Will April Showers Bring May Flowers?

April 08, 2014

My Nandina shrubs, which had survived a dozen winters since being transplanted from my mother’s garden, were no match for this year’s polar vortex. Supposedly a hardy evergreen in zones 6 to 10, the snow, ice, and extreme cold were just too much.  My daffodils haven’t even made an appearance yet, due to the extreme weather in the Northeast.  Gardeners in the Western states weren’t spared either, having faced a severe drought followed by torrential rains.  Hopefully this year April showers will  still bring May flowers. Continue reading “Will April Showers Bring May Flowers?”

My New $200 Computer

April 03, 2014

As anyone who knows me can tell you, it takes a lot for me to buy something so it was a big deal when I decided to purchase a new computer. Up until now, I’ve basically been using my work computer for everything. That’s been fine except for when I have to take one of my many cross-country flights and the battery only lasts about halfway. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to sit bored in a plane for 3 hours, knowing that may not get much sleep that night because you still have a lot of work to do when you land but can’t do it because your battery is dead? Continue reading “My New $200 Computer”

Spring Break Isn’t Just for College Kids

March 25, 2014

These next few weeks make up the peak time for spring break at many colleges so many of the students flock to the beaches of Florida.  But they aren’t the only ones flocking to the warm weather and beautiful beaches. There are also Blue Jays, Orioles, and Cardinals – but not the feathered type.  March brings baseball fans of all ages down to Florida to watch the Grapefruit League during spring training.  Continue reading “Spring Break Isn’t Just for College Kids”

Less Can Be More

March 21, 2014

The old expression “keeping up with the Joneses” has led far too many people into living a lifestyle based on consumerism, having a nice house, nice car, nice clothing, and nice vacations, but a not-so-nice balance sheet.  I have seen this happen more times than I care to remember with clients, friends and family. In fact, early in my married life, I fell into the same trap.  We lived a very nice lifestyle and had a lot of “stuff” in our lives.  Fortunately, I was able to put together a savings plan that came first, so we didn’t become fully immersed in that kind of lifestyle.  Continue reading “Less Can Be More”

What’s Wrong With Pyramid Schemes?

March 05, 2014

As I boarded my flight to Chicago Sunday night, I noticed a rather large contingency of travelers that were in a strangely good mood. As each one got on the plane, they were greeted with smiles and high-fives as they walked down the aisle to find their seat. Inevitably, one of them sat next to me and over the course of a 90-minute flight, they proceeded to tell me what all the fuss was about. Continue reading “What’s Wrong With Pyramid Schemes?”

Hidden Benefits of a Healthy Smile

March 04, 2014

I’ve just returned from my 6 month dental check-up with a thumbs up from Dr. Tom – no cavities! Even for a dentist, Dr. Tom has the brightest, straightest smile I have ever seen. Having a healthy smile goes much deeper than just being able to flash his pearly whites though. A healthy mouth and healthy body go hand in hand. Good oral hygiene and oral health can improve your overall health, reducing the risk of serious disease and perhaps even preserving your memory in your golden years, according to WebMD.  Nice teeth can also positively affect your confidence, self-image, and self-esteem too. Continue reading “Hidden Benefits of a Healthy Smile”

How Rewarding Are Your Rewards?

February 28, 2014

I read this article about Delta Airlines’ changes to their frequent flyer program. Actually, it’s no longer accurate to call airline rewards programs “frequent flyer” programs.  The trend in the airline industry is moving away from rewarding people for number of flights and/or miles flown in favor of rewarding travelers for dollars spent. In essence, they are morphing into “expensive flyer” programs.  As someone who flies a lot for work, this article resonated with me.  Continue reading “How Rewarding Are Your Rewards?”

You Got Insurance, Don’t You?

February 27, 2014

I was recently watching the 1980s cult classic Roadhouse (listed as one of “The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made”) on TV with a couple of friends and there was a scene in which the typical rich evil businessman antagonist sets one of the character’s properties on fire. One of my friends joked that it wasn’t such a big deal since it should be covered by insurance. Later in the movie, one of the characters actually said “you got insurance, don’t you?” after another similar incident. Continue reading “You Got Insurance, Don’t You?”

