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 »

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 »

“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 »

My First Trip to Costco: Why I Hate Club Stores

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I’m not a fan of “club” stores. Vonnie and I have a membership at Sam’s Club, but to me it’s useful only for the selection and price of certain cuts of meat worthy to be put on my smoker. Other than that, I could dump the membership and not miss a beat. My problem with club stores is the magical trance that comes over people (including myself) once the store is entered.  It’s the perspective  that if you find a product that you use (no matter how rarely), it should be snatched up immediately because every product is the sale […] Read more »

My 8 Step Plan to Resolve Financial Conflict and be a Super Hero Husband

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My wife is a “Go big, or don’t do it at all” kind of person.   We once had a Valentine’s Day themed Pampered Chef party which included tables in our living room set with tablecloths, centerpieces, and a full dinner. While we were planning the party, we had several disagreements regarding how elaborate it should be.  It even became a joke of sorts between us as every time we disagreed, she would utter the phrase, “Don’t you see my vision?”  We had a huge turnout, and earned a ton of product credit from the sales. Taking into account the […] Read more »

Smart Phones are Going to Cost Me How Much?

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A mutiny is brewing at home, and I don’t know how much longer I can hold it off. Our cell phone contract expired in August which means we are eligible for a handset upgrade, or able to change carriers without penalty at any time. With scratched screens, odd behaviors, and increased frequency of complete “lockups” our phones are beginning to tell us they are nearing end of life. Chances are we will need to make a move soon, and if that move doesn’t include the iPhone as an option I fear I may come home one day to find the […] Read more »

What’s Your Measuring Stick for Value?

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Over the weekend I went out to eat on two different occasions. The bills were significantly different, and so were the experiences. Restaurant #1: Vonnie and I visited a nice restaurant that came highly recommended, and has a reputation. The kind of reputation that usually results in people mentioning going there during Monday morning hallway conversations at work when asked if you and your significant other did anything special over the weekend. Vonnie had butternut squash ravioli, a cranberry spinach salad, and a glass of wine while I ordered the shrimp and scallop au gratin. Oooh, sounds fancy! Except it […] Read more »

Done Living Paycheck to Paycheck? It’s Up to Us!

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Vonnie and I had made quick work of reviewing and revising our spending plan for the remainder of the month, so we started work on our finances for the first half of November. “I think we should put something in savings,” she said. I was caught off guard and surprised when Vonnie said these words. Not because she said them, but because I knew it was possible. For so many years, it has been so different. We’ve been living paycheck to paycheck for our entire marriage, and up until we enrolled in our debt management plan we supplemented our income […] Read more »

Life is about Experiences, not Money

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Yesterday, I ran the Twin Cities Marathon for the third time. I’m not an elite runner, so my goal isn’t to win, but to simply finish with the best time possible. But I approached this one a bit differently than the previous two. I wanted it to be about more than just an internal struggle to finish. I wanted to fully experience everything the marathon had to offer. Marathons across the United States have become more than just a race, they have become events with cheer zones, bands playing along the way, people dressed up in costumes and spectators with […] Read more »

The Joneses Are Buying an iPhone5. What Should I Do?

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One of the coolest gadgets ever made is about to release the latest version — the iPhone5! All you hear around the water cooler is how your friends and co-workers have already pre-ordered it and are actually losing sleep in anticipation of its release. Your drab, but functional iPhone4 seems like the first phone ever made and the pressure to upgrade is pulling at your purse strings. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the iPhone! It has revolutionized how we interact and surf the web, interact with our friends and family, and in my opinion is quite possibly the best invention […] Read more »

I Dare You to Move

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I just finished moving for the fifth time in five years. Not only is moving not fun, it’s expensive! I have moved for various reasons over this time frame, divorce, a brief second marriage and a crazy landlord. People move for many other reasons, a change in jobs, to be closer to family, the list goes on and on. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 17 percent of the U.S. population moves each year. The reality is moving is just part of life’s adventures and whether you do it once in your life or twenty times there are ways you […] Read more »

I Love You Like a Blogger Roundup – 8/31

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By the time you’re reading this, I will be somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean traveling at mind numbing speed towards Houston TX, which is just a speed bump on my way back to the great state of Minnesota. Dear Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Tropical Depression/Tropical Whatever Isaac, if you delay my trip home by one minute I will personally charter a plane, fly over you, and take a gigantic pee right into your eye. While you contemplate THAT image, it’s time for me to pass along links to my favorite posts that I’ve read throughout the week. First up, we have Before You […] Read more »

A Family Night At the Movies for $5.50

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We were operating on a shoestring budget due to overspending during some vacation activities the first half of July. My kids had been interested, and in my daughters case begging, to be go see Ice Age 3 Continental Drift as a family. Going to a movie can be an expensive excursion, especially if you visit the concession stand. Our usual movie going technique is go see the movie as a matinee, when the tickets are $4.50 per person. However, even that was more funds than we felt comfortable shelling out. With a little creativity, my family of four were able […] Read more »

I Love You Like a Blogger Roundup – 8/24

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I’ve been in Hyderabad, India for work this week and between long days at work, the need to create presentations at night, and my internal time clock being completely messed up I haven’t been able to do as much blog reading as I normally do. However, I was still able to find a number of fantastic posts that I’d love to share with EOD Nation. Spender vs Saver Couples: Get Back on the Same Page from PTMoney Myths About Budgeting from Life and My Finances Stop the money shaming! from Fabulously Broke In the City Finally, as I hope will […] Read more »