A few years ago, we replaced the furnace/air conditioning system in our home. It was not the most enjoyable way to spend a big chunk of money. However, having the money set aside in savings made it far less painful than it might have been. If you own a home or a car, I hate […]
Tag Archives | Home Maintenance
Overcoming a Handyman Handicap One Faucet at a Time
In our previous house, when the water from the faucet in our upstairs bathroom went from flowing freely to flowing slowly, at first it was just an annoyance. But when it slowed so much that it could barely rinse a toothbrush, I got worried. My mind filled with fears of having to replace every last […]
Profitable Ideas: The Science Behind Saving, You Might Be Destroying Your Home, and More
Weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. The science behind why saving for retirement is hard (Fast Company). Understanding how your brain sometimes leads you astray may help you save more. Just in time (Humble Dollar). Take the financial well-being quiz linked to in this article. College degrees […]
Profitable Ideas: Avoid These 10 Money Wasters, Save on Your Next Vacation, and more.
A weekly roundup of some of the best personal finance articles from around the web. 10 stupid ways you’re probably wasting money (MarketWatch). Lots of little things can really add up. ‘It’s my turn’ (The Atlantic – video). The latest thinking on raising generous, resilient kids. Unsure how your career impacts your kids? Here’s some perspective (Fast […]
Profitable Ideas: The Price Tag Isn’t the Cost, Maximizing an Inheritance, and More
A weekly roundup of some of the more interesting and helpful personal finance articles I’ve read recently. But how much does it cost? (Seth Godin). A wise purchase requires looking well past the price tag. 8 ways to go wrong with an inherited IRA (Bankrate.com). If you’re careful about how you choose to receive the […]
Avoiding A Common, Costly Budget Mistake
Homes and cars are typically two of the biggest expenses for most people. With a house, just think of the mortgage, the property taxes, and the insurance. With a vehicle, even if you don’t have a loan, just think of today’s mortgage-like fuel expenses and the insurance. But wait. I missed something. Did you notice? […]
Keeping Warm for Less
With winter just around the corner (stop laughing all of you who live in the South!), homeowners’ thoughts turn to… heating our homes for less. Aside from all the obvious ideas (set the thermostat on 50 and wear a parka inside, blah, blah), CNNMoney.com came up with a few new ideas. First, replace that dinosaur […]
DIY Nation
Do-it-yourself projects are in–another result of the recession. A recent Time magazine poll found that nearly one-quarter of us are doing more home repairs ourselves rather than hiring help. The downside is that emergency room doctors are treating more people hurt during home repair projects gone wrong
Top Money Web Sites
The Internet is filled with lots of good web sites about money. But which ones are worth a visit? One of the web’s best personal finance journalists, MSN’s Liz Pulliam Weston, recently named her 100 favorites. That may sound overwhelming, but she has them organized by subject. Just in case 100 sites aren’t enough, here […]
Be Prepared
News of the devastating earthquake in Italy prompted Consumer Reports to remind readers about the importance of having and safeguarding certain financial documents. It put together a helpful list showing where to keep various documents. A comprehensive, easily accessible list of emergency phone numbers should be part of every household’s emergency preparedness plan as well. […]