How do I cope with my small business having an awful year?
I run a small business and, well... business has been bad this year. How do I manage this emotionally/logistically? I own and run a small consulting business where I'm the only f/t employee (apart from...
View ArticleHow do I process bleak retirement news?
A friend posted an article that hit me hard. I'm on the cusp of GenX and Millennial and cannot save 40% for retirement. Talk me off the ledge. I'm the breadwinner. I already have a side gig. I save a...
View ArticleDebt repayment
I have a $15,000 line of credit with a 7.3% interest rate and a $18,000 personal loan with fixed weekly payments of $183.45 at 7.5%. Those weekly payments are non negotiable. Which should I pay off...
View ArticleGift Taxes: Buying a House with Fiancée (PA)
My fiancée and I are buying a house together. The mortgage will be in her name, but I will be supplying the bulk of the down payment. This will exceed the $15,000 gift limit. Do we need to get married...
View ArticleSaving without a goal, midcareer edition
Five years ago, you all gave me great advice on what to do with my finances as an early-career professional. So far, so good! Now what? Here's what I did based on your wonderful advice in 2015, plus...
View ArticleVisa hates this one trick!
Is there a credit card that freely allows spending but automatically pays itself off (and requires this auto-payment to function?) Basically, a debit card with the better fraud protection of a credit...
View ArticlePotential consequences of ignoring my student loan?
I was recently fortunate enough to be able to pay off all my debt--except my defaulted federal student loan. I have a really hard time seeing this decade-plus-old debt as real and consequential, and...
View ArticlePersonal-finance filter: how to keep track of shared Amazon card?
My wife and I share an Amazon card for personal and family purchases on Amazon.com. We use Mint to keep track of all our expenses but it doesn't have any visibility into the Amazon purchases. Any ideas...
View ArticleLooking for an accredited personal finance class for a California teen.
She needs an elective, but her high school doesn’t offer personal finance. Are there any online options that her HS might accept? My sixteen-year-old granddaughter is doing really well in AP classes...
View ArticleDodging the nonprofit industrial complex ... sensibly.
I have an opportunity to donate to a small Latin American direct aid group whose purpose is to help families with school-age children. How do I do due diligence? My landlord (we'll call him B, and he's...
View ArticlePersonal Finance for Older Dummies
Looking for financial advice resources for middle-aged folks who are way behind. Books, blogs, websites, podcasts, etc. So far most of the resources I’ve come across are aimed at either 30-somethings...
View ArticleTracking planned expenses
Do you have a tool you use to track planned expenses and wishlist items? I've been using Pinterest and the Notes app on my phone, but I'm hoping to enhance the experience somehow. Thanks!
View ArticleTeach Me About LTD Insurance
Long-term disability insurance is an "adulting" topic that has slipped through the cracks for me. I am considering purchasing it for the first time, but I am uncertain how to make a good choice. How do...
View ArticleHow to cancel whole life insurance?
Asking for a friend: I’m almost certain that I want to cancel my whole life policy, and I’d like to know more about what exactly I need to do in order to accomplish this. About five years ago, I...
View ArticleIncreased cost of living--what should I be thinking about?
In the past, I've moved from NYC to Seattle to Chicago. Cost-of-living-wise, these moves were easy. Everything got cheaper! Now we're contemplating a move back to Seattle, and it feels a bit more...
View ArticleCan anyone cancel a cashier's check? Or only the person who ordered it?
My friend mailed me a cashier's check. However, the name is misspelled so I can't cash it. She drew it from her account at a bank with branches all over the country. Can I go to my local branch of her...
View ArticleNot frugal, perhaps prudent?
I love spending money. This needs to stop. I am inspired by minimalism, don't have children or a car, and I rent my home, so housing expenses are relatively low. Fortunately, I have a secure-ish job,...
View ArticlePersonal finance, being a landlord, tenant rights, Boston, oh my!!
Hi! When we move out of Boston, we are considering renting out our house. I'm having trouble finding advice/considerations with regards to this. Specific questions: We haven't had a rental property...
View ArticleReceipt Scanning and Tagging App Recommendations
My partners and I are looking for an iOS and Android mobile app that can scan shopping receipts and allow us to tag them so we can keep a running tally of who owes whom money. We're in Switzerland, so...
View ArticleHow do we give ourselves permission to spend money?
My spouse and I are in a very lucky place, career-wise. We'd like to work out a plan to continue saving for long-term goals, but also spend money on things/experiences/causes that make us happy and are...
View ArticleInvestmentfilter, Canada edition: What is the Canadian Vanguard?
We (my wife and kids and I) moved from the US to Canada a couple of years ago. We used to use Vanguard for mutual funds, IRAs, education savings accounts, essentially all of our investments except for...
View ArticleHow to Get Better at Finance in Six (?) Easy Steps
I want to spend a year getting REALLY good at managing my finances and understanding money. What should I read/learn? Snowflakes inside. I am doing fine financially but I want to be doing more than...
View ArticleHow should we think about how large of a downpayment to make?
My partner and I are currently searching for our first home in a city on the US East Coast, focusing on houses priced around $1 million. We have about $250k saved in cash for the down payment and...
View ArticleLooking for a simple budget app
My wife and I are looking for an iOS app to keep track of our discretionary spending. All the budget apps that we’ve found so far are too feature-heavy and complex for our needs. We don’t need...
View ArticleThe cost of living... with a canine companion
Dog companions: what's your monthly budget and cost breakdown for taking care of your furry friend? I am once again mulling the notion of adopting a doggo. (Foster first, of course.) But my budget...
View Article
