Morning!!

Got a great guest post for ya today, coming from Rockstar Finanace alum, Steve Adcock :) Man I miss that site sometimes… And I just learned that Apex Money just recently said farewell as well So it’s ripe for another one to come into the space if anyone’s ever thought about making one! I’d be happy to brain dump on you if you are ;)

Enjoy this article on Steve’s 6 financial rules he lives by every day… #6 is my favorite.

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My wife and I became millionaires in our 30s, and no, we didn’t inherit a pile of cash, win the lottery, or sell a startup for millions.

We became millionaires the boring, old-fashioned way.

Today, I’m sharing the six simple money rules I live by every single day. These rules are what made us millionaires. And most importantly, why we still are.

They are not fancy. They are not trendy. They just work.

#1. Keep 6 Months of Expenses in Cash

This is the rule that lets me sleep at night. Life is unpredictable. Jobs disappear (especially these days). Cars break down. Kids get sick. Water heaters explode at the worst possible moment. When you have six months of expenses sitting in cash, none of that becomes a crisis.

If you don’t have money set aside for an unexpected expense, build your emergency fund starting today. Your future self will thank you.

When I say an emergency fund, I’m not talking about six months of your income. I mean, six months of what it actually costs you to live. Rent, groceries, insurance, gas, the basics. When you have that cushion, you stop living in fear of the next surprise. You stop making decisions from panic. You stop feeling like one bad week could ruin everything.

We keep our rainy day fund in a HYSA (high yield savings account), so it’s easily accessible, accrues interest, and isn’t subject to the stock market’s ups and downs.

Cash is boring, but boring is underrated.

#2. Invest at Least 20% of Your Income

This is the engine that builds wealth. If you want your future to look different from your present, you need money growing in the background. Not someday. Not when you “feel ready.”

Right now.

The nice thing is that investing doesn’t need to be complicated. My wife and I invest primarily in index funds, which are diversified portfolios of shares in some of the best companies around the world. No listening in on earnings calls. No worrying about price-to-earnings ratios.

No finance degree required. Index funds make investing easy. (J$: This is what I do too )

Twenty percent might sound like a lot, but it becomes normal once you automate it. Treat it like a bill. The money leaves your account before you have a chance to spend it, and over time, it starts to stack up in a way that feels almost unfair.

The market does the heavy lifting. You just have to show up consistently.

#3. Never Carry a Credit Card Balance

We love credit cards. The points and travel rewards are wonderful. In fact, I’m flying first class to Scotland later this year from the points we earned using our cards.

Of course, credit cards do have a dark side.

Credit card debt is the villain in most people’s financial story. It sneaks in quietly and then refuses to leave. One month you’re a little short, so you carry a balance. The next month, the interest hits, and suddenly you’re paying for last month’s groceries at a premium.

Avoiding credit card interest by paying off your balance every month is our primary focus.

I use credit cards for the points and the convenience, but I treat them like debit cards. If I don’t have the money in my checking account, I don’t buy the thing. Simple. Clean. No drama.

Carrying a balance is like paying a cover charge to enter your own financial downfall.

Not interested.

#4. Drive Your Cars Into the Ground

I am not trying to win the neighborhood car show. I want a vehicle that starts when I turn the key and doesn’t drain my bank account. That’s it.

Note: This is in stark contrast to the supercharged Corvette I used to drive when I was younger. It was a fun car, but boy, it turned into a giant money pit. It seemed like every other month, I was dropping $2,000 or more to fix something that had broken.

I no longer drive my wealth today. I drive reliable used vehicles.

New cars lose value the moment you drive them off the lot. It’s like watching your money evaporate in real time. I’d rather drive something a little older and put the savings toward investments or experiences that actually matter.

Today, we drive a hybrid to save money on gas, and we plan to drive it until it falls apart (not literally, but you know what I mean!).

#5. Don’t Try to Keep Up with Your Neighbors

Your neighbors might look successful, but you have no idea what their finances look like behind the scenes. The shiny new kitchen might be sitting on a mountain of debt. The fancy vacation might be financed by a credit card that will haunt them for years.

My favorite book, The Millionaire Next Door, discussed this phenomenon extensively. Rich people don’t necessarily look rich. In fact, that’s how many of them became rich!

Trying to keep up with other people is a guaranteed way to lose control of your own goals. I focus on my savings rate, my investments, and my peace of mind. If someone down the street buys a new boat, I’m happy for them. I also know I don’t need a boat to feel good about my life.

Comparison is a thief. I don’t let it in the house.

#6. Use Your Legs More Than Your Wallet

This one is part money rule and part life philosophy. We live in a world where everything can be delivered, outsourced, or automated (DoorDash, anyone?). That convenience is great, but it also makes it easy to spend money without thinking.

Most of the time, you don’t need to spend. You need to move.

Walk to the store. Cook your own meals. Fix something instead of replacing it. Take the stairs. Ride a bike. Do the thing that costs nothing and makes you healthier at the same time.

Any time we get to use our legs instead of our cars, we do it.

Using your legs more than your wallet saves money, boosts your mood, and keeps you from falling into the trap of paying for convenience you don’t actually need.

If you also factor in the future medical bills you’ll avoid thanks to the movement you’re doing today, your savings increase dramatically.

Wrapping It Up

These six rules are simple, but they create a foundation that makes everything else easier.

And I’m a big sucker for things that are easy.

I don’t worry about emergencies because I have cash. I don’t worry about the future because I invest. I don’t worry about debt because I avoid it. I don’t worry about appearances because I’m not competing with anyone. And I don’t worry about spending because I know how to live without constantly pulling out my wallet.

Money doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs a system. These six rules are mine, and they’ve kept me grounded, confident, and financially steady for years.

If you want to build a life with less stress and more freedom, start with one of these rules and make it part of your routine. Then add another. And another.

Before long, you’ll feel the difference.

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Steve Adcock achieved financial independence at 35 and is known for his blunt, practical approach to building wealth. In addition to his personal finance work, Steve runs his own IT contracting business, giving him a front‑row seat to how careers, technology, and money intersect in the real world. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @SteveOnSpeed, or at his primary website, millionairehabits.us.

J$: He also recently published a new book which he forgot to share! –> Millionaire Habits: How to Achieve Financial Independence, Retire Early, and Make a Difference by Focusing on Yourself First (affiliate link)

From Amazon: “Steve Adcock delivers a fun, insightful, and hands-on discussion of how to build financial security, retire early, and give back to the community. You’ll learn to focus on yourself and your family first, creating personal wealth for the purpose of giving back to others…

“Saving money” isn’t a goal in and of itself, but rather the end product of the personal wealth equation: Wealth = Income + Investments – Lifestyle. You’ll discover how to pay yourself first with concrete guidance and practical advice drawn from people who built wealth on modest incomes.”

