Emergencies | Enemy of Debt: Where Behavior Meets Reality

Money Problems Are All I Have

Written by Travis on January 26, 2012 · 31 Comments

The caller ID showed an incoming call from the wife of a couple with which my wife and I are close friends. I answered the phone with a quickly forgotten humorous remark as the voice on the other end was shaky, asking for a favor. Our friend and her teenage daughter were having a huge argument and they needed a third party to step in and mediate the situation. Our friends are working through marital issues, and have recently separated as they attempt to work through them. Their teenage daughter has taken it especially hard, and is very angry. The [...] Read more »

Tags: Emergencies, life, Marriage

Changing My Money Mind in 2012

Written by Suzanne Cramer on December 22, 2011 · 10 Comments

It’s that time of year when we all vow to change our ways and resolve to go on a diet, quit smoking, or get out of debt. How many of us actually have a plan in place to make our resolutions a reality? Unfortunately most of us don’t and this is why we are doomed to fail before we even start. Yes, money is necessary to support our lifestyle, but do we let it determine how we live our lives? The fact is many of us do. We allow ourselves to live up to or above our means which often [...] Read more »

Tags: accountability, Behavior, budget, Change, credit cards, Debt Elimination, Emergencies, goals, pay off debt, personal finance, saving money

Lessons for Investors from Irene

Written by Paul Puckett on August 30, 2011 · 3 Comments

Millions of Americans were affected by Irene, whether it was a hurricane or a tropical storm. The debate, for many, seems to center on whether reporters and forecasters “over-hyped” the strength of the storm as it approached the East Coast. The answers to that debate are not relevant but there is one lesson we can learn from the experience of forecasters as they plotted the probable track and strength of Irene. At a very basic level, there are two parts to forecasting hurricanes. The first is performed by computers and this generates a variety of possible tracks and levels of [...] Read more »

Tags: accountability, Change, determination, Emergencies, hurricane irene, Investing, money, personal finance, Priorities

As Seen On CNN.com

Written by Brad Chaffee on May 6, 2009 · 6 Comments

An Unusual Day In The Life Of A Part Time Blogger Well let me start by saying, WOW!!! Today was an extraordinary day for me. Two weeks ago I was contacted through my website by Jim Kavanagh, a writer for CNN.com. When I woke up this morning I had no idea what I was in for. Kavanagh wrote a terrific story called, Walking Away From Credit Cards, which highlighted the fact that some people have chosen to say NO to credit cards. I was quoted as saying, “Credit card debt is our biggest hindrance in being able to take care [...] Read more »

Tags: CNN, cnn.com, credit, debt, Emergencies, life, money

Are You Waiting For Washington To Save The Day?

Written by Brad Chaffee on October 16, 2008 · 1 Comment

As it stands now this is not a political blog, and I want to keep it that way. However, with the upcoming election, coupled with recent events (bailout, mortgage crisis) and the state of our economy, I feel it is important to address this issue. It seems that so many people are putting all of their faith into electing a President that they feel will fly down from the sky with his Presidential cape and leotards to save the day. Why is that? Do people really believe that Washington is going to come to the rescue? Do you really [...] Read more »

Tags: budget, credit, debt, Economy, Emergencies, life, money, Personal Responsibility, Political, Priorities, Recession, savings, Washington D.C., Wealth

Murphy’s Fall

Written by Brad Chaffee on October 9, 2008 · 12 Comments

Murphy’s Fall? I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to something that you have or will possibly go through. I have coined the term “Murphy’s Fall”. Murphy’s Fall isn’t the fall of Murphy. Instead it is something you yourself go through because of Murphy. That’s right. It’s what can happen when Murphy has moved in and just doesn’t want to leave. It could be equivalent to what marathoners call “The Wall”, which is when a marathoner reaches the 20 mile mark and starts to rationalize giving up. It’s when you start to tell yourself that you have [...] Read more »

Tags: credit, debt, determination, Emergencies, Inspiration, Motivation, Murphy's Fall, sacrifice, savings

If My Words Were A Hand, They’d Be Slapping Some Sense Into You!

Written by Brad Chaffee on August 28, 2008 · 6 Comments

STOP BORROWING MONEY!!! Just to clear things up, the title isn’t to be taken literally. It’s just my way of grabbing your attention and telling you that if you are in debt, you need to hear this!! So LISTEN UP! This is perhaps the most important thing to learn after getting yourself on a budget. Dumping your debt will help you gain traction and in return offer you a hope you have never imagined. The reason is because all of the things most people have their money spent on before they ever get paid, steals their hope. When you accept [...] Read more »

Tags: budget, Budgeting, Change, debt, Emergencies, FPU, Inspiration, Intensity, money, savings

The “B” Word!

Written by Brad Chaffee on August 22, 2008 · 2 Comments

Yeah I said it, the “B” word….Budget. My FPU class just finished Lesson Three called Cash Flow Planning, and when most of us think about a budget, all kinds of negative thoughts surface. First we think it will keep us from having fun. If you are like me then you may have thought it was more trouble than it was worth. Seriously, why should we do a budget when it always seems to collapse midway through the month? Most of us have avoided doing a budget our entire life all because of these misconceptions. The truth is that the budget [...] Read more »

Tags: budget, Budgeting, Change, credit, debt, Emergencies, money

Buying vs. Renting – What Should You Do?

Written by Brad Chaffee on August 20, 2008 · 6 Comments

I think a majority of people would say it is better to buy simply because of the “I own it”, way of thinking. I used to believe the same thing. I think people do not take into consideration all of the things that should change that “normal” way of thinking. Dave Ramsey believes that if you are in debt, have no savings and no plan you SHOULD NOT buy, and I am right there beside him in agreement. You need to consider insurance costs, property taxes, as well as being responsible for ALL repairs. All of which does not enter [...] Read more »

Tags: debt, Emergencies, Mortgage, Real Estate, Renting, Risk, savings

My Payments Ate My Savings!

Written by Brad Chaffee on August 4, 2008 · 6 Comments

America has no use for Piggy Banks anymore! America is in the RED! With a negative savings rate, America is in DESPERATE need of a Total Money Makeover. What will it take? When will people finally understand why saving money is too important to ignore? America needs new priorities, like yesterday! As one of the very many bloggers who blog about money and personal finance, it is my duty to help spread the word. How much do YOU have saved up? What in the world is keeping us from doing what we know we should? Is your savings account overflowing [...] Read more »

Tags: credit, debt, Emergencies, Priorities, savings

What If You Were Recession Proof?

Written by Brad Chaffee on May 17, 2008 · 7 Comments

Are we experiencing a recession? That seems to be the question of the year. If you watch the news, you are probably convinced that you should just give up. Don’t start digging that bunker just yet. The truth is that the U.S. is merely growing at a slower rate. From January to March the economy grew at the same rate of 0.6 percent, as the last quarter of 2007. Slow, but still growing. A recession is defined as a period of economic decline; specifically, a decline in GDP, for two or more consecutive quarters. Maybe we should wait until we [...] Read more »

Tags: budget, Careers, Change, credit, debt, Economy, Emergencies, money, Recession, savings