11 Tools Everyone Should Have + MORE

Are you swimming in a sea of “stuff”?
In today’s edition, we take a look at materialism. It’s one thing to want to steward your money well so that you can live a comfortable life. But we need to deal with the root problem that got us into so much debt to begin with: our addiction to material goods…

There are plenty of reasons to volunteer your time for a good cause. I do it because I believe in the work, and while that’s enough for me, I certainly get a lot more out of it than I initially expected. I have volunteered for most of my adult life rescuing dogs and assisting in animal […]10 Good Places to Volunteer – Opportunities & Organizations is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog…

I live close enough to the Des Moines area that I often shop in the city for groceries. In Des Moines, unsurprisingly, there’s a lot of grocery competition. You can find all kinds of grocery stores there, from Whole Foods to Hy-Vee, from enormous grocery stores to tiny little out-of-the-way shops, from expensive stores to bargain-basement stores…

I’ve only got one personal credit card and that’s my Citi ThankYou® Preferred rewards card. I like concentrating all my spending on one card so I can get maximum points to buy things like a home theater system, nights at the Halekulani Hotel, gasoline cards, and tennis racket grips!
Credit card reward points have value and like anything with value we tend to hoard…

I’m not a certified financial anything, and heck, I’m not even very old (I’m turning 29 next month), but I’ve figured some of this finance stuff out. I’ve got experience in getting things handed to you as I got two nice cars and the majority of the cost of my college education given to me in my younger years…

A brief background about the bank
Ally Bank is the banking unit of Ally Financial. The company started in 1919 as the General Motors Acceptance Corporation or GMAC and ever since has been involved in the financing of numerous vehicles for production. Because of the recent financial and economic crisis in the U…

If you are someone who uses cash regularly, then you could really benefit from a piggy bank. Yes, you! Piggy banks are for adults too. After all, why do we teach our children to use them if we wouldn’t use them ourselves? Piggy banks are great because they help keep your loose change organized, and they’re perfect for setting goals…

Most readers know that I use the Chase Freedom cash back credit card. IMO it’s the best overall booster card out there today and a must-have for those of you with a multi-card strategy.
The Chase Freedom card offers 5% cash back on certain categories each quarter. But you have to register online in advance to get the bonus for the next three months…

In these tough economic times, it can be tempting to see your retirement account as an emergency fund. You can tap those assets when you are in a pinch. And, if you feel bad about it, you can get a 401(k) loan, so that you are essentially borrowing from yourself.
Advantages to a 401(k) Loan
The main advantage to the 401(k) loan is that you are borrowing money from yourself…

As we move in to April  I am working hard at the 50% solution.   I was able to put 40% of my net towards debt and 10% towards savings during March but it still doesn’t look or feel like I have made much progress.
First the numbers from March 1st
What I’ve Got Chequing $ 45.00 (goal is $1,000)
Yearly Expenses Saving $630…

Whether you rent or own your home, having a good set of tools, along with a little basic knowledge, is essential.Depending on your skill level, professional help may be necessary for many projects, from installing flooring to plumbing problems.  But there are plenty of things you can do around the house with virtually no skills…