Reducing the Cost of Medical Care

My brother has had a hard time getting medical insurance in the past because he was out of school and didn’t have a job with health coverage. He and the family have thus had to be creative to keep their medical bills from overwhelming them. Medical expenses can be a huge burden. With basic ER […]


Staying on Track With Your 2010 Financial Goals

The year is flying by and in a few short months it’ll be 2011. Like many people, I set a number of financial goals for this year. I used to have a huge list of goals, which I inevitably didn’t meet. This year, I decided to keep it relatively simple and short. My goals were: […]


Paying Down Debt With a HELOC

Are you swamped with high interest debt and looking for a solution? The airwaves are filled with ads for debt consolidation, but do you really need someone to do it for you? Why not do your own legwork and roll your debts into one low(er) interest loan? One option for consolidating your debt is rolling […]


How Do I Handle a Stolen Credit Card?

Having your credit card (or card number) stolen can be extremely stressful. If the thief gets your entire wallet, the situation is even worse. The good news is that there are steps you can take to minimize your liability and otherwise protect yourself. Here is a quick and easy guide to point you in the […]


Dipping Into Our Emergency Fund

This week we’ve had both good and bad news. After our car accident, it’s quite possible that we may have to dip into our emergency fund. While I’m not happy to be using it, I’m very glad that it’s there for us. All of this got me to thinking about the slight difference (in my […]


Car Insurance: Dealing With an Accident

Last week while driving home, my husband and I got into a car accident. We were stopped at a red light behind another car. When it turned green we started to move, but got slammed into from behind by a young guy going way too fast. After the accident, he said that he was messing […]


How (and Why) to Roll Over Your 401(k)

Most people will work for several companies throughout their career. As you move to another company, you should be careful not to forget about your retirement investments. Unless your old employer’s plan had solid and low cost investment options, you should seriously consider rolling your investments over to an IRA. Aside from increasing your investment […]


Starting a Kitchen Garden

We’re chugging along through 2010, trying to meet our goals for the year. Since we’ve automated much of our finances, we’ve had some extra time to pursue other goals. Something that I’m particularly proud of is our small garden out front. We have a kitchen garden, meaning everything that we’re growing is meant to be […]


Home Improvement: DIY and Save Money

Being new home owners means we’re facing a number of new expenses. These include HOA fees, property taxes, and of course mortgage payments. In addition, we’ve been working on some home improvement projects that have the potential to be an additional drain on our budget. This is all part of the process of making a […]


Making the Most of Your Business Trips

Business travel can have a big impact on your career. Depending on what you do, you might travel to attend conferences, meet with clients, or explore new opportunities for expansion. If you’re a freelancer, such trips can be even more important, as they’ll help you expand your network of contacts, potentially bringing in new business. […]