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We Are All Winners!!!

we are all winners

We all like good news!

I must say that it has been a pretty awesome last few weeks for Kate and I as well as our friends.  And I don’t mean it because we got to go on an awesome vacation or because we had two Thanksgiving dinners, but because there has been some pretty exciting news in our lives.

No, we’re not having a baby.  I just want to say that before I start getting hysterical calls from my mom.

Actually, our friends En and Em just had their second daughter, baby A. Good job, Em!!! And congratulations to En as well for his contribution.  She couldn’t have done it without you.

Bringing a new member to the family is by far the most amazing thing that could happen, but there were other things that happened to us that were somewhat cool.

It’s Official – Bars Are Not My Thing

Beers are overpriced

Beers are overpriced

I remember those college days when going out was a bit of a ritual.  I didn’t even start getting ready until 9-9:30 pm because “nobody goes out before 10 pm.”  I never really tried to look too sharp because that wasn’t really my style, but I always tried to look good thinking that maybe that day was the day when I was going to meet someone… or “hook up” with somebody like the youngsters say.  I got a few numbers but that day was never THE day.

Either way, I always had fun when I went out to bars, but I have come to a point in my life where going out to bars is really not my thing.

Boys Night Out

Because all of us are either married with kids, are engaged or in a committed relationship, finding time where all the guys can get together is sometimes difficult without prior planning.  So about a month ago, we decided to plan a boys night out because he hadn’t hung out together in a while.

We settled on this past Friday, which happened to be the day before my brother’s birthday.  It was a great opportunity to hang out and also celebrate my brother’s birthday by going out to dinner in New York and then having some drinks at a bar in Hoboken, NJ.

Side Hustle Alert! – UserTesting

usertesting

Make Money Online

I write a lot about ways to save money in order to pay off debt.  But that is only on part of the equation.  You can also look for ways to make more money so you can have more disposable income to either save or pay off debt.

I haven’t written much about making money on the side because I don’t usually try to make money on the side myself.  Side hustles take time and effort that I just don’t have.

But don’t worry my young grasshopper.  I found an excellent side hustle that doesn’t take too much time and it’s so easy that even I can do it. Website usability testing with UserTesting.com.

If you are like me and are trying to make money on the side without too much effort then UserTesting.com is for you.

Giving Feels Good

giving feels good

Give Yourself

We all love receiving things, be it gifts, money, affection, food – you name it, we like it.  You might not believe it, but you know what else feels good? Giving.

When most people think of giving, they think of giving gifts or giving money in the form of donations, but what if you don’t have money to give?  Well, you can give your time.

You can not only give your time to your friends and family but you can also volunteer somewhere and donate your time to your community.

I try to volunteer at the animal shelter every year, and this year Kate told me about a program at work in which volunteers go to middle schools and high school and teach a class about bullying (middle school) or career exploration (high school).

I decided to do the career exploration class because I felt I knew more about the topic and I could help the kids better.

Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite Holiday because it is all about giving thanks and spending time with family and loved ones – while eating as much as possible.  There are other good Holidays, but you usually have to buy gifts for people… I’m looking at you Christmas and Hanukkah.

Since Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, I want to take this opportunity and give thanks for a few people.

Back From Family Vacation

Family Vacation

Family Vacation

I’ve been away so long that I feel the need to say ‘Hello everyone!’  It really hasn’t been that long, only two weeks, but it really feels like a long time.

For those of you who don’t know, I just returned from a family vacation to Italy. This was the first vacation I’ve taken with my entire family in over 15 years and it was pretty awesome.

My brother, my sister, and I – along with our significant others – decided to take my mom to Italy.  My mom has always wanted to go to Europe, but never had the opportunity to go.  So when I saw a Groupon for a trip to Italy, I knew this could be her opportunity.

