I share the frustration and heartache of so many Americans who are marching and advocating for racial justice. But what to do about it? What does the bible say? In Acts 6, Luke records how Greek (Hellenist) widows were being unjustly overlooked in the distribution of food in Jerusalem, in favor of the majority Hebrew […]
Dollar Origami Bible Lesson for Distanced Grade School Students
We all know about the coronavirus disruptions and accommodations that have been made for schoolkids and teachers. Many of us are impacted directly or we’ve certainly heard about it from others. But what about Sunday school? Does that take a hiatus or is there a way to adjust and move forward fruitfully? Nora and I […]
Can a College Student Get a Summer Job during a Pandemic?
Does your college student have a summer job? Mine does, but it wasn’t easy. With 40M+ Americans out of work, the competition for summer work – or any work at all – hasn’t been this fierce since the Great Depression. So there is zero shame in not getting a summer job, or having one fall […]
Balancing Grocery Bills, an Internet Upgrade & College Refunds During Virus Lockdown
On Saturday, March 7, Pippa took a shuttle to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, to catch a plane to Colorado to visit her grandmother for college spring break. The coronavirus was a thing then, but not a super duper thing. Pippa had a two week break, and she planned the second week at home in […]
I Put $30,000 into the Stock Market Last Week
I received a text from my niece last week: “I know you’re the finance guy…do you deal much with the stock market? Is now a time to invest?” My reply: “Heck yeah! Now’s a good time.” The Dow Jones Industrial Average had lost over 35% of its value in about a month. Which made me […]
Road to Independence: My Teen Bought His First Car
I told you before about how Grey was revving hard to get his own wheels. Well, he’s now the proud owner of a new used car. Here’s how it went down. Back to Craigslist After nearly being burnt on the Craigslist stove, Grey went right back to it, with hot mitts on this time. I […]
Was a Car Breakdown a Trial or a Blessing?
Her phone’s google maps kept telling her to turn right, but Pippa ignored it. She knew Calvert Street was a major north-bound artery, and it was generally taking her in the right direction: home. Pippa was home for Christmas break after her first semester of college, and was on the way back from visiting an […]
From the Inner City to White Collar Success in Baltimore
Late last year, we went to a reception at the National Electronics Museum for students in Northrop Grumman’s High School Involvement Partnership Program (HIP). Nora works as a counselor in a Baltimore school that participates in the program, and has been to this reception before. It was my first time. If you don’t know, Northrop […]
St. John Employees Count Their Bonus While I Shiver in My Office
Did you see the story last month where Maryland commercial real estate company St. John Properties gave its employees a huge year-end bonus? It was all over the national news because of the size of the company (198 employees) and the size of the bonus ($10M total). A Laudable Move There’s a lot to like […]
My Wife Won Her Office NFL Pool. I Got Addicted.
So, as you might have read last time, Nora got swept up in her office’s NFL gambling pool. She isn’t the only one. According to the American Gaming Association, over 11 million Americans bet on the NFL in 2019 as part of a sports pool, squares contest or paid fantasy contest. About 31% of people […]
If God Answers Prayer, Why Am I Still Broke/Sick/Depressed?
Last time, I told you about the power of prayer and of boldly approaching God and the potential fruit that can come from that, including in this case the healing of a teenage girl. Don’t lose faith, however, if despite fervent prayer, that you remain sick, or broke, or…out of the money in your sports […]
Boldly Approach Your Bank…And God
As I related before, we jetted off to Europe for our summer vacation. It was so glorious that I totally forgot about my Citi Mastercard payment until we returned home and it was overdue. Since I charge practically everything to maximize my cash back rewards, I knew the penalty would be hefty. Sure enough. So I ran […]
Buying a First Car Without Succumbing to First Scam
Grey is a junior in high school. He recently earned his full driver’s license, and he wants his own car. So he spends evenings and weekends scanning Craigslist for just the right ride – one that balances cost and cool. The other day, he texted me this photo and ad: What’s not to like? A […]
How Our College First-Year is Balancing Costs And Income
Last time, I related how a college mom wanted to give her son $120 a month, and the strong responses it elicited. This time, as promised, I’m featuring the personal experience of our daughter Pippa, who is in her first year of college. Cut the Cord? Ever since Pippa left for college in August, her […]