emergency

We in the personal finance blogosphere love to fill the internet with ideas on how to save money and discuss everything under the sun that you should not spend money on. Well, today, I’d like to discuss a few things that I believe are acceptable purchases.

I disagree with the common assumption that buying a house will be your biggest financial decision. I believe your choice of a marriage partner will be your single biggest financial decision.  Besides, who do you think is going to help you make the house decision? Therefore, make your spouse decision carefully.  The reasons go far, [...]

The first step to buying a used car is choosing a vehicle, or at least narrowing your options. Ask yourself: How many passengers do you regularly carry? What sort of trunk or cargo space do you need? What is the minimum gas mileage a car has that will stay within your budget? What would your [...]

While traditional brick and mortar banks can be very convenient, they can rarely compete with the high interest rates offered by online high yield savings accounts. Personally, I think these online high interest accounts are the best place to stash your emergency fund and save up money for your short-term goals, such as, saving money [...]

At least once  a year, if not more, you visit the dentist and doctor to make sure everything’s working properly – why not give your finances the same opportunity? As we approach the busy holiday season, it’s easy to let attention slip from personal finance. If you find yourself barreling toward the end of 2009 [...]

There is a tug of war going on over your money right now.  When you sit down and think about it, you know that you should save your money, pay off your debt and provide for your future.  Unfortunately there are other forces coming after your money.  Not only do you have to deal with [...]

Chances are, you are already planning your holiday shopping. You might even be looking ahead toward Black Friday and Cyber Monday. With retailers still trying to lure customers into spending, this year offers the potential for some great deals on the biggest shopping days of the year. Here are some shopping tips that can help [...]

There are less than two months until Christmas — do you have a plan for holiday spending yet? Some people have already finished their holiday shopping. Others have been diligently saving all year long. Still others might be dreading the upcoming holiday season because of the cash outlay it usually involves. If you fall into [...]

We’ve all heard the stories of lotto winners who win millions, think they’re set for life, and then go broke within a decade. Or people who inherit large sums of money and end up in financial ruin, family feuds, or both. The word “windfall” can mean different things to different people — if you’re young [...]

It’s Open Enrollment time at most employers, the time when you get to choose your benefits coverage for next year. You will review your chosen options, and make changes to them as needed. It’s important to be familiar with last year’s benefits. You may get a summary, but can use your paystub to see what [...]