I had a finance professor in college tell me, “credit cards allow you to take a 30 day interest free loan and then in those 30 days you can invest that money to make a profit.” That is some of the worst advice I have ever received and this was from a tenured professor. Past…
I meet a lot of people who talk about credit card rewards like they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. They talk about using them to see every country in the world. I also talk to people who use their credit card to pay for everything, just to rack up more and more rewards.…
Budgeting can be very challenging, especially if you are just starting out. The good news, it DOES get easier. But even those who have been budgeting for a while might not be perfect. Here is a list of the most common budgeting mistakes I see. Are you doing these? Being Unrealistic Budgeting is a lot…
Every single day our inboxes fill up with the latest deal at our favorite retailers. The question is, are these deals saving us money or are they the reason we live paycheck to paycheck? Let me share a story about the last 24 hours. My Wife’s Birthday Present Nichole’s (my wife) birthday is coming up…
Back in August we talked about creating a definition of Financial Freedom and also Finding Your Why for wanting Financial Freedom. Did you discuss this with your husband or wife? If you have, then great job, pat yourself on the back. If you haven’t, it is time to open up and share your vision for…
I am asked a lot about my thoughts on loaning money. Usually it goes something like, “My friend is low on money and just needs to pay rent. They will have the money to repay me in a few weeks, should I loan them the money?” Well to answer the question, my gut reaction is…
As we continue our series on Money In Relationships, we move into what could be the most controversial topic in all of finance, how to arrange your money. Over the years I have discovered a few different methods: Joint Checking Account – Where all money is centralized and shared Separate Checking Accounts – Expenses are…
Today I am kicking off my series on money in relationships. Many relationships and marriages end in turmoil because of money. Some do not even get off the ground. In this series we will be talking about how to best tackle money in your relationship. Opposites Attract In most relationships there is one person who…
IRA, 401(k), 403(b). What does all of this gibberish mean? Preparing for retirement can be very confusing. Some retirement options are tax deductible and some grow tax-free. The number of retirement options grows all the time. What is the difference and which option is actually right for you? To save you time I have compiled…
Insurance can be expensive outrageously priced. It can easily become one of your top expenses for the month. So it makes perfect sense, as you start to cut your expenses, insurance might be the first thing you get rid of. Don’t fall into this trap. Insurance costs on average $600 per month, or $7,200 a…
Emergencies are something that each and every one of us have to deal with. These are surprise expenses or ones you did not plan for. I recently experienced a pretty significant “emergency” in my household. Last week I was laid off from my job as a web developer. My salary contributed to 60% of my family’s…
When completing your very first budget you will either find that it is incredibly easy or unbelievably challenging, unfortunately, it is most likely the latter. This is because society has trained us to spend more than we make, we can get 5 years same as cash or just put it on a credit card and pay…
