And he argued that wasn’t the point. So I kindly explained to him the point, which was that his pride and stubbornness were eating him up inside!

How many times has your prideful stubbornness kept you from someone you love? It’s so easy to build a wall but it can take so long for that wall to come down. We’re defensive; we don’t like to be wrong; sometimes it’s very hard to forgive…but where does that put us? In a place of self pity and mourning. So stop. If someone has wronged you, forgive them. Especially if it’s something petty and ridiculous like you just couldn’t agree on a paint color or he lied to you about cleaning out the garage.

I’ve said it a thousand times, life is too short to stay angry and bitter, so do yourself a favor next time you’re in that position, forgive and move on. But if you’re angry at someone you really love, do me a favor and at least talk to that person! Don’t let your pride stand between you and reconciliation. It may just be a few simple words before you’re back to that blissful, happy place together. But you’ll never know until you bust down that wall…

One thing I want to do for my children is teach them how to spend and save money responsibly, which I know I do best by leading a good example. How I choose to use my credit card is a big part of that. So when I saw Chase Bank offers a feature called Blueprint, I signed up. Blueprint helps you set budgets and track your progress anytime. You can design your plan in just a few minutes and manage your everyday spending and borrowing. Check out Chase Blueprint today!

Brown bag it. Bring your lunch to work with you. If you don’t have the patience or time to make your lunch in the morning, do it the night before. It’ll take 5 minutes and do the math for how much it’ll save you per week. That’s your vacation fund right there!

Cut your guilty pleasure in half. If it’s a latte a day, try every other day for a while. If it’s dinner out every other night, try just once a week. If it’s a monthly pedicure, stretch it to two months…

Shop with cash only. It may seem like a hassle but if you only have so much to shop with, you’re going to find you pay a lot more attention to the price tag and only buy the necessities. No extra sweets in your shopping cart…hey this might work for weight loss too!

Put it away on pay day. As soon as that paycheck comes in, put some of it away in your savings or an envelope and act like it never happened. Even $10 each paycheck will look like a lot come next Christmas when you’re wondering how you’re going to shop for everyone on your list.

Do-it-yourself. Instead of buying coffee, brew it yourself. Instead of buying the flower arrangement, buy the flowers and arrange them yourself. Instead of getting the car washed, wash it yourself. There are a lot of conveniences that are easily done at home, don’t require expertise and save you a lot of money over time.

What are you doing or have you done in the past to pinch your pennies? If you have some good words of wisdom on the subject, share those with me! My email is D@Delilah.com and I’d love to get your feedback so I can pass it on.

I am writing to brag about a very special lady, my step-mom, Kathy. Delilah, she is like a copy of my own mom, also with a very big heart. She is caring and a stay at home mom to my two younger half-brothers, Dane who is 8 and Kai who is 2. And to top it off, Kathy is going to school to become a lawyer.

Delilah, my dad and Kathy adopted Kathy’s nephew when he was only four years old, and he is now 26 and a PAIN IN THE REAR END!!! (I’m just kidding.) He is just like any brother. Kathy and my dad went through five years of fertility treatments to get pregnant with Dane. And then they adopted Kai after he was born.

Delilah, I am a very proud big brother! Can you please find a special song to honor Kathy? I could have done a whole lot worse! Sincerely, Brock

Brock sounds like he’s got a great attitude and I really appreciate someone like that. Who’s on your heart today? Tell me about someone who deserves a little recognition for just being a good, loving person. We can never have too many of those, am I right? Email me at D@Delilah.com with your special story and dedication today.

I can hear my mother’s voice: Money doesn’t grow on trees. Now I live by another motto to “live simply so that others may simply live.” I don’t spend foolishly and I try to be charitable in hopes my children will take notice. To spend and borrow money responsibly is one of the best life lessons I can give my children in the short time they are under my roof. So I’ve chosen to carry a credit card from Chase Bank because it comes with Blueprint – a feature that helps keeps you in control of your spending and helps you to save money on interest by paying down your balance faster. Go check it out today: ChaseBlueprint.com.