All of the recommended products, services and companies listed below I have used or am currently using. Some will save you money and some are just great products. Either way, I think they provide value and I personally recommend them.
Disclaimer: Some of the products listed below have affiliate links. However, you will never find a product on this page that I don’t personally use myself and highly recommend.
Manage Your Money Better
Ebates provides cash back each time you shop at the stores you already shop at. Whether your shopping online or in stores (with mobile app) make money by buying the items you’re going to purchase anyways. In addition, Ebates provides referral bonuses for each friend or family member you sign-up. Sign-up Here it’s Free.
Credit Karma provides free credit scores, credit monitoring, and identity theft protection services. If you’re looking to improve your credit situation Credit Karma is a great tool to get started with.
esurance provides auto insurance, check your rates at least once annually to see if you can save more on your vehicle premium, quotes are free.
Cut Cable or DirecTV for Good – Recommended Products
Insignia HDTV Multi-Directional Antenna. This is what I use for my FREE TV. It boasts a 40-mile range. I can’t confirm that, however, it has worked very well for me, considering I live out in the middle of nowhere.
VUDU Online Rental I have personally used this service for over 10 years. This service is not as well-known as Netflix, but they provide great movie and TV streaming content. If you’re looking to cut cable, VUDU is another option. There is no sign-up or monthly fee, you pay only when you rent. You can access their content from any device.
Sony Streaming Media Player Another great product for cutting cable. This box is wireless and allows you to access VUDU, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and many more online streaming services. This is what I use to access my VUDU account via the Internet.
Roku Express Roku started the streaming media revolution. Years ago when I used their product it consisted of a desktop box, now they provide the same services via a stick. Access Amazon Prime, Netflix, Sling TV, and many more online content providers.
Tax and Business Software
Turbotax Am a big fan of this product. If you are looking at doing your own taxes this application will work great. Simple to use and great customer service make doing your taxes a breeze.
If you’re not a Turbotax fan I recommend H&R Block or TaxAct, these are two other packages I have used in the past and both are great for doing your own taxes.
QuickBooks Online Great for managing all aspects of a small business, from expenses, sales, payroll, you name it. You can purchase an online version or desktop version.
Filemaker Pro Workgroup database software. Great for building customized small business applications. Easy to program but does require some understanding of databases.
Recommended Products – Work from Home
I currently use all these products to author my books, produce video and manage this blog and other websites. If it’s one thing I have learned over the years, good equipment pays for itself over and over again.
Microsoft Office 365, I use the complete package to help run this blog, write eBooks and manage my expenses.
Self Service Web Hosting
QTH.com Web Hosting I use this service for multiple websites, great customer service, and pricing. Get domain services, WordPress and email.
Bluehost Web Hosting Bluehost is one of the largest WordPress web hosting providers. They boast over 2 million hosting sites.
Be sure to check out my complete list of recommended books.
Recommended Books – Great Reads, Life & Personal Growth
Personal Finance isn’t just about money, it’s also about personal growth and self-empowerment. If you’re looking to change your perspective on life or maybe think differently about what you’re already doing, here are some great complimentary books to read.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, by Mark Manson – Don’t be offended by the title. Light-hearted, funny and a different perspective on life.
10% Happier, by ABC news co-anchor Dan Harris – This book focuses on Dan’s career journey, and his path to understanding the power of meditation. A very well written, lighthearted and true story – an excellent read regardless of whether you believe in meditation, or not.
Emotional Agility, by Susan David, Ph.D. – Explores the reasons we often get stuck in our own emotions and behaviors and provides valuable insight on how to get unstuck, and that change is best approached in small steps.
Daring Greatly and Rising Strong, both by Brene’ Brown – An excellent book on understanding why being vulnerable leads to self-empowerment. My favorite is her use of an excerpt from Theodore Roosevelt’s speech Citizen of the Republic – Man in the Arena.
The 4-Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss – This book will change the way you think about traditional work norms, delayed retirement…and life. A New York Times bestseller.
Great Reads – Personal Finance
I would love it if the only personal finance books you read are mine. But if not, then here are two great books for successful money management. I have read both and highly recommend them.
Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey
Your Money or Your Life, by Vicki Robin
More Great Reads
When I find a great book I have to tell people about it!
My Two Elaines, by Martin Schreiber, former governor of Wisconsin – If you or anyone you know is dealing with Alzheimer’s as a caregiver, this book is a must-read.
Born A Crime, by Trevor Noah, host of the Daily Show on Comedy Central – Great storytelling, perspective, and insight into growing up with apartheid in South Africa.
Killing the Rising Sun, by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard – Regardless of what you think you know about the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan, this book provides new facts on what actually transpired before the days of the bombing. If you love history, this is a must-read.
The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls – A must read. This book will captivate you from the moment you start reading. It’s the true story of Jeanette Walls and her siblings growing up in a dysfunctional family environment with unconventional parents who believed in living a nomads lifestyle. Heartwarming and heartbreaking, but most importantly it shows how the bonds of a family can overcome even the most challenging situations. New York Times Bestseller, and soon to be a movie.
Be sure to check out my complete list of recommended books.
