Monthly Archives: January 2013

I Have A Date: Day 16

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

Apparently I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who believe that, much like my sister, I should be dating someone. I’m not sure exactly how I feel about this, but after I mentioned that my sister thinks that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Minimum Wage Challenge, Personal Finance | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Using Credit as an Emergency Fund is a Bad Idea

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Jennifer Derrick

Not too long ago my neighbor needed a new water heater. After it was installed, we went on one of our daily walks and she moaned about the expense and hassle. “Well,” I said, “at least you covered it out … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting, Credit Cards, Personal Finance | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Two Days of Hell: Day 14 & 15

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

Life likes to throw curves. Sometimes even knuckle-balls into the dirt. And on a rare occasion, the ball comes directly at you and hits you in the head. That is exactly what the last couple of days have felt like. … Continue reading →

Posted in Minimum Wage Challenge | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

10 Financial Reasons To Still Get A Newspaper

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Danielle Warchol

Newspaper subscriptions seem to be dwindling with each year that passes. A lot of people get their news from online sources as it tends to be quicker and more convenient. However, there are still a lot of people who enjoy … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Finance, Saving Money | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Difference Between Budget Living and Being Cheap

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Jennifer Derrick

When many people think about becoming budget-conscious, they cringe because they associate living on a budget with being cheap. They don’t want to be known as, “That cheap SOB.”What they don’t understand is that the two terms are very different. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting, Frugal, Personal Finance, Saving Money | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Stupid Injuries: Day 12 & 13

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

I guess it really shouldn’t be much of a surprise that since I have reached the age where I can apparently injure myself by doing normal everyday things (I managed to pull a muscle in my back from sneezing that … Continue reading →

Posted in Minimum Wage Challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Failing To Think Creatively: Day 11

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

View from current house sitting job I made a big mistake yesterday by not challenging my automatic assumptions. I consider myself pretty decent at doing this, yet I’m finding through this minimum wage challenge that I don’t do it nearly … Continue reading →

Posted in Food / Groceries, Frugal, Minimum Wage Challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Crafting a Healthier Approach to Work

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Jennifer Derrick

I wrote earlier about just how far we should expect an employer to bend when dealing with work/life balance issues. The point of that piece was that while an employer may be willing to help you balance your work and … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Finance, Relationships, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Do I Really Have To Try To Date? Day 10

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

Apparently my sister is not only my sister, but also an evil genius on par with all the worst comic book villains of all time in her ability to morph things in ways to get her intended purpose no matter … Continue reading →

Posted in Minimum Wage Challenge | Tagged , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

52 Week Save Money Challenge

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

With the New Year, people are always looking for new ways to save money that isn’t difficult or complicated, and that can keep them motivated throughout the entire year. It seems like Facebook has provided a simple plan (courtesy of … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting, Debt, Personal Finance, Saving Money | Tagged , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Am I A Sucker? Day 9

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

I don’t usually give money to people. I’m far too familiar with the many scams that are out there, and I know that my money will go a lot further and help a lot more people by purchasing food for … Continue reading →

Posted in Minimum Wage Challenge, Personal Finance | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The Relationship Between Self-Improvement and Personal Finance

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Jennifer Derrick

With New Year’s just past and most people still in the honeymoon phase of their resolutions, it’s worth a brief look at how many self-improvement activities benefit your finances, and how studying one area can have a positive impact on … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Personal Finance, Saving Money | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reevaluating Habits: Day 8

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

We all have habits that we really need to take a hard look at to make sure the habit is helping us reach our financial goals. I know from personal experience that one of the most difficult aspects of personal … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting, Frugal, Minimum Wage Challenge, Saving Money, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

10 Ways to Save Money at McDonald’s

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Danielle Warchol

There are many ways to save money on food, but it gets a little harder to do so when you go to a restaurant. Many people enjoy fast food restaurants because the service is quick and the food is relatively … Continue reading →

Posted in Food / Groceries, Frugal, Personal Finance, Saving Money | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Leaving Places in Better Shape: Day 7

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

I know it’s been a good week when I felt it was strange that I wasn’t able to go and travel someplace today, although I did get to enjoy the backyard views of the house where I was house sitting … Continue reading →

Posted in Food / Groceries, Minimum Wage Challenge, Personal Finance | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

What Would “Bare Bones” Living Mean to You?

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Jennifer Derrick

A friend and I were discussing New Year’s plans the other day. She is resolving to get her debt under control and start saving more for retirement and her kids’ college funds. “I’m cutting life down to the bare bones … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting, Frugal, Personal Finance, Saving Money | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

I Don’t Buy Gifts for Special Occasions: Day 6

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

My sister messaged me asking what I was going to get my niece for her birthday. She graciously included a list of really expensive gifts that my niece wanted and told me how I would be a terrible uncle if … Continue reading →

Posted in Minimum Wage Challenge, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Grand Canyon: Day 5

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

Today was the last day I really had the opportunity to make a longer trip while house sitting here in Arizona since it’s quickly coming to an end. I may be able to get in another short trip, but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Minimum Wage Challenge, Travel | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Importance of Living Well: Day 4

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Jeffrey Strain

One of the main aspects of this minimum wage challenge is for me to not only live on the salary, but to live well on it. I think that my image of “living well” may not be the same as … Continue reading →

Posted in Minimum Wage Challenge, Personal Finance, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

11 Benefits of Staying Home

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Jennifer Derrick

My desk in my home office looks out over the road in front of my house. It always amazes me how much traffic goes by my window on any given day, especially since I live on a cul-de-sac. People in … Continue reading →

Posted in Frugal, Personal Finance, Saving Money | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments