Julie Rains's blog

My Poverty-Fighting Superheroes

You never know -- your mild-mannered neighbor, co-worker, or long-time buddy may be a hero in the battle against poverty. He might prepare meals for the homeless; she might tutor a

The 10 Things I Won’t Give Up Just To Save Money

Times are tough and they may be getting tougher as inflation and unemployment rates rise. There are 10 things that I could cut out of my expenses to save money right now but these

How to Throw a Kid’s Birthday Party That’s Fun, Happily Memorable, and Not So Expensive

The most fun, memorable and least expensive birthday party for your child may be, figuratively and literately, right in your own backyard. I’ve attended and hosted fabulous but sim

Book Talk On “The Offsite: A Leadership Challenge Fable”

The Offsite is a quirky quick read, a short novel by leadership consultant Robert H. Thompson. There are no talking animals or inanimate objects that adopt human characteristics a

6 Random Things I Have Taught My Kids About Money

I’d like to say that I have taught my kids everything they need to know about personal finance, from the basics of banking to the complexities of investing and portfolio management

Divining Your Home’s Value, The Quick-and-Dirty Way

It’s the American Nightmare: your neighbor, in an effort to avoid foreclosure, sells his house for thousands less than he paid two years ago, causing your home to plummet in value.

Fun Things For Five Dollars Or Less In And Around Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Want to have a fun day but short on cash? Here are some outings around my town that I have enjoyed, nearly all for free.

How Tapping Into Home Equity Is Like Pawning A Gold Necklace

It has occurred to me that tapping into one’s home equity can be like pawning a gold necklace, television set, or other personal item with resale value. Both involve using collater

An Inexpensive Diversion

My digital era middle-school-aged son has adopted the use of a low-tech, low-cost entertainment device. I have put much effort into convincing him to balance his love of technology

Resumes For Recent Grads: Translating Campus Experiences Into Real-World Skills

If you’re a recent grad, I hope you've snagged the job of your dreams with a great company, perhaps after having completed summer internships or cooperative work programs with your

Go Golf Cart Go: The Battery-Powered Solution?

Spotted moving along on the roads in my city just last week was a golf cart. Is this solution to high gas prices (a bare-bones battery-powered vehicle) wise or even legal? I’ll tel

50 Ways To Squeeze Value From Your Healthcare Dollar Without Killing Yourself

Healthcare will most likely be my family's largest expense in a couple of years, when we've finished paying our home mortgage. We're not heavy users of the healthcare system, so wh

Making Change Count

I brought a bag filled with quarters to pay for my meal at an Italian restaurant recently. I’ve been taking an informal survey of merchants to see who welcomes my coins. Having rec

16 Ways To Get Money For Your Business

Former kid entrepreneur and now Chief Executive Officer of iContact (an email marketing company), Ryan Allis, has lots of ideas for getting money to grow a business. He’s

250 Miles With Sarge: Lessons On Loyalty, Perseverance, And More

A guy who calls himself “Sarge” and I, accompanied by 9 fellow cyclists and a support crew, spent about 17 hours riding 250 miles to the beach in 3 days, just last week. Sharing th

Free Doughnut

Friday, June 6, 2008 is National Doughnut Day (USA). To celebrate, participating stores of a national chain will offer a free doughnut (one per person) to its guests.

Relax And Conquer

A recruiter friend once told me that a good manager is one who gets things done and honors appointments or at least calls and reschedules, but a true executive makes time for prior

Timeless Tips For College Students

Want to get good grades in college or help your favorite student thrive? My older sister gave me what I still consider the single best piece of advice on how to do well in college.

Not So Straight Path To A Dream Job (U.S. President)

Once upon a time (aka when I was a kid), the job of U.S. President was deemed the ultimate career destination. Considering the careers of the current contenders (Senators Barack

Laid Off? What To Do Before Plunging Into The Job Search

Your company has announced a soon-to-come layoff or you’ve been escorted out of the door. What’s next? What should you do…before updating your résumé, tapping into your professiona