Lots of little ideas to write about, not enough time or energy to expand them.

Homegrown link: Saving Advice's own five-step ugly duckling investment guide

Rated G, Safe for Work link for the 1980s synthopop music fans.

My psychological block comes from seeing these large but not large enough amounts trickle into our accounts. What do I mean by "not large enough?" I've been putting $1500 aside monthly into 3-month CDs for our mortgage. Emergency fund not really an emergency fund but a place to park the money for expenses we anticipate in the next six months. Because I don't understand how one can plan for an adequate fund for unanticipated expenses? Who knows what unanticipated expenses cost, anyone?

$10,000 is the minimum deposit allowed for a money market account at our credit union paying 4.x% as of this typing.

In 2008 Roth IRA maximum contributions for those of us under 50 is $5000.

$2,000 is the minimum balance required for a trading account to engage in options or to do any significant trading.

$20,000 is what we expect to pay for a used vehicle two or three years away, including taxes and insurance.

Expenses going up for sure next year: food, transportation, energy, insurance (it always goes up), taxes.

A new roof? $17500? I don't know.
Adding all those up, and seeing 1/36th of that total trickle into the chequing account... My HELOC is for $18,000 only, because I had this idea in my head that if I stuck to one year's mortgage expenses, or 5% of the house value, I wouldn't get into trouble.

I resolve to crack open my mind about saving and personal finance the way I keep my beginner mind open and fresh about politics here. It is the only way, that I know of, to learn how people earning an average income afford short-term, medium-term and long-term necessities and goals without going into debt in an inflationary environment. And to search for opportunities to save $100 more each month without cramping our lifestyle.

I also vow that if I find a way to do this without relying on one personal finance book alone, I'm gonna write a book.