Money Round-Up: Scoring the Lowest Prices, DIY Frappuccinos, and More
There are tons of great personal finance articles on the web. Here’s my highly subjective list of 10 of the best from recent weeks – 5 from traditional sites, 5 from blogs. How Die-Hard Couponers Do It (via CNNMoney). Feel like you’re missing out because you’ve read about the coupon pros who by $1,000 of […]
How a Budget Leads to Financial Freedom
People who’ve never used a budget – or cash flow plan, as I prefer – usually assume it’ll be restrictive. They think of a budget as something you go on like a diet. They see budgets as being about cutting back, tightening the belt, reining themselves in. For them, budgets are about less. But a […]
Recession Lessons: What Have You Learned?
Economists say the recession ended in June of 2009. But that doesn’t seem to be the word on the street. Many people I meet in workshops and through this blog are clearly still feeling the effects of the recession. A Shared Experience Some are still out of work. Some who are employed are fearful about […]
How to Get the Right Mortgage at the Right Price
A home is typically a person’s largest expense, which is why it’s so important to choose well when buying a house. And there’s a lot more to it than choosing what type of countertops to get. From a financial standpoint, it means buying a home you can truly afford and getting the right mortgage at […]
I Want The Red One
On a nice summer evening after dinner recently, our two-year-old was in our backyard working a blue Hula-Hoop with a level of skill far beyond her years. Her face was the very definition of joy. But then it all took a very sudden turn for the worse. Her five-year-old brother had gone into the garage […]
Investing While Keeping Uncle Sam Out of Your Pocket
In some recent posts on investing, I’ve covered the importance of getting in the game as soon as possible so you get the financial wind (compound interest) blowing in the right direction. And I’ve emphasized the importance of asset allocation, noting that one of the easiest ways to get the proper allocation is to invest […]
Investing Made Simpler
The last couple of posts have dealt with investing – arguably the most challenging aspect of personal finance. We talked about the importance of starting an investment program as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the amazing power of compound interest. And we talked about the fact that asset allocation is more […]
The Most Important Key to Investing Success
Do you know what separates the great investors from the lousy ones? Do the greats just have a knack for picking winning stocks? Do they have access to information that mere mortal investors don’t? Actually, the key to investing success is much more boring sounding. It’s making sure you choose the right asset allocation. What […]
Earning More Interest Through CD Laddering
In this era of microscopic savings rates, one way to squeeze a little more interest out of your savings is what’s known as CD laddering. What is a CD? A CD is a certificate of deposit. It’s a low risk savings vehicle offered by banks, credit unions, and brokerage houses. You agree to keep the […]
Getting at the Root of True Success
One of the most misquoted money verses in the entire Bible is 1 Timothy 6:10. A lot of people think it says that money is the root of all evil. But it doesn’t say that. It says, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Like many of us who teach […]