Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
It drives me crazy to see personal finance articles and blog posts recommending mutual funds that no one should ever buy. You know, those mutual funds that are very lucrative for the broker who sells them (because of sales charges) and for the fund manager (because of high expenses), but are in no way a good deal for you.
It’s especially infuriating, because while I accept that investing in individual stocks requires a fair amount of research and knowledge, the basics of mutual fund investing are not that complicated. Perhaps the concept of asset allocation is a bit more complex (although by no means impossible to learn), but anyone can learn how to pick a good mutual fund. Here are the basics: [ continue reading… ]
Health advice doesn’t show up too often on most personal finance blogs, especially when it goes beyond where to cut health costs. But the fact of the matter is that getting and staying healthy is a good financial choice. There are plenty of expenses that go along with being out of shape or even outright sick — the number of bankruptcies in the U.S. caused even indirectly by unbearable medical expenses should be a strong argument in favor of the importance of health in figuring out your personal finances. [ continue reading… ]
If you have an IRA, you probably know that withdrawing before you are 59.5 is a no-no. This is because you will be hit with a 10% penalty for early withdrawal. However, there are some ways you can avoid the 10% penalty. The IRS (in publication 590) offers a number of exceptions to the rule. Here are 5 of them that you should definitely know about: [ continue reading… ]
The recent post about how to have a baby on a budget gave me a small chuckle. Don’t get me wrong, new babies are expensive and it’s great to give new parents advice on how to keep costs manageable, but as a mom of five, I’m afraid I have to tell you the expense only goes up as they get older. The good news is that you can give your child a rich, happy childhood without breaking the bank. All it takes is some creativity and legwork on your part. [ continue reading… ]
The emotional weight associated with prom night is difficult for an adult to appreciate. The price tag, however, is a totally different story. As a parent you want your child to enjoy themselves and maybe make a few precious memories, but you also want to avoid taking out a second mortgage to afford the evening. So what to do? Here are a few suggestions. [ continue reading… ]
As a reader of this blog, I’m sure you value frugality. If personal finance is of enough interest to you that you regularly read a personal finance blog, or search for personal finance topics on the Internet, then you’re probably a fairly frugal person, and you’re probably proud of it!
But can a person take frugality too far? Is there a point where being frugal turns into being a tightwad?
I can think of several examples where in an attempt to save, people act funny, go too far, or even deprive themselves of basic comforts. Will you go through my list and see if you agree? Are these people taking frugality too far? [ continue reading… ]
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Health advice doesn’t show up too often on most personal finance blogs, especially when it goes beyond where to cut health costs. But the fact of the matter is that getting and staying healthy is a good financial choice. There are plenty of expenses that go along with being out of shape or even outright sick — the number of bankruptcies in the U.S. caused even indirectly by unbearable medical expenses should be a strong argument in favor of the importance of health in figuring out your personal finances.
