Personal Finance Advice

Keeping a journal both inspires me and helps to keep me organized and moving forward in my life. Something about writing things down makes them much clearer to me. I used to think that journaling had to be a record of the days’ events or some deep ruminations about my life. That wasn’t really for [...]

By entrepreneur-turned-art-dealer and gallery owner, Bill Clark of Clark Art Gallery, in Cheshire and London At a time where bank deposits, property and most conventional investments are producing poor returns there is a temptation to try less familiar investment commodities like precious metals, coins, antiques or art. But not everything that glitters is gold. Always [...]

There are a lot of people out there who want to give or sell you financial advice. Everyone from your brother to the guy on the infomercial has some system, stock pick, or trick that they want to turn you on to. And don’t forget the true financial advisors that work for your bank or [...]

One of the common ways to save money which people often suggest is to buy generic. In many cases, this is good advice. Many generic products these days can hold their own against their name brand counterparts, but this isn’t always the case. There are some generic products that end up costing you more money [...]

It’s time for our annual invasion of the ants. Every spring the tiny black ants make their way into our home. It doesn’t seem to matter that we won the war last year, they come back to try again. They are determined to get into the house to see what they can find. They launch [...]

Whether you’re a single parent or one of two that work to make ends meet, child care can take a big bite out of your paycheck. Study results vary widely, but in the US, it’s not unusual for wage earners to spend 10% to 25% of their income on childcare. Many working moms reported spending [...]

In the interest of protecting the innocent (and the guilty) in this piece, I’m calling the couple in this story Jake and Joan. They are people I know in real life, but I’m not going to say whether they’re friends, family, or acquaintances. All I’ll say is that I was closer to Jake than Joan [...]

There are a lot of people who hate credit cards because of the debt that they have helped get people into through their use. On the other hand, there are others that love them due to the advantages credit cards offer. What’s important to remember is that credit cards can either be an asset or [...]

Financial writers (myself included) often talk about the “emergency fund.” This is money you set aside so that you can pay for things like medical expenses, car repairs, home repairs, or some other sudden, necessary expense. Having extra money set aside means (ideally) that you don’t have to pull out the credit card to pay [...]

When it comes to saving money on your car, there are things that you can do besides trying to find the lowest gas prices in town to reduce the amount that you spend. Many people don’t realize that there are a number of gadgets on the market that can help you save money. Here are [...]

Nothing is quite as exciting to a child as a birthday party. We may lose the desire to celebrate as we get older, but to a child, a birthday is a magical thing. As parents, we want to make those occasions special and sometimes that wish can lead to a big dent in our finances. [...]

When I was a kid, I wanted to be one of two things. An astronaut or a competitive figure skater. In the end it didn’t come down to a choice of love or money. My problems with math sidelined the first and, as for the second, let’s just say my center of gravity stopped cooperating [...]

While you should always schedule regular checkups and screenings with a real doctor, there are many ways you can keep an eye on your health in between checkups. This is important because many conditions are fully treatable if caught early. Early detection means easier treatment and less money spent. If you find yourself without insurance [...]

In the high-risk business of investing and trading, it’s well known that gold is a solid investment in many ways. As the most sought-after of the precious metals, it’s a good hedge investment against economic disasters. Gold value is always in perfect contrast to the dollar. Still, many novice investors tend to forget, or avoid [...]

Credit cards get a bad rap in frugal circles. The high interest rates and the ability to quickly get deeply into debt make credit cards seem opposed to any sort of money saving lifestyle. This is true if they are used irresponsibly. However, if used responsibly and carefully, credit cards have advantages which can be [...]

As you go through life, you will make purchases that you’ll be proud of and then you’ll also make purchases that you will regret. The key is to avoid the purchases you end up regretting as much as possible. One way to do that is to know what purchases others have regretted in the past [...]

When times are tough financially, it’s tempting to look only at the negatives. It’s easy to focus on what you can’t have and what you can’t do. But there are positives to financial hardship, if you choose to look for them. Having a positive outlook on your financial situation can make it easier to deal [...]

I admit to being one of the few people who likes wrapping gifts. I’m good at it and I enjoy presenting an attractively wrapped present to someone. Unfortunately, wrapping paper and gift bags are expensive, plus they generate a lot of waste. If you give a lot of gifts, the cost of paper and bows [...]

Dollar stores have become quite popular and there are definitely deals that can be found at your local dollar store. While you may want to visit your local dollar store to see if you can score some of these deals, there are also products at the dollar store that are anything but a deal. It’s [...]

In today’s electronically-oriented society, a surprising number of people never learn to create a budget, balance a checkbook or handle other everyday tasks to keep track of finances. Many of us are simply too busy with our fast-paced lives and believe we can’t afford to take the time. The fact is, though, it’s more important [...]