Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
For my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a DVD of The Fast and the Furious. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen. I remember watching it over and over again, pausing to get a better look at the cool cars. The car that held my attention was Paul Walker’s Mitsubishi Eclipse.
Once I turned 16, I bought one.
One reason the 2nd generation Eclipse is such an alluring car is because of its performance capabilities. The turbo models come with 210 horsepower from the factory, which is nice but it’s capable of 1,000+ horsepower. The idea that you can buy something and figure out how to unlock its full potential is a gearhead’s dream come true. It’s a gift the Car God’s left for us to unwrap.
Still, modifying cars is expensive. The most obvious cost is the price of all the go-fast parts: intake, exhaust, suspension, dataloggers, clutches, built transmissions, built engines, turbos, superchargers, nitrous oxide, I could keep going. [ continue reading… ]
The air is getting crisper every morning, the leaves are starting to change color and drop, and the Pumpkin Spice Lattes (PSLs) are back at Starbucks. It means fall has arrived. I know some people are boycotting anything pumpkin spice related until the official beginning of fall (September 22), but that doesn’t mean you can’t get an early start to slashing the upcoming “w” word’s energy bills. Here are some simple things you can do now that will pay off big-time in the colder days to come (you can even sip your PSL while you read this… I won’t judge!).
Clean, Service or Upgrade Your Heating System
One of the simplest and cheapest things you can do to maximize your furnace’s efficiency is to replace the air filter – now, and then every 30 to 45 days. Make it easy for yourself by setting mobile calendar reminders. If it hasn’t been serviced by a professional in a few years, that’s also a good idea too. Just like other pieces of equipment, heating systems need a ‘tune up’ every now and then. Finally, if you’re due for a new furnace, take advantage of federal tax credits (up to $500) by purchasing one that meets the Department of Energy’s efficiency standards. Upgrade to solar, wind, geothermal or fuel-cell technology, and you’ll be reimbursed 30 percent of the cost, including installation (you’ll need to fill out Form 5695 when the time comes). [ continue reading… ]
If you aren’t sure what to do next, a financial advisor can help you map out a plan. Here are a few times when it can make sense to meet with a financial advisor for a little extra help: [ continue reading… ]
It’s hard to go even one day without seeing an advertisement for some form of “fast, amazing, unbelievable!” diet. If you somehow managed to spend your days away from the television, internet, or social media, you still have to deal with the many times you hear friends and co-workers talk about “losing a few pounds” or trying a new program.
Unfortunately, the diet won’t last long for them more than likely and old habits will reign once again.
The problem is, psychologically, these dieters aren’t preventing the temptation from catching their eye. And how can they? If one person brings cookies to the office, the dieter might think, “Well, one bite won’t hurt. I don’t want to hurt Suzy’s feelings; she worked hard to bake these.” If that same dieter watches television, the chances are high that they will see at least three food-related commercials during that time.
And what does all of this have to do with money?
When someone tries to spend less money (in an effort to trim down expenses), they encounter the same temptation as the food dieters mentioned above. They may go out with friends who are all buying coffees at Starbucks; or, they may think that spending a few dollars here or there won’t really hurt their mission to save money.
If you think that, then you need to go on a spending diet. Yes, you read correctly, a spending diet. [ continue reading… ]
I recently saw traveler’s checks mentioned and thought “What? Those are still around? What exactly are they, anyway? Checks are becoming rare. Shouldn’t traveler’s checks be obsolete now that we have credit cards and electronic banking? Well, here’s what I found.
American Express started issuing traveler’s checks in 1891 as a convenient, secure way for international travelers to carry funds. Of course, once banks started offering international services and online banking, and credit card companies cranked into full swing, traveler’s checks fell by the wayside — but didn’t disappear completely. AMEX is one of the few institutions that still offers them in check form, while Visa and others offer modernized equivalents that work like pre-paid debit cards.
Not only have they survived the paperless banking revolution, traveler’s checks can still save the day (or at least some money) in certain traveling situations. [ continue reading… ]
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A lot of the time we get sucked into thinking that moving to a bigger city can help with finances because you can find a higher-paying job. Unfortunately, that higher-paying job often comes with a higher cost of living.
