Although I’ve fully embraced online shopping for a while now, I always feel like I’m one bargain away from emptying my paypal account.

The reason so many personal finance bloggers recommend cash vs. credit or debit cards is that people don’t like separating from their cash, but find it easier to spend more when all it takes is a swipe of a plastic card.

Whether we agree with the logic or not, most of us know about this idea. With the ease of use of paypal and bitcoin, spending money is becoming easier and easier.

Think about it, when you’re shopping online, you don’t even have to get out your credit card anymore. When everything’s saved online, everything you want is literally one click away. And that’s how every online business wants it.

And with the latest news from Google, it might just get a little easier to give up your money while you’re online.

Apparently, if you buy into the hype, Google is about to flip the world on it’s head once again – and I’m not talking about Google Glass.

Email What??

Apparently, we’re about to have the ability to email money! That’s right . . . we’re miles away from Monopoly money at this point.

Although experts are unsure as to why the ‘Email Money’ news was left out of this year’s Google I/O keynote on Wed. May 15, the one thing that they can agree on is that this could (again) change the world.

Just think about it, paying rent, mortgages, paying back friends – all with an email. Attaching money from your Google Wallet account the same way you used to attach pictures.

Nothing to Worry About

Many personal finance experts will tell you that people who are prone to making bad financial decisions will make them whether it’s with cash or credit, or email.

However, I believe that most everyone has their breaking point. There’s a chance that, with the introduction of an even easier way to spend your money, it might push some into a spending spree that they didn’t imagine.

Fail-Safe

Here’s the bottom line – you are responsible for your spending habits and how you control your bank account.

Sure, you should know your weaknesses and know how to avoid the temptation to go on a spending spree. But you should also maintain the discipline and the fortitude to give yourself limits on spending.

We can’t blame the ease-of-spending as the problem, even if it’s as easy as sending an email.

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Keeping my car on the road for a small cost seemed impossible at one time, especially when I had to take into consideration the regular service check-ups, gas stops and cleaning expenses. Thankfully there are a few things I have learned over the years, all of which allow me to run my vehicle for a reasonable price.

Take Out a Lease on a Car

If you’ve spotted the car of your dreams yet feel the price tag is a little on the high side, you could opt for the fully maintained lease option. Many dealers will allow drivers to buy into this system, which enables the consumer to pay monthly installments as opposed to putting down a larger-than-life sum. Included in this contract are free services on the vehicle, an impressive warranty, and the option to upgrade when the new model arrives. At the end of your lease, you can either pay up the remainder and buy the car outright or sell it back to the garage.

Shop Around for Insurance Policies

When it comes to insuring your vehicle, it is important to check each and every insurance policy available. Shopping around and using the likes of comparison sites will allow you to source the best and lowest priced policies on the market. If you are a first time driver, you may find that you are being quoted a higher rate. In this scenario, adding yourself as a third party driver to your parent’s insurance will instantly lower these costs – but only do so if you are only using their car occasionally; if you use the car all the time, and it is your car, you should get comprehensive insurance coverage.

Keep Your Vehicle in a Secure Place

If you are lucky enough to have a driveway or garage, inform your insurance provider of this. Keeping your car off the road will instantly lower your premiums.

Keep your vehicle serviced regularly

Although regular services can be a little on the expensive side, having a road-worthy vehicle is a sure fire way to keep maintenance costs down. If your car requires a little work, make sure you put this work in motion before the problem becomes worse. If you are short of money or have been refused a loan in the past use services such as Everyday Loans’ online loans for bad credit history in order to cover these costs and find an affordable loan. Remember though – only take out a loan if you know you can repay it down the line.

Although a speedy sports car is the car we all desire, it’s not the most practical. High-powered engines, flashy vehicles and modified bodywork can make running and service costs soar. Try to equate for these costs when it comes to buying a new car. A small yet nifty vehicle will cost less to refuel, less to service and less to insure.

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I’ve officially joined the club . . . I’ve literally gotten my hands dirty . . . I’ve become more of a man.

I have finally, after 33 years of life, changed my vehicle’s oil – myself. And in all honesty, I was surprised at the sense of accomplishment and excitement I felt afterwards. I’m still flying high.

