I try hard to live a very simple lifestyle and to be relatively frugal. But my cost-conscious lifestyle gets totally blown out of the water by this guy. I’ve joked about my retirement lifestyle being one where I live in a van down by the river…BUT I’M JOKING!!! Continue reading “And I Thought I Was Low Maintenance…”
This summer, you’re going to be inundated with credit card rewards offers. From your TV to your computer and especially your mailbox, avoiding these offers is going to be next to impossible. But here’s the question you should ask yourself: how “worth it” are rewards anyway? Continue reading “How “Worth It” Are Credit Card Rewards Anyway?”
With my colleague Greg Ward’s post yesterday about teaching his children the value of a dollar and Father’s Day still in my recent memory, I reflected on what financial lessons my own father passed on to me. After all, he was a former stockbroker and is now a successful investor. Here are some that have stuck with me: Continue reading “Financial Lessons From My Father”
I’ve lived in my current home for six years. From the day we moved in, the water dispenser built in to the refrigerator door has not worked very well—the water just kind of trickles out—so unless you like standing in front of the refrigerator for two minutes waiting for a glass of water, it doesn’t get used. On top of that, the ice maker recently stopped making ice. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I went online and looked into the problem to see if it would be an easy fix. Continue reading “Teaching a Work Ethic to an iPod Generation”
As Jeff Foxworthy says, ” you might be a redneck if …” Well, does buying my father tickets to a NASCAR race fit the bill? Dad is getting ready to turn 80 this year, and since his June birthday always falls close to Father’s Day, he usually ends up getting dual purpose presents from my brothers and I. Even though he doesn’t meet all the criteria for being a redneck NASCAR fan, over the past several years he has become an armchair follower of Earnhardt, Gordon, Elliott, and of course, Danika Patrick. Continue reading “You Might Be a Redneck…But Be a Frugal One”
I saw a news story over the weekend about ten ladies who were able to escape a burning limo. What makes it a good news story is that there were no significant injuries. And, most of the women were in their 90s. Continue reading “Does Your Financial Life Feel Like a Burning Limo?”
“Good morning, Mr. Ward. How are you today?” sincerely asked the polite young gentleman behind the rental car counter. I smiled and acknowledged his cordiality. “I see you have a prepaid vehicle with us today. How does a Ford Taurus sound?” Continue reading “Seven Tips for Avoiding Rental Car Traps”
They say that the two happiest days in a boat owner’s life is the day they buy their first boat and the day they sell their last. Well, I must be new enough to boating to still be experiencing my first happy day and at this point, I would imagine the day I sell my last boat will actually be a sad day indeed. However, I can see where this saying came from now that I’ve had to bear the cost of three seasons boating on the Chesapeake Bay, which has confirmed the reality of another old joke that a boat is a hole in the water you pour money into. Continue reading “The Two Happiest Days for a Boater”
Now that spring is officially coming to an end and you’ve cleaned your closets, organized your belongings, and gotten rid of all the junk, it’s time to spring clean your finances. With just a little research and hard work, you can reduce your money-related stress and, if you do it right, save significant money in the process. To get started clearing out your financial clutter, check out the following five tips: Continue reading “5 Steps to Organize Your Finances”
This week’s blog post comes from a very special author: my 14-year old daughter. As a parent, you always wonder if your children are listening and as my pediatrician would always reassure my wife and I, they hear us just fine. Proof of this can sometimes come in the most unexpected of ways. Continue reading “Even a 14-Year Old Can Understand Dollars and Sense”
It’s Sunday morning and we’ve just enjoyed a stack of blueberry pancakes before heading out to the annual Strawberry Festival. There’s nothing better than fresh fruit and vegetables bought from the local farmers’ market, which kicks off opening day each year during Memorial Day weekend with juicy strawberries, crisp lettuce, and fresh asparagus here in the mid-Atlantic region. By July 4th, fireworks signal just-picked sweet corn, plump tomatoes, and delicious peaches. The Amish fruit stand just down the road even gives me the opportunity to pick up some organic brown eggs along with the summer harvest. It’s easy to load up on healthy produce when it is in season, but it spoils so quickly that almost as much ends up in the garbage as in our stomachs. Continue reading “How to Make the Most of Summer Produce”
Summer is upon us. And for many Americans, summer means vacation. But the prospect of long relaxing days ahead does not mean also relaxing your budget. It’s possible to be financially smart and have fun at the same time. Continue reading “Planning: Don’t Leave Home Without It”
The record Powerball jackpot has spurred many people to race to their local lottery outlet for the chance of winning big. If you don’t buy a ticket, you have a zero chance of winning, but if you buy at least one ticket, the odds of winning the grand prize are one in 175,223,510 – according to the Powerball website. You have a much better chance of being struck by lightning, about a 1 in 10,000 chance over your lifetime. (But don’t worry, CNN quotes the odds of dying from that lightning strike are actually 1 in 3,000,000.) Continue reading “One Ticket Is All It Takes!”
