Money Tips Network

If you didn’t hear it on the news, you probably noticed it the last time you filled up your car: gasoline prices have been dropping lately after holding fairly steady for a year or so, following world oil prices.

After clicking your heels at the gas station when nobody was looking, you probably got in your car and started wondering: Is this for real? How long can it last? Is this just one of those blips you can clearly see on the chart, or are we seeing a fundamental shift toward lower energy prices? If lower energy prices sound like a dream, that’s because, in our lifetimes, we’ve only see them go up. However, the notion of a long-term drop in energy prices may not be so totally far-fetched.

Three mega-trends could account for the drop:

1. Natural gas

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup!

Houses, salaries, cars… sure, we know about those big-ticket items that are supposed to be negotiated. But what about other things? Are you missing the boat and wasting money?

Not everyone likes negotiating. It can feel confrontational, or even rude. But if it's good enough for Dr.

A few weeks ago, I found myself following a strangely erratic driver while rolling along on US-163 here in Iowa.

This driver was doing several very noticeable things. For starters, this person was driving several miles an hour under the speed limit, going about 57 in a 65 MPH area. Whenever we reached a dip, he would coast up to about 65 miles per hour as we went down, then slow down to about 40 miles per hour on the way up. He would return to his previous maximum speed very, very slowly. About two miles before we reached his exit, he started to very slowly decelerate until he was going about 25 MPH as he exited.

At first, I would have passed the guy but I was actually boxed in by a long line of traffic in the other lane. After a while, though, I began to realize what he was doing. He was driving for maximum fuel efficiency.

Keeping good books is essential to keeping your business… in business. Photo: Dave Dugdale

Have you ever written a check and paused for a moment to mentally check your bank account to make sure there were sufficient funds in the account for the check to clear? I have, and I’m guessing you have too. Keeping accurate accounting records is important — especially for your business.

Accounting provides you and your business the information you need to make sound economic decisions. Do I have enough money in the bank to write this check?

It’s also important for demonstrating how the company is doing financially to external parties such as investors, creditors, and tax authorities. How do I attract investors and keep the IRS off my back?

Americans are living longer, fuller lives today than ever before. And our ability to predict said lifespan is growing, too.

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup!

Could your business survive without you? Life insurance is a must-have for small-business owners and partners. Photo: Christian Senger

Businesses of every size and type operate on a risk-reward basis. Risks are everywhere, from investing in new equipment in hopes of earning new business, to hiring a new employee on the strength of a resume and a 30-minute interview.

However, any good businessperson will also agree that thoroughly considered risks are not only necessary, but the key to long-term growth and success. The trick is in minimizing possible risks and maximizing potential rewards.

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to five word summaries. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.
1. Life insurance question
2. Buying gas when it’s cheap
3. Old deep freezer items
4. Keeping old financial documents
5. Debt repayment struggles
6. Buy it for life: winter
7. Old odd collector’s items?
8. Dave Ramsey and 12%
9. Budget categories