Congrats bro Many months later, lol…

[This post, 6 Simple Money Rules I Live By Every Day, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Morning!

Here are a handful of things I do/did that’s really impacted our finances over the years…

Check ’em out and see if any of them are worth testing out!

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Rounding up debt payments! — Whatever your monthly payment is, just roundup to the nearest $10th and kill off a little extra debt without even noticing it! This works sooo good for your credit cards, car loans, or even mortgages. Or if you really want to step up your game – round up to the nearest $100th! We’ve probably shaved off at least a year or two of payments doing this, and makes it a bit easier to budget too if you prefer using whole numbers vs exacts.

Rounding up investments — Similar to the above, if you get into the habit of rounding up your monthly investments they’ll only compound that much faster. And if you really want to speed things up, use apps like Acorns which will *automatically* round up ALL YOUR TRANSACTIONS to the nearest $1.00 and drop the difference right into investments for you. So every time you swipe your card for coffee or groceries or even your 100th Amazon purchase of the week (hah), you’ll feel a tad less guilty knowing that you’re at least investing at the same time ;) I banked $600.22 when I first tried Acorns without even noticing it – it was great.

Actually SAVING your savings! — You know when people say they’ve “saved” money by using a coupon or getting something 10% off or buying one and getting another one for free? Well, you might not have paid full price for the item, but you’re still very much *spending* money vs *saving* since nothing actually went INTO your savings account!

With this spending/savings hack (dubbed “Spavings“) you’re actually doing just that: putting the money you’ve “saved” from discounts right into savings. So that 10% off becomes an extra $4.00 dropped into your account, and that coupon for buy one get one free becomes an extra $10.50 banked that you didn’t have to spend. You literally save every time you spend! And let me tell you – it adds up. When I experimented with this for 10 months back in 2018 I amassed $4,040.50 – almost enough to fully fund a Roth IRA!* Try it out for a month and see how it goes!

Asking for fees to be waved — Probably the easiest of all tricks. The next time you get a fee or penalty or any other of the sort, just pick up the phone, or email, and ask (politely) if it can be erased! I’d say over 50% of the time it works, especially if you’re a loyal customer and it’s the first time you’ve been hit. And often if you ask for a supervisor after getting rejected you’ll win a number of those battles as well.

I just did this with the $19.31 late fees I stupidly acquired on our water bill last month, and within minutes it was waived! 3 minutes and 4 seconds to be exact as I timed it ;) (Shout out to ZJ for reminding me to do this!!)

Doing a “no spend” month — This was one of the first challenges I tackled as a nubile 20-something starting out my financial journey, and every month since I’ve “saved” at least $200 a month from being in more control.

The idea is to spend *only* on the necessities of life for a month (food, shelter, etc), and then resist from spending money on the “wants” (Starbucks, new clothes, new books, etc). Not only do you save a hefty amount for the month, but more importantly it forces you to STOP and face your embedded behaviors over the years! Where you learn quickly what triggers your desire to spend and how to curb it since you’re not allowed to for the month. And if you’re really smart about it, you’ll put in some barriers over this time so that when the month runs out you don’t go back to your freewheeling ways and erase all progress! Just be sure to *tell everyone* you’re on this mission so all your friends/family don’t hate you every time you have to say “no” to something ;)

Waking up an hour+ earlier — Not a finance trick specifically, but slowing down your life and spending more quality time on yourself will definitely affect your money and mood (and confidence!) for the better. And certainly if you use this hour entirely on improving your finances every morning there’s no way for your wealth not to grow! Imagine spending a whole hour every single day on it?! For me these days though, I choose to use it for my *mental* health and guard this time pretty intensely. All other hours are dedicated to my kids or family or life/projects/yada yada but these 1-2 hours every morning are solely for ME where I sip my coffee, feed my brain (i.e. read), eat my porridge, and basically just reflect on life as the sun creeps up and brings about the new day. One of the best habits I’ve ever set up for myself, and I owe it entirely to Benjamin Franklin!

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I’ll have to dig through my brain for more, but these are just some of the smaller things we’ve done over time to really help grow our wealth… Which may not look that impressive on their own, but combined can really pack a punch! Try one or two out over the week and see how you do!

Any tricks you do yourself that’s worked out well too?

*I included other “free” money in this account too, like birthday checks or found money on the ground, or any savings from cutting down bills over time, etc… That’s the real game changer right there – doing one-time work for monthly passive savings!

[This post, 6 Ways to Turbocharge Your Savings, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Caught these tips off Twitter and thought it would be fun to see how many of these we can check off ;)

I’ll go first…

From The Man himself, Mark Cuban:

#1. Live like a student

Nope! I used to live like a student, but that was more out of necessity than desire lol…  I will say though that this mentality IS a good one to try and mimic though, at least in spirit, as lifestyle inflation is real and if you keep spending all the new money you earn you might as well still be a broke college student!

So a hearty yes to channeling this, but no to giving myself a point here as I def. live more lavishly than my 19 y/o self could ever stomach ;) That guy would never spend $6.00 on a latte!

#2. Don’t use credit cards

FAIL. We use one main “house” card for all bills to rack up cashback and keep things streamlined, but we also pay it off at the end of every month because we don’t like lighting our cash on fire… If you struggle with that 2nd part though, then a hell yes to whipping out those scissors and chopping them up!! The c/c perks will never outperform the loss of fees and stress from debt! Better to just avoid it altogether than play the devil’s game if you don’t trust yourself enough.

(And as much as I don’t want to admit it, I’m 99% sure we overspend using plastic vs cash too… It’s a “convenience” fee I’m willing to pay though after decades of hustling ;))

#3. Save 6 months income

Next Level Activated! 3-6 months banked does wonders to your peace, and honestly even if you can just pull off ONE MONTH of savings it’s game changing..  And the beauty is that once you hit whatever level you’re going for, you don’t have to add any more to it and can divert all future $$$ elsewhere to more exciting things!! Like Pokémon and NFTs! ;)

And remember too, not every dollar needs to be maximized. Even though it looks like the money is just sitting there “doing nothing” and not earning anything, it’s still serving the magnificent purpose of giving you INNER PEACE. And I know a lot of people who would pay good money for that, so soak in as much of it as you can!

