When I was a kid, I was the designated (fill in the blank). If the TV antenna needed turning to pick up Star Trek or Dragnet, I was the designated antenna turner. If the channel needed changing, I was the designated remote control. When the ubiquitous Ashdown, Arkansas, pine treesContinue Reading
Some days are just lucky ones. Such was the day I found a half-century old console stereo at an estate sale. It isn’t exactly like the one my parents had, but it’s sure close. Today, people stick in an earbud and listen to an endless supply of music on theirContinue Reading
Dear Dave, My wife and I both work, and we have been looking at level term life insurance policies. A friend says it would be a good idea for us to have accidental death and dismemberment insurance, too. Do you agree? Aiden Dear Aiden, You both definitely need good levelContinue Reading
The things people use on a daily basis mostly go unnoticed. A watch, knife, or Bible typically doesn’t have a lot of actual value. That is until the person who owned them is gone. Then the item goes from being a tool to becoming a treasure. Some of my mostContinue Reading
Buying a loaf of sliced bread is something we all take for granted these days, but it has been available commercially for less than 100 years. It was first sold in 1928. By the 1960s, sliced bread was how most kids in America survived. Not wheat bread or whole grainContinue Reading
Dear Dave, What exactly is an executor, and what part do they play in someone’s will? Gabe Dear Gabe, Simply put, an executor manages the last will and testament of someone who dies. Acting as an executor is an honor and a huge responsibility. As the designated representative of the deceased, executorsContinue Reading
Whoever designed the string-pull on a bag of charcoal needs to know they failed. And it isn’t just bags of charcoal. It’s also large bags of kitty litter and pet food. You pull the string and it either snaps off in your hand or removes one of your fingers, butContinue Reading
There’s an elephant in the room, or at least, in the economy: inflation. Inflation is blowing up in the headlines, causing many Americans to feel a little deflated about their money. So, let’s talk about what inflation is and what you can do about it. Inflation is simply an increaseContinue Reading
Dear Dave, I’ve been seeing lots of ads lately for debt consolidation companies, debt settlement companies and the HELOC. Are any of these methods for reducing debt a good idea? Brent Dear Brent, No. These are all bad ideas when it comes to getting out of debt. There’s a lotContinue Reading
Driving my new 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass, I steered its long front end into the carpet and tile store. Actually, the Olds wasn’t new, but it was new to me. The person I was about to meet was also new to me. His name was Dennis. He worked full time asContinue Reading