Personal Finance Advice

As the economic decline slides further into uncertainty, we have to take a hard look at our own familial finances and begin to ask some serious questions. It’s time to take off those rose-colored glasses.
First, we all need to understand what we, as individuals, can and cannot control.
We can control how much we earn

If you [...]

It’s become quite fashionable to attack credit card companies or banks who hold our mortgages, especially with the recent turmoil in the financial market. While talk of increased regulation and pointing the finger of blame may each have their place in how we deal with such situations, both psychologically and fiscally, they can quickly overwhelm [...]

How does using cash or a debit card influence our spending?
About a month ago, I watched a video on Yahoo about an ordinary couple who were challenged to use cash for everything they bought for one week. The idea was to find out if they would spend less when using actual paper money.
How do you [...]

There is so much involved when you are getting a divorce. The emotional shock seems to outweigh all else. You certainly don’t want to think about financial matters. But you must. Many unscrupulous lawyers make their monies on quick and dirty divorces. They don’t tell you everything that you need to know.
The following story is [...]

One reason that people have trouble with their finances is that they tend to be lazy about managing them. That is not to say that one should spend 24 hours a day making sure every little financial detail is in order, but when you begin to lose money in ways that could be solved with [...]

Today’s morning question is, Do you consider credit cards an asset or a liability?.
I have seen this issue from both perspectives. When I first met my wife, she had about $10,000 in credit card debt and in her case credit cards were a huge liability. Everything she bought actually cost a lot more than [...]

“No interest and no payments for an entire year!” This statement can stop people in their tracks when shopping and often times is the deciding factor on a particular purchase. But this statement can be a dangerous one if you aren’t careful. No interest = no worries, right? Not exactly. [...]

What I am about to say may be shocking to some in financially responsible circles: I use my credit cards more and more each year. Now, to make a disclaimer, I have never been tempted to rack up credit card debt and have only once failed to pay off the balance in full (a [...]

In recent weeks I’ve felt a distinct discomfort when listening to the media, the government, and even my acquaintances talk about money. It’s always been pretty clear that I’m not normal and that I don’t fit financially into this society. I’m a saver and a proponent of more frugal lifestyles. I’m not a big spender. [...]

“I want the toys and I want them now.” It sounds like something a toddler would say, doesn’t it? Yet this is what I hear nowadays from many people in their 20s and 30s indirectly through their spending habits. “I want toys and conveniences and I don’t want to have to wait for [...]

My neighbors’ oldest child just left for college this fall. Watching him load his car with electronics, clothes, and “stuff,” headed for his new apartment, I started reminiscing about when I was just starting out. When I was younger, I lived a life that made others think I was poverty stricken. I didn’t live that [...]

For me, running errands or shopping for groceries is like an adventure. Every time I enter a store there’s always a new item on sale, which of course I never need, but yet I always end up buying. Why is it that I always fall into this trap of coming home with more [...]

By David John Marotta
If your credit card minimum payment was $10 and you repaid it every month for 15 1/2 years with an accruing interest of 15.9%, a $1,000 purchase would end up costing $2,250. Every time you use your credit card to pay for something you risk it being marked up two and [...]

Having debt and saving money don’t tend to go hand in hand. Some would say they are two opposites and others would say that opposites attract. Well, here’s my story about how being in debt led us to saving more and being smarter about our financial situation.
I’ve had my share of “small” [...]

I am sure at some time in our bill-paying lives each of us has stared at a lengthy itemization of a credit card statement and wondered, “How did I get so bound to a piece of plastic?” We try planning, we try limits. There are books, magazines, and even consultants on the issue. I’ve tried [...]

I may have discovered the perfect crime. I can’t tell you who exactly is committing it, how exactly he’s doing, or who exactly it hurts, but I know someone, somewhere could be getting rich from it.
Last month, a charge for a hotel stay was $0.75 higher on our credit card bill than on [...]

One of the questions that is often sent to me is whether one should to pay down credit card debt or build an emergency fund first. As with most issues dealing with personal finances, a lot depends on your particular circumstances. One readers explains hers and is looking for advice:
I just read your post about [...]

I recently became one of the 9 million people to become victim to identity theft this year in the United States. Much of what I have learned in the last few weeks I share to spark outrage at what is becoming more and more common and also to share what you can and should be [...]

Loans and credit cards provide great consumer benefits, but as with any form of borrowed money, you’ve got to be careful about how you manage credit. Here are tips for saving money on credit products - in your basic financial affairs, when shopping for new credit, and when using loans and credit cards.
1. Pay your [...]

When reducing debt, one of the problems is getting frustrated that you can never have any fun while doing it. One way to help keep yourself motivated is to give yourself rewards for reaching specific goals. This reader wants to know how to go about setting up these rewards:
I have started to reduce my credit [...]