Over the past year and a half I’ve been working on increasing my financial stability. I’m happy with where I’m at but I still feel like I could be doing a little more. I find that sharing my financial goals and progress keeps me more accountable. Here is how I’ve been increasing my financial stability one step at a time. Pick Up Extra Jobs While
UnExtreme Cheapskates: 3 Things I Will (and Won’t) Do to Save Money
If you frequent personal finance blogs you’ve likely seen a lot of unusual or extreme things people do to save money. If you’ve ever caught an episode of TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates then you’ve probably come close to a heart attack witnessing some of these extreme – and sometimes dangerous – methods of saving money. I was glued to the TV last week when I saw
Money Balance: Saving for Tomorrow, Living for Today
It always seems like it takes a tragedy or emergency in some form for most people to look at the big picture of their personal finances. A bankruptcy, a death in the family, a foreclosure, or a mountain of debt – all pretty big wake up calls. While I tend to think that I am pretty grounded when it comes to personal finance, even if
The Minimalist Guide to Personal Finance
It’s not quite spring yet but I feel like I’ve already caught the spring cleaning bug. I’ve tackled my closet getting rid of almost half my clothes. I’ve went through old magazines and paperwork and pitched almost everything. And, now I’m about to start on the toys…. I wouldn’t say I’m a minimalist but I definitely hate clutter. When the house is a mess I
3 Tips for Preparing Your Own Taxes
Chances are if you plan on getting an income tax refund you’re ready to file. For those of you planning to owe taxes this is probably a different story. I have filed my own taxes every year. I also prepare taxes for my brother and this year, a friend. Since I’ve always prepared my own taxes, have taken several accounting classes, and have had seven
What You Really Need to Know About Saving Money on Auto Insurance
For those looking to save money auto insurance is one of the first expenses to get slashed. Unfortunately, many people are oblivious to what they’re really switching when they shop for auto insurance. As we’ve previously discussed it’s extremely important to carry the right insurance coverage’s, especially when it comes to liability insurance. If getting a new auto insurance quote is on your agenda here’s
Why You Should Get an Income Tax Refund
Income tax time is approaching. Around this time of year the internet is buzzing with articles and blog posts on why getting an income tax refund is a bad decision. I was officially self-employed during the last three months of 2013. This year my taxes are going to be a bit different. I’ve already began calculating my best and worst case scenario for my income
Is It Smart to Invest Your Emergency Fund?
Do you hate leaving a large amount of cash in a savings account earning nothing? Would you rather invest a portion of that money? Is that even a good idea? I came across an article the other day from a reputable site suggesting that you should invest a portion of your emergency fund so that it can do double duty – keep you safe and
Pay Off Your House By Age 55
One of the financial goals we’ve made is to have our house paid off before age 55, or at least have the capability to pay it off if we want to. I know that as I get older, I’ll struggle to find a job if I lose the one I have now. I anticipate that sooner or later I will lose my job, so much
I Attended my First Financial Event
Last week I was invited to attend a financial event at the local baseball stadium. A friend of mine has been a client of a major investment/insurance company for years and was encouraged to bring a couple friends to this small event. (There were about 70 people total) I’m normally not very interested to attend speaking engagements like this but because it was at the






