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Personal Finance From a Biblical Perspective

365 Ways To Make Money by Kylie Ofiu – Book Review

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Have you ever stumbled upon something great, but allowed life, “priorities”, and other things to distract you from it? Well, I am ashamed to say that happens in my life frequently 🙁 .

Now that Khaleef and I are hunkering down and striving to be more aggressive with our plans to get out of debt, I have been thinking about ways to facilitate that process. Our budget is tight, and after cutting pennies every which way we can, the only other option is to bring in more income.

365 Ways to Make Money Kylie Ofiu

365 Ways To Make Money by Kylie Ofiu – Book Review

After thinking through possible money-making options, it dawned on me that I read a book of ideas a while ago that did all the leg work for me. Unfortunately, at the time I allowed other things to sidetrack me from following through with what I gleaned from reading the book, but now is the perfect time to put the ideas into action, and also share with you what it has to offer.

“365 Ways To Make Money“ by Kylie Ofiu has an idea to make money for every day of the year. Each idea is succinct and gives some details about what is involved in attacking that venture. The ideas range from normative (ex. hold a garage sale) to quirky (ex. make a dirk bike track), and the diversity of plans makes it certain that everyone can find something to try!

In the opening pages, Kylie offers great information and advice in the Getting Started section, explaining that making money is only a part of the objective. It’s important to have a plan, budget, research, and be disciplined to meet your goals.

You Can Use Who You Are

The idea section is broken up into nine parts, categorized by opportunities that suit your lifestyle and availability. If you would like to work from home – there is a section for you! If you would like to use your areas of expertise, or if you love working with animals – there are sections carved out specifically for those things.

If you are only interested in making money over the holidays, there are ideas geared to that as well. Your skills, your interests, and your passions are all tools that are profitable. It’s a matter of working a plan within your desired focus.

You Can Use What You Have

In the book, Kylie also provides a small symbols that correspond to things needed for each idea. For example, one symbol is a computer mouse which lets the reader know that a computer is necessary to carry out that particular idea. Other symbols lets the reader know if ideas can be carried out at home, by children under the age of 18, with or without start up costs, or with some level of danger involved.

Having this legend makes it easy to find ideas that meet your needs based on knowledge, money, or tools that you have on hand.

You Can Start Right Now

One of my favorite parts of the book is the second-to-last section called Solutions to Excuses. In this section, Kylie names a number of excuses people may use to explain why they can’t maintain. She tackles these head-on (many having to do with our mindsets), and she offers practical solutions to help overcome them.


Reading through this book has really lit a fire in me! There really is no excuse to try and do something. Not everything takes money, or transportation, or a whole lot of time. If making money is necessary, then you and I owe it to ourselves to get a tool like “365 Ways To Make Money“ by Kylie Ofiu and get the ball rolling.

A Review of Cardhub.com

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The following is a review, written by my wife, of one of the few credit card comparison sites that seems to have been created with the consumer in mind. This represents her real opinion, and not just some positive words that we were paid to write…

Card Hub’s credit card comparison allows the consumer to make an informed decision about the credit card that suits his or her needs. Instead of responding to the first ‘pre-approved’ offer that comes in the mail, or relying on your bank to give you their best presentation, this website accommodates your specific requirements for the card for which you want to apply.

I was impressed by the parameters with which the website searches for cards. Some areas in which you are able to narrow your search for cards are: based on your level of credit, a specific type of offer (e.g. 0% balance transfer, gas rewards), specific bank networks (such as Visa or MasterCard), and various other credit card benefits.

Each card that is recommended provides its purchase or transfer annual percentage rate (APR), monthly or annual fees, the current APR, and any rewards that come with the card.

While specific, the website at NO time asks for your personal information. Once you make a decision, you are then transferred to that bank’s website to apply for the card. According to the website, advertising, and a stipend from the consumer clicking on an ‘Apply Now’ button on the site, are the ways that cardhub.com generates income.

If you are not sure about your exact needs, the website offers a Credit Card Advisor which will give you card options based on your answers to a few simple questions. The site also offers a Free Credit Check estimate. Since you are not providing personal information, they gauge the estimated credit standing based on your answers to the questions, the same questions used for their Credit Card Advisor function.