I mentioned the deal to my brother and sister to see if they wanted to join Kate and I on this trip, and also to see if they wanted to split the cost of our mom’s ticket.  Everybody said that they would go, but my sister said she couldn’t really contribute for my mom’s trip because she’s planning a wedding and she’s already over-budget… Yet another reason why I don’t understand big weddings, but that’s a different discussion.

If You Rent, Get Renters Insurance

renters insurance

Kitchen Fire

Many people know that having insurance is a good thing.  We all insure our cars in case of accidents or in case they get stolen; we are also all required to get health insurance in case we get sick; and we should all have emergency insurance in the form or an emergency fund.  We also know that if we have a house, we need home owners insurance so we’re financially protected in case something happens to the house.

But the one thing that many people ignore is renters insurance.  Renters, for the most part, don’t think about insurance because the place they are renting is not theirs or they think their belongings are insured through their landlord’s insurance policy.

Landlords have insurance on the apartments, but only for structural damage, not for the things that are inside the apartment, a.k.a. your things.

October Goals Update

october goals

Ditto

Is it just me or was October the longest month ever?  It seemed as if it was never going to end.  Maybe I just wanted it to be Halloween already, or maybe it is because my November vacation can’t come fast enough.

Another factor that might have an effect on the extra length of October is that I was extremely busy with personal stuff and with work.  The only thing that kept me sane was knowing that vacation was coming soon.  Did I mention vacation soon?

October Goals

As many of you know, I set a few goals for myself this month.  The first one was a fitness challenge where I had to work out at least three times a week. The second goal was a writing challenge in which I had to write at least 500 words a day, every day.

Now, let me start by saying that I accomplished half of my goals.  That is, I was able to complete one of them, but failed miserably on the other.

How to Avoid Debt for Christmas

avoid debt for christmas

All I want for Christmas is You

Ahh Christmas is almost here.  Christmas season is the best time of the year for many, but it could also be one of the most stressful times for people who are in debt and can’t afford to buy gifts.

There is just so much pressure put on us to buy everybody and their mother a little something something for Christmas.  If you don’t, then you are just like Ebenezer Scrooge.

The pressure comes from everywhere.  There are countless Christmas commercials telling you what you should buy, there’s Christmas music everywhere (doesn’t tell you to buy stuff, but it reminds you two months in advance that it is Christmas season and that you should start getting ready), and there are also those who keep asking, “What are you getting [INSERT NAME] for Christmas?”  It is not even November yet!

Don’t get me wrong.  I love Christmas.  It is a time to get together with your family and loved ones.  Everybody seems to be happy – maybe tired of the Christmas songs, but happy – some of us gets a little break from work, and we get gifts.

Yes, I like gifts too.  The problem I have is when people get into debt just to buy somebody else a gift.

How To Avoid Credit Card Annual Fees

avoid credit card annual fees

No more annual fees!

Being an avid reader of personal finance blogs/websites for the last year or two, I’v noticed that there are two schools of thought when it comes to credit cards. Those who say credit cards are pure evil and avoid them at all cost, and those who embrace credit cards and use them to play the rewards game.

I’m in neither of these camps.

I definitely don’t avoid using credit cards.  Not because I don’t think they are dangerous – they certainly could be in the wrong hands – but because they are very convenient.  I use credit cards more that I use cash.  However, I only use credit cards when I know I have the cash to pay for whatever I buy.

For example.  I budget $150 for groceries per month, but instead of paying cash when I go food shopping, I pay with my credit card.  I know I can’t spend more than $150 because then I’ll go over budget.  At the end of the month, I take the $150 that are in my bank and pay off the credit card.

This allows me to not have to carry cash all the time and also earn some rewards.

Now, I like earning rewards, but I don’t play the rewards game.  The game where you sign up for 10 or 20 credit cards and spend X amount of dollars a month to get X number of points.  I’m impressed by the people who are able to do this, but I’m just not one of these people.

I spend what’s in my budget and if I get rewards then cool, and if I don’t get rewards then also cool.  I don’t try to manufacture spending to claim rewards… or maybe not yet.