tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7200423861713907972024-03-13T06:12:39.898-04:00Living Frugally Semi-RetiredDan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-26193528605144957822021-04-14T09:26:00.001-04:002021-04-28T08:50:13.684-04:00Robinhood - The Commission-free Stock Trading & Investing App<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://join.robinhood.com/dank-235fe8c5b" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="680" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QaqYJS7GSLA/YHbtIi8-2lI/AAAAAAAAAQA/HhgFpoXaJAYmekzkid0VKvxxKoGzTIeFACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sVDuA2xD.png" width="320" /></a></div>Have you checked up Robinhood? It's an investment app that is great for the beginning investor. And if you sign up using my link we both get free stock. It is a hit or miss what you get but it is fun. I got a stock that wasn't worth much, but my wife got one share of Visa. All you have to do after you sign up, is connect your bank account and you should get your free stock in no time. Check it out . <a href="https://join.robinhood.com/dank-235fe8c5b" target="_blank">Here is my link</a> to sign up.<p></p>Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-83687607689193799182020-08-16T11:24:00.001-04:002020-08-16T11:24:50.629-04:00FBJ Creations and living and traveling in a Bus<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0dPgg7GlgDQ/XzlNBQ0AQCI/AAAAAAAAAN4/avcqgwOe12cIi-mrJ2LmUlkf4CqkvvYdQCLcBGAsYHQ/s740/5a5438_5329ac3ef44d477a80773a57d30c2724_mv2.webp" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Photo Source: Mrs FBJ" border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="740" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0dPgg7GlgDQ/XzlNBQ0AQCI/AAAAAAAAAN4/avcqgwOe12cIi-mrJ2LmUlkf4CqkvvYdQCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/5a5438_5329ac3ef44d477a80773a57d30c2724_mv2.webp" title="Photo Source: Mrs FBJ" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Source: Mrs FBJ<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>While camping on Assateague Island this past week, I saw this creatively painted bus and had to check it out. There was a canopy outside advertising FBJ Creations and I had thought they designed the bus. Actually, they make custom bike bags and had converted the bus as a traveling home, workshop and office. Yes, we went to talk with them. They even let us see the inside of the bus. Very cool!<div><br /></div><div>Bryon and Becky, their two children and dog are living the dream. Originally from Idaho, they are currently touring the east coast – working, biking, camping and doing what they want. Many of the craft fairs they were to participate in were cancelled due to the pandemic but are doing well with online sales. Bryon told me that the pandemic actually helped them in starting their dream quicker as he had the time to refurbish the bus and get on the road.</div><div><br /></div><div>The day after we spoke with them, they left Maryland and from their blog post, they headed to Connecticut where father and daughter participated in a BMX bike race! Now if that isn’t living the dream, I don’t know what is!
You can check out their <a href="https://www.fbjcreations.com">website here</a> and read their <a href="https://www.fbjcreations.com/blog">blog</a>. If you are a bike enthusiast, and want a custom bike bag, check out their <a href="https://www.fbjcreations.com/shop">shop</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>We all can get out there and live our dreams!</div>Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-50120913754624639872020-01-11T08:00:00.000-05:002020-01-11T08:00:03.543-05:002019 Passive Income<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBcMLoeZt7E/XhildrCXFOI/AAAAAAAAALo/rGZZe-eKM9oigHxvuPnN_e31G2tbG7b3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/apps.59647.14322566629387563.9e0d200b-0560-4871-9e32-006798b64603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBcMLoeZt7E/XhildrCXFOI/AAAAAAAAALo/rGZZe-eKM9oigHxvuPnN_e31G2tbG7b3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/apps.59647.14322566629387563.9e0d200b-0560-4871-9e32-006798b64603.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My second year of keeping track of my passive income saw an increase by 12%. Total passive income for 2019 was $8,755 (2018 was $7,803). Most of it (72%) was from dividends but that counts, doesn’t it? My plans are increasing this each year before my wife retires. Sure wish I did this decades ago. I am all increasing my presence on eBay, not so much on Amazon. Other income includes sales of my artwork, garage sales and recycling. I also received gift cards totaling $756. Although, not cash, I include this as I use it to buy gifts and/or household items. Sure helps with the budget.<br />
<br />
Here’s the breakdown of passive income for 2019:<br />
Survey Income $282<br />
Interest Income $3<br />
Divident Income $6,314<br />
Shopping Rebates $13<br />
Ebay Sales (net fees and shipping) $1,409<br />
Amazon Sales (net fees and shipping) $53<br />
Blog Income $227<br />
Other Passive Income $337Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-31472941894642650872020-01-04T07:00:00.000-05:002020-01-04T07:00:06.460-05:002019 Expense Percentages<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zIZNlAZvXVk/Xg-ahW2brYI/AAAAAAAAALc/4rrcLANuZS8qIbgGPtHgOKN0m6VdzoEMACEwYBhgL/s1600/expenses21-780x520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="780" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zIZNlAZvXVk/Xg-ahW2brYI/AAAAAAAAALc/4rrcLANuZS8qIbgGPtHgOKN0m6VdzoEMACEwYBhgL/s320/expenses21-780x520.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I just did an analysis of all our expenses for 2019. I was somewhat surprised to see the
results. Although I won’t give dollar
amounts, I shall share the percentages of money spent last year. It was too much, with little going to
savings, but hopefully 2020 will be better.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">House repairs was almost 19% of our expenses and the
biggest expense. </span><span style="text-align: center;">Let’s hope we have none
of that this year.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Net up are incomes taxes which was about 15%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess when we retire this will become
less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a necessary evil.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Third highest expense is loan payments 13%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That will end soon and we will have more
