I bought my very first laptop during the summer of 2000. There are cell phones today that have better specs than that laptop, but back then, it was a top-of-the-line machine. Another way to say this: I paid way more than anyone should ever pay for a laptop with a 20GB hard drive. It was …
Category: Money
What Things Are You Willing to Pay a Premium Price For? (Even Though You Can Get Them Cheaper)
The following was first published in January of 2015. Thought we would republish it as this is always something that remains on my (and maybe yours?) mind. What do you think? This is something I’ve been thinking about for awhile: things that I’m willing to pay a premium price for, though I can find them cheaper …
My Number
10, 15 ½, 32, 47, 0, and 354 are all numbers I live by. They mean different things but all have their value. They represent my neck size when I buy a new shirt, miles per hour I’ll go over the limit on the interstate, minutes in a class period that I teach, seconds needed …
Spending Only What You Have in Your Pocket for Miscellaneous Items
The following is a republished / revised post I did in 2012, but a challenge that I want to take on for the month of November. Care to join me in it? On the first of November (today) – I am going to make a once-a-month trip to my bank’s ATM and withdraw $40. And, …
One Is Better Than Two
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 …
7 Common Missed Fees That You Need to Avoid
Thought we would republish this post from early 2013 as some of the information is still helpful and we’re always wanting to avoid those fees! This past month, when I went to pay my mortgage, I noticed that they were charging me an extra $7.99 fee for paying my balance due. I thought this was …
6 Weird Ways to Earn or Save Money
I came to a conclusion while being shamelessly dressed liked a cow to get a free meal at Chick-Fil-A recently: sometimes you have to be creative to make or save a buck. Am I right? I began reflecting on the interesting, weird and bizarre things I have done all in the name of earning or …
Can Kids Invest in Stocks or Mutual Funds?
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, …
Meet Mark: A 60-Something FI Retiree
From time to time, we interview folks who are financially independent (FI) and owning their money. Today is an interview I did with my brother, who retired at 50 and is financially independent. A 60-something retired conservation officer, Mark lives with his wife in a quaint Wisconsin town surrounded by lakes, wildlife and forest. He …
10 Principles for Handling Money in Marriage
Some alarming statistics I came across recently got me thinking about how handling finances 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 …