As a dad, I often try to impart life lessons to my kids just like people did for me when I was growing up. And, just like I did when I was their age, there is some eye rolling and a less than full understanding of the message being delivered. Some of the lessons I try to impart on my kids deal with more optimistic, forward looking items. Others are lessons I learned while making mistakes in my life. Continue reading “Regrets…I’ve had a few…”
Have any remaining travel plans before the end of the summer? You may have noticed that with gas prices and airfare on the rise, travel can be quite expensive. I’ve written previously about using ride sharing services like Uber or Lyft to save on short distance trips but the same sharing concept can be applied to longer, overnight trips with services like Airbnb. Continue reading “Would You Rent a Stranger’s Bedroom on Vacation?”
We’re a little past halfway through the year so now’s as good a time as any to check in on how those New Year’s Resolutions are going. If you’re like most people, there’s a good chance your resolutions involved losing weight, saving money, or both. Well, here are some simple ways to do both at the same time.
Continue reading “Simple Ways to Save Money and Lose Weight at the Same Time”
My colleague, Rich, recently returned from a family road trip where he visited eight states from as far west as CO, as far south as NC, and as far north as upstate NY. He and his family went to four Six Flags parks, three beaches, and three tourist sites and still had time for visiting family both immediate and extended. The amazing part: he did all this in 18 days…with 10 children and for less than $400 each! Continue reading “Traveling with Kids – 10 to Be Exact”
One of the “hot button” issues in my personal budget is dining out. If there’s one area where I overspend occasionally, it’s this area. I live a pretty nice lifestyle and am fairly frugal but I do like the experience of going out to eat periodically. I know I’m not alone because in my consultations with people, this is quite often brought up as an area where they can shave expenses and get a bit more fiscally responsible with their funds. Continue reading “Tipping Point – Could Restaurants Be Your Budget Solution?”
Oscar Wilde once wrote “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates life.” As though this statement needed any proof, my recent trip to a rental car agency proved to be a reenactment of a classic Seinfeld episode. Several months ago, I reserved a minivan in anticipation of a family trip to the West Coast. Upon arriving at the rental car agency, I was told that there were no minivans available. How could this be? They knew what I needed. They knew when I would be there. So why would they not have a car waiting for me? Continue reading “What’s the Deal With Car Reservations?”
I’m not warning you away from cereal, but from ChexSystems – a consumer reporting database used by 80% of financial institutions that determines whether you will be able to open a checking or savings account with a bank or credit union. Any past banking issues within the last 5 years can appear on the report, including overdrafts, unsatisfied negative balances, fraudulent check deposits, or suspicious account activity. Unfortunately, low income individuals who are more susceptible to overdrawing their accounts are often barred from the traditional banking system and forced to use high cost check cashing options or pre-paid debit cards. Continue reading “Stay Off the Chex”
My eight-year old daughter Caroline recently made an observation that in her opinion, I simply don’t read enough. This of course is coming from an up and coming 3rd grader who absolutely loves to read and is currently breezing through J.K. Rowling’s entire Harry Potter series along with countless other books. Although I will acknowledge that I never was a bookworm growing up, it must be noted that her definition of reading does not include financial journals, academic research studies, personal finance blogs, IRS tax code, or financial planning books. I am impressed that my daughter balances her reading preferences and also reads non-fiction books to learn about various topics ranging from history, Bible stories, and Golden doodles. Continue reading “Balancing the Summer Reading List”
Living on the East Coast but working for a California based company, I get to hear about things that are newsworthy on both coasts. One of the more recent news items that I talked about with my CA coworkers was the drought that they are currently experiencing. This article talks about the drought and what it has done to the price of water in California. Continue reading “Are You in a Cash Flow Drought?”
