51

25 Essentials That Are Better and Cheaper to Make at Home

in Money Basics

Today’s article was provided by Miranda Marquit.  Miranda writes for Bankling, a new portal for personal finance information.  In additional to the blog, Bankling has a resources section that contains tools like the highest online CD rates and a free mortgage payment calculator.

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Right now, many people are interested in saving money with do-it-yourself projects.  This includes everything from making your own cleaners, to creating your own makeup, to growing your own food.  While most of these can save you money, they will end up taking up some time.  For those who enjoy a certain level of self-sufficiency, the time investment required can be very worthwhile.

Around the House

  1. Vegetable garden: You can grow your own food, enjoying the bounty without having to pay very much. While it can be time consuming to tend a vegetable garden, it is well worth the effort. You get exercise, it can be done as a family and you experience the great feeling of accomplishment at harvest time. Green Daily has a helpful vegetable garden guide, including a section on herb gardens. If you don’t have a lot of space, container gardening can help you grow at least some of your own food.
  2. Can/bottle your own fruits and vegetables: If you have a garden, you probably have excess. While you could give away some of your extra produce, or sell it, why not save it for later? You can preserve your fresh produce at a lower cost than buying it already canned or bottled. Farm Gal offers a complete guide to different methods of preparing fruits and vegetables for storage.
  3. Seasonings: Want to add a little different flavor to your food? You can with do-it-yourself seasonings. These are much less expensive than buying specialty seasonings. And if you have an herb garden, it makes the process even less expensive. I’ve dried my own oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary for years. And if I want to season something with fresh herbs, all I have to do is go out an pick it. The Conscious Kitchen has a variety of ideas for delicious flavored salts. Reduce Footprints has a great taco seasoning, and Stop and Smell the Chocolate offers a ranch dressing recipe.
  4. Candy: You can make your own candy and even ice cream for a fraction of the cost of buying it already made. Alicia’s Recipes features a number of candy recipes that can have you saving money and enjoying the sweet life. We quite frequently make our own ice cream. And while you can save over time with an ice cream maker from the store, Suite 101 has instructions on making your own ice cream with coffee cans (one of my favorite things to do growing up).
  5. Baby food: If you have a little one, you know that buying baby food at the store can be expensive. The crazy thing is that you can make your own baby food for a great deal less. Babies can eat a lot of what we do — especially fruits and veggies — as long as they are properly prepared and mashed up. Rookie Moms has a guide on making your own baby food, doing it in batches so you have a lot of it that you can store in the freezer.
  6. Laundry detergent: Keeping your clothes clean can start to add up. Laundry detergent is one of those household items that costs a great deal. You can pay about 30 cents a load at the store, or make your own for about 3 cents a load. The Simple Dollar has a great recipe for do-it-yourself laundry detergent.
  7. Household cleaners: Most of the cleaning you need done can be accomplished with the help of simple, everyday items that you probably have in the house. You may need to buy some Borax, rubbing alcohol or chlorine bleach, but all of these things are relatively inexpensive. From window cleaners, to floor cleaners to disinfectants, Living Easy offers helpful and easy recipes for household cleaners.
  8. Pesticides: You can create your own bug killers. This is great for the garden, and the lawn. Greeniacs offers a handy guide to making generic pesticides yourself, as well as targeted pesticides.
  9. Generate electricity: A movement for more individual energy production is underway. You can actually set up your own personal wind turbine and/or install solar panels. There are tax credits available for these efforts, and a number of products available, some of which you can install yourself. Depending on how you go about it, it is possible to make back your initial outlay sooner than you might have thought. Rod Warnock offers a common sense guide to figuring out the best way to approach building your own solar or wind system. However, be warned that many of the small, do-it-yourself systems will not generate a great deal of power. But they can help defray some of your costs.

Health and Beauty

Healthy and beauty products are among the most expensive items on the market.  You can save a ton of money by creating these yourself.  It is important to note, however, that you should be careful when dealing with health and beauty concoctions. It is not a bad idea to consult with your doctor, since some of the ingredients used can have side effects for people with certain conditions (like pregnancy).

  1. Use witch hazel: In terms of health and beauty, there are few things as useful as witch hazel. Wisebread has a list of uses for witch hazel, some of which include instructions for mixing your own solutions.
  2. Lotion: With a few relatively low-cost products you can buy at the grocery or craft store, it is possible to make your own lotions. You can make a variety of lotions, even some with different scents, fairly simply. The Idea Queen has some good lotion recipes for everything from dry skin lotion to mint scented lotion.
  3. Facial: You don’t need to go to the spa to get a great facial. You can give yourself a facial for very little, using items that you probably have in the kitchen. About.com Beauty shows you step by step how you can create your own facial.
  4. Deodorant: You can actually make your own deodorant at home. In many cases it is safer and works just as well as the expensive store-bought stuff. The Greenest Dollar offers a number of recipes and helpful hints (and a video) of how to make your own deodorant.
  5. Sun screen: You need to be protected from the sun. Your child needs it even more. Making your own sunscreen can be a cost-efficient way to have a healthier summer. The blog at Wabi Sabi Baby offers simple directions for creating sunblock yourself.
  6. Mosquito repellent: Malaria may not be a problem here in the U.S., but West Nile is an issue. During the summer months, it is important to protect you and your children from mosquito bites. Making your own repellent is a good way to do that. DIY Life offers an effective (and fairly inexpensive) recipe for mosquito repellent.
  7. Cosmetics: There are a number of ways to make your own cosmetics. Lipstick, eyeshadow and foundation can all be made at home. Splendicity offers an excellent list of resources and a guide for making your own cosmetics.
  8. Pet grooming: The health and beauty of your pet is important. However, it can be expensive to go to the groomer’s regularly. By buying a few items now, you can save money over the long haul by taking care of pet grooming yourself. Petside has a list of things you need for proper cat grooming, and World of Dogs offers a guide on dog grooming.