There are also various calculators which allow you to forecast your interest, fees, monthly payments, amount needed to pay off a card, and other options.

Along with these offerings, the tools and advice tabs gives a lot of useful information, advice, and data regarding credit and credit card usage that is definitely worth perusing.

The site also gives you a list of prepaid cards to consider, which offers the same information as the credit card section.

Cardhub.com also has a section for gift cards. Like the credit card area, the main gift card section gives you many parameters to narrow your search, and you are directed to the seller’s website to complete your purchase. The search function is not only useful in regards to finding a specific card, but it also allows you to choose different countries for your needs.

There is also a social gift card exchange tab which allows you to purchase gift cards at significant savings, or you can sell gift cards in the neighboring tab as well.

The most notable thing about the website is its ease of use. The navigation was straightforward, and I was always able to find what I was looking for without wasting much time.

I will definitely visit this site again should any credit or gift card needs arise. I like seeing my options in one place, with clear information, and not a lot of hoops to go through.

Get Your Money Right By Kembala Evans – Book Review

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It can be easy to read a book offering personal finance advice and expect to see the same recycled information such as budget worksheets, money envelopes, and debt snowball plans.  As I read “Get Your Money Right: The 7 Keys to Unlocking a Better Financial Future” by Kembala Evans, I expected more of the same, and I was thankfully incorrect in my assumption.

Not that the book does not offer familiar advice, but Kembala’s means of delivery offers much more than regular personal finance fare.

Kembala Evans: A Voice of Reason and Guidance

The author is a coach and motivator, and that certainly shines through in her writing.  I was trying to find a good way of describing her way of communicating (I tend to think in pictures or situations), and Kembala had the perfect example in a scenario she shares in her book.

She explained that one day on the subway a total stranger decided to ask her a financial question, and while she was speaking with this woman, a group of people gradually became drawn into the conversation with a lively Q and A taking place her whole 45-minute ride.

This is EXACTLY the picture in my head – a scenario with a lot of voices speaking, but slowly and surely the whole room starts gravitating to the singular voice that makes the most sense.  Kembala Evans is that voice.  She skillfully balances a very detailed, professional approach to financial matters, while inspiring her reader to act.

Get Your Money Right

From the first few pages it becomes apparent that this book is not just about a plan to get out of debt, it’s about the mindset of the person behind the monetary decisions.

Many Americans are still in debt, still living from paycheck to paycheck – or worse, living on credit to get by.  There are many reasons we got to this point, but the fact is, we are HERE and we need to do something to get ourselves out of this mess.   

Get Your Money Right is not another system.  It is a practical look at what we all face on a day-to-day basis in regards to money, the mistakes we make, and how, by well-informed decisions and actions, we can take every aspect of our financial life and make it work toward our goals.

This book paves that path by taking the reader by the hand, giving them the courage to move out of their current situation, and providing them with the primary tools they’ll need to make sure they never go back to a debt-ridden life again.

As far as motivation, Kembala gives: examples from her own life, words of wisdom, case studies, inspiring quotes, and success stories.  These are seamlessly weaved throughout each chapter to help cement the reader’s resolution to change.

The chapters also give basic instruction on budgeting, saving, goal mapping, and credit wisdom.  Along these lines, Kembala is extremely specific in her coaching and advice.  She does not just say, “open up a savings account”, but she discusses the different savings options, goes over important financial vocabulary you may encounter, and gives you a website where you can compare interest rates!  With every nugget given, there is great care taken to allow the reader to feel secure in the next step.

What I appreciated in her communication is that her attention to detail is in no way condescending; it is more of a testament to her proficiency, and her care that her readers succeed.  She repeatedly provides phone numbers, websites, and names resources so the reader can grow in their financial education and understanding.

My Overall Impression

As you can probably tell so far, I am really excited about this book.  One of the reasons is that as I was reading I could begin to picture people in my life that would respond well to it.  There are many books out there that one could read, but people are drawn to a ‘voice’ (eg. Some people love Dave Ramsey’s aggressive, “in your face” approach).

I think Kembala’s book, with its motivational style, coupled with her obvious expertise, and its “no-excuse” care and detail, makes it one that the most finance-leery person may be willing to read, and hopefully utilize to change their situation.