We brought our 2005 Kia Sorento with us when we moved to Eleuthera, and I knew eventually I would be crawling underneath the car and staring the drain plug and the oil filter square in the face. It was an intimidating thought.

Getting a Little Dirty

If you change your own oil, be prepared for a good shower afterwards.

First, you’ve got to crawl under your car. Next, there’s the heat and sweat of the job (depending on your climate). The old oil will surely find a way onto your hands (probably when you unscrew the old oil filter) and run straight down your arm.

As careful as I started out, I was still cleaning up with man-soap afterwards.

Nevertheless, the mess was a welcomed obstacle when compared to the financial savings. It’s hard to estimate the precise savings each person may experience when dealing with cars and oil changes (since there are so many manufacturer recommendations and since oil changes and oil prices tend to vary state to state).

But overall, plan on saving anywhere from $10 to $40 per oil change when you take on the challenge yourself.

Not As Big of a Challenge

It’s pretty safe to assume that people in my generation (I’m 33 years old) don’t do nearly as much on our own as our parents did. And our parents didn’t do nearly as much on their own as their parents generation.

It’s probably because we have, or we think we have, more “disposable” income. Sure, let’s hire someone to mow the lawn, fix the toilet, change the oil, landscape the front yard for curb appeal. The list can go on and on, but’s let’s save that for a different post.

In reality, changing the oil in my car wasn’t that big of a challenge . . . once I was educated on the “how-to“.

I basically did three things; 1.) I drained the old oil by unscrewing the drain plug and then replacing the plug when I was finished, 2.) I replaced the old oil filter with the new oil filter (made easier by the oil filters with the no-slip grip), and 3.) I poured in the new oil.

Sure, there are small details in the middle of all of those steps, like making sure you don’t over-tighten the drain plug, making sure you drain the old oil into a pan instead of onto the ground, and using a good wrench (in a tight space) to get the old oil filter unscrewed.

But all in all, it wasn’t as big of a job that I had imagined in my head.

Victory At Last

It was a small victory, but a victory all the same. So let me encourage you to get out in your garage or driveway and get your hands a little dirty.

Not only will you get a great feeling of accomplishment by changing your own oil, but you’ll absolutely love saving the money!

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I’ve finally decided to add a Tablet to my “want” list.

Here are the specs I’m interested in:

• a solid 10-inch tablet
• epic screen resolution
• one or two gigs of RAM (preferrably two)
• 1.4GHz (or higher) processor (dual or quad core)
• memory card slot for expandable storage
• price under $600

I figure this list will help me narrow down a tablet that’s somewhat “future proof”, at least for a few years. I’m planning on using my tablet for about 4-5 years before I purchase a second one.

What? Did you take me for a planned obsolescence sucker?

I set my price point at $600 because, honestly, I’d rather just buy a laptop if I spent anything over that amount.

The Maze of the Casino

You know the old saying that a casino floor is built like a maze to keep you trapped inside so you’ll spend more money? Well that’s exactly how I feel after 6 days of tablet research and reading reviews.

Not only has there been an explosion of tablets on the market in recent years, but the offerings are so drastically different (even though different manufacturers try to appear similar).

I’m taking one step forward and two steps back. If I find a tablet with a low cost and expandable storage, it’s a no-name brand with a lousy screen, processor, and memory.

If I skip the aluminum backing and go for the expandable memory and big-time processor, the screen resolution isn’t up to par.

But if I go with the best screen resolution, I lose out on expandable memory.

Fourth-Gen iPad

Let’s just get apple out of the way. I haven’t bought into the advertising or social pressure to get anything Apple. I choose not to be a part of the iOsphere (copyright, lol).

For me, buying an Apple product is like being invited over to your friend’s house to watch a movie, but they don’t let you pick the movie, and it’s a snoozer. And once you’re in the door, they won’t let you leave.

BUT, Apple does make good products, I just don’t want one. And I especially don’t want an iPad because expandable storage is on the top of my list.

I mean c’mon, why would I want to pay Apple $100 to go from 16 gigs to 32 when I could buy a high-speed 32GB micro SD card for $22 on Amazon?

Plus, I really want the freedom of the Android platform. (And I’m afraid that, if I bought an iPad 4 in January or February, Apple would release the iPad 5 in June).

