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Always Broke? Here are Seven Reasons Why
If you’ve ever tried to stick to a new budget or build up your savings account, you know that it’s not always easy. Saving is hard – even for folks with steady jobs and regular paychecks. But why is saving so hard? What is it about saving that can trip up even the most responsible, rational among us? We tell ourselves that it’s just too hard to save... -
Frugal Living: New Ways to Save
Ever get the feeling that there aren’t any new ideas out there when it comes to frugal living and budgeting? Now, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy reading and writing about just about everything finance-related – but sometimes I feel like I’ve heard every tip out there. Every savings and frugal living blog (mine included!) will tell you that things like shopping with a grocery list can help you... -
House Poor? Here are a Few Tips
Home ownership has long been considered a key component of the “American dream.” But for many folks, the reality of owning a home has been a rude awakening. Instead of enjoying the security and sense of well-being that often accompanies buying a home, these folks are struggling to keep up with too-high mortgage payments that leave them basically broke every month. These people aren’t in a position to save... -
Practical Solutions to Money Problems
Practical Solutions to Money Problems If you read this blog even semi-regularly, you probably know that I tend to tackle the bigger financial stuff: Paying down debt, creating and sticking to a budget, saving for retirement, and so on. But there’s more to finance than responsible credit card use and having an emergency fund. During a typical week, you’re probably faced with dozens of small money-related issues. While most... -
Calling in the Experts: When to Seek Professional Money Help
You don’t have to be a millionaire to need professional financial help. Just about everybody can benefit from some professional guidance when it comes to things like saving, investing, and planning for the future. But if you’ve never worked with a financial professional, the whole idea can seem a little overwhelming. What kinds of things can you get help with? And when is the right time to seek help? ... -
Raising Financially Savvy Kids: A Guide for Parents
Being a parent is a full-time job — and it’s not an easy one, either. In addition to providing basic necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, and so on, parents are also in charge of teaching life lessons and generally helping kids grow up to become good, caring, and responsible adults. And while there’s no single “right” way to raise kids or teach them those life lessons, there... -
Need To Build Credit? Consider a Secured Card
If you’re trying to build (or re-build) credit, a secured credit card can be a helpful tool. A secured card works a lot like a traditional credit card: With a secured card, you pay a security deposit and have access to a line of credit that you can use to make purchases. You make payments, and, if you carry a balance from month to month, you are charged interest. ... -
Creating a Budget? Avoid These Common Mistakes
For the first few days, budgeting can be sort of fun: You make a plan and sort your day-to-day expenses into neat little categories. You review your fixed expenses, and you decide how much you’ll spend on things like groceries and the occasional nice dinner. You happily imagine how much extra cash you’ll be able to sock away in savings or how quickly you’ll be able to knock down... -
Considering Retirement? Here are 5 Things to Think about
If you’re getting close to the finish line in your career, you’ve probably spent some time daydreaming about the things you’ll do when you don’t have to spend your weekdays in the office. It can be fun to daydream about retirement, but if you want to make sure that you can live out those daydreams it’s important to spend some time planning and making sure that you and your... -
Billing Errors: How to Find Them – and How to Dispute Them
Okay, be honest: How often do you really look at your bills? I mean really look at them, as in, go through each bill line by line, scanning for errors and/or charges that don’t seem legit? If you’re like most people out there, the answer to that question is probably somewhere between “not very often” and “never.” Part of me blames technology for this trend. Now, don’t...