One of my favorite things about reading this book is that it made me want to recheck and reinforce things that I am ALREADY doing!  For example, in the section on ‘Watch Where Your Money Goes
 Literally’, I had to fight the urge to put the book down and start calculating the most recent pay stub to make sure every penny taken out was correct.  It really is that motivating 😀

The only part about the book that I did not particularly like was the “Develop the Mindset” chapter.  While I agree that it is necessary to have the right mindset to achieve any goal, I don’t personally prescribe to the idea of positive thinking and the power of words to the extent the author presents them.  Although this is the case, I think Kembala does a fine job of explaining her beliefs on the subject, and presents the reader with common ground where it is clear that having the right mindset and a positive outlook is essential to successfully achieving goals.

Get Your Money Right drives home the fact that caring about your money does show care about yourself.  When we neglect our finances, and put ourselves in debt bondage, it speaks volumes about our priorities in terms of our own lives, our families, and our futures.

Although we may all know people that are afraid to look at their finances, I am sure those same people care about the future of their families.  I think those people should get a copy of this book, it may just be the thing to get them over that hurdle. It’s that good.

Kembala Evans is the Founder of KP Evans Financial, a personal finance education and coaching firm focused on educating, motivating, and empowering people to take control of their financial futures. She has a bachelor of business administration in marketing and management from the University of Miami. Kembala also has 12 years of business consulting experience working at Accenture. As an experienced executive, she managed multi-million dollar programs and worked with many Fortune 500 clients to improve their business performance. She left Accenture to pursue her passion for helping everyday people improve their personal finances.

Save Money On Textbooks By Renting

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One of the most expensive and tedious things I had to worry about in college was purchasing my textbooks for class.   I hated trying to find the best deals online, or holding off for the first week or two after classes started, hoping that someone who dropped would try to unload their books at a discount.

There were many times when I did give up the fight and just pay whatever exorbitant price the school’s book store was charging, of course buying used if it was available.

Thankfully, things have improved quite a bit over the past few years, and smart students have many resourceful ways to save money on textbooks.  Seeing the necessity, websites like ecampus.com and the ValoreBooks textbook marketplace are offering, not only great deals, but making the process quick and simple for textbook consumers.

Textbook Rental Reviews: eCampus

Right from the home page, one has the option to buy, rent, or sell textbooks. RENT TEXTBOOKS?  This was something I would have done all through college.  There is nothing worse than buying a textbook new for $200, and then selling it back to the bookstore for $17.  The renting option is broken up into three price tiers based on the length of the rental: the longer the rental, the better the deal in price.

Save Money On Textbooks With e-Textbooks?

I was also impressed that many textbooks are available in an e-textbook format (no more lugging heavy texts around).   With the examples I perused, one would be purchasing a subscription for the e-textbook for a period of 180 days.  In these examples, the cost of the e-textbook was quite a bit higher than purchasing the physical texts.

In at least 2 cases, it was almost twice as much as purchasing a new hard copy.  While this would dissuade me from using this function, I can see how one could justify the extra cost for the convenience.

Besides showing the available new, used, rental, and e-textbook prices, there is also a “The Marketplace” tab, which allows you to purchase the text from private sellers at prices set at their discretion.  This option could offer you possible additional savings, and makes it quite easy to provide  textbook rental reviews, when their are multiple options to save and make money on a site.

The site offers other products such as DVDs and college clothing and other paraphernalia.  I compared the price of the DVDs to Amazon.com, where I usually purchase them, and the difference in prices were negligible in many cases.

I also compared a few textbook prices to my favorite site for textbook purchases, and that is where the difference was more noticeable.  In all fairness, this site in particular is all “marketplace”, and so the private sellers were asking for a great range of prices for the textbooks.

Compared to the prices at other bookstores and online retailers, ecampus.com is definitely a great bargain.

Since I am considering re-entering academia again in the future, I am glad I had a chance to review this site.  I will certainly revisit it for the textbook rental option, especially since they have free shipping on orders over $59.   Not only that, but they supply you with a shipping label to send the book back at the end of the semester.

Good prices, stress-free experience, and finishing touches to make sure you’ll come back – ecampus.com is worth a look.

