Skip to main content

Plug That Leak

If you haven’t guessed by now, I get really excited about all positive things financial: getting a good deal; budgeting and planning; never carrying a balance on my one-and-only credit card; saving; investing, especially long-term; paying off debt; and helping others achieve financial independence. I even like balancing my checkbook. Yes, believe it or not, I find joy in that mundane task. I know, it sounds like something your grandpa used to do. Well, you should try it. You just might find a small crack leaking a little bit (or a lot) of cash every month.

Modern technology is great (when it works like it’s supposed to, right?). You can do a lot of “set it and forget it” types of activities, including paying bills. No more late fees! While that is helpful, it can also create a potential hole in your budget where your hard-earned money can slip through.

That gym membership? You might be able to discontinue that–besides, the weather perfect right now for outside walking, jogging, biking, and hiking. Are there any other memberships that you are not using? Did you buy any miracle hair regrowth shampoo online (that probably doesn’t work anyway) that automatically charges you for monthly replenishments? Do you really need Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney, CBS On Demand, HBO, Starz, AND Peacock? Are you really reading that Book of the Month book or getting your money’s worth from Audible? You catch my drift.

Man, I’m really dating myself. Between using an idiom from the 20th century and balancing my checkbook on a regular basis, you probably think I’m old enough to be somebody’s grandmother. I’ve got news for you–I am five somebodies’ grandmother, and sometimes, grandma knows what she’s talking about.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

One More–Christmas Experiences Part II

Christmas is just a week away. Hopefully you’ve checked everything off your to-do list and can spend some quality time “experiencing” Christmas gifts with your family. Because, after all, your loved ones will be far more touched by how you made them feel than they will be with what you gave them. This week, I want to share with you my sister, Carey’s, family Christmas experience. “One Christmas, when my boys, now 18, 23 and 28, were little, we gave them an experience that is still talked about now. And it’s something so easily replicated that any family can do it, and it’s not too late to do it for Christmas (even ON Christmas) this year. We drove around our neighborhood and looked at all the homes decorated for the holiday. We took note of the addresses as we numbered them. We talked about what made each ornamented yards stand out. And at the end of the night, we voted for our favorite. I had my sons help me make some of our favorite holiday desserts and, in addition to taking p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Books Equal Bucks

 In November PBS always hosts their  Annual Reading Marathon . “Wow. That’s the  second  time this month that our financial blogger has gone off the rails regarding blog topics. What does reading have to do with finances?” My answer? Everything. Establishing good reading habits in children–reading 20 minutes a day–can literally change their financial future. Good readers do better in school. Good readers are more likely to graduate from high school. Good readers will probably make more money as adults. Reading changes EVERYTHING          . That being said, books  can  be expensive, but they don’t have to be. Libraries are some of the best resources for book access–they play SUCH an important role in our community. You can also share/trade books with your neighbors, friends, and family members (just make sure you have a good system for tracking book ownership). Second-hand stores or garage sales are awesome places to s...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bon Voyage

Many of you are aware that I like to travel. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a few foreign countries and taking a handful of cruises, and I intend to do more in the not-to-distant future. Because you know me, you know I don’t finance these trips–I plan ahead and save for them. And if you’ve followed my blog for a while, you are also aware that I do use one credit card for which I earn flight miles, and I use this card on the trips where I see the world. There is one thing about my credit card for which I am especially grateful–whenever there is suspicious activity on my account, I get a text notification. The credit card company recognizes that charges abroad MIGHT NOT BE LEGIT, and they send me a message. All I have to do is confirm that it is, in fact, me that made the peculiar purchase, and I’m good to go. If I did not make the purchase, I respond in kind, and my card is deactivated. Note to self and others: one could avoid these potential interruptions if one calls credit car...
Post a Comment
Read more