Watch Dave Ramsey explain why you're in debt

I've criticized Dave Ramsey before, but he really hits the nail on the head in this rant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1usdOW4RyI

Think, America!

Links October 2016

Donald Trump could have had twice as much money as he has now if he'd retired 30 years ago and invested his money into index funds:
http://www.moneytalksnews.com/why-youre-probably-better-investing-than-donald-trump/?all=1

The Parable of the Little Red Hen:
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/makers-vs-takers

We need to encourage entrepreneurial spirit like this:
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/we-need-more-entrepreneurial-children-one

You're not going to get any help in retirement--not from the government, not from your employer. Plan accordingly: http://redpillmoney.blogspot.com/2015/08/saving-means-investing-or-how-to-fund.html

College isn't for everyone. This entertaining video explains more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CmbJzPmQ-M

Speaking of college, jlcollinsnh includes this gem:
"Moreover, one of the more unfortunate results of spiraling college costs and debt is the way it has warped the very concept of higher education. Rather than the pursuit of learning and culture, it has become the pursuit of job training in an effort to secure employment that will justify the astounding cost and debt incurred.

"Even successfully applied, this shackles young people to jobs long after the appeal has faded. Youth should be spent exploring—building and expanding one’s horizons—not grinding away in chains."
http://jlcollinsnh.com/2015/03/26/stocks-part-xxviii-debt-the-unacceptable-burden/
-Amen, brother!

And also this, from the very popular James Altucher: http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2011/01/8-alternatives-to-college/
When one or two people buck the trend, they may be visionaries--or they may be saying something edgy for the sake of saying something edgy. But when a lot of successful people are saying the same thing, there's probably something to it!

Maybe baby boomers should quit complaining about the 'attitude of entitlement' in the generation they raised:
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/boomers-you-made-us

Speaking of entitlement: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/07/19/college-student-blames-parents-after-blows-0g-college-fund/

How and why the media sometimes creates "news" that may or may not be true:
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/war-worlds-how-media-%E2%80%9Ccreates%E2%80%9D-news

Don't Tread On Me! Why the retirement crisis isn't going away

Don't Tread On Me!

Why the Retirement Crisis Isn't Going Away

A recent article published by The Atlantic left me steaming mad!

http://ralphseverson.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Man-Steaming-Mad.jpg

Here's why:

Save money like this rapper

Think all rappers boast about wasting money on overpriced luxury goods? Think again!

In case you haven't heard this song or seen the music video, comedic rapper Lil Dicky boasts instead about how he saves money on everything from laundry to parking to haircuts to toilet paper. The music video for the song was even filmed for (reportedly) no money! The jury's still out on whether the production was free, though...

Finance meme

Grammatical mistakes aside, Kermit really knows what he's talking about in this meme:

http://www.hekaheka.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/kermit-7.png

Happy saving! :)

Value Laptops 2015

Value Laptops 2015

This is an old article and will no longer be updated. Please see my latest version here.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of laptops. However, I’m also a fan of saving money and living within my means. If you're looking for a great deal on a new computer, I've picked out some of the best deals around to include in this article. Isn't it nice to have someone else do your shopping for you? :)

from http://press.asus.com/content/201406021517165793.jpg

Froogal Consumption

Froogal Consumption

As promised in my previous article on Why Being Cheap Costs More, I expound here on how to shop frugally. Whereas conspicuous consumption focuses on image and flash, Froogal consumption focuses on getting the maximum value for a quality product.

Value, rather than price, is a critical concept here!

Why Being Cheap Costs More

Think being tight-fisted will save you money? Think again!

The difference between frugal and cheap is all in your head.

Well, more accurately, it's in your mindset!

College Hacks to Save Money

Froogal College Hacks to Save Money

Did your jaw drop when you looked at your bill for the semester? Have you wondered how you can save money on college expenses? Stressing over how you're going to pay for college?

Don't let this be you! 

Image courtesy blogs.cornell.edu

Financial Freedom

I want to take a moment here to defend the Millionaire Mindset that I've described before. The point of this approach is to be satisfied with having a few nice things that you can truly afford, guilt-free!

Value-priced laptops for 2014

The best value-priced laptops for school or work

This is an old article and will no longer be updated. Please see my latest version here

10,000 views!

Wow! Thanks to all my readers for the 10,000 pageviews I've gotten! We've come a long way since the beginning of May 2014, when this blog opened shop. Together, we can spread the word even more, and empower a whole generation to take charge of their finances through smart thinking!

Thanks again to all my readers! Happy saving!

5 appalling violations of consumer rights

I've found a few links to some appalling examples of rising prices and failures of consumer protection; including one of the only places we're not supposed to worry about money: hospitals. Unfortunately, the Affordable Care Act will not fix matters.

