Inflation is the rate at which the prices of goods and services rise over time. This phenomenon may seem like a plan hatched by an evil mastermind, but inflation isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s generally a sign that the economy is growing — and during your working years, you can usually expect your wages […]
Receiving a lump sum of money is something you think will never happen to you — until it does. And though it will often be due to unfortunate circumstances, like a death in the family, you’ll still have to know what to do with it. A family member recently gifted me $6,000, which was one […]
It’s March, and even though much of the Midwest is still engulfed in the icy grip of the Polar Vortex, there are signs that spring is right around the corner. Just as the increasing hours of warmth and sunshine motivate us to eliminate the dust and clutter from our homes, spring cleaning our finances is […]
When it comes to money terms, people tend to be intimidated about asking for clarification. They’re afraid it’ll make them look uninformed or stupid, but this isn’t the case: there’s nothing wrong with asking for a definition. (Chances are, someone else in the conversation will be wondering the same thing.) But just in case you’re […]
In the last decade, online savings accounts have become commonplace. Not only do they traditionally yield better interest rates on your savings (for instance, the difference between 0.5 and 3%) — they cost both banks and consumers less money to operate. Although some people have switched from traditional savings accounts to higher-yield online savings accounts […]
Four years ago, I started my life as a blogger. I was delighted to be bringing in the extra income, but I didn’t think about the tax implications. As an independent contractor, there were exactly zero taxes taken out of my pay. That same year, our adjustable rate mortgage adjusted down, resulting in less interest […]
