Spend less, do good

Our friends at LowImpactLiving.com have put out a good list of tips for saving money in this tough economy — and all the tips have the added benefit of reducing your impact on the environment!  Check ‘em out here!
Want to know where to put all that money you save by going green?  We featured some [...]

A little bit of history

So just how bad is it out there?  Many people are saying we’re in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.  The stock market has been tanking and the overall economy is shaky, but let’s get some perspective…
So far, the Dow Jones Average is about 34% from it’s high right around this time last [...]

Financial market meltdown 101

The past several months, and the past 10 days especially, have been really crazy in the financial markets.  While a detailed analysis of what’s going on is out of the scope of this website (we’re supposed to be keeping it simple!), we realize some of you are curious about what’s happening.  Kiplinger’s has a pretty [...]

Step away from the 401(k)

The Wall Street Journal reported today that withdrawals from 401(k) plans are on the rise.  This, along with decreasing contributions, is not a surprise given the weakening economy and the stock market craziness we’ve seen.
However, remember to think twice before taking a withdrawal from your 401(k) plan.  Not only are you cracking open your retirement [...]

Where to park your money now

Do you have a stash of cash that you may need to access in the next 1 to 12 months?  You might want to look into a regular, old FDIC-insured savings account.  These offer safety and flexibility because they’re insured by the US government and allow you to get to your money anytime you need [...]

Just charge it! Should you pay off your student loans with a credit card?

Liz Weston says to be careful if you’re considering paying off your student loans with a low interest credit card.
Using low-rate credit cards to pay off other debt may lower your finance costs — or cost you a lot more in the long run.
That’s because the low rates offered by credit cards are typically temporary. [...]

Paying for ID protection

Is it worth your while to pay for identity theft protection services?  An article in the LA Times says “maybe.”
But should you spend money to buy services that promise to protect you from identity theft?
As in so many matters financial, it depends: on whether you don’t mind paying for something you could do yourself for [...]

25 Ways to Save Money

Consumer Reports features 25 Ways to Save Money in the October 2008 issue.  Reducing expenses means having more money to save and invest.  Bonus: most of the suggestions save energy, too!