Loans, Gifts, And Boundaries: How Loans And Gifts Create Bondage And Why Boundaries Are Important

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I have recently been thinking about how loans, gifts, and the absence of boundaries affect relationships.  Have you been in a situation where family or friends gave you a loan to help you get through a rough spot?  Have you received multiple gifts from a loved one?  On the other hand, have you given a loan, or tried to help out by giving a loved one a gift or gifts?  I want to discuss with you today the cause and effect relationship that all of these scenarios create and why it is important to implement boundaries. When I Give A […] Read more »

“Financial Independence” Ceremonial Speech

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As you know I am currently taking a public speaking class.  The last speech I posted was an informative speech about The Benefits Of Saving.  I told you that I planned on doing my ceremonial speech as if I had just become debt free.  I did so, but also decided to make it about my entire class becoming debt free.  Not only that but I wrote the speech as if I was giving it to a crowd of people.  After all, this kind of celebration would be huge.  I am scheduled to give this speech tonight in class.  I am […] Read more »

Baby Emergency Fund – Do It Your Way!

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Options To Consider When Saving To Achieve The Maximum Emotional Impact For well over a year as I have been doing the plan myself, I have been paying attention to how people respond to doing or possibly doing The Total Money Makeover.  I have coordinated and lead 2 successful FPU workshops, spent some times facilitating the FPU forums, been a member of the mytmmo.com forums, and listened to many friends.  I have heard people that had no savings yet, say that they didn’t think $1,000 was possible, while others have said it wasn’t enough.  Saving money is tied to emotions, […] Read more »

Meal Planning Saves Time And Money

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Just click above to learn more! Meal Planning Saves! I know there are lots of people out there that are very efficient at meal planning.  You save time, money,  and unnecessary running around at the last minute in order to get that hot meal on the table.  To those of you out there that this applies to, I applaud you.  We have tried it a few times and it always seemed like we spent a trillion dollars a week in order to grab every ingredient.  Needless to say, we gave up because of it! We know meal planning has many […] Read more »

Happy Independence Day 2009!!

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I hope everyone has a safe and festive Independence Day weekend! I also hope as you celebrate America’s birthday, you can think of it as more than just another extended holiday weekend. As a country who enjoys great freedoms, it is a very important day! Independence is defined as the state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one’s own affairs without interference. For Your Country: Celebrate your independence and freedom, and honor those that sacrificed in order for you to have them.  Freedom doesn’t come […] Read more »

EOD Interviewed By Mr Credit Card On Blog Talk Radio

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Mr Credit Card, from askmrcreditcard.com interviewed me yesterday!  I was slightly nervous as it was the first time I had ever done that kind of thing live.  After listening to it, I feel it went well and I hope that you enjoy it as well. Just so you know, the first 35 seconds is silent.  (I called 3 times before we were actually connected, and each time I thought I was on hold waiting to go live, but each time heard the computerized voice  say “thanks for calling blog talk radio….goodbye!”  At the end you’ll also hear me talking to […] Read more »

The Benefits Of Saving

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I had to give this speech to my class tonight, and thought I would post it.  It’s the very first outline I have ever organized! Usually I just write it as I feel it, when I feel it, and then organize it later.  I did get an A+ for my presentation so I am excited. I read a little bit more than I wanted to but overall I did great! My next speech will be a ceremonial speech, and I think I am going to do that speech as if I have just become debt free.  That will certainly be […] Read more »

The Debt Snowball – Do It Your Way!

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The Debt Snowball There are so many ways you can pay off your debt.  Of all the methods out there, the one I like the most is the one Dave Ramsey teaches.  The debt snowball is the second baby step in the Total Money Makeover.  You generally start your debt snowball once you have saved AT LEAST $1,000 for your baby emergency fund.  The idea is to give yourself a buffer so that as you are paying off your debt, you will be able to handle life’s little problems without having to borrow money in the process. Dave’s Snowball method […] Read more »

Insurance You Need And Insurance To Heed

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Do You Hate Insurance? For most of my life I have HATED insurance.  It always seemed to me that I was getting ripped off, especially if I never had an event to justify having it.  You probably know what I am talking about.  You drive your car for 5+ years without an accident, causing you to think more about all the money you have paid in, that seems to have just been flushed down the toilet.  As much as I hate thinking about that I have learned that insurance is about transferring risk, and the cost that comes with that […] Read more »

Happy Father’s Day!

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  HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! I just wanted to wish all you wonderful Dad’s out there a Happy Father’s Day!  With two children and another on the way, this day means a lot to me.  No, not because I might get a gift, or even because some people see it as “my day”.  For me, it’s so much more than that!  It’s great being a Dad!  To me every day is Father’s Day.  I love every special moment that I am blessed to have.  I make sure that I cherish every second.  In my opinion, my most important job is being […] Read more »

He’s Going To Be An Enemy Of Debt Too!

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IT’S A BOY!!! Yep, that’s right!  Another Enemy of Debt will be born in October, and on Monday, was confirmed to be a boy!  I cannot wait until October gets here!  I still remember the overwhelming emotional impact I felt when my daughter was born 13 years ago.  It was amazing and something I can never forgot.  When my son was born 3 years ago this July, the same feeling was just as strong.  Some may think that the feeling is slightly less because you have been through it once before, and maybe that is true for some people, but […] Read more »

Is It A Boy Or A Girl?

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That Is The Question! I have not announced this here on EOD yet, but thought that today would be the best time to do so.  Alana and I are having another baby, due to arrive on October 26th to be exact.  I am very excited about this and today we find out whether we are having a boy or a girl.  I LOVE BEING A DAD, it is the best gift EVER!   What Do I Hope We Are Having?  Honestly it really doesn’t matter to me.  Either way I will be excited just the same.  I do hope that my […] Read more »

An Inconvenient Myth: The Marketing Effect

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  This is a guest post by, well…we’ll just call him Mr. Joe for privacy reasons.  Mr. Joe is a jack-of-all-trades, and writing happens to be one of the many.  He’s been my mentor, and a very influential part of who I have become over the last 5 or so years. When he asked me if he could write a guest post for EOD, I was honored, and considered it a privilege.  Perhaps after reading this you will want to see more from Mr. Joe, because it is indeed a wonderful piece. De-mythologizing the Language of Debt You can use […] Read more »

Aaaand…It’s GONE! (Video Post)

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I came across this video and thought you might like a good laugh! I know that for the people that actually were saving and investing their money, this must have been how they felt.  It made me start to wonder if their were some of you that stopped saving and investing when the market tanked…did you?  Why or why not? What’s the consensus? “Market timing is a not a good idea. Investing with a steady hand and for the long-term is a good idea.  However, standing out of the way of a train wreck is not market timing.” – The […] Read more »