My Favorite Personal Finance Sites

When I was pondering what kind of a blog I was going to start I of course first thought about what I liked to read online, and that included several personal finance blogs and sites. Considering my attempts at the time to make money since losing my job I guess the subject matter sort of popped right out at me. I don’t consider this a “personal finance” blog because there are gaps in the subject that I don’t write about because they don’t interest me as much, such as credit cards, insurance, taxes, investing. I personally am interested in taxes (If the subject is lowering them! Otherwise it’s nap time) and investing (I have a tidy sum in my old 401k, mutual funds and a Roth IRA) but not enough to write about it. So The Buck List was never a traditional personal finance blog, just what interested one guy enough to want to share with others. Some of the sites on my list are like that, and others are a little more structured.

If you have any to add I would love to know about them!

The Dollar Stretcher – I found this site not too long after getting online in 1996 and I have been a newsletter subscriber ever since. The simple design and ever changing reader contributed content have kept this site at the top of my list. And to top it off editor Gary Foreman is a pretty nice guy, too.  

Yahoo Personal Finance – They cover it all, and also offer calculators and how to guides to go along with their catchy, clickable headline stories.

Wise Bread – You just never know what to expect in your inbox from this group of close to fifty contributors. With that many points of view you can be assured that they keep it fresh and interesting.

Unusual Ways to Make Money – Steve Gillman is all about marketing, making money and self-promotion…all of which he shares with his readers. I have lost track of how many sites he has but I have bookmarked some of them, and I think this one was the first I came across. Beware: reading his stuff is VERY addictive.

Personal Finance Blogs Aggregator – As of this writing this free aggregator of personal finance blogs has 22,150 entries from 716 blogs, and counting. If you are looking for something new to read or a different voice in the field take some time to browse this site.

Further Reading:

Politics and Personal Finance: What Can One Tell Us About the Other?

Does a Financial Education Matter?

    

My Favorite Personal Finance Sites

When I was pondering what kind of a blog I was going to start I of course first thought about what I liked to read online, and that included several personal finance blogs and sites. Considering my attempts at the time to make money since losing my job I guess the subject matter sort of popped right out at me. I don’t consider this a “personal finance” blog because there are gaps in the subject that I don’t write about because they don’t interest me as much, such as credit cards, insurance, taxes, investing. I personally am interested in taxes (If the subject is lowering them! Otherwise it’s nap time) and investing (I have a tidy sum in my old 401k, mutual funds and a Roth IRA) but not enough to write about it. So The Buck List was never a traditional personal finance blog, just what interested one guy enough to want to share with others. Some of the sites on my list are like that, and others are a little more structured.

If you have any to add I would love to know about them!

The Dollar Stretcher – I found this site not too long after getting online in 1996 and I have been a newsletter subscriber ever since. The simple design and ever changing reader contributed content have kept this site at the top of my list. And to top it off editor Gary Foreman is a pretty nice guy, too.  

Yahoo Personal Finance – They cover it all, and also offer calculators and how to guides to go along with their catchy, clickable headline stories.

Wise Bread – You just never know what to expect in your inbox from this group of close to fifty contributors. With that many points of view you can be assured that they keep it fresh and interesting.

Unusual Ways to Make Money – Steve Gillman is all about marketing, making money and self-promotion…all of which he shares with his readers. I have lost track of how many sites he has but I have bookmarked some of them, and I think this one was the first I came across. Beware: reading his stuff is VERY addictive.

Personal Finance Blogs Aggregator – As of this writing this free aggregator of personal finance blogs has 22,150 entries from 716 blogs, and counting. If you are looking for something new to read or a different voice in the field take some time to browse this site.

Further Reading:

Politics and Personal Finance: What Can One Tell Us About the Other?

Does a Financial Education Matter?

    

Quick and Painless Ways to Start Saving Money Regardless of Income Level

The following is a guest post by Mick Archard.

With gas prices rising and the job market and economy unstable, most people are doing whatever they can to save money. There are some big changes people can make, such as renting a cheaper apartment, or small changes such as brown bagging lunches instead of eating out. Even people with small incomes can usually find a way to save, and small savings add up. Even just $10 per month adds up to $120 per year. The savings add up even faster if they are earning interest in a savings or investment account.

