In case you haven’t heard, California is headed for disaster. No, not the Big One, an economic disaster. Because voters rejected some taxes and cuts that would have resolved our budget issues for this year, the governor is making draconian cuts to try to shore up our collapsing budget. Basically, we’re broke and the voters …
Which is Easier to Fix: California’s Budget or Yours? Read More »
As I’ve posted numerous times, I am anti-Valentine’s Day. Yes, I’ll cook a nice dinner and spring for a card, but I’m opposed to the price inflation that accompanies the gifts and dinners out on this occasion that really doesn’t mean anything. Still, I know a lot of people feel compelled to do something for …
On the first anniversary of the “official” start of the financial crisis (even though it was creeping up on us well before then), several articles have argued that the crisis resulted in a “new frugality” that has permanently altered the spending behavior and attitudes of an entire generation, similar to what happened after the Great …
If you haven’t already consolidated your federal student loans, then you’re currently out of luck. Due to Congressional budget cuts, most student loan issuers have decided it’s not economical to consolidate federal loans. You can consolidate private loans, but it’s more difficult. Nevertheless, you can find ways to save money on student debt. Here are …
Save Money on Student Loans without Consolidating Read More »
I know that technically the ghosts of past, present, and future are Christmas characters, but Halloween seems like a good time to talk about the ghosts of financial decisions past. Here are three good and bad financial choices I made and the ways in which they’re still affecting me. Three Good Financial Decisions Although I’ve …
As part of financial literacy month, I decided to really think about the various ways my parents taught me about money. Some of them were active lessons, others were things I picked up throughout my childhood. Those lessons stuck with me and form my own attitudes and actions towards money. My Piggy Bank Like most kids, …
My husband has been on surgery disability for several weeks now and we’ve learned a few surprising things about the process, the first of which is that it’s really not that much of a financial strain. Of course, we earn more than we spend, so it might be more difficult for families that are on …
Yesterday I wrote about the benefits of the Roth 401K, and mentioned that you can roll the money into a Roth IRA to avoid required minimum distributions. So now I should probably explain what a Roth IRA is and why you should have one. What Is a Roth IRA A Roth IRA as an individual retirement …
Last week I got a letter from Chase informing me that they were canceling my former Washington Mutual card. The result? A free credit report! The Initial Shock of Having a Card Canceled I’ve had several credit cards canceled due to inactivity over the last year or two. I didn’t find out about the gas card or …
Get a Free Credit Report if the Bank Cancels Your Credit Card Read More »
There are lots of good reasons to have roommates, like the ability to afford an apartment in a better area, reduced utility and housing costs, and simple companionship. However, having roommates can also be risky, especially if they’re not good with money. After experiencing more than my share of bad roommates, I lived alone for …
