DebtGuru® In the Media

Creating a Budget

Don’t forget to download the Debtguru Budget Excel Worksheet! How To Create A Simple Budget (and Stick to it) “Budget” is perhaps the scariest word in the English language: Few things strike fear in the hearts of average Americans like the thought of sitting down and – gasp! – writing a monthly budget. Maybe it’s denial: Do you really want to be held accountable for the $50 in gossip magazines...

Seven Signs of a Debt Problem:

Are you in control of your credit card debt – or is your credit card debt controlling you?   Although I often encourage my readers to avoid using credit cards altogether and to try for a zero balance on any credit cards they do have, I also understand that some people use credit cards.  There are lots of reasons people use them – some folks earn rewards like airline...

How Much Money Are You Leaking Every Month?

Six Little Expenses That Chip Away at Your Finances You think of yourself as a careful spender.  You budget – or try to, anyway.  You don’t go on spending sprees.  You can’t remember the last time you ate at a restaurant.   You haven’t set foot inside a Starbucks since the late ‘90s. In other words, you’re pretty darn frugal.  But somehow, at the end of the month, your bank...

The Debt Guru’s Official Black Friday Survival Guide

Halloween is behind us, Thanksgiving is on the way – and the holiday shopping season is nearly upon us.  That’s right:  Now that November is here, those big holiday sales are right around the corner.  But are they worth it?  Where do you find the best Black Friday deals? Should you wait for Cyber Monday instead?  And what the heck is Cyber Monday, anyway?  When should you pounce on...

How to Save Up $300 in time for the Holidays

I know, I know:  It’s October.  It’s not even Halloween yet, and I’m rolling out the holiday topics.  But the thing is, it’s almost November.  Pretty soon, malls will start putting up Christmas decorations.  Department stores will start offering crazy “early bird” sales that start at five a.m.  Your kids will start dropping hints about this year’s “must-have” toys. Before you know it, the holiday season will be in...

Thou Shalt Live Within Your Means (for financial happiness)

  During a recent family vacation, I spotted a sign in front of a church parking lot that said: “Thou Shalt Not Park Here.”  That sign gave all of us a good laugh – and it also gave me the (divine) inspiration for this week’s topic.  Whether you’re looking for ways to get out of debt or strategies to stretch your hard-earned dollars just a little bit farther, these...

5 Rules for Back-to-School Shopping

  School’s almost in session again, and that means the inevitable back-to-school shopping trip.  Pencils, notebooks, art supplies, clothing, lunch totes – it all starts to add up pretty fast.  If you’re on a budget (and these days, who isn’t on a budget?), it’s a good idea to have a game plan before you hit the stores. Here are five ways to make sure you don’t blow your back-to-school...

How’s Your Financial Health? Time For An End-of-Summer Money Checkup

August is the Perfect Month to Assess Your Finances   So back in January, you decided that this would be the year you finally got your finances in order:  you’d pay off all of your credit card debt (or at least you’d avoid acquiring any new debt).  You’d build up an emergency fund.  You’d put a thousand bucks into your retirement account. You’d write a budget and this year...

Bad Habits that Can Ruin Your Credit Score

Bad Habits that Can Ruin Your Credit Score   Everyone wants a better credit score, but there’s more to the credit game than simply making your payments on time.  Other factors – such as how you use credit, how often you use credit, and even what kind of credit you use can all affect your score.  And if you don’t know exactly how your score is determined, you might...

Simple (& Painless) Strategies To Build Savings

Maybe you’re looking for a way to start your much-needed emergency fund – or perhaps you’re just trying to scrape together some extra cash for your summer vacation.  Whatever the reason, you know that you want to start saving.  But how?   It’s easier than you think.  In fact, there are lots of easy, and painless ways to make a little bit of change add up to a lot...