Personal Finance Advice

I went to a San Francisco Giants Game baseball game today and while walking from BART to the stadium, there were several harbors with a large number of sailboats docked there. My dad loves sailboats, so of course we had to go and take a closer look at some of the betters ones. That’s when [...]

One of the best investments that you can make is to get a set of basic tools for around the home. I spent a good 4 hours yesterday helping my father put in a new fence in their yard. Esimates from others to put it in were from $3000 - $5000, but we managed [...]

A big hand to Kyle MacDonald who turned a common household item which virtually everyone has lying around (one red paper clip) into something many of us spend years of our life paying for (a fully paid for house) in a matter of 14 trades. That’s right - one red paper clip man managed to [...]

If you are thinking about remodeling, getting ready to sell or just want to know where is the best place to spend your hard earned money in relation to your house, you need to be aware that the majority of home improvements fail to increase the value of your house enough to recover the cost [...]

If you haven’t done your Spring cleaning yet, it makes financial sense to set a day or two to do so. Not only will it help get your house in order, it will also save / make you some money.
Clutter can be a huge expense during the year. Not knowing where things are when [...]

For some reason I’ve been running into people lately that have fallen for a variety of money myths. I consider a money myth something where the person thinks they are taking a positive action for their finances, but in reality, they are hurting them. A perfect example is a friend this weekend who was telling [...]

It seems that although most people are now aware that their credit score can have a large impact on the financial aspects of their lives, many still have no idea that institutions checking their credit also often use another score that is sometimes referred as the “hidden credit score” - your Bankruptcy Risk Score.
While [...]

Have some time to waste and a keen interest in housing prices in your area (or anywhere in the US)? You have to check out the site zillow.com, but be sure you have some time set aside to play. Whether you are looking to buy, sell or you already own a home, there is fun [...]

Give yourself a big old pat on the back if your finished the series of making sure you’re getting the best price on your car insurance. If you went through all the steps and still weren’t able to save any money, don’t feel bad at all about it. You should be happier than the rest [...]

If you have been speculating in real estate, there’s a good article to read over at Fortune.com about Tom Barrack,”The King of Real Estate.”
Then Barrack launches into a parable. “I feel totally safe playing polo on a field full of pros,” says the bronzed 58-year-old. “But when amateurs are all over the field, someone can [...]

A million dollar home isn’t what it used to be according to an article at usatoday.com:
The surge in high-end prices has happened quickly. The Census Bureau’s 2004 American Community Survey found 1,034,386 homes worth at least $1 million in 2004, compared to 595,441 in 2002 and only 394,878 in 2000.
I know this is the case [...]

Wondering if a the remodel you’re planning will add value to your house or be money down the drain? You can get a general idea of what remodels will add value to your house from Remodeling magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report.
I have a friend who is in the process of remodeling their house and he [...]

The people affected by Hurricane Katrina will see first hand the downside of taking equity out of their homes in the coming year. Where many might have been able to break even had they left their equity alone, a good number will now be facing foreclosure at the very least and possibly bankruptcy. While [...]