Being Satisfied With What We Have

How does the phrase “be satisfied with what you have” strike you? I confess that it bothers me. I might be a pretty content guy, but the idea of being satisfied with what I have implies that I shouldn’t be hoping for more . . . a nicer house or a more dependable car or [...]

Continue Reading →

Why I am Not an Entrepreneur

There is a reason I am not an entrepreneurial success: I don’t have a clue what people will buy. Time after time, I have been wrong about innovations which have proven hugely successful. The fact that I still don’t understand the success of these products means that the possibility of me ever coming up with [...]

Continue Reading →

Envelopes: The Glue That Holds Your Budget Together

photo credit: piermario “I get worn out trying to track every dollar.” “It just didn’t work.” “I’m not a numbers cruncher.” “Budgets are just too complicated.” Sound familiar? These are just some of the reasons why Janice and I have struggled with budgeting over the years. We would diligently write the numbers on a yellow [...]

Continue Reading →

4 Ways to Avoid a Retirement Identity Crisis

If you think of yourself as “Jim the carpenter” or “Fred the accountant” or “Mary the teacher,” you may be facing an identity crisis when you no longer are performing the vocation you identify with. According to a Consumer Reports National Research Center study, those who struggled with that loss of identity at retirement had [...]

Continue Reading →

Is it OK to Tithe With a Credit Card?

One of the latest waves in churches is to have online tithing.  It makes sense when you think about how the online payment processing industry has grown in the last few years.  People are more comfortable putting their credit and debit card information on payment sites and it becomes a normal part of every day [...]

Continue Reading →

What Keeps You Awake At Night?

A Discovery Health study indicates that 80 percent of respondents do not get enough sleep.  Furthermore, the effects of sleep deprivation are much more profound than feeling a bit drowsy: memory loss, weight fluctuations, a weakened immune system and high blood pressure.  And the number one cause, according to sleep.com web site, is stress. Some [...]

Continue Reading →

5 Bible Verses John Wesley Used For His Money Decisions

John Wesley (June 28, 1703 – March 2, 1791) was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian who, along with his brother Charles, is largely credited with founding the Methodist movement. He was also a man who taught – and lived – some financial principles which continue to challenge us today. Wesley was — [...]

Continue Reading →

New Electronic Payment Requirement for All Federal Beneficiaries

When I began receiving my Social Security payment, I opted for a paper check.  I know this sounds silly, but somehow opening that envelope and holding that check in my hand before taking it to the bank was gratifying.  However, in a few months I had all of the gratification I needed so I switched [...]

Continue Reading →

What You Should Know about the new 401(k) Disclosure Laws

The law is now in effect and as a result, you probably noticed more information about your 401(k) coming to your home. Although the legal verbiage mixed with Wall Street talk may be daunting, this is mission-critical information that you have to take time to either wade through yourself or pay to have an adviser [...]

Continue Reading →

My Christmas Wishes for You

I wish that you love this season as much as I do.  I have many fond childhood memories of Christmas, not so much of the gifts I received (although that red Schwin bicycle on my 12th Christmas was a sweet surprise), but simply the feeling of good will that pervaded my family, my neighborhood and [...]

Continue Reading →

Carnival of Financial Planning

  BUDGETING AND ECONOMICS Odysseas @ Card Hub Blog writes Card Hub’s Credit Predictions for 2013 – http://www.cardhub.com/edu/credit-predictions-2013/ Have some fun checking out CardHub’s predictions for the economy, credit, money management products, and more! Hey, why not, the 2012 predictions were pretty darn accurate! Emily @ PT Money Personal Finance writes Have You Considered [the [...]

Continue Reading →

Start a Christmas Club Account for 2013

The older you get, the more obligated you feel to purchase Christmas gifts for people in your life. Unfortunately, as you grow older, more people enter your life. Nieces, nephews, stepchildren, coworkers, and people you serve with at church. In time, grandchildren become a part of your gift-buying list as well. If only your bank [...]

Continue Reading →

7 Last Minute Tips for Black Friday Shoppers

Black Friday, the crazy day where retailers tempt shoppers by slashing prices on selected items to nearly insane lows is nearly upon us.   If you are a Black Friday shopper, these tips should help you survive, or maybe even enjoy the crowds while you seek those bargains.  1. No credit cards. The perfect item [...]

Continue Reading →

We Sold House Flip #2 (and bought House Flip #3)

WooHoo!  We (my son and I) closed on our second house flip last month.  When I wrote House Flip #2 is on the Market, I promised, once the house was sold, to give you a full report on how we did.  I am happy to say that we made a profit. How we figured our [...]

Continue Reading →

5 Feeble Excuses for Not Living on a Budget

Suppose you were hired to manage the funds for an entity which will be spending over $1.5 million dollars.  Now imagine that your employer asks to see your budget report.  If you say,  “I don’t use a budget…I tried it once and it didn’t work” , do you think you would still have a job?  [...]

Continue Reading →

Should You File That Insurance Claim?

Our daughter Jaime recently called to tell us, through angry tears, that she learned from her mortgage company that her homeowner’s insurance policy had been cancelled. Evidently, when the mortgage holder tried to make a payment from Jaime’s escrow account, the insurance company couldn’t accept it because Jaime was no longer insured. After cooling down [...]

Continue Reading →

← Previous Entries