In books on personal finance, the chapters are typically organized in a fashion that takes an overarching, holistic approach to the financial aspects of your life. The authors describe how each concept—determining your net worth, creating a budget, having insurance, planning for taxes, creating a will, and the hundred other things we should be doing—relates […]
Archives for July 2015
Should you rent or buy your home?
Lately, I have been reading a lot of articles online about the virtues of renting versus owning your home. The posts and feedback from readers have been quite informative and interesting to read. Should you rent or buy your home? I enjoy exploring how other people approach their location and lifestyle. Maybe this is my […]
A Tale of Two Employees’ Finances – “Billy”
In another post I compared the difference between my situation and that of a co-worker. If you have not already read that post, check it out here. Over 30 years ago, I met a great friend of mine when we worked for a large wholesale bakery operation. Let’s call him “Mr. Billy” or “Billy” for short. […]
Ask “Why” 5 Times
Why Ask “Why?” – And why ask it five times? It’s good to have some clarity in life: a clear vision about the future and a well-articulated plan on how we’ll get there. I know that, for me, sometimes my day-to-day routine forms such a rut that it’s easy to forget what is truly important. Today […]
Are we there yet?
Today we have a treat with a post from my wife. I thought it might be interesting for people to see life in the household from my better half’s perspective. I hope you enjoy it, and please do leave feedback and ask questions. Do you find yourself focusing more on the future than living in […]
Save money: visit the desert in the summer!
My wife and I went to Scottsdale, Arizona, for a nice getaway and a change of pace from staying at home. It had been several months since we had been in the Phoenix area, so we took a short trip to celebrate the July 4th holiday and my wife’s birthday. We found out very quickly […]
26 Different Ways to Buy Stuff
Several years back I had an opportunity for one of those great teachable moments with my daughters. You know, when you can talk about a particular principle using a real life example, without sounding too preachy. I hope they will not only hear what I am saying but actually listen and understand. I believe the original […]
2 Secrets to an Aggressive Savings Strategy
How will you know if you have saved enough to retire by 30, 40, 50, or 67? There are numerous online calculators at TRowe Price, MSN Money, FIREcalc , Personal Capital, Fidelity, and others that can help you calculate what your needs are based on your current holdings, time horizon, and risk tolerance. My bet […]
Celebrating Independence and Personal Freedom July 4th
Every summer, we have the opportunity to celebrate our country’s independence. For me, I am grateful that I was born in the United States, and for the independence we have obtained as a nation. We live in a wonderful time of innovation, technology, and new personal freedoms.Our forefathers spoke for us as a nation when […]