A friend at work chatted with me earlier this week about a early-twenty-something couple he knew that were renting and really wanted to buy a house so that they could start a family. It sounded like the couple was letting the housing market “put their lives on hold” because they didn’t want to raise their … Read more
(Fair warning: If you’re not amused by rants, you can skip this post.) With the onset of Black Friday, we’ve officially arrived at the start of the end-of-year corporate-consumer tango known as The Holiday Season, and our corporate partners are looking to spin us around on the dance floor and flash all sorts of pretty … Read more
Commenter “CF” asked three questions about flexible spending accounts. Here’s what I could find. (Standard disclaimers apply, as in this is information only and not personalized financial advice. Feel free to use this as a starting point for your own investigations, but follow this advice at your own risk.) My company offers supplemental insurance which … Read more
This is a good time of the year to shore up this year’s flexible spending account (FSA) expenditures and prepare for next year’s. The FSA I’m talking about here is a plan that may be offered through your (US) employer, whereby a part of your paycheck is withheld each period, pre-tax, to pay for qualified … Read more
While I was perusing the different iGoogle financial gadgets I ran across a Tip of the Day gadget. There were two comments, and one was not complimentary at all (emphasis mine): For the most part, these are some of the worst “Financial Tips” I have read. I am removing this gadget after today’s tip “Don’t … Read more
Carpooling to work has always been a good idea but with gas prices on the rise it’s more appealing than ever. Other terms for carpooling are ride-sharing, lift-sharing, or slugging (kinda, at least around DC). Advantages? Here are a few: Lower gasoline cost. The single most important consideration. Lower vehicle maintenance cost. Driving less means … Read more
Sixty-three-year-old Winnie Shilson, now a grandmother of six, was fired after working in Taco Bell and other preceding chains for thirty years. Her career was that of a dedicated employee, and was by many accounts exemplary: After 30 years, Taco Bell didn’t even offer her any hot sauce Then in the final two years, a … Read more
Getting something you need or want for a good price is a wise thing to do. Sometimes, though, the price of something is a red herring, something that distracts you from its true cost. Here are a dozen things that appear to be bargains but might not be: Used helmets or child seats Used helmets … Read more