Did you indulge in a few too many purchases this Christmas? Between sales for pre-Black Friday, Black Friday, early-bird Christmas, and the day after Christmas, it was almost hard not to overspend, unless you possess an iron frugal will. We … Continue reading →

I accumulated a good bit of debt when I went to college. Initially, I attended a school I really couldn’t afford, but it was by far my favorite school, it was relatively close to home, and I went with my … Continue reading →

Amber writes in with the following question regarding Roth IRA withdrawals: “I currently owe about $10,000 in credit card debt and have nearly that amount in a Roth IRA I started a few years ago. I share your passion for … Continue reading →

Last week’s disappointing jobs report has underscored what many of us already knew – we are still not out of the woods. What we are now experiencing is turning out to be one of the longest recessions since the Great Depression. The current economic and political climate, as well as ...

I normally like to think of myself as above average in financial intelligence. For the last several years I’ve read dozens of books on personal finance. I’m an avid reader of financial blogs and subscribe to the Wall Street Journal and several finance magazines. But it has occurred to me ...

From time to time I put out an article here that depicts me as an old curmudgeon. Well, in some ways, I guess I am. My mom used to say I had an “old soul,” even at a very early age, perhaps because I spent much of my youth around ...

In the coming days politicians will be squabbling over raising our national debt ceiling – the amount we allow ourselves, as a country, to borrow for continuing operations. Or put another way, the legal limit on the amount of bonds the government can issue. *According the photographer, this picture was taken ...

An interesting comment on a recent post caught my attention. In response to my suggestions for things to do with a tax refund, Ross wrote, “Paying off any high interest debt will save you money in the long run, but it can be pretty tempting to buy something frivolous with the money, especially if ...

Here lately, I’ve been thinking more about the legacy I want to leave my kids. Maybe it’s because I’ve experienced the death of my mom and grandfather in the last year, and I’ve reflected on the many lessons they taught me. Unfortunately, I ignored many of their lessons with regard ...

Lots in the news lately about our national deficit. While the national debt is an issue I am concerned with, I decided some time ago that I needed to clean up my own household before worrying about the country’s budget. This was the serenity prayer for finances in action. I ...