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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 35)

Parent PLUS Loan Equals Another, Older Generation Mired in Student Debt

Published Sunday, January 13, 2019 - 08:00 by The Simple Dollar

It appears that the nation’s ballooning student loan debt is not just confined to students. The crisis, as it turns out, also encompasses millions of parents who are Parent PLUS loan holders. […]

20 Free Things I’ve Done and Enjoyed on Days Off in the Last Year

Published Saturday, January 12, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

At the start of last year, I decided to make a list of things I did on the weekends that didn’t cost me any money at all and then mark which ones I really enjoyed. […]

Credit FAQ: Will the Government Shutdown Damage the Credit of Furloughed Workers?

Published Friday, January 11, 2019 - 23:42 by The Simple Dollar

It’s January 11, 2019 – the first day paychecks will not arrive for some federal workers due to the government shutdown. […]

What Is a ‘Backdoor’ Roth IRA? How Can It Benefit Me?

Published Friday, January 11, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

A little while ago on The Simple Dollar, Saundra Latham wrote a nice summary of how a backdoor Roth IRA works. Since then, I’ve seen a number of follow-up questions regarding backdoor Roth IRAs, so I thought I’d write a complementary article explaining some of the things that people were asking questions about. Mostly, these questions centered around why a person would want to do this. […]

How Long Could YOU Survive a Job Shutdown? This Simple, Reassuring Tactic Can Help You Prepare

Published Thursday, January 10, 2019 - 11:26 by The Simple Dollar

The partial government shutdown has had a serious impact on 800,000 federal employees, including those with “essential” jobs who are required to work without pay. […]

The Value of Your Time: The Stories of Adam, Becky, and Chris

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

Let’s do a little thought experiment before we get to some practical advice. In an ideal week, a person has 168 hours to spend. Let’s assume that they spend 50 of it sleeping, another 20 on life management tasks (eating, preparing food, basic housework, basic hygiene), and another 18 on leisure. This leaves 80 hours to fill. Most American adults fill a lot of that time with their job. […]

How to Decide if a Warehouse Club Membership Is “Worth It”

Published Wednesday, January 9, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Max writes in with a great question that had an answer that was just a bit too long for the mailbag: Recently moved to and bought a house in a new town where I hope to stay for several years. There is a Costco and a Sam’s Club here. Never lived close enough to either or had the storage space to make it worthwhile so I’m considering joining one or the other. […]

Six Warning Signs That Your Child’s Identity Has Been Stolen

Published Wednesday, January 9, 2019 - 07:00 by The Simple Dollar

Identity theft is a disturbing crime regardless of your age. […]

A Single Parent’s Financial Guide to Returning to School

Published Tuesday, January 8, 2019 - 17:52 by The Simple Dollar

As a single parent, going back to school can seem like an impossible and daunting process. You need that higher education to snag a high-paying and solid career, but at the same time, it’s necessary to keep working to pay for your schooling. […]

The Balance Between Novelty and Stability – and How That Affects Your Dollars and Cents

Published Tuesday, January 8, 2019 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Recently, I had a face-to-face conversation with a reader (yep, this happens every once in a while; I have a few readers in my local community that I’m not close friends with, but they recognize me and seem to always have some sort of question or topic to bring up in conversation) about the idea of having “everyday meals” for the family, something I mention often as a frugal strategy. For those un […]