How to Have Financial Harmony in Your Marriage

February 09, 2011

In May, my wife and I will celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary.  Would you believe that in all those years we’ve never fought about money?  (If you believe that I’ve got some ocean-front property I just can’t wait to sell you.)  The truth is when we were first married we use to fight about money all the time.  It’s no surprise that financial stress is one of the biggest contributors to broken marriages, especially for newlyweds, so how is it that Susan and I have managed to stay together for so long?  Over the years we have learned how to resolve our financial conflicts by avoiding some of the common pitfalls that each of us faces.  I know they’re common because in my line of work I hear people say them everyday.  So in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I’d like to share with you some of these pitfalls, along with ideas on how to avoid them, or at least understand them so that you can turn some of those nasty arguments over money into healthy discussions about your finances. Continue reading “How to Have Financial Harmony in Your Marriage”

Financial Planning: Leave Room in Your Budget for a Snow Day!

February 02, 2011

It doesn’t snow very often in North Carolina, but when it does, you can hear the children across the playground shouting – SNOW DAY!!!

Snow days are my kid’s greatest day of the week, but for Susan and I, not so much.  I love to watch the snow fall, and fortunately for me, I haven’t had to travel much, so I look forward to playing in the white stuff just as much as the kids do, but when they are ready to play, I’m sitting at my desk – no snow days for me *drat.* Continue reading “Financial Planning: Leave Room in Your Budget for a Snow Day!”

Auto Expenses: Tips on How to Maintain Your Vehicle

January 26, 2011

As I stepped out of the car and waved goodbye to my friend, I noticed the front right tire of her car was almost completely bald.  I looked at her and said “Danielle, how can you drive on this?”  Either she suffers from the Zoolander-esque inability to turn left, or she simply neglects to take care of her tires (and by the looks of things, the rest of the car as well).  I didn’t have time to lecture her on the dangers of driving on a tire with no tread, but I did tell her to go out and buy new tires right away, and was able to explain to her that if she rotated them every 6,000 miles, she could probably extend the life of them, even beyond their expressed mileage rating. Continue reading “Auto Expenses: Tips on How to Maintain Your Vehicle”

Financial Wellness: Getting Started by Taking it from Concept to Practice

January 24, 2011

Physical wellness is a much easier concept to understand than financial wellness but they are actually intertwined together since finances are the leading cause of stress and stress is the leading cause of illness.  This hit me this week because I decided to try something new (that’s my New Year’s resolution — try 52 new things) so I went to a yoga class called Yin Yoga. Continue reading “Financial Wellness: Getting Started by Taking it from Concept to Practice”

Car Buying: A Way to Save a Fortune

January 21, 2011

One of my neighbors was telling me about the car he was thinking about buying.  It’s not a flashy car, and he is very happy that he’s making a “frugal choice.”  Because it’s winter, he is concerned about driving in the snow and ice that is all too frequent in the Northeast, so he is buying a Subaru wagon with all wheel drive.  The car is a few years old and has roughly 50,000 miles on it.  The mega-store that has a no-haggling price structure is selling this particular car for ~$20,000. Continue reading “Car Buying: A Way to Save a Fortune”

Cash Management: Adventures in Being Frugal

January 19, 2011

For those of you that already know me, you know I’m a pretty frugal guy.  But the story I’m about to tell you is going to make you cringe.

I’ve told you before about how I like to use Hotwire.com for booking hotel rooms.  I get to stay at nice places for much less than retail.  However, I don’t get to choose the location.  You also know I like to pay cash for things, so I take out what I think I need, and only spend what I have. Continue reading “Cash Management: Adventures in Being Frugal”

Financial Education: How Much Do Penny Auctions Really Cost?

January 12, 2011

Have you heard about these things called penny auctions?  Penny auctions tout how you can “win” large ticket items—like a laptop computer or flat-screen TV—at auction for up to 95% less than what you would pay retail.  Now if you know me you already you know how I hate paying retail for anything, so if something advertises offering retail products for less than retail costs, you know I’m game.  You also know I’m not going to do anything unless I completely understand it, so let me share a little bit about penny auctions with you. Continue reading “Financial Education: How Much Do Penny Auctions Really Cost?”

Christmas Toy with a Financial Purpose

January 07, 2011

As the father of three kids, the whole concept of toys for Christmas can sometimes be frightening.  The words “some assembly required” put fear into the hearts of parents all over the world.  I’d love to know what the line is between “some” assembly required and “MAJOR” assembly required!  But, I digress.

One of the coolest things I saw this year was a gift that my girlfriend’s son received.  It was a piggy bank that counts money as it is placed into the bank.  It was cool to hear “ten cents, you now have one dollar and fourteen cents” when I put a dime in the bank. Continue reading “Christmas Toy with a Financial Purpose”

Are Bundled Packages Really a Money Saver?

January 05, 2011
Photo: ShanMac / Flickr

Conventional wisdom suggests that buying things together in a prearranged package is better than buying items separately.  For example, if I’m hosting a super bowl party at my house, I could buy individual slices of meat, cheese, and vegetables, or I could just pick up a party tray.