money in savings.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Number four is the car, which includes car payments, gas
and maintenance at 8.35%,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Number five is retirement contributions at 8.25%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a good thing, just wish we could make
it higher.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next up is health insurance, another necessary evil but
was only 6.25%. Thank goodness my wife’s company pays for half, making our payments
so low.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Number seven is groceries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do the shopping and think we spend too
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is 5.5% of our expenses.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The last two that I will include as everything use in
under 2% is vacation and entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Both are 5% each of our total expenses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We love to travel and I thought it would be more but then again, we are
frugal and find great deals!<o:p></o:p></div>
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All these are 85.35% of our expenses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Percentages will change when our incomes
change, so it will be interesting to see what 2020 brings!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-40420588366944639532019-02-16T07:00:00.000-05:002019-02-16T07:00:09.454-05:00WeAre8: The People's Platform<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mcZTO8L2mvE/XGRpyCwL9II/AAAAAAAAAJ4/12rxgVCWzQ0yZan4uTamn1WA4-k2KJzagCLcBGAs/s1600/unnamed%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="512" height="156" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mcZTO8L2mvE/XGRpyCwL9II/AAAAAAAAAJ4/12rxgVCWzQ0yZan4uTamn1WA4-k2KJzagCLcBGAs/s320/unnamed%2B%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a>Have you checked out the WeAre8 app?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did and was skeptical at first, but then started
using it in the past month I have made $86.00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sure, it all hasn’t hit my bank account yet, but it will be.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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What is We Are 8, you may ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get creative and get paid!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is We Are 8, you may ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got this from their Facebook page:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="color: red;">At 8, we build relationships between brands and millions
of people. On 8, everyone on the planet is economically rewarded when they
share or create high-quality brand content. Get creative. Get Paid. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="color: red;">How does it work?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red;">1.) Download the WeAre8 app & accept sponsorships
from brands you love. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red;">2.) Depending on the sponsorship, either share or create
branded content on your social media account(s).<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red;">3.) Get paid through your PayPal account.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: red;">4.) Do it again!</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And it is fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am having a ball and putting money in my packet to boot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check it out, there website is <a href="https://www.weare8.com/">https://www.weare8.com/</a> And no, I do not get
a referral fee.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-70732241444293039992019-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:002019-02-14T07:00:11.816-05:00Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days - Book Review<i style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms", trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This post contains affiliate links. Please read my <a href="https://livingfrugallysemi-retired.blogspot.com/2018/05/disclosure-and-privacy-policy.html" target="_blank">disclosure policy</a> for more information.</i><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1524758841/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1524758841&linkCode=am2&tag=dansjou-20&linkId=ffeddd05f018edba1fbdd3875b3f8844" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=1524758841&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&tag=dansjou-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=dansjou-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1524758841" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
I read about <a href="https://amzn.to/2X0KwyA" target="_blank">Side Hustle</a> from a finance blog that I regularly
read and thought this is a book that I WANT to read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d love to have a side hustle to make extra
cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who wouldn’t?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, after reading the book, I found it
isn’t really easy to do it in 27 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’d really have to hustle, try and come up with an idea (although he
does suggest stealing other ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
first, it would have to be something I am passionate about to put all that time
and energy into such idea.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Don’t get me wrong, I think that he has some great ideas
and if one wants to be an entrepreneur, it could help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if one doesn’t know where to begin, this
book would be helpful in getting that ball rolling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And isn’t that what we all need, to get a
push and get the proverbial ball rolling?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Overall, it is good for the beginner, although it doesn’t
add anything new if you have been through this before or read other books on
the subject.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
3 Stars</div>
Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-33928561961294248322019-01-31T07:00:00.000-05:002019-01-31T07:00:02.603-05:00Fetch Rewards<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This post contains affiliate links. Please read my <a href="https://livingfrugallysemi-retired.blogspot.com/2018/05/disclosure-and-privacy-policy.html" style="color: #b87209; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">disclosure policy</a> for more information.</i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></i>
