Articles on Personal Finance

How the Banks Were Fleeced -- A Primer to Mortgage Fraud

Have you seen homes in your neighborhood sell for unreasonable prices and quickly end up in foreclosure? If this is a common occurence then perhaps there is a ring of thieves commi

The line between frugal and crazy

You don't have to go very far down the path of being frugal to reach the point where people start questioning your sanity. (You bicycle to work? Even though you have a perfec

Cross your fingers and hope you’re not caught by Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) this year.

If you don’t know what the AMT is, you may well be in for a shock this year. And if your household income is around $75,000 or more, gross, then AMT could very well take a big bite

How to Travel in Style...For Free

How would you like to travel in style for the cost of the most basic economy option? All you have to do is ask.

How much do I need to retire? How much can I spend?

Especially for people hoping to retire early, but also those just hoping they can retire at all, there's the question, "How much money do I need?" People who are alr

Save up to 20% on Gas

Find out how to get cheap gas, energy-saving driving tips, maps, and more...

MIB: The Big Brother for Insurance Companies

MIB. No, it's not the alien-hunting agency Men In Black; it's the illness-hunting agency Medical Information Bureau. And you may not know it, but they could

Unauthorized Video Game Hack May Net Consumers Up to $35

Discussion over the original version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas might have ended with its recall in 2005. A recent class-a

Pessimism Pays - Why Expecting the Worst Can Save You Money

Everyone's heard the adage, "Expect the best, prepare for the worst," but the truth is that many people are overly optimistic about the future. Being a worrier may sa

Join the rentier class

You don't hear much about the rentier class any more. Perhaps that's because we all expect to be members by retirement age. Perhaps it's because even the very wealthy

The Four C's of Applying for and Managing your Credit

What exactly is your credit score? What factors are weighed when you apply for a loan? How can you improve your credit and ability to get great loan rates? And how can you unwittin

Scammers Stole All of My Grandma's Money

The trouble started innocently enough. For as long as I can remember, Grandma bought a lottery ticket each and every week. She promised us, her children and grandchildren, that whe

To FAFSA or Not to FAFSA: A Former Student's View of Student Loans

It's getting to be that kind of year again--the time when you anticipate filling out your tax returns, sighing with relief, and then realizing that you're not finished with

Common Currency: A Primer

These postings will pertain to the economy of life, which is all about personal alternatives that shape our financial world.

Can the government help in a recession?

Recessions spread. A minor downturn in one business spreads to its suppliers and then to their suppliers. Workers are laid off (or simply fear that they will be) and buy less, sp

I Got Duped! Dealing With Credit Card and Merchant Disputes

So you bought an awesome thing-a-ma-jiggy or service with your credit card. But when you got it home you discovered the item doesn't work, the service was a heist, or the

Preparing for a Recession

Find out what, exactly, is a recession and what you can do to prepare for it.

Many Happy Returns: 5 Tips for Getting What You Really Want This Holiday

Sadly, a recent poll by Inside Indiana Business reports that 13 percent of consumer

Credit Card Fees: Hidden and Otherwise

Annual fees, grace periods, balance transfer options…it's a wonderful world of credit card jargon out there, and depending on your needs and planned u