#4. Put savings into SPX mutual fund

YUP!!! Well, technically we’re invested in Vanguard’s VTSAX which tracks the TOTAL MARKET and not just the S&P 500 stocks which is what SPX does (or VFIAX – another popular fund from Vanguard), but it’s all a similar concept. You’re betting on a giant portfolio of hundreds/thousands of stocks instead of trying your hand at picking out individual ones which is very (very) hard to do well, especially long-term. And a bonus perk – you can just set it and forget it! A lazy man’s dream!

#5. Invest a % of money into high risk

Score here too! Always smart to have a “long shot” going on the side, though I can’t say it helps too well with that whole “inner peace” stuff as it’s amazing how much MENTAL bandwidth it can take up for being such a small sliver of your net worth, lol… You give me .0001 bitcoins and it’s all I can think about for the next year even though it’s so insignificant! So hopefully your brains work much better at keeping the overall perspective than mine, or at least betting on things that aren’t in the news 24/7 :)

I would also put starting your own business, or buying up other small businesses, in this department too btw… Stuff that has a higher rate of failure, but also a higher rate of rewards when they succeed! And notice Mark didn’t put a specific % amount there either, which I like since our risk tolerances are all different… Though typically you’ll see recommendations anywhere from 5%-10% of your overall net worth to play with which I tend to agree as a good starting point.

#6. Buy consumables in bulk

FAIL. This is kind of embarrassing as it’s such a core tenant of frugality – especially for a money blogger (!) – but for whatever reason we just don’t do much of it… Or I should say, my wife doesn’t do much of it, and ain’t no way I’m going to pipe up and ask her why to then have the task transferred over to me, haha… I let her run the show there, and I run the show here with our finances!

But yes. More bulk = more sex…y. So good on all you Costco and Sam’s Club shoppers banking those savings around the world… At least I think Costco is around the world?! (I googled: “Costco has 833 warehouses worldwide: 574 in the United States, 107 in Canada, 40 in Mexico, 31 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 16 in Korea, 14 in Taiwan, 13 in Australia, four in Spain, two each in France and China, and one in Iceland.”)

#7. Negotiate with cash

Do yard sales count? ‘Cuz if so I’m an undefeated champ there – BOOM! But can’t say I do much negotiating outside of that… Except for house buying times, but even then we always end up choosing the mortgage route than cash money for ultimate flexibility… Not that we usually *have* the cash to pony up most times anyways, haha… do you know how expensive homes are these days??! It’s insane!

But overall, yeah – anything that tips your hands in negotiations is great, and if you have the cash to back up that fast-talking mouth of yours then you go with your bad self. Not many things feel better than pulling off a good deal!

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And those are his 7 tips!

So let’s see here… Out of the 7 recommended it looks like I can confidently check off at least 3 of them, and then maybe partially 1 or 2 others.

So I’m going to give myself a solid 4 out of 7 here which means I’m definitely no Mark Cuban, but something tells me Mark Cuban isn’t Mark Cuban either ;)

No way he doesn’t use a credit card these days or leverage his millions of billions of dollars to strike deals… I’m sure he buys in bulk and lives like a college student at least in his mind, but obviously these tips are geared more for the general public than an entrepreneurial rock star like himself.

Still, a fun checklist to go down and always good to at least *consciously* be choosing to take one path or the other than living financially oblivious! So see how many you can check off too, and then share below so we can compare!

Your financially conscious friend,

PS: For more insight from Mr. Cuban, here are his thoughts on How To Get Rich

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Photo by TechCrunch / Doodles by J$

[This post, 7 Money Tips From Mark Cuban, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

This is going to sound weird or stupid, but isn’t *going into* debt so much fun???! Like, don’t we enjoy spending money on stuff we love – even if it’s only in the moment?

As finance nerds we tend to focus on how terrible debt is and how much we hate it etc etc, but I think we forget just exciting it can be to buy stuff too :)

I mean, why else would people willingly go into debt if they weren’t getting something awesome in return? Do you know anyone who goes out of their way to buy stuff they HATE?

Of course not. That would be ridiculous.

But that’s how we’ve been groomed to think now! That all debt is stupid and we didn’t get anything good out of it!

I was reminded of this when I was chatting with The Debt Free Guys recently and they asked what the most credit card debt people ever had was… Theirs was $51,000 (!!) and I responded that my max was probably around the $2,000 range. They said how they wish they had been “more like me” growing up, and I remarked that they probably had a $hit ton more fun than I did! Lol…

And I guarantee that is at least 95% true. Especially at the $50,000 mark!!

Do you know how much fun trouble you can get into with $50k???! All the while I was watching my pennies and scraping by as a poor college student every day?! 

That’s not to say I didn’t have any fun in those days, or that I wish I could have switched places with them – I wouldn’t – but just that, again, we tend to only think of the *bad* stuff relating to debt and none of the perks we once got from it.

Even my smaller $2,000 debt included tons of great stuff like beers on the town, meals out, road trips and even part of a brand new iBook I got straight out of college! Had I had to pay with cash at the time I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy such sweet luxuries. And that wouldn’t have made life enjoyable, especially at that time in life when you’re just starting out in the working world without a penny to your name…

So while debt is “bad” and most of us hate getting into it, the fact still remains that at one point we did very much enjoy indulging in it or else we wouldn’t have done it in the first place. Emergencies and special circumstances aside, of course. We’re dumb as humans, but not that dumb!

I’m not sure why I chose to argue this point today, haha, but maybe it’ll help any of you feeling down on yourself as if Past You was a big idiot and you wish you could have done things differently :)

Maybe you would have knowing what you know now, but be glad you woke up when you did and try not to be so harsh with yourself. You had a good reason back then to take on the debt, even if you don’t agree with it now!

And how cool that we even have the *option* to go after things we want without needing the money for it?! Sure it gets us into trouble more often than not, but that’s on *US* for misusing it, not the tool itself. Similar to money it’s the user that determines whether good or bad is done with it, which also means WE HAVE ALL THE POWER in the relationship! And that’s pretty bad ass, right?!

So get empowered again and acknowledge the debt for what it is, but also remember that at one time you were a great match for each other and thank it for serving its purpose

You’re smarter now and will eventually say goodbye forever, but for now you’re still in a committed relationship so do your best to co-exist until it’s finally wiped away… Like your exes, you sure had some great times together!

Yours in debt-freedom-but-not-fun-freedom,

PS: I know that all debt isn’t “fun” debt and sometimes you have to pay the bills and there are emergencies and yada yada yada – that’s not the debt I’m talking about here. I’m talking about all the kinds that gave you “stuff” or experiences in return for slapping ’em on the card… It’s not like we got nothing in return for it!

