ETF Investing: Why Exchange Traded Funds Are Part of My Portfolio

October 11, 2012

If you’re a first time investor, it’s best to start investing with mutual funds. Mutual funds offer a simple way to garner near instantaneous diversification, the liquidity to buy and sell whenever you want (within limits), along with professional management. In particular, you should consider index funds for their low-cost and tax efficient approach. I […]

Paying For College: How To Reduce Student Debt

October 8, 2012

Kids grow up fast, too fast in most cases. At least faster than you can get their college tuition saved up. And doesn’t it seem like every year, college tuition increases to the tune of 6% or more? We’ve taken a look at some of these concerns in a few recent articles on the subject […]

Planning To Roll Over Your 401K To An IRA?

October 4, 2012

Years ago when I first worked the “front lines” talking to employees of some of the largest 401(k) plans, it seemed that many of the calls I received had something to do with employees who left or were leaving their employer. Often, people simply wanted to know “how to get their money” and we would […]

You Can Be Rich Without Being Smart

September 30, 2012

You don’t need a lot of brains to be rich. In fact, there’s not much of a correlation between intelligence and wealth. I found a few pretty provocative studies and discussions on the subject of being smart. Rob Pitingolo, who runs a blog called Extraordinary Observations, has come up with a chart showing “where the […]

Space Saving Furniture For Those Living In A Small Space

September 25, 2012

For those who’ve ever downsized or who’ve been living in a small home, the biggest issue has always been about space. To be frank, I prefer to have spacious surroundings (read: a bigger house), but I can also certainly appreciate the charms and simplicity of residing in a cozier place. Now there’s an even bigger […]

Skip Commercial Banks! How Cash Only Living Can Work

September 20, 2012

According to a recent U.S. government study, seventeen million Americans manage their money without the use of a bank account. This means that they have no savings or checking account. Many look down upon this way of life, but it is difficult for me to say it is a bad thing given the fact that […]

Looking for Job Opportunities Overseas? Rent An Expat

September 16, 2012

I have a ton of friends and a handful of relatives who are now expatriates who live in different countries around the world. While I’m based here in the U.S. today, I’ve had the chance to work in my native country as well, in another life. And what they say is true, the expatriate’s life […]

How I Save Money on Food & Groceries

September 13, 2012

So who’s hungry? Beyond using online coupons, you can also try these kitchen tips to help you save money on food and groceries. So how much do you typically spend on your average weekly food bill? Do you even have a rough answer? Don’t panic if you don’t, because I was in this exact same […]

Stock Broker Fraud & When To Fire Your Broker For Bad Advice

September 9, 2012

When should you transfer your brokerage account? As a risk analyst, I suppose it’s not too far off to say that I’m also a paranoid individual. No, I’m not looking over my shoulder, waiting for the bogeyman to get me — rather, I now rarely take anything anyone says to me at face value. I […]

Why Credit Cards Aren’t Evil: Benefits of Credit Cards

September 3, 2012

One of the bits of conventional wisdom that seems to pervade the personal finance world is that credit cards are somehow evil. However, like many other money-related products, credit cards are, themselves, mostly neutral. Those who know how to use credit cards to their advantage usually come out ahead. So, while credit card use can […]

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