TheHappyRock's activity feed Return to TheHappyRock's profile
- December 17th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Black-Market Christmas - Zhu Zhu Pets
Now that Black Friday is well behind us, it’s time to get serious about finding that great gift. As luck would have it, my daughter wants one of the hottest toys for 2009. You guessed it, she wa…
- December 13th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
DD’s Monthly Expenses - November 2009
School has been kicking my butt lately. I’ve never looked forward to Thanksgiving as much as I did this year, and then it flew by way too fast. Hopefully I’ll be able to find some time…
- December 2nd, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
5 Simple Things - Getting My Groove Back
In case you haven’t noticed, I have been out of sorts for a while. Probably since July when I shut down Top Blog Posts after being burned out. I haven’t been burned out for months, but I…
- November 9th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
DD’s Monthly Expenses - October 2009 - Halloween Party Edition
I’m going to blame the tardiness of this expense report due to my Halloween Hangover. It’s either that or the time change. It can’t be because I was too lazy to put this together…
- November 3rd, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
A Tale of Two Athletes - Phil Coke and Antoine Walker
Late October is an exciting time for sports fans. Football is in full swing, we get the World Series and the NBA season tips off as well. A little something for everybody. With that in mind a cou…
- October 25th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Rethinking Credit Card Rewards - Are They Worth It?
5% cashback sounds good right? Or does it? Baker at Man vs Debt, recently posted on why he doesn’t use credit cards. His personal morals don’t allow him to support an industry that he doe…
- October 17th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Need a job? Head to North Dakota
A while back The Happy Rock wrote a post called “40 acres and a mule: free land still available in the US.” It describes how in Kansas and North Dakota there are some programs that still…
- October 12th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Frugal Family Traditions
This past weekend my family said “Goodbye to Summer” and “Hello to Fall” (Not just because we turned on the heat for the first time either). In what is becoming a yearly family…
- October 8th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
4 Real Estate Lessons For Sellers
I think we finally have a buyer lined up for our condo which went on the market about 11 months ago. We originally listed our 2 bedroom 1 bath 950 sqft condo at $169,000 but settled $20,000 less…
- October 2nd, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
DD’s Monthly Expenses - September 2009
It seems like I start off every one of these posts by saying I can’t believe how fast time is flying, BUT I REALLY CAN’T! I think the cool and wet summer we had screwed up my inner clock…
- September 19th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Are You Ready for Some Financial Football?
Woo-Hoo! Football has finally started! Better yet I got to watch my favorite team, The Washington Redskins, on TV(This is a big deal when you live in the middle of nowhere and you only have three ch…
- September 16th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
DD’s End of Summer Round Up, “To be Continued…Edition”
I see from all the TV promos for new shows that the Fall TV season is about to begin. Which is too bad because it feels like summer was just starting. As a kid I remember that all my favorite TV sho…
- September 7th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Is Capitalism Always The Answer?
I know that probably sounds like blasphemy to a lot of folks out there, but I am starting to feel like it is the truth. As much as I like free markets, they don’t magically solve every problem…
- September 3rd, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
DD’s Monthly Expenses - August 2009 - House Painting Edition
If you’ve been sniffin’ around here longer than a month then you already know that I track my family’s expenses. Here is the tally for August: $840.39 - Mortgage $759.20 - Health…
- August 27th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Tap Water - A cool refreshing frugal drink
Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. That’s how my wife and I felt when we first moved back to my hometown. Our rental house was right across the street from a creek which runs throu…
- August 18th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
13 Simple Tips To Make Tent Camping Easier And More Fun
Last weekend we got back from a 4 day 3 night tent camping trip where it rained for hours on two of the four days. Actually the trip was supposed to be 5 days 4 nights, but we decided to forgo the f…
- August 13th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
The Library Still Rocks! Yes, I Like The Free Movies And More
I love my library! I know, I know…I already wrote this post a few months ago. But indulge me. The reason for my outburst is that my town is looking at replacing our library. A few days ago t…
- August 5th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
New Jersey 2008 Homestead Rebate Due Date And Other Information
If you were wondering when the New Jersey(NJ) 2008 Homestead Rebate application is due or if you are eligible for the property tax rebate you came to the right place. The deadline for filling the NJ H…
- August 4th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
DD’s Monthly Expenses - July 2009
Was your July as hectic as ours? My wife shot three weddings, I was in two tennis tournaments, and we had a big 4th of July weekend too. Uffda, no wonder we’re so tired. For any new readers just…
- July 30th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
I finally used coupons - But did I save?