5 Bright Ideas To Save Money On Your Electricity

February 26, 2014

A few weeks ago, I was at a friend’s house when I noticed a box of CFL light bulbs on his dining room table.  I asked my friend what a box of brand-new light bulbs was doing on his table, and he told me that the box was waiting for him on his doorstep when he moved in a few weeks earlier.  Another friend of mine who was standing nearby chimed in to tell me that he had heard that the local utility company was giving away free CFL light bulbs as part of a larger effort to make North Carolina a cleaner, more energy efficient state. Continue reading “5 Bright Ideas To Save Money On Your Electricity”

Are You Doing the 52 Week Savings Challenge?

February 24, 2014

Have you heard about the 52 week savings challenge? Apparently this challenge has been pretty popular on social media sites and there are some pretty creative money jars out there on Pinterest and Facebook.  It wasn’t until a recent financial planning consultation that I’d ever talked to someone actually using this approach and it came up again in multiple sessions with others just last week.  Continue reading “Are You Doing the 52 Week Savings Challenge?”

What A Concert Festival Can Teach About Your Budget

February 21, 2014

One of the things that makes me happier than anything in the world are the relationships I have with my children. As a proud dad, I’d like to believe that I have three absolutely amazing kids. And, I’ve been told by many people over the last 18 years that my view is fairly close to reality.   Continue reading “What A Concert Festival Can Teach About Your Budget”

Could You Walk Away From $2 Billion?

February 14, 2014

In a move that could go down as one of the more surprising moves I’ve seen from a business in quite a long time, CVS has announced that by October 1st they will no longer carry tobacco products in their stores. That sounded “interesting” when I first heard about it.  And then I heard how much money they made each year in cigarette/tobacco product sales…$2 billion!  Continue reading “Could You Walk Away From $2 Billion?”

And I Thought I Was Living a Low Cost Lifestyle…

February 07, 2014

One of the things that gives me a little bit of a smile is knowing that I can make a dollar stretch pretty far. I’m pretty good at either saying NO to myself and not spending money or finding great bargains and saving a lot of money. That translates into me being able to live on not a whole lot of money. At least I thought so… Continue reading “And I Thought I Was Living a Low Cost Lifestyle…”

When It Comes to Better Service And/Or a Lower Price, “And” Is Better

February 05, 2014

It started last summer.  I’d be sitting on the couch streaming my favorite TV show when suddenly the video feed would stop. After a minute or two, it would start streaming again, only to be interrupted a few moments later.  This would happen on and off for several months and I started to wonder what was happening. Continue reading “When It Comes to Better Service And/Or a Lower Price, “And” Is Better”

Cold Days Put the Heat on Energy Costs

February 04, 2014

Old man winter must not have gotten the memo about global warming since we’ve seen the coldest month of the century this January. Many cities saw recordbreaking subzero temperatures and as the temperature dropped outside, propane gas prices were rising, in some cases rising by 50%.  For families that rely on propane for their home heating, this blast of cold air has burned a hole in their budget.  Continue reading “Cold Days Put the Heat on Energy Costs”

Go Simple. Go Small. Go Now.

February 03, 2014

A lot of people have asked me how my wife and I are able to live together and travel around on a small, simple boat only 25 feet long. It’s true that it’s not a lot of space and doesn’t have many creature comforts. And when it comes to boats, there’s always something bigger and fancier with more complex systems to tempt you.   Continue reading “Go Simple. Go Small. Go Now.”

Is Home Swapping For You?

January 28, 2014

With Valentine’s Day coming up soon, I was thinking about booking a romantic weekend away with my husband but the practical side of me didn’t want to spend too much on our getaway.  As I searched for an inexpensive log cabin or condo in the Pocono mountains, I came across an offer to swap my own home in exchange for a mountain chalet in a Pocono ski resort.  After a thorough cleaning of my house and a low annual membership fee, I could stay in someone else’s home in exchange for providing them with the key to my own. Continue reading “Is Home Swapping For You?”

Save Money With This Quick Two-Minute Drill

January 13, 2014

It is playoff time in the NFL and just four teams are left with a shot at the Super Bowl. (That’s Denver, New England, San Francisco or Seattle just in case you aren’t a fan of pro football or have managed to avoid the fanatics in your life that do care about the proverbial pigskin.) In the spirit of playoff season, I thought that I would accept a challenge from a colleague to put today’s blog post on the clock.  Continue reading “Save Money With This Quick Two-Minute Drill”