[This post, What about all the FUN debt gave you?, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

INSIDE: Added up a bunch of the best finance and money memes around savings, debt, student loans, income, being rich, being broke, and more. Enjoy!

I’m just gonna paste up a bunch of my favorite money memes, because why not?

If I missed any good ones, let me know :)

– J to the Dollar Sign

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Funny Memes About Money

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Money Memes About Financial Freedom

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Memes About Work, Side Hustles, and Making Money

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Money Memes About Coupons

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Money Memes About Investing

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Money Memes About Lending Money to Friends

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Money Memes About Student Loans

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Money Memes About Taxes

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Money Memes About Saving

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Money Memes About Spending

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[This post, A Page Full of #Money Memes, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

[Good morning, friends! Today on the blog we’ve got Jason Brown from Margin Matters sharing how to pay for college without loans. After earning his bachelor’s degree and graduating completely debt free, he went back to school 15 years later for a master’s degree and also found ways to graduate with no debt.

If you’re in school, or want to encourage your kids to graduate with the lowest amount of debt possible, check out Jason’s tips and tricks to save money and avoid college debt!]

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How I Earned 2 College Degrees Without Loans

Over the past 40+ years… 

• Gas prices have increased about 300%
• Gold has risen more than 1,200%, and …
• College costs have outpaced them both — skyrocketing more than 1,600% higher than they were in 1975 

The exorbitant cost of college has directly led to many students taking out massive loans that are increasingly difficult to pay back. As a result, many young Americans are being crushed by student loan debt, which is now over $1.7 trillion — America’s largest form of debt other than home mortgages. While investing in yourself is usually wise, we must ask at what cost. 

You may have been led to believe that the only way to attend college is to take out big federal loans in your name. (Or to get your parents to take out loans themselves or be a cosigner on yours.) However, I’m living proof of the contrary. Here’s how I earned two degrees with no student debt: 

Getting a Bachelor’s Degree Without Taking Out Loans

Although I had been working since turning 15, there was no college savings, nor were my parents in a financial position to assist me. Therefore, living at home, commuting to school, and continuing to work was my only option to afford a higher education degree. 

While I was an undergraduate student, I worked at a Chick-fil-A. With my parents graciously letting me live at home for free, most of my salary was used on school and transportation. After earning a $1,000 scholarship from Chick-fil-A, I quit to find work closer to campus. I landed a retail job at the mall across the street, joined the staff of the student newspaper, and worked in the school’s athletic department. 

Juggling Jobs and School (and Winning a Scholarship)

As a junior, I was working three jobs and going to school full-time. Even with three jobs, money was not plentiful. After working with the athletic department for nearly three years, I received a full athletic scholarship for my final year of school. To my knowledge, I was the first non-athlete to receive an athletic scholarship. It completely covered my college tuition and books. 

Nearly six years had passed since I first stepped foot on campus, but I finally did it. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree and walked across the stage completely debt free-naïve to the fact of my massive accomplishment. My grades weren’t spectacular, possibly due to working all those jobs, but never did it occur to me to take out student loans. It was not part of my mindset. Perhaps because my parents never modeled or preached that debt was the answer. If you don’t have the cash to pay for it, you can’t do it. That’s what I’ve always thought. What do you do when you live that mantra? You find a way to get the cash. You work hard, become resourceful, and get creative. I recognize that the cost of college has ballooned since my undergrad days and many students feel forced into loans (or feel that debt is a way of life) in order to earn their degrees. Rest assured there is another way! 

How I Graduated from College Debt-Free 

• Lived at home
• Worked several jobs (on and off campus)
• Earned scholarship money
• Bought used books 

Woohoo! Walking across the stage debt free!

Earning a Master’s Degree Without Student Loans 

When I landed a full-time job with my alma mater Kennesaw State University (KSU), one employment benefit was the opportunity to further my education for free. The school offered a Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) that would cover all tuition costs. My only out-of-pocket expense would be for books. Realizing the regret would be greater if I didn’t go for it, I began the application process. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would even qualify for graduate school or that I would be going back to school-especially at my age. Just the words grad school were very intimidating after being out of college for 15 years. 

Seizing an Opportunity 

Working at KSU during the day and going to grad school at night comprised the next several years of my life. Adding to the challenge was the birth of our first child during my first semester of school. Plugging away taking two classes at a time set me on a track to graduate within three years. To save money, most of my books were purchased in used condition on Amazon or eBay. Additionally, I was fortunate to be awarded two scholarships totaling $1,500 that helped pay for books. 

During my final year of grad school, I was offered a job I could not refuse. Sadly, this meant losing out on any remaining TAP money from KSU, but luckily, only one semester remained to be paid for. In preparation to cough up the nearly $3,000 for my final semester, I was pleasantly surprised to discover my new employer offered a tuition reimbursement program. I couldn’t apply fast enough. 

In 2018 I graduated with a Master of Arts in Professional Writing from KSU-a degree valued at nearly $20,000-completely debt free. 

How I Got My Master’s Degree Without Debt 

• Worked for the university and received a full tuition waiver
• Earned scholarship money
• Qualified for employer tuition reimbursement program (after leaving university job)
• Bought used books (renting books can now be a cheaper option) 

KSU Graduation with Family, Dec 2018!

Other Ways to Pay for College Besides Loans

Paying for college is a challenge for most. For the graduating class of 2018, the average student loan debt is $29,200 per borrower. There’s not always one clear path to pay for your schooling. You’ll most likely need to pool together funds from multiple resources. As Benjamin Franklin famously said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is especially true when it comes to student loan debt. In other words, you’re a lot better off devising a plan to avoid student loans from the start. How do you avoid loans when you’re short on rich family members and trust-fund cash? Here are some ideas:

1. Work While You’re in School

This should be the obvious choice. While some students might say, “I don’t want to work because I’d rather focus on my studies,” unfortunately that is not the reality for many of us. A part-time job can help pay for college-related expenses and potentially reduce or eliminate what you need to borrow.

Most on-campus jobs are flexible-allowing you to work around your class schedule. Some campus jobs also offer tuition waivers and pay you a stipend. Finally, there is no shame in taking a gap year and working in order to save money for school. I’d rather work my butt off for a year than have to pay off student loans for the next 20. 

2. Get a Job That Has Employer Tuition Reimbursement

Instead of paying for education on your own, work for an employer that offers assistance. Several companies, such as Chipotle, Disney, Starbucks, Home Depot, UPS, AT&T, Verizon, Best Buy, Publix, Amazon, and Wells Fargo, are willing to help you pay for your education. Additionally, Chick-fil-A’s Remarkable Futures scholarship program is one that I can personally vouch for as a past recipient. Some companies may offer a student aid program that isn’t advertised. Check with your human resources department to find out. 

