Paying off debt should be straight forward. Yet so many people fail to pay off their debts? If you go $106,000 into personal debt, and pay it off in 5 years, you apparently get the Professional Achievement and Counseling Excellence (PACE)Â 2009 Graduate Client of the Year Award. I was hoping for a longer award name, …
Family Gets Award For Paying Off Debt & Jumps Right Back In! Read More »
Why is it that the #1 re-occurring theme in the personal finance community is addressing how to eradicate debt due to overspending? What is it that makes a rational person spend more than their income allows? Why do people spend more than they make? It’s irrational. If you have $5 bucks in your hand for …
There is so much truth to the expression simple pleasures are what make life worth living. I was cleaning up my house the other day and realized the best things I’ve bought were simple and affordable, and have provided years of entertainment. Here’s my list of simple pleasures: A pair of Hi-tech hiking boots. Cost: …
Simple Pleasures Are What Make Life Worth Living Read More »
I declare September frugality month. If I’ve learned anything from my 20+ years working, it’s that September and October are generally dicey months for people’s fortunes. September has historically been the worst performing month for stocks on average since 1950. 9/11 wasn’t good, neither was September 15, 2008 when Lehman declared bankruptcy. The expression, “Sell In …
So here I am at Starbucks, testing to see if being here among the bustle of loungers helps gives me writing inspiration. They say it’s good to get out of the house once in a while to recharge the soul. I take the first seat that’s available, and what do I notice? Hanging on the side of …
30 Minutes At Starbucks: Observing Day-to-Day Life Read More »
Retiring early is great. I’ve been writing about the FIRE movement since I first published this post in 2009. But what do retirees age 65-75 do that’s so great compared the the rest of us? The Bureau of Labor Statistics & USNWR comes out with an interesting survey that seeks to find out what retirees …
What Do Retirees Age 65-75 Do Compared To The Rest? Read More »
Question: A reader shoots me an e-mail with the subject, “The woman I love is so powerful, how much should I spend on her engagement ring?” I get a lot of emails and can’t answer every single one. But that intriguing subject caught my eye. Buying an engagement ring is a big decision. And I’ve …
Grab Bag Weekend: The Woman I Love Is So Powerful! Read More »
Cash for clunkers was a failure. Let’s discuss the cash for clunkers program in more detail. The latest development in the “Cash For Clunkers” legislation is that it may be extended for one more month until labor day. Under the program, buyers of new cars and trucks can get rebates of $3,500 to $4,500 by …
A funny thing happened yesterday when my friend and I were waiting for a space in the club parking lot. We were doing some stretches outside when an old man with a bamboo stick over his shoulder and too medium bags at each end came tiptoeing in. Where in the world was he going, we …
The Dumpster Of Treasure: Finding Wealth Everywhere Read More »
It’s kind of crazy that I first wrote this post on July 11, 2009. I was miserable at my job and the financial crisis caused me to lose 35% of my net worth in six months. The one thing I’m supremely aware of now that I’m a father is that time accelerates. We need to …