<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eu7UfscW7Zo/XFG2VA9sIgI/AAAAAAAAAJk/J8lppd1XACkea81dNyJPpZv3KTB7S8CXwCLcBGAs/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="112" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eu7UfscW7Zo/XFG2VA9sIgI/AAAAAAAAAJk/J8lppd1XACkea81dNyJPpZv3KTB7S8CXwCLcBGAs/s200/maxresdefault.jpg" width="200" /></a>The latest app that I have installed on my phone is <a href="https://bit.ly/2zwOdBK" target="_blank">FetchRewards</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's a free app that turns
grocery receipts into rewards. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All you
have to do is scan any grocery receipt, and earn points towards awesome rewards
(gift cards). You'll earn at least 1% on all listed brands and products, and
gain access to exclusive offers that earn you even more points. No more
entering codes, completing tasks or jumping through any hoops! Just scan your
grocery receipt, and get rewarded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have been using it for two weeks and have accumulated 4,000 points, and I only
shop once a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an example, 3,000
points gets you a $3 gift card. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Use my referral code, QT6PD, during signup and you'll get
3,000 Fetch Points ($3.00 in points!) just for starting.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Why wait? Download Fetch Rewards free here:
<a href="https://bit.ly/2zwOdBK">https://bit.ly/2zwOdBK</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></i>Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-43352519006580919262019-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:002019-01-03T07:00:04.703-05:00Happy New Year!<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dArGXMaijIs/XCzip25ZB8I/AAAAAAAAAJY/wgoMMNfalXY6Fa4iBGkJX5X48VpCmo25QCLcBGAs/s1600/tumblr_inline_mwfzy4jjx01qersu1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="400" height="152" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dArGXMaijIs/XCzip25ZB8I/AAAAAAAAAJY/wgoMMNfalXY6Fa4iBGkJX5X48VpCmo25QCLcBGAs/s200/tumblr_inline_mwfzy4jjx01qersu1.jpg" width="200" /></a>Wow, the whole month of December and I didn’t write a single blog post. It was like I had a time out. Many reasons for that. One, I was busy with the holidays. Two, I wasn’t in the mood. And three, I had nothing to say.<br />
<br />
I hope that everyone had a happy holiday and enjoyed themselves. I know I did. I was able to see my daughter twice in December (and she lives over 1,000 miles away). Family time is important to me and we got to spend some quality time, just never enough.<br />
<br />
I wasn’t in the mood. Do you ever that feeling when you don’t want to do something? I had that last month. I just couldn’t get into writing; whether for this blog or in general. It was certainly a blah moment for my creative juices.<br />
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Lastly, I had nothing to say. I wasn’t going to talk about the stock market dropping. I think by now we all know about that. It didn’t help my net worth, but I continue to strive for financial independence.<br />
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It’s a new year and a new year brings hope. And for those who make resolutions, more power to you. MY resolution is, nope, not to write more, but to run more. I have become inspired to run the Walt Disney World Marathon Dopey Challenge in 2022 for my 60th birthday. I haven’t run since last January, so it is time to train.<br />
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If you are reading this, Happy New Year and you may see new posts in 2019. Carry on!Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-31774586714818360872018-11-28T07:00:00.000-05:002018-11-28T07:00:02.017-05:00Community Garage Sale Earnings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utZ-FdKmc-0/W_13w3S5KII/AAAAAAAAAJE/7JqE3dG2c88YmOdF6gqmUy2tpgGiJCzGgCLcBGAs/s1600/Garage-Sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utZ-FdKmc-0/W_13w3S5KII/AAAAAAAAAJE/7JqE3dG2c88YmOdF6gqmUy2tpgGiJCzGgCLcBGAs/s200/Garage-Sale.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Three years ago we packed our bags and moved from New Jersey to Florida. Two months ago we moved to a new home I Florida. In all that time we’ve accumulated stuff. Stuff we didn’t use anymore. Stuff we didn’t appreciate anymore. Stuff we thought was too good for Good Will.<br />
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Our development(s) don’t allow for individual yard sales. We were unaware of the community garage sale the first year, were not around last year, but we were able to do it this year. I was skeptical since it only ran from 8:00 am to noon. Up in NJ, it was until 4:00. Turns out I didn’t need to worry. In the first hour, we got rid of so much, that I raised the prices. I like to price low just to get rid of stuff. And we did get rid of stuff. A lot of stuff. We cleared $200! That’s better than what we’ve had done in New Jersey. I think our best in NJ was around $60.<br />
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And since I’m so frugal, my half of that money will probably last me three months or more!Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-69501251898183096282018-11-22T07:00:00.000-05:002018-11-22T07:00:09.594-05:00Survey Savvy - Intelligence Adds Up<i>This post contains affiliate links. Please read my <a href="https://livingfrugallysemi-retired.blogspot.com/2018/05/disclosure-and-privacy-policy.html" target="_blank">disclosure policy</a> for more information.</i><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yDaiAO2s-HE/W_Vm8gJc50I/AAAAAAAAAI4/BOTVKHuHQxcqWTxHqLGHuprqjBu7doa7gCLcBGAs/s1600/survey-savvy-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="76" data-original-width="229" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yDaiAO2s-HE/W_Vm8gJc50I/AAAAAAAAAI4/BOTVKHuHQxcqWTxHqLGHuprqjBu7doa7gCLcBGAs/s1600/survey-savvy-logo.png" /></a></div>
My wife tells me I do too many surveys online. And she is correct. They do get repetitive and it seems that they are all linked to one another somehow. But one survey site I like is <a href="https://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=4115693" target="_blank">Survey Savvy</a>. Why? Because they pay more than others. On average they pay about $2.00 a survey.<br />
