3 Reasons You Should Review Your Checking Account Regularly

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  I know people that roll through life, never reconciling their checking account. Many younger people fall into this category, and for the most part it works because they don’t write checks, so the current balance is up to date. Others keep close tabs on their account, verifying every transaction. I fall into the second category because you just never know when you might notice something out of the ordinary. I was looking at my checking account online over the weekend when I noticed a $6.95 charge from an online gaming site. I recognized it something my son had been […] Read more »

Teens Are More Financially Savvy Than We Give Them Credit For

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It is the responsibility of parents to teach financial concepts and responsibility to their children. Sometimes one wonders if lessons are being absorbed and understood. But every now and then, they say or do something that lets you know they are smarter and pay attention more than they are sometimes given credit for. My daughter gave me one such moment over the weekend. We’ve been remodeling my daughter’s room with fresh paint, new furniture and a new closet organizer. The closet organizer has a center piece that is drawers and shelves, and then 4 rods (2 on the top, and […] Read more »

I Lost $500 for 3 Months OR 3 Reasons To Reconcile Your Checking Account Often

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One thing that a person absolutely has to do to successfully manage their finances is to simply pay attention. It’s common sense, but it’s surprising how many people just don’t. I know people that never reconcile their checking account, occasionally checking their balance claiming they know approximately how much should be in there. I like to reconcile my checking account almost on a daily basis, but every now and then life gets away from me. I got a very hard reminder of the consequences which could result from not keeping an eye on your finances. A few years ago I […] Read more »

13 Essential Things You Must Do When You Lose Your Job

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13 Essential Things You Must Do When You Lose Your Job

It stinks to lose your job!  Losing your job is one of those things that can completely upend your life, causing tremendous stress and a loss of confidence if you let it. Conversely, sudden unemployment can also be an opportunity for a new direction or a whole new career.  Either way, you have to take control over your situation if you want to move forward successfully. In this post I’ll show you 13 essential things you must do when you lose your job.  You’ll also discover some awesome resources that’ll help you find your next job or transition into a […] Read more »

What Body Piercing Can Teach a Teenager About Finances, Value, and Life

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When I got home at 6:00am from my usual morning workout, I found my daughter not only already awake, but showered, dressed and ready to go for the day. All of this before she normally rolls out of bed. She seemed excited and anxious. I quickly found out why. “I get my piercing today,” she said to me with a glimmer in her eye. I then remembered she had an appointment later that day to get the cartilage of her upper ear pierced. She had been asking for awhile to have it done, and needed our permission and assistance since […] Read more »

5 Reasons People May Overspend With Credit Cards

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Staying out of debt is as easy as spending less than you earn. Sounds simple, right? If it’s so simple, why do so many people find themselves over their heads in debt? Sometimes life just happens. An unexpected catastrophe, or medical emergency and you’ve got enough debt racked up for a lifetime. In other cases people just consistently overspend, and find themselves waking up one day saying, “How did I get here?” Having paid off over $109,000 in credit card debt, I know a little something about the latter situation. So how do people get into such a situation? Why […] Read more »

9 Tips For Creating Discipline With Money

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9 Tips For Creating Discipline With Money

I frequently get questions from my readers about how to resolve their various financial problems.  The questions range from not being able to save enough, to tackling huge amounts of debt, to how to stop living paycheck to paycheck. One of the common themes I’ve discovered in the hundreds of emails I’ve received, is that most of those readers tell me the root of their problem is a lack of discipline. Lack of Money is Not the Problem Learning discipline when it comes to money is not always easy, but it’s necessary if you want to get ahead financially.  Many […] Read more »

7 Ways You Can Stay Motivated to Get Out of Debt

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7 ways to stay motivated to get out of debt resources

Over the years I’ve seen plenty of people get motivated to get out of debt, but they never end up following through with the process.  They are usually pretty fired up about getting out of debt and start out very motivated.  But not long after they start the process, their energy flags and it’s not long before they lose their motivation. I’ve seen a lot of other people make decent progress in paying down debt, but for whatever reason, they end up losing their focus and go back to their old habits, never finishing the get out of debt process.   How to […] Read more »

How to Get Ahead if You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck

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get ahead living paycheck to paycheck

Some recent studies showed that more than two thirds of people are living paycheck to paycheck at least some of the time. That’s pretty incredible! It seems to be getting harder and harder to keep your head above water financially, and there is no lack of reasons why that’s happening. Some of it is because our attitudes about money have changed over the years.  Some of it is also because of the changing economy, and some of it is probably due to the fact that the world is rapidly changing, and some are getting left behind because they refuse to […] Read more »

How to Talk Yourself Out of Debt By Creating a New Script

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How to Talk Yourself Out of Debt By Creating a New Script

Could it really be possible to talk yourself out of debt?  Can getting out of debt really be that easy? Actually, no, I don’t believe it is. Getting out of debt is not as easy as talking to yourself using the right words.  You have to take action as well. Even the bible says “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty”- Proverbs 14:23   The Right Self Talk Helps But using the right kind of self talk can get you into the right mindset to change habits and get out of debt for good. […] Read more »

“I Don’t Have Time” and Other Budgeting Excuses You Can Fix Right Now

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I’ve been recommending doing a written monthly budget for many years now.  That’s not gonna change any time soon. Today I’ll cover what are probably the most common excuses for not making a budget.  I’ll give you tips on how to overcome those excuses, and provide you with a load of killer resources at the end to help get you moving forward.   Everybody Has a Budgeting Excuse Doing a consistent, written budget is the best thing you can do to start getting your finances under control.  When you start this valuable habit and stick to it, you’ll stop living […] Read more »

5 Simple Steps to Start Getting Out of Debt Right Now

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Have you ever tried to get out of debt but just didn’t know where to start?  I think most anybody who’s attempted to get out of debt has experienced that feeling at some point. You have decided you’re no longer comfortable with your debt load, and now it’s time to do something about it, but you’re just not sure what to do. So how do you get started? You can start by taking some small, easy steps to set yourself up for success.  In this post I’ll show you the best small steps you can take right now to get […] Read more »

Teaching Your Kids About Money? 5 Concepts They Need to Know

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teaching your kids about money

Are you regularly teaching your kids about money and how to handle it?  I don’t mean just talking about very simple concepts such as “save money” or “don’t spend it all”.  I mean are you really teaching them what money is all about? When they get older are they going to have a clear picture of how to manage their money well so they don’t end up in financial trouble like so many people who never learn these principles?    The Basics Still Apply Managing money is much more difficult than it was 40-50 years ago because most of us […] Read more »

My New “Celebrating Financial Freedom” Course!

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Celebrating financial freedom online get out of debt course

If you’ve been following my posts here on EOD for a while now, you may know that I offer a popular Christian get out of debt course that I’ve taught at various venues over the years. The course has always been offered in a physical version with a workbook and CD’s. I’ve been asked many times if I have the course available in an online format, and I’ve always had to say “no”. But not anymore. You Can Win Access to the Course for Free!  (Continue Reading)   You Asked, I’m Making it Happen Over the last few months, I’ve […] Read more »