I’ve never really been a coupon guy. I don’t know if this is because it seems like I never find coupons for the stuff I actually buy, or if I just don’t want to take the time to cu…
- July 27th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Daycare Dilemma - One Year Later
You’ll get 5 bonus points if you remember that one of the first posts that I wrote for The Happy Rock was about daycare. Back then daycare was costing us about $950 a month. So its no wonder why…
- July 21st, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
How To Get Free Replacement Laces For Keen Shoes
Long story short, Keen will replace any pair of bungee shoe laces for free. Just follow this link to the Keen FAQ and click the customer service link in the replace your laces question. First, if you…
- July 20th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
And the Hits Just Keep on Coming…Escrow and Health Insurance
For some reason I love it when the mail is delivered. I can’t really explain it. Maybe I’m hoping for a message from a secret admirer, the Victoria Secret catalog, or a random check. …
- July 16th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Just Buy It Already! Fighting Indecision On Big Purchases
This is a guest post by PF blogger The Weakonomist @ Weakonomics.com. He is a twenty something who works for a major bank and unlike most PF blogger has stayed debt free. For those who aren’t fa…
- July 14th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
DD’s Monthly Expenses - June 2009 - The Grocery Breakthrough
I can’t believe the year is half over. Summer is flying by! For any new readers just joining us, I track my family’s monthly expenses. Below is the tally for June 2009: $1038.54 - Mort…
- July 13th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Carnival Of Top Personal Finance Posts #11
Another great week of personal finance posts have come and gone, now it is time to crown the best of the best. If you aren’t familiar with the Carnival of Top PF Posts, I think MLR @ My Life R…
- July 9th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
29 Reasons Why Being A Part Time Entrepenuer Sucks
I know this may not be the inspirational pie in the sky post you want to hear, but it is reality. If you are already a part time entrepreneur, solo entrepreneur, or blogger you can probably empathiz…
- July 6th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Getting Old Can Be Expensive - The Big Birthday Bash
Have you noticed how expensive it is to get old? No, I’m talking about supplemental Medicare insurance either. I’m talking about birthdays! I turned 34 not to long ago. And to mark such…
- July 2nd, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Cheap Eats - Meal Ideas Under $10
A while ago I wrote about how I blew my grocery budget on a $11 hunk of cheese, I ended that post by asking for some budget friendly recipes. Only Kristy from Master Your Card took me up, and I̵…
- June 28th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Michael Jackson, King of Pop, dies with debts of $400 Million.
When I first heard the reports of Michael Jackson being rushed to the hospital, I thought, “Here’s another crazy publicity stunt.” Like the boy who cried wolf, Michael Jackson alwa…
- June 26th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
The End My Rope - When Trying Harder Just Isn’t Good Enough
Something has to change. I am at the point in life where you are honest enough to realize that what you have been doing just isn’t working. You finally realize that just tweaking a few t…
- June 22nd, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
The Catch All Budgeting Category, What Is In Miscellaneous?
In the comment section of April’s expense report I was asked by Single Guy Money,”What made up the ‘Household Misc’ category?” My answer was: The household misc category…
- June 18th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
16 Year Old Skips The Last Two Years Of High School To Play Proffesional Baseball
16 year old Bryce Harper has chosen to forgo the last two years of high school in order to get his GED and enter the Major League Baseball draft. Harper, sometimes called baseball’s Lebron Jam…
- June 16th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Cell Phones Contracts Are Debt, You Just Don’t Realize It
That’s right, it wasn’t a typo: most cell phone contracts are creative ways to package debt. It sounds harsh, but if we dissect the relationship it will become glaringly obvious. You sell…
- June 14th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Take the Money and Run, or Let it Ride? What Should I Do With My Stock Gains?
