Money Tips Network

I’ll be one of the first to admit that I’m a pack rat.  I come from a proud line of pack rats.  Not quite hoarding-level, but that’s just one floor up from where I am.

My wife, talented woman that she is, has a lot of materials and tools that she uses to create things.  Her crafting area in the house is well-organized.  Still, though, our space isn’t endless, and some of the tools that she has have gotten buried, tucked away in a drawer or a box somewhere.  They’re almost always in their proper place, but the boxes of things tend to “blend together” after a while.

The rediscovery process

Today, she was cleaning up one area, and found a good set of craft knife blades that she had forgotten about.  The way she put it was neat:  She was rediscovering the stuff that she already has.

Over the past few weeks, the world has watched as events have unfolded in the Crimean peninsula. Will Crimea be allowed to secede and join Russia? Will there be a civil war? Will other nations be dragged into the situation?

All of this has tumbled right onto the investment pages. Some advisors encourage people to sell, sell, sell if they own Russian currency or stocks, while others encourage people to buy, buy buy!

Here’s the truth: the brokers don’t care what you do as long as you sell and buy something. Brokerages make money on fees that they charge whenever you buy an investment and whenever you sell an investment.

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. Personal loan question
2. Everyone else has more money
3. Spice question
4. Child credit question
5. Huge warehouse club bills
6. Miserable at well-paying job
7. Credit card dilemma
8. Cost of living overwhelming me
9. Bitcoin alternatives

After all my fixed expenses are accounted for in my budget, there's not a ton left for the extras. Over the years, I've grown accustomed to entertaining myself on the cheap. And it's easier than you might think to find things to do. It just takes a little research and a lot of creativity, but you can certainly spend $5 (or less) and have an enjoyable time out. You may even learn something new! (See also: How to Beat the Sunday Night Blues)

This article is by staff writer Lisa Aberle.

Our two kids came with an almost two-year gestation, similar to an elephant’s gestation, actually. (Here’s where I would make a joke about now our salary feels like peanuts, or something, but I’m not that funny.) Between starting the adoption process and taking custody of the kids, we had much longer than most parents do to prepare.

Back in the pre-2008, pre-financial-crash world, you could land a job with a mediocre cover letter and decent resume. Not so in today's competitive market. In 2014, you need to be creative to find your dream job. It's still a good idea to use job search sites and take advantage of your personal network, but going a step further will increase your chances of landing a gig you'll love. Here are six unusual ways to kick up your job search. (See also: Job Hunting Tools More Important Than LinkedIn)

Here's the latest in my series of millionaire interviews, discussions with everyday people who have practical tips and insights into growing and managing wealth.

My questions are in bold italics and their responses follow in black.

Let's get started...

How old are you (and spouse if applicable, plus how long you've been married)?

I am 58 and my wife is 56. We have been married 14 years, a second marriage for both of us.

Do you have kids/family (if so, how old are they)?

I have two grown children from my previous marriage ages 35 and 33.

What area of the country do you live in (and urban or rural)?

My wife and I live in the Northeast in a suburban area of a mid-size city.

What is your current net worth?

I would estimate that as many as 10% of the emails I receive from readers reference the books, classes, or radio shows of Dave Ramsey. For those unfamiliar, Dave Ramsey hosts a weekly radio show on personal finance topics and focuses on straightforward but tough plans for handling personal finance challenges.

The centerpiece of Dave’s philosophy is what he calls the “seven baby steps.” The “baby steps” form a step-by-step framework for people to move from living a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle (usually with lots of debt) to a lifestyle of financial independence.

It’s a solid plan to follow, but I see lots of emails from people who are struggling with particular aspects of the plan, so I thought it would make sense to walk through Dave’s “seven baby steps” and offer up some thoughts on each step.

My three year old son loves to cuddle with me first thing in the morning. He’ll climb into bed, find a warm spot next to me, and then lay there for a while. He’ll whisper things in my ear and squirm around, but he mostly lays still and sometimes dozes a little bit.

I’ll see Sarah brushing her hair while looking in the mirror, so I’ll sneak up behind her and put my arms around her for a moment. She looks at me in the mirror and smiles.

My daughter is in the basement practicing her musical skills on our old keyboard. I can hear her struggling to make chords and then, sometimes, succeeding. Even if she’s playing something melancholy, her beginner’s style and enthusiasm makes it seem brighter and happier.

I’ll curl up on the couch with a library book and get lost in a new idea or a story. Reading works like yawning in our house; within fifteen minutes or so, everyone else will be in the room with a book in their hands.