Normally none of us likes to be second. We’ve been conditioned to strive for perfection—in essence, to be number one. But when it comes to saving money, second is first, if you get my drift. You can save a lot of money by not requiring perfection in your purchases. Food Most grocery stores now have […]
Pick a Better Posey
Roses are the traditional flower gift given on Valentine’s Day. They symbolize love and passion, particularly the color red. It stands to reason that many wives and girlfriends will receive red roses on February 14th. That being said, all you guys getting ready to purchase flowers might want to consider other color choices. Heck, you might […]
Green²: Frugality Buys You Two for One
The three “R’s” used to mean school subjects: reading, (w)riting, and (a)rithmetic. Now they stand for “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” The current slogan has become a rallying point for people wanting to save the environment. However, these environmental practices are not new. They actually started in the 1940’s as a way to support the war […]
What Separates a Have from a Have-Not?
One of the surest ways to create a heated discussion with someone is to bring up the subject of welfare. Everyone has an opinion about public assistance, and what the government should do to expand or downsize “the system.” Whether you think it should get bigger or smaller will depend on your perception of why […]
Go Out and Play this Holiday Season
News reports may state that the recession is winding down, but some families around the area are still having a hard time making ends meet. To complete the financial slam-dunk, here come the holidays. The Christmas holiday season is fraught with angst and anxiety under the best of circumstances, adding additional work and stress to […]
Getting to Enough
One of my favorite financial references is a small book with a big title; “Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence.” It was written by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin, and is a thought provoking referendum on consumption and personal money management. I teach a lot of financial […]