Personal Finance Advice

Lately I’ve been thinking about getting the Target Red debit card. (Note that this post is strictly about the debit card. Target also offers a credit card which offers similar benefits to the debit card, but also acts like a credit card in that you are charged interest on unpaid balances.) I became interested in [...]

I read a lot of books and articles on things like brain science, psychology, productivity, and memory. One thing that tends to come up often as I read is that the brain sees any incomplete task or goal as part of your to-do list. Even if you aren’t consciously thinking of it, anything that you [...]

We enjoy camping in our RV. As a result, I spend a lot of time on RV-related message boards. This week I saw a sad story. A family wanted to get into the camping lifestyle, so they went to the local dealer to see what they could or should get. They planned on towing the [...]

“I’m so messed up. I’m going out for a little retail therapy. Wanna come?” So began a recent conversation with my neighbor. I’ll admit that she’s got every reason to be upset: Her kids are in trouble, there are financial problems in her house, her job is a mess, and her relatives are the sort [...]

You don’t have to be a wine expert to get nice quality wines at a decent price. There are plenty of wonderful wines that don’t cost an arm and a leg, and no matter what level your wine expertise, there are some simple steps that you can take to save money without compromising on quality. [...]

Lately I’ve been trying to decide whether or not to get a Target Red debit card. As much as I shop at Target, the five percent discount would be nice, but there are some drawbacks. I’m still looking into it and will probably make a post about what I’ve learned once I make my decision. [...]

With summer just around the corner, one of the top priorities for a lot of people will be to take off to the beach for a day, or for an extended vacation, when the opportunity permits. One of great things about going to the beach is that it can be a relatively low-cost, day-log activity. [...]

The other day I was perusing another personal finance message board when I came upon, of all things, a debate about the merits of Blu-ray versus standard DVD. It came about because someone was mad that they were being “forced” to buy a combo pack that included both formats because the movie studio refused to [...]

If you still haven’t started your spring cleaning, there’s a good chance that it’s because you simply don’t like to clean. This is nothing to be ashamed of. There are a lot of us who simply look upon cleaning as one of the most disliked chores that need to be done. On the other hand, [...]

I have a friend who has lusted after a certain board game for years, now. It’s out of print and if you can find it on the secondary market in good to mint condition, it usually sells for north of three hundred dollars. While this seems crazy to me, it’s not to him. To him, [...]

Manufacturers, retailers, and advertisers love to tell us that advertising will save us money. They like to tell us that placing ads in and on everything from video games to toilet paper will save consumers money. The theory is that the advertising subsidizes the cost of the item or service, allowing the seller or provider [...]

One of the selling tactics that I have been hearing more and more these days is to make purchases as a “lifestyle investment.” The entire term bothers me in a number of ways, but the worst part is be bringing in the word “investment” into the dialog, the salesperson is trying to make you believe [...]

If you’re on a tight budget or limited income, you’re probably pretty price conscious. However, while buying cheaper items can be great in some instances, there are certain items where you should splurge a little when buying. Many of the items on this list aren’t top luxury items, but rather items where you should consider [...]

There are many people who will willingly confess that they have an addiction to coffee. It’s one of those drinks that quite a few people insist they need to consume at least once or twice a day. However, any coffee drinker knows that sometimes coffee can be pretty expensive. Fortunately, there are a number of [...]

Some people hate to use coupons. Some can’t be bothered, some don’t see that the time required is worth the savings, some are embarrassed, some figure coupons are only for junk food (they aren’t), and some are afraid of being associated with the crazy, extreme couponers out there. Whatever the reason, these people are uncomfortable [...]

Like most holidays, preparing for Easter can put a dent into your budget if you aren’t careful. If you have children, you probably know that buying new clothes, gifts, or other Easter accessories adds up very quickly, and can cause unexpected stress to your monthly budget. Here are a few ways to celebrate the holiday [...]

If you’re a frugal person, the concept of planned obsolescence stinks. There’s no polite way to put it. Manufacturers create things to last a short period of time, forcing you to upgrade or buy a new one at regular intervals. It’s become common practice in everything from appliances to power tools to electronics. Nothing is [...]

One of the easiest ways to prevent theft (aside from locking the doors, which is something too many people neglect but is effective) is to keep what you buy and what you own private. If other people know what you own, you’re more of a target than if a crook has to gamble and guess [...]

Most of us tend to think that more is better, especially when it comes to our “stuff.” If two pairs of shoes is good, ten must be great. If a library of thirty DVD’s is good, a hundred must be better. If having fifteen board games provides a lot of entertainment, a library of fifty [...]

One of the financial phrases that always irks me is “disposable income.” Disposable income is money that has no designated purpose and thus can be blown on anything you want. It’s money that is not “needed” to meet your obligations and thus can be spent on frivolous stuff. The word disposable brings to mind images [...]