Articles on Personal Finance

New Credit Card Legislation Buzz: An Interview with Wall Street Journal’s Mary Pilon

The AP just announced that new credit card rules have passed legislation and are headed to President Obama for final approval. Much speculation can be made on how this new set of

How will the new credit card rules affect consumers?

Today a new bill was passed by the U.S. Senate with the intent of restricting abusive practices in the credit card industry. A House bill was passed on May 12th and will be reconc

Down-To-Earth Financial Advice From A Mountain-Climbing Adviser

I just finished reading The New Coffeehouse Investor by financial adviser Bill Schultheis. He's an index-fund investor and discusses his rationale for investing in non-managed fund

Carnival of Personal Finance #205: Pay it Forward Edition

Wikipedia tells us that the expression "pay it forward" is used to describe the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead. More specifically,

Would you get rid of credit cards if stores give more discounts to customers who pay cash ?

I am sure you have encountered a store or gas station that has a set of prices for cash customers and a set of prices for credit card customers. Usually the credit card customer h

Best Money Tips: Books Galore

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips roundup. A bunch of personal finance books being released in the coming weeks. This edition will share how you can haggle with your docto

On Choosing and Defending Your Luxuries

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

6 C's to Keep You Frugal While Shopping

When you prepare to go on a shopping trip, there are 6 things that you should equip yourself with before heading out.

Need cheap or free construction materials? Go to a demolished housing development.

Amidst the financial crisis, many home builders around the country have run out of financing. Last week a bank decided to completely level 16 completed and partially built homes i

Five quick and simple scams that could happen to you today

A US version of the UK show The Real Hustle has been trying out some very simple but effective cons on the American public, and they’re getting away with some serious money. Watch,

Everything You Need to Know About Personal Finance on One Page

Trent Hamm of The Simple Dollar has published a short ebook he's giving away for free. It's audaciously titled "Everything You Ever Really Needed to Know About Personal Finance On

Do Americans really want to "Go Dutch"?

I just read a very interesting article by an American expat named Russell Shorto in the Netherlands titled "Going Dutch - How I Learned to Love the European Welfare State". The

7 Free and Low Cost Ways To Protect Your Credit

Many people have fallen victim to identity theft and credit fraud such that it's become essential for us to keep an eye on our credit. Most of the time, a fraud victim finds out a

Another path to recovery: higher incomes

Preventing a collapse of the financial system is part of preventing a depression. However, the shorthand term for this--getting the banks able and willing to lend--is misleading.

Budgeting Hack: Gift Calendars

There is no quicker way to derail a decent budget than having to buy unexpected gifts. Learn how to make your own Gift Calendar so you can steer clear of the cash crunch, organize

Time Is Money: Budget Them Both Out

We hear it all the time: Time is Money. But do we really treat our time with the same respect we treat our money? If we really do believe that time is valuable shouldn't we be budg

Conspicuous Spending: Fading to Black

In the black community and many other communities there is a sense that material possession and flair denotes character, accomplishment and power. It's a poor dad mentality and a

Mortgage bailout redux: new incentives for modifying second mortgages in the Second Lien Program

The United States government launched the "Hope for Homeowners" program back in October, 2008, and so far only one loan has received final approval to refinance under this program.

The Ultimate Cheapskate, Jeff Yeager, Tonight on Blog Talk Radio!

Jeff’s humorous (and sometimes rough) way of sharing frugality has been popular among many of our readers. We’ve got the exclusive interview you won’t want to miss! Hear Jeff sha

5 Places to Check out Medical Care for the Uninsured

With job loss on the rise and many people who can not afford medical insurance on their own, yet don't qualify for state or federal assistance, there are many who will skip medical