Managing Money
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Should You Buy, Lease, or Finance Your Next Smartphone?
Remember a few years ago when you thought that friend of yours who always had the latest model iPhone was crazy for spending that much? That’s changed in recent years as carriers and others now allow you to essentially lease your device. Taking a page from the auto industry, you have the option to make…
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Did We Wait Too Long to Buy a House?
Back in 2016 — about a year after we relocated from Los Angeles, California to Springfield, Missouri — I wrote about how my wife and I were starting to think about buying a home and how we were dipping our proverbial toes into the process. Since then, we’ve gone up and down on the idea, meaning…
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Cometeer Review: A Money-Saving Specialty Coffee Source?
My relationship with coffee has really evolved over the years. Like many people my age (presumably), my first experience with drinking coffee with any frequency came thanks to the Starbucks Carmel Macchiato. Yet, when I wasn’t drinking sickly sweet beverages like that, I’d drink my coffee black. Somewhere along the way, I found myself gravitating…
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Buying a MacBook Pro in 2023: The Challenges and Tips for Saving
In 2004, I began my freshman year of college. During my first week, I realized that I needed a laptop that I could use to take notes in class, do homework on, and make dorm life more bearable in between. When I went to the school bookstore, I learned that all they sold were Apple…
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Athletic Brewing Non-Alcoholic Beer Subscription Review
For as long as I can remember, I’ve had an odd aversion to alcohol. I distinctly remember running out of the room crying during the Pleasure Island scene of Pinocchio and the apparently famous Tiny Toon Adventures episode “One Beer” left me scarred for life. Whatever the reason for this, I’ve never drank and am…
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EveryPlate Meal Kit Delivery Review
For the past few years, meal kit delivery services have been all the rage. And although I’ve written about them from time to time, I hadn’t actually tried any first-hand — until I joined EveryPlate about 18 months ago. Like other services, EveryPlate sends you weekly recipes along with pre-portioned ingredients. But, with me being…
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Fi Smart Collar (Series 2) Review: Is it Worth It?
A few months ago, my wife and I expanded our family by adding a dog. And while I’ve already shared some of the expenses we’ve incurred since bringing Rigby home, I wanted to go more into detail about one item we purchased for her: a Fi Smart Collar. This is actually something I had my…
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4 Ways to Save Money on Rent — Without Moving
For months, one of the biggest stories in the country — let alone finance stories — has been the rate of inflation. Due to a number of factors, Americans have seen everything from their grocery bills to their gas pump totals rise. Similarly, many renters have experienced hikes on their monthly payments. Heck, my rent…
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Meal Delivery Services: Pros, Cons, and Comparisons
Sometimes a simple idea can really take off, leading others to put their own twist on it and flood the market. That’s pretty much exactly what’s happened with meal delivery services — also known as meal kit subscriptions. These plans allow you to select from a list of recipe options each week and then have…
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Finance After Death: Preparing for the Eventual and Inevitable
In the past, I’ve written about a number of Money Milestones that are usually pretty exciting ones to reach. Today… not so much. Instead, let’s talk about a different kind of Money Milestone: dying. Yes, dying — that thing none of us wants to talk about but that all of us (barring any major scientific…
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6 Tips for Saving Money When Buying Electronics
There’s no doubt that technology and electronics play a bigger role in our lives now more than ever before. Because of this, many of us find ourselves in the market for new tech on a fairly frequent basis. Whether it’s a new phone, computer, tablet, camera, smartwatch, drone, or whatever else, we all know the…
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My 2022 Goals — Personal, Professional, and Money
And just like that, another year has nearly come to an end. For all of the challenges that 2021 brought, it sure did fly by. Now, with the new year just ahead, it’s time once again to share some of the goals I have going forward. Just like with last year’s post, I do feel…