Content Updates

Take a Step Back From the Edge

What would you do if your transmission went out tomorrow?  If your identity were stolen and your credit frozen, would you be taking the bus to work?  If your uncle offered to sell you his mint condition Ford Mustang for only $5,000, would you be able to come up with the cash? We’re apt to take many of the great things in our life for granted, up to and including out income.  In our culture,…

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Spend It All

We’re new and improved!  The latest version of ThriveWealthy is now available, and you can start using it today, for FREE, to create more options and less stress for yourself! What can this tool do for you? Good Advice Here’s a statement you might not expect from a financial expert:   you should spend all your money!  In fact, you should spend the entire month’s income, even before the month begins.  You should spend it…

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Driving Blindfolded, Looking in the Rear-view Mirror, or Looking Ahead

What would you think of a person who drove his 2013 Corvette convertible around while wearing a blindfold.  How about someone who kept his eyes glued to the rearview mirror as he blazed down the highway?  Would you think that person is nuts?  Would you consider that person dangerous?  Would you be surprised if I told you this is exactly the way most people operate a major aspect of their life? The illustration above is…

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Get Your Money’s Worth

Thinking of making a big purchase soon?  How can you get the best deal and have a great time, simultaneously?  Today we’ll explore a few best practices for buying big ticket items like a car or a new appliance, to ensure that your dollars work as hard for you as you worked to earn them!  🙂 Use Your Own Money The first step to any big purchase is saving up the money!  Obvious as this…

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Controlling the Little Kid Inside

Any time you turn on the TV, open a magazine, or walk down the street, you’ll find a plethora of advertisements for incredible products that you can’t live without.  While many of these products may well be amazing, if you lose control of yourself and let the little kid inside take over, you can end up with a home filled with some cool stuff and retirement and savings accounts filled only with IOUs.  Perhaps worse…

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What’s Important to You?

What would you think if I told you that you have two sets of priorities?  Or that you have two sets of values?  Perhaps you will deny it—“of course not!  I know what’s important to me, and my values are clearly sorted in my mind.”  Maybe so, if you’re like many people, your bank statement will demonstrate quite a disparity between the list of priorities in your head and the true priorities according to which you spend your money.…

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Wandering into Trouble

I’ve enjoyed many hiking and camping trips since I was a young child.  Walking through the forest, listening to the sounds of wildlife and seeing the sun gleaming through the trees, I’ve had a chance to appreciate the beauty and creativity of our Father’s world.  Occasionally, my hikes have become extended for a bit longer than I was planning on, due to an underestimation of how long a climb might take or a casual disregard for things…

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Planning for Unusual Expenses

Last week, we discussed the importance of including unusual but predictable expenses in your budget.  Items on this list include things like car repairs, home improvements, large gifts, or vacations.  By allocating a fixed amount each month, these big expenses don’t have to catch us off guard.  For example, my wife and I set aside $60 each month for car repairs, which has been plenty for the minor repairs and maintenance that our vehicles have…

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Overcoming the Unexpected

Most of us have been through the following story at some point in our lives: We resolve to “do better” with our money. That credit card company has taken advantage of us for the last time! We’re angry that we let ourselves get into such a vulnerable position and we’re angry that the credit card company hit us while we were down. So, we get out the yellow pad or the computer spreadsheet and we…

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