Personal Finance Advice

Are you one of the many who have retired early? Do you regret not waiting until later so you could get a larger check every month? Well, you may be in luck. There is a little-known process you can go through to get a larger Social Security benefit check every month. It’s just as if [...]

I’ve written before about dressing and looking your best to succeed in the workplace and life, and I still believe this one hundred percent. However, I overheard an interesting discussion that illustrated the desire for casual dress and how people seem happier when they don’t have to “dress up.” First, I’ll give you a little [...]

What do you usually have for a snack? Do you choose something healthy like fruit or veggies? Or is it more like a bag of chips or your favorite candy bar? How about dinner? Do you make dinner from scratch, or do you heat up something that is premade? If you are like many people, [...]

Have you poured a half finished glass of orange juice back into the carton? Have you taken toilet paper down from your trees after being TP’d to use for its original purpose? I have heard of people doing just that. Have you done outrageous things just to save money? Are you happy with this lifestyle? [...]

You know you need to pay attention to your finances and create some kind of spending plan. So why haven’t you started? Are you just waiting for the right software, book, or moment? Maybe you feel overwhelmed. The reasons for not starting and maintaining your spending plan are endless, but your window of opportunity closes [...]

With the costs of health care rising dramatically every year, both companies and individuals are trying to find ways to lessen the financial pain. One option is a (HDHP) coupled with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Many of you may already have this option, or your company is rolling this out in the near future. [...]

Spend less than you earn. Pay yourself first. Save 10 percent of all of your earnings. These are some of the most basic principles of personal finance, yet millions fail to do this. There are hundreds of personal finance books that talk about these financial basics, and more are on their way. Simple solutions are [...]

Working in the web development industry, I get a chance to go to at least one conference, seminar, or training class every year. This way I can keep up with the latest technologies and our company benefits from my acquired knowledge. However, convincing the company my conference of choice is worthwhile can be a problem. [...]

We all want a job we enjoy and not dread going to each day. Are you just starting out and are not sure what you want to do? Or do you currently have a job, but long to be doing something else? To obtain your ideal career, you may want to consider a few things. [...]

What scares you? What is holding you back and affecting your financial well-being? If you were not afraid, how different would your life be? I think fear is a major problem when it comes to finances. Do you have any of the following financial fears? Budgeting. This is one of the most fundamental tasks for [...]

If you are toying with the idea of starting a business, it is probably best to start it on a part-time basis while continuing with your regular job. Many small businesses fail within the first year, so take advantage of having a steady income and use your spare time to start your new business. In [...]

One of the few shows I make sure I watch is Survivorman. For those who are unfamiliar with this show, it is about a man who strands himself in different locales all around the world with just his camera equipment and a few random items for seven days. He then documents his survival, educating the [...]

Great ideas can come at any time. More often than not, we are usually preoccupied when the lightning strikes, and we tell ourselves we will write it down later only to forget what it was that was so amazing. No matter what your profession, a lost idea is lost money. A simple way to make [...]

In her book, If You Want to Write, Barbara Ueland states, “Families are great murderers of the creative impulse…” This statement is bold, but unfortunately true for many. Many have had family members shoot down great ideas as too good to be true, too difficult or maybe even stupid. Do you want to start a [...]

“I’m talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing.” — Gordon Gekko, Wall Street. Watching Wall Street the other night, the above quote stuck in my head, specifically, “Rich enough not to waste time.” What did Gordon [...]

Keeping track of what you spend your money on is a good habit to have. Why not expand your record keeping and begin a financial journal? The benefits of financial journaling You think clearer. People think clearer when they write out their thoughts which can help your success. This provides you with a better picture [...]

Starting this year, Illinois State University initiated a classroom dress code for students in marketing classes. Students taking marketing classes will no longer be able to roll out of bed, throw on whatever they feel like, and head off to class. Business casual is the new rule. According to the school, the policy is to [...]

We all feel we deserve a raise, but are we entitled to one. Are employers required to give raises? Unless you have a contract stating you will receive a raise at a certain point, your employer is not required to give you one. Additionally, some people work without ever seeing a raise. The average raise [...]

For the first day of kindergarten, I walked in to my daughter’s classroom and at each child’s place at the table lay 3 pennies. These were fake pennies, but as our kindergarten information packet stated, they were worth something. Every day, the children get three pennies, which they put in designated containers. Every four or [...]

From time to time, things get the best of me and I let various forms of paperwork pile up, putting off today what I can do tomorrow. I become the Bizzaro Ben Franklin. This pile can end up filling a paper box or two before I tackle it. This pile continues to grow larger until [...]