Hot Today

Wise Bread articles that are hot today.

What's the big deal about banks refusing to lend?

Anybody--but especially frugal people--can be excused for thinking that the whole credit crisis thing is being overblown. After all, we get along without debt. In fact, we str

Ask the Readers: How Do You Celebrate Thanksgiving on a Budget?

Tell us how you celebrate Thanksgiving on a budget and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

How to Score Free (or Almost Free) College Textbooks

Textbooks can cost you thousands of dollars over the course of your college career. Keep costs down with these tips.

A Low APR Secured Credit Card: Excent Secured

Rebuild or build your credit rating with a low APR secured credit card.

6 Questions to Ask Before You Book a Vacation Package

Whether you're looking for an all-inclusive vacation package or a bulk vacation package, ask yourself (and the provider) these six questions.

10 Budget-Friendly Ways to Get it Right This Valentine's Day and Beyond

Thoughtful Valentine's Day gifts that won't break your budget.

Book review: Farewell, My Subaru

There are a number of books now by people who set out to live a more local, more sustainable life, and wrote a book to document their experiences. Most of them approach the proble

The "one big lump" theory of your money

Don't get confused by the way your money's divided up. It might be split up into IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 529 plans, and annuities. Separately from that, it might be invested in d

Why Can't You Ever Make On-Time Payments?

How frustrating is it to pay all of your bills each month when you finally get a minute to sit down and take care of things, only to find out later you got socked with penalties an

10 Simple Ways to Get Your Life Together

Self improvement is hard. Start with these simple (but significant) improvements first, and see where they take you.

Tough Employment Times: Know Your Rights

In these tough economic times, many people are losing or worried about losing their jobs. Understanding your rights can help you come out on top.

How to Decipher Credit Card Advertising

How do you figure out whether a credit card offer is good or bad? We'll break down the terms and conditions for you.

8 Ways to Save on Accommodations Online

Believe it or not, you can pay less for your accommodations while traveling… or even get them for free!

Opportunity Costs and Conscious Spending: How Spending $1 Today Can Cost You $10 Tomorrow

In this sample from his new personal finance course, expert J.D. Roth explains how understanding opportunity costs can lead to smarter spending.

Modifiers: 5 things that change an item's final price

Shopping for goods isn't Dungeons & Dragons, but it's still an adventure. Like D&D dice, modifiers affect the end result of what happens to you — specifically, how much you spend.

10 Money Lessons I Learned From Dad

Dads are a great source of knowledge. And when it comes to saving money, they always seem to know to steer us right. Happy Father's Day!

Bamboozled! The 4 Ways that Bamboo Products May Not be All That “Green”

We’ve all been there. Bopping down the aisles of your local home furnishings retailer and seeing all the “earth-friendly” products and tools that claim to be “sustainable.” Many o

The 5 Best Tinted Moisturizers

Finding the right tinted moisturizer isn't easy, but it can be. Use any of these five tinted moisturizers and your face will constantly glow.

What Do I Need to Know Before I Hire a CFP?

Need help managing your finances? Make sure you know what you're getting when you hire a financial advisor with the CFP designation.

On Choosing and Defending Your Luxuries

How do you defend your luxuries? Easy: You defend them to yourself, not to some other guy.