Budgets are nothing to joke about—though British writer Sally Poplin once observed that while “some couples go over their budgets very carefully every month, others just go over them.” According to a 2013 Gallup poll, barely a third of Americans work with a household budget. Yet experts agree that keeping one is the best way… Read More
We have 39 more days until Christmas! If you have been using Banktivity, you have set aside money each month and know how much is in your budget to spend on Christmas presents. Remember the days of Black Friday shopping, still being full from Turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie and heading over to Best… Read More
The recent debate about the rising level of student debt is a big cause for concern. Between the cost of tuition and other living related expenses, college will leave you with huge debts that will take you a long time to clear. Most parents are even preferring community college over universities as they also offer… Read More
Most people find the concept of envelope budgeting fairly intuitive. You put your money into various envelopes designated for various spending categories, like Rent, Groceries, Cell Phone, etc. When you spend from one of those categories, you take the money out of the appropriate envelope to cover the expense. This works if you have physical… Read More
As you look across the Internet for financial advice, most sites boil it down to a few simple guidelines: spend less than you earn, invest in yourself, and track your spending on a regular basis. The more you read through the long articles, the more you’re thinking to yourself: “That’s just common sense. I know… Read More
Your car breaks down or you are in an accident. You need a new car.! You procrastinate as long as possible because of the hassle you are going to face entering a car dealership. The pressure of negotiating and making sure your are getting a fair price is so daunting. But you need a new… Read More
This article was written for our Personal Finance 101 library by guest writer Brian Thomas. Cryptocurrencies operate as decentralized digital assets exchanged over the internet in the form of highly divisible coins. Many cryptocurrencies are backed up by blockchain technology which records their transactions into distributed ledgers. Starting with Bitcoin in 2009 and growing into… Read More
Personal finances are one of the leading causes of stress in relationships. In fact, it is estimated that 70% of married couples argue about their money, or lack thereof[1]. Unfortunately, couples often feel at odds with one another rather than a sense of partnership when it comes to addressing financial problems. “You need to get… Read More
I love coupons, I always have. It was so exciting to open the newspaper on Sundays or the mail on Tuesdays and see what treasures were in the coupon inserts that I could get for cheap or even free. I used to live in a giant apartment complex that had a recycling can in the… Read More
Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore! Getting to financial stability these days is nothing like it was 50 years ago. Recently I was reading an article concerned with the rising levels of debt in all age groups ¹. It noted how the times have changed when it comes to employment and benefits, cost of living,… Read More