Roger has his heart set on taking his children to Disney.  When he was young, his family went to Disney every couple of years, and he remembers really enjoying the vacations.  Continues after Advertisement He is the budgeter in the family, and he’s scrimping and saving for the trip dollar by dollar. He’s frustrated, however, because his wife, Sheila, keeps spending money that could be … [Read more...]

Most of us have watched a new home buyer show or two and seen how a family buys a house and then spends tens of thousands of dollars renovating it so the house is just their style.  While that’s fun to watch, for many of us living on a tight budget, buying the house is enough of a financial strain. There is little money leftover for changing the house’s décor or even buying new furnishings.  … [Read more...]

There’s a good chance that you’ve already received your stimulus check, courtesy of  the federal government’s CARES Act. If you haven’t received your check yet, head to the government’s Get My Payment web page. (Some people have had problems on that form, but after the IRS made updates to the Get My Payment database, it"s much more helpful.) Continues after Advertisement This is a page … [Read more...]

This has been a year like no other.  A pandemic has engulfed the world. Unemployment rates in the United States have jumped to the highest they’ve been since the Great Depression.  Continues after Advertisement The United States government recently passed the CARES Act, which offers many financial breaks to Americans including a stimulus check and a hiatus on student loan payments … [Read more...]

Millions of Americans received an automatic deposit into their bank account as part of the CARES Act last month.  This infusion of cash gave them the ability to pay bills, buy groceries, or simply save money.  However, some Americans were left waiting, and waiting, for their money.  Continues after Advertisement Finally, just recently some began to receive checks or debit cards.  But … [Read more...]

I grew up watching my grandma wash used plastic baggies and tin foil so that she could use them again.  She didn’t see the point of using them once and throwing them away.  She lived through the Great Depression, and the lessons she learned during that time stuck with her for the rest of her life.  Continues after Advertisement Likewise, for our generation, there are important lessons … [Read more...]

Do you have a FSA (Flexible Spending Account) through your employer?  If you do, you know that you’re allowed to set aside a certain portion of your income, pre-tax, to pay medical bills and childcare costs.  You also likely know that you typically have until the end of the calendar year to use those funds or you lose them permanently.  If you have leftover funds from 2020, however, Congress … [Read more...]

Here we are, at the beginning of another new year.  One of the major New Year’s resolutions that many people make, behind losing weight and quitting smoking, is saving more money.  Continues after Advertisement To that end, you’ll likely find hundreds of webpages filled with money challenges.  However, save your time.  Most money challenges don’t work, but there is a strategy that … [Read more...]

Today, I want to revisit a common (but always interesting) discussion, covering “Should married couples or those in a long-term relationship have  joint or separate accounts?” I say “revisit” because I brought up this topic over a year and a half ago on this very blog. It was in my early days of blogging and this post was actually the first time I received hate email (and hate … [Read more...]

In the United States many individuals are currently out of work because the government considers their job or business non-essential, or impossible to carry out while maintaining social distancing.  My husband works for a local university and has been home working for weeks now.  I honestly didn’t look ahead enough to see how much universities would be impacted, but that became very obvious to … [Read more...]

Car title loans are a convenient way to borrow money quickly. They provide a lump sum of cash based on the value of your vehicle, and you can use it for whatever financial need you may have. Car title debt can be a great resource, but it is important to understand the pros and cons before taking this type of loan. Pros of Car Title Loans  Flexible Repayment Terms  A car title loan allows for … [Read more...]

Let me be blunt about negotiating dental costs.  I’m no master negotiator. Of course, the title of this essay isn’t “Negotiation Tips for Masters”! Over the last few years though, I have slowly picked up a few tips and tricks that I try to use from time to time to save money.  Most of these techniques are best utilized to negotiate products or services.  However, they can easily be adapted and … [Read more...]

With the rise of online banking, it’s important to ensure the security of your financial accounts. Online banking offers many benefits, including convenience, flexibility, and access to a wider range of financial services. However, it also exposes you to the risk of cyberattacks and other security threats. Continues after Advertisement To keep your important financial accounts secure … [Read more...]

One of the most difficult issues to overcome is debt. If you have a lot of debt, it can be difficult to move forward with your finances. The interest payments suck away your disposable income, and once you are stuck in the cycle, it can take serious effort to get out. In some cases, you might even need help dealing with your debt. You can get help from a legitimate counselor with the National … [Read more...]