Don’t Call A Professional, Fix That Ceiling Painting Oops Yourself!

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After my son moved to college, I promised my daughter we would paint and redecorate the upstairs bathroom to her liking. With new amenities, rain shower head and a fresh coat of paint, the “fish bathroom” we had created for our pre-teen kids had been transformed to be more suitable for a young adult. It was perfect, except for those paint marks on the ceiling where the brush or roller had gone temporarily off course. It happens to even the best do it yourself home improvement lovers. No matter how much painter’s tape used or care taken cutting in or […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup 4/19/2019

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I’ve had two very different dining out experiences in the span of a week.  Earlier this week I wrote about a bad experience in which I overpaid for food that wasn’t that great. Last night, my wife and I paid $50 each for a special event beer paring dinner at a local restaurant. The total price of the meal was $100 for the two of us, but it was fantastic.  The event was a five course meal, each paired with a beer from a local microbrewery.  I expected the meal to be good as we’ve eaten at the restaurant before.  […] Read more »

My New Strategy If I HAVE To Go Out To Eat

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My usual dining out methodology failed me. It failed me so badly that it left me with a significant bill, a lack of satisfaction, and wondering if I needed to alter my strategy. Dinner Failure I went out for dinner recently after an important event. I’m a great cook, so my usual dining out philosophy is to order either something I’ve never tried before, or  don’t normally make at home. After a quick scan of the menu, I decided on the twin lobster tails. I love seafood, and don’t have lobster often. My wife went with a ribeye steak, and […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 4/12/2019

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On Monday temperatures soared into the 70’s here in Minnesota. Wednesday we got punched in the face with a major winter storm that dumped a foot of snow in some areas. Where I live in Southeastern Minnesota we got 5 inches of snow, sleet, rain, and a thunderstorm that shook my house early Thursday morning. We’re less than half an inch away of this being officially the snowiest winter ever recorded. I’m so ready for Spring. So. Ready. To try to get my mind off of things, let’s fist pump the best five articles I read this week! Posts That […] Read more »

Prom Dress Shopping 101

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My daughter is looking forward to her Junior Prom, just about a month away. I had a budgeted amount in mind I was willing to spend on a dress, but braced myself for the possibility of sticker shock. I had some reserve funds I could use if absolutely necessary. Our first stop was a bridal store, where she tried on half a dozen dresses. I happened to see the price tag on one, happy to see it fell within my desired price range (at the high end, however). When her heart settled on a different dress, I was scared to […] Read more »

Hotel Stay: Get What You Pay For

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We all work hard for our money, and deserve to get exactly what we pay for. My wife takes this statement to heart, letting anyone know if she feels let down in any way, shape, or form. One of her favorite phrases is, “How are you going to make this right?” This mindset displayed itself perfectly during our recent trip to Florida. The Dirty Comforter During our road trip to Florida, we stayed at a hotel in Illinois. In the morning, she noticed a makeup smear on the white comforter. The comforter that is supposed to be washed after each […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 3/29/19

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Happy Friday, EOD Nation! Today is my last fun day in sunny Florida. Tomorrow we begin the drive back to Minnesota. While I’m sad to see the end of a fantastic vacation with a great group of friends, I’m excited to get back home and into my normal life routine. We’ve had great weather, a ton of fun, AND we’ve stayed on budget. Quite frankly, under budget. How often does THAT happen? Fist pump for great vacations, staying under budget, and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump Save Money on the Grocery Budget by […] Read more »

Group Vacation Money Saving Tips

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My family and I are currently vacationing in Florida with a group of friends. We’ve done this several years now, and always have a great time. Over the years we have developed a portfolio of ways to save money. Previous Vacation Money Saving Articles Some techniques I’ve already written about here on Enemy Of Debt: Road Trip: The more people in your family, the more it costs to fly across the country. We take a few days to drive down instead. Not only does it save us money, it provides opportunity for family bonding and adventure. Group Meals: Several people […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 3/22

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Greetings from the road, EOD Nation! The family and I are on a road trip to Destin, Florida for our annual spring break vacation.  The hotel we’re at tonight had free food available in the lobby tonight including breadsticks, salad, and soup.  Instead we opted to go out to a Mexican restaurant, and the food was subpar.  We should have just stuck with the free food at the hotel.  Lesson learned, you just don’t pass up free food! Fists up for my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump Comparing Annual Household Expenses from Money Beagle […] Read more »

Credit Card Rewards Cost Me $140

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Credit card reward programs put real money in your pocket if used correctly. Used incorrectly they can actually cost you money. A recent personal experience is a textbook example of how dangerous credit card rewards programs can actually be. I noticed I had $40 of Best Buy reward dollars about to expire. Not about to let $40 be wasted I hunted around on their website for something to buy. I found an inexpensive drone that I could get for no additional money out of my pocket. However, the reviews were terrible. One of them pointed off to a different drone, […] Read more »

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 »