It’s that time of year again folks! It’s harvest season for pick your own strawberries here in Michigan, and blueberry season isn’t far behind. Wouldn’t you rather pick local, organically grown berries for a fraction of the cost of store bought berries from who-knows-where?
Good, me too. First, go to PickYourOwn.org to find local, organic fruit [...]
Matt's Articles
These articles were written by Matt Jabs, who is a thirty-something IT manager who wants to help himself and others get out of debt. He writes about personal finance and debt-free living at Debt Free Adventure.Pick and Process Your Own Fruit to Save Money
Written by Matt Jabs - 9 Comments
Published on June 24th, 2010 - 9 Comments
Filed under: Frugality
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Filed under: Frugality
add to tip'd - stumble it - digg it
How to Plan for Budget Busters
Written by Matt Jabs - 12 Comments
At one time or another, most of us have fallen victim to a budget buster. While you can never prepare for every possible unexpected expense, you can prepare for most of them… All it takes is a little planning.
You see, the thing about unexpected expenses is – if we’re being totally honest with ourselves – [...]
Published on June 3rd, 2010 - 12 Comments
Filed under: Frugality, Planning
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Filed under: Frugality, Planning
add to tip'd - stumble it - digg it
Tips for Success Working From Home
Written by Matt Jabs - 13 Comments
“The work-at-home lifestyle can be incredibly satisfying and an effective way to be closer to your family.”
-Mitch Thrower
Working from home is a dream that many of us tend to put up on a pedestal as an ideal scenario. I’ve heard many people say they’d be happy if they could just work from home… But would [...]
Start Planning Your Garden Now
Written by Matt Jabs - 9 Comments
It’s that time of year again folks… Time to get out your gardening gear, get down on your hands and knees, and get familiar with your soil. Will this be your first garden, or your 40th? Will you grow organically, or are you comfortable with spraying your family’s produce with nerve agents? I’m biased, of [...]
How to Buy a Computer: A Basic Buying Guide
Written by Matt Jabs - 32 Comments
So you’re in the market for a new computer, eh? If you’re like roughly 95% of the population, then you probably know far less about the process than you’re comfortable with — and that’s why I’m writing this guide… My goal is to help the “non-techie” crowd get themselves a good deal on their next [...]
Published on April 29th, 2010 - 32 Comments
Filed under: Consumer
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Filed under: Consumer
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Don’t Take a Vacation From Your Budget
Written by Matt Jabs - 9 Comments
My wife and I spent the first eleven days of this month enjoying our debt free vacation. Although we didn’t exceed our budgeted vacation spending, we found that the unstructured life of vacation could easily spill over into our every day financial lives when we got back home.
Vacation spending
When on vacation, it’s common to approach [...]
Thoughts on Lending Money
Written by Matt Jabs - 13 Comments
I’m willing to bet that most of you have either loaned money to friends and family, or have been asked to do so. How did the experience pan out for you? Were you able to maintain a sound relationship with that person, or did it suffer because of the money?
Over the years, I have developed [...]
Published on April 15th, 2010 - 13 Comments
Filed under: Miscellany
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Filed under: Miscellany
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The Debt Free Vacation
Written by Matt Jabs - 8 Comments
“Some debts are fun when you are acquiring them, but none are fun when you set about retiring them.”
-Ogden Nash
As we travel across the country in a motor home, I’m often moved with thankfulness for the simple privilege of vacation. Our fearless crew is comprised of myself, my beautiful wife, my father, my step-mother, and [...]
Are You In a Dead End Job?
Written by Matt Jabs - 11 Comments
How can you tell if you’re working in a dead end job? Wikipedia defines a dead end job as:
“a job in which there is little or no chance of progressing and succeeding into a higher paid position. Such work is usually unskilled and the phrase usually applies to those working as shelf stackers, cleaners, or [...]
Graduate School Loans – Should You Avoid Education Debt?
Written by Matt Jabs - 25 Comments
Should you go into debt to pay for graduate school? A reader named Shana recently wrote in with the following question about taking on student loans to further her education and set up a future career in counseling:
I recently graduated from college with a B.S. in Psychology. I have no student loans. I have $4,600 [...]
Published on March 25th, 2010 - 25 Comments
Filed under: Debt Reduction, Education
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Filed under: Debt Reduction, Education
add to tip'd - stumble it - digg it
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