When I was a kid, I was a good saver. Every penny I got was definitely a penny I saved. I wasn’t necessarily cheap and still bought candy and toys, but I was just good at saving. As I got to high school, the trend continued and I continued to be careful with my money, especially once I got my first job and learned the importance of hard work. Then things changed. That’s not to say that I didn’t have a […]
I’m a Cheap @#$… and Proud of It!!! Read More »
I just finished reading The Richest Man in Babylon. I had a lot of recommendations to read this and I’ll tell you that, for as old as this book is (originally published in 1926!!), the content still holds strong. Great book if you’re trying to find your way to wealth. There is some very sound advice that stands the test of time, such as saving at least 10% of what you make and that you can live off your income, but you
The Steps to Wealth Read More »
I was listening to another podcast from the BiggerPockets guys and their guest this time around was Natali Morris. The podcast was called Limiting Beliefs That Hold You Back From Incredible Wealth. Although the podcast was interesting, that’s not really the point of this post. It was something that she mentioned in the middle of it that for some reason really jumped out at me and that’s what I wanted to share. Natali said that when her father was in the midst of his divorce, he was referring
It’s All About the Geese, Not the Eggs Read More »
If you’re reading this article, you’re probably someone interested in or already on the way to the world of financial independence. Regardless of why you’re here, I think we all know some of the basics of reaching that goal: Get out of debt ASAP – This is the #1 step that needs to be done… and this refers to bad debt like credit cards, car payments, etc. This does not necessarily mean good debt like mortgages on rental property that serve as assets helping to provide you with cash
I recently realized that I have a number of loose ends out there from previous posts that my regular readers might be wondering about. So I thought I would take an opportunity to put out a post following up to hopefully tie up those loose ends a bit… Switching to an Accountant This was the first year I decided not to use TurboTax and go to an accountant. If you remember, I had three goals with this: Check over my work Get
Tying Up Loose Ends… Read More »
I used to have a common guy problem (no not that one!) – it’s the one where I wouldn’t go to the doctor because “things will just work themselves out.” Bad idea in general and, as I’ve grown a little older, I at least now do the annual checkup (something I never used to do). Although never going was a bad idea, it did help me get ahead on something. About 6 years ago, my company offered something called a Health Savings Account or, it’s
Are HSA Plans the Best Bang for Your Buck? Read More »
I’ve had a bank account for as far back as I can remember. When I was a kid, I had an account at a savings and loan bank (remember those?!!) In those days, I was too young to really grasp how good we had it. Interest rates on savings accounts hit as high as 10% at some points in time. 10%!!!! Granted, that was an account that my mom had opened for me and had just a small amount of money in it which she
Banks vs Credit Unions Read More »
There are a couple of trains of thought on whether or not spouses should keep their finances separated out or whether they should be combined. Some people are very adamant that, once you’re married, you are as one and all your finances should be joined together as such. On the other side of the fence are those who feel that merging your money spells financial doom. That, of course, leads to the question… Shared Finances or Keep ‘Em Separated? My wife and I keep a lot
Shared Finances or Keep ‘Em Separated? Read More »
This past year was an exciting one for us, albeit a little bit of a roller coaster ride. However, we were able to pick up a new rental property, max out my 401(k) and contribute up to the match in my wife’s account. We also added to our Roth IRAs and a little bit in my HSA, and continued to save a good deal in our online savings account. No time to rest on our laurels though – last year’s financial goals are in the
Our 8 Financial Goals for 2016 Read More »
Well, it’s that time of the year again… time to spend all kinds of money for Christmahannukwanzadan whether in stores or through online shopping in an effort to buy short-lived happiness of friends and family. Ok, maybe it’s not that cold, but the stores and media sure want you to think that way. They would love to guilt you into spending every last penny you own. I think most of us tend to loosen the purse strings a little bit over the holiday season every year. But to help
It’s Not Always About the Money… Read More »
