I think that Thanksgiving is one of the most useful holidays of the year. The reason is simple. Thinking about the things that I'm thankful for is good for me. It reminds me of how fortunate I am. It reminds me of those that I love. The more I think about the things I'm thankful for the happier...

The other day I got my first scare of the Halloween season. And, it happened in the strangest place - the grocery store. Right up front where you walk in were pumpkins with painted faces on them. Not for display, but for you and I to buy. Wow! Has it really come to this? Are we too lazy or too busy to...

Lately the economy is big news. As someone who discusses personal finance I'd have to say that the discussion is good. But, if you add up all the news reports (print, radio, television, internet) you wonder whether Jane and Joe Consumer are really learning anything. So much of what is being reported...

When you work with people and their finances you begin to see some common threads. Especially if you have the perspective of time on your side. One thing I've noticed is that very few people, even people who are pretty sharp, have taken the time to determine where they are most financially vulnerable...

Saw an interesting phrase last week. It was supposedly ancient Chinese wisdom. Went something like this. "The best time to plant a tree is ten years ago. The next best time to plant a tree is today." The more you think about it, the truer it is. If you wanted shade or an apple today it would...

Sometimes I can be contentious. At least that's what my wife says. I prefer to think that I stand up for what I believe is true. Even if someone else needs some evidence to be convinced. Prime example this weekend. It was an argument that I've heard often. It says that the oil and auto companies...

Got an email from a friend poining out a blog that's a little different. It talks about finances, but also has stuff for survivalists and adventurers! You can check it out here Right now they have a lot of different information on financial preparedness. Seems like that might be our theme this week...

What's the difference between a recession and a depression? Which one are we in now? Is it possible that the other will happen? Thanks, Carrie Perhaps an article on the definition of a recession would be helpful. Love the Stretcher, but you seem to accept that we are in a recession. Not by the numbers...

It all started three weeks ago. A group of friends and I were doing the BBQ for a fairly large charity event (expected crowd 300 to 500 people) on a Saturday. We were bringing out our trailered smoker and 8 burner gas grill. On the menu: burgers, dogs, pulled pork and corn-on-the-cob. In volume. The...

As regular readers know, I'm a car guy. Always have been. Always will be. In fact, I plan on taking my Impala to an old car show tonight. Can't wait! Part of being a car guy is learning about cars. And, I've learned that the internal combustion engine wasn't always the only choice for...