The Happy RockThe Happy RockChange Your Self, Change Your Wealth - A personal finance and development blog dedicated to personal and financial growth. Articles
Community In Action: Book Winner and Link Catchup
2007-11-04 04:21:00 First order of business is to congratulate TheCpa, a regular Happy Rock reader, who won the contest for my copy of The Quiet Millionaire. Next is to catch up on some of my favorite links from the last few weeks : Pinyo @ Moolanomy offers a wonderful story about balancing our work/money and our lives. Seth Godin, my ... More About: Action , Community , Links , Book , Link
Finance Tool : Debt Snowball Calculator
2007-10-31 05:15:00 Over at What?s The Cost I came across a handy debt snowball calculator. The calculator lets you add up to 20 debts, their interest rate and monthly payment, and asks for how much money you can put each month towards debt. From there it will generate a nice text summary of the snowball ... More About: Finance , Calculator , Tool , Debt
Do You Have Unclaimed Cash Waiting For You?
2007-10-30 16:19:00 A few years ago I saw an article about state agencies having millions of dollars of unclaimed cash and property. The sad part was that no one knew the money existed or how to find it. One the article’s advice I searched the Pennsylvania State Treasury database and I found that The Happy Rockette had ... More About: Misc , Cash , Waiting , Wait
Payments And Credit Aren?t Leading Us Anywhere Good
2007-10-27 07:00:00 Often, a huge part of getting out debt and achieving financial security is removing the option of purchasing with payments and credit from our brains. See, payments set you up to stay in debt and spend more then you can afford. We end up looking at purchases through a short term lens rather ... More About: Credit , Good , Leading , Materialism
Why Personal Finance is Personal
2007-10-25 05:35:00 The reason they call it personal finance is because there aren?t any right answers. That?s right, no right answers. If there were right answers, we could call it something like personal financial decision science. Everyone would be doing the same 20 step program and trying to achieve similar goals. That isn?t how it ... More About: Personal , Personal Finance , Finance
Save Money By Using The Internet : A Walkthrough
2007-10-23 21:04:00 For the frugal person with a little bit a tech savvy, the internet provides amazing access to deals that you would never be able to find otherwise. For learning purposes I wanted to run through the process I used to save 55% on an external hard drive. After years of procrastination I finally decided that we ... More About: Internet , Money , Save Money , Spending , The Internet
Using Amazon Instead Of iTunes To Download Music And Save Money
2007-10-21 06:49:00 For those of us who are interested in legally downloading music, Amazon has recently unveiled their DRM free MP3 download service. ?DRM-free means that the MP3 files you purchase from Amazon.com do not contain any software that will restrict your use of the file.? I figured I would try out the service and ... More About: Music , Reviews , Money , Itunes
Change Your Child?s Genetics By Giving Up The BMW
2007-10-19 05:55:00 We recently talked about financially changing your family tree as financial motivation, but for those of us needed some more convincing here is evidence that our decisions about money go much deeper than just dollars and cents. Our choices are crucially importance to our children and this offers early stage evidence that ... More About: Change , Motivation , Child , Giving , Genetics
Quiet Millionaire Book Contest Give Away And Free Land Update
2007-10-17 05:45:00 First, I am giving away the brand new copy of The Quiet Millionaire that I reviewed. To enter the contest leave a comment on this post that lists your top reasons you got out or want to get out of debt. If you don’t want to get out of debt, list your ... More About: Contest , Real Estate , Misc , Free
Change Your Family Tree By Making Solid Financial Decisions
2007-10-16 04:50:00 If you have ever listened to Dave Ramsey, there is a good chance you have heard him say ?go and change your family tree?. It is a beautiful saying that paints a wonderful backdrop for our motivation to make healthy and wise financial choices. The idea being that the money choices we are ... More About: Family , Change , Financial , Motivation , Tree
Principles in Action #2 : Accountability and Friends Can Save Your Finances
2007-10-13 05:16:00 This is the second in the principles in action series that will illuminate a practical application of a positive life principal. The first in the series addressed treating other like they have value. The advertisement @ the Clever Dude was about the 100th time I had been bombarded with the free $250 for opening ... More About: Credit Cards , Marriage , Friends , Action , Finances
Own Free Land In Any US State
2007-10-12 05:42:00 I just bought a gorgeous piece of land in Hawaii. I have never been there, but I have always wanted to visit. The picture above just looked so appealing, I just couldn?t resist this deal when it presented itself. How does this fit into our frugal mindset, you ask? Well, the ... More About: Real Estate , Misc , Free , State , Land
40 Acres And A Mule - Free Land Still Available In The United States
2007-10-11 05:46:00 Ever dreamed of packing up and moving away from your hectic stressful life for the peaceful, rural, prairie beauty of the Midwest? Here is a great oppurtunity for you: some places in the US will actually give you free land, if you move to their town. That?s right, free. This dated article from ... More About: United States , Real Estate , Free , United , Mule
Book Review : The Quiet Millionaire by Brett Wilder
2007-10-08 06:05:00 Recently I recieved a copy of The Quiet Millionaire : A Guide for Accumulating and Keeping Your Wealth by Brett Wilder from a publicist. I jumped at the chance to read a new finance book, and bring the review to The Happy Rock readers. To start, when reading a book of advice, you must take a ... More About: Books , Book Review , Review , Financial
Setting Up a Prepaid Virgin Mobile Cell Phone Account
2007-10-04 07:09:00 After my research into prepaid cell phones, I decided to add a small amount to our monthly budget and sign up for a Virgin Mobile cell phone for myself. I figured I would use about $10 a month in minutes. Once we can cancel our Verizon contract, and The Rockette gets a pre ... More About: Phone , Cell Phones , Cell Phone , Cell
