Personal Finance Advice

After the recent house sitting gig and the amount of money I saved during that time, I decided that a short trip was in order even while on the minimum wage challenge. I opted to head to Redwood National Park to visit one of those places that is so special that I put it on [...]

With summer just around the corner, one of the top priorities for a lot of people will be to take off to the beach for a day, or for an extended vacation, when the opportunity permits. One of great things about going to the beach is that it can be a relatively low-cost, day-log activity. [...]

For those who enjoy traveling, one of the best tools that they have can often be found in their pocket. While your phone isn’t the first gadget that most people think about when planning a vacation, there are now plenty of apps which can help save you money when you do travel. Here are ten [...]

In the past couple of years, the bad economy has forced many people to take a “staycation” instead of a vacation. A staycation means staying in your local area instead of traveling domestically or internationally. Of course, that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to have fun! A staycation can involve hanging around your house or [...]

I have grown to learn that many of my friends call me when they have a last-minute change of plans because they know that I have the flexibility to do things on the spur of the moment that many people don’t. The plan for today was to take the car in to have the clutch [...]

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 I didn’t get her one. Sister: You don’t want to be a terrible uncle, do [...]

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 need to begin getting ready for their return on the 7th. I wanted to take [...]

I learned today that if you want to save money by driving your car at a fuel efficient speed on the highway to get the most miles per gallon, you do so at your own risk. You will also have an untold number of angry driver’s violently making obscene gestures in your direction including a [...]

It appears that the first week of the minimum wage challenge will begin on the right foot. I just got word from the parents of a friend that they would like me to house sit for them for a week beginning on December 30th. This isn’t a house sitting / pet sitting gig I would [...]

One of the biggest decisions I need to make that will determine whether this living well on minimum wage challenge will be successful or not is my living conditions. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this and there is little doubt that renting would definitely be the safer, cheaper option. The first question [...]

September 29, 2012 is National Public Lands Day which celebrates the many unique and beautiful public lands across the US. There is a huge effort for volunteers to help improve the public lands around them through clean-up and improvement, and this volunteerism comes with a host of benefits. From getting outdoors and improving the environment [...]

We had some guests in town a couple of weeks ago. When it came time to deciding what to do for entertainment, they wanted to see the tourist attractions. Well, where I live isn’t a big tourist town. Or so I thought. In looking around, though, I discovered that we have a lot of museums [...]

I have a lot of friends that go online and buy the cheapest ticket that they can find. This would seem to be a good way to save money, but the reality is that buying the least expensive ticket isn’t always the best way to save money on airline tickets. In fact, it can end [...]

There’s nothing quite like spending time in the great outdoors and sleeping under the stars. Camping is an enjoyable, healthy activity that the entire family can participate in with a wide variety of choices from private camp sites to National Parks. For those that enjoy getting out and communing with nature, the only drawback is [...]

There are a lot of people who hate credit cards because of the debt that they have helped get people into through their use. On the other hand, there are others that love them due to the advantages credit cards offer. What’s important to remember is that credit cards can either be an asset or [...]

A woman that I know casually from church recently lost her husband. He died after a long illness at the young age of forty-two. Any way you look at it, it’s a tragedy. However, there is one bright spot. The husband had a large life insurance policy in place and, since the couple was frugal [...]

One of my favorite things to do every spring is to go to the big RV show held at the convention center. I love to look at all the new RV’s and drool over million dollar coaches that only a lottery win will ever make affordable for me. As much as I enjoy it, though, [...]

Several months ago I wrote a post about what traveling while broke taught me about finance. Now, while I certainly don’t travel five-star, first-class all of the time, I’ve reached a point in my life where I can travel comfortably. I no longer have to sleep in a hostel and wait tables in a bar [...]

This Week’s Money Tip: Visiting Las Vegas for a few days to see a friend made it readily apparent that hotels here have found a wonderful way to make their hotel prices seem much less expensive than they really are. Hidden fees come in all shapes in sizes. Most people are aware of the hidden [...]

When I’m at a restaurant with a group of people, often times there is a discussion on the best way to split the bill. It always seems that the person who had the most expensive meal suggests that we simply split the bill evenly to make it easy. This makes perfect sense from his perspective. [...]