Providing objective, practical and as-needed advice to answer your personal financial questions.
As of June 2020, I am no longer creating new content. Some details may change from year to year, but my approach takes a long view. It is my hope that the concepts and philosophy in the archives prove timeless and helpful.
Have you ever felt pressured to buy a house? Maybe from your friends, your family, your co-workers, or even yourself? Like you haven't actually made it as an adult until you own your home?
It's a common feeling, but the truth is that buying a house ISN'T always the right decision. In some cases renting is a smarter move, both for your wallet and your lifestyle ... Read More.
Why are you working so hard to make good financial decisions?
Why are you tracking your spending, living by a budget, paying off debt, building an emergency fund, contributing to a 401(k), and everything else you're doing to improve your financial situation? What's your endgame here? Have you thought about it? I mean, really sat down and thought about why you’re making all this effort? ... Read More.
If your primary focus when it comes to investing is how to find a better strategy with a better return, you're doing it wrong. The truth is that until you've built up a sizable portfolio, your investment return, surprisingly, doesn't matter that much.
What really matters is your savings rate ... Read More.
Already high, student loan debt creeps higher each year. In 2013, the average borrower who had taken out student loans graduated from college with $28,400 in debt, according to the Institute for College Access and Success. New estimates for the class of 2015 put that figure even higher, at $35,000.
Meanwhile, the average starting salary for new graduates with a bachelor’s degree is $48,127, according to the Society for Human Resources Management.
That’s a tough way to start your professional career. And if that’s what your situation looks like, it’s probably tempting to just make your minimum monthly payments and know that your debt will be gone in 10 years.
But that’s not the only way to go ... Read More.
The media likes to paint a certain picture of what it means to be rich — huge mansions, expensive cars, high-powered Wall Street or tech-startup-type jobs. If you buy into that image, being rich may feel like an impossible dream.
But the truth is that most “rich” people live very normal lives. You probably wouldn’t even know they were rich if you saw them because they don’t fit the stereotype. Most rich people are a lot like you and me. They just know a secret that, while incredibly effective, isn’t very sexy ... Read More.
If you’re getting ready to welcome your first baby, you probably recognize that your financial situation is going to change. With diapers, wipes, baby furniture, doctor visits and so much more, you’ll have to account for some new expenses. And if one parent will be staying home with the baby, even if it’s just a temporary maternity or paternity leave, you may be facing a reduction in income at the same time.
It’s enough to stress anyone out. But there are some simple ways to plan ahead to make the transition as smooth as possible ... Read More.
