Budgeting

Here is a simple way to think about commercial property.

David John Marotta was interviewed recently on radio 1070 WINA’s Schilling Show discussing financial Christmas gifts.

Being prepared is always a good idea, but so is knowing the costs associated with being prepared.

Financial Christmas gifts don’t need to be a piggy bank. They can be more serious and more meaningful than that.

When Ryan Broyles scored a $3.6 million dollar contract after being drafted in the first round he did something quite rare – he sought as much advice as he could find.

Most tax professionals don’t think of such tax planning opportunities, because they have to focus on complying with tax accounting regulations.

Sometimes, there isn’t enough to do it all. Even then, fund your Roth.

The average married couple has dreams of multiple children, annual vacations, and homeownership, but planning for these expenses can be challenging.

This is a visual summary of the process of getting out of debt.

For those who do not want to be investors, a fast-track repayment may be best. But for those willing to save and invest, there is a better option.

You have laid a good foundation: you are out of debt (or out of bad debt) and you’re ready for a clean start. Commit to keeping your financial life that way.

After automating your entire investment plan, you can save and invest without even having to watch.

Real life rarely goes according to plan. Set aside time periodically to assess your progress.

Now that you know where you are headed and the steps you want to take to get out of debt, it is time to take action!

To get out of debt, you need an emergency cushion, a budget, and a plan of attack.

Make a list of all your debt and figure out where your money is going every month.

Most people are comfortable with having some debt (like a mortgage, for example). But how much is too much?

If you’re not wedded to the idea of owning a hard copy, there are many options to find classics for free as ebooks.

We are not normally fans of credit card offerings, but this one might be worth using as your primary card.

Often the needs and wants of the present take our attention at the expense of the future. You want a system that will prioritize saving without needing your constant attention.

The new holiday cliché is to complain about hyper-materialism, but gifts and gift giving help shape our identities.

Regardless of income level, overspending causes poverty.

Stop borrowing from your future self. Each day you fail to save is another day where you tighten the ball and chain around your ankle. You deserve better than that.

The average factory-farmed frozen turkey from a grocery story is sold for as little as $0.67 per pound. Economics can offer five explanations.

How to judge if your money was well spent.

Any money you put away and invest now will have the longest time to grow, due to the magic (or actually, the mathematics) of compound interest.

Could this scheme from Mr. Money Mustache change your budgeting strategy?

The good people at You Need A Budget (YNAB) have made their budgeting solution free for college students; including part-time students.

With less than two minutes a day and a smartphone, Budgeting Lite will help you become more mindful about your spending and regain a sense of control over your finances.

Opening an account is the first step in getting started in investing.

Money meditations from the finish line.

Getting out of debt is the first step to building real wealth.

My article, What Charles Dickens Can Teach Us About Personal Finance was recently featured on Yahoo Finance. Another title I considered for this article was The Micawber Principle: The Cornerstone of Financial Security.

The complete guide to saving money while washing your clothes. What temperature should the water be? What cycle should I use? What detergent should I use?

Even if you just have an idea of where your money is going, you should still have a very good idea.

How much can you save in 15-minutes? Ready. Set….

Some people have bucket lists with things like “Travel to Paris,” and “go skydiving,” but I have a bucket list of financial things to do.

So now, after encouraging you to save 10% for emergencies, 15% for financial independence (often called “retirement”), and 10% for long-term savings, we’ve whittled down your income to about 65%. This 65% is for day-to-day living.

The complete guide to saving money while drying your clothes. Should I air dry? Can I line dry inside? Is there ever a case when my dryer is cheaper?

The complete guide to saving money while getting your dishes clean. Does hand washing save money? Should I pre-wash? How full should I fill my dishwasher?

“Don’t air condition the outside” and “Turn the lights off when you leave a room” are often quoted as proverbs of energy savings, but the real savings is in several other appliances.

I opened my freezer and found, to my horror, my ice cream had turned to mush. Why? My refrigerator and freezer were broken. The expense for a new refrigerator was around $700. How could I have seen that expense coming?

This kitten is frugal. Be more like this kitten.

As the wife of a 2013 college graduate and a 2012 college graduate myself, I can boldly say this was the most helpful advice given to me.

This kitten knows how much she spends. Be more like this kitten.

This kitten buys the coat not the coal. Be more like this kitten.

This kitten has a budget. Be more like this kitten.

This kitten lives below her means. Be more like this kitten.

If you look beyond the short term, making this move is pretty clearly worse than using a high-interest credit card to pay your bills.

This kitten budgets for unknowns. Be more like this kitten.