Don’t Let Money Burn a Hole in Your Pocket

How are you about hanging onto your money. Is it easy for you to save? Or does money just slip through your fingers?

Money Can Be Slippery

money floating away

For many people, money goes as quickly as it comes. Sometimes even faster.

Yep! It is simply hard for some people to hang on to a dollar. In a Gunsmoke episode once I remember Matt talking to Doc about Chester being broke and having a hard time keeping his money. Doc asked, if it was women or gambling. Matt said, “I don’t know Doc, Chester is the kind of fellow who can lose money standing in the shade!”

That is the way it is with many folks. They never have any money because they seem to spend everything they get as soon as they get it….Why does this happen?

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Save Money with a Garden?

There are lots of ways people try to save money.

  • Some methods work well for most people.
  • Some work well for a few people.
  • Some don’t really work well for anyone.

One approach to saving money that seems to have folks advocating all of these conclusions is vegetable gardening.

Onions in the garden

What is the truth? Can you save money by growing your own food?

Or is the whole idea a hoax and you will likely end up spending far more than you save? With all the different views out there, each strongly held, how can you know the truth?

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Support Your Local Thrift Store

In our town there is a large new store being built and it is not a new Walmart. It is a Goodwill Thrift Store. Is this a sign of the times? A trend around the country? A rising opportunity for many to get by in difficult times? Or something else?

Increasing Use of Thrift Stores

A few days ago Donna Freedman wrote a post on her Surviving and Thriving blog site about the increased popularity of thrift shops. In her opening paragraph she shared some interesting statistics from the Savers/Value Village.

Donna Freedman Blog Header

It seems that 47%of U.S. residents report shopping at second hand stores. One-third indicate that they do so more now than three years ago.

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An Opportunity to Help Others

While shopping in the thrift stores is a great way to save money for ourselves, there is another idea I would like to focus on. These stores also give us an opportunity to help others out by contributing our unwanted items.

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How the Financial Crisis Changed America

Today I read an article from the folks at Fidelity Investments. They completed a study in February called The Fidelity Five Years Later study—referencing five years after the financial crisis began. The participants represented adults over twenty-five years of age, financial decision makers who have investments so they were above average in their financial commitments, as I am sure are those reading this blog.

The Crisis and Financial Attitudes

Here are some of the results I think you will find interesting:

  • 42% have increased participation in workplace retirement and health savings plans
  • 55% feel better prepared for retirement
  • 42% have increased emergency fund savings
  • 80% have a better understanding of their finances
  • 49% have purposely decreased personal debt
  • 72% have less debt now than before
  • 78% say they have made permanent behavior changes

What Do These Results Mean?

As you look through this list I think you will see many reasons to be hopeful for the future, at least among the people surveyed.

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When the Unthinkable Happens

Sometimes tragedy slaps us in the face. It leaves us with sorrow, but there are usually some lessons we learn as well. In this post I want to share some lessons associated with a recent personal tragedy. Some problems were anticipated, others not so much.

Facing the Death of a Child

December was a sad time for our family as we lost our youngest child. Brian was 32 years old when he died which is remarkably old considering his many health issues, challenges so severe that he was not expected to live but a short time when we took him in foster care at 17 months. Certainly, no one suspected he would live long enough for us to adopt him a couple of years later.

Fortunately, Brian responded to love and good care from ourselves and a multitude of great doctors, nurses, and other caregivers. He became the joy of our lives as he shared his engaging smile with those he loved. We loved Brian greatly and miss him immensely.

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Why People Can’t Save Money

How often have you heard someone say, “If I had a nickel for every time I heard that I would be a rich man today!” I know I have heard it many times. And the truth is that human behavior does seem to follow a lot of repetitious patterns.

Common Excuse for Not Saving Money

This is true with our economic choices and ideas as much as it is anywhere. Specifically, it is common to hear what I heard again this week…

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