According to Wikipedia (just to flaunt my credibility from the start), a hobby is an “activity, interest, enthusiasm, or amateur pastime that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, typically done in one’s leisure time.” I like how the definition implies that the activity is life-giving. Along with the definition, the site provides over 250 ideas
We’ve written quite a bit about the Great Depression. I think one of the reasons for this is because we’ve had family members who lived through it. Another big reason is there are many lessons that we can learn from that period. From how they saved money, farmed and survived it. While some economists and
I don’t remember what my grandparents got me for Christmas two years ago. I’ll never forget what they taught and modeled for our family though. What my wife (Alli) and I, along with every other family member received was an idea, a challenge, and resources. Grandpa and Grandma started a trust that was dedicated solely
I had to laugh a little when I read the headline on our public radio’s website this morning: “Frugality Fatigue May Fuel Increased Holiday Spending This Year“. The article goes on to cite a University of Minnesota professor’s claims that consumers (I really don’t like that word) have a “pent-up” urge to spend a bunch of
I was able to watch some of the History Channel’s “Vietnam in HD” special that first aired several years ago. It was a riveting documentary with amazing combat footage showing what the men (and women) faced during this long and difficult conflict. It had been the first time in modern warfare where battles were won
A couple times a month, my parents held a “popcorn party” night where my brother and I would get to watch a movie on the brand-new VHS player, eat homemade popcorn and indulge in our favorite beverage: RC Cola. I remember those nights fondly and was grateful for the times we got to “have fun”
Two is better than one, the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us. And he’s right. But the best advice my wife and I received as newlyweds in regards to marriage and money was the opposite – a budget based on one income is better than two. The guidance was simple: create a budget as if only
This “disapproving” bunny is Daffodil – our house rabbit. Yes, I know. I didn’t realize you could keep a bunny in a house until I met my wife. And, now, I don’t understand why more people don’t have pet rabbits in their house. While she is a little more expensive than I expected, she’s hopped
At 13 years old I asked my parents if I could start investing money in the stock market through a mutual fund. I’d saved about $1500 from starting my own hog selling business, and through working in the fields during the summer. My small nest egg was the result of 4-5 years of hard work,
Some alarming statistics I came across recently got me thinking about how handling fimnances well within a marriage is so important. For example, according to Dr.Phil.com, money is the number one problem in marriages and the number one cause of divorce. Jeffrey Dew’s paper titled Bank on it: Thrifty Couples are the Happiest, claims that
