Save on Groceries!

Remember all those tips saying you should cook rather than eat out?

Well the USDA says we might just be wrong about that in the near future. A recent study by the government agency estimated the price gap between eating at home and dining out will narrow even further in 2012.

Where Is Your Value?

Your value as a human being is not defined by the “stuff” you own.

Our society has wrongfully assigned a value to people based on how much “stuff” they collect. We spend a lot of money to buy things we can’t afford to impress people we don’t really like.

The Dreaded B Word …

Living on a Budget doesn’t have to be torture!

Do you have too much month left over at the end of your money? Do you wonder where your money goes?

King Solomon's Advice for Retirement Investing

Do you look to Warren Buffett or Donald Trump for investment advice?

Christians can find far better, God-inspired advice from Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. Here are four nuggets of investment advice from Ecclesiastes 11.

A Christian Perspective on Retirement Investing

As a committed Christian, I ask myself and my clients an important question: What does the Bible say about planning for retirement?

Is there a Christian world view that may serve as a grid for choosing investment strategies? What is the balance between “Take no thought for tomorrow…” (Matt.6:25) or “go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise…they store up their food in the summer” (Prov.6:6; 30:25)

Top 5 Swap and Save Services

There's a new Internet trend "swappng" the country. Thanks to the green movement and a soured economy, it's become cool to swap, trade and barter for products, services and even real estate.

Many websites avoid cash exchanges entirely, preferring a system in which members sell an item for points, which they then can use to make purchases.
An extensive examination of available services turned up the top 5 worthy of your attention. Most are non or minimal-profit and all are G-rated. That means alcohol, tobacco and other adult products are prohibited from swapping sites.

8 Frugal Tips To Help You Feel Like Prom Royalty

From dresses and tuxedos to flowers, photos and limo services, high school students (and parents) could end up dishing out a ton of cash on junior and senior prom. Heck, you could throw an entire wedding for the same price.

Since teenagers have more important worries, like finding the perfect date, coming up with the cash should be the least of their concerns. With a touch of savvy planning, students can find smart ways to keep prom costs under control.
Follow these eight savvy tips to feel like prom royalty without blowing your budget:

Student Without A Loan

If you are sending your kids to college because you want them to be guaranteed a job, success, or wealth, you will be dramatically let down.

In some cases, the letdown won't take long because as soon as they graduate they will move back in with you. College is great, but don't expect that degree to be your ticket to wealth and riches.

Kick Murphy Out

Not too long ago, a poll in Parenting Magazine said that 49% of Americans could cover less than one month's expenses if they lost their income.

That means half of this culture has virtually no buffer between them and life. Here comes Murphy (Murphy's Law: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong!").

Now's the Time to Start Your Total Money Makeover

It seems like every day I get an e-mail or a call into the radio show telling me it is impossible to save any money, dump debt or invest using the money you bring home each month. WRONG!

The problem is that most people don't know where their money is going every month. The money came in, and the money went out, and only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Changing how you handle money isn't easy, but the problem isn't the money. The problem is the person you see in the mirror every morning.

Money, God's Way

I recently caught the modern version of the game Family Feud. I had no idea the show was still on but certainly remember its early years with Richard Dawson and his tree of Tootsie Pops.

They have a new host now, different stage set but the show itself remains the same. What grabbed my attention was not the missing Tootsie Pop tree but rather the category the players were answering.

Your value as a human being is not defined by the "stuff" you own. Our society has wrongfully assigned a value to people based on how much "stuff" they collect.

Many of us suffer from a deadly disease called the "stuffit's." We spend a lot of money to buy things we can't afford to impress people we don't really like. I love the old adage "Measure your wealth not by the things you have, but by the things for which you would not take money."

Give Your Life Purpose

I'm a firm believer in the idea that you must consciously prioritize your life every day, preferably in the morning. Yes, I am saying you should get up thirty minutes earlier!

When you get up, you can spend some time in the quiet of the morning assessing where you are and where you want to be. Most of us have grown up in an alarm clock society where we leap out of bed and run through the shower straight to the car, where we drink our first cup of coffee and put on our tie or make-up on the way to work, barely arriving at our place of employment on time.

Getting Spouces Onboard

For years I have taught that spouses must work together. One of the most consistent questions I get on our radio show and in letters is, "How do I get my spouse to join me in working on the money?"

Many men are really frustrated with wives who are spoiled little girls who just want their stuff and they want it now (red-faced and lip in pouting position)! Many more women are frustrated, angry, and deeply resentful of men who refuse to help with the decision making about money.

Keeping Up With The Joneses

Peer pressure, cultural expectations, reasonable standard of living … I don't care how you say it, we all need to be accepted by our crowd and our families.

This need for approval and respect drives us to do some really insane things. One of the paradoxically dumb things we do is to destroy our finances by buying garbage we can't afford to try to make ourselves appear wealthy to others.

Make a Written Plan

Sometimes I hear, “Well, I kinda, sorta know where my money is, you know? I know what it is going to, you know? I do my planning in my head, you know? Having a written plan is absolutely necessary!

Have you ever had a problem that you thought you needed the input of someone else to answer? And when you began to tell that person the whole situation you were able to answer the question for yourself? You found yourself answering your own question, leaving the other person wondering why you asked.