Many people often pay their bills while grumbling about how much they have to pay. It’s true that many services are very overpriced, but what most people don’t realize is that some of these services can easily be lowered. Sometimes all you have to do is make a phone call to the customer service department [...]
It’s an easy trap to fall into. Your friends have cool stuff. You buy cool stuff. Before you realize it, you’re surrounded by the latest and greatest model of everything and working 3 jobs to pay for it all. The easiest way to stop the madness is to recognize the signs and break the cycle [...]
Long before the financial gurus with their TV shows and persona finance books to sell were around, Benjamin Franklin was giving down-to-earth, sound money advice to anyone who would listen. The advice was so sound that it’s still relevant and applicable to this day. Here are ten money lessons from Ben Franklin that you would [...]
By Dr. Charles Richards Why is it that just when everything seems to be going well financially and you feel like you’re getting ahead, something seems to crop up that alters your plans? In my practice as a psychotherapist, I’ve seen this pattern play out in clients and others many times. If this has become [...]
In the interest of protecting the innocent (and the guilty) in this piece, I’m calling the couple in this story Jake and Joan. They are people I know in real life, but I’m not going to say whether they’re friends, family, or acquaintances. All I’ll say is that I was closer to Jake than Joan [...]
Financial writers (myself included) often talk about the “emergency fund.” This is money you set aside so that you can pay for things like medical expenses, car repairs, home repairs, or some other sudden, necessary expense. Having extra money set aside means (ideally) that you don’t have to pull out the credit card to pay [...]
As you go through life, you will make purchases that you’ll be proud of and then you’ll also make purchases that you will regret. The key is to avoid the purchases you end up regretting as much as possible. One way to do that is to know what purchases others have regretted in the past [...]
When times are tough financially, it’s tempting to look only at the negatives. It’s easy to focus on what you can’t have and what you can’t do. But there are positives to financial hardship, if you choose to look for them. Having a positive outlook on your financial situation can make it easier to deal [...]
When most people move, they are looking to move into a bigger place. I would suggest considering an alternative view and instead of going bigger, look to find the smallest house which will still comfortably meet your needs. Why? Because of the many money saving advantages that come with downsizing which will allow you to [...]
If you’re trying to save money, your efforts usually boil down to two basic approaches: Make more money or cut your expenses. Sometimes you may need to cut your expenses quickly, as in the case of a job loss or some disaster that depletes your funds. If you find yourself needing or wanting to cut [...]
