Save more. Earn more. Have more.
It’s not often we talk about credit on You Have More Than You Think. But recently, I had a conversation with a friend that reminded me how important it is to have stellar credit. I’ve been nagging her about refinancing the mortgages on some real estate she owns. Unfortunately, my friend’s credit isn’t great. Which [...]
While studying US News & World Reports rankings of the Best Colleges of 2012, I realized something. Nation, we’ve lost our minds. There’s simply no other explanation than we’re completely mad. How else do you defend our blind willingness to go tens of thousands of dollars into student loan debt for a degree that might, just [...]
Whether you’re planning for your first child, trying to determine if you can afford a new car payment or just trying to cut back in order to save more for the future, there are always ways to find extra money in your budget. Even if you don’t want to give up anything, small tweaks and [...]
When it comes to saving money, big or small, I sweat it all. But today, I’d like to pay my respect to one of the largest and most cumbersome expenses in many U.S. households: cars. We love ‘em here, don’t we? I certainly have some pretty strong opinions about whether it makes more financial sense [...]
I don’t wanna sound blasphemous, but I hate weddings. They’re such an elaborate waste of money, I just can’t stand them. According to CNNMoney.com, the average wedding cost $21,814 in 2008 down from $27,490 in 2007. You got $22,000 burning a hole in your bank account, then buy me a high quality diamond. Something I [...]
It’s possible you’ve noticed, but in case you haven’t, let me just say, I really love talking about personal finance. So much so that I volunteer for two organizations as a financial education counselor. This past Saturday, I taught a two-hour course titled Know Your Credit Report. It’s one class in a 5-part series on [...]
There was a time I swore I’d never pay off student loan debt a second sooner than required. Why would I do something dumb like that? There were so many benefits to keeping it around until 2020. By paying off my student loan, I’d avoid 2.625% of interest on the outstanding balance each year. That’s [...]
Picture it. On a blistering cold evening in the winter of 2005, I received a frantic phone call from a family member whose loan application had just been denied. To protect the indigent, let’s refer to this family member as Larissa. Unable to obtain law school financing [...]
An easy way to quickly get more money in your pocket is to increase the number of withholding allowances on Form W-4. By doing so, you don’t change your income. You just change the timing of when you receive your money. In the past, a compelling argument could be made to avoid receiving a large [...]
