I Love You Like a Blogger Roundup 9/07

This weekend I’m attending the Financial Blogger Conference in Denver.  Wednesday and Thursday were days to reconnect and network with other bloggers.  There was also the 3rd Annual Plutus Awards where Enemy of Debt won for “Best Debt Blog.”  Congratulations to TeamEOD for this very special accomplishment!  I feel very honored to be part of Enemy of Debt! Here are some other award winning posts (in my opinion) that you should check out this weekend! Leaks in Spending from Net Worth Journey What’s The Point Of All This?  from Financial Uproar How To Score Free Money From the Airlines  from […] Read more »

I Dare You to Move

I just finished moving for the fifth time in five years. Not only is moving not fun, it’s expensive! I have moved for various reasons over this time frame, divorce, a brief second marriage and a crazy landlord. People move for many other reasons, a change in jobs, to be closer to family, the list goes on and on. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 17 percent of the U.S. population moves each year. The reality is moving is just part of life’s adventures and whether you do it once in your life or twenty times there are ways you […] Read more »

How Skype Saved Me $1,400

On a late August afternoon, my wife and two kids drove to the Steele County Fair where my son was to go to his first demolition derby. I went to the airport, boarded a plane, and flew to Tucson, Arizona. I would be gone for a week during my first business trip. It was also the first time I would be away from my young family for an extended period of time. When I returned home, my family met me at the airport. Standing by the baggage carousel, my 18 month old daughter just stared at me. I kept glancing […] Read more »

I Love You Like a Blogger Roundup – 8/31

By the time you’re reading this, I will be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean traveling at mind numbing speed towards Houston TX, which is just a speed bump on my way back to the great state of Minnesota. Dear Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Tropical Depression/Tropical Whatever Isaac, if you delay my trip home by one minute I will personally charter a plane, fly over you, and take a gigantic pee right into your eye. While you contemplate THAT image, it’s time for me to pass along links to my favorite posts that I’ve read throughout the week. First up, we have Before You […] Read more »

Debt Freedom and Optimal Health is Ultimate Freedom!

I’M KICKING OBESITY’S ASS! Do you want to know how I feel RIGHT NOW? My idea of freedom has been elevated, expanded and has completely evolved into something I never expected. In other words, I thought debt freedom was total freedom but I’m blown away by the ultimate freedom I’m beginning to explore. If you thought I was some kind of freak before (about debt), now you’re going to think I’m a raging lunatic because the freedom I see before me has opened my eyes and has my undivided attention. In My World If you have debt and are not […] Read more »

A Family Night At the Movies for $5.50

We were operating on a shoestring budget due to overspending during some vacation activities the first half of July. My kids had been interested, and in my daughters case begging, to be go see Ice Age 3 Continental Drift as a family. Going to a movie can be an expensive excursion, especially if you visit the concession stand. Our usual movie going technique is go see the movie as a matinee, when the tickets are $4.50 per person. However, even that was more funds than we felt comfortable shelling out. With a little creativity, my family of four were able […] Read more »

I Love You Like a Blogger Roundup – 8/24

I’ve been in Hyderabad, India for work this week and between long days at work, the need to create presentations at night, and my internal time clock being completely messed up I haven’t been able to do as much blog reading as I normally do. However, I was still able to find a number of fantastic posts that I’d love to share with EOD Nation. Spender vs Saver Couples: Get Back on the Same Page from PTMoney Myths About Budgeting from Life and My Finances Stop the money shaming! from Fabulously Broke In the City Finally, as I hope will […] Read more »

How Am I Paying Off $109,000 of Credit Card Debt?

My wife, Vonnie, and I are on a journey to pay off 109K in credit card debt through the help of a Debt Management Program. We started our journey in July of 2009, and are expected to be rid of this behemoth mountain of debt in March of 2014. Some of you may be wondering, what exactly is a debt management program (DMP)? There is a lot of misinformation about the debt relief industry floating around, so I felt it this would be a great forum to explain what a DMP is, and how it is helping my family get […] Read more »

I Love You Like a Blogger Roundup – I’m Going To India Edition

I’m heading to Hyderabad, India for the next two weeks for work. To get there I’ll have the privilege of experiencing 28 hours of total travel time across three flights, so I’m going to have plenty of time on my hands that need to be occupied with some sort of activity. Here’s a list of awesome blog posts that I’d totally read during that time if I hadn’t already read them. Whether your stuck on an airplane for hours on end, or sitting in the comfort of your own home snugged up on the couch with your laptop, these posts […] Read more »

“Back to School” Make Every Dollar Count

As much as we wish to preserve their innocence and keep them young forever, kids grow up before our eyes and their expenses often grow with them. “Back to school” season is upon us and added expenses ranging from new clothes, supplies for the classroom and extracurricular activities can throw a monkey wrench in your finances if you are not prepared. The National Retail Federation’s 2012 Back-to-School spending survey found that the average person with kids in grades K-12 will spend $688.62 on their children, up from $603.63 last year. If you have school age children, “back to school” can […] Read more »

This is Why You Overspend!

This is Why You Overspend

Overspending is something that most all of us have been guilty of at one time or another.  But when you overspend on a regular basis, it can put a real dent in the amount of money you have to spend on the things you need, not just the things you want. If you’re someone that tends to overspend often and then discover you’ve made a bit of a mess financially, it’s probably wise to start doing a little digging and try to discover just why the overspending is happening in the first place. Know Why Overspending Happens When you know […] Read more »

Overspending, Failure to Track Expenses, and A $100 Loan Equals….Success?

Trying to recover from overspending during the first half of July, Vonnie and I planned our spending  for the rest of the month with only bare bones funds available.  We even sat the kids down and explained to them exactly what was going on, so that they would have realistic expectations in regards to family activities for the remainder of the month. We had a plan that looked great on paper, and we were confident we could execute it successfully. And then real life happened. The first weekend was supposed to be one of those “enjoy what we have at […] Read more »

Don’t Start Nothin’ Won’t Be Nothin’

The ability to make use of wisdom is often contingent upon our ability to identify with it. If we can identify with it, we'll feel much more comfortable about it because we'll have a better understanding of it. Often, this requires an emotional connection or a different perspective before an idea clicks with us. That's what I hoping to do, make something click. A dear late friend of mine, Deborah Hutchinson, used to say, "Don't start nothin', won't be nothin'." She usually reminded her friends and family of this when she perceived unwarranted criticism, teasing or harassment just around the corner. Often, just this gentle reminder would defuse a situation that could have easily led to regrets. Just the idea of the lasting consequences of getting something undesirable started was often enough to keep it from happening. It's a good thought to keep in mind, but that little bit of wisdom doesn't just apply to human interactions, it also applies to personal finance, especially the kind that can get you deep into debt. Let's take a look to see how we might apply this reminder in the financial arena to help avoid situations that could lead to regret. Read more »

Weekend Links and Love

Vonnie and I have been working hardcore on our budgeting and communication skills over the last month. We’ve been digging ourself out of a bit of a financial hole due to overspending the first half of July and I’ve really been leaning on my blogging friends for inspiration during this little rough spot. Check out some of the posts that have really struck a chord with me this week and helped me keep rocking the budget and the lines of communication open. “I Want To have fun” – One of the Worst Excuses for Not Saving from Financial Samurai The […] Read more »