Category: personal debt

You Overspent on Christmas—Now What?

What went wrong? Put your mind on rewind and go back a few months. How come you spent so much? Did you run out of cash before you got to the end of your list, so you started charging? Did you feel pressured to make sure the kids weren’t disappointed? Perhaps you didn’t anticipate expenses…


Answers to Your Questions on Credit Unions, Banks and Deadbeat Parents

Credit Unions Versus Banks Dear Mary: What is the difference between a bank and a credit union? —Justina Dear Justina: Great question! A bank is a for-profit financial business run by paid board members that’s primary purpose is to make profits for the shareholders. A credit union is a nonprofit financial business that’s owned by…


More Money May Not Be the Answer

Affluence is not measured by your annual income. Affluence is determined by how many of your resources you manage not to spend — the amount of income you keep. The idea that you should live below your means is obvious, isn’t it? It’s not like this is the first time you’ve ever heard of the…


Skip a Payment?!

Get a load of the “gift” that reader Julie W. got in the mail from her bank several months ago: Dear Julie: Summer is the time for great vacations. So start with a vacation from your loan payments, with Skip-a-Payment. Three easy steps put extra cash in your pocket! 1. Mail the attached Skip-a-Payment coupon…


Sometimes You Gotta Bite the Bullet

In a recent poll at my Everyday Cheapskate website, I asked: What would you do with an unexpected windfall of $10,000? Responses ranged from saving every penny to giving all of it away to using it to get caught up on bills. This got me thinking: What fascinating answer would I get if I changed…


The Ultimate Risk-Free, High-Yield, Guaranteed Investment

From time to time, this kind of question pops up in my inbox: How can I get started investing in stocks and mutual funds that are risk-free and have guaranteed high rates of return? Of course, that makes me laugh, not only because there is no such thing as a risk-free investment — let alone…


6 Tips for Digging Your Small Business Out of Serious Debt

While most people consider some debt to be healthy, too much debt is certainly not good for a small business. It acts as a weight around your ankle, holding you back from accomplishing your long-term financial goals. Serious debt is something that creeps up on a lot of business owners, you’re not alone. But how can…