3. Apply for Scholarships and Grants

There are about $100 million in unclaimed scholarships each year simply because students don’t know they exist. In addition to lack of awareness, it seems people may be intimidated by the application process and think there will be too much competition for the money. No amount of financial aid is too small. You can secure funding to help cover books, housing, and other costs even as a sophomore or junior.

4. Dual-Enroll in High School

This one is huge for cutting college expenses because it allows students to earn college credit for classes taken during high school. These classes are usually taught to a higher standard and credit is issued through a public university. Depending on where you live, the credits earned in this manner can be transferred to state schools. If you happen to have a college near you that offers dual enrollment, you could save a ton of money on school tuition. Dual enrollment courses are often offered completely free or at steep discounts compared with the tuition fees of most colleges. 

Other Tips to Save Money While in College 

The saying, “Live like a college student” doesn’t have to mean eating ramen noodles and rolling pennies. It simply means being creative, resourceful, and wise with your choices. Remember, the key to financial success is being aware of how you’re spending your money. The idea of saving money in college might sound absurd-but it’s totally achievable. The more money you can save during college, the more prepared and confident you’ll be entering the real world. You might be surprised to discover all the ways you can save. Here are some tips to eliminate many of college’s biggest expenses:

1. Attend an In-State School

This single decision will save you tens of thousands! The average tuition at a public, in-state school is $10,230 per year, and the average tuition at a public, out-of-state school is $26,290 per year. That’s an annual difference of more than $16,000 and a four-year difference of a whopping $64,000. Private college rates are even higher.

2. Live at Home

I understand the desire to get away from your family, but living at home is one of the best ways to save-assuming you are attending school near your home. Even if your parents charge you a nominal rent, that’s probably going to save you much more than trying to live on or off campus. Although you’ll have some commuting expenses, you should still experience significant cost savings. 

3. Ditch Your Car 

Most college students don’t need a car mainly because they live on or near campus. Do you know how much it costs for the privilege of owning a car? According to AAA, the average annual cost of car ownership is about $9,000 a year. That’s a massive savings of $36,000 over four years. 

Today’s society offers a plethora of ways to commute. On campus, you can walk, bike, skateboard, scooter, or bum rides. Additionally, many colleges have free buses and shuttles that help students get around campus and even to nearby apartments and shopping centers. 

4. Maximize Campus Amenities 

Many campuses have an array of museums, movie nights and other social events for minimal or no cost. You certainly don’t need to pay $50 a month for a gym membership if your college has a workout facility you can use for free. Perhaps one of the most underappreciated and overlooked buildings is the library. In addition to books, college libraries have computers, videos, software, and more. This is all free to students. Additionally, several college athletic events offer free game tickets to students. Research what your school’s activity and athletic fees cover. You might be surprised! 

5. Ask for Student Discounts

Don’t leave home without your student ID. Many places offer student discounts including restaurants, shops, movie theaters, theme parks, and more. Discounts are available on everything from clothing to computers for those with a valid student ID. For example, Apple and Adobe offer reduced prices on tech, while hundreds of big brands give money off on clothing. Before you pay full price, see if there’s a student discount. 

6. Learn to Cook

Do your best to limit eating meals out. If you bought your school’s meal plan, use it. Student discounts aside, the cost of eating out can add up quickly. Consider investing in a good coffee maker instead of spending money every morning on lattes. It’s almost always cheaper to cook than it is to go out and buy pre-made food. While a dinner for $7 to $10 may sound cheap, it adds up over time. You can probably cook the same meal (and prep for future meals) for about half the price. 

7. Attend Events With Free Food

How do you get starving college students to attend an event? You guessed it, free food! Look for signs, posters, and promotions around your campus. Additionally, events will be announced on the school’s website, social media channels, and student email listservs. These announcements usually promote free food to lure students. You may feel like a scavenger doing this, but if you think about the enormous cost of food, the amount of money you’ll be saving, plus the fact that you’ve probably already paid for this through your tuition and activity fees, it’s a no-brainer. 

8. Earn Your Degree in Four Years

One of the best ways to save money in college is to simply have a solid plan for your classes and degree program. Earning a bachelor’s degree in four years, as opposed to five or six, can save you thousands. Contrary to popular belief, college is not the time to find yourself-it’s too expensive. You should be going to college with a specific purpose. Ensuring that you’re taking the right classes and progressing to earn your degree on time is a great way to save money. Every extra class and semester costs time and money. Better yet, if you can earn college credit while still in high school (see dual enrollment), do it! By knocking out several classes or credits early, you might even be able to graduate early and save money.

Final Thoughts on Spending on Higher Education 

As you can see there are many ways to pay for college and save money while in school. Unfortunately, when it comes to higher education, our culture tells us to borrow a ton of money then spend decades paying it off. Don’t let anyone force you into taking out costly loans to pay for college. There are plenty of less expensive options that can lead to a rewarding career. If you can save money in college, invest it, and become financially independent in your early 30s you will be far ahead of most of your peers.

I hope these suggestions have sparked some ideas that will create a new path allowing you to obtain the educational experience you desire without spending a lifetime in debt. Odds are, with the soaring cost of college, you’ll require more than one tactic to pay for school. 

Yes, You Can Pay for College Without Loans!

I’m here to share that IT IS POSSIBLE to earn a college degree and receive a diploma in the mail instead of bills for student loans. Many different resources exist that can help you pay your way through. If I did it (twice), so can you! Do whatever you can do to either graduate debt free or greatly limit any loans you might incur. Your older self will be forever thankful. Trust me.

*****

Jason Brown is the author of “Margin Matters: How to Live on a Simple Budget & Crush Debt Forever.” The book shares the story of how he and his wife eliminated $75,000 of debt in just three years and provides practical solutions to creating and sticking to a simple budget, eliminating debt permanently, and managing your expenses to create the most margin at any income level. Jason also blogs at Margin Matters and hosts a YouTube Channel.

[This post, How to Pay for College Without Loans, was first published by Guest Author on Elite Edge Money]

My original idea for this post was to find a few people with perfect 850 credit scores and interview them. I’m really curious to see what a “perfect” credit profile looks like!

But, while I was out searching for these folks, I stumbled across a whole range of people with really interesting backstories.

