Worrying Doesn’t Accomplish Anything. Take Action. Now.

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“Are you making yourself old again?” I heard Tori’s friend say to her from behind me as we headed off to dance class. I had never heard the phrase before, but I immediately understood what she meant. She was referring to the scrunched look on Tori’s face which was a result of the unusually rough time that just occurred at home as I had to continuously poke and prod her to get dinner eaten, dressed, and out the door on time for class. The wrinkles on her face made her look old. But even more than just making her look […] Read more »

The Winds Of Debt Only Blow In One Direction

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A windy day was in the forecast with gusts up to 40mph. I didn’t care, I was going for my run. The wind smacked me in the face almost immediately as I started off down the street. I tucked my head down, turned the volume up on my iPod, and cut through the wind for the first half of my run. Every step was a struggle, the end of each block a victory. I was grateful when I reached that familiar street corner that represented the half way point of my run. I smiled as I turned the corner, knowing […] Read more »

Personal Finance Fortifies my Faith in Humanity

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As a nation we were just rocked by yet another senseless and heartbreaking tragedy. Monday’s bombing in Boston left most of us shaken and emotionally bereft. Acts of domestic terrorism are becoming increasingly common for this country. This latest terrible event has left many of us with a diminished sense of security and a lingering question about the state of humanity. I too feel angry and along with that anger, a deep sadness for the changes that will come as a result of yet another violent act. BUT…I have not lost my faith in humanity, not yet. I see daily […] Read more »

How Much Would You Pay For A Child’s Birthday Party?

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A few years ago, I put together my daughter’s 8th birthday party for under $35. Her 11th birthday, which we celebrated over the weekend, was a different story. There’s a huge difference between the two ages, and we’re dealing with an entirely different set of rules. The suggestion of playing games for prizes now results in the newly perfected pre-teen eye roll. The last few years, having a sleep over with her friends as been the foundation for keeping the cost of her birthday celebration down. This year she was adamant she did NOT want a sleep over party because […] Read more »

Cookies, A Robbery, and Wings: The Life Of A Mystery Shopper

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The concept of mystery shopping has been around for awhile. Mystery shoppers go into stores, posing as real customers, and then write up an evaluation of their experience in exchange for a small payment. I started mystery shopping a few years ago primarily as a way to earn a little extra cash. But over time, it has grown to be much more than that. Did you know that mystery shopping can be used to accomplish tasks you wouldn’t have normally? Did you know mystery shopping can help improve your marriage? Did you know it can even add some excitement to […] Read more »

Allow Me to Introduce Myself…

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Editor’s note from Travis Pizel:  It is with great excitement that I introduce to you Suzanne Coblentz, a brand new member of Team EOD!  Suzanne is the Social Media Manager for CareOne Debt Relief Services, along with wearing many other hats.   She brought me on board as a customer blogger over three years ago, and is the person responsible for launching my blogging career.  She’s dedicated to helping people rid themselves of the shackles of debt, is a personal friend of mine, and is someone that I admire and respect immensely. She’ll be sharing her personal perspective on debt […] 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 »

Can You Replace a Lost Receipt Using A Rewards Card?

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I hate clutter. Our kitchen counter seems to be a magnet for store ads, receipts and returned assignments  the kids brought home from school.  Every day I sort through a pile of paper to determine which need to be kept, and which can be tossed. With a motto of “when it doubt, throw it out,” you can imagine that occasionally I would get rid of something that we actually need. My son celebrated a birthday in January, and the only thing he wanted was a set of decent headphones to replace the low quality ones that came with his recently […] 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 »

An Oil Change and a Conversation About Debt

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Pulling out my debit card to pay for my oil change, I told the young man behind the counter who my employer was and asked if I qualified for a discount.  He acknowledged that I did, punched a few buttons and said, “Looks like that saves you 8 bucks.” Up until this point, our conversation had been standard small talk, but here’s where it got interesting. “Every little bit helps, right?” he continued. “Absolutely,” I responded. “My girlfriend has me going to this financial peace thing,” he stated. “Oh, you mean Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University?  What baby step are […] Read more »

The Financial Pothole: Temporary Tax Cuts

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In the opening days of 2013 congress pushed through legislation to avoid the so called “fiscal cliff” preventing the taxes of the vast majority of Americans from going up, and automatic massive spending cuts  from kicking in. The news wasn’t all good, however, as the payroll tax decrease was not extended. This means everyone’s paychecks would be reduced by 2% effective immediately. This is a double whammy for me, as it most likely is with many people, since the first of the year is also when the new rates for my medical insurance kicks in. I received my first pay […] 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 »

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 »