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But the problem is that you may not be what they are looking for. I have been declined more than I’ve been accepted. It almost made me decide not to continue. But now that I have more time on my hands, I choose their surveys over others. And they are not short. They could take 25 minutes or more.<br />
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Survey Savvy has been around since 1999, so they are not some fly-by-night company. They also do NOT use PayPal or direct deposit. So you have to request a check to be mailed to you (no minimum) and it could take 4-12 weeks to receive your check. I’ve made some spending cash from them and will continue to respond to their survey requests.<br />
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If you want to learn more, click on my referral link <a href="https://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=4115693" target="_blank">here</a>. How knows, I may make a small fee when you complete a survey.<br />
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Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-76326062827073154812018-11-18T08:00:00.000-05:002018-11-20T17:21:51.705-05:00Why Do I Spend Money?<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NZ-uGE1wV08/W-8E_wnADHI/AAAAAAAAAIs/9ja1DEjJEPc2TdJz-x1iZraOC1W5pGnkQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1533" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NZ-uGE1wV08/W-8E_wnADHI/AAAAAAAAAIs/9ja1DEjJEPc2TdJz-x1iZraOC1W5pGnkQCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_7380.jpg" width="191" /></a>And to get back into writing this blog, I started thinking about ways to save money, the question I ask myself and you should ask yourself is why do I spend money? Take a moment to think about that. Then take out some paper and a pen and write down the reasons you spend money.<br />
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Of course, there is the obvious and legitimate reasons we spend money (the basics – food, clothing and shelter). But then there is everything else. We buy things out of boredom, because we are depressed or just trying to impress others. I used to buy CDs when I was sad. If I had that money now. I certainly don’t have the CDs any more. Trying to impress others is a waste of time and money.<br />
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Somehow we associate buying new things with being happy. My experience is that rush of happiness does not last long. We buy things to numb our emotions (and I’m not talking about drugs and alcohol). Money doesn’t buy happiness. That is one thing to remember.<br />
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So with your paper and pen, write down all the reasons you spend money. Cross of the legitimate ones and look at the ones that are not legitimate. Think about why you purchase these items and are they really needed. Think of what you could do with that money if you didn’t spend it on these “illegitimate” things, like paying off debt or saving/investing. Think of things that you could do other than shopping to deal with your emotions.<br />
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I’ve stopped buying so much stuff and have saved and invested more since I’ve started questioning everything I purchase. I also like to keep my wallet empty.<br />
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Good luck!Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-56303647936929653312018-11-16T07:00:00.000-05:002018-11-16T07:00:03.159-05:00October's Passive Income RecapOctober was not a good month for me and my passive income. Not only is dividend income low, so is everything else. October is usually not a good month in dividend cycle. But my motivation to make other income was low. I did get more in gifts. And now that my Christmas shipping is completed, I can save that for next year. I hope November will improve, but half way through the month I don’t think so.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJZM0i5H-JY/W-2onUPE4_I/AAAAAAAAAIg/KhKRyT3qdd4tj1bjDBj1zfNiUIyc_mdKQCLcBGAs/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="602" height="227" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJZM0i5H-JY/W-2onUPE4_I/AAAAAAAAAIg/KhKRyT3qdd4tj1bjDBj1zfNiUIyc_mdKQCLcBGAs/s400/Capture.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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My net worth decreased less than 15 from September but is still 6.5% higher than this time last year. Would like to keep it 105 better. I have to work on that.<br />
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But what really bothers me is that our expense are increased instead of decreasing. I know we bought a new home in September and had some adjustments in October, but I am hoping that it will go back down as we approach the coming months. The more expenses increase the longer it will take to get to FIRE. Keeping my fingers crossed and my wallet closed!<br />
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Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-34296377895543939732018-11-15T07:00:00.000-05:002018-11-15T07:00:09.215-05:00I Have Writer's Block Big Time!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bnCM9CoFrzA/W-xkJwCffhI/AAAAAAAAAIM/NKddOdHu9zcJ5gt7QKrxdafq2BCiagQ1QCLcBGAs/s1600/don_t-be-a-slave-to-writer_s-block.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="299" height="178" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bnCM9CoFrzA/W-xkJwCffhI/AAAAAAAAAIM/NKddOdHu9zcJ5gt7QKrxdafq2BCiagQ1QCLcBGAs/s200/don_t-be-a-slave-to-writer_s-block.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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You ever have that feeling when you don’t want to do
anything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the way I have been
feeling lately. Mostly with my writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I haven’t been inspired to write any blog posts or ever get back to that
book I was writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why is that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IS this block mental or something more?<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the course of my lifetime, I have written many
unproduced screenplays, unpublished books, stories, and even two blogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was much more motivated when I was
younger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I get older (I am not going
to say mature), I seem to have lost that mojo.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are ideas running through my head and thoughts
