benefits. Who Gets One, And Who Doesn’t.
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.
