I’m pleased to hear you are considering home ownership. Owning your own home is a wonderful blessing, but it can be a heavy burden–a curse even–if you borrow money before you’re ready.
I know you are busy, so if you don’t have time to continue reading now, please just scan my very quick, bulleted summary. It’ll [...]
What do burgers, kids, and movies have in common? They all involve opportunity costs.
When you buy a burger, you can’t use that money to rent a movie, pay down debt, or invest. And when you sit down to watch a movie, you’ve traded your time and money for two hours of entertainment.
Continue reading this guest [...]
Many financial advisers emphasize the importance of building a large nest egg. While a large nest egg is a great idea, this strategy can make people focus on the future at the expense of the present.
That’s a trade off we’re not willing to make.
Many people view their retirement balances as the solution to their situation–working [...]
Financial matters have a reputation for being complicated. Ill-deserved or not, financial success requires that we consistently make the right choices. Unless you’re content to settle for water cooler advice or willing to do the research, you’ll need to know how to find reliable financial advice.
Many people rely on media gatekeepers and financial “advisors” for [...]
Most of us know new cars are an expensive habit—they simply depreciate too rapidly. But many of us still buy our vehicles new. For us, the trade-off of several thousand dollars in depreciation is worth the new car smell and the knowledge that the vehicle is in perfect condition.
Whatever your or my rationalizations, it pays [...]
Last week I received a forwarded email:
OPEC sells oil for $136.00 a barrel. OPEC nations buy U.S. grain at $7.00 a bushel.
Solution: Sell grain for $136.00 a bushel. Can’t buy it? Tough! Eat your oil! Ought to go well with a nice thick grilled filet of camel ass !!!
…
Great idea! $30 a bushel (the same price [...]
You don’t have to wait until you have a mortgage to start paying it down.
At some point in our lives, most of us lack the motivation to save for the future. Even forward-looking individuals like David sometimes lack the drive to set more aside for the future.
Although this behavior costs us dearly, most of us [...]
When it comes to financial decisions, we often throw logic out the window and kick our common sense to the curb. This is a costly habit—one our legislators are particularly prone to make.
Here’s two foundational rules to remember when spending your own money and when it comes time to vote.
Nothing is free
Marketers are skilled at [...]
Notes
The photo of Dave Ramsey was adapted from the Dave Ramsey website.
This article was featured in the Carnival of Snowflaking hosted by Greener Pastures.
Eating out can be dangerous for your waistline—and your bottom line.
Now I don’t dine out much (sorry about the deceptive title), but many people do. Most people also borrow money to buy a house or condo at some point. And most people, unfortunately, are unaware just how much dining out affects the length of their [...]