We all know that the livin’s easy in the summertime, but it’s also true that it can get pretty expensive. From vacationing to purchasing wedding gifts, summer road trips and everyday livin’, no season is more fun – and quite possibly more frivolous – than the summertime in your 20s. Frugal summer living doesn’t have to mean dirt-cheap living; it simply means being smart and stashing some cash away for the future. (Think of yourself as the squirrel putting away nuts in preparation for the cold season … or don’t.) Continue reading “5 Summer Tips to Help 20-Somethings Stay Frugal”
Spring crept up on me this year, giving the weeds in my lawn time to spread before I was able to spread any weed control. On top of that, when I went to cut the grass for the first time last week, I discovered my lawn tractor had a flat tire that was not easily fixed. Luck was with me though, because just as I was about to give up on the lawn care that day, I heard the sound of a weedwacker and noticed a shiny 4×4 pickup truck and trailer parked in front of my neighbor’s house. “No problem, I can cut your grass and apply some weedkiller for you today” said the landscaper with a big smile – and a big price tag. I ended up having to pay him $160 to cut my acreage and attack the weeds. Continue reading “Will the Grass Really Be Greener?”
My wife and I just returned from a beach vacation. One thing we enjoy doing when at the beach is snorkeling, so we went down to the local surf shop to rent snorkel equipment. As we were about to pay the young man for our equipment, he pulls out a one hundred dollar bill and slams it on the counter in front of us. He then asks us “how would you like to get paid while on vacation? Continue reading “Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Rent a Snorkel…”
Yesterday, my colleague Greg Ward published a blog post about a friend who was awarded a $1k vacation that he has yet to use in 2 years because he’s waiting for the “right moment.” Greg then points out how many gift cards and reward points go unspent each year by people who may be doing the same thing. Well, I am that friend so let me explain why it actually can make sense to wait for the “right moment.” Continue reading “Timing is Everything: Why You Should Wait for the “Right Moment””
Ahh, the allure of a credit card sign-up bonus: $100 cash back here, 30,000 bonus miles there. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right? Well, that depends on your budget and how you plan on using your new card. Continue reading “Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses: Good Idea or Bad Idea?”
As a little girl, I dreamed of owning my own horse. My favorite book was Misty of Chincoteague and I even subscribed to Horse of Course magazine. I would beg my parents to get me a colt or pony but since they knew the ongoing expense, I would never get my wish. According to petplace.com, it can cost about $10,000 a year to keep a horse, including boarding, vet bills, feed, etc. The average lifespan of a horse is around 25 years so you can do the math and see that it would be VERY expensive. Continue reading “The Cost of Raising My Colt”
Within the last month or two, I’ve had to travel (for work) to cities that I have never visited before. And, I wasn’t quite sure which airlines served some of the smaller airports or what hotels looked better online than in real life. As someone who is accustomed to being on unfamiliar turf and living from a suitcase for a bit, it still never hurts to have a conversation with someone who knows the area. Continue reading “When Is It Worth Hiring an Expert?”