Rent a Smaller Apartment

Renting an apartment is a great way to save money. Renter's insurance is usually way cheaper than homeowner's insurance. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners reported that rental insurance in Michigan costs an average of $164 year. This breaks down to just $13.67 per month. According to the Insurance Institute of Michigan, average premiums for homeowners insurance in MI were $797 in 2004. This breaks down to about $66.42 per month. If you are already renting, moving to a smaller place will usually result in lower monthly rent and lower utility costs because there is less space to heat and cool. There are many Edmonton apartments for rent that are in great locations and have low monthly rental fees.

Budget

Creating a budget is important whether the income level is $1,000 per month or $8,000 per month. Listing all monthly bills with amounts and due dates paints an accurate picture of your finances. Treating savings like a bill is important. There should be a line in the budget for savings, even if it's only $25 per month. Budgeting also gives consumers an idea of how much money they have available after the essential bills. It helps people to not overspend when they know there is only $75 a week in the budget for groceries, for example.

Pay Off Debt

According to Outlaw Finance freeing yourself of debt is one of the first steps you should take. Paying extra on your debts is will free up money faster and you will pay out less money in interest and fees. When one credit card is paid off, the payment you were making can be put toward the next debt to get it paid off sooner. Talking to credit card companies may not help, but it won't hurt. The companies may agree to lower interest rates or take less money than you owe in a lump sum payment. Credit card companies can be difficult to work with, but they don't want you to go bankrupt, so they will sometimes work with you on a payment plan.

Taking back items that still have tags on them or having a garage sale is a quick way to make money for debt payment. Many people are selling used items on online auction sites for extra money. It may not seem like much at first, but any payment that is more than the minimum usually goes straight to lowering the total amount owed.

Invest in a 401K

Having money taken out of each paycheck before it's deposited is a great way to save. This money is not part of the budget, so it's easier not to spend it on something else. Increasing 401k contributions with each raise adds even more money to savings without making a dent in your monthly budget. Many companies have a fund set aside to match the amount of money that employees deposit into their 401k accounts, up to a certain percentage. Talk to the human resources department of your company if you're unsure about a company match. This is free money that employees often turn down by not investing.

Set Goals

Saving money can be difficult, especially for people who need most of their income for necessary bills like rent, food, and gas. Setting a goal to save for something you really want makes it easier to save money. For example, people may be faced with the decision to buy a new pair of shoes or save that $75 toward the car they really want. Having pictures of the savings goal in prominent places will remind you what you're saving for. It's also helpful to break down the goal into manageable amounts per month. If the goal is to have $5,000 saved in a year from now, this breaks down to $416.67 per month or $96.15 per week.

Trim Expenses

Even small amounts of money add up. If someone spends $2 every week on movie rentals, this money adds up to $104 after one year. Switching to a cheaper cell phone or TV plan is another way to save money. Many people are not using the services they are paying for and can easily make cuts.

Eating out is one expense that most people can cut. Bringing lunch to work instead of buying lunch every day can save most people around $50 per week. Eating out is a social event for many people. Inviting friends over for dinner or drinks and rotating houses each month is a fun way to spend time with friends and save money. Soup and bread is a meal that feeds a large amount of people on a small budget. It's also nice to not have people you don't know interrupting the conversation of your group. Your house never closes, so friends can talk all night if they want to.

Additional Reading:

How to Avoid Crisis Living

Saving in 2011

Quick and Painless Ways to Start Saving Money Regardless of Income Level

The following is a guest post by Mick Archard.

With gas prices rising and the job market and economy unstable, most people are doing whatever they can to save money. There are some big changes people can make, such as renting a cheaper apartment, or small changes such as brown bagging lunches instead of eating out. Even people with small incomes can usually find a way to save, and small savings add up. Even just $10 per month adds up to $120 per year. The savings add up even faster if they are earning interest in a savings or investment account.

Rent a Smaller Apartment

Renting an apartment is a great way to save money. Renter's insurance is usually way cheaper than homeowner's insurance. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners reported that rental insurance in Michigan costs an average of $164 year. This breaks down to just $13.67 per month. According to the Insurance Institute of Michigan, average premiums for homeowners insurance in MI were $797 in 2004. This breaks down to about $66.42 per month. If you are already renting, moving to a smaller place will usually result in lower monthly rent and lower utility costs because there is less space to heat and cool. There are many Edmonton apartments for rent that are in great locations and have low monthly rental fees.

