Personal Finance

What will be pulled off the shelves? The impact of the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

Recently the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is making headlines because it required that all products (including clothes) made for children 12 and under be tested for lead

Book Review: Rich Like Them by Ryan D'Agostino

One summer my mother showed me a series of articles in Money magazine by a reporter named Ryan D'Agostino who knocked on the doors of expensive homes to find out how the occupants

Bouncing Back When There's No "Bounce" Left

We all have our ups and downs. We've all faced some pretty depressing odds and come out on top. But sometimes, it feels like you just can't get ahead, no matter how hard you try

The Real Value of Forever Stamps

Considering that I pay most bills online, I don’t use a whole lot of postage stamps these days. When I do, however, it almost always involves me digging through piles of paperwork

Recession Journal Part I: 'Fast' Money in the '09

Forget about the fact that it's a recession. What you do now determines where you will be when the graph trends up again. What if you stopped dropping duckets like you dropped weig

The vicious Home Rental Scam – don’t get conned.

It seems like new variations of the Nigerian 419 scam pop up every week. The one that caught my attention recently involved renting a home, and it’s a nasty trick that could take a

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

Books Get Recalled, Too (The Shocking Truth)

Just when you thought the world of consumer product recalls was largely limited to lead-based toys, laceration hazards, and the phenomenon of exploding laptop batteries, we can now

Plan for your wants

Budgets tend to focus on needs--food, shelter, heat, light, transportation, and (of course) taxes. They also provide for wants, but generally the smaller, shorter-term wants--cabl

Looking To Invest Right Now? 5 Basic Investing Tips For Any Market

A lot of people have been asking me recently, is this the stock market bottom? Is it time to jump into stocks? As an investor for over 20 years who's lived through 2 recessions (a

Debit Cards vs. Credit Cards: Fees and Fraud Protection

Debit cards might be better than credit cards because in theory, you'll spend less if you are only paying with money you have. But how do debit cards stack up in terms of fees and

The Best and Worst Places to Stash Cash in Your Home

We all agree that a buck has value, it is also a bit vulnerable when not hidden properly. Forget the $3000 hi-tech safe, and stick with these affordable tricks I picked up. Yo

Suze Orman's Financial Advice For Wise Bread Readers

Suze invited Wise Bread to a bloggers-only event and gave us a ton of great tips about how to survive in this tough economy. Suze talks about the most dramatic financial change you

Goal Setting: Getting Out of Debt Once and For All

It is easy enough to say that you have a goal of being debt free in “x” months or years. You have crunched the numbers, and your plan is realistic and achievable. But why is it so

What can renters do if their landlords are in foreclosure?

Lately many tenants across the United States who faithfully paid their rents on time were surprised to find eviction notices tacked on their doors because their landlords have not

Want a Company to Hear You? Talk to Their “People.”

Sure, you could call a company's customer service line in times of trouble. I've done it in the past with excellent results. I've also run into the occasional “I don't care.” Th

Five alternatives to 0% yield U.S. treasuries

This week the 4 week T-bill rate was driven down to 0% and the demand for these treasuries was astounding. It seems that investors are so pessimistic that they are willing to acce

What Do You and a Credit Card Thief Have in Common?

I've always considered myself to be an educated credit card user. I keep my balances low, pay on time, and don't do anything that could potentially come back to haunt me.. Little

Book review: Towers of Gold

It will not, I think, surprise my regular readers to hear that I like to read books about money. All kinds of books about money--not just books on personal finance and frugality,

6 Reasons I Still Don't Have a Cell Phone Plan (yet)

If you ask most people what they can't live without, many would say their computer. Just about as many would say their cell phone/PDA/Crackberry. I agree with the first one – I c

Latest Articles in Personal Finance

How to Dispute Mistakes On Your Credit Report

Notice something amiss on your credit report? Don't fret. This is how you can dispute any mistakes.

The 8 Most Eye-Opening Money Attractions in the U.S.

Make your next vacation money-themed, and check out these eight amazing attractions across the U.S.

Someone Took Out a Loan in Your Name. Now What?

A fraudulent loan can have dire consequences for your personal finances. Here's how you can fix the problem, stat.

5 Things to Know Before Adding Someone to the Deed

Before you add someone to the deed on your home, you should be aware of these five things.

Banks Still Offering Free Checking and Savings with Great Interest Rates

Tired of fee-gouging from your old bank? Here are the banks with the best checking and savings terms.

Capital One 360: A Competitive Banking Option

CapOne 360 is a great option for those looking for low fees and great interest rates!

5 Best Online Checking Accounts

Whether you're looking to earn interest or for great customer service and reasonable fees, these five online checking account are all wise choices.

5 Ways Gig Economy Workers Can Save for Retirement

Even if your full-time job consists of several gig economy jobs, you can successfully save for retirement — here's how.

5 Renovations That Don't Increase Your Resale Value

Before you get started on a new home renovation, make sure you know if it'll increase your resale value.

How to Protect Yourself From Credit Card Theft

Don't let a scammer get a hold of your credit card number. Here's how to keep your account secure.

5 Reasons Not to Use Debit Cards When You Shop Online

Before you place an order through your favorite online retailer, consider these reasons to use credit instead of debit.

How Cosigning On a Student Loan Could Impact Your Finances

Before you cosign on a student loan, these are four important things to keep in mind.

16 Small Steps You Can Take Now to Improve Your Finances

Believe it or not, you can improve your finances in a big way by making several small money moves.

How to Maximize Rewards on Everyday Spending

If you're not using your travel or cash back card for certain expenses, you're leaving valuable rewards on the table.

How to Stay Calm During a Market Fluctuation

If you're tempted to bail on investments when you hear scary financial predictions, it's important you learn how to keep your cool.

The Pros and Cons of Refinancing an Auto Loan

Before you refinance your auto loan, here's what you need to know.

How to Make Better Financial Decisions

Focusing all your efforts into reaching one financial goal is a fairly straightforward process. But what about when you have more than one financial goal? This guide will help.

The Pros and Cons of Paying Off Your Debt Early

You dream of being debt-free, but is it all it's cracked up to be?

5 Things Keeping You From a Life of Financial Independence

These are common obstacles that could be standing between you and sweet financial freedom.

Should You Use a Personal Loan or a Home Equity Loan to Remodel Your Home?

Looking to remodel your home? Here's how to decide between a personal loan and a home equity loan to pay for it.