Here’s a note I received from a guy called Keith…

“I don’t have 850…but I do have 820-830 and 10 years ago it was 570. I made it my obsession to improve my credit…which I did.”

Whoa  

Credit Score Ranges

Just for context, here are the ranges of credit scores all people fall into:

300-579: Poor (16% of people)

580-669: Fair (17% of people)

670-739: Good (21% of people)

740-799: Very good (25% of people)

800-850: Excellent (21% of people)

So Keith basically went from a “poor” —> “excellent” score. Talk about turning your financial life around!

I think a lot can be learned from people who have drastically improved their credit like this. It’s much harder to *fix* bad credit than it is to *maintain* already good credit. So today we’re going to dig deeper into Keith’s journey, and we’ll save the perfect profile interviews for another time!

This Guy Raised His Credit Score to Excellent From Poor

Here are some questions and conversations with Keith!

Joel: Dude, what an amazing transformation. I gotta hear more about your story! How did this all happen?

Keith: 12 years ago, as the great recession was getting underway, I had terrible financial habits. Bad habits in my 20s led to too much debt and no savings. I ended up with a credit score of 570 (that’s bad). I ended up losing my job and was forced to address my issues. I worked very hard to turn around my financial position. I started self-education on finances and credit scores and how they work. I am now a self proclaimed credit expert and I have maintained a 800+ credit score for several years (817 last time I checked). It took a lot of work, but it was worth it.

Joel: Sorry to bring up a sore subject, but how did your credit get so low in the first place? What got you in trouble?

Keith: I had excessive debt through my 20s – credit cards, car loans, boat loans, snowmobile loans. Even when I had the money, I wasn’t always the best at paying my payments on time, but most of it was fine when my income outpaced my debt. However, that ended in 2009 as the financial crisis took hold and I lost my job in the mortgage industry. By the end of 2009, my monthly spending was much higher than my monthly income…and that just isn’t sustainable. So, I started missing payments, mainly credit card payments – which just compounds the issue as you get hit with the $35 late payment fees. This is when my score was ~570.

It’s a terrible feeling when creditors call you. I now joke and say I have creditor PTSD because to this day if a random number shows up on my phone it can still take me right back to a time when it would bring me anxiety to see that.

Joel: Daaang, sorry to hear this. I can see how it doesn’t feel like a problem when you’ve got enough income to make payments… But when the income stops, that’s when the house of cards collapses! How’d you turn it around from there?

Keith: Debt is a massive weight and I was actually considering bankruptcy at the time. Around the end of 2009, I was talking with a customer at the bank I worked at. He was 22 years old and had himself in a great financial position. He recommended that I read Dave Ramsey’s book and the next time I saw him he gave me a copy of “Total Money Makeover.” That is basically how it all started. 

Once I read Dave Ramsey’s book, I had to read more. It eventually led me into the world financial blogs and of course FIRE blogs. Instead of bankruptcy, I made the decision to get myself out of the hole that I had put myself in.

Joel: I love that you decided to take ownership of the problem. I think many people try to hide from debt, and feel alone when they hit rock bottom. But, the truth is there are a ton of people around to help (like your customer) and free resources available to help make positive changes. So, what were your next moves?

Keith: I understood credit reports because of my job as a loan officer in a bank.  I knew how they calculate the score…payment history (35%), balance vs credit line (30%), credit history (15%), etc… It was frustrating that I knew exactly what caused bad credit, and I even consulted customers on how to improve their credit, while the entire time having my own bad credit and debt issues!

Once I made the decision to fix it, the first thing I did was cut up all my credit cards and set a goal to never miss another payment. That’s the most important piece of advice I can give — once you decide to fix your credit you have to make certain that you are always paying your bills on time.

What Determines Your FICO Credit Score?

Quick side note: Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how your FICO credit score gets calculated:

• Payment history (35%): Making payments on time is the single most important factor when repairing credit. Lenders want to make sure you’re making payments on time, every time.
• Balance owed vs. credit line (30%): Lenders look at your total available credit, and compare it to the amount you owe. For example: someone who owes $5,000 out of an available $10,000 credit line, this would show a 50% credit utilization. If another person owed $5,000 out of an available $20,000 credit line, this would be a 25% utilization. The lower the percentage you utilize of your available credit, the more positive your credit score will be.
• Length of credit history (15%): Lenders want to know how long your good habits have lasted. Keeping old credit lines open can increase your credit score.
• Credit mix (10%): You will appear more credible to a money lender if you can prove you can handle multiple types of credit. Home loans, car loans, credit cards, etc. **This does NOT mean you should go out and get a car loan just to show a good mix of credit.**
• New credit lines/queries (10%): Building credit requires patience and a long-term outlook. Applying for too many loans all at once can harm your credit score.

How to Improve Your Credit Score

OK, back to Keith’s story…

Joel: What other major steps did you first take? How did they help?

Keith: For the first time in my adult life I created a budget and worked to understand exactly where my money was going – it was a total game changer. This goes hand-in-hand with my advice to make sure you pay your bills on time, using a monthly budget makes paying the bills much more manageable. Looking back, it seems insane that I was 29 years old before I created a budget! 

Cut up all the credit cards. My wife and I cut up nine credit cards in January of 2010 which at the time carried a balance of almost $17,000 with minimum payments of $565. If you have bad credit, you most likely have credit card debt… cut them up!

Using a monthly budget as our guide, we reduced our spending, and reduced debt. After I understood how I was spending my money, I worked to stop all excess spending. Then I started to focus on reducing my debt. I did this by selling everything that had a loan on it. By the end of 2010 (it took some time) I sold my truck, my two snowmobiles, and my boat. At the time, this accounted for about $18,000 in debt with a monthly bill of $610.

**Keith’s basic budget and expense tracking template is available to download here (Excel version) if you want to check it out!

Joel: This is great advice for others in heavy debt with bad credit. What other tips can you share to help someone who might be in the same spot as you were 10 years ago?

Keith: It can feel extremely depressing, frustrating, and humiliating to deal with financial issues. But you can fix this. Three steps you have to take right now:

1. Again, if you have bad credit, there is a good chance that you are missing your required payments. The most important thing to do is create a monthly budget and understand exactly where your money is going. Most of the time, the main problem is debt — so make a solid plan to eliminate it. Pay your bills and kill the debt.
2. Get a copy of your credit report and study it. How many debts do you have? Which ones are current? Are any in collections? Pay off your highest interest loans first (prioritize making ALL payments on time).
3. Join a financial group, get help, and educate yourself. You are not alone and things will improve if you commit to making better choices.

Joel: What does your credit profile look like today? How many lines open, $ credit limits, is it a mix of types of credit?

