“I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” – Psalm 119:16 In the mid 1990s, Kevin Bauman began photographing abandoned houses in his hometown of Detroit. It was a creative outlet, a way to express his amazement and concern that “a once great city could find itself in such great distress.” Viewing […]
Author Archive | Matt Bell
New Retirement Realities
Our economy has left very few people feeling confident about retirement. Just 13 percent of current workers say they are “very confident” about having enough money to live comfortably throughout their retirement years, according to the latest annual retirement study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). That’s the lowest level since the organization began […]
Save on Organics
Organic food may seem like a splurge right now, but when it comes to our health spending less may ultimately cost more. A short piece on Consumer Reports recently reported on five ways to save on organics. In addition to the obvious suggestion to buy store brand organics, the article included links to organic food […]
Top Money Web Sites
The Internet is filled with lots of good web sites about money. But which ones are worth a visit? One of the web’s best personal finance journalists, MSN’s Liz Pulliam Weston, recently named her 100 favorites. That may sound overwhelming, but she has them organized by subject. Just in case 100 sites aren’t enough, here […]
Easing the Financial Pain
Just about everyone is feeling the pain of our troubled economy. The extreme manifestations make headlines – suicides and murders that are somehow tied to financial problems. For most people, there’s just a nagging sense of financial anxiety. An ABC News article mentioned a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services web site dedicated […]
Let Your Mouse Do The Walking
The Internet is littered with electronic coupon sites, so which ones are best? MainStreet recently listed its five favorites: RetailMeNot.com (users submit coupon codes and feedback as to which ones work); CouponCabin.com (monitors over 1,200 online stores for new coupons); FatWallet.com (has over 800 merchant partners and a cash-back feature); CouponMom.com (offers helpful free instructions […]
Don’t Touch, Don’t Buy
A recent Time magazine article summarized the latest findings from the increasingly sophisticated science of retailing. Researchers have found that touching a product in a store increases a shopper’s sense of ownership (the “endowment effect”), and that increases the likelihood that he or she will buy the product. One retailer that maximizes this approach to […]
Another Solution for Old Electronics
I’ve written in the past about how to dispose of old cell phones, TVs, and other electronics. A recent post on ChristianPF.com highlighted a program I hadn’t heard of before called Flipswap, which enables you to exchange an old cell phone or iPod for an Amazon.com gift card. Devices received by the company are either […]
Be Prepared
News of the devastating earthquake in Italy prompted Consumer Reports to remind readers about the importance of having and safeguarding certain financial documents. It put together a helpful list showing where to keep various documents. A comprehensive, easily accessible list of emergency phone numbers should be part of every household’s emergency preparedness plan as well. […]
Nobody’s Fool
“Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?” – Proverbs 17:16 No one wants to be thought of as a fool – not on April first, not at any time. The Bible uses that strong term only a handful of times in regard to […]