Holidays

Holidays can be very expensive. Here are some guides to fun, do-it-yourself holiday ideas for a number of occasions.

  1. Holiday Wreaths: No matter the time of year, you can look festive and in the spirit by creating your own holiday wreaths. My sister-in-law saves a ton of money by making her own wreaths — one for every month of the year. Do It Yourself offers a guide to making your own holiday wreaths.
  2. Christmas: This is the granddaddy of holidays. Gifts can get expensive, though. You can save money and give a gift from the heart with a homemade gift. Get Rich Slowly offers a list of gifts that you can make yourself for an inexpensive and fun DIY Christmas.
  3. Halloween: Another holiday that can get expensive is Halloween. Decorations and costumes can get a little crazy. Thrifty Mommy at BlissTree offers 50 do-it-yourself Halloween ideas that include costumes, food and decor.
  4. Valentine’s Day: Yet another commercial cash cow. You can express your love without breaking the bank, though. The blog at Popular Mechanics describes 10 DIY gifts that show you care, without the need for indulging in consumerism.
  5. Easter: You can actually make your own Easter baskets for Easter. There’s no reason to spend up to $10 or more on a nice Easter basket when you can make one for less at home. One Crafty Place has several easy Easter basket ideas.
  6. 4th of July: You can offer a great party on the 4th of July for a little bit of money and if you have a little bit of creativity. Life 123 offers simple and cost-effective ideas for DIY 4th of July decorations.
  7. Birthday party: This counts as a holiday since the kids love it. You can put together a great birthday part at home for a fraction of the cost — as long as you are willing to put in the work. About.com Entertaining has a pretty thorough guide that can help you plan a good children’s birthday part.
  8. Wedding: Your special day of joy can also be do-it-yourself. My wedding was largely DIY, and I think it turned out rather well. It was fun, and it was simple. And it didn’t cost a whole lot. Green Panda Treehouse has a great guide to creating a classy DIY wedding.

Baker: There are two reasons I wanted to feature this article by Miranda.  First, she touches on a topic that is a weakness of mine, DIY-projects and self-sufficiency (although I’m trying to improve).  Second, it contains so many insightful links from other valuable resources around the web, many of which I’ve visited for the first time.  I hope you enjoy the change of pace!

What did Miranda leave out?  Feel free to post your own favorite ideas and links to other essential products that you can make at home and save money.  I know this is a passionate topic for many of you and am interested to read your experiences below!

{ 51 comments }

33

What Money Can’t Buy: Share Your Priceless Moments

in Do What You Love, Videos

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Today, stop for a moment.

Think about the most recent experience you’ve had that money simply couldn’t buy.

Take some time to drown out the noise and really concentrate.   In fact, don’t read another line of text until you’ve taken the time to relive this moment. Play it back through your mind.

It’s easy to get caught up in the details of personal finance. It’s recently happened to me.  I’ve been so obsessed on our current trip with saving money, hunting a job, haggling with immigration, and searching for an apartment.

All of these are important.  But none of them are worth missing out on those small daily moments that make life truly worth living.  The moments that no amount of money can buy.

Luckily, Courtney and I were able to catch our latest moment in a short video clip.  Recently, at 15-months-old, Milligan has taken up an appreciation for dancing.  She’ll dance to just about any song, but she very fond of one particular Blues Traveler’s tune.

Over the last few week’s she’s learned a couple different moves.  The bob, the arm wave, the booty shake, and the twist…  Here she decides to put them all together:

[Be sure to listen for the duck squeak at the very end]

It scary to think how many of these type of moments I’ve missed while obsessing with financial details or bogged down working for more money.  While “getting out of debt” is a worthy goal, it’s nothing if you miss out on “getting into life.”

It’s Your Turn!

That’s it.  No huge resource essay, today.  No breakdown of the disadvantages of credit cards.  Instead, just a short reminder to take time out to ensure you aren’t letting these “priceless” moments pass you buy.  If you’re like me, you can always use a little time to refocus.

Lastly, please take the time to share your most recent moments below. It’s my hope that through sharing we can all gain a little inspiration to create even more of these moments in the future.

{ 33 comments }

27

Top 16 Pieces of Your Information Identity Thieves Crave

in Money Basics

ID Theft

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Unfortunately, identity theft has recently become the fastest growing crime in our increasingly digital world.  Potential thieves are becoming extremely adept at leveraging stolen data to empty existing accounts, max credit limits, apply for jobs, and even obtain mortgages.  Despite the specifics of the fraud, becoming a victim of identity theft can end up costing you a ton of time, stress, and money.

This is a countdown of the most valuable information identity thieves would just love to get their grubby little hands on.  While it’s not a comprehensive guide on how to prevent identity theft, the first step in prevention is knowing what is being targeted.

Enjoy!

#16 – Your Hobbies, Club Memberships, or Employer

This might seem like an unusual place to start this countdown, however many aspiring thieves begin their hunt here.  This information is insanely easy to obtain, as we rarely protect these details.  Once they’ve obtained this information, thieves will either leverage it to pretext (impersonate you) or in various phishing scams (impersonating the club, organization, or even employer).  The basic idea is people are much more likely to respond to e-mail and telephone scams when they appear to be from groups they belong to.

#15 – Where You Hold Financial Accounts

Again, the value here lies in the ability for thieves to leverage this information when pretexting or phishing.  Thieves will study how major banking and financial institutions contact their customers, in order to make their scams appear more genuine.  In general, be wary of ANY e-mail that asks you to provide additional information, even if it looks authentic.  Always play it on the safe side by visiting a branch or calling.  Some of the most popular phishing scams target Username/Passwords for online financial accounts by asking clients to “log-in” using an application within the e-mail.

#14 – Your Telephone Number

In general, most of us are weary about giving out our phone number based on fear from getting telemarketing or fundraising calls of some sort.  While it happens far less frequently, identity thieves aren’t afraid to tap into this medium, as well.  Many use automated callers (hoping to get punch in or record information), but some are brave enough to impersonate institutions and call themselves.  With only a few pieces of other information, you’d be shocked at how elaborate and effective these types of phishing scams can be.

