10 Friends Who Will Ruin Your Finances If You Let Them
We’ve always heard a good friend is “worth their weight in gold.” But is that always true? With some friends, absolutely. A good friend can be there for you when times are tough, help you celebrate...
View ArticleHow Comprehensive Insurance Saved Me From a ‘Bad Gas’ Nightmare
On Jan, 6 of this year, something crazy happened to us that I’ll never forget. After finishing up a week in Puerto Rico for winter break, we were driving home to Noblesville, Ind., from Chicago O’Hare...
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An Advanced Degree Can Help You Earn More Money – and Spend It All, If You’re...
For many college graduates, an advanced degree is a one-way ticket to earning more. By working beyond a bachelor’s degree, new graduates can climb the corporate ladder, move into middle or upper...
View Article14 Savings Hacks That Don’t Always Work
Have you ever jumped through hoops to save money, only to find you paid more – or, wasted a bunch of time? Maybe you misread the terms on a coupon, signed up for a fake or deceptive promotion, or just...
View ArticleWhat NOT to Do When Selling Your Home
I’ll never forget an open house I visited in 2008. I asked our realtor to look around for some larger homes – possibly a two-story deal or a roomy ranch with a basement. I was thrilled when she came up...
View ArticleHere’s What Our $150-a-Week Grocery Budget and Meal Plan Looks Like in Real Life
When my husband and I got serious about our finances years ago, our food spending was out of control. We were just two people and a baby at the time, yet we were inhaling $1,000 in food each month –...
View ArticleEight Money Mistakes the Middle Class Keeps Making
About half of Americans lived in middle-income households in 2014, according to Pew Research. This demographic includes families with incomes two-thirds to double the U.S. median household income – or...
View ArticleHere’s How Much the Average American Pays in Interest Each Year
From the moment we’re born, we’re taught that borrowing money is normal and, dare I say it, expected. From mortgages to car loans to $700 smartphones we pay for over 24 months, we’re taught to spread...
View ArticleFive Expenses We Didn’t Have to Deal With in the ’80s
Remember the ’80s? The stonewashed jeans? Hypercolor t-shirts? The bad hair and cheesy tunes? Punky Brewster, Alf, and Garbage Pail Kids? If you were a child of the ’80s, you probably wore bright neon...
View ArticleEight Ways to Use Expiring Produce
Knocking money off your grocery bill may not be easy, but it can be done. By using coupons, planning your meals, and shopping regular sales, it’s not that hard to whittle your food bill down a notch or...
View ArticleHere’s How Much Your Insurance Goes Up After an Accident
Planning to file a claim with your auto insurance? If so, you should brace yourself for higher premiums. This warning comes courtesy of a joint study between InsuranceQuotes and Quadrant Information...
View Article10 Things I Refuse to Do to Save Money
The best part about adopting a frugal lifestyle is that you can always find new ways to save money. We have more options than ever when it comes to cutting the cord to cable or choosing a discount...
View ArticleThe Surprisingly Versatile Vegetable You May Be Ignoring (and Nine Creative...
“Eat your vegetables,” your mom told you. And she had a point. Federal researchers note that people who eat more natural foods are less likely to develop chronic diseases and more likely to enjoy good...
View ArticleSix Money Lessons I Learned From My Kids
While my husband and I have always worked hard, we didn’t really care about money until our late 20s. We felt the money we earned was there to spend, so we happily spent our paychecks and then some....
View ArticleIs Pinterest the Enemy of Your Finances?
Earlier this year, my husband and I ordered a wooden shed for our yard. This decision took more than a year to make, mostly because we were hesitant to spend the money. A convergence of events led us...
View ArticleSix Ways to Squash Lifestyle Inflation
If you’re like many middle-class Americans, you’ve worked hard to get ahead and earn more money. And even if your progress is slow, you’re (hopefully) inching toward a salary you can be proud of. But,...
View ArticleDon’t Expect God Alone to Fix Your Financial Problems
Let’s start this off with a disclaimer: I’m not the world’s most religious woman. I believe in God – the idea that we have a divine creator. I believe in destiny. I believe there’s a plan for every...
View Article10 Ways We Sabotage Our Own Finances
While the U.S. economy has been adding jobs every month since late 2010 and several key indicators point to strong economic growth, plenty of Americans still struggle. A Federal Reserve study from...
View ArticleHow to Use a Zero-Sum Budget to Pay Down Debt
While there are plenty of different budgeting strategies to try, my personal favorite is the zero-sum budget. This type of budget isn’t hard to implement, nor does it require fancy software or...
View ArticleIs Your 401(k) Leaking? Seven Hidden Fees That Can Sink Your Retirement
If you hope to retire one day, and you’re not one of the lucky few with an old-school pension, saving and investing regularly isn’t an option – it’s required. And how you invest can make as big a...
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