finance
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Spring Garden Care: Preparing Your Tools for a Bountiful Season
“Spring has sprung,” as they say in my little corner of the Midwest. Our magnolia tree is in partial bloom, the daffodils and hyacinths are in full bloom, and most trees are starting
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Choosing the Right Luggage: Balancing Cost and Durability
Its spring! Dont you just feel like hitting the road? Well, maybe you do if you dont travel for a living. Either way, luggage. Ive had my fair share of experiences with luggage over the years. Lo
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Alternatives to Bankruptcy: Exploring Financial Recovery Options
A few years ago, I was at my lowest point financially. I was looking for a solution to rise above the financial crises I was experiencing and trying to find a way to keep my home out of foreclosu
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Maternity Leave Savings: A Comprehensive Guide for US Families
The United States policy on maternity leave can be a touchy subject among families, and especially women. Unlike all other wealthy countries, many of which mandate weeks and months of paid leave
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Homeschooling on a Single Income: Financial Strategies & Considerations
When I wrote about the pros and cons of homeschooling recently, I left one major piece of the puzzle untouched: How does a family handle the loss of income if a stay-at-home parent is required? I
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When to Hire a Landscaper: 5 Projects Best Left to Professionals
Its easy to become overwhelmed with the various costs that pop up when youre a homeowner. Things like furnace/AC Repair, having to put on a new roof, and annual maintenance can take a bite out of
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Financial Freedom: What to Do After Paying Off Debt
Ive been in debt just once: during and after a two-year-long divorce, a time during which I was also a midlife university student. Good times! Nineteen months after the divorce decree, I zeroed o
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Budget-Friendly Vacation Ideas: Affordable Getaways & Travel Tips
Its been a long time since my wife and I had the luxury of thinking in terms of vacation. When we came to America more than 30 years ago, we also discovered two things: People in America work
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Maximize Your Time Off: 5 Ideas for a Productive Staycation
According to a recent blog by the Wall Street Journal, Americans leave $52.4 billion on the table each year in unused paid time off (not including sick or personal leave). This lowers employee p
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Affordable Pet Care: Budget-Friendly Tips for a Healthy Companion
Theres no such thing as a free puppy. Or kitten. Or hamster, lizard, fish or rabbit. Even if someone hands you a critter outright, you can expect to spend between $580 to $875 a year for basic
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Student Loan Repayment: A Practical Guide for Borrowers
[This is the first installment in a series examining repaying student loans. Part II will discuss an alternative payment plan, Revised Pay As You Earn or REPAYE.] As someone who started off her d
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Emergency Preparedness: 11 Frugal Ways to Build a Survival Kit
According to the U.S. government, all citizens should have enough supplies to survive for at least three days in an emergency. Depending on where you live, “emergency” could mean torn
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Beat McDonald's All-Day Breakfast: Quick & Affordable Alternatives
Are there seasons in your life where youre more likely to swing through the drive-thru because youre tired, stressed, or overwhelmed? Fall is like that for me. My friends start talking boots and
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Graduation Budgeting: A Guide for New Graduates
If you are a recent graduate, congratulations and best wishes for your success! Whether you were lucky enough to have a job lined up right after completing your degree or not, whether you gradua
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Investing vs. Debt Repayment: Which Should You Prioritize?
Its a difficult choice: On the one hand, you understand the need to begin investing early to make the miracle of compounding work for you; on the other hand, you know that, when you have debt,
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Student Discounts: How to Unlock Savings with Your Student ID
Student discounts are an interesting topic. They dont typically give you a discount for anything on campus, because those amenities are paid for by your tuition and “miscellaneous registrat
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Retirement Funding: Student Loans vs. Investing - A Balanced Approach
In my recent post, “Why investing can be better than paying down debt,” Dianecys comment raised a question faced by many: What do you do about investing when you have student loans?
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Choosing the Right Computer: A Practical Spending Guide
Decide to buy a computer these days and immediately youre confronted with a complex decision process wherein you pit features against price. The choice is intensely personal and a total reflectio
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Raising Financially Savvy Kids: Unexpected Benefits of Paying for Chores
One of our parenting goals is to rear frugal kids. Take care of their stuff. Spend wisely. Save for a rainy day. Making the goal is easy, but implementing the goal? Definitely harder. How Our (Cu
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Student Loan Repayment & Ethical Personal Finance: Navigating REPAYE & AGI
[This is the third installment in a series examining repaying student loans. Part I was a best practices guide for repaying student loans. Part II discussed an alternative payment plan, Revised P
finance
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Risks of Cosigning a Loan: Why You Should Think TwiceMany or all of the products here are from our partners that pay us a commission. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opi...
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When a Smaller Down Payment on a Car Makes Sense: 4 ScenariosMany or all of the products here are from our partners that pay us a commission. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opi...
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Long Straddle Strategies: Risks & Rewards During Earnings EventsSome traders think a stock’s going to make a move, perhaps because of an earnings announcement or other upcoming event, then they consider buying a call option in case it goes up and a put option in c...
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Lease vs. Buy a Car: Which is Right for You?Let’s cut to the chase: buying a used car can be the best financial decision you can make in most cases. But it’s not the only consideration. Other features such as tech...