Keith: We now have a very small credit profile. My wife and I have three accounts…we closed everything else. 

We have a mortgage.

We have one credit card that we are both on – a Southwest card that has a $22,000 limit. We went a long time (probably seven years) without using a credit card. We now use this one card on a monthly basis with the goal of collecting frequent flyer miles and it gets paid in full every billing period and never has a balance. 

My student loans from going back to school in 2010.

At the time of the financial crisis I was a loan officer in a bank – like I said…I didn’t make a lot of good decisions in my 20s. In 2010 I returned to school and finished my engineering degree. I graduated and have worked as a mechanical engineer since 2011. This would be the other big piece of advic:  work to increase your income, easier said than done…but it is worth it in the end.

I didn’t really mention FIRE…and now that we are 10 years into this financial journey FIRE is on the list, but it really took til year 4 or 5 to really start thinking about that. We continue to live by our monthly budget (still to this day) and 2020 was the first year we maxed out both my 401(k) and my wife’s IRA. She is currently a stay at home mom to our three small children…so we are doing this all on one income. If we stay on track, FIRE will be within reach in 8-10 yrs.

(Tourist selfie of wife and I at a WI state park (we live in WI and we camp a lot) but I thought it was fitting because our main source of family entertainment is camping – which is very budget-friendly. Unlike the old days of bars, restaurants and vacations we couldn’t afford. )

*****

Wow. From debt and bad credit to financially stable in 10 years… And then reaching financial independence in another 10 years.

I hope Keith’s story has inspired any of you out there with bad credit, heavy debt, or if you’ve recently lost your income. The covid pandemic has crushed many people’s financial situation, but Keith and his wife are living proof that rebuilding an excellent credit profile is absolutely possible!

Keith also has been slowly working on a side hustle the past 6 years… He recently launched a patented product designed to help ice fisherman store gear! Pretty cool, check it out here –> www.tipuptower.com. Could be a good Christmas present for your ice-fishing friends?

[This post, Repairing a Damaged 570 Credit Score All the Way up to 820!, was first published by 5am Joel on Elite Edge Money]

Saw some stats on how people are using them, and thought it would be interesting to compare with our own community here :)

Here’s what SmartAsset.com found when they polled 1,300+ people:

More than half of adults – 52.09% – said they primarily plan to use their stimulus check on needs such as rent and food. Putting the money into savings was the next most popular category, at 21.56%.

And here’s a breakdown of ALL the responses, along with a nifty graph for your viewing pleasure:

• Spending on Needs: 52.09%
• Saving: 21.56%
• Paying off loans or debt: 7.13%
• Investing: 4.53%
• Spending on wants: 3.19%
• Donating: 1.06%
• Other: 0.44%

Surprising? Maybe? I was actually SUPER glad to see that it was “only” 52% who seemed to need the money that bad! Which of course is still a ton, but with the economy/pandemic the way it is I guess I assumed it would be much higher. Like maybe in the 70-80% range?

Loved seeing that donation category though! Even though it is *barely* there, lol… We didn’t get any checks due to #firstworldproblems, but I was secretly hoping we’d accidentally get them to help pump up our Community Fund :) Guess we just weren’t dead enough yet though! Haha…

Still, I’m glad to see at least a lot of the people who needed cash got some… And a lot of great saving and investing going on there too! A pretty fortunate position to be in!

So how would you guess this compares to our own community here? With people more in tune with their finances than the average American?!

I couldn’t wait until I published this article to find out, so I kinda cheated and polled Twitter first just for a sneak peek ;)

And boy what a difference!

Over 70% have used their $$$ towards future financial goals!! With *needs* dropping down to 3rd place and Saving/Investing locking in the 1st position with a solid majority!

If that doesn’t show the power of paying attention to this stuff year after year I don’t know what does…

I wish I could have broken down the answers more tightly as a TON of people mentioned donating their money and/or supporting their local community with it, but sadly Twitter only allowed 4 slots so I had to do my best there… (And I omitted “other” from the positioning just cuz it would have broken down into smaller amounts than the *needs* at 11.6%)

Still, a pretty interesting difference compared to SmartAsset’s poll! Way to go guys!! Obviously we can’t control *everything* in our lives and $hit still happens, but a lot easier to manage it all with a strong foundation than without one.

So yet again proof that the work pays off here when you focus enough

How about you guys? Where did you put your check towards if you got one? Or are you one of the people still waiting to receive it?

Another stat I read said there’s apparently still 26% of eligible respondents waiting to get their checks in the mail :( Which is no small number!

If anyone desperately needs assistance – or knows of anyone else who does – please let me know and I’ll see if I can help. Hang in there!!

// Pic up top by Matthew Lancaster via Unsplash

[This post, Did you get a Stimulus Check? What did you end up doing with it?, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Despite the madness all around us, life – and finances – move on for many of us :)

Here’s a smattering of people still winning out there and focused on the prize.

Keep going, everyone!!

******

The $1 Million “Asset”-er

Hey there J$:

Some time ago we were chatting about milestones. I mentioned that our first milestone was to reach $1M in assets. You told me to let you know when we hit that milestone. Well, we hit it last week, so consider this your notification. <grin>

Next milestone is $1M in our retirement, which should also be $1M for our net worth. Hopefully we will be there sooner rather than later.

– Mr. SoS

I asked him what the bulk of the assets consisted of (real estate? stocks?), and here’s what he said:

“Here is the breakdown. The bulk is our retirement and our house. I will feel better when our retirement amount exceeds $1M and we have the option to sell the house and pay off the rest of our debts.”

Then when I asked how in the world his investments went UP in march (???), he told me to read his blog post ;) So that’s where I’ll now direct you too, lol –> Net Worth: 2020.04.01

******

The Once Is Enough’er

2008 was brutal and forever damaging for me. I swore to myself I would NEVER go through that again.

Since then, I’ve paid off all my credit cards and debts (only mortgage and student loan left). I own my car outright. My credit cards are all paid off and ready to handle this emergency. I have savings in the bank, and investments I can tap if (and only if) it’s absolutely necessary for survival. I have a better job, one where I can actually pay all my bills and save a little too.

I made a decision to do everything I could to never be in that fear again. School, books, blogs (like this one!), tenacity – I couldn’t sit still until I felt secure. I sincerely hope that this year is a lesson for young people to save for a rainy day. You just never know when it will rain!

– M

In response to our post on whether you feel more prepared or not having lived through the 2008 mess?! (Most people seemed to be better off for it, while the rest of you ARE JUST WAY TOO YOUNG!!! ;))

******

The Mortgage Payer Offer!

