Articles by Miranda Marquit (Staff Writer)

One of the most disappointing, and potentially devastating, occurrences in your financial life is likely to be the realization, too late, that your investment has been in the bubble. One day you are flying high, sure your fortune is made, and the next day you are crushed — and possibly looking at large losses. While [...]

One of the biggest decisions that college freshmen need to make is whether or not to live at home while attending college. If your university is far away from your home town, the decision is a pretty easy one, since you don’t have much choice. However, if you are attending school within an hour of [...]

One of my financial goals for this year was to increase the amount of money I put into my retirement account. Some day I would like to max out as many retirement accounts as possible, but for now I’m just happy to increase my regular contributions. In this economic climate, many are seeing that it [...]

One of life’s rites of passage — whether right or wrong — is getting that first credit card. When used properly, a credit card can help you create a good credit history that will serve you well when it comes time to buy a car or a home. When used irresponsibly, though, credit cards can [...]

With frugality still on most peoples’ minds, it is little surprise that many are looking for ways to stretch the budget just a little further. One way that many people decide to do this is to buy some items used. For some items, buying used as a great idea. You can get a good deal [...]

No matter how much solid financial planning we put in, life cannot be reduced down to complete predictability. Indeed, there are always unexpected expenses, large and small, that can crop up. And, you never know when something catastrophic, like a major illness or a job loss, will happen. The reality of unexpected financial situations should [...]

One of the best ways to avoid dipping your fingers into your savings (especially your emergency fund for non-emergencies) is to automate your savings accounts so that your money flows through your personal economy without much interference from you. When you automate your savings accounts, you can force yourself to practice financial discipline — and [...]

One of the keys to financial freedom is developing a habit of saving. It sounds really basic, but many people have trouble with this, and many just don’t know how to start. Here is an overview of how you can get started with savings accounts. The article will cover types of savings accounts, how to [...]

Everyone is talking about how now is a great time to buy a home. And, on the surface, it looks like the perfect time. Home prices are low, and mortgage interest rates remain at near-record lows. There is some argument, though, that it might be better to buy a home in six months; without the [...]

The credit crunch has resulted in increased difficulty with regard to borrowing money. Home loans, auto loans and even credit cards have been harder to get over the last couple of years. Things are starting to loosen up a bit, as evidenced by the offers reappearing in my mailbox, but many are still being denied [...]