Probably the most difficult step in getting ones personal finances in order is the step to actually begin working on them. If you have a great adversion to looking at your personal finances, it makes it that much more difficult as this reader knows:
I hate personal finance and my finances shows this. They […]

This is a question that often comes up — the difference between being frugal and being cheap. This reader asks for help in trying to remain frugal without becoming cheap:
I have a huge problem with my husband’s family. They don’t understand there is a difference between being frugal and being cheap. They constantly complain […]

When it comes to how much money the government keeps out of your paycheck, there are often a lot of questions. You don’t want to be giving the government a free loan of your hard earned money, but at the same time, you don’t want to owe a lot of taxes when April 15 […]

With Christmas right around the corner, you should have started to make your Christmas budget as one reader is currently doing. In the process, she wonders what is the better alternative: a real Christmas tree or an artificial Christmas tree?
I am trying to decide whether to purchase a real Christmas tree or an artificial Christmas […]

With the holiday season almost upon us (or already in full swing if you accept what retailers are telling us), what are your holiday tipping rules? I had a quite lively debate about this with a group of friends who had a wide variety of opinions on the subject, and I’m sure the readers here […]

As the US becomes more and more a cashless society, is it really necessary to have cash at all? In many instances, there may be no reason, but one time that cash is king is when there is an emergency where normal outlets that dispense cash are not available and credit systems may be offline […]

When money gets tight, one place that many people try to save money is on food. The problem is that this often means sacrificing healthy food. Therefore when the food budget is tight, a question that is often asked is whether it is possible to eat health food and still stay within budget? That is […]

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 […]

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 […]

When you must decide on what is a good plan of action which involves a housing arrangement outside the norm, it can be confusing and difficult to determine whether it is a good deal or not. That is the question that one reader has:
I have a financial question and hope you wouldn’t mind answering it […]

One of the risks in putting money into your child’s name is when he gets older and the money becomes his, you no longer have control over it. That is what one reader has found out and wants to know if there are any options that she has:
I have been placing money into […]

Knowing the best course of action to take on your student loans is often a difficult maze to work your way through. That is the question from this reader:
I was looking into federal student loan consolidation on a $12,828.19 student loan (now at 7.22% - pretty high).
I was offered 7% after consolidation and it goes […]

Budgets are a main foundation for a lot of people trying to get their finances in order, but is a budget always necessary? That is a question from one of the readers:
I keep reading about the importance of having a budget and I’m wondering how important it really is for someone that is spending less […]

In the do-it-yourself world, saving money is dependant on if you can actually get the job done without ending up doing more harm than there originally was in the beginning. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and this email from a reader wants to know how to discourage the problem:
I have a big problem […]

When someone has credit card debt and wants to reduce the amount they are paying on interest, there is always the question of what is the best way to reduce that interest payment. A lot depends on the particular circumstances of that person. One reader asked what is the best move to make for his […]

Co-signing on a loan is not something to undertake lightly. The reason that people need you to co-sign is because they have some issues with their credit or otherwise there would be no need for you to do so. And even if they have the best intentions to pay, sometimes things don’t work out as […]

Too much stuff. Most of us can probably relate to it. Martha Stewart claims that we don’t use 80% of the stuff that we own. When it is time to clear out some it it, what is the best way to go about it? This is the question I received from this reader over the […]

When it comes to personal finances, one of the first steps is to get basic knowledge on the subject. Many people do this through books, but when you are just beginning, knowing which books to read may not be obvious. This reader is looking for recommendations on the best financial books to read when starting […]

There is rarely a single answer in personal finances that fits for everyone. Due to this, issues that you always assumed were easy to answer may be more difficult that your thought. That is a question I received from a woman wanting to know whether or not purchasing a house was the right move for […]

This certainly isn’t the normal question I receive, but one that probably more than a few people have thought about at least one time in their life. What does it take to create wealth and do you have to have a certain type of personality to do it?
I have a question (that is also a […]