Budget

Creating a budget is important whether the income level is $1,000 per month or $8,000 per month. Listing all monthly bills with amounts and due dates paints an accurate picture of your finances. Treating savings like a bill is important. There should be a line in the budget for savings, even if it's only $25 per month. Budgeting also gives consumers an idea of how much money they have available after the essential bills. It helps people to not overspend when they know there is only $75 a week in the budget for groceries, for example.

Pay Off Debt

According to Outlaw Finance freeing yourself of debt is one of the first steps you should take. Paying extra on your debts is will free up money faster and you will pay out less money in interest and fees. When one credit card is paid off, the payment you were making can be put toward the next debt to get it paid off sooner. Talking to credit card companies may not help, but it won't hurt. The companies may agree to lower interest rates or take less money than you owe in a lump sum payment. Credit card companies can be difficult to work with, but they don't want you to go bankrupt, so they will sometimes work with you on a payment plan.

Taking back items that still have tags on them or having a garage sale is a quick way to make money for debt payment. Many people are selling used items on online auction sites for extra money. It may not seem like much at first, but any payment that is more than the minimum usually goes straight to lowering the total amount owed.

Invest in a 401K

Having money taken out of each paycheck before it's deposited is a great way to save. This money is not part of the budget, so it's easier not to spend it on something else. Increasing 401k contributions with each raise adds even more money to savings without making a dent in your monthly budget. Many companies have a fund set aside to match the amount of money that employees deposit into their 401k accounts, up to a certain percentage. Talk to the human resources department of your company if you're unsure about a company match. This is free money that employees often turn down by not investing.

Set Goals

Saving money can be difficult, especially for people who need most of their income for necessary bills like rent, food, and gas. Setting a goal to save for something you really want makes it easier to save money. For example, people may be faced with the decision to buy a new pair of shoes or save that $75 toward the car they really want. Having pictures of the savings goal in prominent places will remind you what you're saving for. It's also helpful to break down the goal into manageable amounts per month. If the goal is to have $5,000 saved in a year from now, this breaks down to $416.67 per month or $96.15 per week.

Trim Expenses

Even small amounts of money add up. If someone spends $2 every week on movie rentals, this money adds up to $104 after one year. Switching to a cheaper cell phone or TV plan is another way to save money. Many people are not using the services they are paying for and can easily make cuts.

Eating out is one expense that most people can cut. Bringing lunch to work instead of buying lunch every day can save most people around $50 per week. Eating out is a social event for many people. Inviting friends over for dinner or drinks and rotating houses each month is a fun way to spend time with friends and save money. Soup and bread is a meal that feeds a large amount of people on a small budget. It's also nice to not have people you don't know interrupting the conversation of your group. Your house never closes, so friends can talk all night if they want to.

Additional Reading:

How to Avoid Crisis Living

Saving in 2011

How Do You Haggle?

One frugal trait that I learned in childhood from my parents was to try to bargain around paying full price for something. They called it haggling, and the techniques they taught me worked amazingly well. Mom and Dad were antique collectors, buyers and sellers for both fun and profit, and this hobby of theirs took us all over the state on weekends to flea markets and antique shows and shops (this was before antique malls existed). Their passion wore off on me and I began collecting various things as well.

Their main advice was:

Know the true value of what you want to buy and offer a fair price.

Don’t be afraid to walk away if the answer is no.

I don’t know how many times I have turned to walk away, after saying thank you, only to have the seller stop me and agree to my offer.

Those two haggling tips have served me well over the years, but I’m curious as to what kind of haggling techniques you might use. How do you haggle?

Further Reading:

Do You Keep a Budget?  

When Coupons Aren’t Enough

How Do You Haggle?

One frugal trait that I learned in childhood from my parents was to try to bargain around paying full price for something. They called it haggling, and the techniques they taught me worked amazingly well. Mom and Dad were antique collectors, buyers and sellers for both fun and profit, and this hobby of theirs took us all over the state on weekends to flea markets and antique shows and shops (this was before antique malls existed). Their passion wore off on me and I began collecting various things as well.

Their main advice was:

Know the true value of what you want to buy and offer a fair price.

Don’t be afraid to walk away if the answer is no.

