One of my passions is to MAKE THINGS MYSELF so I can save money and control the ingredients. Another of my passions is to SHARE THE INFORMATION I find with you so you can benefit too. The first DIY project I tried - and perfected - was homemade laundry detergent. If you haven't made it - MAKE IT. If you have made it - SHARE IT with your loved ones. Changing the world only happens … [Read more...]
About Matt Jabs
Adventure. Stewardship. Purpose. You can also follow my financial insights on DebtFreeAdventure.com and my sustainable living adventures on diyNatural.com.
Stop Eating Fast Food
February 6, 2013 By
Betsy and I committed to stop eating fast food over five years ago, and we haven't buckled yet. In fact, we view it as one of our best health decisions to date. Here is a nifty infographic listing a bunch of helpful info on the fast food industry - an industry that does NOT deserve our support. We vote with our dollars every day by not participating in this unsustainable, unhealthy, … [Read more...]
Happiness is All About Balance
February 5, 2013 By
A good life is all about balance. To be happy we must purpose to achieve that balance in all facets of life. That's what the 52.7 plan is all about. Betsy and I were talking about it today as we hiked a section of the Mountains-To-Sea Trail through the beautiful Appalachians. You need to take time each day to nourish yourself in all areas of your being - if you want to reach balance, … [Read more...]
Surroundings Matter
February 4, 2013 By
Do you let yourself dance a little every day? Do you live in a depressed area? How about your work environment? Does it sream CREATE or does it feel more like a prison? What about your home, do you surround yourself with things that foster ideas and growth? It matters! Your music, your pictures, your decor, your friends - they all matters! Everything you choose to surround yourself … [Read more...]
Cash for Old Cell Phones and Electronics
February 2, 2013 By
Have old electronics laying around gathering dust? Go get em, dust em off, and sell em to Gazelle.com for cash. That's right, Gazelle.com will buy your old electronics - and they pay pretty darn well. What can you sell? They will buy pretty much any type of Smartphone or Apple product including: iPhones Cell phones (Blackberry, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, and … [Read more...]
Master Your Money in Seven Days – 7
February 1, 2013 By
Everything we've learned thus far is fine and dandy if you have enough money to cover your budget each month. But what if you overdraft your account every month because you're so far behind? Don't worry, I used to be there too. I didn't overdraft my account every month, but it happened often enough to cost me a lot of money in fees, and that drove me nuts! Fees, fees, fees - are a pain in … [Read more...]
Master Your Money in Seven Days – 6
January 31, 2013 By
YNAB does not include a "Direct Connect" feature that links to your bank and downloads your transactions automatically. This is on purpose. The YNAB team states it this way: We've found the direct connection to banks really pulls people away from their money (psychologically). We don't have any plans to add direct connect into the software - from a philosophical standpoint - as the further … [Read more...]
Master Your Money in Seven Days – 5
January 30, 2013 By
You deserve to have saved money. Let me say that again - You deserve to have saved money! Folks who have never saved often develop a mental block that makes it hard for them to put money aside - even when they are finally able to afford it. What's worse is that most of them don't even know it. Are you like that? I was. After we paid off all our consumer debt and finally had money to put … [Read more...]
Master Your Money in Seven Days – 4
January 29, 2013 By
By now you should have a working YNAB file. If you don't, go back and read day 1, 2, and 3 to get caught up. All about Credit Cards Today we'll learn how to set up credit cards, budget for debt, record purchases and payments, handle interest and fees, and even how to deal with balance transfers! Here's a complete list of what we'll cover: setting up a credit card account budgeting … [Read more...]
Butter or Margarine
January 28, 2013 By
Which do You Eat? Read this article on butter or margarine, use today to make a healthy choice, and spread the word! We need to get back to eating the foods God made for us! Get to Know Your Farmers You know your doctor and your dentist, but what about your farmer? You don't know your farmer? Why the heck not? Visit LocalHarvest.org to find some in your area. ******* … [Read more...]