Hey!!!

Look at this beauty!

In the midst of this crazy COVID world, my husband and I paid off the mortgage!

Since having a nice dinner out wasn’t an option, we settled for a nice bottle of scotch and whiskey! We enjoyed a nice beverage in OUR HOME!

I just wanted to share this with someone. We weren’t sure who we’d tell, and now with people losing jobs we’re really not going to say anything. But I figured I could tell you! Lol. Stay safe!

– Kelly

You probably have no idea what that picture up there is, so read this post if you’re curious :) Her “money board” trick paid off!! Literally! –> Having a hard time paying off debt? Try a Money Board!!

******

The Debt-Free Parent of The Year!

Thanks to following you and utilizing your Net Worth and Budget tools I am completely debt-free here in Richmond. Now I even have my 25-year-old daughter tracking her Net Worth each month also!

– Suzy

Here’s our page on all our (free) net worth and budget spreadsheets and templates if you’re needing a new one! –> Free Budget Templates & Spreadsheets

******

The No Spend Year’er

Hi J$, your email came the day after my birthday, so I decided it could be a fun challenge at that, to not spend anything on my wants except what I already had set aside as of that moment. And what’s really interesting is, it’s sharpened my creativity about money, even in the last couple of days as I’ve thought about how to make my current money last a whole year now!

I’ve noticed another by-product as well: it’s made me more grateful when I do get to enjoy something for free that I would have otherwise just spent money on almost without thinking.

While I don’t think it’s overly sustainable for more than a year (I like eating out and giving gifts way too much to cut them out of my life completely), I think it will be really interesting to try this until my next birthday and see how I come out.

I estimated I could save over $2,000 just by cutting back to a bare-bones budget. Pretty crazy, eh? :D

– Rachael

Yes! Crazy AWESOME!! :)

One of the best things I ever did for my money too – and that was only 40 days of trying! (Gave up “shopping” for lent – mind blowing!!!).

Here’s a great article we recently featured if anyone’s thinking of trying it –> Our “No Spend” Year

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The Future Multi-(Multi!)-Millionaires

My husband has required financial check-ins with his retirement adviser through his job. The guy ran our numbers and said we’d have $15 million saved (just in retirement, no cash or other values) in 30 years at the rate we’re saving. And our savings rate isn’t even high for FI standards – we’ve fluctuated between 25-40% over the past four years and are currently on the low end. He said it was unreal and had to re-calculate a few times to be sure he didn’t have a typo.

Now, we won’t be working that long so our contributions will taper off before we reach that huge of a number, but still super cool to see what our hard work can do given enough time. Currently, I’m 28 and he’s 32 for reference.

Damn!! That’s incredible!! And in their 20s/20s no less! Though had to laugh out loud at the “not high for FI standards”, haha… only in our world is 25-40% considered low ;)

******

The 6 Year Mortgage Payer-Offer

Funny today’s post is about housing as I was going to thank my three favorite people today…again (J$, MMM, ERE) for leading me to the path of freedom.

I am mailing my LAST mortgage check today. Took a 30 year mortgage on a brand new home in 2013 and paying it off today. Never would I dream of paying off my home in 6 years. That is until I stopped being a consumer sucka, started working hard and stashing cash.

I know there’s a whole debate on rent or own, payoff mortgage or invest, or a multitude of opportunity cost situations out there. But personally, having ZERO debt, positive income, and a roof over my head for life… is priceless.

– Brian

The man who knows himself best will always sleep better :) Helluva achievement man – big congrats again! (And keep those compliments rolling! lol…)

******

The $35k Debt Crusher

Hi J. Money,

I want to say thank you for inspiring me to pay off $35k in debt in~3 years. I know that’s not a lot, but when you’re earning $50-$60k annually it turns out to be a decent accomplishment.

-Dylan

Hell yeah that’s an accomplishment!! $35k is no small feat no matter how much you earn! Stand tall and be proud! :)

******

Huge congrats to all our winners here today – and those others hiding in the shadows keeping it humble over there ;)

I know it’s not easy and we’re all in different phases with this stuff, but EVERY win no matter how big or small should be cherished! It’s all better than how we used to be!!

Keep doing your thing

[This post, Money Wins 💪💪, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]

Today’s post is sponsored by:

THE QUARANTINE

“When you’re stuck inside every day, you happen to learn things!”

And here’s the latest batch of things I’ve learned ;)

You can find batch #1 here and batch #2 here.

How about you?!

******

#1. There’s a Google for KIDS! It’s called Kiddle and filters out all the adult stuff –> kiddle.co. Features bigger thumbnails, larger fonts, and uses Google’s “SafeSearch” to serve up kid-friendly content (though not associated with Google).

#2. You can convert all your browser tabs into ONE single tab. One-Tab.com –> “Whenever you find yourself with too many tabs, click the OneTab icon to convert all of your tabs into a list. When you need to access the tabs again, you can either restore them individually or all at once… You can also create a web page from your list of tabs, so that you can easily share your tabs with other people, other computers, or with your smartphone or tablet.”

[Here’s an example of a tab page I saw floating around Twitter the other day: “Things to Do“]

#3. Why Triscuits are called Triscuits! Per the determined @SageBoggs: “In the early 1900’s, Triscuit was run out of Niagara Falls. And their big selling point? Being “baked by electricity.” They were “the only food on the market prepared by this 1903 process.” Look at the lightning bolts! And that’s when it clicked — Elec-TRI-city Biscuit. TRISCUIT MEANS “ELECTRICITY BISCUIT””

#4. There’s magical oil for getting money!! –> “Money Drawing” ;) “Money Drawing is an old hoodoo formula for oil that is designed to pull in income. It can be used in money spells for business and luck… The ingredients in Money Drawing include Cinnamon, Pyrite, and Bayberry, plus other herbs and essences.” – ParlourOfWonders.com (You try it first and then let me know what happens… ;))

#5. The person who inspired Dave Ramsey’s empire (and credited for helping him get out of debt) –> Larry Burkett. An American radio personality and co-founder of Crown Financial Ministries who focused on financial counseling from a Christian point of view.

According to one of our regular readers here, Debt Free in RVA, one of the best books Larry put out was “Debt-Free Living” which he highly recommends to anyone struggling with debt

******

Here’s to a great (non-stressful) weekend! If you’re feeling adventurous, try going the next two days without opening up your laptop!

——-
*Book link up above is an Amazon affiliate link

[This post, Today I learned…, was first published by J. Money on Elite Edge Money]