Author Archives: Mike And Lauren

Who Manages Your Finances?

Mike is still feeling under the weather today, so it?s my first solo video!

I wanted to talk about, well, that I don?t really know what I?m talking about.

Mike has always been financially minded? me, not so much. I?ve always trusted Mike completely, and that led me to not always ask about what was going on with our money.

When we started making our YouTube channel about finance, I was a little nervous since I didn?t know what I would be talking about. So I started researching and reading and asking Mike the questions I might have been too embarrassed to ask before.

This brought up the question of whether it’s OK for one spouse to be in control of the finances?

For us, Mike enjoys all the personal finance stuff, so why not let him take care of it?

I think it?s OK for one spouse to be in control, but it?s important for the other person to still know what?s going on. (We talked about this in our Joint vs. Separate Bank Accounts video)

I came up with a few questions to ask to get started:

How much money do we save a month?
Are we in debt?
Do we have an emergency fund?
Where are our bank accounts?

In the video I answer those questions, and throw in a few more in depth questions. Asking these helped me to know exactly how much we save and why.

Adapting “The Greatest Army Invention Ever” for Home Use

I recently discovered the P-38 can opener (sometimes called the John Wayne). Issued by the US Military for over 40 years, it was never known to break, rust, or need sharpening. It’s now found in many prepper’s survival kits.

What’s most interesting, is despite it’s sterling reputation, it went from conception to manufacturing in a total of 30 days in 1942. They were intended to be disposable.

In the video I make my own DIY P-38/P-51 can opener and add an oak handle for leverage. Yes, I know they made millions of them and are available for less than a dollar.

Fitting in Is the Hard Part

How could someone making $60k a year can say living on 50% of their income is impossible, yet there are many people who earn far less than that. We think it’s because fitting in is the hard part.

We discuss a few reasons why being frugal doesn’t mean you’re an outcast, as well as our weaknesses in fitting in.

Investing for the First Time | Mike and Lauren LIVE!

We’ve got another on air case study for you tonight! Lauren’s sister Lindsay has saved over $10,000 dollars and doesn’t have it invested in the stock market. Tonight we’ll discuss how she saved so much money and her first steps towards investing as a beginner.

Tune in and be sure to chat with us LIVE!

Tuesday December 30th at 8:30PM EST.

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Better than Buying (4 DIY Skill Levels)

Lauren asked me how I learned to build things after our jewelry organizer video. I didn’t have a good answer. I’ve just been slowly acquiring skills in carpentry, mechanics, electronics, and design my whole life.

As best I can remember, these are the 4 stages that every DIYer has to go through before their projects turn out “better than buying.”

Our question to you is: Do you think anyone is capable of turning a wrench or pounding a hammer? Or are some people just not able to take care of things themselves?

Fear and Greed (Ignoring the Herd Is More Profitable)

Warren Buffet said “be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” While he was talking about investing in the stock market, I feel like it applies to many other areas of life.

The scarcity mindset can be devastating on your finances and overall happiness. Instead we propose to view life through a lens of abundance and generosity.

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Does Being Frugal Make You a Scrooge? | Mike and Lauren LIVE

Tonight we’re going to talk?about being frugal during the holiday season. ?How do we handle gifts for each other, friends and family? ?Does being frugal automatically make you a scrooge? ?Let’s get a discussion going about the differences between being cheap and frugal. ? Be there at 8:30PM EST tonight! ?We need your input!

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The Worst Car Detailing Tutorial on YouTube

I swear Alex is able to compound, buff, polish, and wax some of the crappiest cars back to life. He recently bought a 1995 Honda Civic for $900 and I thought it would be the perfect time for him to teach me (and you) how to do it.

The results were a bit underwhelming…We still had a lot of fun, and the information is still accurate. If you’re thinking about getting your own car detailing kit together, you can do it for under $100 bucks.

The car really did look a lot better in person and he probably added $500 dollars of value to the car, just by cleaning it up. It just wasn’t the extreme transformation I was hoping for in the video.

Why I Love My Scooter | Scooter vs. Motorcycle vs. Car

I drive a 2011 Honda PCX125 scooter as my primary mode of transportation. Here’s why I love it even more than my Harley Davidson or any other motorcycle.

To recap:
1. No warm up time.
2. Easier to park and maneuver.
3. Lots of storage under seat.
4. Cheaper
5. No smelling like gas and exhaust.

I also talk about how I deal with safety and weather issues. Is a scooter a viable alternative to a car? Let me know in the comments!