Family Finances

If it seems harder and harder to stretch your paycheck each week, you're not alone. Every time you turn your head the price of some necessity has gone up; gas, groceries, utility bills. Even a gym membership costs more than it used to, as clubs ...

Building an excellent credit history is like building a family. Over time, you work hard to apply basic principles of love, fairness, discipline, and fun. As your children grow, you start to see the fruits of your labor. However, your work as a p...

Help your teenager organize his expenses and save his money with this FREE teen budget worksheet. Download the worksheet and save it to your desktop. Your teen can type in his monthly expenses and income, and the worksheet will calculate his budg...

​Photo credit: Cameron Powell It's the most wonderful time of year — as those festive lyrics state — with memories to cherish forever. The holidays are just around the corner, which means fun, food, family...and finances. When it comes to...

Green is the color of spring... and MONEY! So if you've got the itch to clean up and de-clutter, why not make a little extra cash while you're at it? These simple ideas can help you make money while you get organized at the same time. And don't ...

Between carting kids around to soccer practice and piano lessons, to managing work, PTA meetings, and running the household, moms can seem like superheroes. We've come up with the top 10 essentials that every mom-on-the-go should have on hand to ...

Creating an Income and Expense Tracking DocumentOkay, you've got all of your receipts. Now what do you do with them? Even if you use software such as Quicken by Intuit or Microsoft Money, you might find it helpful to keep a separate income and e...

No matter how much you scrimp and save, paying for your kids' college tuition can seem like an insurmountable task. With many four-year schools charging hundreds of thousands of dollars for a degree, most families need help getting their kids to ...

The most effective way to shrink college expenses is to think big. Aim for merit awards or fat financial aid packages. There are plenty of other opportunities, however, that you can seize to whittle down costs. Here are some to get you started: ...

How to Get Out of Debt Here's a newsflash: The first step to getting out of debt is to stop adding to it. You do that by saying "no" to a series of payments with interest and, instead, paying in full. The TV show Saturday Night Live a few years ...

When Your Teen Wants a Car There's a great probability that, sooner or later, your teenager is going to want to have his own car. The question is, will you agree to let him have one? Let's dispel the notion right up front that every teenager ne...

How to Shop Wisely for Products Is shopping around for products worth your time? You bet. And today it's easier than ever because of online reviews and price comparisons. Buying stuff breaks down into the three Rs: Read reviews, research prices,...

Savings Quick Tips: Reduce Back to School Spending Everybody knows holiday spending and the annual vacation will be big-ticket expenses throughout the year. But back-to-school shopping seems to sneak up on many families. And, in fact, some fami...

How to Buy Online -- Without Getting Ripped Off Buying online can be a great idea. What's more convenient than sitting at your computer in your pajamas, clicking the computer mouse and having the item show up on your doorstep a few days later? V...

Do You Really Need a Car? The best thing about having a car at your disposal is the freedom it gives you. You can go wherever you want. Just pick a destination, hop in the car, and you're off. Other than that, there's really not that much about ...

How to Get a Good Deal on Services Many purchases we make today aren't things, but services. We hire and subscribe all the time: home contractors and plumbers, mail-order movie services, gym memberships, airline flights, and hotel rooms. How to...

Savings Quick Tips: Don't Pay Anyone to Hold Your Money Where competition thrives, consumers win. The banking industry has more competition than ever with the introduction of online banks. So, you don't have to put up with overpaying for checkin...

Savings Quick Tips: Automatic Commitments Will Haunt You People save more money if they make it automatic. That's why it's so painless to save in a 401(k) retirement plan or a Christmas club account. You don't have to do anything. Automatic sa...