Personal
Finance Blog

Parenting is never easy, and in a time of growing economic crisis, teaching your child financial responsibility is even harder. So hard, in fact, that your adult child may someday come to you, asking for help out of a sticky financial situation. If that day comes, MSNBC has a few tips on how (and if) to help an adult child with debt: (more…)

For many children, the year’s memories are highlighted by the weeks spent at summer camp: splashing in a pool, riding horses, eating with hundreds of their friends. Unfortunately for many of these children, summer camps around the nation are changing, responding to a slowing economy and rising fuel prices. (more…)

When you think of adoption, you probably don’t immediately think of company support and benefits, but that may be changing. In 2007, 45 percent of the top 1,000 major U.S. companies offered their employees financial aid for adoption, a huge increase from 1990′s 10 percent. (more…)

Even if you’re pinching pennies, buying a gas-friendly vehicle is still within your grasp: think used. Reaping all the benefits at a fraction of the cost, a used car that doesn’t guzzle gas is a great option on a budget. Of course, it’s important to buy a good used car, and for that reason, Consumer Reports compiled a list of the best used fuel sippers: (more…)

Many people believe that credit card companies have been irresponsible in their dealings with customers, and that fewer people would have large credit card debts if the companies acted somewhat more responsibly. Of course, they are only making business decisions, but the Federal Reserve has started talking about new regulations that would help credit card customers avoid overwhelming debts. Some of these regulations include: (more…)

We’ve all heard that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but now, an international movement is capitalizing on it. Freecycle, a blend of the words “free” and “recycle,” is all about free recycling, or rather, giving away your unwanted goods to someone who wants them. To get involved, follow these simple steps: (more…)

As food prices soar to unmanageable levels, one of your best friends should be weekly coupons and, even more often, websites aimed at saving you food money. Instead of spending the American average of $3,240 yearly, spending a bit of time each week researching grocery deals could save you a significant amount. (more…)

If you’ve purchased an airline ticket recently, you’ve likely been unhappily surprised by soaring rates and a list of surcharges that literally pours off of the page. Unfortunately, as oil costs go up, surcharges will continue to rise and, in many cases, multiply. (more…)

During World War II, U.S. citizens were encouraged to cultivate personal fruit, vegetable, and herb gardens in order to reduce pressure on the public food supply. And though it was a secondary reason, the war gardens also served as a morale booster and sense of pride for all who grew them. Today, though we don’t have victory gardens, Americans are showing their patriotism through their spending habits. (more…)

TGIF used to mean “Thank God It’s Friday,” but the phrase has been losing meaning in the sinking economy. For many, Friday is no longer the last day of the work week, but just another day to job hunt.

Nationwide unemployment has hit 5.5%, up from 5% in April – that’s the steepest monthly increase in over 22 years.According to the Labor Department, more than 324,000 jobs have been lost this year, 49,000 in May alone. Those are a lot of American out of work. (more…)