According to a recent survey conducted by the The Conference Board, U.S. households plan to spend, on average, $390 on Christmas gifts this year. That’s down from last year’s estimate of $418. Considering the economic turmoil many Americans faced during 2009, I’m not at all displeased with the 6.7% decline in spending from last year. […]
The 10 Day Give Starts Today! Join Us And Start Giving!
Last year I participated in a great project spearheaded by Bob over at ChristianPF.com, called the “10 Day Give“. The project was aimed at getting us out of our comfort zone, changing our mindset and getting us to give to our fellow man. The time has come for this year’s 10 Day Give! As Christians […]
Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: Don’t Become Weary In Doing Good
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10 This week at my church the pastor […]
Why Giving Is Important When You Are Building Wealth
So many of us are on a journey of getting out of debt, investing and saving so that some day we can get to the point where we have wealth. The question is, why do we want to build that wealth? Are we building wealth just for wealth’s sake, or do we have goals […]
Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: Giving Back
The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof. Psalm 24:1 As a person who is interested in personal finance, and the process of creating wealth, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the topic. You might even say that I’ve gotten a bit obsessive about it at times. One thing I’ve realized is […]
And The Winners Of Our 2 Gift Cards Are…
Christmas is over and the gifts are unwrapped. And now its time for some more shopping for a couple of lucky winners of $25 gift cards. One of our winners will get a $25 gift card to Marshalls. The other will receive a $25 gift card to T.J. Maxx. I’ve already used my own gift […]
My Frugal Shopping Trip – The Day Before Christmas Eve
Last week I announced my contest to give away two $25 gift cards, one to Marshalls and one to TJ Maxx. Today I was finally able to get out and use one of my own $25 gift cards over lunch at a TJ Maxx here in Bloomington, Minnesota. My mission was to use the $25 […]
40 Frugal Christmas Shopping Tips To Keep Your Christmas Debt Free
A while back I asked for ideas from readers of the site of how to make sure your shopping trips this Christmas season are frugal. Here’s how they responded.
50 Frugal Gifts You Can Give This Christmas
Christmas time is one of the most joyous times of the year at our house, but if you’re not careful it can also be one of the most expensive times of year. If you’re trying to cut down on spending, like we are at our house, it can become a challenge to find creative gifts […]
Charity Spotlight: Second Harvest Heartland
Growing up my father always exhibited a sense of service to us kids. He instilled in us a sense of how we need to help others when we’re doing well, and even when we’re not doing so well. The money that we’re given is God’s anyway, so we might as well be generous with it! […]
What Are You Grateful For This Thanksgiving?
What are you thankful for this thanksgiving? Since I’m asking the question, I’ll start us off. This year I’m thankful for my beautiful wife, that she has survived a serious blood clot, a 3 week hospital stay and is now on the road to recovery. It was touch and go for quite a while, and […]
Nuru Personal Finance Flash Cards: Review and Giveaway
Review and Giveaway A week or two back after finding my site, Luke over nuruplanet.com emailed me and offered to send me a packet of Nuru’s Personal Finance Pocket Cards to review on the site. In theory they sounded like a great idea – flash cards centered around the basic principles of personal finance. I […]
What Would People Do With A Stimulus Check? Reader Responses
On a recent post discussing a possible second stimulus check, I asked my readers this question: If a second stimulus package does materialize this fall, what will you do with your check? Will you: Spend it (like they want you to)? Save it Use it to pay down debt? Donate the money? Let us know […]
Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University: Week 13 – The Great Misunderstanding
Last Week – Real Estate And Mortgages Last week was week 12 and we talked about real estate – buying homes and selling homes. Things we touched on: When selling a home, think like a retailer. When buying a home, think like an investor. Never get more than a 15-year fixed mortgage. Don’t tie up more […]
