I Don’t Want To Be A Deadbeat Geezer

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Over the weekend my mom had major back surgery to correct her scoliosis. The surgery involved attaching metal rods to her spine to straighten it, and “rouging up” the vertebrae which would cause them to fuse together as she heals. My mom has a long road ahead of her as the estimated recovery time is at least a year. But the result should be a better quality of life than what she had, and definitely better than what her life would have become as her scoliosis continued to get worse. The nine hour surgery gave my dad and I the […] Read more »

Are You Financially Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

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I am a huge supporter of financial literacy, for both kids and adults. Financial literacy has become more complex since I was a fifth grader back in the 80’s (I know I am dating myself here). The financial services industry has exploded offering everything from online trading to debt relief. Tax laws make filing taxes a DIY nightmare, unless you purchase software like TurboTax with a step by step guide. And, applying for a loan or a credit card of any kind requires reading twenty plus pages of fine print. In a previous article, The Great Debate Kids and Money […] Read more »

It’s a Win-Win: Get Rewarded for Saving

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I recently heard about a really cool concept that started abroad and is making its way to the US—prize linked savings accounts. Just for doing what you’re already (hopefully, should be) doing, you are automatically entered to win a prize. Yes, adults like prizes and anything that is free just like kids do.; a novel idea that has more people thinking about saving for their future. This comes at just the right time, with the rate of savings in America at an all time low. A report issued by the non-profit Corporation for Enterprise Development, found almost one third of […] Read more »

Ostriches and Finances Don’t Mix

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An Ostrich is a large, flightless bird native to Africa which many people believe will bury it’s head in the sand when it senses danger. As the story goes, the ostrich thinks that it is completely safe if it cannot see the pending threat. It hopes that when it finally raises it’s head back above the ground, the threat will be gone, and everything would be ok.  Not very intelligent. Yet in the past I’d insist upon doing the exact same thing with my finances. I wouldn’t pay attention to how much I was spending, completely ignoring financial danger. I […] Read more »

Just Say No!

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I’ve always had trouble with the word no even as a child. My mom claims she would have raised my brother ten times before having to raise me again. I was strong willed, stubborn and loved to say, “no”. Not much has changed since then, I am still strong willed and stubborn, the difference is now I can’t say no, to anyone. Extra responsibilities at work? Sure, no problem. We’d like you to be the head room parent this year. Ok, I can do that! Would you mind being the website coordinator for football? Yeah, I don’t see why not. […] Read more »

“No More Frivolous Spending!”

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I have a confession to make…It’s been over a year since I tracked my household’s expenses. Yes I know better, yes that is horrible, and yes unfortunately, it’s the truth. My boyfriend and I have been living together for about a year and a half. Prior to his “moving in” we tracked both of our expenses and built a household budget that was fair and worked for both of us. We haven’t looked at it since. In fact, I pay all of our household bills and manage the finances for his business. He has NO idea where his money is […] Read more »

Real Men Use a Shovel

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In Minnesota, we joke that there are only two seasons: Winter, and Road Construction. We DO occasionally say “You betcha,” although not as often, and not as dramatically as in the movies. We eat tator tot hot dish, and in my city the average snow fall is just under 52 inches per year. Walking outside the morning after a fresh snowfall, you can hear snow blowers humming away all over my neighborhood. But you’ll never hear the roar of a snow blower engine coming out of my garage, because I don’t own one. I clear my driveway the old fashioned […] Read more »

Make 2013 Debt Free…Join the Debt Movement

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Did you ever wonder why New Year’s resolutions never last? Each year as I resolve to quit all the bad habits I developed over the previous year, I always do. But if you take the right approach to a resolution such as “getting out of debt”, there’s no reason you can’t be successful. If you’ve been working to get out of debt with little success and need a kick start, consider joining the Debt Movement! We all need a little help from time to time whether it’s a debt relief plan that makes the process easier, a nudge in the […] Read more »

Our Story: An Interview on Talk Credit Radio

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About three months ago, I was honored to be a guest on Gerri Detweiler’s Talk Credit Radio program.  I was thrilled to share Vonnie and I’s debt story and answer Gerri’s questions regarding  how it has changed our lives forever.  She has been generous enough to provide me with a link to audio streaming of the interview, and I wanted to share it with The EOD Nation.  Click on the picture of Vonnie and I below to hear the interview.                 I’d love to hear your thoughts on the interview, or answer any […] Read more »

Don’t Let Debt Hold You Back

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2012 is rapidly coming to a close and it’s time to start thinking about your goals for 2013. If you have debts consider developing a plan to make 2013 the year you get out. Interest Affects Your Bottom Line The exercise of defining all of your credit card debt and the subsequent interest rates should be a top “to do”. Start by pulling your free annual credit report and seeing what you owe and at what rate. Create a spreadsheet, document or put a pen to paper listing your debts. Then calculate how much money you are spending each month […] Read more »

Holiday Shopping: Hook Line and Sinker

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The holidays are expensive there is no doubt about that. Just how much are we spending? According to the National Retail Federation an average of $423 compared to $398 last year. Shoppers lured by deals often fall prey to opening credit cards to get an extra discount or delay payments. Card Hub’s latest study shows eight out of ten retailers offer financing to consumers, but more than 60% of them provide mind boggling terms, such as an offer of an initial zero percent term with backdated interest if the entire balance is not paid off during the offer period. So […] Read more »

Using Checks is Bad For My Finances

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I stared in confusion at the papers laying on the kitchen table as I attempted to reconcile our checking account. My mortgage statement said the amount due was $1543 as it always does. The numerical dollar amount written on duplicate of the check I dropped off at the bank matched, as did the receipt I got from the teller. But that’s NOT what the written amount on the check said. The written amount was, “One thousand forty three dollars.” I had apparently omitted the “five hundred” when I wrote out the check. I needed to find out exactly how the […] Read more »

There Is No Magic Pill for Debt Freedom

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I can’t tell you the countless times I have been tempted by the magic pill. You know the one I am talking about; the one that claims you can lose 20 pounds in one month without exercising, get rich working just four hours a day, or the one you can take to get rid of your debt. The magic pill seems like an answer to your problems and the best part is you don’t have to do anything except swallow. Who wouldn’t be tempted? The problem with magic pills is that they are missing the key component to accomplishing any […] Read more »

Save Money by Cooking at Home: Japanese Steakhouse Edition

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When a Japanese steakhouse first opened in our city, it was extremely busy. Tales of flaming onion volcanoes, spatula tricks with eggs, flying bowls of rice and shots of sake had people rushing through the doors. As the newness wore off, the infatuation with the restaurant died down quickly. One of the reasons for this, in my opinion, was the price. For example, let’s say my family visited the restaurant for dinner.  My wife, myself, and my son would each order a meal, as well as upgrade from the white rice to the chicken fried rice. $20.95 (steak and shrimp) […] Read more »