Philip Brewer's blog

Choosing Local Businesses

The big-box stores might have everything you want at what seems to be a better price, but there are good reasons why you should buy local.

Change Your Life with Storytelling

Marketers use stories about perfect lives to try to sell you things, but you can use the same technique to help create your own perfect life.

Guest Post: Now is the Time to Think Long-Term

I've got a guest post up at Get Rich Slowly on why now — when interest rates are very low — is the time to think long-term.

Sinking Dollar: This Time on Purpose

The Fed wants to keep the inflation rate up around 2%, because their efforts to boost the economy only get traction when they can push interest rates well below the inflation rate.

A Mortgage Crisis Solution

Some banks didn't manage the paperwork well enough to be able to prove that they actually own their mortgages. This just might be the germ of a solution.

Just Saving More Is Not the Answer

Whenever I write about calculating how much money you need to retire, some people disagree strongly with the whole idea that there is such a figure. One told me, "The only correct

The End of the 4% Rule?

There's a rule of thumb that's pretty well known to retirement planners: the 4% rule. That rule is starting to look kind of iffy.

When Deals Matter

Some people are into deals. They collect and organize their coupons, they buy used, they negotiate with sellers. These are all good strategies, but they all take effort. This post

Be In Charge of Your Finances

Do you ever come to the end of the money before you run out of month? It's easy to conclude that the problem is that you don't earn enough money (or that you spend too much). In fa

Video on How to Spot Counterfeits

As part of introducing the new $100 that'll come out in February, the US Treasury is producing a video podcast, and the current episode is on spotting counterfeit notes.

All About Deflation

Deflation is back in the news, and for good reason: It's a real risk.  

Replacing a Crappy Job

There are really only two things you can do with a crappy job: tolerate it or replace it. Happily, the crappier a job is, the easier it is to replace.

Getting Your Credit Limit Raised

It doesn't necessarily make sense, but by practicing a potentially bad habit, you can easily get your credit limit raised.

Long Hours and Other Employer Demands

You probably know someone who works ridiculously long hours (or maybe you do yourself). But those long hours could be a sign of deeper financial troubles.

Freedom From the Day Job

Should you quit your day job to work for yourself? The answer might lie in defining what "work" actually means to you.

When Interest Rates Head Up

It doesn't take any skill at prognostication to make this forecast: Interest rates are heading up. For one thing, they can't go any lower.

Book Review: The Happy Minimalist

Like frugality and simplicity, minimalism is both a means and an end. It's a way of living light on your wallet and light on the planet, and it enables certain choices (such as

Anyone Can Spend Less for Food

You almost certainly pay more for food than you need to. Discover how you can spend drastically less...and why you shouldn't.

Home Delivery: Local and Long Distance

If your interests in simplicity and frugality have as much to do with protecting the environment and using less resources as they do with saving money, give some thought to revi

Motivating Yourself and Others

What motivates people to work hard and do a good job? Whether you're a worker, a manager, a business owner, or an investor, it's important to know the answer.