Investment Palace

We’ve been redesigning our financial house with investments that will come through when we most need them. CDs are doing well and we’ve been fortunate to be able to roll them over at maturity when many people are forced to cash out. The ill economy has definitely affected our day-to-day spending. We have tried different things here and there – couponing, scaling back Christmas gifts, and we’ve been fortunate to be able to help our kids with a few things. Every few weeks we reevaluate our investment results to make sure the money walls are standing tall -- refinance, extra principal payments, and close in the payoff date. We have a piggy bank for spare change dug out of pants pockets and the car cubby hole. Someone challenged me to keep all the $5 bills that pass through my wallet and we have an antique bean pot stuffed full of Lincolns.

We’ve built up our capital – our financial capitol – so our foundation is sturdy. Five years ago we made a smart investment in a pink and purple Princess Bounce House we found in the classifieds. This weekend our daughter borrowed it so her soon-to-be grandkid could have the perfect birthday party in a pink Princess palace. Claire’s smile shows that the payout is working.