Good News for Gift Card Holders
Today, the Federal Reserve announced long-awaited new rules governing gift cards. For some of you, your state laws already provided these protections, but now they will be extended to all consumers as...
View ArticleWill the Cost of Life’s New Necessities Lead Us to the Poorhouse?
Last Friday, NPR’s Marketplace had an interesting report on the true cost of all our modern necessities. Taken individually, we don’t really think about what all these things cost us, but taken...
View ArticlePros and Cons of Liquid Emergency Funds vs. CD Ladders
My husband and I have been debating what to do with our emergency fund. Should we keep it all liquid in an online savings account currently earning about 1.22% interest or put some it in a CD ladder?...
View ArticleWhat Is a CD Ladder?
I’ve mentioned CD ladders as good options for tax refunds and emergency funds. They’re a safe way to earn a bit more in interest than the basic savings account. Currently, you won’t earn significantly...
View ArticleWhy You Need to Save for Gaps in Disability Pay
Before my husband went on disability, we stopped spending money in order to increase our savings. We’ve found that our spending has actually been much lower while he’s been out of work, but we also had...
View ArticleDoes Net Worth Matter?
Today I used a quick calculator from Money magazine to determine that I have a net worth of -$60,000. But hey, that’s better than were I was a year ago, because I didn’t own a house. Back then my net...
View ArticleSetting Priorities for Everything You Want to Do or Buy
This is mostly about time management, but it also applies to personal finance. Every week, I create a To Do list in my notebook. It includes my usual weekly tasks (because I like crossing things off...
View ArticleWhat Should Be In Your Wallet?
Another interesting post from LearnVest this week: What should be in your wallet? This will, of course, vary by person, but they offer a few pointers for paring down your wallet. You don’t want the...
View ArticleSix Year End Preparations
2010 is nearly over, and I am thrilled. 2010 was easily one of the worst years of my life. I’m eagerly looking forward to 2011. With that in mind, I’ve outlined six things I need to do prepare for the...
View ArticleAlternatives to Debit Card Fees
Yesterday, the CEO of Bank of America argued that the bank has a “right to make a profit.” They do, in fact, have that right. But that doesn’t mean you have a responsibility to help them with that. If...
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