Hot Today

Wise Bread articles that are hot today.

Cheat Sheet: Retail Markup on Common Items

Stores make money by price markups. Learn the rationale behind retail pricing and what the product you're buying actually costs.

Not free to be poor

Nobody wants to be poor. It's a dangerous and constrained position to be in. But there are people out there (me, for instance) who are relatively happy to live at a fairly low st

The Google Way: A Book Review (And a Chance to Win!)

I don’t know why I’ve put off reading and reviewing this book. It’s one that was on my “must-read” list for some time. With its common-sense but unique approach to business manage

Keys Locked in the Trunk? Here's What to Do

A moment of absent-mindedness, and now your keys are locked in the trunk. Don't panic! Follow this guide to get back on the road.

Personal Finance Lessons from Online Adventure Game (RuneScape)

A friend shared with me some strategies he's learned for playing RuneScape. Can these strategies be applied to personal finance? Let's see.

5 Savings Tricks You Haven't Tried Yet

If saving was easy, we'd all be saving more. Try one or more of these savings strategies and see if the habit doesn't finally stick.

9 Ways to Reverse Lifestyle Creep

More money in your paycheck can mean more spending on stuff you don't need. Time to get things back under control.

5 Things Your Real Estate Agent Wishes You Knew

If only you knew! Real estate agents everywhere want you clued in to these basic home-buying and selling facts.

5 Retirement Accounts You Don't Need a Ton of Money to Open

Don't let high minimums dissuade your retirement savings goals. These Roth IRAs can get you started, no minimum investment required.

Ask The Readers: Do You Pay For A Gym Membership?

Tell us if you pay for a gym membership and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Ask the Readers: Do You Meal Plan?

Tell us whether you meal plan and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

2-Minute Read: What You Need to Know About Credit Reports

Your credit report includes important information used to determine your creditworthiness. Do you understand everything on it?

Great idea for Papa Murphy’s – make the pizzas in order.

What do you get if you cross a bunch of hungry people with an ineffective ordering system? You get the riot that almost happened at my local Papa Murphy’s on Friday. And if they do

Root cause of the financial crisis

Several times recently, Treasury Secretary Paulson (and many others) have claimed that the "root cause" of the current financial crisis is "the housing correction." This is comple

How to Protect Your Child From Identity Theft

Identity theft is scary. When your kids are the target, it's positively terrifying.

Stop Believing These 5 Myths About IRAs

Don't let these myths prevent you from getting an IRA — the most important savings account you may ever have.

Watch Out for These 5 Last Minute Home Buying Costs

First time homebuyers can be left scrambling to cover these last-minute costs. Don't get blindsided on your way to your new home!

6 Pitfalls of Down Payment Assistance Programs

Before you apply for a down payment assistance program to help pay for a house, make sure you understand all the potential downsides.

Rethinking The Early Mortgage Payoff

The borrow-at-a-low-interest-rate-and-invest-to-get-greater-returns mentality was so embedded in our belief system that there almost seemed to be a stigma attached to not carrying

HP Giving Away $500 to a Lucky Wise Bread Reader

To enter tell us your smartest investment. It can be anything! A degree, cooking lessons, hot stock, or a great pair of shoes.