Category: money

The Why Behind Your Money Habits

My friend Amanda has always loved to shop. Finding good deals is a sport to her. But for a while, her shopping habit made things stressful in her marriage. No matter how much money she and her husband made, Amanda almost always spent more than they had. Her husband tried to be understanding, but he…


Clean ‘Em Out, and Move Ahead!

Dear Dave, I’m 22, and I just recently graduated from college. I’m lucky enough to be walking into a job making $60,000 a year with a company I interned with during school, and I’ll be living with parents for the next few months. I have about $50,000 in student loan debt, but I also have…


On the Job Training

Dear Dave, I’ve been in sales for 15 years. I love my job, and I love my company. Our business wasn’t affected as much as some during the pandemic, but my numbers have become stagnant. They’re still good, but I feel I can do better. Do you have any advice for someone who wants to…


Easy Ways to Cut the Soaring Price of Gasoline

Only a few months ago, I paid $1.87 a gallon for gas in Thornton, Colorado. That’s more than a dollar cheaper than I paid this past week at the same location—$3.05 per gallon! What’s going on? According to Forbes, the price for a barrel of West Texas Intermediate crude oil tested the $70 level earlier…


Put Your Education First

Dear Dave, I’m 19, and I’m about to finish up my first year of community college. I have enough money through scholarships and help from my family to get a bachelor’s degree. After that, I plan on going to law school and cash flowing that part of my education. I’ve already started a Roth IRA…


When the Wife Is the Primary Breadwinner

Every Social Security rule I can think of is gender-neutral. In other words, the same laws apply to men and women equally. But society hasn’t always been gender-neutral. We’ve all heard the statistics: Men tend to make more money than women. And because Social Security benefits are based on lifetime income, men end up getting…


Keep the Homeowner’s Insurance

Dear Dave, Recently, I made a claim on my homeowner’s insurance for hail damage. It was my first claim ever. Since I’m retired and completely debt-free—including my home—and have over $1 million in the bank, is homeowner’s insurance still a good idea? The house is insured for $250,000, with a $5,000 deductible, and the insurance…


The Heartbreak and Effects of Filing for Bankruptcy

Dear Mary: Please give me some pointers on bouncing back from bankruptcy. Will this have any effect on future employment opportunities? —Emmaline Dear Emmaline: Pay your bills on time; never be late. Do not run up big balances. Do not apply for a lot of credit. Never use more than 30 percent of your credit…


The Emotional Side of Money

Money is basically a unit of measurement, but it covers a lot of ground. Strictly speaking, money measures the market value of goods, services, and investments. But for some, it can also function as a measure of our self-worth. It can reveal fears about not having enough, resentment for having less than you feel you…


When Is the Best Time to Sell Your Home?

This question comes up at least once a week: People always want to know when the optimal time is to sell their home. The best time is when inventory is exceptionally low and demand is exceptionally high. It all goes back to supply and demand. When there is strong interest and very little to choose…