written on scraps of paper that go nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You would think that I could something with that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Not only have I lost the mojo, I lost the structure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep telling myself that I need to schedule
time to write, whether it is readable or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I just need to do and not procrastinate!<o:p></o:p></div>
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So do I start reading books on dealing with writer’s
block and delay the writing or do I just write, even if it is garbage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love to get some feedback.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932907009/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1932907009&linkCode=as2&tag=dansjou-20&linkId=1d8f2487a067456a1f7f91f857142d72" target="_blank">Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1611802903/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1611802903&linkCode=as2&tag=dansjou-20&linkId=f306f97eb4f5c8cfdb1c790d0b91d00b" target="_blank">On Being Stuck: Tapping Into the Creative Power of Writer's Block</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0395647274/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=dansjou-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0395647274&linkId=f2cee83e1c19022829a333c4d8e64715" target="_blank">On Writer's Block: A New Approach To Creativity</a></div>
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Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-11947079207485972542018-10-25T07:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T07:00:04.024-04:00When being frugal – plan ahead!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e8Tw3Nc_O30/W9Corl5AmbI/AAAAAAAAAIA/QZjMIYsnuiEfyhfMVUmU6BA2XwluKRoOQCLcBGAs/s1600/hard-choice-2-1581478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e8Tw3Nc_O30/W9Corl5AmbI/AAAAAAAAAIA/QZjMIYsnuiEfyhfMVUmU6BA2XwluKRoOQCLcBGAs/s200/hard-choice-2-1581478.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Other than keeping little money in my wallet when I go
out shopping (and yes, keep those credit cards out of there too), the greatest
tool to being frugal is planning ahead.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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When planning ahead, you save money by not spending money
needlessly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Example, if you are going
out, you can make your own coffee and/or lunch so that you don’t have to buy
while out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same goes with refillable
water bottles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bring your own, and don’t
need to buy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Planning ahead could meaning cooking your meals for the
week ahead of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Save not only money
but time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to do that when we used
to commute and it was late when we got home at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With meals ready to reheat meant we didn’t need
to go out to eat or order a pizza.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Planning ahead for the future is great for being
frugal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it is clothing, trips, appliances,
etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We plan ahead for all big items and
for trips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My wife is good at finding
deal, coupons and such others.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Little did my wife know that I was planning ahead and
saved money to make the move from New Jersey the month we started living
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was never to be our forever
home (only to be closer to my daughter).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So when the time came some fourteen years later when she had enough of
the snow and I couldn’t or wouldn’t shovel it anymore, I showed her the bank
account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This made the decision and the
move to Florida very easy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When we have goals and save for them, you find that it is
not hard to be frugal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see the big
picture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So plan ahead, establish goals and see where you can save
every day, every month, and every year.</div>
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Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-61346035181473843592018-10-20T07:00:00.000-04:002018-10-20T07:00:01.438-04:00Ibotta the free app that pays you cash for everyday purchases<br />
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<i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">This post may contain affiliate links. Please
read my <a href="https://livingfrugallysemi-retired.blogspot.com/2018/05/disclosure-and-privacy-policy.html"><span style="color: #b87209; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">disclosure
policy</span></a> for more information.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2ngkCgfFKc/W8oideY67vI/AAAAAAAAAH0/HMiCQqQO5QAY8Fu27UBWLZxFOO48WCecgCLcBGAs/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2ngkCgfFKc/W8oideY67vI/AAAAAAAAAH0/HMiCQqQO5QAY8Fu27UBWLZxFOO48WCecgCLcBGAs/s200/download.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I usually don’t go for shopping apps, but I have to tell
you that <a href="https://ibotta.com/r/gjcdjrl" target="_blank">Ibotta</a> is working for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
only can you save money on groceries (just scan your receipt), you can also save
shopping online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And alcohol and liquor
is included too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure helps when you are
having parties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not just brand
names, there are many “any item” choices and even an “any receipt” option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been using it for food shopping and love
to get money back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can cash out when
you reach $20.<o:p></o:p></div>
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They also and promos and contests to help you save more
money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I love saving money!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you sign up through my link, you get $10
