Start Adulting On the Right Foot – 4 Tips to Success and Financial Peace

Author | July 20th, 2018 | Debt Reduction
Starting Adulting - 2 girls jumping at the ocean in sunset

A college graduate is starting Adulting. She asks what are the best things she can do to start living the adult life in a money smart way. The transition from being a student to becoming an adult can be a shock to the system.

Money Smart Adulting?

Hey there, Economides family:)

I am from Portugal and I love your tips. My birthday is coming soon and I will order your books as a gift.

Here life is a little different than in the U.S., but despite the distance, your concepts of living within your means is a great help!

I am an unemployed recent college … Read more »

Making Smarter Credit Decisions

Author | August 1st, 2017 | Budgeting
Calculating Your Credit Score with FICO.

We don’t pay much attention to our credit score. When you live debt-free and don’t borrow money, it becomes a non-issue. But we do realize that there are times in life when your credit score plays an important role in your future.

We helped our kids establish credit using a credit card secured by their bank accounts. They only used it for purchasing gas. Over time, the limited use of this credit card helped them establish a good credit score.

We always recommend the consistent use of a budgeting system to manage your finances.

Your credit score can also come into play … Read more »

The Cat of Bubastes Audio Drama

Author | November 16th, 2016 | Recreation/Fun
The Cat of Bubastes Audio Drama CD Cover

We just listened to another great audio drama adapted from a short story written by G.A. Henty. It kept us on the edge of our seats as we drove and listened to it!

The Setting of the Cat of Bubastes

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 The Setting of the Cat of Bubastes2 The Characters and the Problems they Encounter3 The Production Quality4 A Star-Studded Cast5 We Love Good Books, Movies, and Audio Products!

The Cat of Bubastes is a riveting story about a 15-year-old boy (Amuba) who is carried into slavery in ancient Egypt, around 1250 B.C. A kind … Read more »

Is Budgeting Better With Credit Cards?

Author | October 18th, 2016 | Budgeting
A silver and blue visa card in a blue jean pocket

Question about budgeting using credit cards

I’m using your America’s Cheapest Family Budgeting System and love it. I really like how the budget system allows for a family to “save” in advance for purchases and designates money for different specific categories.

Here’s my Budgeting Issue

We are not in debt. but we use our credit card for every purchase. And then we pay our credit card every month, completely. I know this is not the “norm” for most people.  We like this because we use fewer checks and we also receive cash back, which adds up quickly. We are able … Read more »

Which credit card should we pay off first?

Author | August 25th, 2016 | Budgeting
A woman with two hands full of credit cards trying to decide which one to use.

Question: Would it be wiser to make extra payments to pay down a credit card that has a 0 percent interest rate with a somewhat large balance (around $6,000) or to make extra payments to pay down a credit card with a smaller balance (around $2,000) and 11 percent interest?  I’m trying to decide which one to pay down on first. The card with 0 percent is for the life of the loan.

Answer- Here’s how you can eliminate your credit card debt: 

It’s great that you want to pay off your credit cards. It’s one of the most rewarding financial goals you could … Read more »

Entrepreneurship For Kids – Easy Tips to Foster Business Success

Author | August 24th, 2016 | Kids & Money
young boy sitting at a large business desk with a book opened in front of him

Some kids just want to be grown up and have a knack for making money. Entrepreneurship for kids is a hot topic – how can a parent help channel that energy in the right direction?

What’s on the mind of your average 15-year-old?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 What’s on the mind of your average 15-year-old?2 Look for Problems and Niches3 Get Your Children Out of the Box [Store]4 Educate Your Kids About the Marketplace5 Easy Businesses to Start6 Share Opportunities with Print and Electronic Marketing7 Encourage Financial Management8 They’ve Mastered the Basics – Now … Read more »

Powerful Audio History Series from the Producers of Adventures in Odyssey!

Author | August 21st, 2016 | Recreation/Fun
Heirloom Audio Productions 4 Audio CD selection.

Awesome History Audio Series for kids and families.

The Extraordinary Adventures of G.A. Henty by Heirloom Audio Productions

We love audiobooks and audio dramas – can’t get enough of them. When Steve was working for 23 years as an advertising account executive he would regularly go to the public library and check out a number of audiobooks every three weeks and listen to them as he drove around to client meetings.

When we took the kids on driving vacations we’d take several audiobooks with us also. Working on projects around the house – like painting a room and trimming trees in the yard … Read more »

How to Deal with Pesky Annual Bills

Author | July 23rd, 2016 | Budgeting
A long list of bills hanging in front of a man.

Fine tuning your monthly budget is always a good thing. But how do you manage expenses that only happen once a year?

A Reader Question

I have read a few of your books and they have immediately opened my eyes to different ways we can help ourselves become more economical.

At the end of last year I started to look at budgeting our money so that we can pay off those pesky credit cards, loans, and other debt. My wife and I each have incomes that don’t fluctuate much so we can predict what each paycheck is going to be. I also … Read more »