I don’t know how many times I have turned to walk away, after saying thank you, only to have the seller stop me and agree to my offer.

Those two haggling tips have served me well over the years, but I’m curious as to what kind of haggling techniques you might use. How do you haggle?

Further Reading:

Do You Keep a Budget?  

When Coupons Aren’t Enough

Ten Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free

The following is a guest post from Bailey Harris, who writes on many topics, including auto insurance for www.carinsurancequotes.net.

Taking the entire family out to eat can turn into a very expensive event. Fortunately, there are several restaurants that offer free meal specials for kids. Taking advantage of kids' meal deals can make family meals out more fun and frequent, and it will be easier on the wallet at the same time.

The following are 10 popular restaurants that offer free meals for kids. Some of these offers may vary depending on location, and not all restaurants may participate. It's always a good idea to call ahead of time to verify information with your local restaurants--this will save you time and money.

Golden Corral - At Golden Corral, children ages three and under can eat for free from the buffet with the purchase of one adult meal. This offer is good every day. On Mondays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., kids ages 10 and under can eat for free. Two kids can eat for free for every adult meal that is purchased.

Denny's - On select nights that vary by location and restaurant participation, kids ages 10 and under can eat for free between the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. For every two kids eating free, one adult meal ($2.50 or more) must be purchased. Check with your local Denny's restaurant to find out which night this special is offered.

IHOP - On Monday evenings, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., IHOP offers specials for children 12 and under. For every adult entrée purchased, one child can eat for free. Beverages cost extra and are not included in the free meal.

Quiznos - At participating Quiznos locations, with the purchase of one adult meal, one Quiznos Kidz meal is free. This offer is for kids ages 12 and under--and the day that this special is offered varies depending on location.

Chick-fil-A - Tuesday nights at Chick-fil-A are family fun nights! On Tuesdays only, one kids meal is free per every adult combo meal purchased.

Marie Callender's - Select Marie Callender's restaurants offer kids ages 12 and under free meals. One kids meal is free for every adult meal purchased.

Planet Sub - On Tuesday evening from 4:00 p.m. until close, one kids meal per one adult meal purchase is free. This offer is good for kids ages 11 and under.

Damon's - At Damon's Sports Bar & Grill, Wednesday night is "kids' night!" With every adult meal purchased, one kid's meal is free.

Applebees - On Monday night at Applebees, kids can eat for free. With the purchase of one adult meal, one child's meal is free. If only one adult is present, each additional child's meal costs only $1.

Cici's Pizza  - At Cici's Pizza, children ages three and under can eat for free from the buffet. This offer is good all day every day. Some locations also offer free meals to older kids on specific days of the week--call your local Cici's Pizza and find out more details.

Going out for dinner doesn't need to cost a fortune. With free meal deals for kids, the whole family can enjoy delicious meals out at some of your favorite restaurants!

Further Reading:

The 10 Best Freebie Sites

Nine Ways to Find Cheap or Free Performances

Ten Restaurants Where Kids Eat Free

The following is a guest post from Bailey Harris, who writes on many topics, including auto insurance for www.carinsurancequotes.net.

Taking the entire family out to eat can turn into a very expensive event. Fortunately, there are several restaurants that offer free meal specials for kids. Taking advantage of kids' meal deals can make family meals out more fun and frequent, and it will be easier on the wallet at the same time.

The following are 10 popular restaurants that offer free meals for kids. Some of these offers may vary depending on location, and not all restaurants may participate. It's always a good idea to call ahead of time to verify information with your local restaurants--this will save you time and money.

Golden Corral - At Golden Corral, children ages three and under can eat for free from the buffet with the purchase of one adult meal. This offer is good every day. On Mondays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., kids ages 10 and under can eat for free. Two kids can eat for free for every adult meal that is purchased.

Denny's - On select nights that vary by location and restaurant participation, kids ages 10 and under can eat for free between the hours of 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. For every two kids eating free, one adult meal ($2.50 or more) must be purchased. Check with your local Denny's restaurant to find out which night this special is offered.

IHOP - On Monday evenings, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., IHOP offers specials for children 12 and under. For every adult entrée purchased, one child can eat for free. Beverages cost extra and are not included in the free meal.

