Emily Guy Birken's blog

How to Organize Your Paperwork in Just 10 Minutes a Week

If your financial filing system is more "pile" than file, take heart. Learn to control your documents — and make tax time and a lot else much easier.

You can reduce your stress levels at work without spending much (or any) money. Science says so!

Before trusting your finances to any old somebody, you need to carefully vet potential advisers. These basic questions will get you started.

It's Wednesday and the novelty of keeping the place ship-shape has long since worn off. Stay motivated with a few tidy ways to fight chore fatigue.

Yes, we're always telling you to work on building your emergency fund. Now we'll tell you when to stop.

Limited income, limited life — right? Wrong. Learn how the Luh family is thriving without a huge paycheck — and you can too.

Nobody likes a quitter but knowing when to cut your losses is often the best decision you can make. Is it time to start quitting more?

Don't let the little things distract you from the big picture. Free your mind for bigger things by putting your life on autopilot.

Made-for-TV gadgets are rarely worth more than a laugh. But wait — don't change the channel on these four great items!

Meet the anti-lemons. After rigorous testing, these six cars have proven their reliability and longevity time and time and time and time... again.

The rules of etiquette sometimes seem arcane and inflexible. Don't beat yourself up if you trip over one of these faux pas — own your flub and win.

Planning for retirement is daunting — even for twenty-somethings. Take a few simple steps and be on your way to building a healthy retirement fund.

Couples don't always see eye-to-eye — especially over money. Recognize these common fault lines and you can learn to steer around them.

Usually planning your taxes for a small refund is best, but not always. Analyze your money psychology and your spending to make the right choice.

The human brain is a curious thing. See if you're being held back by one of these notorious logic traps.

You know you should be saving for retirement — and saving a lot. Betcha' didn't know you needed to save this much!

If you've got a basement, you've probably got a lot of clutter. Start tossing it out today!

Is it always two steps forward, one step back? Don't get frustrated — understand what's holding you back, then move forward around it.

The human brain is not powerful enough to will money into existence — but it's close. Here's how to put mind over money.

From anchoring to the Midas Touch, learn how restaurateurs and their employees exploit consumer psychology to get you to spend more.