expense fees

I recently heard an interesting discussion on Dave Ramsey’s radio show about the length of time you need to live in a home in order for it to make sense going through the process and expense of purchasing it. It’s a rare occasion that I disagree with Dave Ramsey, but in this instance, I [...]

Whether you invest in the stock market or not, bank accounts are a vital investment and savings vehicle. No matter how much or little money you have, everyone needs to set aside money that is guaranteed to be there when you need it. …

A mutual fund represents money contributed by multiple investors.  That money is managed by an individual, or more likely, a whole slew of individuals.  Not surprisingly, those folks who help manage and oversee your money do not do it on a volunteer basis.  They get paid.  Do you want to guess who pays them?  You [...]

While there are many different opinions as to how much debt is too much, the two ratios below are the most widely used measures of how much debt is manageable. These ratios are also known as debt to income ratios (DTI). Many of you are reading this and other personal finance blogs in an attempt [...]

One area in which I have vigilantly slashed my spending is the “Entertainment” category. I include cable television, movie theaters, concert tickets, bars, sporting events, and a bunch of other things in this category. The easiest expense to cut back on thus far has been the TV/movies area. For television, Hulu has aided me in [...]

As mentioned in my other articles, there is no definitive answer for who is the best discount broker. The best discount broker for you may not be the best for others — it really depends on your investment style and needs. My previous list of discount brokers focuses on brokerage firms for active traders who [...]

When you are leaving a job where you have contributed to a 401k plan, you have three options: cash out your 401k, keep it in your current plan, or move it to another qualified retirement account. A qualified retirement account could be your new employer’s 401k plan, a Traditional IRA, or a Roth IRA. The [...]

I recently came across the How to Drive Free and Retire Rich slideshow on Dave Ramsey site via a fellow blogger Pat. The slideshow basically said the normal way thinking about car ownership is all wrong and there is a better way to go about this. Dave Ramsey proposes that you save your money first, [...]

The global economy runs on a binge and purge cycle, which makes it especially difficult to stay steady and mindful on a personal level. It can be hard to resist living beyond your means during boom times, and even harder to keep your head up during the busts. But no matter how stormy it gets [...]

In challenging times, we are always looking for ways to reduce our expenses. But often, the last place we think about cutting costs is the best place to save some money. One example of this is your monthly cell phone plan — a great opportunity to reduce spending without significantly changing your lifestyle.
Adjusting Your Cell [...]