Quiznos - At participating Quiznos locations, with the purchase of one adult meal, one Quiznos Kidz meal is free. This offer is for kids ages 12 and under--and the day that this special is offered varies depending on location.

Chick-fil-A - Tuesday nights at Chick-fil-A are family fun nights! On Tuesdays only, one kids meal is free per every adult combo meal purchased.

Marie Callender's - Select Marie Callender's restaurants offer kids ages 12 and under free meals. One kids meal is free for every adult meal purchased.

Planet Sub - On Tuesday evening from 4:00 p.m. until close, one kids meal per one adult meal purchase is free. This offer is good for kids ages 11 and under.

Damon's - At Damon's Sports Bar & Grill, Wednesday night is "kids' night!" With every adult meal purchased, one kid's meal is free.

Applebees - On Monday night at Applebees, kids can eat for free. With the purchase of one adult meal, one child's meal is free. If only one adult is present, each additional child's meal costs only $1.

Cici's Pizza  - At Cici's Pizza, children ages three and under can eat for free from the buffet. This offer is good all day every day. Some locations also offer free meals to older kids on specific days of the week--call your local Cici's Pizza and find out more details.

Going out for dinner doesn't need to cost a fortune. With free meal deals for kids, the whole family can enjoy delicious meals out at some of your favorite restaurants!

Further Reading:

The 10 Best Freebie Sites

Nine Ways to Find Cheap or Free Performances

Top 10 Ways Working from Home Saves You Money

The following is a guest post by Ripley Daniels, an editor at Without The Stress, a passport, travel visa, and immigration advisory firm located in Los Angeles.

As a bona fide home-based business person, I know a thing or two about the benefits of commuting one flight of steps, working in my pajamas, going for a run in the middle of the day, and of course, saving a whole lot of dough. Anymore, it just doesn't make sense for me to show up at an office, especially considering how expensive that arrangement really is. Here are the top ten ways I have saved money by working from home, compared to my previous career as an office worker. While your own circumstances are likely to differ from my own, the savings are real.

Dry Cleaning - This used to be a big one since logo-ed shirts were part of my attire, making a weekly or bi-weekly trip for dry cleaning and laundry a regular expense. Annual savings: $240-360

Wardrobe - Not needing to "keep up appearances" on a daily basis has meant that most of my recent spending on clothes has been purely casual. Annual savings: $300 -$500.

Auto Insurance and Repairs - I didn't think much about this one at first, but it's big. Driving almost 5,000 fewer miles a year meant that one call to my auto insurer reduced my rate by 8%. I change my oil less often, and of course brakes, tires and other parts last longer. All told, my car expenses have dropped about $400 annually.

Do-It-Yourself Chores - Tired from a long day, slow commute, and feeling protective of time off, I was keen to outsource yard work, and other home-related jobs. Now I look forward to those things as a way to relax with productive, rewarding activities. No, I don't always love pulling weeds, but it's a great excuse to be outside and take a mental break. We've probably saved $600 a year, doing more tasks ourselves.

Gas - My commute to work used to be 13 miles each way, or about 6500 miles a year. At 22 mpg, that's 295 gallons of gas, or $1032.50 at $3.50/gal. That total is now reduced certainly by more than 75%, making my savings over $775 a year.

Day Care - Having a three year old around the house is not conducive to getting work done, and so we do send her to day care. However, I can take her in late, pick her up early, take random days off, and have even kept her out of day care altogether for a couple of spells, working reduced hours or swapping day care duties with friends. Shortened days don't affect the cost of day care, but extended absences do, and my flexibility meant I could choose a less expensive option. Total savings: about $1000.

Coffee - I do love my coffee, and still grab a big ol' latte from time to time. Used to be at least four each week, averaging $8 with tip and a snack. Substitute that with freshly ground coffee at home, and I'm saving more than $20 a week or $1000 annually.

Eating Out - While it's always possible to be responsible about workday meals, reality seldom cooperates. Packing a lunch or saving leftovers is an extra hassle, and it's more fun to eat out with the team. Estimating that I ate lunch out just three times in a typical work week, I now spend at least $30 less per week, or $1500 for the year.

Tax Deductions - As a consultant, a lot of the things that I would typically pay for outright now fall under the "business expense" category, such as a portion of my cell phone, internet and even mortgage. Of course I still pay for these things, but since they are required to do business, counting them against earnings saves me about $1600 in taxes.

