Category: personal finance

Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold and Other Commodities (Aug. 10)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for September delivery rose $1.43 to $91.93 a barrel Wednesday. Brent crude for October delivery rose $1.09 to $97.40 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for September delivery rose 11 cents to $3.07 a gallon. September heating oil rose 8 cents to $3.41 a gallon. September natural gas rose 37 cents to $8.20…


Fall Cleaning Your Personal Finances

Fall is upon us. Halloween is just weeks away. While personal finances may not be top of mind, there is no better time than the fall to clean up your personal finances. Fall cleaning can be a fun, light option to keep your finances running smoothly and ensure you are on track for your goals. You wouldn’t drive…


Early Retirement Will Bankrupt Your Dreams, Here’s Why

While there are certainly exceptions, who wouldn’t want to retire early? Instead of being a part of the 9-to-5 grind, you could spend more with family, friends, or leisure activities that you haven’t had time for. Or, maybe you could finally travel or pursue a money-making side hustle. Sounds good, right? Well, unless you have more…


Don’t Fall for Catchy and Scary Headlines

I guess I picked a bad title when I called my little guidebook “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” I’ll never attract readers and get rich with a boring title like that. Instead, I should have called it something like: “Buy This Book and Gets Thousands in Extra Social Security Benefits!” Or maybe, “Social Security Secrets…


Is Investing Based on ESG a Scam?

Investing in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) companies is currently at the forefront of business news. Many brokerage firms are offering products with the ESG criteria. In addition, mutual funds and robo-advisors are also offering ESG products. Some companies are claiming to use ESG practices. However, defining precisely the criteria rating is often ambiguous. What is…


Americans Expect Grocery Price Inflation to Push Higher Still: Poll

An increasing number of Americans anticipate that their grocery bills will increase in the future, according to a new poll by Rasmussen Reports published on Aug. 9. The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults was conducted between July 24–25, and the margin of sampling error is +3 percentage points at a 95 percent level of confidence. According to the survey, 89…



Bad Debt vs Good Debt: A Useful Guide

In previous articles, I have used the terms “good debt” and “bad debt,” and the latter term undoubtedly has seemed like somewhat of an oxymoron to some. Getting into debt is considered a cardinal sin to many who give advice within the personal finance world. But, while some high-interest debt, such as credit cards, can…


6 Retirement Planning Issues Most People Make and How To Avoid Them

If you’re thinking about your financial future, retirement planning is one aspect you can’t overlook. But retirement planning is one of the most difficult financial tasks, as it came with some issues. Your ability to save can be impacted by your salary, debt, expenses, etc. Plus, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to retirement. To build…


Closing Prices for Crude Oil, Gold and Other Commodities (Aug. 9)

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for September delivery fell 26 cents to $90.50 a barrel Tuesday. Brent crude for October delivery fell 34 cents to $96.31 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for September delivery rose 7 cents to $2.96 a gallon. September heating oil rose 15 cents to $3.33 a gallon. September natural gas rose 24 cents…