I have a number of friends that are active or former military. They are some of the finest people I’ve had the privilege of knowing. On the whole, they have an above-average sense of purpose and follow-through. I’ve heard enough of their experience that this sense of purpose and follow-through comes from their military experience. … Read more
Baker posted a link on his Google+ profile to this CNN Money article. Denise Townley received a letter from Discover Card less than two weeks after her mother had passed away seeking to settle her mother’s debts. It would be an understatement to say that Ms. Townley wasn’t pleased by this behavior. The Discover letter … Read more
It’s not too often that I read an article and nod my head up and down throughout the whole thing because it makes that much sense. Wise Bread writer Craig Ford has six tips for organizing finances that are completely spot-on: Reduce your total number of financial accounts. Just a few days ago my wife … Read more
In Part 1 of this series, I explained the motivation for cracking out Quicken to get a handle on our family’s finances for this year’s tax season and beyond. I began by entering our primary checking account’s transactions for 2010. Along the way, I created accounts in Quicken for the other financial vehicles we have … Read more
This weekend I told my newsletter subscribers that I was starting up on my taxes. Since I have about three months left, there’s plenty of time to try to do it right, and set up an organized set of financial records in the process. I’m starting with a lot of financial statements, a whole box … Read more
It’s the holiday shopping season. Already. Again. Where does the time go? (Minute by minute, I’m told.) Two thousand eleven will be upon us in only a month. Here are a few tasks that are worth doing to tie a financial bow on 2010: Review your health and dental care choices if you have them … Read more
Getting a grip on all of the financial statements, bills, receipts — all of the paper, actually — has always been a challenge for me. Here’s the cycle: The financial statements, bills, and receipts pile up. The piles wear down my psyche like coarse-grit sandpaper. The papers get filed slowly because I need to relearn … Read more
My wife was online helping me to find a replacement cell phone. My contract expired long ago and the phone is starting to show signs that it won’t last much longer. She took a detour when she noticed that our bill was higher than it usually was, and investigated why. It was about $13 difference, … Read more