How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
In a recent post, I provided some guidance as to who needs life insurance. If you determine that you need it, the next question is, “how much?” You’ll hear about various guidelines for answering that question, usually based on multiples of your salary. Some say you should carry life insurance with a death benefit equal […]
Profitable Ideas: Why It Pays to Spend More, 7 Pieces of Life-Changing Financial Advice, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. Worth the price: The actual cost of quality vs. quantity (No Sidebar). With apologies to all the frugalistas out there, many times, it pays to spend more. Selling what they preach (The Atlantic). A fascinating look at the […]
The Single Most Powerful Personal Finance Tool
If a tool existed that would give you a strong sense of control over your finances and help keep your financial stress low, wouldn’t you use it? If this tool served as a financial road map, showing you clearly how you could live within your means, generously support the causes you care about, and save […]
Profitable Ideas: Don’t Set/Forget Your 401(k), Debt After Death, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. Why you shouldn’t stick with your 401(k) plan’s default savings (US News). For starters, the percentage of your salary it’ll have you contributing is probably too low. My 12 biggest financial mistakes of the last 10 years (The […]
An Identity Theft Like No Other
Identity theft has become a common crime, impacting millions people each year. As bad as the problem is, about a hundred years ago, an identity theft took place on a far grander scale. Everyone’s identity was stolen. Amazingly, this huge heist didn’t make headlines, and it didn’t prompt any calls for greater security. In fact, […]
Profitable Ideas: Lessons for Living, The Limits of Minimalism, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. Some lessons for living from older generations (A Wealth of Common Sense). One of the absolute best ways to learn about life—the financial aspects and everything else—is to ask those who’ve gone before us. The observer effect and […]
The Most Overlooked Way to Save on Healthcare Costs
No matter what happens with the UnAffordable Care Act, healthcare is expensive. I saw a report recently that a 65-year-old couple will need to spend $260,000 for healthcare over the next 20 years of their lives. It was intended to be shocking news. However, that works out to about $1,100 per month, which is less […]
Profitable Ideas: Your Face is a Bar Code, Which Organics Are Worth It, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. How our faces are turning into billion dollar digital bar codes (MarketWatch). Does this glimpse into the future of marketing put a smile or a frown on your face? One day, the ads you see may be driven […]
3 Tough Truths About Investing
Investing is arguably the most complicated and intimidating part of money management. To make sure you’re moving in the right direction with your investments, consider whether these three possibilities are true for you. You may not be investing enough. One of the big trends within workplace retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, is “auto-enrollment.” It […]
Profitable Ideas: How to Keep Everything You Earn, The Limits of ‘Conscious Consumerism,’ and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. How to keep all your earnings (Humble Dollar). Ever heard of the “10, 10 and 40” rule? With a high deductible, even a doctor can shortchange his health (Washington Post). If you have a high-deductible health plan, does […]