5 Tips to Avoid Overdraft Fees

Posted by Brian on August 19, 2009

A recent report in Financial Times reveals that US Banks stand to take in over $38 Billion in overdraft fees from their customers this year! The bulk of this revenue is said to come from, “the most financially stretched consumers amid the deepest recession since the 1930s, according to research.” Checking account overdraft fees now […]

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Manage Your Budget by Tracking Your Spending

Posted by Jill on August 10, 2009

When Madison ran my first guest post in early July, How to Get Control of Your Budget, several commenters asked for more information about the “detailed tracking system” I mentioned. Madison has graciously agreed to host another post so I can share my system with you – let’s dig in! The System I use an […]

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Cash for Clunkers

Posted by Kate on August 3, 2009

“Cash for Clunkers” Program As many of you may have heard, the government recently released the rules for its Car Allowance Rebate System (C.A.R.S.), also known as “Cash for Clunkers.” The program’s goal is two-fold: to get older, less fuel-efficient cars off the road and 2) to encourage sales and leases of new cars in […]

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How to Get Control of Your Budget

Posted by Jill on July 8, 2009

About the author: Jill graduated from college two years ago. Since then she has developed a passion for personal finance. She’s currently studying for the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam, and hopes to become a full-time financial planner. Establishing a Budget When I first became interested in personal finance in the fall of 2007, one […]

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Microsoft Money Being Discontinued Next Week

Posted by Madison on June 24, 2009

I’m heartbroken. Microsoft is pulling the plug on the Microsoft Money product. I’ve been a diehard user for more than a decade! That’s thousands of transactions and details from almost every financial move I’ve ever made. Microsoft Money Plus Home and Business is the center of my Financial Organization detailing almost 200 accounts in multiple […]

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You Need a Budget Review

Posted by Kate on June 22, 2009

Many of you with an interest in personal finance have probably explored various budgeting strategies and tools that can help make the task a bit easier. One popular program is You Need A Budget (YNAB), a tool that promises simple, easy-to-use software and a money management methodology. I recently took a look at YNAB Pro […]

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Should We Downsize? More Considerations

Posted by Madison on March 3, 2009

Last week I asked: Should We Downsize? Many of you shared things to think about, your own situations, and additional considerations. The thoughts were very helpful, so I wanted to share some of them with everyone. Market Conditions Nickel suggested that depending on the market, sometimes more expensive houses fell further in value than the […]

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15 Budget Trimming Tips

Posted by Madison on March 2, 2009

Cutting back isn’t always easy, even when you know you need to or you are in a situation where you are being forced to cut back. For some inspiration for all of you, I went through our budget recently to see where we’ve saved in the past. If you are looking for places to save […]

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Digging Up The Water Pipes at Our House

Posted by Madison on August 5, 2008

I had a big day planned for writing. I was going to write a weeks worth of posts for My Dollar Plan and Kids and Money. Instead, my house was a revolving door of subcontractors and city workers getting ready to dig up our front lawn. Running Water We were on vacation for two weeks […]

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How to Handle Irregular Paychecks

Posted by Madison on June 16, 2008

I recently discussed with a friend how to handle irregular paychecks. Her husband is a teacher and will be getting a lump sum payment at the beginning of the summer. She was concerned about how to make the money last. It reminded me of a couple other situations, such as how we handled my 5 […]

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