Don’t Dig a Money Pit in Your Garden + MORE

One of my favorite places to visit is Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City, Iowa. It’s an independent bookstore with a wonderful atmosphere and I truly love the opportunities I get to browse through the books there.
The problem is that when I go into a retailer without a specific purchase in mind but with an intent to buy something, I’ll usually end up buying something on the spur of the moment – or two or three things…

There’s no doubt that Apple (AAPL) has had its run for the past decade. Its hardware and software have been a beautiful marriage of accessible design and cutting-edge technology.
But markets change, consumers and competitors adapt, and the things that used to be de rigueur are now quaint memories…

This is an introspective post that can tell you a little bit more about myself. I was pondering over this question, how does I really feel that I am a blogger with good follower base? Am I happy, proud or just normal? Here, I will write about how does it feel to be a blogger. How a blogger feels for his blog and the readers…

The master limited partnership’s (MLP) lineage dates back to 1981, when exploration and production outfit Apache Corp (APC) consolidated 33 of its oil and gas operations into this structure.
In the mid-1980s, the universe of publicly traded partnerships differed dramatically from the options available to today’s investors…

Recently I wrote a post called “Beware false economies,” which included examples of frugality that could actually cost someone money, health or reputation. A reader said those examples confirmed that “people believe ‘frugal’ or living within or below one’s means equals doing without.”My immediate reply: “Good point! Just as some people believe that dieting or exercise must be unpleasant if it’s to be effective…

The Universal Child Care Benefit, or UCCB, is a $100 taxable monthly payment to help with the cost of raising children under six years old.
This can be a great way to receive a little extra cash each month, and since you are entitled to it, it can be worth it to take advantage.
Who is Eligible for the UCCB?
To be eligible for the Universal Child Care Benefit, you must be the primary care giver of a child under the age of six and a resident of Canada…

This reader story is from a longtime GRS reader Sumitha, who blogs at afineparent.com. Some reader stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or failure. These stories feature folks with all levels of financial maturity and income. Want to submit your own reader story? Here’s how…

The following is a guest post from Cindy who writes at Midlife Finance.
After my post on ways to hedge your bets for expenses and investing, one commenter asked about investing in gold. Was it a good option for safeguarding your money?
Well, yes…maybe.
First, it’s necessary to decide how you want to deal with these precious metals…

You had the best intentions. You were going to save a bundle on your grocery bill by growing your own vegetables and herbs. Instead, you broke your budget buying every gadget from the big box gardening store – not to mention the pricier mature plants and the chemicals to make them grow faster and produce more…

When it rains, it pours. Here’s yet another piece on the value of college and the costs associated with it.But this one is absurd for the title alone: In Applying to College, Is Cost a Factor? Really? We have a writer for the Wall Street Journal asking if cost is even a factor when picking a college…

Over the last two weeks I’ve purchased six round trip plane tickets. It’s insane. Between baby showers and weddings, we knew we’d be dropping some serious coin on flights this summer. But dang, $1,600 disappeared from our bank account faster than a Twinkie at fat camp.
Fortunately being not broke is pretty awesome…

It may seem shocking after just a few short years from the greatest market panic of our lifetime but major stock market indices are hitting new highs almost on a daily basis these days. Are you thinking of adding to your investment portfolio? Are mutual funds part of your strategy? FutureAdvisor helped me put together this simple infographic listing a few key points you’ll want to remember about mutual fund selection by digging deep into their 401k database…

One of the most daunting tasks for anyone looking to start a new business or develop a new product is figuring out where the financial backing for the project is going to come from. While traditional bank loans and investment deals remain as options, the wonderful world of the Internet has created a viable alternative for a whole new generation of the start-up obsessed: crowdfunding…

Hot dogs! Over 5 years ago we started our awesome Millionaire Club and listed everything out we needed to accomplish to get there, and today we have our first member who’s officially crossed it! Give a round of applause to BigChrisB – way to go, man!
Here was his original submission from January 25, 2011 as member #62 (we now have 105 people pledging to reach a million)…