Example of the Millionaire Mindset

Keira Knightley apparently understands the Millionaire Mindset. According to an article at (of all places) Us Weekly, she only pays herself around $50,000 per year!

Headphones for less

Since the recent acquisition of Beats Audio by Apple (a perfect marriage of too-expensive, overhyped consumer products!), Beats is once again in the public consciousness.

A great Lifehacker article (link at the bottom) suggests some bass-heavy alternatives to the expensive (and not-so-great-quality) Beats headphones that many young people seem to own these days. However, even these alternatives are pretty expensive; there are better-value alternatives that I've listed here.

Helpful links, 6/5/14

I've included a roundup of good articles relating to money management for young people, obviously with a focus on college students--in line with the purpose of this blog.

"How to live on $20,000 per year."
This is a great illustration of living below your means, as I advocate in The Millionaire Mindset, but it doesn't necessarily apply to current college students.
https://thecollegeinvestor.com/12961/live-20000-per-year/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=CollegeInvestin&utm_content=How%20to%20Live%20on%20$20,000%20Per%20Year

"Before I Knew, I Bought It New."
A great post on the virtues of buying used.
http://cashcowcouple.com/life-lessons/bought-it-new/

"Financial Independence and the College Lifestyle"
This is a post on how difficult it can be to establish yourself as an independent (in the government's eyes, for financial aid purposes). Very apropos for a lot of college students wondering how to make ends meet.
http://www.modestmoney.com/financial-independence-college-lifestyle/

"What Americans Don't Know About Student Loans: A Lot"
An article describing what people don't know about student loan debt. What you don't know CAN hurt you! Be informed!
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-06-05/what-americans-dont-know-about-student-loans-a-lot#r=read

"Top 3 Ways to Make Your Money Work for You"
This post describes how rich people approach money. Once you have money, it can be leveraged into various types of investments that earn you more money--so think of money (if and when you have some) as a tool.
http://moneyfor20s.about.com/od/makethemostofyourmoney/tp/3-Ways-to-Manage-Your-Money.htm?utm_source=facebook_sp&utm_medium=sm&utm_campaign=shareurlbuttons

"Life After Graduation--Advice to My Past Self 5 Years Later"
A brief, thoughtful look at what the writer thought she should have done differently after graduating college.
http://momoneymohouses.com/life-after-graduation-advice-past-self-5-years-later/

Any other suggestions? Let me know in the comments below, and it'll make my next "Helpful links" post!

Interesting site

I found an interesting blog that has a lot of great tips and interesting posts: the Two Cents blog http://twocents.lifehacker.com/ is a Lifehacker website, where there is a post pretty much every day (and sometimes multiple posts in one day!). It's definitely worth checking out--enjoy!

Happy saving!

'Afford' vs. 'Can pay for'

Many people are afraid to say it, or can't find words for it, or assume that people implicitly understand this concept. It is absolutely the underlying principle necessary for financial responsibility, and for your personal financial well-being. 

And it is this:

Just because you have the money to pay for something, does not mean that you can afford it! 

Image from Ford.com website; the 2014 Ford Focus costs around $20k

Social media

I've caved in...The Froogal Stoodent is now on Twitter! Follow me at http://twitter.com/FroogalStoodent  or @FroogalStoodent if you prefer.

You can also find me on or on Reddit, StumbleUpon, Tumblr, or Google+ by searching for Froogal Stoodent (you may have to run it together into one word).

I can also be found on phroogal.com, though that's not necessarily a social media site--but it does have lots of great information! (And despite the similarities in our names, I'm not affiliated with phroogal.com)

I recently got a Bloglovin and Pinterest account: Check them out!

You can find my Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008252777527
Facebook suspended my activity for using the Froogal Stoodent name, instead of making a "Celebrity Page," which must be linked to an account with a real name. If you have an unusual name, they may do it to you, too. So I won't bother trying to reinstate my Facebook account.

Happy saving!

The benefits of credit unions

There is a great post by the blog at phroogal.com, a website dedicated to giving people practical financial advice. The post (link at the bottom of this page) deals with the topic of credit unions.

I wanted to take the opportunity to chime in on the topic myself. In case you don't already know, a credit union is a financial institution similar to a bank. The difference is that banks are established to make a profit; credit unions are not-for-profit institutions, as established by federal law. So you can go to a credit union to open a savings account, take out a loan, open investments like a 401(k), and so on. Anything you can do at a bank, you can do at a credit union. The only restriction on membership for many credit unions is that you have to live in a certain geographical area.

The benefit of using a credit union is that the loans usually feature a lower interest rate, and the savings/checking accounts sometimes pay higher interest rates as well. Granted, this varies from institution to institution, as well as from one point in time to another. But the general trend holds--since credit unions aren't out to make a buck, they can be a little more generous to their members.