3 Things You Can Do With $1000 Instead of Buying a new iPhone

Written by on · 3 Comments

Apple announced the newest generation of their iPhone last week. The iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X (named for the 10th anniversary of the launch of the original iPhone) come with varying price tags, some reaching the $1000 mark. Working in the technology industry, I know that there are times when businesses are eagerly waiting for a new generation of system to hit the market because they are performance starved or need a specific new capability. I’ve never, ever heard of someone whose iPhone is critical for their daily life, and they are barely making it because they desperately need […] Read more »

How to be a Digital Nomad

Written by on · Leave a Comment
digital nomad

What is a digital nomad? Well quite simply it’s when you make money on the move, whether that be from blogging, vlogging, setting up an online shop or becoming a master poker or blackjack player. Let’s have a quick look at some of the ways that you can make money on the move and wave goodbye to the 9 to 5 grind. Online Surveys You might not necessarily make enough money to retire to a mansion in the country, but filling out online surveys is a fantastic way to top up your cash from anywhere. All you need to do […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 9/15

Written by on · Leave a Comment

Today’s more than just Friday, it’s also payday – whoop whoop!  The best part is the plans for the weekend don’t require much funding.  We have a birthday party for a friend this evening, and football watching with some other friends on Sunday.  I plan to bank the vast majority of this week’s discretionary funds for a weekend in October where we’ll be traveling for a marathon I’m running.  I want to ensure we have plenty of funds to make it a special weekend.  Oh, and I might need a massage afterwards. Now raise those fists for my favorite posts […] Read more »

Save Money Socializing With A Fire

Written by on · 3 Comments

The common anti-debt stance on spending money is if you’re in debt, you shouldn’t be spending money on frivolous things. How dare you have cable if you still owe on your car? It’s a fairly hard stance many personal finance gurus take, that’s not necessarily all that realistic. For example, cutting out all socializing and discretionary fun when you’re in debt may help you pay down the debt faster, but may not exactly lead to a high quality existence. I like to take a more middle ground approach. Make consistent and steady progress towards your financial goals, and have a […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 9/8

Written by on · 1 Comment

The fact that the first regular season NFL game occurred last night was a blunt reminder that fall is on our doorstep.  Financially, one of the things I need to budget for is the shutting down of my lawn sprinkler system.  For over 10 years I did it myself, borrowing a large air compressor from a friend and spending most of the day letting the compressor build up pressure followed by a few minutes of blowing out a sprinkler zone.  A few years ago I decided that 8-10 hours of my time was worth spending the $90 to have someone […] Read more »

5 Things You Need To Know About Private Student Loans

Written by on · Leave a Comment

One of the largest tasks to tackle when sending a child to college is figuring out how you’re going to pay for it. First, you fill out your FAFSA to determine potential financial aid from the government, then you fill out grant and scholarship applications until your fingers are sore, while at the same time going over and over your budget figuring out how much you can contribute out of pocket. When the dust settles, you may end up having to apply for private student loans. This is unfamiliar territory for many people who might wonder how private student loans […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger – 9/1

Written by on · 1 Comment

At the end of last school year, my daughter tried out for  and made the cheerleading team.  The team has been practicing all summer, and tonight is the first football game and thus the first time we’ll get to see the fruits of her hard work.  My wife and I are really looking forward to it. Fist pump for cheerleading, and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump College Transition: Saving Money from Debt Discipline 5 Reasons Budgeting is Hard for Millennials from Eyes On The Dollar 7 Things I Did to Stop Stressing About […] Read more »

What Is The Most Inexpensive Way To Break Into Your House?

Written by on · 2 Comments

We came home from an afternoon out with friends to realize we were locked out of our home. I hadn’t taken my keys with me since our neighbors were driving, and our daughter locked the door on her way out. Normally none of this would be a problem as we’d just open the garage door with the keyless entry pad, but we had unplugged the opener for a party in the garage the night before. We stared at the door for a few moments and wondered, “What is the most inexpensive way to break into your house?” Call A Locksmith […] Read more »

Where Does Your Financial Compass Point?

Written by on · Leave a Comment

When you’re lost in the woodsand you find yourself off the blazed trail—or perhaps, you’re lost in the woods because you left the blazed trail— the compass in your backpack will help you find your way back to civilization. At the very least, it will show you where due north is so you have a greater chance of figuring out where it all went wrong so you might just find your way back to camp. You can rely on your compass to give you a constant sense of directionunless you’re too close to a magnetic pole. Thanks to the Earth’s […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 8/25

Written by on · 2 Comments

I’ve written about the magical awesomeness of Amazon Prime and the free two day shipping that is a part of the membership.  I found yet another great use for it this week.  A few days after moving into the dorms, my son called and asked what he could boil water in to make some Ramen Noodles.  We had neglected to leave him with any dishes with which to make food.  I instantly hopped onto Amazon and had some microwave safe dishes shipped to him as a surprise.  Less than 48 hours later, he had them in his hands, ready to […] Read more »

Teens Are More Financially Savvy Than We Give Them Credit For

Written by on · Leave a Comment

It is the responsibility of parents to teach financial concepts and responsibility to their children. Sometimes one wonders if lessons are being absorbed and understood. But every now and then, they say or do something that lets you know they are smarter and pay attention more than they are sometimes given credit for. My daughter gave me one such moment over the weekend. We’ve been remodeling my daughter’s room with fresh paint, new furniture and a new closet organizer. The closet organizer has a center piece that is drawers and shelves, and then 4 rods (2 on the top, and […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 8/18

Written by on · Leave a Comment

Yesterday my wife and I moved our son into his college dorm room.  Having one less person at home is going to require some adjusting to the budget, as there won’t be as much food being eaten or clothes being washed.  It’s not an adjustment I’m happy about making.  Today is day 1 without having my son around, and I’m already missing him. But we can at least put our fists in the air for my favorite posts of the week. Posts That Make Me Fist Pump 4 Easy Steps to Start A Budget in College from Frugal Rules Do […] Read more »

4 Tips for Getting Out of Under Debt to Take Charge of Your Finances

Written by on · Leave a Comment

You probably know already that the United States has a massive debt problem and it is no longer news that U.S. national debt is more than $19 trillion. In fact, Congress must find a way to raise the debt ceiling when it reconvenes next month. However, what many people don’t know that is that the U.S national debt roughly mirrors the debt problem in the American citizenry. The total consumer debt in the U.S. is currently around $12.73 trillion and it continues to rise at an alarming rate. Americans are struggling with massive personal debts and a 2016 study revealed […] Read more »

What Is A Budget Retrospective And 3 Reasons You NEED It

Written by on · 3 Comments

    Budgeting is essential to successful money  management. You have to know how much money you have coming in, and what you’re going to do with it. Without doing that, you may forget about expenses, overspend, and accumulate debt. The tracking of income, expenses and spending is what most people think of when they hear the word budget. However, there’s another aspect of budgeting that many people don’t do. It can be called many things, but I like to call it a budget retrospective. A budget has a duration, although the length of a budget cycle may vary by […] Read more »