Finance, Saving money, Rental Property, Investing, spending money wisely| Eyes on the Dollar

Are Graduate Degrees Worth the Money?

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Kim

Money Well Spent?
Photo: Wikipedia

When I was growing up, there was never a doubt that I would go to college. My mother made that a priority. I also knew pretty much from junior high on that I would receive an advanced degree. I wanted a really good job. That was how I thought you got one. Over the past few years, I’ve begun to wonder if an advanced degree or any degree at all is necessary for financial success. We’ll look at myself and my husband as examples.

Health Professional Degree

My undergraduate degree was in biology. Luckily, I received scholarships to cover tuition and living expenses. I came out with no debt, but a biology degree doesn’t really get you very far. Unless I wanted to teach, I can’t think of many other things where this degree earns a decent salary. Even to go into university teaching or research, you’d have to get at least a master’s degree or Ph.D. Continue reading →

A Week in the Life of An Optometrist

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Kim

A Sage Grouse
Photo:Voiceforthewild.org

I had some really serious topics last week with sequestration, taxes, and selling out. Today I thought I’d share a little bit of the lighter side of my work. While I’ve been frustrated with some of the business aspects of being in private practice, I truly love most of my patients. I’ll give you a glimpse into a week in the life of an optometrist. These are all honest to God patients and true stories.

Monday: A gentleman shows up and marks on his history form that he has glaucoma. He was not under treatment because he though his diabetes medicine would work for glaucoma as well. I appreciate dual uses for products but since his pressure was 26 and 47 (normal is under 21), we can safely conclude that diabetes medicine doesn’t work for glaucoma. After a long discussion about vision loss from untreated glaucoma, how to take drops, how he can get assistance if he can’t afford his drops, and how important follow up is, I asked if he had any questions. Like a good patient, he did.

Mr. Glaucoma: “Can you do anything about the scratches on my glasses?”

That sound you heard Monday afternoon was me banging my head against a cement wall. Continue reading →

Spring Money Making Tip: Beginner’s Guide to Selling Kid’s Clothes on Ebay-$500 Giveaway!

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Kim

Spring is in the air, and we all know what that means. Bird watching, walks in the park, picking flowers, nope, it’s time to make some money! If you have kids, they seem to grow overnight. One day those pants fit just fine, the next thing you know, they have become capris. While, it’s easier to take everything to the thrift store, there is money to be made if you know how. We’ve made hundreds of dollars selling kid’s clothing on Ebay, and you can too.

Become an Ebay Seller

If you’ve never used Ebay, it’s very easy. While some sellers have stores on Ebay, this post is for the beginner or small time seller.

You need to set up some basic information and have a Paypal account. Ebay walks you right through how to list and price items, or you can watch a video on Youtube. If you have a smart phone, there are Ebay apps that make it even more simple. Continue reading →

Eyes on the Dollar 20/20 Roundup #29-Gotta Love the Neighbors

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Kim

My backyard this morning!

Less than 48 hours ago, it was 63 degrees Fahrenheit. Today it’s 30 degrees, and we are having a winter storm warning. Normally I wouldn’t care, but my husband had to drive 60 miles to take a test for his master’s degree at 7:30 AM this morning. He made it OK, and is taking the test right now. If he passes, this is essentially the last step before he can move up the ranks from teacher to administrator. While I don’t quite understand why, he really wants to do that, so send good thoughts his way! Continue reading →

The Line Between Making Money and Being a Sell Out

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Kim

photo: picsweb.net

We all want to make money. With the amount of reading I do each week, a very common and relevant theme is how to make more money from all kinds of various means. I’m not immune. We have had some huge debts to pay, and making more money was a big part of how we paid off our credit card bills. However, making money isn’t always as simple as seeing more dollar signs appear in your checking account. Many of us are making money by creating or selling products or services to others. While there is nothing wrong with that, do you sometimes feel guilty for making money at the expense of someone else? Are we always able to hold our values above what might make more money for our families? Where do you cross the line between making money and selling out? Continue reading →