Time - It's hard to quantify the value of the time saved by having my work with me. It is by far my most prized reward. True, balance can be a challenge, but how to deal with it is my choice, unlike the constraints of office work that are far less flexible. I don't have mindless meetings, 500 hours of commuting, or the daily drip of losing an hour or so to the chatter and "catching up" that being in a office entails. I find it a lot easier to catch up with friends now, instead. I get more work done in less time, and I spend more time on my home, my family and myself.

The truth is, you couldn't pay me to return to an office environment!

Further Reading:

What Would You Do With an Extra 35 Hours a Week?

10 Ways to Earn Fast Money

Top 10 Ways Working from Home Saves You Money

The following is a guest post by Ripley Daniels, an editor at Without The Stress, a passport, travel visa, and immigration advisory firm located in Los Angeles.

As a bona fide home-based business person, I know a thing or two about the benefits of commuting one flight of steps, working in my pajamas, going for a run in the middle of the day, and of course, saving a whole lot of dough. Anymore, it just doesn't make sense for me to show up at an office, especially considering how expensive that arrangement really is. Here are the top ten ways I have saved money by working from home, compared to my previous career as an office worker. While your own circumstances are likely to differ from my own, the savings are real.

Dry Cleaning - This used to be a big one since logo-ed shirts were part of my attire, making a weekly or bi-weekly trip for dry cleaning and laundry a regular expense. Annual savings: $240-360

Wardrobe - Not needing to "keep up appearances" on a daily basis has meant that most of my recent spending on clothes has been purely casual. Annual savings: $300 -$500.

Auto Insurance and Repairs - I didn't think much about this one at first, but it's big. Driving almost 5,000 fewer miles a year meant that one call to my auto insurer reduced my rate by 8%. I change my oil less often, and of course brakes, tires and other parts last longer. All told, my car expenses have dropped about $400 annually.

Do-It-Yourself Chores - Tired from a long day, slow commute, and feeling protective of time off, I was keen to outsource yard work, and other home-related jobs. Now I look forward to those things as a way to relax with productive, rewarding activities. No, I don't always love pulling weeds, but it's a great excuse to be outside and take a mental break. We've probably saved $600 a year, doing more tasks ourselves.

Gas - My commute to work used to be 13 miles each way, or about 6500 miles a year. At 22 mpg, that's 295 gallons of gas, or $1032.50 at $3.50/gal. That total is now reduced certainly by more than 75%, making my savings over $775 a year.

Day Care - Having a three year old around the house is not conducive to getting work done, and so we do send her to day care. However, I can take her in late, pick her up early, take random days off, and have even kept her out of day care altogether for a couple of spells, working reduced hours or swapping day care duties with friends. Shortened days don't affect the cost of day care, but extended absences do, and my flexibility meant I could choose a less expensive option. Total savings: about $1000.

Coffee - I do love my coffee, and still grab a big ol' latte from time to time. Used to be at least four each week, averaging $8 with tip and a snack. Substitute that with freshly ground coffee at home, and I'm saving more than $20 a week or $1000 annually.

Eating Out - While it's always possible to be responsible about workday meals, reality seldom cooperates. Packing a lunch or saving leftovers is an extra hassle, and it's more fun to eat out with the team. Estimating that I ate lunch out just three times in a typical work week, I now spend at least $30 less per week, or $1500 for the year.

Tax Deductions - As a consultant, a lot of the things that I would typically pay for outright now fall under the "business expense" category, such as a portion of my cell phone, internet and even mortgage. Of course I still pay for these things, but since they are required to do business, counting them against earnings saves me about $1600 in taxes.

Time - It's hard to quantify the value of the time saved by having my work with me. It is by far my most prized reward. True, balance can be a challenge, but how to deal with it is my choice, unlike the constraints of office work that are far less flexible. I don't have mindless meetings, 500 hours of commuting, or the daily drip of losing an hour or so to the chatter and "catching up" that being in a office entails. I find it a lot easier to catch up with friends now, instead. I get more work done in less time, and I spend more time on my home, my family and myself.

The truth is, you couldn't pay me to return to an office environment!

Further Reading:

What Would You Do With an Extra 35 Hours a Week?

10 Ways to Earn Fast Money