Reader Questions

  1. How have you been able to save on textbook costs?
  2. Do you have a lot of professors who don’t require them at all?
  3. Have you had success using and following the previous edition of a textbook?
  4. Do you have any other tips that should be included here?

The Secret to a Successful Budget: Book Review

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[Khaleef here] Recently Craig Ford of Money Help For Christians released a book about creating a budget called, “The Secret to a Successful Budget“. Being such a huge fan of Craig’s writing, I assumed that the book would be excellent as well. Therefore, I wanted to be able to read it and review it for you. However, since I help people to develop budgets and financial plans, I felt something different was in order.

I wanted to be able to give you a layman’s impression of this book. After all, that’s who is going to buy and benefit from this book the most. So, I asked my wonderful wife to read and review the book. So, be kind to her because this is her first official post on this site! [ok, Khaleef out]

I’ve recently had the opportunity to read Craig Ford’s book, The Secret to a Successful Budget.  Before starting the book, I expected my experience to be one of two things:

  1. The book was going to be totally technical and pretentious (like a guy who goes out of his way to use ‘big’ words, knowing that the party to whom he is speaking will need a dictionary to decipher one sentence)

  2. The book was going to be really heavy with elementary writing, a bunch of clichés and unnatural humor to ensure the common-folk can understand.

First Impressions

I am glad to report this book was neither!  As a matter of fact, at every turn I was pleasantly surprised.  Craig managed to write a book that seems as effortless as a conversation with an old, dear friend.  He does use relatable stories and situations, and presents information in a very comprehensible style, but without the condescension.

He also doesn’t waste a lot of time warming up.  From the title of the book, the author has one goal in mind, and he makes sure to give you the tools you need as succinctly as possible.

Something for Everyone

Whether you are looking for a resource to approach a budget for the first time, have failed at budgeting many times before, or are an experienced budgeter looking for a fresh perspective, this book is certain to provide you with a wealth of information.  Craig provides organized and varied approaches to budgeting to compliment any lifestyle.

On top of the different budgeting methods he provides, Craig walks the reader through the specifics needed to make each method successful.  He also points out what pitfalls to avoid as well as recommends other resources that may help you along the way (eg. Free or inexpensive budgeting software).  He also supplies worksheets in the appendices to help get you started in your budgeting.

I immensely enjoyed the section that covered frequently asked questions.  This section really hits the nail on the head with some universal concerns that individuals and families may have in trying to successfully budget for their lives.  As unpredictable as life can be, these are issues that need to be tackled head on and Craig does a great job of providing practical solutions in navigating these events.

Lasting Impressions

When my husband first asked me what I thought of this book, my response was, “I would definitely recommend this to somebody!”  In fact, I already had at least 2 people in mind that I know would benefit from this book (A couple names will be checked off the old Christmas shopping list!).

As with most things, if you are willing to commit to getting hold of your finances and discipline yourself – the information in this book is a great navigation tool and resource to help reach your financial goals.

Consider if you had to pick up a loaf of bread at a corner store that’s a 5 minute walk away.  You could either put on your sneakers and head out, or hop in the car, warm up the engine, stop for gas, and then get to your destination.  This book is more like the walk to the store – it’s straightforward, you will certainly arrive at your destination, and you have the opportunity to gain some needed exercise along the way.  You could go the route of the gas guzzler (paying for a flashier, more popular budgeting ‘package’) – you will get results, but with a whole lot of extra and unnecessary costs, time, and involvement to get there.

I say, take the leisurely stroll, you certainly won’t be disappointed.

[I’m back!] So there you have it! I have to admit that my wife’s review definitely reflects her true feelings about “The Secret to a Successful Budget” considering our conversations about this book. She had so many wonderful things to say, and she isn’t kidding about buying this book for a couple of friends!

If (I should say “since”) you want to pick up “The Secret to a Successful Budget“, just click on this link. The book is only $17 and you also get “The Joy of Spending Less Than You Earn: 101 Ways to Save Money, and up to 20% off coupons for personal finance software!

Craig also offers a 60-Day money back Guarantee! Get this – talk about integrity! – if you buy the book and implement some of the tips and don’t save more than what the book costs, you’ll get a full refund!

So, what are you waiting for? Click the link already! If you like pictures, then click the picture! 😉

The Secret to a Successful Budget

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