Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 3/15/19

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Recently, I’ve received my yearly 2% cash back bonus from Costco, as well as my cash back rebate from my Costco Citi card.  I’ll be using those funds for this weekend’s activities, which means everything we do this weekend is essentially free.  Some of the extra funds will go into our emergency fund, while some will go towards some new spring clothing needs of the family. Fist pump for extra funds, AND my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump Weekend Reading: The Problem With FIRE Edition from Boomer And Echo The Ugly Truth About Consumer […] Read more »

My Daughter Is Taking A Personal Finance Class!

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My daughter asked me to look over her class registration form for her senior year in high school. We made sure she had all the required classes first, then discussed electives. I was tickled when she stated she thought a personal finance class was a good idea. I think her exact reasoning was, “So she can be a smart, independent woman.” A quote from somewhere I’m sure. Financial Education Is Important If high school prepares students for the rest of their lives, giving them the skills needed to be productive successful adults, then personal finance should be a required class. […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 3/8/19

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Well, here we go again.  Another snow storm is forecasted to hit Minnesota this weekend. The snow totals from this system will likely push this season’s snow total into record territory as the snowiest winter ever recorded in my city.  The county’s salt stock piles are depleted, and the supplier is unable to send more. This doesn’t bode well for road conditions in the near future. But, on the bright side, I don’t mind being holed up in my warm and comfy house! Now get your fists up for my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist […] Read more »

Best Buy’s Lease to Own Program: Friend or Foe?

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Electronic retailer Best Buy is rolling out a new lease to own program that would have consumers potentially pay double the retail cost of products. The program takes advantage of people with poor credit for no other reason than, they can. Lease To Own Program Background People wishing to purchase an item using the lease to own program agree to 12 monthly payments that may add up to over double the retail cost. The terms of the agreement state the consumer doesn’t own the item until the last payment is made. Best Buy claims the program is for people who […] Read more »

Towards a Stable Financial Future: 4 Pros and Cons of Paying Off Your Mortgage Early

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Buying your own home is a major financial decision and almost as soon as you have signed on the dotted line and agreed a mortgage deal your thoughts might start to turn to how you can pay this huge debt off as quickly as possible. Getting yourself into a position where you are the owner of your property and don’t have to pay a mortgage every month will often give you the feeling of greater financial freedom and prosperity, so is it a good idea to formulate a plan to pay the loan off early? Here are some key points […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 3/1

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One down, two to go. I filed my son’s tax return this morning, which was accepted by the IRS within minutes. Next up, I’ll do my daughters (which will take minutes), and start gathering the data for my own. Hoping to mark taxes completely off the todo list this weekend. Fist pump for putting another tax season in the rear view mirror, and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump 10 Ways to Simplify Your Finances to Save a Ton of Time and Money from Couple Money 6 Ways We’re Saving Money After Buying a […] Read more »

3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Buy H&R Block Tax Software Online

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I’ve used H&R Block tax preparation software for years. It’s available in physical form from retailers, as well as downloadable online directly from the H&R Block website. While downloading the software may be convenient, there are a few reasons you might make a special trip to buy a physical copy instead. Buying a physical copy of H&R Block tax preparation software could save you money, and be more convenient to access your returns if needed in the future. Physical Copy Is Cheaper Buying a physical copy is cheaper than buying the digital version online. Below is a cost comparison of […] Read more »

4 Under-the-Radar Expenses that Contribute to Debt

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Contrary to popular belief, most people living in the United States carry some form of debt. Indeed, only about a quarter of the population is currently debt-free, and many Americans will spend most of their adult life in debt. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. Simply making a few small, but meaningful, lifestyle changes can put you back on the path toward financial stability. Today we’re going to analyze four under-the-radar expenses that often contribute to debt and explain how you can avoid, manage, and reduce them in your own life: Home-Improvement Projects In the practical sense, owning […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 2/22/19

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This is the snowiest February on record here in Minnesota, and we’re not done yet.  Another major snow storm is forecasted this weekend, and potentially more next week before the end of the month. We’ve had snow day after snow day from school, and the white stuff is piling up everywhere.  On the positive side, it’s easy on the budget since it’s hard to spend money when you’re stuck at home! Fist pump for snowstorms (I think?) and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump Where’s My Tax Refund? How to Check Your Status from […] Read more »

How to Deal with Personal Debt and get Your Finances in Order

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Debt is something that can cause many sleepless nights, if it gets out of hand. Ideally, you should learn how to manage your finances, by checking out the best personal finance blogs, and seeking professional advice if necessary. This can help you to keep your finances in order and avoid having issues with debt. However, many Americans struggle with financial literacy and find themselves in situations that they cannot handle. In fact, debt is a common factor in the lives of many people in the US. The average American has around $38,000 of personal debt. This is aside from any […] Read more »

Smaller Tax Refund? 4 Simple Steps To Calculate If You Really Got A Tax Cut In 2018

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Americans expected a lower tax bill in 2018 because of the highly touted Tax Cut and Jobs Act signed into law in December of 2017. Yet as people do their tax returns we hear stories of smaller than usual tax refunds, and accusations the government lied to them. A smaller or larger tax return is not an accurate way to determine if you truly got a tax cut, however. To determine if the amount of taxes you paid increased or decreased you have to dig a little deeper. Before Starting Before we get started, a few things to keep in […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 2/15/19

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Yesterday was Valentine’s Day.  Some people go way over the top to buy stuffed animals, flowers, jewelry, and other things for their significant other. If that’s what you want to do, and you have the money for it, more power to you. I bought my wife a $3 jumbo card (poster sized!) and a $5 bag of Lindor Chocolate Truffles (she loves them). We did go out to eat, but we used discount cards I bought at Costco, AND the money to buy them came out of last weekend’s discretionary funds. So, my total Valentine’s Day budget was $8.  My […] Read more »

Save Your Grocery Budget by Shopping At Home First

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It was Saturday morning, and I was going through my usual meal prep process for the coming week, making a grocery list in parallel. I was just about to head to the grocery store when I realized I had forgotten something. I had forgotten to shop at home first. Shop At Home First I had seemingly done everything right in my process. I had planned meals for the entire upcoming week, and then made a list of everything I needed to make those meals. What I should have done first was go through my cupboards and refrigerator to see what […] Read more »

The Benefits Of National Legal Staffing Support

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When most people think of ‘outsourcing’, they think of call centres in exotic locations. With the rising need for legal services, many law firms are realizing how valuable legal process outsourcing can be. Through National Legal Staffing Support, your practice can grow while you focus 100-percent on your clients without your overhead growing due to the increase in demand. National Legal Staffing Support, LLC. offers a number of valuable legal services that free up a lot of time for busy attorneys. About National Legal Staffing Support As a trailblazer of legal process outsourcing, also known as LPO, National Legal Staffing […] Read more »