Is your family itching to go somewhere for spring break while you’d like to keep your wallet from overheating? Here are some ideas for saving money on your trip: 1. Get off the beaten path. If at all possible, avoid traveling to typical spring break destinations. Not only will your family be surrounded by partying [...]
Engagement ring or down payment? Apparently young women are increasingly opting for the latter. According to a survey of 1,000 people from ERA Real Estate, half of young women would rather have their mate propose with a plan to put money toward the down payment of a house than an engagement ring and 60 percent would [...]
Money can be a real pain. About 24 percent of people admit that the “pain of spending” turns them into tightwads, while about 15 percent admit to being spendthrifts, where they experience so little pain when spending that they spend more than they should. When I say pain, I mean it rather literally. Researchers Scott [...]
Have you heard of the Rule of 752? For those struggling to save money, this one’s for you. We always hear that by cutting out small expenses, we can save big (I even have an eBook touching on 10 expenses that can kill your savings). We know those $3 daily lattes add up. But it [...]
The economy is continuing to improve, and many people who saved diligently during the recession to pay off debt are now feeling comfortable enough to borrow again for homes, cars, and other big purchases. As a result, U.S. household debt is climbing at its fastest pace in five years. Consumer household debt rose 1.1 percent [...]
An anonymous Silicon Valley billionaire has purchased the world’s most valuable life insurance policy for $201 million, and I think his reasoning behind it is fascinating. He bought the insurance to help his heirs avoid paying a 45 percent inheritance tax after his death. This life insurance policy will pay out twice as much, and [...]
Want to make smarter financial decisions? Wear heels when you go shopping. If heels aren’t your thing, then you can try shopping right after yoga class or after a session of escalator riding, or standing on one foot when deciding which big-screen TV you want to buy. What do all these activities accomplish? These actions [...]
When you’re saving money, “splurge” is a bad word. Splurges are often perceived as impulse purchases made outside the confines of a household budget—and that’s something savers are told they should avoid. Not every splurge is bad, however. There are times when it makes sense to spend a little more than you would like. The [...]
When you’re shopping for insurance, it’s important to consider your current stage of life. The coverage you had in your teens may be different from the coverage you require as a senior, so you’ll want to choose an insurance policy that fits your needs. Below are policies you should consider in the different stages of [...]
Want to spend less money without spending too much time figuring out how? Get some crisp, new bills from the bank. Apparently, when we have them, we don’t want to let them go, according to the Journal of Consumer Research study “Money Isn’t Everything, but It Helps If It Doesn’t Look Used: How the Physical [...]