Google Nexus 10

I really got excited when they announced a 10-inch version of the Google Nexus. At 300ppi, it’s got the best screen available. Period!

Take that iLovers.

It’s also got great speaker placement, 2 gigs of memory, a super 1.7GHz processor, and the most direct line to Google’s updates.

And it’s made by Samsung, a well-respected tech company that gives me confidence in my purchase.

But alas . . . no expandable storage. Only a 16GB or 32GB version. Apparently Google wants to push everyone to their cloud-based storage.

The only thing is, I don’t live in America. I’m a missionary out in the middle of nowhere. I don’t have 3G, 4G, or always-available wifi. So I would rather have the capacity to physically take my movies and music collection with me on a (cheaper) micro SD card.

I’m also worried that the rubber coating which covers the plastic backing will start to peel away like my old Droid X case. What a nightmare!!

Asus Transformer Infinity

This one may be it folks . . . the tablet of my dreams. This tablet’s screen, while not the best screen on the market, is still full 1080p HD.

It also features a 1.6GHz dual-core processor, a micro HDMI connection, and a micro SD card slot for expandable storage.

It’s only got 1GB of memory, and while I’d prefer 2 gigs, that’s definitely not a deal breaker. Not like the expandable storage issue.

Right now my only draw back is the name ASUS. Only because it’s not as well-known as Apple, Samsung, and some others.

However, many of my custom-built desktop computer’s internal parts come from ASUS. And let’s not forget that Google commissioned ASUS to build their Nexus 7.

I’m not saying ASUS isn’t reliable . . . but when they’re laptops are some of the cheaper laptops (along with Acer and eMachines) it’s easy to feel uneasy at first about spending $500+ on an ASUS Tablet.

Samsung Tab 2 10.1 and Note 10.1

After hearing that Samsung equipped Google’s Nexus 10 with the BEST screen on the planet, there’s no way I could purchase either of their own tablets without feeling cheated.

Under the hood, the Tab 2 10.1 is pretty basic. The processor and memory are enough to get by, but with using my tablet for heavy web, graphics, and video usage, I wouldn’t feel comfortable spending the money – even though the Tab2 is on sale right now for $299.

The Note 10.1 has about double the power under the hood, and a stylus pen to boot with some nifty handwriting features (and that’s why the note is about $200 more expensive than the Tab 2). And both have expandable storage, too.

But both of these tablets leave me with a sour attitude when you see their screen specs. Both sport a resolution of 1280×800 – again, definitely well below the new standard of the iPad 4, the Transformer Infinity, and the Google Nexus 10.

The Results

For my personal usage, I’m thinking I can’t go wrong with the Transformer Infinity Pad. It’s well under my $600 price point, it’s got a full HD screen (although not the best available), I’ll get to use my micro SD card, the Micro HDMI will come in handy (I use my phone’s HDMI all the time), and it’s got a solid feel with a solid backing.

But just so you know, I’m heart-broken about the Google Nexus 10. Why, oh why is Google so obsessed with cloud storage. What’s it going to hurt to add one little micro SD card slot?

Oh well.

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How long did you stand in line?

Instead of buying some off-the-shelf, generic computer that everyone else has in their home, I designed, built, and assembled every feature of this glorious machine.

I hand picked each component that makes this puppy run – a gaming case with 5 of the quietest fans you’ve ever heard, a monster processor, motherboard with USB 3.0 and core unlocker, a graphics card with HDMI output and more dedicated memory than my previous two laptops combined, and a whopping 16 gigs of ultra-fast memory.

There’s no way on Earth that I actually do anything requiring 16 gigs, but I’ve got it if I need it.

And there in lies the problem . . . we become addicted to upgrading technology, electronics and gadgets without precisely identifying our true need for them.

Philip W. Schiller, Apple’s vice president for marketing, said it best when he introduced the latest iPad mini, the slimmest iMac computer, and a host of other beautiful (and expensive) electronic devices, “Isn’t it amazing how something new makes the previous thing instantly look old?”

It sure is! But we can’t continue to blame strategies such as Planned Obsolescence for our zombie-like desire to spend money on new stuff.

