Book Review: Your Money Or You Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez

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I found this book to be quite informative, especially for those who are beginning to handle their own finances.  I have been tracking my finances for some time and recently watching those expenses so that I can reach financial independence sooner.  Still, those book was helpful in rethinking some things and reinforcing others.  Yes, it is not the perfect book on financial independence but it is a very good book in assisting one in rethinking how they handle money.

I am a frugal person by nature, but have changed my perspective and approaches to reach my goals sooner.  Not everything may work for everyone.  Each has to find their own path and figure what works for them, but this book is a good start and should be a recommended read.

Ebates - Getting Money Back for Shopping Online

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Ebates is a website that gives cash back to those who shop online.  And who doesn’t shop online these days.  They have partnered with many retail companies to give the online shopper the best deals.  Don’t I sound like an advertisement?  I was actually hesitant to join Ebates, but my wife is a member and sent me the link.  I signed up, she got her bonus and now I make sure when I do shop online I click the Ebates button to get my rebate.

I shop mostly for office supplies, but every little penny back in my pocket helps.  And when we aren’t getting discounts or free travel, I will book our travel through Ebates (they do partner with some good travel sites) and after the travel is completed I get money back.  Like I mentioned, I am not a big shopper, but since joining Ebates, I gotten back over $75.00

A warning though, it may take some time for your travel rebates to show up in your account.  Shopping rebates come rather quickly.  Also note, they only pay out quarterly, so it is not like you get a check every week or month.  My money goes to PayPal.

So if aren’t signed up already, click the link, I’d appreciate it and if you sign up and spend $25, you get a $10 from Ebates.  What a deal.  Okay, I sounded like an advertisement again!  Happy shopping, folks.

August Passive Income Recap

The month of August was not as good as July, but I did receive my first income form the blog.  Although, I have to admit that most of that income was sitting around from another blog I had some 4-5 years ago.  But it finally reached the threshold to payout last month with my new blog.  This makes me happy.

We are also moving into a new house and I have been spending my time packing up and cleaning and moving money around.  Hopefully, when the dust settles, I can get back to the blog.

Good news is that my net worth increased 2.21% from July and 17.37% from the previous year.  All is good.

What is Your Good Life?

What is the American Dream today?  It used to be the house with the white picket fence.  Now people just want a good life.  But what does a good life mean to you?  Some say, it is being debt free or independently wealthy.  Others may say it is living off the land or traveling or helping others.

Think about it. If you were like me, you wanted it all; the new car, the house with the big yard, a great paying job and all that money could buy.  Now for me it is all about making memories.  My personal good life is not about all that materialistic stuff.  Yes, I need a roof over my head, food to eat and clothes to wear, but I don’t need the best or the most expensive.

The worst is that in this day and age, we are bombarded with consumerism.  Ads on TV, ads on the internet, pushing more and more items that they say you need, that you want.  But does it make you happy?  Maybe for a moment, but that gratification will soon dissipate.  True happiness is not purchased in stores.

We are about to move into a new home and boy, do we have things that we don’t use, nor do they hold any memories for us.  We will have cut about half of these possessions from our lives as we make the trip to the new home.

But memories of spending time with family and friends, taking trips, exploring new places, they will stay with me forever.  That’s my conception of a good life.  What is yours?

What's In Your Pantry?

If you are frugal like me, then you probably can’t pass up a good deal.  Use that coupon before it expires (especially on a sale item) and get those BOGOs (Buy One Get One Free) off those items you regularly consume.  But I never buy something I don’t regularly use just because it is on sale.

With that said, you may have an overabundance of items in your cabinet that you aren’t aware of.  With me, it was coffee.  I had bags and bags of it.  My mother had over a dozen jars of salad dressing and some were expired!

My suggestion today is to skip food shopping this week and eat what you already have at home.  You know how much you can save that way.  It was about $50 a month for us.

Take an inventory of what you have and see what you can create with what you have.  And please toss anything that is expired.  Throw away old food sitting in the refrigerator and make sure you don’t buy it again.  If you don’t eat it, don’t buy it.

I clean out or freezer, cabinets and refrigerator once a month by using and eating what we already have at home.  I can get really creative in the kitchen.  We have very little food waste.

Remember eat all that you have and save that extra money you are not spending!