holiday saving

As we approach the holidays and end of the year, many people are finding their wallets just a little thinner than normal. If you’re trying hard to stay within your December budget, consider some of these winter activities to save money this holiday season. Who said frugal activities cannot be fun and enjoyable?

Enjoy movies or [...]

When it comes to shopping this holiday season, many people are probably thinking of sticking with cash. With concerns about the economy prompting many to cut back on spending and avoid adding to their debt, it is little surprise that credit cards are out of favor right now. However, credit cards aren’t all evil. There [...]

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 [...]

The holiday season is here and Christmas is rapidly approaching. For many people, the holidays mean a great deal of gift buying and giving, travel to and from family, and social occasions with co-workers and friends. All of those activities cost money and many people find themselves in serious debt every January. How can you [...]

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 [...]

Thanksgiving is only a few days away, and for some of us, financial concerns are more prominent this year than any other years in the past. However, that’s not what Thanksgiving is all about. Regardless of your financial means, you could have a wonderful and inexpensive Thanksgiving. In this article, I am going to cover [...]

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 [...]

Most people go on vacation with expectations of a non-stop extravaganza or with the hopes of an interruption-free solitude. That’s what I call setting yourself up for failure. Neither of those two is going to happen. We both know it. Whether you are envisioning a week of beach lounging and Pina Coladas or a week [...]

One of the quickest ways to improve your finances is to reduce your expenses and find more ways to save money. This article is a compilation of various money saving articles that have been published over the years. A few tips are also highlighted from each article. Make sure you follow these links to see [...]

Net Worth Review
The S&P 500 gained +0.8% in December and went from 896.24 to 903.25. But for a full year, the S&P 500 dropped -38.5% from 1468.36 to 903.25 — ouch!  According to NetworthIQ, my net worth rose +3.44% and my net investable assets increased +6.54%.

Highlights

Home value actually went up slightly in December, but for [...]