Who couldn’t use some extra money these days? I’m guessing you have a skill that people would pay you for, and freelancing can be a great way to earn some extra cash. What work can you do as a freelancer? Take into account what you like to do in your spare time. Do you love [...]
When my mother became ill a few years ago, I did what all adult children usually do: worry and think, “She has to be OK! She’s the parent.” Finances, however, didn’t enter my mind. It was interesting to note that my parents – level-headed as always – remembered to consider the financial repercussions of Mom’s [...]
Like millions of Americans, my family will likely face a layoff. And, like other families we aren’t sure when we will get the news. Tomorrow? In another month? The suspense makes one reach for the bismuth. My husband has been a teacher all his adult life, but could be laid off at the end of [...]
When I started working after college in 1993, I was thrilled to get a job and make more than minimum wage. However, that $5.65 an hour didn’t stretch as far as it might, and I started to learn the hard lessons of personal finance all over again. My parents shared their financial experience with me, [...]
It doesn’t take an economic downturn to challenge the best financial wizards – it can be something as simple as the end of a relationship. When two people separate, their financial lives separate as well. Each person assumes more financial obligations while each has to learn to live within his or her means again. When [...]
My dear friend recently went back to work after being unemployed for a time. She is grateful for the job, but this work earns her much less per hour than before. In fact, it offers both fewer hours and smaller per-hour pay. Thus with a diminished earning power, she is understandably finding it hard to [...]
My parents were pioneers in the green movement. They weren’t necessarily trying to save the environment, but they grew up during the Great Depression when every penny counted. It turns out their thrifty habits are gentle on the environment too. Many of these habits work today to both save money and help my family reduce [...]
My husband hit the nail on the head the other day when he said, “It’s no wonder people have trouble saving money. Look at all the stores where you can spend it!” We were driving through a shopping district in our city when he made that pronouncement. Shops lined both side of the street, sometimes [...]
It is almost comical the trouble I am running into saving money lately. For instance, I was shopping at a favorite second-hand store when I found a great purse. I was so excited to find something that was the right size, reasonably priced and in fairly good shape that I quickly paid for it and [...]
We have all struggled with our finances at one time or another, and I worry how my children’s financial lives will proceed. I want to spare them the trials and tribulations of my experience, but I wonder is that really the right thing to do? I want my children to be financially savvy, so I [...]
