How To Bow Out Of Group Activities You Cannot Afford

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Every budget has limits. Whether you’re rich and famous or middle class, there are limits on how much you can spend. Some just run into their limit faster. In a society where success is equated with how much money you have, it’s hard to tell people you don’t have the funds to buy or do something. Especially when you’re being asked to be included in something that sounds really fun like a night out, a weekend away, or a group vacation. With that in mind, here is a list of polite ways to gracefully decline an invitation without making it […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 6/12/2020

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Happy Friday, EOD Nation!  Minnesota has entered what our governor calls “phase 3” of the Stay Safe Minnesota plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With our transition into phase 3, restaurants and bars are able to open indoor spaces at 50% capacity.  Which is a little misleading as that means 50% of the building’s fire code capacity.  For many restaurants this is almost full capacity of their indoor dining spaces.  When running errands yesterday I drove by some restaurants and noted their parking lots were completely full. As things open up more and more, a re-visit of the budget […] Read more »

Using Your Emergency Fund For Fun Emergencies

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Emergency funds are a must. They protect you from life’s unexpected expenses, keep you from going into debt for unplanned car repairs, medical bills, or home maintenance. While these statements are true, they may not motivate everyone to reduce their spending on fun things to prepare for not so fun things in the future. With that in mind, today I’m trying a different approach in motivating you to have an emergency fund. You see, an emergency fund can also be used to take advantage of opportunities for unplanned fun! Using The Emergency Fund For Fun A friend recently suggested we […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 6/5/20

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On June 1st restaurants in Minnesota were allowed to reopen, although with restrictions.  Outdoor seating only can be used, and capacity is limited to a maximum of 50 people. I made a reservation for my wife and I, along with two of our friends to eat at our favorite restaurant.  It was a warm evening, and the sun was directly in my line of sight, but I didn’t care.  It was nice to be out, and feel a little bit more normal. I didn’t even mind the bill, since it had been so long since we’d had a full meal […] Read more »

Admission: I Consciously Spend Money On Stuff I Don’t Need

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I waste my money buying things I don’t need. It’s not by accident, or an occasional bad decision. I actively seek out doing so. Searching For Something To Buy I came to this realization as I was at Walmart over the weekend. After gathering the grocery items I needed, I began walking to the sporting goods section on the other side of the store to check for new things I could add to my home gym. This has been customary for me since gyms closed as part of the COVID9-19 pandemic. In the beginning, it made sense. The home gym […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 5/29/20

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Today is my daughter’s high school graduation day. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she will not be having the traditional graduation ceremony.  Her school is holding a “drive up” ceremony in which each family (one car per family) drives through the school parking lot.  When a car reaches the front of the school, the graduate gets out, walks up on a stage and receives their diploma.  They then walk off the stage where a photographer will take their picture next to a stone panther (the school mascot) before the graduate gets back in their car. Given the restrictions our state […] Read more »

Where Did the Coupons Go?

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My mailbox has been a little empty lately. I couldn’t put my finger on what had been missing until my wife was buying soap from Bath and Body Works online. Normally I would go to the coupon drawer and pull out the latest mailing from Bath and Body Works. Today, however, there was no coupon to be found. Missing Coupons It got me thinking, there are several retailers I normally receive coupon mailings from, but haven’t since the pandemic started: Bath and Body Works: Free mini item, $10 off of $30, or a 30% off coupon were the standard. Kohls: […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 5/22/2020

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Memorial Day weekend is when my wife and I throw a party in celebration of the start of summer.  It started as a house warming party for our first house with a few family members and has grown to last year’s event attended by over 180 people. This year would have been the 24th consecutive year.  Then along came a little thing we call COVID-19.  We’ll be saving money by not have a huge party, but honestly…..I’d rather have the party. At least we can fist pump for my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump […] Read more »

4 Things I Gladly Pay For

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I love saving money, and I love doing projects myself. I definitely love saving money by doing projects myself. But, I do recognize there’s a line at which the money I could pay someone to do a task for me is absolutely worth the cost. Here are four things I gladly pay someone to do for me: Yard Thatching As the snow cover melts in early spring, it reveals my matted down lawn. It needs to be raked to remove the dead clippings from the previous season allowing the live grass to get sunlight and thrive. Raking my lawn would […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 5/15/2020

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My wife and I ate at our favorite restaurant tonight!  Well, not really.  Restaurants are looking to re-open dining rooms on 6/1 in Minnesota but as of right now they are still closed. BUT, our favorite restaurant is selling grilling packs.  Tonight we bought one that included 8 gourmet burger patties, buns, bacon, cheese and a special garlic mayo.  I grilled the burgers, toasted the buns and my family put on the fixings they wanted.  It was delicious, and a little taste of normal. Fist pump for normal, and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist […] Read more »

Tipping During a Pandemic: Should You Tip More for Takeout?

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After I finished giving my take out order over the phone to a local restaurant, the voice on the other end asked, “Do you want to add a tip for the team?” I normally add 10% for takeout orders, which I viewed as an acceptable amount. But I wondered in the age of COVID-19, if and how the rules have changed for tipping during a pandemic. Before the pandemic, many viewed the social norm was tipping for takeout was appreciated but not necessarily expected. Readying an order for pickup isn’t as time consuming as checking in periodically with a table […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 5/8/2020

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This Sunday is Mother’s Day, and due to the stay at home order from my governor, I won’t be seeing my mother.  At least not in person.  I’m hoping to at least talk to her, if not use Skype to talk to her (and my dad). Locally, our cul-de-sac is having a “Social Distance” brunch.  Everyone is making something and putting it at the end of their driveway.  I’m making omelets on my gas powered griddle.  Then, we can all walk separately around the cul-de-sac and pick up food to eat.  We’ll then all sit in chairs at the end […] Read more »

COVID-19 Spending: It’s Time To Re-evaluate Your Budget

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Changes occur in life which require a person to re-evaluate and re-do their budget. Events like a wage increase, life changes such as getting married or having a child, or a global pandemic. With businesses being limited to curbside sales or being completely closed and many states being under a stay at home order a look at the budget is a great idea because your spending habits have changed. Personal Care With barbers and salons closed, people are going without haircuts, hair coloring, manicures, pedicures, massages and many other personal care services. Entertainment Almost all sources of entertainment are also […] Read more »

Impulse Buying: Beware Now More Than Ever

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Impulse buying is a threat to budgets everywhere, even under normal conditions. Even more so with the current conditions with COVID-19. People are panic buying some products fearing a shortage is imminent. In other cases some products are actually hard to find because of an increased demand. Whatever the case may be, now is the time for extra awareness regarding the dangers of impulse buying. I’m looking for larger sized weight plates for my home gym. I have smaller sized plates used to make dumbbells, but I need heavier ones for exercises like bench press and squats. Due to the […] Read more »