Personal Finance Advice

Oprah had her annual “Favorite Things” show last week. Since this is her last season on the air, it was actually a two day orgy of consumerism. I don’t generally mind Oprah most of the time, but this episode gets on my nerves every year. It’s great that she wants to give all this stuff [...]

I have a friend who has been out of work for eight months, now. You’d think she’d be stressed out, worried about money, and ready for a meltdown, especially with two kids. But she’s not. She’s using her time off to travel a bit (under a strict budget), tackle some home improvements she’d been putting [...]

A new trend has cropped up over the last few years that may present an opportunity for you to make some money to help pay for some of life’s biggest expenses. Many people are now having their events and big expenses sponsored by advertisers. Weddings, college educations, cars, and even housing can be sponsored these [...]

I’m frequently asked about the best ways to save on food. There are many ways, including coupons, shopping the sales, buying store brands, and buying in bulk. But if you want to know the easiest way to save on food, here it is: Stop wasting it. According to WastedFood.com, Americans waste more than forty percent [...]

I’ve noticed that when most people think about their finances, they think in terms of their income and expenses. They think about how much they make per week or month and therefore that is how much they have to spend. However, the most financially successful people that I know think of their finances in terms [...]

An easy way to make a little extra money is to simply watch where you walk and pick up the things that people drop. You’d be surprised at how much money people drop, either by accident, because they can’t be bothered with it, or because they simply don’t know what they have. Here are some [...]

Your toilet is full of germs! Your tooth enamel is eroding! Your soap dispenser can give you a disease! Criminals are waiting to break into your home the second you turn your back! You could have a disease and not even know it! The germs on your countertop could wipe out your whole family! These [...]

As more kids get on the Internet at younger ages, I’m hearing about more and more on-line money accidents. These “accidents” occur when kids play paid online games or games that let players buy items in the game, when they download music or eBooks from shopping sites, or when they bid on items on eBay. [...]

Last week, Beer Guy wrote an entertaining article about some sage financial advice his uncle gave him when he was a boy. The advice (more colorfully phrased) was to avoid getting a girl pregnant until such time as he could be financially responsible for that action. Getting a girl pregnant too young equals financial disaster. [...]

Around here we’ve hit the peak of the fall yard sale season. I headed out this weekend to check out a few and came away flabbergasted by the prices some of the sellers were charging for their stuff. I’m an informed consumer and I generally know the prices of the things I buy. I know [...]

Many people are tightening their belts in these uncertain economic times. One of the first places we often look to save money is finding projects around the home that we can do ourselves rather than calling the professionals. All do-it yourself projects are not created equal, though, and there are times when you are better [...]

We often talk about keeping up with the Joneses. When we accuse someone of keeping up with the Joneses, we usually mean that they are buying cars, clothes, or other tangible items because their friends and neighbors have those items. They want to fit in with their peer group, so they try to mimic their [...]

I have been car free for several years now, but there are times when I do need to rent a car. I have found that there is one way to consistently get rock bottom prices on a rental car that exceeds coupon specials and all the other advertised deals out there almost every time. Most [...]

I’m not normally a big fan of TV. I find that it takes me away from other things I could/should be doing. However, I recognize that there are plenty of people out there who love TV. If you watch a lot of TV, it’s probably taking you away from other opportunities to earn more money. [...]

My friend is a complete idiot — which is a much worse insult than it may first appear since it’s being given by a guy who views drinking beer and watching TV as a worthy goal to strive for each and every day. I wish I could say it isn’t so, but I have always [...]

Here’s the great thing about frugality and saving money. It’s almost foolproof. When you make a commitment to getting your finances on track, living more simply, and putting money away for the future you really can’t fail at it, as long as you keep trying. Some people tell me, “Oh, I tried frugality but I [...]