to begin with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are stipulations
though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also like that when friends
(those who sign up through your link), they can save even more money be
reaching certain goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://ibotta.com/r/gjcdjrl" target="_blank">Ibotta</a> makes
shopping and saving fun, so why not check it out and sign up today!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-28905781755060066952018-10-17T07:00:00.000-04:002018-10-17T07:00:11.841-04:00September Passive Income RecapSeptember wasn’t a bad month but it was a good month. Although my passive income stay around the same, the majority of that was from dividend income. Make note to self to purchase stocks that with dividends in different months than I already have. I like the $600 range each month but would prefer to increase slowly over time. Not happening yet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yxihJVLhv80/W8YFsoJJzCI/AAAAAAAAAHo/_VfQZci8jlQ6czp6LRO6et4SyTXrKnJUwCLcBGAs/s1600/Capture.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="539" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yxihJVLhv80/W8YFsoJJzCI/AAAAAAAAAHo/_VfQZci8jlQ6czp6LRO6et4SyTXrKnJUwCLcBGAs/s320/Capture.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also, September was the month we moved into a new home (moving expenses) and sold our old home (broke even). It wasn’t a great month for extra cash, that’s for sure. My newt work decreased 3% from the previous month (damn stock market roller coaster) but still up 11.70% from the previous year.Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-43265751874313271002018-10-13T07:00:00.000-04:002018-10-13T07:00:07.399-04:00Book Review: The Wealthy Barber - Everyone's' Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent<i>This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my <a href="https://livingfrugallysemi-retired.blogspot.com/2018/05/disclosure-and-privacy-policy.html" style="color: #b87209; text-decoration-line: none;">disclosure policy</a> for more information.</i><br />
<br />
<iframe 120px="" 240px="" float:="" frameborder="0" height:="" left="" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=dansjou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0761513116&asins=0761513116&linkId=3266e029c402c53ab6d7eb03081dd93c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="float: right; height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe>Some say that The Wealthy Barber is outdated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read the revised third edition which was
published over twenty years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Times
have changed but the words in this book is still relevant for the everyone that
wants to become financially independent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you look at it as your first book to read as you make your path to
reach that goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although, I have been
doing much of what is written, it was still helpful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would recommended this book to those
starting out on their own and don’t know what to do with the finances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He covers not only saving, but life insurance,
with a bit or taxes and real estate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
in depth though, but more as a starting point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Easy and fun read that I would recommend to everyone who wants to a push
in the right direction for their personal finances.
Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-66443974516557798812018-10-11T07:00:00.000-04:002018-10-11T07:00:10.136-04:00The No Spend ChallengeI recently came across <a href="https://www.mamafishsaves.com/10-tips-for-a-successful-no-spend-challenge" target="_blank">10 Tips For A Successful No Spend Challenge</a> and although I may have mentioned in other posts some of these tips, I want to share again because I think this is a great way to budget one’s money.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lq5XU_5DIf4/W74ZvLxyxUI/AAAAAAAAAHU/NQJhFseASY8Hm-4UFHXE_GZdwR-vFhK-ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lq5XU_5DIf4/W74ZvLxyxUI/AAAAAAAAAHU/NQJhFseASY8Hm-4UFHXE_GZdwR-vFhK-ACLcBGAs/s200/IMG_7262.jpg" width="200" /></a>If you are wondering what no-spend challenge is, it is a challenge to stop impulse buying and use what you are already have. You can do it for a month, a week or just a weekend. I try at least one week out of the month. But remember, paying bills are not included. You must pay your bills (that’s not really impulse spending).<br />
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1) The first tip is the pantry challenge. I wrote a whole post on this. You can visit that post <a href="https://livingfrugallysemi-retired.blogspot.com/2018/09/whats-in-your-pantry.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Mainly, you are using up what you have in your pantry to prepare meals. Waste not, want not.<br />
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2) The second tip is to plan your meals. If you plan your meals in advance and purchase only what you need, you can cut your grocery bill in half. When I plan my meals, I plan for more than two people and freeze the rest to enjoy it another day.<br />
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3) Free activities. Great advice. There are always something going on in the neighborhood that doesn’t cost money. Last weekend, my wife and I went to a Rocktoberfest, which was free. We brought out lawn chairs, a cooler and listened to three local bands without spending a dime.<br />
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4) Stock up. If there is a sale for something we need and use on a regular basis, I will stock up (especially toilet paper) and save money that way.<br />
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5) Unsubscribe from emails, especially ones from stores. They’re nothing but advertising and they want you to spend money. No emails, less temptations.<br />
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6) Be accountable to someone. If this works with weight-loss programs, why can’t it work for money saving programs? Let people know you are trying to save money and are keeping within a budget. It helps.<br />
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7) Use up everything. Not just food, but everything! Don’t buy something at the store if it is a good deal when you already have it at home. Kind of goes against #4 Stock up, but I get where she is coming from. I don’t need two dozen pens, the same amount of markers or jars of salad dressing, etc.<br />
