It’s the beginning of the year, which means it’s the perfect time to sit down and redo your budget. Plan out your basic expenses, budget for savings and big purchases, and start yourself on the path to a financially sound year. Reassess Your Taxes and Income If you adjusted your retirement or flexible spending account …
Today I used a quick calculator from Money magazine to determine that I have a net worth of -$60,000. But hey, that’s better than were I was a year ago, because I didn’t own a house. Back then my net worth was -$200,000. You’re probably wondering how taking on more debt reduced my net worth. And that …
Yesterday the big story was the FDIC’s request for prepayment of three year’s worth of fees by member banks to shore up its dwindling reserves. Don’t panic. The FDIC is still secure. You don’t need to close your accounts or rush to the bank to withdraw your money. The FDIC Has a Treasury Credit Line According …
This article mainly talks about Small house vs Big house, what their advantages are and do you really need the other one over the other? I was recently watching one of the HGTV home buying shows, and the prospective buyer said she needed at least 3,000 square feet. She was a single woman with dogs, …
Big Home vs. Small Home: How Much House Do You Need? Read More »
We’re shaking things up a bit at this week’s blog carnivals. I’m presenting just two carnivals, and one of them is a newcomer to the slate. So, welcome to the Carnival of Everything Money #2 at the Penny Daily. It’s my first time participating and my post about dropping out of life was an editor’s pick. I also recommend …
Last week I started using a search engine called SwagBucks, and I’ve already earned enough points (swag bucks) to buy a $5 Amazon gift card. Are you in on the latest way to win free prizes? How SwagBucks Works SwagBucks is simple. Perform searches at their engine and occasionally you win points for those searches. However, they …
I’m not a Valentine’s Day scrooge. I have celebrated the day with great fanfare in the past – usually early in a relationship. Now that I’ve been with my husband for nine years, the day is becoming less important to me. Also, I don’t find being surrounded by hordes celebrating enforced romance the least bit …
You’ve probably heard that hard pulls on your credit report can ding your credit score and keep it low for a few months. Since I’m now applying for my third mortgage in eight months (one purchase, two free re-fis), I’ve actually gotten free peaks at our credit scores and watched how quickly they recover. Hard Pulls Last …
As I mentioned yesterday, you might have to move out of an apartment because of a check-bouncing roommate. But that’s not the only reason you might have to move. Here are a few scenarios that are just cause to move. Tomorrow I’ll tell you how to do it right. How You Know It’s Time to Move …
Everyone knows that yogurt is good for you, but buying a lot of small containers of yogurt can get expensive, even with coupons. You also have no control over what goes into your yogurt, and all those plastic containers are bad for the environment. I asked for a yogurt machine for Christmas and have used …
