Earn, Save, and Live Joyfully.
For the past few years I have been maintaining a list of gifts I purchase for friends and family throughout the year. Included in the list is a description of the gift, the store where it was purchased, the cost of the item, and at times extra notes like what the receiver said as he … Read more
In December of 2003 my husband bought me a digital camera for Christmas. He immediately opened the box and read the manual and less than thirty minutes later he used it to capture Christmas 2003. Although the camera was a gift for me I rarely used it. My husband, on the other hand, was always … Read more
My brother-in-law is on a very tight budget. Due to numerous indiscretions throughout his late teens and early twenties he was forced, through poor decisions and lack of money, to live with his parents. This past summer at the ripe old age of twenty-five he moved out into an apartment of his own. To his … Read more
I’ve spent the better part of the year purging my house of unnecessary clutter. As I reorganize rooms I am constantly coming across gifts from past Christmases. So many knickknacks and trinkets from relatives that fill the corners of our home. Although I’ve managed to donate most of our unwanted items I feel especially guilty … Read more
Everyone has their own level of comfort when it comes to the topic of finances. Take for instance, buying a new house. I have two good friends who I’ve both known for years and years. One told me the listing price of the house she wants to buy, while the other provided every detail of … Read more
Walter Upgrave provides some solid advice on investment portfolios in today’s unpredictable market. He tells a worried 34 year old investor that 20 and 30 year olds should not be greatly concerned by the falling market. In essence, he points out that individuals within this age range have more than enough time to recover their … Read more
Shortly after I went on short-term disability two years ago I started researching disability policies for my husband. My company provides unbelievable benefits, short-term and long-term disability included, but my husband works for a small company that doesn’t offer disability benefits of any type. We purchased a policy within in a few short weeks and … Read more
My father has always been the primary provider in my family. One night a neighbor told my father she planned to pay off her mortgage early. My father fell in love with the idea. That night he came home and told my mother that he planned to pay off the house as soon as he … Read more
I have absolutely no idea what I want for my birthday. I’d like better health, but I don’t think anyone can wrap that up in a box for me, so I’m completely stumped for ideas. I recently read that money can buy happiness. Studies have shown that people feel happier when they spend money on … Read more
A few weeks ago a good friend of mine told me she was not living the life she planned. My friend didn’t mention the specifics of how her life was falling short, but she was clearly depressed by it. I started to wonder how many of us live the life we planned. For that matter … Read more