Growing at the Speed of Failure
Financial
Financial Denial – Featured in CreditCards.com
Here is a recent article from CreditCards.com written by Michelle Crouch. This is the last installment of a five-part series on sever money disorders. After hearing our story, Michelle called me up and asked several more questions about our situation. You can read from the beginning of her in-depth, fascinating series here or begin at the final installment which I quote below.
Many people are in financial denial. That is why so many Americans are drowning (more…)
From Debt to Living Life on Your Own Terms in 7-Steps
When Fiona and I started out, we weren’t just broke, we were less than broke. We were newlyweds with $38,000 in past-due credit card debt, personal loans and no job to speak of. Creditors were calling us multiple times a day demanding payment. That was our starting point.
What we did have was drive and hope to get it together and get out of our situation as fast as possible. Below I (more…)
Garage Sale Riches: How to Sell Everything with the “Liquidation Trifecta”
Over the years my wife and I have held several garage sales; some successful and some not so successful. Here is a shot list of what we have learned over the years that I know will help you this spring and summer.
You first need to determine what your desired outcome is.
Is it to make money?
Is it to get rid of unwanted stuff? (more…)
How to React to These 7 Cringe-Worthy Credit Moments – Write-Up in CreditCards.com
When Fiona and I started out, we were broke and clueless when it came to managing finances. When we moved to Arizona to start a new life, we were surprised that our credit was going to be checked before we got into an apartment. The first apartment we had was a simple agreement between us and a ma & pop organization that didn’t do credit checks. The following story by Erica Sandberg tells what happened. You can find the entire story here. (more…)
For Sale By Owner: Not a Good Move Right Now… Write-Up in AOL News
When we decided to put one of our homes up on the market, we didn’t realize the nightmare that we were in for. As I had done with other homes, I put this house up as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO). This transaction didn’t go according to plan…
AOL Original Story By Barbara Correa – The original story can be found here.
Do you really need a real estate agent to sell your house? Fans of the For Sale by Owner (FSBO) approach say no. But here is a cautionary tale about the potential pitfalls of going the For Sale by Owner route.
Matthew Peters and his wife, Fiona, had two FSBO home sales under their belt, so they naturally opted for the do-it-yourself strategy the third time around as well.
The average seller looking to unload a home automatically assumes the first stop is (more…)
Debt on the Run – Write-Up on MainStreet.com
When we started our married life out, we were neck-deep in credit card debt. Not just debt, but past-due collections debt. Here is bit of our story as written by Jeanine Skwronksi. The whole story can be found here.
Original story by Jeanine Skowronski
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — When the Federal Reserve announced earlier this month that credit card debt had risen for the first time in two years, (more…)
Rent vs. Own – The Stigma of Being a Renter
There seems to be a stigma with being a renter. It is as if everyone you meet sizes you up by your living situation.
Some will say with an encouraging grin, well, if you try a little harder and save, save, save, you’ll be able to afford a house of your own someday!
They might as well pat me on the head afterwords and tell me to run along now. (more…)
How to Live Rent Free: 9 Years & 3 Locations Later
We have it really good. Choosing the life direction that we have for the last nine years has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
I remember all the times I was asked by friends and strangers, “So Matthew, what do you do?”
As the years passed, I would respond with, “I’m an audiovisual tech at the University and a resident manager” Then it changed to: “I own a multimedia company, and I am a resident manager.” Later: “I’m a songwriter, filmmaker and a resident manager.”
I tell people about my freedom to pursue my passions like owning a company or being a musician and a filmmaker, but they are more interested in something else.
It’s true, people always ask more (more…)
65 Top American Investors Share Their 14 Best Investment Strategies
Today I read the book The Best Investment Advice I Ever Received by Liz Claman. Liz Is a long-time business journalist and anchor for national news outlets such as CNBC and Fox Business Network. For over a decade she has covered financial news and has interviewed successful entrepreneurs and investors like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Steve Forbes and Richard Branson.
In her book she interviewed over 60 of America’s top investors and business leaders and brought their fundamental winning investment strategies down to a bite-sized concepts told in the investor’s own words.
Though hundreds of opinions were shared by the 65 men and women asked, there were a many repeated themes among the majority of their strategies.
I suggest you read the book, however below I have boiled down the similarities I found from these ‘most successful’ American investors. At no point will I tell you what to invest in; I am merely playing reporter – sharing my findings from the pages of notes I took. (more…)
