13 Ways You Can Save Money On A Low Income

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save money low income limited income

I get a lot of questions from readers wanting to know how they can save money on a low income, so I thought I would write a post about some of the suggestions I’ve been giving out that can help you put money in the bank, even when you’re living on a limited income.  I’ve also included some great resources along with the suggestions that will help you get started putting money in the bank right now!   You Can Still Save Money On A Low Income When you’re living on a small income, it can be especially hard to […] Read more »

What I Should Do vs What I Do Do

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(Go ahead, giggle. I did when I wrote the title of this post) To become a successful entrepreneur I’m supposed build an engaging blog and active media presence in the margins around my “day job”.  Those who have done this successfully are living testimonies that it really does work, but I’ve been struggling.  It’s taking a toll on my health, the relationships with my wife and daughter, and my effectiveness in everything that I should do. Why? Because I’m not doing what they did. Let me explain… In order to be successful, I’m supposed to follow some recommendations.  I have […] Read more »

Small Victories- Getting Out of Debt One Small Step At a Time

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small victories get out of debt one step at a time

Getting out of debt can seem like a daunting task.  When you finally decide to take the step of getting yourself out of debt, it’s easy to be intimidated by the huge goal you’ve presented for yourself. And when you realize what you’re up against, you’re ready to give up on getting out of debt before you even get started. So how do you overcome that overwhelming feeling when you want to achieve your goal, but you’re so intimidated by all the work you know it will take to get it done? You have to chill out, take a step […] Read more »

Bad Debt Collectors and What You Can Do About Them

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Dealing with bad debt is no fun. Dealing with a bad debt collector can be downright terrifying. When you have a bad debt that has gone to a collection agency it can be very easy to want to avoid the pain of the situation or even totally ignore it when you know you can’t possibly pay it.  That’s why some collectors of overdue debt will do everything they can to get your attention, even if it’s illegal. Most debt collection agencies are legit and strictly follow the rules set forth by the FTC  (Federal Trade Commission). However, there are plenty […] Read more »

Warning: Shopping Without A List Is Hazardous To Your Budget

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My love of lists is almost legendary, my daily activities driven from them. I have different lists for different parts of my day: Things needing to be done at work, written on my office white board Personal life todo list written in a notebook on the kitchen counter Blogging todo list written in a notebook on my computer desk My lists help me not only remember things that need to be done, but also to prioritize them. My wife sometimes makes fun of me because of my lists, but she understands the importance I place on them. I commonly find […] Read more »

7 Ways You Can Stay Motivated to Get Out of Debt

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7 ways to stay motivated to get out of debt resources

Over the years I’ve seen plenty of people get motivated to get out of debt, but they never end up following through with the process.  They are usually pretty fired up about getting out of debt and start out very motivated.  But not long after they start the process, their energy flags and it’s not long before they lose their motivation. I’ve seen a lot of other people make decent progress in paying down debt, but for whatever reason, they end up losing their focus and go back to their old habits, never finishing the get out of debt process.   How to […] Read more »

How to Get Ahead If You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck (Part 2)

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In the first article in the series, I covered eight things that might cause you to end up trapped in a paycheck to paycheck life. In this second post, I’m going to show you a few things you can do to get your finances under control, stop spending more than you make, and end the paycheck to paycheck cycle for good. If you read the last article, at this point you’ve probably figured out some of the top reasons why you’re struggling financially. Once you understand those reasons, I explained that it was important to get your mindset right and […] Read more »

How to Get Ahead if You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck

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get ahead living paycheck to paycheck

Some recent studies showed that more than two thirds of people are living paycheck to paycheck at least some of the time. That’s pretty incredible! It seems to be getting harder and harder to keep your head above water financially, and there is no lack of reasons why that’s happening. Some of it is because our attitudes about money have changed over the years.  Some of it is also because of the changing economy, and some of it is probably due to the fact that the world is rapidly changing, and some are getting left behind because they refuse to […] Read more »

To Own or to Hire: This is the Question!

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Have you ever wished to spend your summer on a luxury yacht? I did today. I was on the beach, in the Algarve (Portugal), relaxing and looking at the yachts passing by. ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have one of those?’ – I thought. And just before I started dreaming about buying a smart yacht with great facilities, another question popped into my mind: is the dream to buy a yacht or to hire one for a month? It’s better to hire one, I decided. Now, I do realise that this may be having you, my reader, ready to denounce […] Read more »

How to Talk Yourself Out of Debt By Creating a New Script

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How to Talk Yourself Out of Debt By Creating a New Script

Could it really be possible to talk yourself out of debt?  Can getting out of debt really be that easy? Actually, no, I don’t believe it is. Getting out of debt is not as easy as talking to yourself using the right words.  You have to take action as well. Even the bible says “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty”- Proverbs 14:23   The Right Self Talk Helps But using the right kind of self talk can get you into the right mindset to change habits and get out of debt for good. […] Read more »

Would You Bust Your Budget to Boycott a Business?

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We have a running joke at my house that I should never tell my brother-in-law where I purchased the food I cook for him when he visits. When I happen to accidentally say it out loud he plugs his ears with his fingers and loudly repeats, “LA LA LA LA LA LA LA,” as to try to tune out what I’m saying. The reason being that the vast majority of our grocery shopping is done at Walmart. He refuses to shop there because he disagrees with how Walmart generally pays and treats its employees. These kinds of boycotts are not […] Read more »

Why You Should Never Use a Home Equity Loan to Pay Off Debt

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Why You Should Never Use a Home Equity Loan to Pay Off Debt

Have you ever thought about taking out a home equity loan to help pay off debt? There are a lot of financial gurus that will advise you to dip into your home’s equity when you have a pile of debt you need to get paid off. But I believe paying off your debt with a home equity loan is not a wise move, and I’ll tell you why in just a minute.   Why Some Gurus Recommend Home Equity Loans For Paying Off Debt But first, I want to cover why some “financial gurus” say you should consolidate your debt […] Read more »

First Budget Post Debt Management Plan: How Did Our Spending Change?

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My wife and I sat down last Friday to go over our budget and spending plan for the weekend, just like we always do.  Except this time the numbers looked very different. March is the first month in over four and a half years that we don’t have to make a payment to our debt management program.  More accurately, this is the first time in seventeen years of marriage that a significant percentage of our monthly income isn’t going towards credit card payments. That feels freakishly awesome. I made my usual income and bill statement for the month and looked […] Read more »

Lies We Tell Ourselves So We Can Keep Our Credit Cards

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People love their credit cards. Why? They aren’t valuable, can’t be traded or sold, and cost people money and often their freedom. I’ve been separated from my credit cards for over seven years and can tell you that I don’t miss them a bit. Now that I’m coaching people through their debt problems I get to hear all the same lies I used to say that justified my reason for keeping the plastic crutches. Do you feel a shiver in your spine when you hear these lies people say so they can keep their credit cards? “I only use my […] Read more »