We have to begin to take responsibility for our own actions, and that means we have to look long and hard at the person in the mirror.

Know the Rules of the Game

One of the best defenses in the battle against technology upgrades is knowing the rules that the manufacturers are playing by.

Rule #1: The manufacturer has spent millions of advertising dollars to make you want to throw away your perfectly good tv, computer, phone, or tablet only to replace it with something marginally better. (At first glance, the 4th generation iPad – no, not the mini – isn’t exactly “double” the speed of the 3rd gen. In fact, in basic user review, the iPad3 actually outperforms it’s newer brother in a few areas).

Rule #2: That new gadget you just bought . . . yea, it will be out of date in about 6-9 months. Again, the word on the street is that Apple is planning another iPad and/or iPad Mini announcement next spring. Do you wonder why the iPad mini didn’t come with the new Retina Display? Because Apple wants you to buy another iPad mini next year.

Don’t think I am picking on Apple, they’re just so transparent about their tactics. Plenty of companies play the exact same game. Samsung, Sony, LG, Motorola . . . all of the major electronics manufacturers want to stay on top of the mountain, and that means delivering newer devices almost every quarter.

Rule #3: If they’ve got one, they’ve got 100. Manufacturers rely on our own enviousness, jealousy, and desire to keep up with our friends and neighbors to line their pockets with gold dust.

If a company can convince one person to buy they’re product, then word-of-mouth can do the rest (especially if that one person happens to be very influential). They’re counting on your neighbors, co-workers, and friends to socially pressure you into that new purchase.

Playing by the Same Rules

It’s not enough to know how tech companies are trying to persuade you to buy their new stuff, you’ve got to play by those rules as well. If you understand the advertising game, it’s easier to live above the influence of everyone around you.

Instead of becoming one of the mindless sheep who continue to go deep into debt just to own what the television tells them, see the game for what it is and use that phone for three or four years, stretch the usefulness of your new tablet into 2015, and maybe, just maybe, skip a few generations of your iLife.

In the end, remember that you’re trying to keep more money in your pocket.

Photo By deerkoski

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What motivates you to pay down debt?

Or lack thereof.

After all, would Rocky have defeated Ivan Drago if he wasn’t motivated by Apollo’s death in the ring?

Would Shrek have rescued princess Fiona had it not been for the fairy tale characters taking over his swamp?

Would Inigo Montoya have found the six-fingered man had he not been motivated by the death of his father?

Make no mistake about it, your motivation to get out from underneath the pressures of financial mismanagement will directly influence your resolve to complete the task of becoming debt free.

Take Ownership of Your Shortcomings

Before you become motivated to change the direction of your financial life, you must own up to your mistakes, your poor decisions, and your bad spending habits.

After all, if you refuse to take responsibility for your financial state, even Tony Robbins would have a hard time getting you interested in committing to change.

When you humble yourself just a bit and accept the truth that you are responsible for your bad credit, maxed out credit cards, draining your 401k, never starting a college savings plan for your kids, or blowing your emergency fund on last year’s vacation, you will finally be able to “get over yourself” and begin to focus on solving the problems.

The Force that Drives You

Why is it so important to identify your motivation for eliminating debt?

Simply put, getting out of debt is going to be tough – maybe not in theory, but definitely in practice. There are going to be rough spots that make you want to throw away the idea that you can live debt free.

Your old spending habits will be screaming to come back into your life. The sales, the specials, the coupons, the marketing strategies will all tempt you to come back to your former lifestyle.

But when you have a solid foundation of motivation guiding your efforts, you won’t be so easily swayed.

All of the sudden, your child’s education will outweigh your desire for new shoes. Your retirement possibilities will become more important than another new-car lease.

Having the flexibility to involve your children in extracurricular activities without having to sweat about your cash flow will be higher on the list than keeping up “financial appearances”.

When you identify what motivates your new financial plan, you will have a constant reminder to stay the course and never give in to your old ways.

Motivation to Get INTO Debt

Maybe you haven’t thought of it, but there is something that motivates us to spend more than we earn – thus trapping us in debt.

Depending on your personality, it could be just as important (or even more important) to identify those things that motivated your bad spending habits.

When you’ve identified both sides of motivation, you can begin to correct your life’s list of what is truly important.