#13 – Your E-mail Address

Like your telephone number, your e-mail address is most valuable as a medium for phishing scams.  E-mails are easier to automate, can be made to look ultra-authentic, and have a higher rate of success than phone or snail-mail.  E-mails addresses also carry a little extra weight, as various online accounts allow you to use them as a username (PayPal, anyone?).

#12 – Your Physical Address (including previous ones)

While used more rarely these days as a medium for phishing, the threat of receiving “bait” in the mail is still very real.  These attempts can range from phony bills, sweepstakes scams, or change-in-service notifications with bogus customer service telephone numbers. In addition to phishing, thieves can use your address to initiate a “change-of-address,” effectively rerouting all your mail (and the additional information within) for at least a couple days.  Lastly, identity thieves can literally visit your home to steal mail, trash, or even information out of your glove box.

#11 – The Expiration Date or Confirmation Code of Your Plastic

While obviously not as valuable as the actual account numbers themselves, these two items are the most common form of security when using your plastic.  These can either be picked up by more advance skimmers (a special device attached to common places where you swipe your card) or as the target of a phishing scam.  It should go without saying that if someone can piece together your account numbers with one or both of these items, you’re in for some major damage control.

#10 – Where You Were Born

This information is much more valuable than it may first appear.  It’s yet another piece of information that can be used when impersonating you and/or verifying “your” identity with various institutions.  In addition, thieves can use this to find public records, request birth certificates, and locate relatives.  Knowing just someones full name along with the city, county, state, or even nation of birth can open up a portal to the more valuable information later.

#9 – Your Mother’s Maiden Name

Ah, the default piece of information used to verify so many accounts.  Luckily, this has been so popular for so long that many organizations are shying away from even offering it as a verification option.  Despite this trend, a vast majority of them still DO accept it.  My suggestion?  With so many other options available for verification, why use this one?  If you have a choice, utilize a more random and difficult-to-guess verification question/method.

#8 – Your Banking PINs

Your Personal Identification Numbers or PINs act as mini-passwords (most 4-6 numbers in length) to your financial accounts.  Unfortunately, many people use anniversaries, birthdays, or other easily guess personal information.  Even worse, they store their PINs in their wallet!  It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet in the event it gets lost or stolen.  With your PIN thieves can withdraw cash directly, swipe debit without producing additional i.d., or gain full access to your online accounts.

#7 – Your Passport Number

A passport number in conjunction with an illegal database can result in a wealth of information for thieves.  Passport numbers can yield full names, date of birth, place of birth, and of course nationality.  If your physical passport is snatched, the consequences go downhill quickly.  With an altered picture, a thief could use your passport to open accounts internationally, resulting in some rather complex problems you’ll have to clean up.

#6 – Your Driver’s License Number

Your driver’s license number is much like your passport number, but because it is more common and contains more information it is actually much more valuable.  Amongst the information that can be illegally obtained through you DLN is your full name, date of birth, address, and basic personal appearance data (height, weight, eye & hair color).  If physically stolen they are easier to alter successfully than passports and will usually result in less scrutiny.

#5 – Your Online Passwords (including usernames)

With everything moving online these days, your online usernames and passwords are becoming more and more valuable.  It should be blatantly obvious that if a thief got his/her hands on your financial institutions log-in information, you’d be toast.  You can do a lot with online banking these days.  Let’s even assume that they only get your e-mail password or even just a social media account.  Unfortunately, I’d be scared to admit what other information would be attainable if my e-mail was compromised.  Bottom line…  be careful what information you send through e-mail and be sure to create kick-ass passwords.

#4 – Your Actual Account Numbers

In terms of stealing from your current accounts (opposed to using your info to open new accounts), your actual account numbers are the primary target of thieves.  The most common accounts are checking, savings, credit cards, and debit cards, but don’t rule out protecting your investment and retirement accounts.  A thief can do a lot with just the full account numbers, but if they’re able to match it with numbers 8, 11, or 15…  watch out.

#3 – Your Full Name (including aliases)

While this may seem too basic to include on the list (especially this low), it’s value is so immense that it can’t be neglected.  “Name as it appears on card” is one of the most common security checks for online credit purchases.  In addition, it’s clearly essential when generating/opening new fraudulent accounts.  While a name like Adam Baker isn’t going to cause any problems, names like Robert, Richard, and Elizabeth can result in many different aliases.  Finding your full birth name and common aliases is the base for everything else!

#2 – Your Date of Birth

Again, another bread-and-butter piece of personal information.  But, like your full name, it’s value lies in the fact that it’s used in the creation of nearly every account.  It’s also one of the most common and easily-used pieces of information to verify existing accounts.  Along with the one before it and after it, this comprised what I like to call the “Big 3″ of your identity (at least to the government/corporate worlds).

#1 – Your Social Security Number

Ah, the golden ticket.  So obvious, you probably guessed it from the get-go.  Unfortunately, this magical number is used by nearly every government and financial institution as the primary form of identity.  It out ranks even your name, which can vary from institution to institution depending on minor details.  While it may be a sad situation that your entire life can be summed up with a number… it can.  It’s our system and this is your only key.  Protect it!

Further Information:

Identity thieves utilize a wide variety of techniques to obtain your personal data.  While I’ve touched upon a couple above, much more in-depth information is available on the official site of the Federal Trade Commission.

You may also enjoy my previous list of 33 Ways To Thwart Identity Theft for more helpful tips on how to protect yourself.

What’s your opinion?  Do you have something to add to the list?  What do you think is most valuable to potential thieves?  What steps do you take to protect your personal data?  Join in on the discussion by leaving your comments below!

photo by vimages

{ 27 comments }

46

Should You Hate Debt… Should You Hate Anything?

in Pay Off Your Debt, Rants

Hate Debt

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Recently, I had an engaging discussion centered around the question, “Do you hate your debt?”.  Originally, this article was a simple attempt to publicly answer that question, but as I wrote it quickly grew in scope.  In the interest of being authentic, I’ve decided to post what morphed into my reflections on hate in general.  I’m interested to hear what you think.

