Many people imagine that using a budget would be like strapping a ball & chain to their leg, when it fact, it’s the opposite — a tool that leads to great financial freedom. But there is a financial ball & chain. It’s called debt. It’s actually far worse than a ball & chain. It’s a […]
Archive | Credit/Debt
Profitable Ideas: Online Shopping Costs More Than You Think, Looking for Travel Bargains in All the Wrong Places, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. How online shopping makes suckers of us all (The Atlantic). Online retailing is driven by very sophisticated science, and you are at the center of constant experiments. Cash is king no more (NY Times). Philosophical musings on our […]
Profitable Ideas: Simplifying For Your Kids’ Sake, Why Pinterest Isn’t In Your Best Interests, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. Why simplifying may protect our children’s mental health (No Sidebar). Less clutter equals less stress. Is Pinterest the enemy of your finances? (The Simple Dollar). One more example of how social media can be hazardous to your financial […]
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 […]
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 […]
Profitable Ideas: How to Have a Financially Better 2017, Having More Without Buying More, and Other Articles
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. Money moves to make in 2017 (Washington Post). Lots of ideas for improving your finances in the New Year. How to be a better spender (Scientific American). Some ways of spending money pay far more happiness dividends than […]
Profitable Ideas: 9 ‘Secret’ Costco Perks, Invisible Credit Cards, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. This increasingly commonplace habit could be dangerous for your finances (MarketWatch). We’re automating more of our spending. Savings? Not so much. College’s hidden costs: What the admissions office doesn’t tell you (Washington Post). Take everything you know about […]
Profitable Ideas: Ethical Consumption, A Financial Topic No One Talks About, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. Financial success and ethical consumption (The Simple Dollar). This can be a really tough issue. I’d love to hear your take on it. Would you—or do you—willingly pay more for products made by companies that uphold your values? […]
Profitable Ideas: Credit Cards Trump Debit Cards, Inexpensive Products With Lifetime Warranties, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. What I learned when my husband’s debit card was stolen (Forbes). Added confirmation that credit cards are safer than debit cards. Start now (The Reformed Broker). Far too many young adults are squandering one of their most valuable […]
Profitable Ideas: Putting Your Money Where Your Values Are, How Amazon Primes You to Overspend, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. An essential budget query: Is this spending aligned with my values? (NY Times). How a little awareness can help you get more for your money. This is what happens when you get rid of 75% of your stuff […]