budget
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10 Essential Personal Finance Steps for Financial Independence
Personal finance is about more than just spending less than you earn and staying out of debt. You need a balance of insurance to protect your assets, investments to prepare for retirement, and a plan
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Tax Day Dilemma: Refund vs. IRS Owed? Understanding Your Options
Today is tax day – I hope you got everything taken care of! Like millions of others, I waited until the last minute. Last year, an estimated 35 million people filed their taxes in the final week
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2008 Economic Stimulus Checks: A Historical Analysis of the US Response to the Great Recession
Note: the section below was originally published in 2008 and covers the 2008 economic stimulus package. It has been updated for historical purposes and for usability. Please see this page if you are l
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Smart Money Moves: Financial Strategies for College Students
Many people have a tale or two to tell about how they messed things up in college – taking too many student loans, abusing credit cards, taking too long to graduate, or getting the “wrong&
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US Currency Accessibility Ruling: What You Need to Know
CNN reported yesterday that a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that the U.S. Treasury Department is violating the law by failing to design and issue currency that is readily distinguishable to blin
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Financial Planning for High School Graduates: A Beginner's Guide
My sister graduated high school last weekend, so I thought I would prepare a basic financial primer for her and any high school graduate. Following these steps will help anyone start off on the right
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15 Proven Ways to Lower Your AC Bills This Summer
My wife and I are fortunate to live in a moderate climate and we were able to get by without using air conditioning until this week. I think it’s great that we can wait until mid-June before we
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Save Money on Gas: Proven Strategies for Lower Fuel Costs
The price of gas here in the US is relatively low compared to many other nations. Even so, gas can eat up a large portion of our monthly budget. Regardless of the price of gas, it’s always a goo
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What is Financial Freedom? Definitions & Achieving It
Financial freedom means many different things to different people. To a teenager, it might mean having their own place and cutting your ties with the Bank of Mom and Dad. To someone in retirement age,
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Tipping Etiquette: A Comprehensive Guide to Calculating & Best Practices
Tipping can be a controversial subject. Should you tip? How much? To whom? Do I need to break out the calculator to figure this out? Rest easy – we have a few handy tips to help you determine wh
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Build Wealth: The Power of Spending Less Than You Earn
We recently wrote an in-depth article about how to become wealthy. The basics are simple: earn money, spend less than you earn, save, invest, and repeat the process. This sounds like a simple set of i
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Automated Savings: Achieve Your Financial Goals Effortlessly
The most important financial principal in the world is to spend less than you earn. No matter what else you do, you must do this if you want to become wealthy or achieve financial freedom. One of the
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Unclaimed Property: Understanding State Laws and Recovering Lost Assets
Did you know the state can legally take money from your bank account or the contents of your safe deposit box and add it to the state treasury? No, I’m not talking about the state hijacking the
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Verify Charity Legitimacy: 3 Essential Questions Before Donating
Many people get great enjoyment from donating to various charities, clubs, programs, and religious or other organizations. But how do you know where your donations go? If you donate money, how much go
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Spotting & Avoiding Charity Scams: Protect Your Donations
Giving donations to charities is a great thing to do. There are many charitable organizations that make our world a better place. Unfortunately, wherever people are willing to give, there are unethica
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Financial Planning: 9 Essential Tips for Building Wealth
Do you follow a financial plan? Do you have a clear set of financial goals? Are you saving and investing? Do you have your insurance up to date to and an emergency fund to protect you from the unexpec
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Upselling Strategies: Mastering the Art of Increasing Sales
Upselling is an unavoidable part of doing business and the art of the upsell has graduated far beyond the ubiquitous line, “would you like fries with that.” Just about anywhere you spend m
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Cruise Savings: 5 Expert Tips for a Budget-Friendly Vacation
My wife and I recently took our first cruise, and thankfully we were well prepared for it. We did a lot of research, and we got some great advice from her parents who have gone on several cruises. Bas
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Avoid Early Termination Fees: How to Transfer Your Cell Phone Contract
Several years ago I wanted a new cell phone contract. Luckily, I was able to transfer my cell phone plan to a coworker. It was a win-win situation. He wanted to get onto the Verizon network, and I wan
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Save Money on Energy Bills: The Power of Programmable Thermostats
My coworker came into work the other day complaining about a $225 heating bill. That is about 3 times as much as my wife and I normally pay! We had a couple straight weeks below freezing, so the high
budget
- Navigating a Pay Cut: Budgeting Strategies for Financial Stability
- Effortless Meal Planning: A 6-Step Guide for a Stress-Free Week
- Build a Strong Emergency Fund: Your Financial Safety Net
- Debt Payoff Journey: Krys Pauses Progress - Month 8 Update
- Budget-Friendly Wedding Planning: Saying Yes to Your Dream Day Without Breaking the Bank
- Understanding How Coupons Work: A Simple Explanation
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Credit Score Myths Busted: Separating Fact from Fictiondiv.cust...
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The 2008 Financial Crisis and the Rise of Right-Wing PopulismTen years ago, on Oct. 3, 2008, United States President George W. Bush signed the “Troubled Assets Relief Program” (TARP) that promised $700 billion to support ...
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Venture Capitalists: Funding for High-Growth StartupsVenture capitalists are investors who provide financing to start-ups or small companies that are looking to expand. The beneficiary companies are usually considered to be with high growth potential, b...
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Understanding Diagonal Options Spreads: A Beginner's GuideWhen a new(ish) option trader graduates from the basic strategies—covered calls and vertical spreads, for example—to more advanced multi-leg spreads, it can be a little intimidating at first. And diag...