Hate is a compelling topic for me.  Those of you that have read Man Vs. Debt for a while know that I’m a fairly passionate guy.  I harbor an extremely obsessive personality, which often causes me to balance extreme fits of passion with the constant temptation to hate.

Let’s not get off on the wrong foot, though.  I don’t enjoy hating.  I generally attempt to evade it.  At the same time, we’d both be lying if we didn’t admit that it’s an emotion that has to be dealt with.  Some embrace it.  Others use it to mask insecurity.  A lucky few are able to dismiss it from their lives altogether.  Regardless, it’s real.  It exists.

And there are benefits to hate.  Let’s be honest.  It wouldn’t exist otherwise.  The question each of us have to answer is whether the long-term effects do more harm than good.  Even if so, is there a way to receive the benefits without the negative consequences?

The Case For Hate

It’s common knowledge that you need much more force to change direction than to simply maintain the current path.  It’s easier to go with the flow than struggle against it.

Hate, in combination with its brother disgust, is one of the most powerful ways to rapidly overcome this effect.  Unfortunately, this is human nature.  Think about most “turn around” stories you’ve heard.  Whether they may be about paying off debt, losing weight, or overcoming an addiction.

Very few of these stories talk about how they finally realized they would love being free from debt.  Or how much they would enjoy feeling healthy and fit.  Or how bubbly they would be if they could only stop drinking.  Frankly, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a genuine example of this.

While these might be the underlying motivation, they rarely are able to initiate the turn around themselves.  Instead, we get fed up with sacrificing freedom to monthly debt payments.  We start to hate the fact that we can’t walk up a flight of stairs without being winded.  We become disgusted at how alcohol has dominated our lives.

You see, the problems above feed off a lack of focus.  We aren’t able to mentally conjure together enough strength to stop the momentum of our current destructive habits.  Most of us need a shot of adrenaline.  We need to radically intensify our focus.  This, of course, is where hate is so effective.

But hate does more than just help shove us over our mental tipping points.  It shatters indecision by painting everything in either black or white.  Without all the shades of gray to bog us down, it’s exponentially easier to take immediate and massive action.  There are times in life when this is exactly what we need.

But, obviously, these benefits come at a price.  Tapping into them is a dangerous game.  It’s essential that we know the risks involved.

The Case Against Hate

First, hate is blinding. This is the natural drawback to the benefits of increased focus.  Hate concentrates our focus by narrowing it.  It’s like using a flashlight instead of a candle.  This can be powerful in moderation, but all to often this process is so effective that it becomes addictive.

If you went through life with only a flashlight in hand, you’d miss out on a lot of the beauty of the journey.  Sadly, most people who do this don’t even realize they are missing out.  They never see the light switch on the wall behind them.

Second, not all action is good action. Jolting ourselves into action is powerful, but dangerous if we aren’t able to step back and evaluate our results.  Hate naturally suppresses this sort of self-reflection. It doesn’t want to adapt.  It could care less about new information.  The last thing it wants is more gray.

A ready, fire, aim approach will inevitably result in some stray bullets.  The key is to minimize the risk of them hitting innocent bystanders.  Historically, hate hasn’t done this well.

Lastly, hate begets more hate. It’s cyclical.  It can quickly turn into a nasty downward spiral.  For example, the current war, terrorism, war, terrorism trap we’re in.  I’m not going to pretend to have a solution to an issue that’s been going on for thousands of years.  But I do think the cyclical nature of hate continues to (and has always) played a major role in this.

While I’m not worried about my “debt” hating me back, I am conscious that embracing hate in one are of my life could very well bleed into others.  Maybe my disgust with debt would trickle over onto people who uses it.  Or maybe instead of trying to help people out of their debt problems, I would start judging them and pushing them away.  These are very real possibilities of dabbling with hate.

How My Relationship With Hate Has Evolved

I can admit, that there was a point, not so long ago, when I hated debt.  I really did.  I would go as far to say I took pride in hating my debt.  That’s a pretty intense level.

But I had good reason.  Hating my debt played a crucial element to my financial turnaround. It was the primary source of my motivation when getting started.  Courtney and I took it as far as to literally declare war on our debt, creating a list of principles we’d committed to live by.

Our initial burst of momentum carried us fairly deep.  We both realize that we struggled with balance during that time, but the end result was that we absolutely obliterated our consumer debt.  Frankly, I’ve never really set and tackled a specific goal that well before.  Our hate gave us the leverage we needed to accomplish our goal.

More recently, though, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I no longer hate our remaining debt.  I know Courtney doesn’t, either.  I’m not sure exactly what changed.  While we still owe a small fortune in student loans, I believe we have different associations with this debt.  The level of emotional burden is certainly different, which is why we were able to prioritize saving for our overseas move before continuing with the student loans.

I didn’t notice it at first, but we were slowly beginning to switch from hating our current debt to loving the potential of debt-free living. More and more our focus has shifted towards excitement about the possibilities this freedom would bring.  We’ve began moving towards pleasure instead of away from pain.

While this sort of reframing is refreshing, I will admit that our newfound love has not reached the same intensity that our hate did.  In our financial life, moving away from pain has yielded much more specific and powerful results.  But in the end, I think that our new outlook will result in a much more balanced and fulfilling life.

Hating our debt has done it’s part…  I’m willing to give loving our potential a shot.

I’d love to hear your perspective on this issue. What emotions played a key part in your financial turn-around? Has your experience been similar?  Drastically different?  Join in on the discussion by adding your comments below.

photo by abhi

{ 46 comments }

38

The Power of Resourcefulness: A Guide to Peeing in the Shower

in Do What You Love, Money Basics

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There’s a viral television ad campaign going on in Brazil right now.  It’s the brainchild of SOS Mata Atlantica, a non-profit organization with the mission of preserving Brazil’s amazing rainforests.

