If you actually did the January Challenge, congrats and good work!  If you didn’t, it’s ok and there will be another in the spring. For those who are retired and spent the $500 or as I have learned from some of you, much more, great work! For those who are still working and saved a $1,000 or as I have …

I wanted to grab you with the title, but this post is about just ONE of the best investments I’ve ever made…It’s marrying my wife! Just kidding, she is, but I won’t subject you to that. One of the best investments I ever made was a coffee mug I bought while on vacation over a decade ago. When my family …

I had a Dr’s appointment a couple of weeks ago, and you know the routine.  With the fear of over divulging, I was allowed to keep my pants on, so I had that going for me, but as we were making small talk the Doc asked what I do for a living.  I told him I work for myself as …

I think it would be extremely useful to have one number that you would associate with the current state of your financial health.  A blood pressure reading of sorts that lets you know, on some level, that you are doing the right things.  Your appointments in the office would start with us taking your financial blood pressure (overall health), checking …

I think that I am a generous person, but I also try and be frugal with our money.  We typically buy the magazine subscription a neighbor’s child is selling, the tin of popcorn no one is likely to eat, but it goes to a good cause, and of course the coupon book we forget we have till it’s about 14 …

“Please call security, someone hit your car” says this handwritten note tucked between the wiper and our mini van windshield.  We had spent the morning at a museum and were about two blocks away from the parking lot before my wife noticed the skinny piece of green paper flapping in front of us.   We turned around, pulled back in …

It’s a new year and it’s time to get to work! So many goals and so many resolutions I can’t keep track. Makes me want to give up and just try again next year…(mostly kidding) I have a January challenge for both our retired and working readers: If you are still working, save $1,000 above and beyond what you normally …

The first inch of popcorn is so good.  Fully coated in butter, crunchy and warm.  So delicious and good, that you just keep drilling down with more handfuls. Eventually you find yourself midway through the bag.  Where did the butter go, the warmth, the crunchiness? You’re getting full, but the movie is only a third of the way over so …

With the holidays upon us, now is not the time of year to have a money meltdown.  So read ahead at your own risk, but save the freak out for after the 1st of the year! I have a money meltdown (freak-out) about once per year (my wife says twice a year) and it’s been serving us well (for a …

This year, one of the major investment companies on Wall Street launched a free, or I should say a $0 fee, investment vehicle.  If offers abroad diversified basket of US stocks (there is an International version as well) and it has no “stated” cost to the customer/client who chooses to invest in it.  The term “there is no such thing …