If I’m tuning up my car I could buy the spark plugs, air filter, motor oil and everything else, or simply look for a tune-up kit.  The upside to the prearranged package is you generally get everything you need in a cost-effective way. On the downside, Continue reading “Are Bundled Packages Really a Money Saver?”

Financial Planning: New Year, New Goals

December 31, 2010

Year end is a perfect time to take a look back at the progress you made in your financial life in 2010 and set new goals for 2011.  So many New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside by St. Patrick’s Day.  (Dialing back on the chocolate consumption makes my list EVERY year.  Still, there’s something about dark chocolate that is stronger than my resolve.)  There are some resolutions, though, that are not only good for you but sustainable.  And, maybe a bit more realistic than my dark chocolate resolution too. Continue reading “Financial Planning: New Year, New Goals”

3 Actions to Take in an Hour to Build Wealth

December 20, 2010

It’s very obvious to my friends and family that luck plays a dominant part in our fantasy football league.  Why?  Because I am tied for second place and will possibly make the play offs.  Everyone knows that I am not skilled enough to even determine if I am getting the wool put over my eyes on a basic trade and truthfully, I don’t know the difference between a wide receiver and a tight end.  Last year during my first season, my team finished dead last. Continue reading “3 Actions to Take in an Hour to Build Wealth”

Get Rich Quick, or Not so Fast?

December 17, 2010

In my blog, Danger Spots When Getting Rich Quick!,  I talked about a few ways to STAY wealthy when people become millionaires overnight.  While becoming a millionaire overnight sounds really exciting and fun and maybe even a little glamorous, it’s not how most of the millionaires I have met during my career have become wealthy.  OK, so if that’s not how they got there, what have they done? Continue reading “Get Rich Quick, or Not so Fast?”

How to Budget when New Shoes are Needed

December 15, 2010
Photo: planetschwa / Flickr

I have four children, and as anyone with kids old enough to wear shoes will tell you, they don’t make shoes like they used to.  My kids go through shoes as though they were disposable.  My wife includes shoes on her grocery list, which kind of tells you what kind of shoes we usually end up buying.  The price for a new pair of shoes spans a wide range, so here’s what I think they should do to make buying shoes easier.

Continue reading “How to Budget when New Shoes are Needed”

Auto Expenses: Always Look for the Best Deal

December 09, 2010

My daughter texted me the other day (because that’s what they do) just to check in and let me know how college life is going.  Everything was fine with one little exception; all four tires on her car were officially like her Dad’s head, bald.  Now of course she told me that she would figure out a way to pay for new ones, even if it meant she would have to drive on “baldies” for another month.  I immediately let her know that while I appreciate her being financially independent, I also would like to keep her around for awhile (it’s okay to ask Dad for help!).  I think she actually texted back a sigh of relief. Continue reading “Auto Expenses: Always Look for the Best Deal”

Coupons: Money Saver or Scam?

December 01, 2010

I’ve seen a lot of buzz recently about saving money by cutting coupons, and so I approached my wife with the idea and let me just say it wasn’t quite the reaction that I was expecting.  I mean I figured there would be a little push back, but after 30+ minutes of heated discussion, I felt that I had to defend the holdouts to the coupon revolution (and thus regain my moniker as “The Rebel”).  Now I confess, I don’t know exactly what is involved in “couponing,” but I’m pretty sure it has something to do with saving money, and that is what piqued my original support for the cause.  So here’s how it went down: Continue reading “Coupons: Money Saver or Scam?”

Financial Education: Confessions of a Coupon Hater

November 29, 2010

Boy did I get an education.  Have you ever had one of those experiences where you realize that you have based a huge aspect of your life on a lie?  Well I guess that is a bit strong to say a lie but at least incorrect or wrong information?  I suspect this happens to many people – especially to those who are introspective.

I thought coupons were a waste of time. My thinking went along these lines:

“Really?  I am going to spend hours going through the Sunday paper to save 50 cents on a can of tuna?  Is that really worth my time?  It is a better use of my time to spend that hour working on a project to increase my income and enhance a bonus at work than to save 35 cents on a toothbrush.” Continue reading “Financial Education: Confessions of a Coupon Hater”

Finding Money for the Holidays

November 25, 2010

Can you believe the holidays are upon us already?  A joyous time of year can also be the cause of undue financial stress if we don’t plan for it.  Luckily I learned the lesson of socking some money away to prepare for the lavish gifts I bestow on others (sarcasm intended).

So I figured,  what a great “gift” to give all the faithful blog readers, some tips on preparing for not just the holidays but really any major purchase, like that big screen tv you want! Continue reading “Finding Money for the Holidays”

Have Bags, Will Travel (and Save Money While Doing it)

November 17, 2010

In my line of work you get to see the inside of the airport an awful lot, but over the years I’ve learned how to travel for less.  Here are some ways I’ve learned to save when it comes to flights, hotels, and rental cars.

Flights

When it comes to saving money on flights, sometimes you have to go the extra mile – literally. Continue reading “Have Bags, Will Travel (and Save Money While Doing it)”