Here’s the gist:  Pee in the Shower…  Save the Atlantic Rainforest. No really, they even broke down the numbers (1,157 gallons/year for each household).

But they weren’t content on just throwing that unique message out there.  They’re apparently utilizing multiple mediums to drill the message home, including a cartoon television ad.  They’ve managed to take something relatively boring (preserving water) and spin it into something that has garnered world-wide attention.

Although the video below is in Portuguese, no translation is needed to see the ingenuity here:

After watching the video for the first time, one word came to mind:  Resourcefulness.

They found a topic that was just a tad taboo, but not completely tasteless.  They mixed in a couple pop culture references to make it memorable.  Lastly, they combined the cartoon-medium and child narration to broaden the appeal to younger generations, while at the same time driving home the ultimate message to the adults (preservation for future generations).

It’s so good, I actually just got done peeing in the shower for fun.

All kidding aside, the ad-campaign inspired me to take a reflective look at the power of resourcefulness in all areas of my life.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized the impact that it had on nearly every aspect of my finances.

For example:

  • Resourcefulness is an irresistible quality for potential employers. In fact, it’s the number one trait I tried to emphasize when I was job-hunting AND the number one trait I looked for when I’ve had to hire someone.  It’s just this sort of resourcefulness that enabled Courtney to obtain an on-the-spot job offer at much-desired school here in New Zealand.  (And we’re both maxing out all of our resources in order to try and obtain a visa in time to take the offer)!
  • Resourcefulness is absolutely essential for survival of the self-employed.  Don’t believe me?  Just ask any entrepreneur or freelancer you know.  It’s one of the few common traits in nearly every single self-made success story.  My definition of the word entrepreneur is “one who when confronted with a problem, can not only find a solution, but deliver measurable value in the process.”  That’s the very essence of resourcefulness.
  • Resourcefulness fosters a “repair before replace” mentality.  You know the type of people.  The ones who can fix anything with a roll of duct tape, a small section of pvc pipe, and half a pack of dental floss.  I’m not one of them… I suck at that stuff.  But I’m constantly admiring those that are committed to increasing self-sufficiency.    Although at times it’s better to replace, the key is to rewire yourself so that repairing is default.  This will save you a ton of money in the long-run (and build your resourcefulness even further).
  • Resourcefulness is a bargain hunters best friend.  You don’t have to spend every Saturday at garage sales and flea markets to benefit from this.  The skills I’ve built while constantly hunting for bargain airfare and lodging will pay dividends for the rest of my life.  With the immense amount of information that’s available on the internet today, developing the ability to shift through the noise and find the underlying value has never been more important.
  • Resourcefulness is fundamental to successful negotiating.   The best negotiators are able to size up both sides of a given situation and piece together the real desires of each party.  They’re able to brainstorm unique solutions and present them in a way that emphasizes the mutual benefits while minimizing each sides compromises.  The more resourceful I’ve become, the more comfortable I’ve felt when entering into the negotiating process.

The bottom line is this:

Resourcefulness unlocks opportunities that otherwise would cease to exist.

That’s really the underlying commonality that links all the above examples together.  It’s worked wonders for the non-profit above.  Heck, it’s worked wonders in my own financial life.  But I know the impact doesn’t just stop there…

How about you?  What role has resourcefulness played in your life? What other examples can you think of where it has a profound effect on your finances?  Do you pee in the shower?  Let everyone know by leaving your comment below!

{ 38 comments }

9

Get Rich Slowly Staff Candidate & Minor Site Updates!

in MvD Updates, People & Products

Welcome Get Rich Slowly readers!

I’m proud to be able to announce that I’ve been chosen as one of seven candidates to become a staff writer for GetRichSlowly.org!

Over the next two weeks, J.D. at Get Rich Slowly will be unveiling 2 posts from each of his seven candidates!  While the public won’t be taking a vote, he is excited to gauge how the readership will connect with each author’s writing and style.

I’ve had the honor of leading things off with my post, How To Use CouchSurfing To See The World!  If you enjoy the post, I’d really appreciate you leaving a comment, especially if you’re a long-time GRS reader!

New to Man Vs. Debt?

If it’s your first time here, there are a couple great ways to get to know me better:

  1. Make sure you stay up-to-date by subscribing (100% free) through either a RSS reader or by e-mail. Subscribing keeps you in the loop, keeps me accountable, and helps gain more exposure for everyone!
  2. Follow me on Twitter (@ManVsDebt). Twitter is one the best ways to interact with me and the community!  You’ll find a lot of fascinating links and discussions that don’t make it here to the blog.

In addition, I hope you’ll start by visiting the About Man Vs. Debt page to learn more about MvD and my personal story.

Here’s a short-cut to some of my most viewed, commented, or unique posts:

And here’s a list of our personal travel updates for you to get more familiar with our situation:

Minor Site Updates!

For those of you that have been around for a while, I’ve got some updates as well!  First, I’d love to get your feedback on the new banner.  If you’re reading in RSS, please click over to the main site to view it and let me know!

In addition, I’ve updated the About Page to reflect some recent changes.  It was far overdo and I hope you like it!  Let me know!

That’s it…  I appreciate all of your support over the next couple of weeks!

{ 9 comments }

28

Dear Uncle Sam: Please Stop Stimulating Me

in Rants

American Flag

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Dearest Uncle,

Please stop stimulating me.

Not that I don’t like stimulation.  It just feels a little weird coming from you.

I know you have good intentions.  And I appreciate that.  But, to be quite frank, you don’t have the greatest track record.

For example, your latest Cash For Clunkers program has now been pulled after only 4 days.  Apparently we already sucked the money dry.

But, you’ve got an image to uphold. I get that.  You need to look busy.  You need to get things done.  Whatever things may be.

But, listen, I’m pretty sure everyone is starting to see through it.  Honestly, isn’t it stressful trying to maintain this dog and pony show?  How long do you plan to keep it up?  Actually… don’t answer that.

