budget
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Preparing for Parenthood: Reflecting on the Future of Your Child
Several years ago I made the announcement that my wife and I were expecting our first child. I know this will be a major life change for us, but it is one that we are both looking forward to. The idea
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Recovering from Gambling Addiction: A Personal Story & Resources
Gambling addiction, or compulsive gambling, is a serious problem in America that affects millions of people and can ruin your life, career, and marriage. I wanted to share with you how blackjack and p
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Optimal Spending: How Much Cash Should You Carry When Shopping?
How much money do you take with you when you go shopping? Personally, I carry a lot, at least, I have access to a lot of money. In an earlier article, I shared what I carry in my wallet – I norm
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You Need a Budget (YNAB): Comprehensive Review & Features
You Need a Budget (YNAB) is one of the more popular budgeting software programs. YNAB maintains the same methodology and easy to use programming that made the original and YNAB Pro versions so popular
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Simplifying the US Tax Code: Proposed Changes & Challenges
The tax code is complicated. It’s begging for an overhaul, and I would love to know how you would change the tax code. My preference would be to simplify, simplify, simplify. But that is easier
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DIY Oil Changes: Weighing the Costs and Benefits
Yesterday I wrote about how Valvoline messed up my oil change. They screwed on an oil filter canister too tightly and it cost me $15 to get a new one. I could have gone back to their oil change locati
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YNAB Pro vs. Quicken: Which Budgeting Tool is Right for You?
I recently published a review on You Need a Budget, and a reader asked me how YNAB compares to Quicken. YNAB and Quicken are both powerful and useful financial management tools, but they have differen
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Cash for Clunkers Program (2009): Eligibility & History
Note: The Cash for Clunkers program ended in the fall of 2009. This article remains on this site for historical and informational purposes. We have updated the contents for clarity and to remove broke
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Understanding and Managing Arachnophobia: More Than Just Fear of Spiders
Last night our daughter woke us up for a midnight feeding. While we were taking care of her, my wife saw a small, black spider scurry across the wall. My mission instantly changed from diaper changer
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Tithing in Financial Hardship: A Thoughtful Approach
I received a reader question this week that I thought I would share with everyone for a few reasons: to answer the reader’s question, hopefully help others, and extend the conversation. You see,
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Check Engine Light Diagnosis: Causes, Risks & Free Scan Options
Last week I was driving to my fantasy football draft when my check engine light came on. “Great,” I thought. “Now what?” It’s not a good idea to drive too far with your c
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College Budgeting: Essential Money-Saving Tips for Students
College is starting up around the country right now. My sister just began her freshman year of college, and like many people her age, this is her first time living away from home. For most people, goi
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Kitchen Efficiency: 20 Proven Ways to Save Time & Money
If you’re like me, you probably eat at home most days of the week – which means spending time buying food, cooking, cleaning, and doing all the other little chores that need to be done. If
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Avoid ATM & Debit Card Fees: A Military Veteran's Guide
I often traveled when I was in the military, and I could never count on finding an ATM from my bank. Even the largest branches can’t have ATM machines everywhere. The problem with using another
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Bottled Water: Cost, Health & Environmental Impact - Is It Worth It?
Americans spent over $18.5 billion dollars on bottled water in 2017, up 7% from 2016. Much of that is due to clever advertising which leads people to believe that bottled water is a healthier and bett
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Smart Used Car Buying: A Comprehensive Guide Beyond Carfax
I am a big supporter of buying used cars instead of new cars. Buying a used car will save you money not just on the price, but can also help in finding affordable car insurance options because used ca
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Understanding the Great Recession: Causes, Effects & Lessons Learned (2008-2009)
The Great Recession is the name commonly given to the 2008 – 2009 financial crisis that affected millions of Americans. In the last few months we have seen several major financial institutions b
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Flood Damaged Cars: Risks & How to Avoid Scams
Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of thousands of refugees poured into the Houston area. Most of them left Louisiana with very little and their arrival increased the demand on housing, used ca
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Kaizen: Continuous Improvement for Personal Finance & Life
Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life. A rough translation for Kaizen is “change for the better.” Kaizen became popular in Japan during
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Priceline: Mastering the 'Name Your Own Price' Strategy for Travel Deals
There are quite a few websites where you can get great airline ticket prices online. Some of them include Expedia, Hotels.com, Kayak.com, Travelocity, and Priceline. Some of these sites may have sligh
budget
- Conquer Lifestyle Inflation: Protect Your Financial Growth
- Navigating Health Insurance Options When You're Unwell
- Personal Budgeting: Tools & Strategies for Financial Control
- Understanding the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT): A Comprehensive Guide
- The 60% Budgeting Method: A Simple Path to Financial Control
- Effortless Meal Planning: A 6-Step Guide for a Stress-Free Week
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Understanding Inflation Accounting: A Guide for Multinational CorporationsInflation accounting is used during times of increasing or plummeting prices in certain areas of the world, usually with respect to multinational corporationsMultinational Corporation (MNC)A multinati...
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MoneyGram & Quick Collect: Send Money Fast & EasilySend money using MoneyGram. MoneyGram and Western Union Quick Collect are ways of sending money to others anywhere in the world using your bank account or credit card. To use MoneyGram you ca...
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HUD Housing Grants & Assistance for Unemployed & Low-Income IndividualsThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides housing grants to those who have experienced a job loss or a decrease in income. Programs are available to both homeowners and rente...
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2021 Stimulus Payments: IRS Guidance & Claiming InformationMake sure you understand the updated...