This “checklist” series of articles looks at common areas of spending to identify a list of opportunities to reduce costs. Not every tradeoff opportunity will make sense for you, but we hope you find this a helpful compilation. “Tighten the belt.” “Just say no.” “Sell stuff until the kids think they’re next.” Chances are you’ve […]
Author: Jason McDaniel
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Making your own spending plan
So you’ve made some goals, you’ve taken stock of where you stand, and taken a first look at where your money is going. Now it’s time for you to make a plan that gets you from here to there. A wise man once said “I love it when a plan comes together.” While the A-team […]
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Following the Money
“Where did it come from where did it go…” No, I am not attempting to create a semi-plagiarized hit single to be played ad nauseum at sporting venues…this refrain is the mantra just waiting to be stuck in your head as you ask ourselves what happened to that paycheck you worked so hard to bring […]
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Investing for the rest of us
Investing evokes a wide array of mental images. To some it is a complete black box where pretentious people bandy terms like “arbitrage” use words in ways you are pretty sure don’t mean what they think they mean. . Whether you have a cursory understanding of how the stock market works or feel like “investing” […]
This “checklist” series of articles looks at common areas of spending to identify a list of opportunities to reduce costs. Not every tradeoff opportunity will make sense for you, but we hope you find this a helpful compilation. Household expenses encompass a broad swath of products and services we buy to keep fed, clothed, and […]
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Spending Checklist: Insurance
This “checklist” series of articles looks at common areas of spending to identify a list of opportunities to reduce costs. Not every tradeoff opportunity will make sense for you, but we hope you find this a helpful compilation. Insurance is cost that you spend in the earnest hope that you’ll get nothing in return. While […]
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Spending Checklist: Transportation
This “checklist” series of articles looks at common areas of spending to identify a list of opportunities to reduce costs. Not every tradeoff opportunity will make sense for you, but we hope you find this a helpful compilation. Many a naive teenager has begun their financial story with the purchase of a brand new vehicle […]
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Spending Checklist: Utilities Costs
This “checklist” series of articles looks at common areas of spending to identify a list of opportunities to reduce costs. Not every tradeoff opportunity will make sense for you, but we hope you find this a helpful compilation. The costs of housing don’t end with the mortgage or rental payment. It costs money to keep […]
This “checklist” series of articles looks at common areas of spending to identify a list of opportunities to reduce costs. Not every tradeoff opportunity will make sense for you, but we hope you find this a helpful compilation. For most Americans, housing costs comprise the biggest single expense in their budget (averaging 34% of spending […]
As the astute math wizards have already figured out, the formula behind our finances isn’t a complicated one. Spend less than you make, and save enough to realize your goals. It makes sense then that the first area we look at is that of income. You may find that most of these ideas don’t apply […]