People can fall into debt for any number of reasons. Sometimes it’s because of not-so-benign neglect of personal finances, and other times it’s because of a giant unexpected expense at the wrong time. After the smoke clears and cash flow is back around where it should be, it’s time to pay off the debt. Sell … Read more
We just had an offer accepted for a new home a couple of days ago. As such, there’s now a flurry of excitement and financial activity going on in our household now, and there will continue to be excitement even after our current house is sold. Part of this excitement involved taking the first steps … Read more
Managing a checking account isn’t rocket science but it’s not basket weaving either. (No offense meant to basket-weavers. I tried to weave a basket in eighth grade art class and it ended up looking more like a Frisbee.) But managing a checking account boils down to one key skill: You have to know that the … Read more
I just mailed out my 2008 taxes this past week. I really hate doing taxes. It costs me money, it hangs over my head, it’s a pain in the butt. And they’re finally out the door. My mother-in-law today recounted a statement that the pastor at one of her previous churches made. It was with … Read more
“Turn up the signal; wipe out the noise.” -Peter Gabriel Too many of my projects are laughing at me. Here’s how I’m trying to shut them up. The analogy is signal processing. With only a few important projects and sources of information (signal sources) it’s straightforward to handle them all. But bring in dozens, or … Read more
My wife is designing, and making, a quilt for a competition. A couple of days ago she did a wholesale change of the design. When I asked her if it what she had planned to do was just too difficult, she told me, “Pretty much everything I did, the quilt was laughing at me.” She’s … Read more
My wife and my mother-in-law spent this week totally rearranging and repurposing our office. Once it gets back in order I’ll post pictures. The extra space we have in there now is way better than even the clever frugal corner desk brought. The new office is more open and less claustrophobic. Granted, we still have … Read more
Not doing so can cost you. Allow me to explain how it cost me. I have had a fair amount of dental work, and opted for supplemental dental insurance through my employer. It’s not cheap insurance, but it does allow for coverage on “the expensive stuff” like crowns, multi-face fillings, root canals, etc. My health … Read more