This past Monday, I sent Lending Club a final check for $1,582.05 – thus settling our Lending Club loan and reducing our creditors to four. The debts we owe are now limited to two student loans and two mortgages. Today, I’m asking for your advice as to which we should repay next.
Only student loan and [...]

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Time and again we hear that investment diversification is a must, and rightly so. Diversifying investments – by investing in a variety of different types of index funds and/or ETFs, for example – is a wise strategy for reducing risk.
In contrast, how many of us maintain a similar diversification perspective with respect to our income? [...]

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Like millions of other Americans, my wife and I are upside down on our home mortgage – i.e., the amount we owe exceeds our home’s value. If I had it to do over again, rather than buy with $0 down, I would rent, save money, and buy only after it made more financial sense than [...]

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Does more money result in more happiness?
As my wife and I lazily follow American Idol, we’ve noticed a common statement of hope uttered by many of the contestants, “American Idol is the best thing that has ever happened to me, it’s gonna change everything!”
The contestants are not alone in their zeal to believe that happiness [...]

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The need to give is everywhere.
Giving is an important and integral part of personal and family budgets throughout the nation. As American’s we are blessed with an abundance, and with great abundance comes great responsibility. But are we forgetting our own communities by focusing our giving efforts on national and international tragedies?
No matter where you [...]

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Interest free financing presents us with an opportunity to borrow money for free while investing with the possibility of greater gain. On the other hand, using cash for purchases can save us money immediately by increasing the likelihood of a discounted purchase.
Is one superior to the other? Let’s take a closer look…
Interest free financing
One of [...]

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If my time as a personal finance blogger has taught me but one thing, it would be that personal finances are like snowflakes… Seemingly similar, yet utterly unique. While there are a few fundamentals that should be used to create a solid financial foundation, there is seldom a blanket solution for everyone all the time.
A [...]

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Shouldn’t I already be investing?
Perhaps you’ve been asking yourself this question but have been unable to settle on an answer that you’re comfortable with. If so, you’re not alone… Many people push investing to the back burner because they’re unsure where, when, or how to begin building their nestegg.
In fact, it seems that many people [...]

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Few celebrations are sweeter than those centered around accomplishment through sacrifice.
Sacrifice yields success
Simply put… Debt reduction takes sacrifice. It requires us to set aside immediate desires in favor of long-term piece of mind. It’s not easy, and we’re not robots. We run the risk of burn out, failure, tension with loved ones, embarrassment, and exclusion, [...]

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Think back to the last time you financed a purchase — be it a home, automobile, or what have you… You may remember having heard the term “debt-to-income ratio.” Today I want to spend some time going over exactly what this ratio is, and to also touch on how it can effect your personal finances.
What [...]

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