I try my best not to complain without providing a potential alternative.  So here it is.  Just one naive man to another:

Focus on the REAL issues. War…  National Debt…  Health Care Reform…  a few to get you started.

Every second spent on trying to analyze the results of this 4-day quickie robs a precious second away from the stuff the matters.  Right now, we need all the seconds we can get on the “big” boys.

Catch my drift?

Most people call it the 80/20 principle.  It’s super popular.  You can Google it later.

Look, I’ve always been a big fan of yours.  I’ve got a lot of faith in your potential.  I’m just worried that you may be losing focus.

I’m here if you need me.

XOXOXO,

Baker

photo by walkadog

{ 28 comments }

27

Frugality Vs. “Big Wins” – Why You Shouldn’t Care About Either

in Money Basics, Rants

frugalilty-vs-big-wins

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Remember the good ‘ole fashion back-and-forth between two personal finance giants earlier this year?

Ramit’s big wins vs. Trent’s frugality?

It started with the word “short-sighted” and ended with a challenge.  In between, things were kept lively with over 250 comments between the readers of the two sites.

Who won?

Depends on whose blog comments you read, I guess.   Or maybe the cheesy-but-true answer is that in shining a big freakin’ spotlight on the issue, everyone ended up winning.  Alright, so maybe that’s a little too cheesy.

Over the months that followed the debate, I bounced back and forth between the two sides.  My identity crisis deepened as I began blogging publicly.

Crap… am I going to be a frugality person?  I’ve been living that life for the past year, so I fit in nicely.  But wait, I don’t want to ignore the big wins.  I’ve negotiated by credit card rates, too.  I love the idea of capitalizing on a “big win” opportunity…

NEWSFLASH:  This isn’t a war.

I don’t have to choose a side.  Neither do you.  Instead, let’s stop caring about either option.

Neither side has all the answers. Both writers know this.  Ramit constantly refers to “mercilessly cutting costs” on things that you aren’t passionate about.  Wouldn’t reasonable frugality help there?  Of course, it would.  While, Trent’s primary response to the “challenge” was to take two hours and do both (agreed).  Makes sense, as Trent regularly blogs on increasing income, negotiating big purchases, and developing your talents/skills, as well.

How’s this?  Don’t let yourself (like me) be distracted by the stereotypes.  Instead, drop a bomb on your financial life.  Blow the shit out of it. Simplify, but cutting any that doesn’t survive.  Eliminate anything that’s not absolutely essential.

You can’t frugalize everything. You’ll go insane.  On the other hand, one day of negotiating doesn’t eradicate five years of neglect (I know firsthand).

The more we simplify our financial lives the more efficiently we can balance both sides of the coin.

Let’s focus our time on those activities that radically help defeat our limiting beliefs.  The empowering motivation of a ‘big win” is quickly lost if it doesn’t change behaviors.  Let’s strive to leverage these “big” moments to create a series of small (yes, sometimes frugal) behavioral changes that will build a foundation for the rest of our lives.

Am I 5 months late to the party?  Yeah, well it’s taken me this long to really reflect and carve out my own stance.  Some of us think slower than others. What’s your stance?  What’s worth focusing on for you?

{ 27 comments }

12

Couchsurfing New Zealand: Airport Debacles, Muslim Prayers, & A Triple-Dose Of New Zealand Hospitality

in Travel

New Zealand Milligan

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This is the 4th personal travel update since we left over 7 weeks ago now.  In case you’ve missed the other updates, you can catch up on our previous adventures here:

When we last left off, we were at the Brisbane airport, getting ready to check-in for our flight we had booked less than 24 hours earlier to New Zealand.  After having many of our finest plans shot to pieces in Australia, our hopes were high that the teaching demand in NZ would yield a much-sought-after visa.

As many of you know, our intentions from the very beginning were to relocate overseas (at least for a year or two).  Simply, we believed New Zealand was our best shot at this point.  First, though, we’d have to actually get there!

You see, U.S. Citizens (and a host of other countries) can enter New Zealand without a pre-arranged visa on the following conditions:

  1. Stay to no longer than 3 months (technically this can be extended, though)
  2. Be able to produce evidence of an outbound (leaving NZ) airline ticket, if asked.
  3. Be able to produce evidence of supporting funds, if asked. (roughly $1000 NZD/month of stay)

My biggest problem? I decided to latch onto the “if asked” part of the #2 a little too strongly (I had #3 “if asked”).  We DID legitimately have a ticket from Sydney to L.A. within the 3-month time period.  Somehow, I was able to convince myself that the chance we’d get stopped was low AND that if we did I could explain that we were going to be searching for a flight to Sydney to leave in time.

Yeah, my plan was as stupid as it sounds.

As it turns out, we got asked to produce our return tickets even BEFORE we checked-in to the flight.  Not by any immigration office, but by our airline.  I guess that if you get stopped at the gates in NZ, it’s the responsibility of the incoming airline company to fly you back where you came from.  Ouch.  I guess that’s a good way for New Zealand to outsource the checking of this detail!

Luckily, I was reassured that I was not the first over-confident traveler to attempt this work-around.  Not so lucky was the solution. We had roughly 1 hour to purchase a fully-refundable return flight for each person.

The ensuring hour led us through a couple in-airport travel agents and finally to the Qantas booking desk.  Like I stated before, this certainly wasn’t their first time handling this issue.  In fact, they had the paperwork, instructions for getting the refund, and an outline of the non-refundable fees easily available ($30/per person = $90 total).  The upfront damage? Right at $1000 USD.

It’s times like this I really appreciate all the hard work that led to our sizable emergency fund.  I was able to hand over my debit card without worry.  Besides the $90 non-refundable portion and the fact that it would tie up a grand for a couple weeks there was no other damage.  We finished just within time and shuffled to the gate to start and board our flight on the budget airline, Royal Brunei.

