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Budgeting for Change: How to Handle More (or Less) Money
If you read this blog regularly, you already know that I’m a big believer in budgeting. And you also probably know that there are lots of great budgeting ideas out there, from the traditional to the creative. But when it comes to budgeting, it really doesn’t matter what kind of budget you choose. What does matter is that you choose something that you’ll stick to – and that... -
Protect Your Money from Hackers, Dumpster Divers, and Skimmers
If you’ve watched the news lately, you probably know that Home Depot is currently investigating a potential security breach that could leave an unknown number of customers at risk for credit card fraud. Last year, just before the Christmas holiday, Target made headlines after some 40 million of its customers’ credit card numbers were stolen by hackers. Around the same time, a variety of other retailers – including Neiman... -
Five Must-Know Personal Finance Basics
You probably have distinct memories of learning to drive a car. Maybe you learned from your parents or an older sibling. Or maybe you took a driver’s ed class at your high school or community center. However you learned, chances are pretty good that someone showed you the ropes and made you practice – a lot – before handing you the keys to the family automobile. This isn’t... -
Tired of Traditional Budgets? Try the Proportional Approach
Budgeting is the foundation of healthy personal finances. It helps you set and achieve goals and identify finance habits that need work. If you don’t have enough money coming in, or if too much is going out, budgeting is the all-important red flag that can get you in motion in time to avoid an all-out disaster. But while most people agree budgets are important in theory, it can... -
Expect To Change Your Approach to Finances As You Age
For most people, the exercise and nutrition habits that work best for them in their 20s can change during middle age and again during the retirement years. This pattern holds true for personal finances, too. The things we should be doing in our 20s to stay financially healthy aren’t necessarily the same later in life. With that idea in mind, I’ve listed a few guidelines — an age-appropriate do-to... -
The New Realities of Retirement: Safeguarding Your Future
Retirement is a much different reality today than it was even a generation ago. First of all, the age when people retire is shifting upward: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the proportion of people age 65 and older in the workforce grew to 16.1 percent in 2010, up from 12.1 percent in 1990. Another thing that’s different? The ways people are building their retirement funds. For... -
Good Financial Planning Includes Protecting Your Valuables
It’s stressful enough when fire, theft, or severe weather takes away a family’s belongings. But that scenario gets considerably worse if the family was under-insured or their lost items included critical family documents and records. That’s why it’s important to take steps now to protect your valuables and cushion yourselves from some of the financial repercussions that come with life’s disasters. Want to make sure that your... -
Cash VS Credit: The Pros and Cons
Cash VS Credit: The Pros and Cons It’s hard to talk about personal finance without talking about credit cards – specifically, the problems that can accompany credit card debt. In fact, read enough personal finance blogs and you might start to wonder if it’s best to ditch your credit cards entirely in favor of a “cash-only” lifestyle. If you’ve read my blog for a while, you probably know that... -
Keep Tabs on Your Credit Card: 7 Tips For Preventing Fraud
By now, most people are familiar with the risks of their credit card information falling into the wrong hands: Not only could someone max out your card with their expenses, but there’s also the possibility that someone could use your card’s information to steal your entire identity! While it’s impossible to eliminate these dangers completely, there are some fairly simple steps you can take to reduce the chances someone... -
Three Essential Steps for a Secure Financial Future
This may sound like something your father would tell you, but there’s truth in the saying, financial security doesn’t happen by accident. Like most things in life, getting to a good place financially takes some planning. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by listing your financial goals, and then map out a strategy for achieving them, one at a time. Ultimately, you’ll have to define your own goals,...