Do NOT Start Your Christmas Gift Shopping

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If you are thinking of going Christmas present shopping in the very near future, stop. Seriously, put down the checkbook, wallet, or purse because now is the worst possible time to do so. You’re guaranteed to pay full price, and there’s absolutely no reason to pay full price for any Christmas present. The Price Hike I’ve had my eye on a smoker at Walmart that has been on clearance for weeks. As grills, lawnmowers and other summer seasonal items were put on sale to make room for Christmas trees and snow blowers I noticed a smoker regularly priced at $274 […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 11/2

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As we near the end of 2018, I realize we’ve had more medical bills this year than any other year.  Both my wife and I have been to the emergency room and both kids have also had significant visits to the doctor. I’ve drained my HSA, and still carry a balance to the hospital. I’m not worried about it, as I’ll just keep making payments each month.  I wait until my monthly pre-tax HSA contributions show up in the account, and then make a payment.  Come January, I’ll get another round of employer and incentive contributions and the bill will […] Read more »

How to Achieve Debt Freedom Without Sacrificing the Fun Stuff

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In most cases, it’s not super easy to achieve debt freedom.  But that doesn’t mean your life has to be miserable while you’re getting out of debt.  In fact, you don’t have to sacrifice all the fun in your life just because you’re paying down debt. You can still have fun! In this post I’ll show you how to make a solid plan to achieve debt freedom without being miserable in the process.   You Can Still Have Fun Getting out of debt isn’t completely about deprivation and self-sacrifice, although they do play a role. Some people would rather put […] Read more »

Make Money Selling Re-Selling Clearance Items

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If you want to earn some extra money, but common side hustles such as mystery shopping, blogging, or even a second job don’t interest you, I have another idea for your consideration. Reselling clearance items found at stores you visit every day on Craigslist can put extra money in your pocket. I go to Walmart several times a week to pick up necessities for my family, and each time I do I walk through the outdoor section looking at grills and smokers. As summer turned to fall the prices of these grills and smokers declined as Walmart tried to clear […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 10/26

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A couple of weeks ago I fist pumped for my kids being financially responsible as they both paid for the privilege of having a car using paychecks from their part-time job. Today they both received paychecks again, and I noticed they are each accumulating quite a healthy bank account balance. I started to wonder if  I should have them take on a larger financial responsibility as what they currently pay is only a portion of their car payment and insurance. In the end I decided against it in favor of letting them grow their accounts, saving for emergencies or special […] Read more »

Financing a New Set of Wheels: 6 types of Car Loans You Can Choose From

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There’s something awesome about cruising down the street in your new car as the wind brushes through your hair. You feel like life has taken on a new meaning. The bottom line is that owning a car is at the top of most people’s list. The reality is that most people don’t pay for their cars out of pocket. This is because there are numerous financial institutions that are ready and willing to give you a loan. Statistics show that car loans are one of the biggest forms of debt in America, right after student loans and house mortgages. But […] Read more »

Vacation Specials Aren’t Always Special

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My wife planned a weekend get away for our family at an indoor water park in Wisconsin Dells. She found a package offered by one of the hotels that initially saved us over $300 off the regular price. She later found an even better offer that, after a quick phone call, saved us another $80. These packages included the room only for two nights. Another package offered additional amenities, but analysis was needed to determine if it was worth the higher cost. Package Details My wife and I went through the list of additional amenities, researching how much each of […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 10/19

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Schools in Minnesota are out Thursday and Friday of this week, so my family and I are at Wisconsin Dells at an indoor water park. My wife had found a great deal for a two night stay in a specific room, however just a few days before our trip she discovered an even better deal was available from their website. She called the resort and asked for a price adjustment, which the reservations person agreed to.  With a simple short phone call, she saved us about $80! Fist pump for saving money AND my favorite posts of the week! Posts […] Read more »

Restaurant Wine: By The Glass Or The Whole Bottle?

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My wife looked at the wine list at a nice restaurant and noted many were available both by the glass and the bottle. We were out with friends and several in the group were looking at having a glass of wine. If we could all agree on one would it be worth it to buy the entire bottle instead of each ordering an individual glass? Figuring out whether buying a bottle would save money requires several questions be answered. What Is The Restaurant’s Wine Pour Size? The size of a restaurant’s wine pour (serving size) may vary, but is typically […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 10/12

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Today is payday! Well, not for myself or my wife, but for both our kids! That means my daughter will be paying her car insurance bill and my son will be making his car payment. It gives me great pleasure as a parent to see my kids working hard to earn cash, taking care of their financial responsibilities and have some money left over to have some fun with. Fist pump for financially responsible kids, AND my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump Is there a college savings rule of thumb? from Words On Wealth […] Read more »

Spend Money On Things That Give You Goosebumps

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Personal finance blogs talk a lot about how NOT to spend your money. I’m trying to give spending a positive twist, and help you decide how you SHOULD spend your money. Last week I gave a list of things I don’t mind pulling my wallet out for. This week I’m going to take take it in a little different direction and help you determine what things belong on your list. Another way to look at useful spending is to think about things that really enhance your life. In many cases, these may be experiences or hobbies. A clip of a […] Read more »

Find Out How To Receive An Accurate Insurance Quote

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It is not unusual to get a quote when you are shopping around for car insurance. However, it also happens to purchase the insurance and find out that the premium does not match the information offered by your quote. If you had this problem, you should know that there are a couple of things you can do in order to get an accurate insurance quote. Let’s take a look. Decide what you want The first step is knowing exactly what you need. When you buy a car insurance you should decide what you want from it. Start by thinking about […] Read more »

Work at Home Scams- How to Spot Them and How to Avoid Them

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Man using laptop computer while sitting on white floor background with copy space, top view, people and technology, lifestyles work at home

Work at home job scams are everywhere.  You’ll see them all over the internet, in your junk mail, in your email, and even on flyers posted around town.  In fact, work from home scams are so common it’s not always easy to tell the scams from legitimate work at home opportunities. Read on and I’ll show you what to look out for, plus give you some great ideas for legitimate work-at-home jobs to help you provide for your family without a traditional office job.   They Make Huge Promises I’m sure you’ve seen some of the ads for these scams.  […] Read more »

5 Things I Don’t Mind Spending Money On

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Achieving your ultimate financial goals requires you to be selective in how you spend your hard earned money. Being a wasteful or frivolous spender leaves less money in your pocket to put towards eventual financial freedom. But being wise with your money doesn’t mean living in a cardboard box and subsisting on bread and water – it simply means executing selective spending. Spend your hard earned cash on things that matter to you. Here’s a list of 5 things I don’t mind pulling my wallet out for: Expensive Groceries USDA Prime rated steak, lobster tail, crab legs and beef tenderloin […] Read more »