Rules of thumb are great: they give you an idea where to start thinking. They’re not perfect; of course not. There are always exceptions and variables and special situations. But those are truly unique situations. For most people, rules of thumb are useful tools. I know how hard it is to buy a car within… | Read More…

Military and civilian families alike sometimes need to buy a vehicle. While the transaction might be relatively short, the impact can last a lifetime, even impacting retirement lifestyle. My friend, Gibson Armstrong, is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch. We got talking about the cost of cars and decided to do a little Q&A about… | Read More…

I do a lot of my shopping online, because I loathe shopping in stores.  One tiny thing has saved me several hundred dollars over the last few years:  I start all my online purchases at the Ebates website.  It is so simple: I just go to Ebates, select the retailer, check out the coupons, and… | Read More…

For many families, the “new year” does not start in January, but rather in August or September.  With PCS moves and a new school year, late summer is a perfect time to identify goals and develop new habits.  Here are some things to consider tackling this month: Review Your Spending Plan, Or Build One Even… | Read More…

I wrote a Checkout 51 review last fall, and it got lost in the great blog makeover disaster of 2014.  So, if it looks a little familiar, that is why. There are many innovative programs that allow you to save a little money through rebates/coupons on products that you are already buying.  I’ll be writing about… | Read More…