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How to Get the Most Out of Your Paycheck

One of your most useful tools is cash flow, and in most cases this happens to be your paycheck.

It doesn’t really matter what your money goal is, cash flow is probably a key factor in achieving that goal.

Maybe you are paying off debt. Perhaps you are saving for a trip, or maybe you are saving up for an investment opportunity (that’s me).

So your success will depend largely on your ability to both MAXIMIZE the amount of that cash flow, and to MINIMIZE the costs associated with living your life. Today, I will focus on the minimizing costs related to pets, clothing, and eating out. Continue reading “How to Get the Most Out of Your Paycheck”

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How Much Fun Money Should You Budget?

How much spending money should I budget

“Wow! That is also the toughest thing I’ve ever heard. I mean $25/month is not enough for me to go out eat somewhere or do anything fun.”

This was a reply I received on Facebook where someone asked the question, “What have you sacrificed to accomplish debt freedom?”

I posted to say that one of our sacrifices on our journey to paying off over $150,000 of debt was to give ourselves only $25/month each for “fun” money. This would include things like going out to eat, buying things we didn’t need, etc. Continue reading “How Much Fun Money Should You Budget?”

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Bison Farm Getaway (Spending Breakdown)

bison farm getaway spending breakdown

I’ve always wanted to stay on a bison farm.

Kidding… I don’t know if I actually realized how something like that would even look in real life, or where the heck you’d find a domesticated herd of bison. Well, apparently you can find some in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, more specifically, Clyde, NC. Not only is the area absolutely gorgeous (and surprisingly green in early March), but the food we found was fantastic, and it’s close enough to Asheville that you can make the 30 minute trip to check out some of their famous breweries (New Belgium, Burial, Highland, Sierra Nevada, a bunch more). Continue reading “Bison Farm Getaway (Spending Breakdown)”

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Grades Do Not Guarantee Success With Money

grades do not guarantee success

Stress Over College Options

This past weekend, we were at the park for a photo shoot. Daughter_02 was recently diagnosed with a neurological disorder (for more info, check out What is AS?). She is being featured in a local article which will promote awareness for kids with disabilities.

As the session ended and we were getting packed up, the photographer and coordinator entered into a very familiar discussion. Their teenagers were graduating highschool, so it was time to compare grades, college choices, etc. There was some serious stress being communicated about grades and strengths and weaknesses of various colleges.

It got me thinking. Continue reading “Grades Do Not Guarantee Success With Money”

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How To Pay Cash For Your Cars

Would you like to know how to pay cash for your next car, and never take a car loan again?

This is something I have seen so many of my family, friends, and co-workers struggle with over the years, and it just blows my mind. I have taken two car loans in my lifetime ($15,000 and $18,000).

In both cases, I paid the loan off within about 1 to 1.5 years because I can’t stand to be in debt. My point is that, if I could afford to do that, I had no business taking the loans to begin with (and neither do you!). Continue reading “How To Pay Cash For Your Cars”