The $0.60 Verizon Cell Phone Battery At Amazon.com
2007-10-02 05:37:00 18 month into our two year contract our Verizon LG VX4650 cell phone began to act up. Gradually, the cell phone seemed to hold a charge for shorter and shorter periods of time. Then one day after only ten minutes on the charger the phone was blinking ?Charge Complete?. I knew it ... More About: Phone , Amazon , Cell Phones , Cell Phone , Battery
Community In Action - Found Money Edition
2007-09-29 07:08:00 Here are some good articles from around the personal finance community : Five Cent Nickel shares his story about doing the right thing with found money. It is always encouraging to see others live right. Debt Beater shares his top five immediate benefits for starting a budget. I totally agree with budgeting starting good ... More About: Money , Action , Community , Bloggers , Edition
Low Minute Users Save With Prepaid Cell Phones
2007-09-28 20:10:00 The Happy Rockette and I got our first cell phone a little under two years ago. We held out for a long time, because we didn’t want a monthly bill for something that wasn?t a necessity. Yes, I did say it wasn?t a necessity, and it still isn?t for most people. We ... More About: Cell Phones , Phones , Cell , Prepaid , Frugality
4 Reasons We Rush Into Replacing Our Cars
2007-09-27 04:59:00 Got an old car that is giving you problems? Scared that your junker is going to leave you stranded? Well, then you might be struggling with the question of when to let go of the old car and get a new one. It is a question I often see people struggle with, ... More About: Cars , Planning , Reasons , Rush , Materialism
ING Direct Lowered Their Interest Rates on 9/19
2007-09-26 00:10:00 In case you missed the emails and the news like I did, ING Direct lowered there interest rates effective 9/19. ING Savings accounts went from 4.5% to 4.3%. Electric Orange Checking rates took and even bigger hit from 4.0% to 3.5% $0-49,999.99 earns a 3.50% APY $50,000.00-$99,999.99 earns a 4.90% APY $100,000.00 or more earns a 5.00% APY Finally, Business ... More About: Interest Rates , Interest , Rates , Interest Rate
Was Paying Cash For A Car Worth It?
2007-09-25 15:25:00 Previously I shared how we paid off our $15,000 car loan and were able to pay cash for two more cars in the following years. As I thought back through our story, I was left asking myself ?Was it worth it??. We got a lemon of a car in the Ford Focus, so yes it was extra ... More About: Cars , Worth , Cash , Wort
Learning From Others - Romance, Giving, and Leadership
2007-09-22 06:27:00 Here are couple links that I thought were worth some attention over the last week or two : Giving changes us! Millionaire Mommy Next Door writes a nice article about the addictive nature of giving. How we dress often portrays how we feel about ourself, and can shape others opinion of us. Clever Dude walks us through ... More About: Leadership , Links , Romance , Learning
Our Personal Paying Cash For Cars Story
2007-09-20 05:34:00 Last post we talked about changing the way we talk about car loan debt, now let’s talk about avoiding the debt in the first place. The picture to the right is the car we own today. Ok, ours is just a normal bronze Murano, but you get the picture. In this post I wanted ... More About: Personal , Cars , Story , Cash , Sona
If You Are Making Car Payments, You Don?t Own The Car
2007-09-18 05:59:00 We usually talk like we own the car, but this is just a delusion. If you secure financing for an automobile, the bank or financing company probably owns your car. The person with the auto loan is most likely granted non-possessory security interest in the vehicle. Basically, the bank owns the car ... More About: Cars , Materialism , Makin , The Car
If You Are Making Car Payments, You Don?t Own The Car
2007-09-18 05:59:00 We usually talk like we own the car, but this is just a delusion. If you secure financing for an automobile, the bank or financing company probably owns your car. The person with the auto loan is most likely granted non-possessory security interest in the vehicle. Basically, the bank owns the car ... More About: Cars , Makin , The Car
New Look at The Happy Rock
2007-09-17 06:31:00 The long awaited site redesign is finally done.?? It did the design and upgrade myself, and I am pleased with the results.?? It was a very good learning experience, although with all the new found knowledge by the time you finish something like this you are ready to do it again. I want to thank all ... More About: Misc , Rock , Happy , New Look
New Look at The Happy Rock
2007-09-17 06:31:00 The long awaited site redesign is finally done. It did the design and upgrade myself, and I am pleased with the results. It was a very good learning experience, although with all the new found knowledge by the time you finish something like this you are ready to do it again. I want to ... More About: Misc , Rock , Happy , New Look
Don?t Forget Your Health Club Membership Reimbursements
2007-09-14 05:46:00 Just recently I received an extra $250 in my paycheck, because my application for my health club reimbursement finally came through. I am still waiting on one for my wife, but I will continue to pursue that. This excellent little benefit that many employers are offering will save us $500 this year. Many more ... More About: Health , Fitness , Club , Forge , Membership
Don?t Forget Your Health Club Membership Reimbursements
2007-09-14 05:46:00 Just recently I received an extra $250 in my paycheck, because my application for my health club reimbursement finally came through. I am still waiting on one for my wife, but I will continue to pursue that. This excellent little benefit that many employers are offering will save us $500 this year. Many more ... More About: Health , Fitness , Club , Forge , Membership
Simple Tip For Spending Less ? Think About Pre-Tax Dollars
More articles from this author:2007-09-13 05:17:00 A simple tip that I came across while reading The Quiet Millionaire is to frame your spending in pre-tax dollars rather than after tax dollars. Assuming a 33% tax bracket(actual tax rate of about 25%), you need to earn $1.33 for every dollar you spend. So that $1.00 you spent in the vending ... More About: Spending , Simple , Frugality , Dollars , Doll 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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