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8) Plan Family Fun At Home. And we do. Although there are no children at our home, my wife and I love to play card games and board games. It’s fun and doesn’t cost more than the purchase of the game. Of course, we’ve gone through three decks of Phase 10 since we play so often. Okay, my wife did splurge on a Skee-Ball game, but she plays often and sometimes to relieve work stress. Does that mean I can use it as a tax write-off?<br />
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9) Leave Money At Home. That’s easy for me because I never have money. But then again, I mainly use credit cards. Not that this tempts me to buy things when I am out. I also don’t carry all my cards when I go out.<br />
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10) The last on her list is to use up gift cards. If and when I do get gift cards, I sue them. If I get Visa gift cards, I redeem them for Amazon gift cards and keep the balance in my Amazon account. It also works if you have pennies left on a Visa gift card. I use my Amazon credit to buy gifts all year long.<br />
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So, try a no spend challenge. I did and it is a challenge but it is fun and we saved money or better yet didn’t spend money when we didn’t need to.Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-71945000641447790682018-10-03T07:00:00.000-04:002018-10-03T07:00:00.291-04:00Moving Is A Bitch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gWxNR-uvXK0/W7PActtrItI/AAAAAAAAAHI/IzFQkS-SGJ0waP-HjuzYlPuiSCL7CY7BACLcBGAs/s1600/moving.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="460" height="271" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gWxNR-uvXK0/W7PActtrItI/AAAAAAAAAHI/IzFQkS-SGJ0waP-HjuzYlPuiSCL7CY7BACLcBGAs/s320/moving.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Moving to a new home is a bitch. We’ve moved twice in the past three years. First from New Jersey to Florida. This past week just five miles north of where we were. Being frugal, I didn’t hire a moving company to make the long trek to Florida. Why? We thought we could do it ourselves. We did, but not all at once. First trip we drove my car down, packed with as much as we could stuff into a Mazda 6. Then flew back home. The second trip, a month later we took my wife’s car loaded up, spent the weekend and headed back home. Next came the rental truck which had everything but our bed and essentials. The following month was the finally trip with a little trailer attached to my wife’s SUV. Our poor cat didn’t know what to think.<br />
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Anyway, we had gotten rid of half of our stuff by selling it, giving it away or throwing it away. When we left our home in New Jersey we left behind a dining room table, two dressers, a kitchen table with bench, a microwave oven, a grill and picnic table. In another six months we would sell the house and the new owner would get most of that since our friend watching the home would get rid of whatever. She was good like that.<br />
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After moving to Florida, we realized we didn’t need more of the stuff we brought down. Slowly started getting rid of that stuff. We bought this house furnished and got rid of the furniture we weren’t going to use. The Salvation Army loved us. Now moving again recently, we downsized some more. Our new home is larger, but if we don’t use it, why keep it.<br />
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Since we were moving 5 miles away and had eight days to clear out our old home, we moved most of the stuff ourselves, but rented a moving company to haul the big stuff. It took them only two hours to load and unload. It wasn’t expensive at all.<br />
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I’m waiting for community garage sales to finally rid the stuff that we actually make a few bucks on. Makes me think who much money we could have saved if we hadn’t bought those things to begin with. We had to have a desire for them at one time, but now more. Now, we think twice, even three times before purchasing stuff. We don’t plan on moving again and I don’t want my daughter have to deal with my ‘stuff’ when I die.<br />
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How about you? Has anyone else moved and got rid of stuff and downsized tremendously? Or do you keep it and store it? Would you move yourself to save a few bucks or hire a moving company? Needless to say I hate bubble wrapping everything!<br />
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Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-74831164953484156212018-09-19T07:00:00.000-04:002018-10-10T13:25:48.348-04:00Book Review: Your Money Or You Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez<i>This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my <a href="https://livingfrugallysemi-retired.blogspot.com/2018/05/disclosure-and-privacy-policy.html">disclosure policy</a> for more information.</i><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=dansjou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0143115766&asins=0143115766&linkId=7de11a43758d4d71f1ef5ee2cdaa193e&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="float: right; height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe>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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-27288594822131720552018-09-17T08:00:00.000-04:002018-09-17T08:00:08.391-04:00Ebates - Getting Money Back for Shopping Online<i>This post contains affiliate links. Please read my <a href="https://livingfrugallysemi-retired.blogspot.com/2018/05/disclosure-and-privacy-policy.html" target="_blank">disclosure policy</a> for more information.</i><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LO_hlNHEA30/W5vXEAP76FI/AAAAAAAAAGw/bE8DSEWq6KQ05oZQFLGD-CODDpL2_qmiQCLcBGAs/s1600/ebates.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="110" data-original-width="211" height="104" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LO_hlNHEA30/W5vXEAP76FI/AAAAAAAAAGw/bE8DSEWq6KQ05oZQFLGD-CODDpL2_qmiQCLcBGAs/s200/ebates.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/GRUMPY1460?eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates</a> 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 <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/GRUMPY1460?eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates</a>, 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 <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/GRUMPY1460?eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates</a> button to get my rebate.<br />
