fact of life

Back in the 80s I walked to the YMCA with my weekly video game allowance of two quarters. That bought me one game of Asteroid and one game of Pac-man. Any idea what the difference is between Pac-man in the 80s and FooPets today? You had to pay cash up front in order to play [...]

I recently read an article in The New York Times (hat tip for bringing it to my attention: MAPping Company Success) about the increasing trend of using real money to pay for virtual goods. The article also addresses the rise of credit, via a company called Kwedit.com, to pay for virtual purchases online. This article [...]

We’ve all heard stories of guys who, after busting their hump for 40 years, kick the bucket at their retirement party or shortly thereafter. These stories scare the crap out of me and make me wonder about the idea of retirement, or on the flip side, working so hard to accomplish retirement. After all, what [...]

I spend a great deal of my life talking, thinking and writing about money. We are all familiar with the oft-repeated biblical phrase that says the “love of money is the root of all evil”. It is important to understand that “money” is not the emphasis here, but rather the “love of” money. We are [...]

Over Christmas, my husband’s parents came to stay with us for two weeks. We have an extra bedroom, but no bed for it. While the air mattress is fine for a couple of nights, we didn’t want my in-laws to have to sleep on it for two weeks. We’re not quite ready to buy another [...]

Ohana, multi-family living, “boomerang children”. No matter what you call it, extended families living under one roof or on one property can be a cultural norm or a way to cope with the financial difficulties that many are facing. Many say it’s “Easier said than done.” They are correct. There are many issues to work [...]

Your financial life has a certain trajectory — similar to a train on a track. There will be twists and turns, but you can easily determine where you will end up if you stay on the financial track you’re currently on.  What if the traditional methods of working hard, cutting expenses, and saving don’t work [...]

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 [...]

Many Americans find themselves in quite the situation financially these days.  Their situation is nothing short of bondage.  They are completely trapped because of years of borrowing money to finance a lifestyle that was unattainable without debt.  They aren’t the only guilty party.  The government has encouraged it and the banking system was more than [...]

Seven words you never want to hear at Christmas: “WHAT!!! YOU GOT ME A GIFT CARD?!?!?!?” On the other hand, if someone really wants a gift card, why fight the crowds and spend hours looking for the perfect gift? It’s easy and it will be easier to have a debt free Christmas if you know [...]