John

How to Have an Unforgettable Summer Vacation and not Bust Your Budget

May 1, 2013 by John 11 Comments

It’s the beginning of May which means that summer vacation season is just getting started. Growing up, I remember looking forward to our family vacation every summer as it usually meant going somewhere fun. Today, as a father of three, summer vacations are still fun but they are not all fun. Before the big trip (or sometimes not so big trip) I have to find a way to skimp on costs without sacrificing the fun. While vacations can vary greatly in price, I have found a few ways to have a memorable vacation without busting my budget.

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4 Simple Ways to Make Money Through Spring Cleaning

April 17, 2013 by John 7 Comments

It’s official, springtime has arrived. From going on evening walks to gardening, there can be many things to look forward to with spring. My family and I live in the Midwest and the opportunity to spend time outside in the winter is generally limited so we love to do things outdoors once we hear the birds chirping. Springtime can also mean spring cleaning. Some may love it, some may hate it, but it can be a good practice. Not only can you reduce junk in your house but you may also find ways to make money while doing it. I’ll share some of our favorite tips to make money while spring cleaning.

3 Easy Ways to Save Money on Everyday Expenses

April 3, 2013 by John

Having a family of five we’re always looking for ways on how we can save money on every day, common expenses. We like to be frugal in many areas so that we can spend money on other things we enjoy and ultimately that comes down to making hard choices about how we spend our money. While we have come up with a number of ways, the possibilities are really limitless in terms of saving money and ultimately come down to what you value and what kind of lifestyle you choose to live.

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Filed Under: Around The House, Saving Tagged With: Frugal, Grocery store, How to Save Money, Save Money, saving money

Should You Pay Someone to do Your Taxes?

March 20, 2013 by John

It’s that dreaded time of the year, tax time. Only a select few individuals actually like doing their taxes because of the potential headache it can be. The tax code is thousands of pages long, so how can it be easy to fully understand what to do? Thankfully, there are a options that make it less of a nightmare for most of us to file our taxes.

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Filed Under: Taxes Tagged With: Filing Taxes, Tax Forms, Tax Preparation, Tax Return, Tax Software

3 Great Ways to Further Stretch Your Grocery Budget

March 8, 2013 by John

Anyone who has been to the grocery store lately can attest to how difficult it has become to stretch a grocery budget. There are numerous reasons behind it, but most point back to the drought last year and we’re now starting to see the effects of it when it comes to our final grocery bill. While many people already use coupons and know about matching prices, my wife and I have implemented a few more ways to help us stretch our grocery budget further.

What Do You Waste Money On?

February 27, 2013 by John

Being someone who likes to be frugal it can be uncomfortable to waste money. You want to streamline your budget and keep it lean and mean. The problem, though, is that if you do not live life and try to enjoy it then you will get bored with it awfully quickly. We all waste money at some level, and if watched is of no issue. How much money is it ok to waste each month? The answer to that question is relative to your specific situation and one that my wife and I found ourselves in a few months ago.

Is Your Credit Card Debt Worth the Cost?

February 13, 2013 by John

I remember the day like it was yesterday, I was looking at my four credit card statements and saw that I was just north of $20,000 in credit card debt. I asked myself, how did I get there? It did not help that I had just come back from the music store having purchased four or five CD’s that I had no business buying, yet I still did not see the issue. My problem was that I was using credit cards to fund a lifestyle that I wanted, and felt that I deserved but was doing it at the expense of my future. It would be one thing if the credit card debt was due to me losing a job or something like that, but sadly it was largely spent on junk that I did not need. One question kept running through my mind – was all that stuff worth the cost?

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Filed Under: Debt/Loans Tagged With: Budget, Credit card, Credit Card Debt, Credit Cards, Debt, debt consolidation, Repaying Debt

Is Refinancing Your Mortgage Always a Good Idea?

December 2, 2012 by John

Home ownership for many is a vital part of achieving their part of the American Dream. I can understand as a home can feel like something you’ve worked hard for and will hopefully be a source of improving net worth as well as a place to build lifelong memories. With interest rates being at historic lows, this has allowed more families to possibly realize that dream and move into a house. It has also brought a steady rise in mortgage refinancing for those looking to make their mortgage payments go further. To be honest, it makes sense as refinancing your mortgage can potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the mortgage.

How to Make Saving A Habit

November 21, 2012 by John

The end of the year is approaching and with it an excellent time to analyze your financial house and see what changes you’d like to make for the upcoming year. For some this might mean examining their spending for ways to save money. With a few tips you can be on the road to saving money and improving your financial health.

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Filed Under: Budgeting, Saving Tagged With: Budgeting, Money, Saving, Track Expenses

What to do When You Need Cash in a Hurry for Car/Home Repairs

October 31, 2012 by John

We’ve all been there. The car breaks down, or the oven goes out and your first thought is…“Great, how am I going to pay for that?” Own a car or home long enough and you will need to make repairs. The average car repair starts at $300 while house repairs can start at a few hundred dollars and quickly climb into the thousands. If you find yourself in a pinch and need cash in a hurry, there are various things you can do to get money you need quickly.

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Filed Under: Budgeting, Sponsored Post Tagged With: car repair, short term cash

How to Have an Unforgettable Summer Vacation and not Bust Your Budget

4 Simple Ways to Make Money Through Spring Cleaning

3 Easy Ways to Save Money on Everyday Expenses

Should You Pay Someone to do Your Taxes?

3 Great Ways to Further Stretch Your Grocery Budget

What Do You Waste Money On?

Is Your Credit Card Debt Worth the Cost?

Is Refinancing Your Mortgage Always a Good Idea?

How to Make Saving A Habit

What to do When You Need Cash in a Hurry for Car/Home Repairs

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