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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 38)

Dealing with Being Overwhelmed Without Financial Missteps Compounding the Problem

Published Friday, December 21, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

I’ll be the first to admit that this time of the year leaves me feeling overwhelmed, and this year more than most. For starters, the holiday season is something that often leaves me with a sense of too much to do and a sense of relief when it’s over that overshadows the joy I feel during the season. […]

Your Holiday Survival Kit: 28 Smart Strategies to Keep Last-Minute Holiday Costs from Exploding

Published Thursday, December 20, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

You’re probably reading this during the “calm before the storm.” There’s a good chance that sometime in the next several days, there’s at least one big holiday event that you’re just utterly unprepared for with seemingly 80 things left to do. You have to travel. You have to help prep a meal. You have to get a last-minute gift (or three). There’s probably a combination of things going on. […]

Nonprofits Fear a Drop in Year-End Donations Under New Tax Law

Published Thursday, December 20, 2018 - 08:00 by The Simple Dollar

The passage of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 will have a variety of ramifications for the upcoming tax filing season, many of which are yet to be fully understood by taxpayers. Among the changes that has remained somewhat under the radar is the impact the new tax law may have on charitable contributions made by individuals, particularly those who are seeking a deduction for such donations. Whil […]

Will It Help?

Published Wednesday, December 19, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

As I’ve mentioned before, one extremely helpful practice that I’ve been employing for years in terms of keeping my spending in a healthy place is something I call after action reporting and visualization. It’s simple and I do it all the time when I’ve got a few spare minutes, like when I’m in the car or waiting at the dentist’s office. […]

Could Waking Up an Hour Earlier Change Your Life?

Published Wednesday, December 19, 2018 - 07:00 by The Simple Dollar

Getting enough exercise has always been an issue for me, mostly because I think working out is so incredibly boring. […]

Worried About the Stock Market and Your Retirement Savings? Read This.

Published Tuesday, December 18, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

In the last few days, a number of readers have written to The Simple Dollar regarding the recent downturn in the stock market. Here are a few of those notes, starting with one from Dave: 45 years old, aiming to retire at 62. I have been in the aggressive portfolio in my 401(k) since signing on back in 1998 and contributed regularly. […]

Questions About Crowdlending, Prayer, Christmas Trees, Chess, Beans, and More!

Published Monday, December 17, 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. Investing for child’s future 2. Crowdlending investments 3. Shorter workweek thoughts? 4. Struggling to improve at work 5. Last minute holiday gifts 6. Praying for financial help? 7. Child care suggestions 8. […]

11 Essential (and Mostly Cheap) Tactics for Weathering Winter’s Worst

Published Sunday, December 16, 2018 - 08:00 by The Simple Dollar

Snowstorms, ice storms, freezing rain, or even just 43-degrees-and-drizzling days in Seattle. Iced-up windshields, slick-as-tofu roadways, drafts that stubbornly resist whatever the furnace throws at them. […]

The Two-Way Street of Retiring Early

Published Saturday, December 15, 2018 - 10:00 by The Simple Dollar

Here’s a simple way to check on your progress toward retirement. Take the total amount you have saved up for retirement. Calculate 3% of that (the easy way is to just multiply your total savings by 0.03). Can you live for a year on that resulting number? So, let’s say you have $600,000 saved up for retirement. You multiply that by 0.03 to get $18,000. Could you live for a year on $18,000? […]

Barclays Personal Loans Review

Published Friday, December 14, 2018 - 13:13 by The Simple Dollar

While British banking giant Barclays is mostly known in the U.S. for their dynamic rewards and travel credit cards, they recently came out with a personal loan product aimed at American consumers. With Barclays personal loans, Americans are now able to borrow money for nearly any reason and secure a fixed interest rate and fixed monthly payment in the process. […]