When it comes to personal finances, one of the first steps is to get basic knowledge on the subject. Many people do this through books, but when you are just beginning, knowing which books to read may not be obvious. This reader is looking for recommendations on the best financial books to read when starting […]

By Shannon Christman
One thing that causes parental frustration is paying a high admission price to a park or event only to have the child complain the whole time or discover a sudden interest in something he could see for free, like ducks (just like those in a neighbor’s pond) when you’re on a trip to […]

One of the best bosses that I ever had hated the time that meetings wasted with a passion. He felt that they made his employees less productive because instead of working on the things they needed to get done, they were all sitting around a table. A good majority of the time was wasted on […]

There is rarely a single answer in personal finances that fits for everyone. Due to this, issues that you always assumed were easy to answer may be more difficult that your thought. That is a question I received from a woman wanting to know whether or not purchasing a house was the right move for […]

Business Class Lite: On the long haul flights from the US to Europe, your choice was to pay a small fortune for business class, or be stuck in cramped quarters for the entire trip in economy. That is beginning to change. New carriers are offering business class “lite” seating that gives you space for the […]

This certainly isn’t the normal question I receive, but one that probably more than a few people have thought about at least one time in their life. What does it take to create wealth and do you have to have a certain type of personality to do it?
I have a question (that is also a […]

Auctions Lead People To Do Weird Things: “Modern economists have assumed that people in auctions behave rationally. Then came eBay.” Having made my living selling on eBay for a few years, I can certainly attest to the fact that some buyers don’t behave rationally.
Poor New Yorkers to Get Cash for Good Behavior: Under […]

By Shannon Christman
June is traditionally wedding season, and many couples tying the knot this month have spent years getting to know each other and months planning the wedding, but only hours (or minutes) discussing their financial compatibility. With many divorces happening because of disputes over money, it’s wise for dating and engaged couples to […]

By Valerie S. Johnson
Math. Like many people, for some unknown reason I grew up with fear and loathing of mathematics. It was always my worse subject in school. Just mention words like “hypotenuse” and “calculus” and my eyes still glaze over. So it’s no wonder that dealing with my finances raises […]

When it comes to where to invest your money, a lot of people get overwhelmed with all the options that are available. A lot depends on your individual circumstances and what the money is to be used for in the future. The following reader had such a question:
My dilemma is a simple one: I am […]

Scan Items As Your Shop: Want a look at the shopping experience of the future? You’ll have a self scanner which you can use to scan each item as you take it off the shelf while you shop and bag your groceries right away. Then simply pay before you leave. It’s already being tested.
You […]

To my dad, thanks for everything. I love you tons. And for all fathers out there everywhere, this song is for you:

By Shannon Christman
Are free-after-rebate offers really free? Sometimes. In fact, sometimes you - the consumer - can actually make a little money on the deal.
“What Does That Free Item Really Cost Me?
Free-after-rebate refunds generally come in two forms: check or store credit in the amount of the purchase price. When […]

If you enjoy reading, you know that it can get quite expensive to purchase books for everything you want to read. It doesn’t have to be that way - here are some ways you can save on books while still reading everything you want:
Test Read: Just as you test drive car, test drive your books. […]

Junk. We all accumulate more of it than we probably need to, but what if it is someone else’s junk that is causing a problem? That is the question that this reader sent in hoping for some advice:
I visit my parents house on a regular basis to help them clean and all I can […]

Kids & Money In Los Angeles: This is an interesting short film (approx. 15 minutes) that is well worth the watch. It’s part of the New York Times shorts and is titled Kids and Money: A portrait of teenagers in Los Angeles. Sometimes I had to cringe while watching, but it doesn’t focus exclusively […]

By Tina Parcell
Immerse yourself in Firefox goodness while indulging your inner frugal fantasies. Here are 20 extensions that are sure to help you save some cash.
Cell Phone Minute Minders
1. Cingular Minutes Minder: Currently being reworked what with the Cingular/ATT merger mess. Keep checking the site for updates, though: there’s a lot of interest in […]

There is nothing worse than having a holiday deadline coming up and not knowing what to get for it. That is the question this young woman has about Father’s Day:
I have a question that I hope you can help me out with. I noticed that yesterday a person wrote to ask about […]

Avoiding Hidden Costs with Hotel Rooms: There are a lot of hidden costs when you check into a hotel room. By far my biggest pet peeve is when they charge for computer wifi connection - mainly because it’s the “nicer” hotels that charge this fee whereas the average hotels usually include it for free.
Japan’s […]

By Amy L. Fontinelle
While I’ve said that I think working for a small business can be surprisingly beneficial, it can also have many undeniable drawbacks.
1. Lower pay: Many small businesses simply do not have the resources that large companies do. While you may get more experience, you’ll often get paid less than you would doing […]