Dear Mary: About 10 years ago, my daughter co-signed on an automobile loan for a friend. The “friend” skipped out on payments and left town, so they came after my daughter for payment. All these years later, she still has not paid anything on the loan. Is there a time limit for how long they…
Window Air Conditioner: How to Fix It, Clean It, and Make It Like New
The heat of summer will soon be bearing down, giving millions of window-mounted air conditioners a real workout. Many owners of said units are wondering why their air conditioners aren’t working properly. Good news! In most situations, consumers can fix a window air conditioner themselves, provided they have the right information and an inexpensive handy…
Saving by Choice, Not by Chance
A question that I answered in a previous column brought a small avalanche of mail, mostly from readers who were aghast that I would suggest they save such a significant portion of their paychecks for retirement. It was money they insisted they could not afford to save. I can only imagine that for a person…
3 Ways to Boost Your Credit Score
Your 790 credit score might not be as great as you think it is. It all depends on which credit score you’re looking at. If you’re referring to a FICO score of 790 out of 850, that’s excellent, but 790 is only so-so on the VantageScore 2.0 model, which tops out at 990. So, you…
How to Clean Gunk and Grime From Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are for storing dishes, not grease. Unfortunately, wood cabinets, whether painted or natural with a clear finish, are prone to all sorts of grease, grime, and gunk from simply being in the kitchen. Depending on just how much grease and grime you’re looking at and the supplies you have available, here are several…
Things You Can Do Now to Fight Price Inflation
Nearly everything at the store, from beef and cereal to fruit and veggies, costs more than it did a year ago. Inflation is the culprit eating away at your budget. You may not have noticed yet because it takes a while for these changes to trickle down. But we need to be keenly aware of…
A Couple’s Guide to Common Money Myths
The wedding was beautiful and fulfilled your fondest dreams. But it’s over, and now it’s time to settle in and enjoy your new life together. Lucky for you, I’m here to warn you about some common money myths that newlyweds have been known to bring with them into their marriages. Myth: Double the Income, Half…
8 Things That Should Never Go in the Dryer
Clothes pinned to a clothesline flapping in the breeze and drying in the sunshine is a visual that brings me back to my childhood. And oh, that amazing smell of line-dried clean sheets. Know what I mean? Modern-day clothes dryers have almost completely replaced traditional outdoor clotheslines. A clothes dryer is a convenient appliance that…
Haggling for Dollars
By a show of hands, let me see how many of you have a credit card in your name. Uh-huh, I see those hands. It appears that my audience falls right in line with national averages: About 70 percent of you have at least one credit card. And how would you categorize your relationship with…
Family Road Trip Tips and Tricks
It’s summer—the best time to get away for some family fun. This weekend, why not load up the car, fill the tank, and take the family on a road trip? Driving is cheaper than flying, and it’s a lot more fun to see this gorgeous land from the ground. Enjoy this handy collection of tips…
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