My Personal Motivation

For my wife and I, our motivation to rid our lives of debt was the opportunity for mission work. After all, how can you uproot your family and live without a paycheck when you owe so much money?

We got to the point where we realized that we wouldn’t be able to go where we felt God calling us if we kept spending more than we made. We were anchored down by our debt.

With this in mind, we set our determination on frugal living and paying down our debt. It’s surprising what a little motivation and a lot of change can produce!

Photo By stevendepolo

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I had so much fun tinkering with my iPhone.

And with the high cost of shipping, freight, duty, and import taxes, (making everything 2-5 times the cost back in the US) the joke of “we just can’t have nice things” is quickly becoming a reality.

So, in the middle of nowhere with few resources and even fewer experts, the best person to rely on is yourself.

When the roof needs new shingles, we get a ladder. When the car starts to sputter, we pop the hood. When the water cistern pump goes out, we break out the tools.

And when my (donated) iPhone needs a new battery, a new earpiece speaker, and a new sim card holder, it’s time to pop open the magic Apple device myself, void the warranty, and become an expert in iPhone Refurbishing.

Money is Tight

When we decided to be missionaries, my wife and I new that our financial outlook would drastically change. Spending habits would be the first thing to look completely different.

When you’re raising your own financial support, when you’re budgeting for life’s basic necessities, and when electricity and internet are considered luxuries, you know that you’re not going to be standing in line for the new iPhone 5.

(Hey,did you hear the iPhone 6 is already in production in China?)

So when my iPhone 3gs starts to show major signs of wear, I decided to spend a few bucks on some spare parts instead of a few hundred.

Rising from the Ashes

I had to jailbreak and unblock my iPhone to get it to work on the network. I have to say, it was pretty fun experience.

Once the new sim card was inserted and the phone had a full charge, I powered it on. Yowzah, it worked! But with a few slight issues.

Only one of the bottom speakers worked, the sim card holder was loose to the point where the phone couldn’t always recognize that a card was inserted, the headset speaker needed to be cleaned or replaced, and the battery drained after about 35 minutes of use.

Needless to say, there was potential, but there was work needed to be done as well.

Voiding the Warranty

The issue I have always had with Apple is that they don’t like customers working on their products. Yet, I’m the type of person who likes fixing my own stuff . . . myself.

Sure enough, when you take out the two bottom screws and remove the glass screen of your iPhone, you see the big sticker telling you that any further disassembly results in voiding your warranty.

Luckily, I don’t care.

The Supplies

Surprisingly, the extra parts needed to complete my own personal iPhone Refurbishing project were relatively inexpensive.

$14 for the toolkit (which makes it much easier removing the glass and keeping up with all of the screws), $10 for a new headset speaker, $8 for new bottom speakers, and $4 for a new sin card holder.

There are literally dozens of websites offering all sorts of iPhone parts for dirt cheap. All in all, I was happy to spend $36 to have the chance at giving my phone new life.

The Completed Project

I’m happy to announce that I’m a proud papa of a newly refurbished iPhone 3gs. Everything works great! And when compared to spending $500 – $700 to purchase a new iPhone out of contract, it’s well worth the effort.

Sure, it may not be the newest piece of technology available, but it works, it kept me from going into debt, and it does everything that I need it to do to help me stay connected.

I’m thankful for being a missionary in Eleuthera for many reasons. But, as far as personal finance is concerned, I’m thankful that living here has helped me to redefine my wants and my needs.

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Make a Statement . . . know your finances.

Every week I receive an automated email from Sharebuilder detailing my current account status. And, of course, the subject line of each email reads, “Statement of Financial Condition”.

The thing is, I’m on Sharebuilder so much each week, I don’t need to rely on the monthly email to tell me what state my account is in.

The same can be said for my bank account, my savings account, and practically all of my accounts relating to money I have, money I owe, and money that’s owed to me. You might say I’m an “Account Junkie”.

My personality is one that needs to know what’s coming my way. Good news, bad news, or no news, I want to know about it as quickly as it happens.

But this morning, as I read my Statement of Financial Condition, I began to daydream and wonder about people who aren’t as addicted to knowing about their financial landscape as I am.

