Are you spending money on things you don’t need to? Even you answered no; you may want to double check. We all spend money on things without even knowing we’re doing it. Vincent King, on his post for Moneyning.com, calls these our personal finance leaks. And at the top of his list is that outdated… Read More
Beware of Retail Cards (as reported by Blake Ellis on money.cnn.com)
Many retailers offer their own credit cards for frequent shoppers, but often times these cards are not all they seem to be. Many of them offer an introductory period during which you don’t get charged interest. This is to entice you to sign up and use them but after that introductory period is over, they… Read More
Microcredit helping to ease poverty in American cities (as reported by Shaila Dewan with the New York Times)
The concept of microlending is an idea that many of us have only a passing knowledge of. Perhaps you or someone you know has established an account with an organization like Kiva to lend funds to aspiring entrepreneurs in a developing country. These days micro lending is no longer focused on just the developing world…. Read More
Choosing a Cell Phone (as reported by Matthew Amster-Burton on www.Mint.com)
Worldwide adoption of cell phones is on the rise. The accessibility and affordability of ever more powerful smartphones means that cell phones are no longer a luxury product. But you can make a smart decision by shopping for the right phone and plan to fit your budget. As Matthew Amster-Burton tells us in this post… Read More
Better Money Habits Courses
Have you heard of KhanAcademy? Founded in 2006 by Salman Khan, the company makes hundreds of courses available for free online, on topics which range from history to calculus. And recently, they partnered with Bank of America to create a portal of courses on personal finance subjects which they called “Better Money Habits”. Whether you’re… Read More
Credit cards for Young People (as reported by Jennifer Waters on MarketWatch.com)
It is a popular thought that young people + credit cards = danger. After the financial collapse, Congress passed a number of laws meant to help the financial state of our country, including limiting credit card companies from signing up people under the age of 18 without a cosigner. But a recent study by researchers… Read More
Don’t Forget Your Finances at year End! (as reported by Deborah Jacobs via forbes.com)
It’s now the peak of the holiday season and that means family, celebrations and giving. This is also a time to reflect on the last year, review our own finances, and plan for the year ahead. For instance; if you have set up 529 college savings accounts, 2013 contributions will need to be completed by… Read More
Don’t Wait to Invest (as reported by Trent Hamm on TheSimpleDollar.com)
A reason many people give for not investing is not knowing what to invest in–they fear making the wrong decision, getting in at the wrong time, losing their money or not making as much as they possibly can. That kind of stalling is something best avoided, according to Trent Hamm, the right time to invest… Read More
Setting Goals for your Personal Finance (as reported by Trent Hamm on TheSimpleDollar.com)
A good strategy for learning and practicing healthy habits is to start with the end in mind. And that goes for personal finance as well. In this article on The Simple Dollar, Trent Hamm talks about envisioning the time in your life that you’re working towards. How old will you be? What will you want… Read More
Investing for beginners (as reported by Stephanie Halligan on quizzle.com)
We’ve posted a number of times recently about the fear that many young people today have when it comes to investing. Still very distrustful of the stock market five years after the financial collapse surrounding mortgages and the housing market, many people are hesitant. But investing early is critical to building wealth over time. So… Read More