4 Ways to Cut Down on Healthcare Expenses

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Medical expenses are the number one cause of bankruptcy in the US. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to determine how best to deal with healthcare bills. After all, healthcare services are often vital, and it’s simply unwise to forgo treatment in an effort to save money. You can’t put a dollar figure on a clean bill of health. The good news is that there are ways savvy individuals can cut down on healthcare expenses –– without putting themselves or their loved ones in jeopardy. Here are four examples: Read the Fine Print Even dedicated professionals working at medical facilities may […] Read more »

I Love Change, You Should Too

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I noticed the “need a penny take a penny, have a penny leave a penny” dish next to the cash register at the convenience store while paying for gas. My bill was $43.01, so I was tempted to take a penny so I wouldn’t be given back 99 cents in change. But at the last second, I handed the cashier two twenties and a five, getting back a one dollar bill and enough change to weigh down my pocket for the next several hours. Why would I do that? Why Everyone Should Save Change Having a pocket of change at […] Read more »

Top 10 Best Ways to Save More Money

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No doubt about it – the single best way to save money is to find ways to spend less and save more. However, spending less doesn’t mean you have lived like a miser. All you have to do is to spend money smarter. You also need to use the right tools to better manage your budget and to regain control of your personal finances. Where you store your savings is just as important as saving itself. Even though the best no fee savings accounts are great ways to save, their returns are quite limited. Investing on the other hand can […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like a Blogger Roundup – 6/28

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After a relatively cool start to the summer, this weekend looks to be a scorcher here in Minnesota. My wife and I will be celebrating our 23rd wedding anniversary, and we’ll be hanging out with friends on a boat doing some tubing and waterskiing.  I love summer! Fist pump for summer, anniversaries and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump 4 Ways to Make Sure Your Bills Get Paid On Time from Beating Broke Step Up Your Grilling Game With These BBQ Blogs from Clever Dude Your Emergency Fund: Why You Need One And How […] Read more »

5 Ways To Save When You’re Forced To Dine Out

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My wife and I were out of town for the weekend as I was running a half-marathon in northern Minnesota. The focus of the weekend was the race and the activities surrounding it. We obviously had to eat, but didn’t want to spend a lot on food. Before leaving town we came up with the following plan to keep our food cost down, but still have meals we both would enjoy and enhance the experience of the weekend. Breakfast At Hotel Our hotel offered a free breakfast buffet each morning including eggs, sausage, toast, waffles, fruit and a variety of […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 6/21

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I’m excited to run a half marathon this weekend. As race day approaches, I’ve been peppered with the customary questions  from people wondering why I put myself through such an ordeal. My answer is really two parts.  First, I like running.  I like the feeling of accomplishment, the fact that it takes both physical and mental strength to finish. Second, as one of my favorite motivational speakers like to say, we should all do difficult things. Doing difficult things gives you the mental perspective that you can do anything you put your mind to.  Running a long race once or […] Read more »

Hardware Store Help Saved Me Cash On DIY Home Repairs

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Walking to an afternoon meeting, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket from a text message notification. My wife sent me a picture of a wet laundry room ceiling with a caption that read “We have a leak, should I call a plumber?” By the time I got home 90 minutes later, my wife was on the phone getting estimates. I told her to hold off having anyone come until I investigated. She bit her lip, her face displaying obvious doubt in my plumbing abilities. My daughter was taking a bath in the whirlpool tub in our master bath […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 6/14/19

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I was reminded this week how valuable good insurance is.  My daughter had her wisdom teeth taken out, total bill coming to about $2500.  After my insurance was applied, my bill was $513, which I paid for with pre-tax funds from my HSA.  Since the HSA funds were deducted from my paychecks, I can’t say the procedure required zero out of pocket funds.  But I can say not one penny was taken out of checking or savings, and there was zero impact to my monthly budget. Fist pump for good insurance, HSA funds, and my favorite posts of the week! […] Read more »

Saving Money With DIY Deck Repair

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My wife informed me she asked a professional to examine our deck and provide an estimate to replace a rotten board. I’m re-staining it this summer, and wanted to have the board replaced beforehand. Taking a mental inventory of my tools, I confidentially stated I could replace it myself. Even though my wife’s facial expression expressed doubt, I laid out my plans to replace the board instead of paying someone to do it for me. Tools Needed First, I took inventory of the needed tools: Drill: I have an electric drill powerful enough to remove and insert decking screws (many […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 6/7

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We’re rolling up on another weekend, EOD Nation!  My neighbors have twin girls graduating from high school this year, and their graduation party is tomorrow.  They’re doing brunch for food, and asked if I would make omelets for their guests using a propane fueled flattop in their garage.  Cooking omelets on a flattop outside?  That’s an emphatic “YES” for me.  Can’t wait! Fist pump for omelets and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump Tipping On Carryout Orders – Yay Or Nay? from Money Beagle How to Sell Your Old Mobile Devices for Cash from […] Read more »

Save On Medical Bills With This Simple Trick

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The person on the other end of the phone was a representative from my medical care provider asking about my outstanding balance. She stated they were willing to reduce my bill by 20% if I could pay in full over the phone. My outstanding bill was leftover from an ER visit last year, and we were on a 10 month payment plan so that I could use my monthly pre-tax HSA contributions instead of using after-tax out of pocket funds. Given we were half way though our payment plan, and had made our payments on time each month, I was […] Read more »

5 Reasons Working from Home is the Cheaper Choice

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The number of people who work from home has skyrocketed in recent years. It’s becoming easier for many people to work from home, as many companies are allowing their employees to work remotely part- or full-time. The appeals of working from home are vast as it saves money for employees and employers. Economic Office Equipment Alternatives Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash The costs of running an office can quickly begin to add up. If you’re an entrepreneur with your own startup, the cost of setting up your own home office can easily save money in areas such as office […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 5/31

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Today, another school year comes to a close, and with it several pieces of exciting news. First, since my wife works for the school district, she doesn’t have to go to work for three months, but she still gets paid. The school district prorates her pay for 9 months of work across all 12 months.  The fact that she doesn’t have to get up and go to work doesn’t change our budget one bit. Second, my son started a new job this week!  He got a job doing IT work for a partnership between his university and a local technology […] Read more »

Marketing Tips for Graphic Designers & Artists

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While you love being an artist or graphic designer, you may struggle to find clients or let people know you and your services are available for their projects. It can help to see marketing and advertising as a type of art. Like with any other type of art, there’s a learning curve involved with perfecting marketing. Here are several insights to help you sharpen your prowess and understanding of finding and keeping clients. Reach Out to Local Business Groups You could have untapped resources waiting in your own backyard. Do some research to see if there are business groups in […] Read more »