Vacation Spending Planning 101

Written by on · Leave a Comment

In the near future my wife and I will be going on vacation to sunny Florida. We’re renting a house with a group of people, and driving to and from our destination. A vacation of this magnitude will require a lot of planning, and careful budgeting. As soon as we booked the vacation we started budgeting. We also made sure our saving was on track to match our projected spending. Breaking down our projected vacation spending, we separated the trip into three major segments. Then, for each segment we made an itemized list of planned expenditures. Segment 1: The Trip […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 3/12

Written by on · Leave a Comment

Congress passed a massive 1.9 Trillion dollar pandemic relief bill this week.  Included in this relief package is another round of direct payments to millions of Americans.  One huge difference this time around is funds are being given for adult dependents including children over the age of 17.  This round of direct payments will be welcomed by those struggling financially.  But even though Congress attempted to be more targeted in who gets the money by reducing the upper income limit, there are many who will use the money to mark off wish list items. How about you, EOD Nation, are […] Read more »

Know What You’re Going To Spend, Before You Spend It

Written by on · Leave a Comment

  Know what you’re going to spend before you spend it. It’s more than good advice, it’s a requirement for financial success. Unless you have infinite monetary resources, you can’t just make purchases without having some idea of how much you’re about to spend. Without doing so, you’re just a purchase or two away from blowing your budget. My wife and I went through an experience in the past week that reminded us just how important this advice can be. Super Sized Skin Care Bill Over breakfast, my wife mentioned she needed some skin care products. This would be our […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 3/5/21

Written by on · Leave a Comment

I’m excited about this weekend, EOD Nation.  I’m always happy to see a weekend come into view, but this weekend I get to do something I really enjoy.  I get to make sausage. A friend of mine raves a sausage he and his wife had while on vacation in Paraguay a few years ago, and he found a recipe. I couldn’t turn down his request to help make it. We cubed the meat and mixed in the seasonings so it would be ready for grinding and stuffing tomorrow. It smells delicious! What inexpensive fun do you have going on this […] Read more »

If You Have A Skill, You Have A Potential Side Hustle

Written by on · Leave a Comment

The question my wife asked was intriguing. I had just spent four hours helping a family member build a personal computer. It wasn’t the first time I had helped someone do so. The process is time consuming and takes technical skill to get it right, as well as to isolate and fix problems when things go wrong. My wife simply asked if I had ever considered doing the same thing as a business to make some extra money? How Much Could I Charge? As our discussion continued, she wondered how much I would charge for such a service. Other trained […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 2/28

Written by on · Leave a Comment

Over the weekend I had a towing receiver installed on our new vehicle.  I need the receiver for the storage basket we use on our trips to Florida.  After skipping last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, we’re once again planning a beach trip this year.   Many people in our vacation group have been vaccinated, and things are relatively open in Florida.  Although quite frankly, we plan to stick to the rental house and the beach (the house is right on the beach) to minimize contact with others. We purchased a no-worries cancellation policy so we’re keeping an eye on […] Read more »

5 Home Maintenance Tips That Will Save You Money in the Future

Written by on · 1 Comment

Did you know that maintaining your home well can actually save you money? That’s right! When you take the extra time and effort to keep up with your home’s appliances, features, and structure, you’re actually taking preventative measures from larger damages and problems arising. Getting ahead of these issues with routine maintenance will save you from spending hundreds or even thousands on repair or replacement costs. These are five of the easiest and most rewarding home maintenance and prevention tips you can start doing today. 1. HVAC Maintenance  Every six months or so, you should have a professional come and […] Read more »

4 Ways Couples Handle Discretionary Funds

Written by on · Leave a Comment

Over the weekend I showed my wife a video of a new piece of equipment I hoped to eventually add to our home gym. The object of my desire had previously been mentioned, so she asked me why I hadn’t purchased it yet. I stated the reason was we hadn’t had a serious conversation about me spending $200. I didn’t feel comfortable making a purchase of that size without discussing it and making sure it fit into our spending plan. Both parties in a relationship deserve to spend discretionary funds on things they want. Cooperation is required to ensure both […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 2/20/21

Written by on · Leave a Comment

It has been cooooooold outside the last few weeks. We’ve been pretty spoiled so far this year in the Midwest as we’ve had mild weather and no really big snowstorms.  Another benefit of such weather is monthly utility bills have been less than usual for this time of year.  That luck ran out at the beginning of February when temps took a dip.  For an entire week, temps struggled to get above zero (Fahrenheit).  I’m guessing next month’s utility bills will reflect that.  The good news is Spring is just around the corner! Fist pump for low winter utility bills, […] Read more »

Why I’m Financing New Furniture

Written by on · Leave a Comment

It all started with me pointing at a small rip in our couch worn with 17 years of use. I told my wife the next home related item we should save for and replace was the furniture in our living room. Two days later I found myself filling out an application for a 24 month, zero percent interest financing offer to order a couch, love seat and recliner combination. The obvious intent of my statement to my wife was to begin saving money. When enough funds had been stockpiled, we would go shopping for furniture. After some investigation and discussion, […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 2/12/21

Written by on · Leave a Comment

It’s Valentine’s Day this weekend, as if you didn’t already know.  Polls show that despite the pandemic, Americans are planning to spend more than ever on their significant other. The pandemic may actually be fueling the increase in spending because many have more discretionary funds due to lockdowns.  My wife has instructed me more than once that I am not to buy her flowers.  We do have plans to go out to eat for a special Love Day meal at one of her favorite restaurants.  Outside of that, we’ve both agreed that the best use of our funds right now […] Read more »

Successful Budgeting Requires Looking Ahead

Written by on · Leave a Comment

Looking at the calendar, I knew my wife and I had to do some extra planning during our next budget talk. Our budget cycle runs bi-monthly because that’s how I get paid. Looking at the 2021 calendar, I get paid on January 29th, and then again on February 15th. In between those two paydays are three weekends. We normally split the discretionary funds for a pay period between two weekends, but just how the calendar laid out in this instance, we have three. This situation requires us to look ahead, and plan ahead. Life is full of scenarios just like […] Read more »

3 Ways to Overcome Small Business Debt

Written by on · Leave a Comment

Businesses, just like people, occasionally take on debt to cover key expenses. Indeed, many small business owners take out loans and accumulate debt to pay for long-term expenses or particularly costly projects. Unfortunately, some businesses, just like some people, struggle to manage their loans effectively and overcome debt. If this situation sounds familiar, then don’t worry. It is possible to overcome business debt and build a successful company. And these three tips will help you accomplish just that. Check them out here: Speak to a Professional Contrary to popular belief, not every business leader is a financial expert. Rather, some […] Read more »

Fist Pump Friday: I Love You Like A Blogger Roundup – 2/5/2021

Written by on · Leave a Comment

NFL football is my favorite sport to watch, therefore The Super Bowl is one of my favorite events. Normally I’m getting together with friends for the big game, either at my home or somewhere else.  This year, my wife and I will be winging it alone.  Literally, since I will need to have Buffalo wings as part of the game day food.  See what I did there?  It’ll be different, but I’m sure I’ll still enjoy the game. After all, my wife is my favorite person, and she loves football just as much as I do. Fist pump for The […] Read more »