Do they not care? Are they just procrastinating? Are their finances in ruin?

Why It’s Important

So the question nagging me right now is this: Why is it so blasted important to know the condition of my finances?

What I’ve come up with is this, the potential for financial trouble (or even financial ruin) is far too great to keep ignoring the health of my fiscal heartbeat. Sure, many readers out there will push back, puff out their chests, and say something to the tune of, “I’ve never used a ‘budget’ and I’ve always kept my money in order.”

But I’m going further back than budgets, back before you even knew what a budget was. Do you know how you’re doing with your money? Are you sensitive to the pulse of your bank account?

Sure, some people may not need a physical budget spreadsheet, or newer software like Mint.com, but the tools you use or don’t use are of little consequence when speaking of the desire to care about your financial life.

Relying on Others – The Danger

I’m a rather independent person. I prefer accomplishing things through my own skills and know-how. If I have no know-how, I enjoy learning.

One thing I’ve realized after being in Eleuthera for almost 2 months now is that I’m going to have to become knowledgable with just about everything. Working on engines, changing brake pads, mixing concrete (not the stuff that comes in bags), carpentry – the list goes on.

If not, them I’m at the mercy of others – and let’s just say that customer service is “lacking” here on the island, not to mention the cost.

When dealing with your finances, it’s important, no matter how much help you may need, that you remain involved. Don’t just sit on the sidelines. Don’t take someone else’s word for it. Don’t just wait for the monthly emails.

Stay tuned into every aspect of your money; where it’s going, where it’s coming from, where it’s leaking, and where it’s piling up.

One Last Cliche

Never give up, never surrender!

No matter how deep in debt you might be, no matter how hopeless your situation might feel, no matter how boring or frustrating you may feel, don’t stop caring about your financial life.

Don’t wait until things get ugly before you jump into action. Be preventative. stay ahead of the rough stuff by keeping up with everything that has to do with your money. And remember, it’s hard to care too much.

Photo By || UggBoy?UggGirl || PHOTO || WORLD || TRAVEL ||

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The following is a guest post by Jason of OneMoneyDesign.com

Learn the skills to fix your financial problems

There are ups, downs, rough patches, bunkers, great days, horrible outing, holes-in-one, and double bogeys.

According to Harry Vardon, one of the greatest golfers ever to play the game, “there’s only two kinds of players — those who hold on to their nerves and go on to win championships, and those who don’t.”

Similarly, when it comes to handling your finances, there are two kids of people – those who face and conquer financial problems when they arise and those who ignore and succumb to the pressure of hard times.

While the former does make you deal with financial hardship, the latter only delays the inevitability of a worsening financial situation.

Eating Pressure for Breakfast

Some people truly believe that ignorance is bliss . . . but it could not be further from the truth, financially speaking.

A large chunk of the population believes that ignoring financial problems removes the worry, fear, frustration, and anger from their lives. After all, who wouldn’t want to go through life without ever having to face problems?

The issue with this logic is that ignoring financial problems and lying to yourself about the true state of your bank account only makes things worse. During the time that you’re ignoring your financial problems, the issues are growing into larger, harrier animals waiting to devour you.

Instead of closing your eyes and wishing for the monster to go away, confront your finances – problems and all – and realize that peace comes when you fix the issues.

Carve Out the Time

Another excuse many of us use when faced with the burden of a negative financial situation is that we simply don’t have the time to deal with it right now.

Although that may be the case (rarely, if ever) you need to make time. Again, financial issues don’t go away with time, they usually get worse.

The fact of the matter is that, yes, you do have the time to deal with your finances, and yes, you’re just avoiding it right now. Stop avoiding, and start making time to face your financial giants.

Perfection Might be a Stumbling Block

If you’re like me, you might lose interest in something if you can’t be great at it or if you fall short of perfection. For example, I’m the worst basketball player in the history of the sport – even dating back to when the Aztecs invented it.

So, naturally, I don’t play.

But I can’t take that approach with my finances – and neither should you.

Whether or not you think that you’re good at dealing with your finances, you should never avoid or ignore taking control. Don’t become frustrated if your bank account isn’t ideal. Don’t lose interest if your retirement or college savings is lacking.

