Archive for the ‘Finances’ Category

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Your Money Friday: College Costs


27 Jul

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Posted in Finances, School | Comments Off

Think college is expensive now? Imagine what it will be like in 18 years, if the current trends continue. An MSN article believes state colleges could cost upwards of $40,000/year.

Over an YM, some are hoping it’s a bubble that will burst before their kids reach college age. Others are burying their heads in the sand and hoping “something” happens that will help them help their children afford college without a lifetime of debt. There’s also the theory that the rising cost of college will force enough people off the college path that more non-degree career paths will open up.

Your Money Friday: All About Real Estate


20 Jul

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Posted in Finances, Home Ownership | Comments Off

It was real estate theme week on YM. We had questions about refinancing- would it make sense  and would it hurt chances of getting a mortgage on another property.

Someone’s dream home went on the market. Another person had the appraisal on the home they are looking to buy come back lower than anyone expected.

And then there were the threads about selling a home- is it worth it to make significant upgrades just to sell, if you do make improvements, which ones have the most bang for the buck, and finally, is it worth it to use a “stager”.

Blog Feature: Money Crush


14 Jul

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Posted in blogging, Budgeting, Debt Reduction, Finances, Writing | 1 Comment »

Each week as I prepare to do the blog feature, I go through past posts so that I don’t do a repeat. Sometimes, I realize with surprise that I haven’t featured someone who it really seems like I should have. That’s the case this week with Jackie and Money Crush. I had to check my list twice, just to make sure, because I thought for sure I would have featured her around Women’s Money Week, if nothing else. But no.

So here you are, Money Crush, and that tricky little question- is it easier to spend less or save more?

Your Money Friday: Money and Dating


13 Jul

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Posted in Finances, Relationships | Comments Off

Dating is one of those areas where personal finances become tricky. Should a man pay for all dates, with the woman reciprocating with homemade meals? Should it be split as close to 50/50 as possible? Does it matter if she makes a lot more than he does? Or what if they make roughly the same amount?

Many don’t discuss finances on a first date. Is it okay to alter the financial terms of the relationship (such as who pays) when you do reveal your salaries? And how would you do that without seeming like a jerk? Any thoughts are welcome.

Penny Arcade on KickStarter


12 Jul

Posted in Finances, Technology | Comments Off

Back in April, I wrote about micro-investing. I highlighted the Order of the Stick KickStarter project which raised over $1million, just so the guy could reprint one of his books. As loved as OotS is, it’s small potatoes. The big guns of online comics now have their own KickStarter project. Penny Arcade is raising money to make the site ad free for an entire year (and still be able to pay all their bills).

They are looking for $250k by August 15. Given that in one day they were over halfway to their goal, I’d be eyeing those stretch goals.

Affordable Care Act- the 80/20 Rule


03 Jul

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Posted in Finances, Healthcare, Politics | Comments Off

You may hate parts of the Affordable Care Act. You may think the individual mandate is unconstitutional, despite the Supreme Court. (Lots of people think this about income taxes.) But there are parts of the ACA that everyone can like.

One part of the act you should like- the 80/20 rule. This rule says your insurance company must spend at least 80% of your premium on healthcare costs. Only 20% can go toward administration. The company must make visible exactly what those percentages are and issue you a rebate if they don’t spend enough of your premium on medical costs.

Blog Feature: Bog of Debt


30 Jun

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Posted in blogging, Budgeting, Debt Reduction, Finances, Writing | 1 Comment »

I love the name Bog of Debt. It just so fully encapsulates the feeling of being stuck in debt, and believing it’s hopeless, like there’s no way out. But just like Bear Grylls will strip down to his skivvies to show you how to get out of a real bog, Bog of Debt is mostly about THE PLAN. The Plan that will help her get out of debt and no longer feeling mired in.

One key way to motivate yourself is to write out the things you want to spend your money on. It looks like things are on track!

Your Money Friday: The “Holy Crap” Bill


22 Jun

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Posted in Finances | Comments Off

Have you ever had a bill that made you go “holy crap”? Even if you knew it was going to be expensive, but you hadn’t realized how expensive? Perhaps it was your first winter heating bill or your first summer AC bill in a new place. Maybe it was a vet appointment for your dogs, or what you thought was a routine repair on your car.

We have all had them- even people who are prepared with house, car, pet, and emergency funds. This week’s YM thread is about commiserating over those bills that surprised the heck out of us.

Blog Feature: @Squirrelers


16 Jun

Posted in blogging, Finances, Writing | Comments Off

I have been reading Squirrelers for quite some time. I may have started reading it just for the name, I don’t really remember. Squirrelers is an incredibly well rounded and diverse personal finance blog. As an example, the last five entries are about visiting theme parks, long term insurance, graduation speaches, gold as an investment, and what companies get back when they give stuff out for free.

My favorite posts, though, are when he writes about family. And my all time favorite is from last December, when he wrote about the benefits of spending an afternoon in his daughter’s classroom.

Your Money Friday: The Money Talk


15 Jun

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Posted in Finances, Relationships | Comments Off

There comes a point in every long term relationship where the partners need to sit down and have “the money talk”. What are their respective financial situations? For some people this conversation comes very early on, and for others it doesn’t come until after engagement or even marriage (though I’d recommend it happened before that).

It’s not an easy conversation to have, as money can trigger strong emotions in many people. The key to having a productive conversation about money with your partner? Each partner should remain calm and open, to remember this isn’t about judging, but about moving forward.

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