Deciding to start an exercise routine can pay off physically, mentally, emotionally, and even financially, but sometimes it’s hard to see the financial benefit when you’re paying for a gym membership that costs $50 a month. If your budget is tight and you need to save money, there’s no reason to pay for a gym. Use these tips to get a great workout without the ongoing financial burden of a monthly membership fee. Continue reading “7 Ways to Exercise Without a Gym Membership”
As much as I try, it is hard to avoid hearing or reading about the extravagant nuptials of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. the Kimye couple reportedly spent a cool $12 million on their Italian wedding. While this trend-setting couple had the cash to spend on a gorgeous Florence location and $500,000 JUST on her dress, most of us have a smaller budget. With summer as the most popular season for weddings, let’s talk about weddings and financing them. Continue reading “Kimye Coupling Do’s and Don’ts”
My daughter’s favorite animal is the koala bear and that was never more apparent than when she and I went to the San Diego Zoo and saw the koalas there. Her reaction: “KOOOOAAAAALLLLLAAAAASSSSS!!!!!!” – if I recall correctly. We talked about koalas and why they hug trees. We had no idea, but now with this article we know the answer. Continue reading “The 2 Big Financial Mistakes Most People Make”
One of the things that probably most surprises people about me as a financial planner is that I rent. After all, we’ve always been taught that renting is “throwing money away” while home ownership is a good long term investment and the hallmark of adulthood and the middle class. In my case, the fact that I’m a renter may be particularly surprising given that I’m also a real estate investor. So here are some of the reasons I’ve chosen to rent: Continue reading “Why I Rent”
Now that we’re almost halfway through the year, how are those New Year’s resolutions going? If you’re like most people, you probably resolved to lose weight and pay down debt this year. But while there’s no downside to paying down debt, I’ve learned that there is a downside to losing weight. Continue reading “How to Dress Well for Less”
My stepson has served in the military for the past several years and every Memorial Day he has his list of restaurants he wants to go to for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner to get his free meals. Top on his list this year is Hooters, which is offering 10 free wings to all active duty military and veterans. Active duty service members and veterans can also get a free All-American burger at Shoney’s and a free meal at Twin Peaks. Continue reading “Memorial Day Freebies for Your Military Family Members”
As many of you know, I travel a lot for work. On one of my more recent trips, I was reminded of how expensive it can be when you are not prepared. This summer, I will be traveling with my family across country, and that means traveling through my local international airport. If your travel plans include a visit to your nearest international airport, consider these eight helpful money-saving tips. Continue reading “8 Tips For Saving Money at the Airport”
My kitchen stove needed replacing last weekend, so I headed to my favorite home improvement store, Home Depot, to pick out a new smoothtop electric stove. This gave me the opportunity to upgrade from the basic builder’s white model to a stainless steel version, but of course that set me back several hundred dollars. “No worries,” said the sales rep, “you can take advantage of our 6 months deferred financing deal being offered!” Continue reading “Is Deferred Financing a Deal or a Dud?”
My friend Daniel took advantage of a recent promotion sponsored by his local water department that offered homeowners $2 per square foot of grass that was removed and replaced with drought-tolerant plants and groundcover. The promotion initially caught the attention of his wife who was tired of staring at their perpetually brown, weed-filled lawn. After some investigation, they realized that the cost of tearing out the “lawn” and replacing it with approved groundcover was going to cost more than the $2 per square foot being offered, but when they factored in the money they would save by not having to pay a gardener ($70 a month) and by not having to use as much water on the lawn, they decided to move ahead. Continue reading “Re-landscaping Your Way to Savings”
As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, get out and celebrate spring this weekend without even having to spring for your wallet. The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation are hosting Go Wild for National Park Week April 19 – April 27 and offering free admission this weekend to any of the 133 parks that normally charge an entrance fee. My favorite is Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, just an hour drive for me, where I can learn about the Civil War while enjoying the natural beauty of the Potomac River. It would typically cost $10 per car to enter the park, but this coming weekend the fee is waived. Continue reading “Spring Fever? Go Wild in the Park”
Since the time I was a kid (and my kids would tell you that’s a LONG time ago…), I’ve seen movies with Mickey Rooney on the screen. He was probably one of the most recognizable men in America for a long period of time. He was a major Hollywood star. And he was always working. Continue reading “Seriously, Mickey Rooney???”