It’s more important to begin to take control of your financial life rather than waiting for everything to be perfect before you get involved. If perfection is what you’re waiting for, you’ll be waiting forever.

Educate Yourself

One of the last excuses we try to use when avoiding fixing our financial problems is the tried and un-true “I’m just not smart enough.” Even if you have no knowledge of a financial topic, you can always learn.

Do you get tired and sleepy when you have to learn something new as an adult? Does reading up on Roth IRAs or 401k Rollovers remind you of being nauseous in high school geometry?

Unlike high school, you can’t copy off of your neighbor.

Fixing your finances doesn’t take a degree from Yale, all it takes is some effort on your part to learn about whatever it is that needs to be addressed.

Whatever your financial status, you always have the power and ability to improve your landscape.

photo by kodomut

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Loading everything we own into a shipping container

I’m excited to announce that we’re moving our family to the island of Eleuthera to become full-time foreign missionaries.

Just about every aspect of our lives is going to change . . . and quick. We’re flying down this Saturday, July 14.

There are many, many elements about this transition that we’re excited about. Topping the list is knowing that we’re following where God has called us to serve. However, from a personal finance perspective, I’m very curious and excitedly anxious about tackling such a strict (truly no-frills) budget.

Where We’re Going

My wife and I felt God’s call to the foreign mission field even before we met in college in 2001. After we tied the knot, we soon began seeking places to serve. Eventually, we found a small Christian school on a small island in the Atlantic.

However at first, we thought we were on the doorstep of moving to the heart of Honduras to help run an orphanage. Moving to Hownduras didn’t materialize as doors were shut and those opportunities were soon gone. Then came Eleuthera.

If you’ve never heard of Eleuthera . . . join the club. The first time we heard of this island was about 2 months before our first visit. It just so happens that Eleuthera is part of the Bahama islands. And if you’re anything like my wife and I, serving as missionaries in the Bahamas makes you do a double-take.

Unlike the islands of Nassau and St. Maarten, however, Eleuthera isn’t your stereotypical Bahama destination. With less than a handful of hotels on the very northern tip of the 110-mile island, the terrain and economy resemble Nicaragua, Honduras, or even southern Mexico.

We will be serving at Windermere High School, a Christian mission school dedicated to giving local kids a chance at an education. Although my wife and I will both be teaching classes, my wife is a certified special needs teacher . . . a specialization that the island has never had access to before. Needless to say, we are very excited to help these children in need.

Financial Outlook

I was blown away to find out how much it costs to live in a poor country. From food, to utilities, to generic supplies, everything available for purchase is anywhere from 3-5 times the cost of what we’re used to here in the US.

From my preliminary figuring, basic bills like electricity, housing, food, water, and insurance will use up about 80% of our budget. That doesn’t leave much for expenses like an emergency fund, retirement, college savings, car repairs, hurricane damage, school supplies, gasoline, flights back home during the holidays, or the numerous little financial hurdles that crop up each week.

We’re moving to a place where little inconveniences can become little emergencies and you can’t really pay for security (no matter how much money you have).

Being missionaries, we won’t be pulling a salary from the school where we will be teaching. Instead, we have been raising our own financial support through friends, family, and our home church.

The good thing about having a bit of income from blogging and freelance writing is that you can continue to earn as long as you have a computer and an internet connection. Believe it or not, we’ll actually have both (although I believe the internet speed will be anciently slow, but who’s complaining? lol)

All of that said, as a personal finance enthusiast, I’m excited to take on the challenge of living on a very tight budget without the security that I’ve become accustomed to.

The Future of Deliver Away Debt

So what can you expect from this blog in the middle of my family’s life changes? The same informational, helpful, and interesting (hopefully) blog posts that you’ve come to know and love over the years. We’ll continue to tackle wise spending, boosting your income, eliminating debt, and living financially smart.

You’ll also get an interesting perspective about the financial ups and downs while living in a place where we really don’t have much of a choice when it comes to our earning potential or finding the lowest prices.

Aside from the regular weekly posts and Frugal Friday Tips, I’m planning on writing about what its like living as a frugal missionary on a budget in a poor, yet expensive, country. No matter what happens, it should be pretty interesting.

If you’re interested in learning more about our missionary journey, take a look at our family website.

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