In 2004 my gross annual income crossed the magical $100,000 benchmark for the first time.
Reaching that milestone became a personal goal after graduating with an electrical engineering degree in 1988 and taking my first job at a salary of $31,000. ...
Continue reading The $100,000 Salary Benchmark Is Woefully Overrated
12 Deadly Foods to Keep Away from Your Pets During the Holidays
The holidays are a time for delicious food and a lot of sharing. But while it may seem harmless to give your pet a little bit of Grandma's chocolate cake, it can actually make him really sick. In fact, there are a number of holiday treats for humans ...
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Here’s Proof of Skyrocketing Inflation in Our Most Basic Necessities
The way that economic data is presented, we often think of inflation as a singular number representing a general increase in prices.
For example, it might be reported that nominal GDP growth was 3%, and that inflation was 2%. Since the inflation ...
Continue reading Here’s Proof of Skyrocketing Inflation in Our Most Basic Necessities
6 (Really) Frugal Halloween Costume Ideas for the Kids
So the Honeybee took our two kids out shopping for Halloween costumes this week and spent a grand total of $69.43. This is not only a ghastly amount of money to spend on Halloween costumes, but it's totally unacceptable in my opinion.
What, ...
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My Solar Power Savings Report Card – One Year Later
As most of you know by now, I had solar panels installed on the roof of our house back in 2015. Well, it's been a full year since I flipped the switch on my new solar electricity system and the results have been nothing short of amazing. Rather than ...
Continue reading My Solar Power Savings Report Card – One Year Later
The Price of Silence: How to Stop Annoying Dogs That Bark Constantly
When I was in high school, I had a classmate named Steve Kowolski who used to bug the bejesus out of me and my buddies.
Okay, to be honest, Steve's last name wasn't Kowolski -- although he did have a last name that ended in "ski."
Anyway, the ...
Continue reading The Price of Silence: How to Stop Annoying Dogs That Bark Constantly
My Porch Remodel (Phase 2): Hardscape, Railing and Total Project Cost
Well, it took a couple of months longer than the Honeybee and I originally anticipated, but after a few delays due to uncooperative weather, supplier issues, and one less-than-scrupulous contractor, we finally completed our porch remodel ...
Continue reading My Porch Remodel (Phase 2): Hardscape, Railing and Total Project Cost
Why Private Schools Are a Financial Rip-Off
Most parents end up considering private education because they only want the best for their child. But today I'm going to show you why, from a purely financial perspective, private schools are not worth the price of admission.
Well, that is unless ...
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My Porch Remodel (Phase 1): New Columns and the Hunt for Obsolete Bricks
I've already shared my remodeling adventures with our kitchen and master bathroom -- so I thought I'd share our latest home improvement sojourn.
After 18 years, the Honeybee and I finally decided to give our front porch an upgrade. To be honest, ...
Continue reading My Porch Remodel (Phase 1): New Columns and the Hunt for Obsolete Bricks
Poll: The 5 Biggest Money Regrets of 2015 — and How to Conquer Them
I'm confident that this time last year, scrawled on your list of New Year resolutions, was a sentence relevant to at least one of these four phrases:
'save money'
'stop spending'
'get out of debt'
'stick to a budget'
According to a ...
Continue reading Poll: The 5 Biggest Money Regrets of 2015 — and How to Conquer Them
Culinary Odds & Ends: How Eating Leftovers Saves Me $1700 Annually
Last year my family spent a small fortune on groceries -- $12,764 to be exact. If you were to press me on the matter, my teenage son, Matthew, probably ate $9000 worth of them.
Anyone who thinks I'm kidding hasn't seen our kitchen after a visit ...
Continue reading Culinary Odds & Ends: How Eating Leftovers Saves Me $1700 Annually
A Peek at My Kids’ Christmas Lists
Readers: Just for fun, I thought I would repost this article from Christmas Eve 2009
Well, according to my friend the Silicon Valley Blogger, Zhu Zhu Pets are the hot Christmas gift item for 2009. Don't tell my kids that though because those ...
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100 Words On: The True Meaning of Christmas
In today's day and time,
It's easy to lose sight,
Of the true meaning of Christmas
And one special night.
When we go shopping,
We say 'How much will it cost?'
Then the true meaning of Christmas,
Somehow becomes lost.
Amidst the tinsel, ...
Continue reading 100 Words On: The True Meaning of Christmas
12 Ways to Help Prepare Your Kid for the Real World (Part 2)
This is the second half of a two-part article. If you missed Part 1, click here.
Goal Setting & Achievement
But what a lot of people get wrong here is setting goals that are too broad or completely unrealistic; it's a setup for failure when ...
Continue reading 12 Ways to Help Prepare Your Kid for the Real World (Part 2)
Why Everyone Should Get Financially Naked BEFORE Marriage — Not After
Does love really conquer all?
Not when it comes to money matters, it doesn't.
As Get Financially Naked states in its opening pages, when it comes to relationships, financial compatibility is as important as emotional and physical compatibility. ...
Continue reading Why Everyone Should Get Financially Naked BEFORE Marriage — Not After
How to Quickly Tell If Your Grocer’s Produce Is Genetically Modified
It's a no brainer: if you want to be healthy you'd have to eat more fruit and vegetables -- but there's a caveat. Pesticide residue that's left on produce can lead to a variety of ailments over the long term. Pesticides can accumulate inside the body ...
Continue reading How to Quickly Tell If Your Grocer’s Produce Is Genetically Modified
Why Your Favorite Charity Shouldn’t Be You
Charity is defined as an act of giving, not coerced and not expecting anything in return; an act motivated by the desire to help those less fortunate than yourself.
Awhile back, there was an article on this blog by a guest author who explained why ...
Continue reading Why Your Favorite Charity Shouldn’t Be You
A Low Cost Way to Stay Connected to Your Kids Without Cell Phones!
(Readers: This is a sponsored post from Amber Alert GPS.)
What's cheaper than a cell phone, and lets you stay connected with your kids?
"We're on a tight budget, and every dollar counts. But we need to buy two cell phones for our 10-year-old ...
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Pictures of Our $23,922 Bathroom Remodel (and Some Lessons Learned)
After eight weeks, our master bathroom remodel is finally finished. I guess I shouldn't complain; we waited 17 years to make the upgrade. It was also the last room in our modest 2000 square-foot, three-bedroom, two-and-half bathroom home to get a ...
Continue reading Pictures of Our $23,922 Bathroom Remodel (and Some Lessons Learned)
Taste-Test Experiment: 11 Kids Evaluate Name-Brand vs. Generic Cereals
When it comes to breakfast, kids can be real cereal killers. Unfortunately, for those of us trying to lower our grocery bill, name-brand cereals can be a very expensive proposition.
That got me thinking: Can kids really tell the difference between ...
Continue reading Taste-Test Experiment: 11 Kids Evaluate Name-Brand vs. Generic Cereals
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