It’s been almost 8 years but… there is still something weird about hearing a 60-second Muslim prayer broadcast over the intercom just before take-off.  I’m doing my best to be open-minded, but more importantly… I’ve got to be honest.  The prayer brought up all sorts of deep thoughts and flashbacks that I won’t share here.  By the time I snapped out of it, we were in the air and looking out over a pitch-black ocean.

Going on a month in New Zealand

Our weeks here in New Zealand have been far more laid back and far less adventurous than our time in Australia.  This is half from exhaustion and half by design. The exhaustion is mostly from getting used to “not knowing” so much about our life.  In Indiana, “knowing” came easy.  Our life was comfortable.  Our family was close.  Even changing our plans was convenient.

In New Zealand, our life is always changing, our family is across the world, and a slight change in plans can have a life-changing effect!  Of course, all of this isn’t bad.  You might even say it is the purpose of the move in the first place.

By design, we’ve wanted to focus more on staying for a 1-2 years rather than 2-3 months.  As such, we’ve delayed a lot of experiences on our wishlist (just as we did in Australia) in order to focus our time and money on securing a job, visa, and minimum lifestyle here.  The idea is that in the long-run we’ll get to experience much more of “New Zealand” this way.

To sum it up… we want want to live, not just visit.

That’s the idea, anyway.  Luckily, our main source of adventure here has been eating, sleeping, reflecting, playing, and learning from our CouchSurfing hosts.  Before getting into the awesomeness of each host, let me share a couple photos we’ve Courtney has been able to snap of the limited amount of New Zealand we have seen:

Rough Waters

Milligan Beach Stroll

Sweet Rock

Milli In Yo' Face

Windy Rainy Beach

Our 3 CouchSurfing Victims Hosts

Rachel & Shannon

Rachel & Shanon

Our New Zealand leg started off with an awesome show of hospitality.  Rachel & Shannon picked us up from the airport at 2:30 a.m.  You read that right.  A.M.! Luckily, it was a Friday night and they told us on the way home that they’d much rather drive 45 minutes through Auckland at 2 a.m. than 2 p.m.  I guess with over 1/3 of New Zealand living in Auckland, the traffic can get a little nasty.

Rachel & Shanon wasted no time trying to orient us with the area and answer our questions about the country/culture.  They have spent a year of their own living in Canada and are currently planning a month-long visit to Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.  This came in handy as the could easily articulate on some of the more obvious cultural differences between the States and NZ.

We talked about all sorts of issues over our first week, including a crash-course on the different sections of the city (although Rachel made it very clear she favors the North Shore).  Currently they are a one-car family, so Rachel also had a good handle on the local public transportation.  Our many late-night discussions touched on everything imaginable from personal finance to gun control.  They also introduced us to the witty Black Books series and the Australian late night show, Rove.

As a side note, Rachel had mentioned that she had heard of Man Vs. Debt before!  It turns out she’s a regular reader of The Simple Dollar (that’s the only pf-blog she reads) and had clicked over on one of Trent’s links here.  What a small world we live in!

Rachel and Shanon also took pride in escorting us to several different beach areas (most of the ones pictures above).  The east coast beaches (white sand) are literally a 5 minute walk away from their house, but we’ve also made two separate hour-long trips to various west coast beaches.  The latter seem to favor black sand, rougher water, and rockier terrain.  I’ve never really been car sick before, but I can admit I felt queasy as we drove through intensely winding terrain to get to the west coast.  Up, down, right, left, right, left, down, down…

[More to come from Rachel/Shanon in later updates, as we decided to come back and room with them for several weeks]

Carla & Dave – Kane, Hannah, Zoe, & Joshua

Ross Family

After a week or so, we were picked up by Carla and taken to stay with her family a little north in Orewa.  It didn’t take us long to realize that we were going to love our couple of days here.

The Ross family lives in what would be considered a small house by American standards, but we absolutely loved it!  It’s a cozy two-bedroom with a little sleep-out area (which Kane graciously gave up so we could sleep in).  It reminded us of the house of a close family friend back in Indiana where we spent a lot of time growing up.

They lived just a short walk to both the beach and to the town shops.  The suburb was far enough away from Auckland to feel homey, but close enough to tap into anything that was going on.  It’s just the sort of set-up and area that Courtney and I would prefer, if we had our choice.

The three youngest kids played nearly non-stop with Milligan.  It was such an awesome break for her to get so much attention from other kids, despite them being much older.  She hadn’t had a lot of interaction since Townsville.  And I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that Courtney and I relished the fact that one of us didn’t have to constantly keep watch of her.

On top of all this, the Ross family loved to play board games of all types.  We were amazed during a rousing game of Carcassonne that even the Joshua seem to know what piece combinations were left before we did.  Some of you may or may not know that we are hardcore gamers, so we had a blast.

Later we visited the local beach (east coast), where Courtney snapped this awesome photo of our hosts:

Carla & Dave

On our last night, Dave took pride in attempting to make home-made Biscuits-and-Gravy from scratch.  Keep in mind that this staple breakfast dish has been unknown by almost everyone we have talked to in New Zealand.  It seems the awesomeness of this duo hasn’t migrated over yet.  The cards were stacked against him as the meat he cooked yielded almost no grease and the biscuits didn’t rise nearly as much as they should have.  Despite the set-backs, Courtney and I gladly devoured all of it!

Although we only stayed two days, we felt like we really connected with the family.  Hopefully we’ll be able to return for a Carcassonne rematch in the near future!  On Monday morning, Dave dropped us off at the downtown ferry to Waiheke Island where our next host would be waiting…

Angie – Corey, Codi, Ayla, Poppie, & India

Horsey Time!

Me with my hands full, playing Horsey! with Milligan, India, Poppie, and Ayla…

After about a 30-minute ferry ride, Angie picked us up and took on a crash-tour of about half of Waiheke Island.  The island is actually sort of a suburb to Auckland, with a portion of it’s 7,500 residents taking the ferry to commute daily (beats driving in the traffic).  While the island is more sleepy in the winter time (now), it’s population booms to over 50,000 in the peak summer months as the many vacation homes suddenly become packed.

