Taxes, PMI, Insurance, and More: Huge Wildcards When Buying a Home
I’m on a home-buying streak here, tackling how to save for a house and how much you need to buy a house this week, so let’s keep it going. A light bulb went off while I was talking with Heath in the...
View ArticleWhat Type of Budget Do You Use?
One area of personal finance that rightfully gets a lot of attention is budgeting, the art of directing how your money should be used. I used to think that there were only a few ways to budget, but I...
View ArticleTrouble? Try Tracking Your Money Weekly
A few weeks ago, Heath, a frequent comment and social media contributor to the site, mentioned that he was tracking his money week-to-week. I was curious, so instead of prying too much, I decided to...
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Mvelopes Review: 2011 Update
Update: For the latest information on Mvelopes, read my 2012 updated review. My journey into envelope budgeting began shortly after this blog launched in 2009. I had found a tool called Mvelopes, and...
View Article8 Critical Mistakes in Envelope Budgeting
Envelope budgets are the best thing since sliced bread–if you’ve read this blog for any period of time, you know that I honestly believe that. An envelope budget can fix a big spender, heal money...
View ArticleSorting Out Your Expenses
If you ever set out to clear your house of unwanted things, you probably used or at least heard of the “box” or “pile” method. In essence, you’re forced to review everything you touch in a particular...
View ArticleHow to Create a Minimalist Budget
One of my core goals is to lead a simpler, more focused life. This post explores some of my original ideas for simplifying money. Mention the word budget and you immediately lose half the audience....
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The Cost of Dental Care for Dogs
One of the first and most popular posts on the blog deals with the lifetime costs of a dog, which can be staggering. A few months ago, I did something I would have never imagined doing as a novice dog...
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Getting Frequent Car Insurance Quotes
When it comes to keeping expenses under control and spending within our means, regularly evaluating your ongoing expenses is a big part of the equation. Making sure that you have the cheapest car...
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My Simpler Budgeting Strategy
We’re moving through the process of buying our first home (more on that in a few weeks), so it was clearly time to give our budget an overhaul. Through the process of re-working our budget, I...
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Moving From Quicken to YNAB 4
As an envelope budget user for the last five years, and specifically a You Need a Budget user for the last two, I’ve been looking for ways to cut ties with Quicken. I love Quicken’s functionality, and...
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The Two Most Important Questions When Cutting Down Your Budget
There are as many reasons for cutting a budget as there are individuals: maybe you’ve just lost a job or got a pay cut, or perhaps you want to save more for an upcoming trip, or maybe you have a brand...
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