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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 <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/GRUMPY1460?eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates</a> (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 <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/GRUMPY1460?eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates</a>, I gotten back over $75.00<br />
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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.<br />
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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 <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/GRUMPY1460?eeid=28187" target="_blank">Ebates</a>. What a deal. Okay, I sounded like an advertisement again! Happy shopping, folks.<br />
<br />Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-57058426837431447412018-09-16T08:00:00.000-04:002018-09-16T08:00:07.216-04:00August Passive Income Recap<br />
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The month of August was not as good as July, but I did
receive my first income form the blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although,
I have to admit that most of that income was sitting around from another blog I
had some 4-5 years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it finally
reached the threshold to payout last month with my new blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This makes me happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We are also moving into a new house and I have been
spending my time packing up and cleaning and moving money around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully, when the dust settles, I can get
back to the blog.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Good news is that my net worth increased 2.21% from July
and 17.37% from the previous year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
is good.</div>
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Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-39129199900514062632018-09-10T08:00:00.000-04:002018-09-10T08:00:08.111-04:00What is Your Good Life?<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YtYYRYdiH_g/W5Uw-fDUN1I/AAAAAAAAAGk/3qxJuQaW_KYgDllUI_wXm2UyrfXnT2o7gCLcBGAs/s1600/good-life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="799" height="186" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YtYYRYdiH_g/W5Uw-fDUN1I/AAAAAAAAAGk/3qxJuQaW_KYgDllUI_wXm2UyrfXnT2o7gCLcBGAs/s200/good-life.jpg" width="200" /></a>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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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?Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-29861254800915221742018-09-02T08:00:00.000-04:002018-09-02T08:00:05.514-04:00What'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.<br />
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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!<br />
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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.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iKo2EnVMS_M/W4qccEoWo7I/AAAAAAAAAGY/Kk5FsGfjGgIcwv744vJzfaTmim_q-aU5QCLcBGAs/s1600/Kitchen-pantry-closet-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="822" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iKo2EnVMS_M/W4qccEoWo7I/AAAAAAAAAGY/Kk5FsGfjGgIcwv744vJzfaTmim_q-aU5QCLcBGAs/s200/Kitchen-pantry-closet-7.jpg" width="140" /></a>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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Remember eat all that you have and save that extra money you are not spending!Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-720042386171390797.post-45566590555453238372018-08-22T08:00:00.000-04:002018-08-22T08:00:01.120-04:00Impulse Buying - Stop It Now!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W33nfotp9j0/W3xN9TF3rsI/AAAAAAAAAGM/CnzTTaR_NdoA-R_jYoXl_R8Z6EhqLkBBgCLcBGAs/s1600/image13.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W33nfotp9j0/W3xN9TF3rsI/AAAAAAAAAGM/CnzTTaR_NdoA-R_jYoXl_R8Z6EhqLkBBgCLcBGAs/s200/image13.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://marketingland.com/psychology-clicking-buy-now-139046" target="_blank">Image Source</a></td></tr>
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Impulse buying could be a very bad thing for the frugal minded. It is the desire to have something immediately, then most likely regretting the purchase later. In other words, one did not think it through when they made such purchase. You buy because you may be afraid of missing out or you are addicted to shopping and the rush makes you feel good.<br />
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I have done that in the past; bought a piece of real estate in Arizona on eBay. Bought a bunch of old lunch boxes to start a collection because I saw some in a museum. This list goes on. I wanted a Ronald McDonald stature sitting on a bench or the Sinclair Dinosaur that you see at the gas stations. But I have stopped myself.<br />
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Why? Because the thrill of the purchase fades quickly and you are in possession of something that you may not want later and will regret it.<br />
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But if you want to save money and not waste it, then do what I have done.<br />
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Write what you want down, don’t buy it. Look at your list in three days. Do you still want it? Look again in thirty days. Do you really need it? Think about what you could do with this money otherwise. That usually helps me.<br />
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Stay away from shopping websites, especially the auction sites. Reward yourself for not making an impulse buy. An ice cream works for me!<br />
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Plan ahead, save in advance for things you need. Write it all down, review it, then review it again. Is it worth it? Is it needed? Can you live without it?<br />
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I find I feel better not buying something I wanted just for that quick joy. Saving money for my future is a much bigger joy.Dan Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821501929783622707noreply@blogger.com0