The Inappropriate Tip Jar

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The tipping culture in the United States has gone a little off the rails in recent years, in my opinion. Tip jars appear almost everywhere these days. While I’m not opposed to giving a tip for good service, and even though I don’t agree with it I recognize that some workers rely on tips for their income. However, increasingly I see inappropriate use of the tip jar. I encountered two such tip jar misuses recently. Wine Tour Tip Jars My wife and I went on a wine tour in which we rode a trolley to four different wineries in our […] Read more »

Big Changes and Uncertainty Ahead

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Major life changes are occurring that may have  significant financial impacts for my family. Both my wife and I have had to make some very difficult employment decisions only time will tell if we’ve made the right choices. Me: Pulling Back On Blogging At my blogging peak I contributed to five different sites, but over the past few years I have slowly decreased that down to two. Recently, I resigned from a site that consumed a very large amount of my time. I decided I would rather spend the time with my family, doing projects around the house, or putting […] Read more »

Five Inexpensive Father’s Day Gifts for the Low Maintenance Dad

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The calendar states next Sunday is Father’s Day. A state of panic consumes many as they try to conjure up the perfect gift idea for the dad in their life. If this describes you, let me help you because it really isn’t that hard. Most dads appreciate being remembered on Father’s Day, but don’t want you to drop a lot of cash on a gift. With that in mind, here’s a list of perfect inexpensive Father’s Day gifts for the low maintenance dad. Grill Seasonings If the dad in your life enjoys spending grilling, he loves getting seasonings as gifts. […] Read more »

Cancel Delivery, Save Money and Make Your Own Almost Homemade Pizza

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The cost of delivered pizza can add up faster than a stack of empty pizza boxes. Making your own pizza is great if you have the time and skill to make your own dough. Frozen pizza costs far less, but the toppings leave much to be desired. Not to worry, cost conscious pizza lovers, I’ve discovered a compromise between frozen and fresh that makes the best homemade pizza. Below is a list of seven things you can use to transform a boring, underwhelming frozen pizza into a memorable meal, many of which you may already have in your refrigerator. Crust […] Read more »

List Your Way To Success

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Productive and successful people utilize lists. Lists remind us of things to be done, and plans our daily activities. Review the following points to learn how operate at optimal efficiency using lists. Start A List If a list of tasks needing to be completed doesn’t already exist, create one. Add as many things as you can think of, but don’t be concerned if the list is too long or short. Put the List in Plain Sight The list will remind you of things you need to get done if you see it frequently. Place the list where you spend a […] Read more »

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

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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 »

What Is Amazon Prime, and Is It Worth The Cost?

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I noticed a $99 purchase during my weekly review of my son’s checking account. Being a secondary on my son’s account allows me to periodically review his spending to ensure he’s being smart with his money. By the description of the purchase I knew that he had had paid for a yearly subscription to Amazon Prime. I didn’t know much about the service, so I did a little research to find out what he would get for his $99.   Here are the major services that come with an Amazon Prime Membership: Free Shipping Amazon Prime members enjoy free 2 […] Read more »

What You Need To Know About The Computer Chip In Your Debit/Credit Card

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I was expecting a new debit card in the mail, as my current was one expiring soon. When I received it in the mail, I instantly noticed something different about it; a small computer chip was embedded on one side of the card. I knew what it was, but I was surprised that my small regional bank was using the technology. Before activating and using the card, I wanted to review what this chip was all about. What is EMV? EMV, or Europay, MasterCard, and Visa, integrates a tiny computer chip into your card to store information about your account […] Read more »

The Power Of Financial Freedom: Affording Opportunities

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When you’re under the constant crushing weight of debt, you develop tunnel vision. All that matters is finding some way to get to the next paycheck. It’s basically simple survival mode. It’s difficult to fully understand just how debt can impact life until you find your way out from underneath it truly begin to live life again. I was reminded again this past week just how much debt can affect the trajectory of life. My son is into online gaming big time. Once a month he hosts a gaming party where 8-12 of his friends bring their computer to our […] Read more »

Make Your Valentine’s Day Gift Be About Value

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Unless you haven’t looked at a calendar lately, you’re aware that Valentine’s Day is less than a week away. If you have a significant other you may already have a gift purchased or plans made to give a little extra attention to that special someone in your life. Some people choose to not celebrate Valentine’s Day, seeing it as just another commercial holiday pressuring people to buy stuff. That’s actually a fairly accurate description in my opinion, and that’s great if you and your loved one share that perspective. Others are looking for inexpensive ways to celebrate the day and […] Read more »

The Expectation of Spending Money

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Every Sunday evening, my wife and I recap our weekend spending, and then do any budget adjustments required  due to higher than expected spending. After the conclusion of this activity recently, I broke the good news that we had stayed well within our allocated weekend funds. As soon as the words left my mouth, they felt wrong. I was confused as to why they felt wrong, after all isn’t that the goal? Isn’t the goal to live within our means by creating a budget, allocating a finite amount of funds for bills and other activities, and then spend less than […] Read more »

Grillin’ And Chillin’ Summer Series: Bratwurst Hot Tub

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It’s officially summer, EOD Nation, and that means it’s time for BBQ.  Over the next couple of months I’ll be periodically be sharing some of my favorite summer recipes to help you be the king of the backyard BBQ in your neighborhood! It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of lighting up the grill or smoker and cooking up some delicious food using a live fire. BBQ, like many hobbies, is something a person can always learn new things. There is always a new recipe to try, or a new technique to learn. While I have no problem lighting a […] Read more »

Are Your Childhood Possessions Hidden Treasures?

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My parents were in town for a visit recently and stayed overnight at my home. My dad and I watched a television show in which people brought objects they found at home, at a second hand store, or at a garage sale to find out if they were valuable or not. Experts would inspect the objects and estimate their value. Sometimes the objects were common and not worth much, but others were hidden gems worth a tidy sum of money. The show brought back a flood of childhood memories of various things that either I collected, or owned. My parents […] Read more »

9 Tips For Creating Discipline With Money

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9 Tips For Creating Discipline With Money

I frequently get questions from my readers about how to resolve their various financial problems.  The questions range from not being able to save enough, to tackling huge amounts of debt, to how to stop living paycheck to paycheck. One of the common themes I’ve discovered in the hundreds of emails I’ve received, is that most of those readers tell me the root of their problem is a lack of discipline. Lack of Money is Not the Problem Learning discipline when it comes to money is not always easy, but it’s necessary if you want to get ahead financially.  Many […] Read more »