The Holidays Are Finally Over

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I’m happy, ecstatic, over the moon excited the holidays are finally over.  I’m also exhausted. The time between Christmas and the second week in January is traditionally a financial challenge. My wife works for the school district, so she’s off of work. I typically have vacation I have to use so I’m also off work. We’re both on vacation for about two weeks, which creates an environment ripe for overspending. Reasons For Holiday Season Overspending Some of the things that make this time of year a financial challenge are: Holiday Gifts: The whole holiday season is a series of family […] Read more »

Stick To Your Holiday Spending Budget By Using A Prepaid Credit Card

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Halloween is over, and we’ve entered the month of November which means the holiday shopping season has officially started. We’ll see countless reminders to avoid overspending and/or going into debt buying gifts. This is great advice, but easier said than done. Prepaid Credit Card Advantages A prepaid credit card loaded with the amount of your holiday budget can help you follow this advice. Here is a list of some of the ways using a prepaid credit card can help keep your holiday spending in check as well as a few advantages it has over other payment methods: No Forgotten Purchases: […] Read more »

What’s Your Shopping Style?

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Many different styles of shopping exist. Of course I knew this, but it slapped me across the face over the weekend when my wife and I went Christmas shopping together. Our shopping styles sit on the opposite ends of the spectrum, and it takes a big helping of patience for us to not get annoyed with each other. I thought we’d have a little fun today and compare the shopping styles of my wife and I. Shop Like It’s A Military Mission I do the vast majority of my shopping online, but for the few things that force me to […] Read more »

Nobody Likes Being Reminded Of Their Mistakes

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A high school science teacher from Iowa ate nothing but McDonald’s for six months. Maybe you’ve heard this story before, or maybe you’re thinking this was another one of those attempts to show the public the evils of fast food. If you fall into the later category, you might be surprised to learn that the man lost about 60 pounds, lost 21 inches off his chest, waist, and hips, and significantly lowered his cholesterol. The caveat here is that while he did eat fast food for every meal for 6 months, he also stuck to a 2000 calories a day […] Read more »

Are Your Holiday Expectations Holding You Hostage?

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Are you stressed out about the holidays? It’s hard not to get stressed out just a little bit this time of year, especially if you’re struggling with your finances. With countless gatherings to attend and gifts to buy for loved ones, this time of year can be very difficult to handle when you’ve been fighting just to pay the bills each month. I read a post recently from a fellow debt relief customer who is in just that kind of situation. She is extremely stressed out because Christmas is getting closer every day, but due to some unexpected expenses, they […] Read more »

Valentine’s Day on a Budget

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Valentine’s Day… (sigh) In modern times we celebrate this day by showing our love for one another. The original meaning of Valentine’s Day, however, was to honor Saint Valentine but the connection between that and what Valentine’s Day has become is a complete mystery. The connection is only found in folklore and legends but nothing concrete. Deemed by many as a “Hallmark Holiday”, Valentine’s Day has exploded into a mass marketing campaign  that has been accepted by society as the romantic holiday of love. This acceptance has people buying jewelry, expensive chocolate, plush teddy bears with hearts that sing songs, […] Read more »

Santa Is a Waste Of Money

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In a scene common to many American households during the holiday season, my kids sat at the kitchen table thumbing through a stack of Christmas toy magazines creating their Christmas wish lists. I smiled as I watched them, remembering doing the exact same thing when I was a kid.  I actually folded mine up, put it in an envelope and gave it to my parents to mail to Santa. Feeling their excitement as I walked towards the table, I overheard, “Oooh, I’ve never seen that before, that is SO cool! That’s definitely going on my list!” Suddenly having them go […] Read more »