I must confess – I have a tendency to procrastinate. If something is minimally working, I am very reluctant to replace it. Our HVAC system died a few years ago and I still haven’t gotten a new one. Luckily, we live in a moderate part of the country and we can make do with our kotatsu […]
DIY weekend – New 1.28 gpf American Standard VorMax Toilet

Drowning in Debt With No Way Out: Three Options to Avoid Filing for Bankruptcy Debt is very easy to accumulate, but never as easy to get rid of. Whether you’re in debt as a result of unexpected circumstances, or simply from improperly handling your finances, the stress of dealing with the aftermath can often be […]
[…] Read more:  Three Options to Avoid Filing for Bankruptcy

With the holidays I am about a week off with this post – the horror! At the beginning of each month I calculate the increase or decrease in my net worth month over month and year to date.  I am not comfortable putting the actual number out on the internet for all to see, so […]
The post April 2015 Net Worth Update

Q1 2015 is over and it’s time for a dividend income update. One of my goals for 2015 is to generate $10,000 in dividend income. Let’s see how we did so far this year and go over a few highlights and lowlights. Dividend Income Q1 For the first quarter of 2015, our dividend income was […]
Q1 2015 Dividend Income Update

It would be difficult to be unaware of the debate surrounding health insurance today. As the Affordable Care Act jumps into the already-muddied waters surrounding health care and its rising costs, topics for debate and discussion are legion. One of these is the high deductible health plan, or HDHP. Simply put, HDHPs offer lower monthly premiums in return for significantly […]
[…] Read more:  5 Reasons I Love my High Deductible Health Plan

Once a month I manually screen for undervalued stocks that have paid an increasing dividend for at least 20 years.  The “increasing dividend” requirement actually eliminates about 95% of all US stocks leaving me with only approximately 150 companies to start applying valuation metrics.  But, before looking at future investments, I want to highlight
[…] Read more:  April 2015 Value Dividend Growth Portfolio Watch List

Isn’t it a great time to be an investor in the stock market? The stock market has been on a tear for over five years and every investor has made a lot of money during that period. It’s great to see our net worth increase on paper, but this can’t last forever. Historically, the stock […]
Are You Prepared For The Next Stock Market Crash?

Target-Date Funds are a big topic in mutual funds right now, for investors and fund companies alike. Investors see them as a one-stop shop for retirement investing. Fund companies have found target-date funds to be a gold mine. Morningstar reports that target date funds account for one third of investment flows for companies that offer them. The concept of a […]
[…] Read more:  Target-Date Funds Take the Guesswork out of Retirement Investing

Believe you’ve found a great business that’s trustworthy and can do the job? Make it a point before you sign any deal to be sure to have gone through these five steps. They need to have some images to show you. Take note of favorite theme, their fashion and setup. Do you find their work …
The post Choosing A Landscape Company

Many financial experts out there recommend buying a used car rather than a new one. And, if you consider the quick depreciation of a new vehicle, it is advice that seems to make sense. But should you, when considering buying a car, avoid buying a new car, simply because the “expert” advice seems to make […]
Is Buying A Used Car Always A Good Decision?