We all know that teenagers have the capacity to do some off the wall things sometimes. We’ve passed through that stage, and can recall things we did then that we can smile about now, recalling how funny those memories were! Or, in come cases, we shake our head and wonder how and why we made a few decisions that we did back then. In some cases, this can involve [...] Continue Reading…
We all have our favorite brand names. No matter how value-conscious we might be, each of us – consciously or subconsciously – probably has a few brands that we for whatever reason trust over the alternatives.
In some cases, there’s real merit to it. There are some brand-name items that taste better , and some brand-name products that simply work better. I’ve had my share of both of those. But, I’ve also seen [...] Continue Reading…
There’s kind of a weird saying that I’ve always thought was a bit odd, and it goes like this: “There is more than one way to skin a cat”. Thankfully, nobody (we can hope!) actually means that they’re going to remove the fur of one of our feline friends. Rather, they’re of course thinking about the concept of different ways of accomplishing the same goal.
In the personal finance arena, this saying can apply to the topic [...] Continue Reading…
There are many ways to protect ourselves financially. One is insurance – be it home, business, or disability. Another is by being careful with certain risks. Yet another is carefully manage our career. The list can go on.
One of the additional ways to protect ourselves is by staying healthy. Seems obvious, as one needs to be healthy in order to work. If we can’t work, the cash flow stops. [...] Continue Reading…
When it comes to tax refunds, I’ve heard a few things from folks over the years that have raised a few eyebrows. At least for me. While I tend to think in terms of saving and having future finances taken care of, some folks prefer to simply live for today and worry about tomorrow later.
This of course is related to the question of “what to do with a tax refund?” [...] Continue Reading…
The stereotypical ultra risk-averse move, in terms of handling savings, is to “stuff money under the mattress”. It’s there, under your control, and not subject to anything crazy happening. Of course, when people could simply put money in a federally insured bank account, why would anyone stuff money under the mattress?
While the rates today at banks aren’t exciting too many people, they’re at least a bit higher than keeping [...] Continue Reading…
Cash or credit? That’s a question that has been asked for years, when people exchange money for goods or services. Of course, one could also add a couple of more options: check (old school), or PayPal (modern). Either way, there are often different options depending on the situation.
In terms of credit, it seems like there is a continuum of comfort with the use of credit cards in particular. Some people [...] Continue Reading…
I’m a believer in the notion that we can improve ourselves in some way every single day. This includes learning lessons in many different contexts, where they can be applied to other situations. We don’t even have to consciously try to do this, it can often be a matter of just keeping our eyes and mind open to observe and understand what’s going on around us.
An example of this concept [...] Continue Reading…
The term “sustainable” can bring about many first impressions. One might evoke an environmentally conscious mindset. As in, long-term ability to continue without resource depletion.
Another meaning, at least that comes to mind to me when it comes to standard of living, is the ability to continue without significant difficulty or intervention. A sustainable lifestyle is one that you can live now and for the foreseeable future without major worry [...] Continue Reading…
The beginning of Spring is kind of a nice milestone for those of us living in cold-weather climates. While the weather can be cold even in late March and early April (as I write this, I see snow still on the ground here), we start to get some random nice days in too. It’s the beginning of the great thaw, and a signpost that warmer days are soon upon us.
This is [...] Continue Reading…