You Don’t Deserve Premium Channels Because You’re In Debt
June 17, 2008 :: Frugal Living :: 26 Comments
Sounds a little harsh? May be. But the truth is 300 millions Americans owe $957 billions in revolving credit debt -- that's $3,190 per person! What does this have to do with premium channels? Well, NASCAR has been showing their Cup races on TNT for the past two weeks and ...
Should I Borrow From My 401k Plan?
June 10, 2008 :: Financial Planning :: 12 Comments
A friend at work is thinking about borrowing from his 401k plan to fund his business start-up. He mentioned it to me and I told him that it's a terrible idea to borrow from 401k. It may sound appealing at first -- i.e., fast loan application, easy to qualify, and ...
What’s Your Financial IQ? Here’s A Test
May 28, 2008 :: Money :: 28 Comments
Following the success of previous "Frugal of Cheap" test, I am going to throw another one out there for your enjoyment. I hope that you'll like this as much as the last one and find it somewhat educational as well. Please note that I've included a link or ...
34 Ways To Save Money On Car Expenses
April 25, 2008 :: Frugal Living :: 23 Comments
With the recent increases in gas price, everyone is feeling the pinch. What used to be a $30 fill up is now $40. And every household budget is in crisis from the rising gas price, along with everything else. So, I figure this is a good time ...
15 Tips to Avoid Overspending for First-Time College Students (GP)
April 15, 2008 :: Education, Money :: 18 Comments
For both parents and students, off-to-school shopping can be an important financial lesson that should be shared. It is a prime opportunity for parents to get to teach their kids a few remaining lessons about budgeting and personal finance: two very important lessons college kids should be learning before leaving ...
Pay For College Or Make Them Work For It? (GP)
February 22, 2008 :: Education :: 34 Comments
Whenever the question of paying for college comes up, it seems to spark a heated debate. Some parents want to pay for it all, others are firm believers that their children should have to put themselves through college, and there is a third group that thinks half and half is ...
The Basic Formula of Wealth
January 30, 2008 :: Money :: 32 Comments
One of my favorite subjects that I talk a lot about on this blog, is the subject of wealth. As you know, I share my net worth monthly. Although there are many beliefs and philosophies on how wealth could be accumulated, the mathematical nature of wealth is all ...
My 2008 Financial Resolution and a Chance to Win an iPod!
November 29, 2007 :: Financial Planning :: 13 Comments
Cash Money Life is running a contest Share Your 2008 Financial Resolution for a Chance to Win an iPod! that will end December 4th at 11:59 PM, Eastern Daylight Saving Time. I never own an iPod before, so I am going to give this a try. My best friend and his ...
Using Pareto Principle to Improve Personal Finance
November 27, 2007 :: Financial Planning :: 36 Comments
The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80-20 rule or the law of the vital few, is an observation that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. I often use the Pareto Principle in my job, especially when we work on quality or process improvement projects. ...
My Cars and My Life
November 12, 2007 :: Insurance, Miscellaneous :: 17 Comments
This article is part of the M-Network group writing project about cars and what they meant to us. This series will run from November 12th through the 16th, and we welcome you to share your stories with us. At first, I was going to launch into this long history about how ...
The Hidden Cost of Free Stock Trades
October 17, 2007 :: Investing :: 11 Comments
When discount brokerage firms like Charles Schwab, E*Trade, and TD Ameritrade emerged on the scene, they made stock trading more affordable. The trade commissions in the sub $20 range were a refreshing change from the exorbitant fees traditionally charged by full service brokers. If that was good, now ...
The True Earning Power and the Real Cost of Luxuries
September 17, 2007 :: Making Money :: 15 Comments
My first job after college paid $8 per hour -- not good for an Ivy League alumni. That job was something to do while I tried to rediscover myself. I was lost and dispirited because I did not get accepted into a medical school. Photo from Apple.com It only takes ...
Moolanomy weekly roundup #7: “Budgeting” edition
September 9, 2007 :: Weekly Roundups :: 1 Comment
On Friday, I wrote "Discover your money values and financial demons." The idea was to keep track of every pennies spent in order to learn about your spending habits, priorities, and money leaks. I have never been a big fan of budgeting because it is tedious -- as long ...
New Baby Financial Checklist
September 8, 2007 :: Financial Planning :: 9 Comments
This will be a short post. What I wanted to do is to outline all the financial matters I need to take care of for the baby due this December. As I do more research, I hope to write additional posts and link to them from here. ...
Discover Your Money Values and Financial Demons
September 7, 2007 :: Financial Planning :: 13 Comments
I am still reading Your Money or Your Life by Dominguez and Robin -- this book is taking longer than I thought because it is not just a book, but a road map to financial independence. One idea that stuck with me was the step that told you ...
