Can We Afford This?
I have a foolproof method of judging whether I can afford something: My wife tells me. You may not be so lucky.
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Should Humans Buy & Hold?
Can an investment strategy work in practice that requires regular decision-making and market assessments from an inescapably emotion-laden human with his or her own money at stake?
read moreHandling a Money Crisis
What would you do if a family wage earner were unexpectedly laid off? Panic and paralysis is normal for a day or two, but then what?
read moreFinancially Survive the Shutdo...
While the national leaders Americans elected shoot spitballs at each other, you’ve got bills to pay. If your income has been slashed, we hope temporarily, by the government shutdown, you need a plan to keep your head above water. Here it is.
read morePlan to Pay Off Debt
You’re ready to attack a mountain or a molehill of debt. If your goal is to flatten the debt by a certain date, how much do you pay each month?
read morePay Debt with 401(k) Loan?
If you have high-interest debt like credit cards, that chunk of change you’ve accumulated in your workplace retirement account may look mighty tempting. Why not lend it to yourself, pay off the credit cards, and save the interest expense?
read moreWhen to Freeze Your Credit
You may have heard of freezing your credit cards in a block of ice as a tactic to deter impulse spending and borrowing. But that’s not what’s meant by “credit freeze.”
read moreNet Worth: How Are You Doing?
If you’re visiting this site, you’re probably focused on making better money choices, paying off debt, and saving more. But how do you know where you stand? Are you ahead or behind Americans your age?
read moreCredit Repair: Always a Rip-Of...
Is your credit report blemished? Are you considering cosmetic surgery? Don’t waste your money please.
read moreSend a Cease & Desist Let...
You have the right to force that nasty debt collector to stop contacting you. But doing so might have even nastier consequences.
read moreWhy Overpay for Everything?
Nobody wants to overpay. But you might be paying twice as much as you need to for stuff you buy without realizing it.
read moreGet These 3 Things Right
Saving enough for a comfortable, secure retirement isn’t complicated. Follow these three guidelines, and you can’t miss. And your little man/woman will be happy. 🙂
read morePaying for Aloha
How I freed up over $6,000 in cash that we’re putting to fun use on a long Hawaiian holiday.
read moreGood News, Bad Habits
Don’t be seduced into shooting yourself in the money foot by falling victim to the good news, bad habits deception.
read more6 Money Saving Holiday Hacks
Creative, simple ideas for helping pay for the holidays with cash, not debt.
read moreDividend Portfolio Update
I’ve built a portfolio of relatively low-risk, high-dividend stocks that now generates enough cash to cover roughly one-third of our living expenses. That feels good.
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Are Rising Rates Good?
Rising interest rates generally reward savers and punish borrowers. But there are other, less obvious benefits. Guest post from Patty Moore of Working Mother Life!
read moreEquifax Hack
With nearly half of all Americans affected, everyone should follow up to protect themselves in the wake of the horrendous hack at credit bureau Equifax®.
read moreTransUnion.ca Sneakiness
Here’s how TransUnion’ca’s process for obtaining a credit report—which should be free—morphs into a purchase of a $239/year “credit monitoring” product. Shameful!
read moreThe Pain of Paying
You’ve abandoned cash, right? Cool, but research shows you’re probably spending more as a result.
read moreInvestment Types—for Newbies
You know you should be investing, but don’t know where or how to start. Well, start here. 🙂
read moreFossil Fuel Is Dead
Let’s discuss: Investors with a time horizon of more than 5 years should avoid fossil fuel-related companies, mutual funds, and ETFs.
read moreFinancial Insomnia
A recent telephone survey of American adults revealed that 38% lose sleep over health care and health insurance worries. To the surprise of no one who relies on their brain to make decisions, that portion is up by a whopping 37% from one year ago.
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