During the tour, we stopped at one of the many local beaches where the girls led us down the beach and to a playground.  As it turns out, their house wasn’t too far from the beach, nestled among some beautiful trees.  Angie explained that her view, although it seemed amazing to us, was one of the least sought after on the island as it didn’t look over the ocean.

I can promise you that Courtney and I would have been more than happy to live in “one of the worst views on the island”.

IndiaWe were only scheduled to stay with Angie and family for 2 days, but ended up extending it to 11!  Throughout most of the time her kids were on school holiday, so once again Milligan was able to have plenty of interaction, especially with her new best friend India. India, was a little older and was showing off her ever-expanding vocabulary, which I know was good practice for Milli.

I was able to teach Ayla and Poppy the extremely strategic game of War, while in return they taught us Chinese Poker (which was more their style).  The older teenage boys, Corey and Codi, also popped in from time to time to share a meal, game, or discussion.

Angie was yet another fantastic host, sharing a perspective on New Zealand culture that we hadn’t been exposed to.  She also was able to share stories from her travel experiences, especially with India when she was younger (around Milli’s age).  Most impressively, she even gave up her own bedroom, as it was the only area where all three of us could comfortably sleep.  Instead she slept with her daughters on a mattress on the floor.  What kind of person gives up their own bedroom to strangers to sleep on the floor?

To top it all off, Angie left for several days at different times and urged us to keep staying despite her absence.  So at two different points we had the house to ourselves.  If you would have told me we’d consistently run into this kind of openness, trust, and hospitality, I would have called you crazy.  But we have.

The next update…

After 11 great days on Waiheke Island, we set back off to Auckland.  We were returning to stay with Rachel and Shanon, but this time we’d be contributing in more of a “flat-mate” relationship.  This is a great place to stop as it brings us almost up-to-date.

This week has been an exciting one with more visa problems, a job-offer for Courtney, and even some expanded opportunities for myself!  I’ll be sure to catch you up next week, with more tangible tips on how we are hunting for jobs, handling our finances, and saving money on the road.  See you all then!

{ 12 comments }

15

5 Non-”Personal Finance” Blogs I Read Religiously

in People & Products

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Look, I love personal finance content as much as the next guy.  But a large percentage of the posts that absolutely blow me away come from outside the personal finance niche.  I’m not sure why that is.  Either variety really is the spice of life or I just really need help in some other areas!

Over the past couple of months, since embarking on our backpacking trip, I’ve cut down my RSS feeds by around 80-90%.  It was simply necessary to be able to keep up.  On top of that, I’m a master scanner.  I think all bloggers naturally all.  There is simply too much information out there to be able to read it all.

I want to be very clear about this list, though.  I read every word of every post that hits these select few pages.  Each writer/blog has a different appeal to me and has helped me in different ways.  Chances are you are familiar with the majority of the list, however if by some misfortune you don’t follow one of them…  I strongly suggest you do.

1) Leo Babauta of Zen Habits

LeoWhile it’s a long shot that you haven’t heard this name or site, I can’t possibly create a list that ignores Zen Habits.  This is not only the first blog I ever religiously followed, but positively has been the most influential.  I became borderline obsessed with Leo’s journey out of debt and he is single-handily responsible for introducing me to the mind-blowing possibilities of simplicity.  While at first I ignored it, lately I’ve been craving more of his reflections on fitness.  Leo has a way of making it seem like he’s writing directly to me.  I’ve said before that I believe this is the sign of a truly great author.

2) Chris Guillebeau of The Art Of Non-Conformity

ChrisI don’t feel at all bold claiming that Chris has got to be one of the most genuine writers on the web today.  He just oozes authenticity.  His writing has affected me deeply in two ways.  First, his 279 Days To Overnight Success was the number one source of inspiration for the launching of the blog you are reading now.  In fact, I’ve read it several times since launching the blog and have gained new insight each time.  In addition, Chris’ recent reflections on marketing have reshaped and solidified my own thoughts on the issue (especially in regards to Man Vs. Debt).  And lastly, I can’t mention Chris without giving him credit for inspiring us with his constant travel updates and lessons.

3) Jonathan Mead of Illuminated Mind

JonathanJonathan is the ass-kicker in my online life.  I’m pretty sure he likes the role.  His writing is constantly stretching my limits and shattering my narrow mindsets.  In fact, often times this is where I turn first when I am stuck or ready to jump out a (proverbial) window.  His e-book Reclaim Your Dreams has been a continued source of motivation for my quest to live deliberately.  If you are looking for advice on how to succeed by giving up or how to stop caring in order to be truly happy, Jonathan is your guy.

4) Marc of Marc & Angel Hack Life

MarcMarc & Angel Hack Life is an amazing site for the type of posts that really send you into hour-long daydreaming sessions.  For that reason, I only try to read the articles when I really have time to reflect.  In fact, they produced my single, most-favorite list post I’ve ever read – 50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do.  And there’s always another amazing list of 30 books to read while you’re young.  I’m most inspired by their posts on love and relationships, though.  I truly admire the style, featured best in The Art Of Being Naked.

5) Glen Allsopp of PluginID

GlenI think I love Glen’s writing so much because I can really relate.  Glen writes about topics as they come up in his own life, which is something I’ve tried to model on this site.  That kind of transparency enables him to create lasting connections with his readers (myself included).  My favorite posts are on topics such as How To Be Present, How To Be Authentic, and How To Get Something Off Your Mind.  As the week go by, I get more and more excited to what Glen is going to be able to accomplish in the future.  I’m just glad to be along for the ride!

These are some of my personal favorites non-”personal finance” blogs, but the fun doesn’t have to stop here!  Which type of blogs do you read religiously?  Do you have any suggestions for me to expand my horizons even more?  Whom would be in your top 5?  Let everyone know below!

{ 15 comments }

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