Considering Jonah

January 13, 2012

Have you ever thought about how Jonah relates to your finances? If not, you should. For those who didn’t go to Sunday school as a kid, Jonah was one of God’s prophets. He came from a rich family and was a big deal prophet of God.

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Joe on TV: Financial Tips For Those Going Through a Divorce

January 11, 2012

I was the “Money Expert” on our local TV station this week, discussing the topic “Preparing for Divorce“.   Only three minutes…give it a look. A challenge and a tease:  if you notice anything different about my appearance, note it in the comments.

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How Should You Invest in 2012?

January 9, 2012

It’s hard to imagine that the financial crisis happened over three years ago.  The ups and downs of the market over these past few years have been anything but stable.  Just three years ago, you were probably looking at your retirement funds wondering where half of it went.  Trust me, I know how discouraging it [...]

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Being Satisfied With What We Have

January 6, 2012

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 even a fancier cell [...]

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Why You Should Resolve to be Weird This Year

January 4, 2012

Have you heard these? “Isn’t the average credit card debt something like $15,000?  My $12,000 isn’t all that bad, is it?” “Yes, I pay $600 monthly on car payments, but everyone has car payments.” I have — in fact I heard these two statements in the past two weeks:  people justifying their dismal financial standing [...]

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How Did Our Christmas Experiment Go?

January 2, 2012

After Christmas 2010, my family decided to try something different in 2011 … we agreed to fore-go our gift exchange in lieu of a family vacation.  Our logic was that creating memories was a better use of our money than buying gifts.  Why?  Because memories will pay great dividends as we watch those vacation videos, share [...]

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Are You an “Impossible” Thinker or a “Possibility” Thinker?

December 30, 2011

The biblical story (John 6:5-13) of the boy with five loaves and two fish is about more than this boy or even the miracle of feeding five thousand people.   It is about human nature and possibility thinking.   As we prepare to start a New Year, the lessons we learn from Phillip, Andrew, the boy [...]

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Get in Shape in 2012 Without Breaking the Bank

December 28, 2011

This phrase usually makes its way onto New Year’s resolution lists every January:  “Get in shape.”  Another common one is “get rid of debt.”  The problem with these two goals is that, if not approached the right way, you could end up getting in even more debt and staying in the same shape that you [...]

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3 Ways To Recover From Christmas Over-Spending

December 26, 2011

Even with all the advice here at Personal Finance By The Book, you still managed to overspend this holiday season. It’s not that surprising; one-in-three Americans put their holiday on credit cards. Many more used loans, credit lines, and same-as-cash deals to pay for the big day. And with presents, eating out, travel, and increased [...]

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My Christmas Wishes for You

December 23, 2011

With Christmas only two days away, any financial tips are a bit too late in coming.  If you saved up and paid cash for your Christmas, good for you.  On the other hand, if you are already dreading that next credit card statement, that is probably not so good.  Either way, what’s done is done, [...]

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Irvin’s Christmas Tree: A Timeless Gift

December 21, 2011

I published this post last year and I may well publish it again next year.  It is not only a tribute to a man I loved dearly, but an inspiration to put others ahead of ourselves, even during the worst of times.

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Why the Tortoise Retires A Millionaire

December 19, 2011

Today I am proud to introduce my newest staff writer: Alex Humphrey.  I am confident that you will enjoy Alex’s crisp and sometimes edgy writing style.  You can read more of Alex over at his site: Entreprelife. You’ve heard the story about the Tortoise and the Hare, right? For those that weren’t exposed to the [...]

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