using credit cards

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 [...]

iPhones are often criticized as expensive and ostentatious. Why buy a smart phone when you can make calls from a $10 pay as you go phone? It may seem like a waste of money, but used properly an iPhone can be a powerful tool in your personal finance arsenal. Here is just a small sampling of [...]

On January 18th of this year, I finally decided I was ready to make some New Year’s resolutions. I’ve never really done the resolution thing in the past, and so I wasn’t compelled to do it come December 31 or January 1. But I recognize that goals are good — and so I came up [...]

The holiday season is in full swing and everyone is looking for ideas to help them stay out of post-holiday financial nightmare. One way to help you spend more sensibly is by using an American Express Charge Card*. Unlike using a credit card, you must repay your full balance at the end of each month [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

If you pay estimated taxes, you may find yourself facing a tax debt when you come to fill in your tax return. As estimated tax payments are predominantly based on your income for the previous tax year, you can easily be crippled with a tax bill that is more than you anticipated if your income [...]

I’m still trying to figure out why people think I’m foolish for using a credit card instead of a debit card.  I’m a Dave Ramsey listener and fan so I’ve heard him rant and rave over the credit card — burn it, torch it, drown it, just be sure to kill it (if you’re not [...]