Happy Rock’s recent post with all the free stuff motivated me to add one to the list. Seeing how I’m plastered all over the pages of Time Magazine (My family’s picture with President-Elect Obama is now also in the Special Commemorative Edition, full-page spread baby!) I figured I’d share the love by offering the gift of weekly news delivered to your mailbox. That’s right folks a year of Time magazine can be yours! All you have to do is send The Happy Rock an email and a lucky reader will be randomly selected. Use the contact button on the top [...]
Read MoreNovember 2008
Happy Thanksgiving Everybody! And welcome to the official start of the holiday shopping season. Back when I shared my Christmas budget, I said I’d revisit the idea of whether or not Christmas is becoming too commercialized or not. Well it’s your lucky day! But first let me come clean about something. I can be an idealist at times. Not all the time, but just enough that I can be rather annoying to be around when certain subjects come up. You know my type, we’re very passionate about something about a certain topic for awhile then we move on to something [...]
Read MoreIn the spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving I wanted to list all of the financial related blessings of the last year. Another year debt free, except for the mortgage The ability to provide for two wonderful children Second adoption paid for with cash $11,000 adoption tax credit $2,000 adoption assistance from my employer Two flexible, solid, well paying jobs $5/hour raise for The Happy Rockette Income and symbiotic relationships from The Happy Rock and other projects Top %1 standard of living in the world – Check yours at Global Rich List Warm, comfortable, home in a good neighborhood The means [...]
Read MoreSome of you may remember that at the end of August I decided that starting in September, I would start paying cash for certain items (groceries, household stuff, & entertainment). Obviously I hoped that this would lead to major savings. Dave Ramsey professes that paying in cash will save around 12% or even more! I was shooting for savings of around $100 per month. I have to admit that it was a little weird paying for stuff using cash after so many years of putting everything on plastic. Especially at the grocery store where the bill can easily be over [...]
Read MoreHere are some good articles I came across this week: 10 Tips For A Killer Resume @ SqaukfoxBunch of free giveaways Debt Reduction 101 – A guide @ No Credit Needed Home Water Conservation, Does it work? @ The Simple Dollar 80% of Resteraunt.com gift certificates still @ The Digerati Life Unintended Benefits Of Budgeting @ Bible Money Matters Brainy Smurf is Debt Free Again! @ Pants In A Can And here are a few giveaways : Free $200 Cash Giveaway for The Financial Blogger’s two year anniversary. 50$ Wal-mart Card Giveaway @ Kingdom First Mom 5 Sixpence None The [...]
Read MoreI saw something tonight that I didn’t think I ever would see again. Gas under $2/gallon. This summer when we were paying $4/gallon, it was just understood that high gas prices were here to stay. With rising demands from China & India we needed to get used to paying these kind of prices. People traded in their gas guzzlers for hybrids. Others bought scooters. Then the economy tanked and “cheap” gas is back. It’ll be interesting to see if people maintain their new conserving ways or will they revert back to old habits where mpg was an after-thought? History shows us [...]
Read MorePutting debt on a 0% credit card or rolling high interest debt into a home equity line of credit may help save you money in the short term, but it is only addressing the symptom. The symptom is the debt; the debt isn’t the problem. The behaviors and attitudes that got you into debt are usually the problem. Imagine a couple in a pool flailing around unable to swim or even tread water. You through them a lifeline and they are saved. The trick is though that they only stay saved if they don’t go into the water again. Unless [...]
Read MoreI have stated before that I am huge Dave Ramsey fan. I think his approach to debt destruction is the simpliest and most straightforward approach. It has broad application across all income levels and focuses on motivating people and changing their behavior. I used the baby steps and the and free access to Dave’s radio show to eliminate $70,000 in 4 years. There are officially 7 baby steps(1-7), but there is an unofficial pre-requisite that I like to put in there. Step 0 – Stop going into debt : If you don’t stop the leak you will never be able [...]
Read MoreThat’s right, it sounds to good to be true, but it isn’t. Microsoft has been pushing this unique advertising ploy off and on for months now and people have been saving a ton on online purchases mainly through eBay. Here’s how to take advantage. First sign up for a Windows Live cashback account and then all you have to do is search for a product of your choice at Microsofts’ Live.com. At the top of the search there will usually be an eBay link that says Live Search Cashback in gold next too it. Just click the link and complete [...]
Read MoreI know it’s been racking your brain for months… What does DD look like? For those of you who’d like to take the next step in our relationship and turn into full fledged stalkers, today is your lucky day! Actually you’re only in luck if you have the 11-17-08 issue of Time Magazine. If you do you can look at page 53 and see yours truly and my kids chatting it up with then Senator Obama. For those of you who are frugal and get your Time fix at your local library, you can just click here. The story behind [...]
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