It occurred to me the other day that I don't think I've ever discussed how I budget. I know. Crazy, right? Budgeting is such a fundamental part of personal finance - how could I have never discussed it here?! To be honest, I kind of think "How I Budget" posts are boring. ... Read more...
Archives for April 2012
Miscellaneous Updates, Including My Giveaway Winner!
Guys, this has been one busy week. The last two SATs of the school year are coming up soon, right around the same time as AP tests. I am one tired, overbooked, stressed out teacher. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, i.e., June 14th :) Anyway, this is what's going ... Read more...
Now I Know the Value of a Dollar, or, Why I’m Not Getting a Boob Job
When I was 12, all my friends started to get boobs. By the time I was 15, all of my friends had boobs. But me? No boobs. I mean, yeah, I'm a respectable A-cup. I don't look completely shapeless. But ever since I was about 13, this Itty Bitty Titty Committee has wanted some, ... Read more...
Why ARE You Paying Back Your Student Loans?
I read a post last week at a blog I just discovered called The End of Insanity. The particular post that I read had a LOT of comments because the author argued a controversial point: there's no real reason to pay back student loans. She feels that her loans are "more of a ... Read more...
Teaching Financial Literacy in High Schools is a Crappy Idea
As many of you probably know, April is financial literacy month. This is the 30-day period we're supposed to be teaching others, particularly our children, about developing sound financial habits. As a person who teaches kids for a living and blogs about finances as a hobby, ... Read more...
There Is SOME Good Financial News This Week
So, this week on my blog has been sort of a downer. I wrote about: Putting down my cat, which caused me to go into $1200 of credit card debt. Being on a financial "low" right now. and How I know nothing about investing (psst, tell me your investing secrets and enter to ... Read more...
Investing: My Personal Finance Blindspot (Plus, a Giveaway!)
Along with minimizing debt, saving, and living frugally, investing is one of the cornerstones of a healthy financial plan. And I know absolutely nothing about it. Sure, I put money into my Roth IRA every month, and this is technically investing. But that money is going into a ... Read more...
Our Finances, Like Our Lives, Have Ups and Downs
Even though I've been serious about personal finance for about four years, I still feel like I have so much to learn. Since I started this blog at the end of 2008, my finances have basically been steadily improving. I paid off a lot of debt, including a couple of credit cards, ... Read more...
How Far Would You Go To Save Your Pet?
As I mentioned last week, I had to put my beloved cat to sleep last Sunday (yes, it was not the best Easter I've ever had). It's a long story, but what I thought was an asthma/allergies flare-up was actually a blood clot in her lungs. To say that I'm devastated is an ... Read more...
Should Personal Finance Advice Depend on Geography?
I'm starting to think that personal finance advice should be tailored to where you live. To some extent, it sort of is. If you live in Canada, you're not going to hear anyone telling you to put money into a Roth IRA - and if you live in the U.S., no one is going to suggest ... Read more...