Picking stocks is so easy, a baby can do it. Some of you long time readers might remember that back in February, I decided to take my student loan and try to time the market by investing in a hand-fu…
- June 11th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Get Out Of Jail Free Card - Visualize Yourself Without Debt
Debt is a prison and you don’t get out of jail until your creditors are paid off. Even if you don’t feel like you are in prison debt still narrows your range of choices and options. Yo…
- June 10th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Cast Your Vote - Carnival of Top PF Post #6
The Writer’s Coin was the host for the 6th Carnival of Top PF Posts. The carnival write-up includes carnival summary and a brief summary of each article. Click through and check out the ca…
- June 7th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Want a sure thing? Invest in Pearl Jam!
Remember when I caught grief about spending $140 on a reissue of my favorite band’s debut album? In case you forgot, I also talked about it here. Well it just occurred to me that I never rev…
- June 3rd, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
The Choice For Expensive Daycare - This Why I Do This Stuff
I just got back from picking up my two boys, age 16 months and 3 1/2 years, from pre-school. It was their first day. After years of in-home single sitter care both boys were ready for something…
- June 2nd, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
DD’s Monthly Expenses - May 2009
Can you believe it’s June already? Time is flying by. As most of you know I track my family’s expenses. Here is the tally for May: $989.40 - Auto Repairs $830.00 - Mortgage $664.10 - H…
- May 27th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Thank Goodness for the Complimentary Carwash
We’ve hit the road each of the last three weekends. The weather was gorgeous and we had fun destinations to look forward too. But one thing we didn’t have was air conditioning. Lucki…
- May 26th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
4 Simple Tips To Improve Your Wealth Building Skills
The following is a guest post by DebtKid, who writes about his journey to get out of debt, and achieve financial stability. He runs a small software development company in Seattle and just launched…
- May 21st, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Frugal Fixes Around the House - Duct Tape, Foam and a Rubberband
Back in September I wrote about how it took me two days to fix a screendoor. Guess what? It’s broken again. I bring this up to show that I’m no handy man. With all the Bob the Builder th…
- May 20th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Importance Of Good Real Estate Listing Photos(With Pictures)
Quality home photos wasn’t something that we gave much thought to when we were signing our first selling real estate agent, but it is something that we are keenly aware of now. Our house has…
- May 18th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
We Spend Coins Faster than Bills
Lately I’m becoming an expert on the psychology of spending money, and it’s all thanks to my trusty radio. Last month I wrote about a story I heard on NPR which said that we can save mon…
- May 14th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
The Happy Rock’s Monthly Budget Expenses Revealed
I haven’t been hiding our expenses, but the truth isn’t we haven’t really been paying attention. Since we’ve gotten rid our debt except for the mortgage and established a ful…
- May 13th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Saving Money with Old School Technology - Answering Machines
As I’m quick to remind you long time readers, I took your advice and switched phone/internet carriers a few months ago. One of my complaints was that we no longer could get a separate voicema…
- May 11th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Should I Cash My Savings Bonds?
Short answer = Yes. Let’s start with the basics first though. A US savings bond is note representing a US government debt. The government agrees to pay back the money you give them in exchange…
- May 9th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
April Happy Rock Roundup
Here are a few of the best article’s from a year ago on The Happy Rock that are still very relevant: The Myth Of The Bi-Monthly Mortgage Debt Is The Symptom - Fix The Problem Breakdown - Is T…
- May 7th, 2009
-
TheHappyRock has posted a new entry on: The Happy Rock
Scary Movies And A Personal Finance Video Game
We probably were the last people in the world to see it, but Mrs. DD and I finally got a round to watching “An Inconvenient Truth” this past weekend. It was a very inspiring film (hard to…
