Free From Broke strongly recommends that you know what your spending triggers are. Spending triggers are those situations, mindsets, or excuses that increase your tendency to make less-than-wise spending decisions. The ones that are mentioned by name are: “I deserve it.” “Everyone else has one.” “I have this, so I need that.” “Hurry! Sale ends … Read more
Cash is king. Cash is capital, in small, unmarked bills. Almost nothing speaks louder at the negotiating table. It says: “I have the means, right now, to buy from you.” Because it speaks so loudly, there are great deals to be had if you can pay cash. Here are a few: Real estate. The somewhat … Read more
Two and a half years ago, we moved into our new house. It was so much of what we wanted. It was close to where I work. It had plenty of space inside, with an open floor plan. In a county that rests on many an old cowpaddy, our plot, and our subdivision, are flat: … Read more
This past weekend I played at a gig with a ten-piece band I’m in. Aside from lots of people having a good time, and us playing pretty well, the attendees raised money for the American Red Cross. Part of the money raised was through ticket sales (which offset the cost of the bands and the … Read more
A couple of weeks ago we took an honest-to-goodness family vacation for the first time in what seems like forever. We went to North Carolina’s Outer Banks with three other families for a week. The weather cooperated nicely and we all had a chance to just chill out. (Notwithstanding the severe case of beach brain … Read more
J Money recently sold a web property and is toying with the idea of using the proceeds from that sale to buy a real investment property. Bottom line up front: This is a great idea. My experience with owning an investment property has been great so far. Very smooth. I, like J Money, had heard … Read more
I know most Olympic athletes would disagree that a gold medal is basically the same as a silver medal. Some people call second place “first loser,” after all. Fast forward to 2070. Picture (hypothetically) Michael F. Phelps IV hard up for cash after a bad bet against the Norwegian cross country team in the Atlanta … Read more
I have a number of friends that are active or former military. They are some of the finest people I’ve had the privilege of knowing. On the whole, they have an above-average sense of purpose and follow-through. I’ve heard enough of their experience that this sense of purpose and follow-through comes from their military experience. … Read more