“God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.” – 1 Corinthians 7:23 I’ll never forget the day my parents invited me home for a little chat. They had started to sense that all was not well, and they were right. I was in financial trouble—deep trouble. My credit card […]
Archive | Credit/Debt
Profitable Ideas: Profiting by Pausing, Quitting the Comparison Game, and More
Weekly roundup of recommended personal finance articles from around the web. I’m trying a waiting period and I like it (MoneyNing). There’s power in a pause. The case for financial literacy education (NPR). It’s helpful when schools teach about personal finance, but parents are the best teachers for this topic. Credit card rewards programs can […]
Profitable Ideas: Logging Off, Making Your Last Smart Money Move Now, and More
Weekly roundup of recommended personal finance articles from around the web. How to log off (MIT Technology Review). To a great degree, social media is a distraction and discouragement—for us and our kids. See also, How to stop mindless scrolling (Business Insider). Too many employees cash out their 401(k)s when leaving a job (Harvard Business […]
Profitable Ideas: Joint Accounts for the Win, Betting Against College Students, and More
Weekly roundup of recommended personal finance articles from around the web. Couples who combine finances are happier. So why don’t more do it? (Wall Street Journal). The culture has been trending toward separate accounts, but the research says joint accounts are better—financially and relationally. The gifts we give our kids (Finding Joy). Really good advice […]
Are You Financially Healthy? Rate Yourself Using These 9 Qualifications
In 2016, a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings quantified how many Americans have a healthy lifestyle. Can you guess what number it came up with? Less than three percent! In order to qualify, a person had to meet four criteria: Moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, a diet score […]
Profitable Ideas: The Facebook Retirement Plan, Amish Money Management, and More
Weekly roundup of recommended personal finance articles from around the web. Don’t let Facebook ruin your retirement plan (A Teachable Moment). Beware the money-related ads that clutter your feed as you scroll through your friends’ vacation photos. 8 basic skills that can pay you handsomely (Better Humans). None of them require learning how to code. […]
Profitable Ideas: Money Strategies for Tough Times, What Retirees Would Tell Their Younger Selves, and More
Weekly roundup of recommended personal finance articles from around the web. 4 things you can do to make sound financial decisions in financially lean times (Christian Stewardship Network). Things aren’t exactly great in the economy right now. Here are some ways to cope. 10 steps you can take to keep advertisers from dictating your life […]
Profitable Ideas: Helping Our Kids “Catch” Contentment, Inflation is Coming for Our Tax Bills, and More
Weekly roundup of recommended personal finance articles from around the web. Six practical ways to model contentment for your kids today (Becoming Minimalist). Great ideas for helping our kids “catch” contentment from us. Teenagers should be working this summer (Daily Citizen). Getting our young people working will benefit them in countless good ways. And this […]
The Perks of Plastic – 9 Great Credit Card Benefits
Some financial teachers believe no one should have a credit card. They believe the road to ruin is paved in plastic. They seem to think that carrying credit cards is like carrying little sticks of dynamite that could blow at any time. I’m not one of them. I believe that just because some people get […]
Creating a Cycle of Positive, Lasting Financial Change
For far too many people, money is a source of stress or frustration. Consider these findings from a recent Federal Reserve survey: About 46% of U.S. adults said they would be unable to cover a $400 emergency expense without selling something or borrowing the money. About 31% of non-retired adults reported having no pension or […]