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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 37)

Choosing Between a Fireplace, Wood Stove, and Pellet Stove

Published Sunday, December 30, 2018 - 08:00 by The Simple Dollar

I grew up with both fireplaces and wood stoves, but neither experience really prepared me for tending to my own fireplace or buying a wood or pellet stove of my own. Each year when the temperatures drop, the sky grays, and the heating bill starts to inch upward, I am reminded of my family’s first fireplace. […]

The 10 Most Valuable Financial Lessons I Learned in 2018

Published Saturday, December 29, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Each year, during the period between Christmas and New Year’s, I sit down and look over what happened during the past year, what I can learn from that, and what I can apply from that to the year to come. I usually come up with a big handful of life lessons during that review, things I learned from situations in my life that didn’t quite go as I liked. What went wrong? Where did I go wrong? […]

When to Sweat the Small Stuff

Published Friday, December 28, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

One of the big tricks of frugal living is to know when it’s worthwhile to sweat the small stuff and when it’s better to just let it be. There are times when paying attention to a few cents can end up making a big difference, and there are times when paying attention to a few cents is a complete waste of your focus. […]

Five Powerful, Useful Books I Read This Year (and Five I Plan to Read Next Year)

Published Thursday, December 27, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Over the course of the past year, I read somewhere in the realm of 60 books. […]

Twelve Low Cost Strategies for Getting Out of a Funk

Published Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

We’ve all been there at some time or another. You feel somewhat disengaged from a lot of the things in your life. Work, even if you enjoy it, seems like a burden. Maintaining relationships seems like a burden. You fall back to the most basic of your life routines. You feel tired and perhaps not all that optimistic about things. […]

Finding Order and Meaning in Your Life Through Bullet Journaling

Published Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - 07:00 by The Simple Dollar

Five years ago I left my full-time job to enter the freelance writing world. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to best organize and manage my days so they were productive and meaningful. […]

Thoughts on Purpose and Retirement, Early or Otherwise

Published Tuesday, December 25, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Vicki Robin, one of the authors of the truly great personal finance book Your Money or Your Life, wrote an article for Marketwatch entitled Suze Orman missed the point of retirement, and that’s why she went back to work. […]

Questions About Autographs, 401(k) Contributions, Trusted Financial Advice, and More!

Published Monday, December 24, 2018 - 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. Pulled out in a panic 2. Collection of old autographs 3. Saving enough for retirement? 4. Trusting bloggers for financial advice 5. The cost of high expenses 6. Inexpensive way to learn chess 7. […]

Trying Too Hard to Save Money Can Backfire – So Keep It Simple

Published Sunday, December 23, 2018 - 08:00 by The Simple Dollar

A few weeks ago, I was invited to one of those meal preparation parties where you hang out with friends and combine ingredients for frozen meals. It seemed like a fun way to spend a weekday night, as well as a smart way to build up a stash of frozen dinners ahead of time. […]

Eleven Simple Practical Rules for Personal Finance Success

Published Saturday, December 22, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

The real secret to personal finance isn’t some sort of financial arcana. […]