My 16 year old daughter will be shelling out some serious cash today. It’s not anything fun, it’s the deductible to fix the damages to her car from the fender bender she was involved in after school a few months ago.  She was pulling into a parking space and misjudged he car’s turning radius and dented the doors of another vehicle as well as damaging her bumper. It’s important she realize that while these mistakes are not the end of the world, they do come with consequences. Fist pump for teenagers learning financial lessons, and my favorite posts of the […] Read more »

Have you reached your deductible for your medical insurance coverage this year?  For the first time ever, my family has. We’re scrambling to figure out if there’s anything medical related we want to take care of in the last few weeks of 2018 to take advantage of the higher coverage amounts we have since meeting our deductible.  If you’re in the same boat, you might want to give it some thought as well. Now, get your fists up for my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump 4 Ways to Teach Your Children the Value of […] Read more »

I’m extra excited about this week’s posts. Included in the list is a festive and seasonal post from Money Beagle about the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. In the post are opinions I’ve shared for years, but never ran the numbers about just how much damage Clark would have to pay for out of pocket. If the events of the movie really happened, would Clark and family really get a swimming pool?  Check out the post and decide for yourself – it’s super fun. While you’re at it, check the other posts of the week which are equally as awesome, […] Read more »

I’m watching it snow out my window as the first winter storm of the season is underway. Nothing too bad, 5-8 inches of heavy wet snow is predicted to have fallen by the time the system moves out tomorrow morning. I’ve cleared my driveway once, and had a good chuckle remembering a post I wrote a few years ago about how real men use a shovel (not a snow blower).  While stuck at home for most of the weekend, we’ve done some laundry and put up our Christmas tree. It’s starting to feel like the holiday season! Fist pump for […] Read more »

Today is Black Friday, and as has been tradition as long as I’ve been writing here at EOD, I will tell you what a great night’s sleep I had last night. I spent an enjoyable day yesterday with family, and went to bed after watching news stories of peopled lined up for doorbuster deals. This morning I watched the morning programs have segment after segment boasting the best deals to be had today.  I spent exactly zero dollars.  Zero. I refuse to let mediocre deals on sub par quality products coax me into staying up all night fighting crowds and […] Read more »

Next week is my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. I am consciously thankful each and every day, but it seems right for there to be a special day devoted to be thankful.  Whatever challenges you may have, financial or otherwise, keep in mind all the blessings you have in your life and be thankful for them. Fist pump for being thankful and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump Does It Matter Where You Go to College? from Money Crashers 3 Ways to Eat Well on a Budget This Thanksgiving from Everything Finance How to Protect Yourselves […] Read more »

Schools in Minnesota are out Thursday and Friday of this week, so my family and I are at Wisconsin Dells at an indoor water park. My wife had found a great deal for a two night stay in a specific room, however just a few days before our trip she discovered an even better deal was available from their website. She called the resort and asked for a price adjustment, which the reservations person agreed to.  With a simple short phone call, she saved us about $80! Fist pump for saving money AND my favorite posts of the week! Posts […] Read more »

Today is payday! Well, not for myself or my wife, but for both our kids! That means my daughter will be paying her car insurance bill and my son will be making his car payment. It gives me great pleasure as a parent to see my kids working hard to earn cash, taking care of their financial responsibilities and have some money left over to have some fun with. Fist pump for financially responsible kids, AND my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump Is there a college savings rule of thumb? from Words On Wealth […] Read more »

Welcome to the weekend, EOD Nation!  I’m feeling extremely relieved for several reasons: we have our hail damage insurance claim taken care of (as much as we can right now) and are just waiting for our contractor to tell us when the roof will be done Our new refrigerator was delivered, and is keeping all our food cold again A major problem at work I’ve been involved in has been resolved With these three stress points behind me, I plan on attending a high school football game tonight, cleaning out smokers tomorrow, and enjoying Minnesota Vikings football on Sunday. Fist […] Read more »

I noticed last weekend our refrigerator just wasn’t keeping things cold.  We had someone come look at it, and after unsuccessfully trying to revive it by replacing one part, the repair person declared our fridge’s compressor was broken.  Replacing the compressor is just as expensive as buying a new fridge, so I guess we’re dropping major coin on a new fridge. Wrong! After our water heater needed replacement a few months ago, we upgraded our appliance protection plan.  While we have been paying more per month, we’re going to get a new fridge for no additional funds out of our […] Read more »

My daughter got her driver’s license this week! She’s extremely excited about being able to go places in a car by herself, and I’m just as excited about not having to pick her up from school, cheer practice or taxi to and from friends’ homes. Her freedom does result in a higher  monthly insurance premium. However, that increased cost is up to her to pay.  She has a part-time job, therefore she can afford to pay for the insurance as her contribution for having the privilege to drive.  More freedom for all, plus a lesson in financial responsibility…..You have to […] Read more »

I’m excited to fire up my new smoker this weekend!  I’m making summer sausage using some venison a friend of mine gave me.  He provides the venison, I’m kicking in the pork to mix with it as well as the seasonings and we’ll split the product.  When I’m done, I’ll have made about 40 pounds of summer sausage at a cost of $2 a pound.  I’ll keep half of it, which means I’ll have plenty for holiday and football gatherings. Fist pump for making sausage, and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump The Top […] Read more »

We’re headed to GreekFest, a local event held each year in our city, this evening.  There will be Greek food, entertainment, and crafts to look at and purchase. It should be a good time paired with some amazing food. This is exactly the sort of event at which I don’t mind spending my hard earned cash. I don’t know how to make Greek food, and the entertainment will be fun to watch – should be fun! What about you, EOD Nation, is there a local event you’re looking forward to? Fist pump for Greek food, and my favorite posts of […] Read more »

This weekend my church is holding a summer event for the community featuring a BBQ contest and slip-n-slides for kids of all ages. I’m loading up a trailer with my smoker and setting up a booth in the parking lot tomorrow morning, as I’m participating in the BBQ contest. There are three categories; Ribs, chicken, and BBQ sauce.  I’m entering all three, and I’m bringing my A Game – wish me luck! Fist pump for BBQ contests and my favorite posts of the week! Posts That Make Me Fist Pump How to Pay Cash for Your Next Car, Even When […] Read more »