When you travel on vacation, it’s easy to overspend and to forget about your budget. When taking a break from the real world, money can be the last thing you want to worry about! However, you have to consider what might happen if you return home with an empty wallet, or worse yet, end up
Millions of employees save for retirement by deferring a portion of their compensation into an employer-sponsored, tax-deferred savings plan. The majority of these are known as qualified plans and fall under the jurisdiction of ERISA guidelines, which means they are subject to certain limiting requirements. For example, these requirements can pertain to the type and
Worrying about money has been so ingrained in our culture today that it has literally become an epidemic. I hate how I feel when I worry about money, and I know I do it far too often. I also know it’s unhealthy, and can easily become a bad habit. The stress and lack of sleep I
For military personnel who need to live off base, each permanent change of station brings with it a significant decision: whether to rent or buy a house. If you’re trying to make that tough decision now, consider these financial, personal, and practical factors.
How strong is your desire to get out of debt? What are you willing to give up, sell, or live without in order to meet that dream head on? Would you be inclined to sell your beloved car in order to bring your balance sheet back into the black? In many cases, selling your car
“Cash is king” is an age-old saying often used to explain the failure of both businesses and consumer households. Without the proper amount of cash on hand, both of these entities can run into major trouble, and even be forced into bankruptcy. Businesses must have cash on hand for various reasons, such as investing in
Unless you win the lottery, have a rich uncle, or are extremely lucky, there is no quick path to becoming a millionaire. A lot of people look for get-rich-quick schemes, but the truth is that they do not really exist. Becoming a millionaire is a goal that many strive for, but few obtain. This is
Banks are constantly being gobbled up by larger financial institutions looking to expand their empire. This trend can be extraordinarily frustrating if you’ve spent a long time with a bank you like and then a larger one takes it over and changes all the rules. Getting accustomed to the changes can be unsettling and even
If, like many Americans, you’re fed up with big bank fees and poor customer service, you might be considering other options when it comes to banking. Three of the most popular alternatives are online banks, credit unions, and small local banks. While switching financial institutions is a good idea in the long run, the initial
Zero percent balance transfer credit cards offers are back. In the past few months, I’ve talked about how to best use a balance transfer, and I’ve offered tips for how to responsibly use 0% balance transfer credit cards to get out of debt. But there’s another way in which you can use a 0% APR
The title to this post may make it sound like some get rich quick scheme, but trust me it is not. You can legitimately get a guaranteed 20% return on your investment. The answer does not lie in any one investment product. There is no stock, bond, mutual fund, or savings product that will guarantee
Blogs, financial news channels, Wikipedia, magazines – there’s a long list of resources out there for learning about personal finance. And while information can instruct, it doesn’t always inspire. One of the best ways to get a handle on a subject, or to begin to understand how a complicated system works, is by watching other
