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The Simple Dollar

Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world.

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Latest Posts from The Simple Dollar (page 33)

How Secular Buddhism’s Principles Can Help You Transform Your Financial and Personal Life

Published Saturday, January 26, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Over the past several months, I’ve written a number of articles about how different schools of philosophy have directly helped me to achieve greater personal and financial success. The first article focused on stoicism, which I summarized as “the separation between the way the world happens to be and my emotional response to it. […]

Personal Finance 101: How Tax Brackets Actually Work

Published Friday, January 25, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Right now, with the confluence of tax season and a lot of public discussion about tax rates going forward, many people are discussing the ins and outs of how taxes work in the United States. […]

The New Southwest Companion Pass Offer Is Pretty Meh – Here’s What to Do Instead

Published Friday, January 25, 2019 - 09:01 by The Simple Dollar

Earlier this month, Southwest announced a newer credit card offer that sounds like a stellar deal. Through Feb. […]

The Destiny Trap

Published Thursday, January 24, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Yesterday, I read this wonderful article on the Australian website Whimn entitled ‘I Make A Six-Figure Salary But I’m Still Always Broke.’ The article takes the form of a “letter to the editor” in which a person struggling with their spending sensibilities writes in for advice: I just got a raise, which will create about $700 more of income per month. […]

The Best Ways to Redeem Points and Miles When You Can’t Afford to Travel

Published Thursday, January 24, 2019 - 08:00 by The Simple Dollar

Picking up a travel rewards credit card may seem like a good idea, but what happens when you can’t afford to cash in your points and miles? Maybe you thought you’d be able to travel soon, but fell on hard times. […]

Keeping Food Costs Down With Picky Eaters at Home

Published Wednesday, January 23, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Mary writes in: Trying to follow your food strategies but I have a very picky 6 year old and a picky 2 year old at our dinner table. They refuse to eat most things that are put in front of them and insist usually on a certain kind of mac and cheese that’s not the cheapest. […]

Six Reasons to Think Twice Before Taking Out a Reverse Mortgage

Published Wednesday, January 23, 2019 - 07:00 by The Simple Dollar

A reverse mortgage can provide older homeowners with an economic lifeline, but there are reasons to be cautious before you trade an interest in your home for the luxury of no longer making loan payments. Reverse mortgages allow you to tap into home equity, which is the difference between your home’s market value and the amount you owe. […]

The Mental Tools That Actually Work When Getting Through a Challenge

Published Tuesday, January 22, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

It’s no secret to readers of The Simple Dollar that I am passionate about self-improvement. Our financial turnaround is a perfect example of this, as much of that success came from applying self-improvement techniques to our finances. […]

Four Economic Trends That Will Impact Your Wallet in 2019

Published Tuesday, January 22, 2019 - 09:15 by The Simple Dollar

If there’s one thing that’s certain about 2019, it’s that the year ahead will be filled with a great deal of uncertainty — at least on the economic front. Trend experts and personal finance experts alike say the country’s current, polarized political climate, including the record-breaking government shutdown, has a lot to do with that, and is setting the stage for a year that no one can truly pred […]

Questions About Dollar Cost Averaging, Bone Broth, TaxAct, and More!

Published Monday, January 21, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question. 1. Unknown banks 2. Roth conversion with low income 3. Bone broth and stock? 4. TaxAct basic version question 5. Credit card with bad credit 6. Dollar cost averaging 7. Abject poverty? 8. When to buy a book? 9. […]