ArcaMax

In my perfect world, there would be no credit scores. And while I do not believe that credit is necessarily evil, in that perfect world of mine, there would be no need for any of that because it would be, well ... perfect!

Back to reality. There are myriad reasons we need to have good credit histories and excellent credit scores.

Like it or ...Read more

You know the feeling when you reach into the pocket of a coat or pants you haven't worn for a while and pull out a $20 bill? What would it feel like if you pulled out hundreds of dollars? And what if you found money like that month after month?

It's not magic; it can be done. Pin holes in your financial life can turn into massive money-gushers....Read more

I don't know about you, but when I learn some new and amazing household tip that promises to save me time and/or money, well, it just makes my day. I love it! Not all of the tips I get from you, my faithful readers, are brand-new. But since I am not good at keeping 20,000 or more of these delicious little tidbits cataloged in my mind (yes, you'...Read more

What would you pay for a good night's rest? A soccer club in England once spent nearly $200,000 on custom mattresses, pillows and even wallpaper designed to help players sleep before home games. Clearly, they believe sleep is nonnegotiable.

And they're right. Sleep isn't a luxury -- it's essential. Without it, we're cranky, forgetful and prone ...Read more

Q: I’m relocating to a new area a few hours away for a job. I plan to stay there for the long term. I’m unsure whether I should buy a new house or rent one. What are your thoughts? —Charles

A: Moving to a new area for a job is an exciting opportunity, but it also involves important decisions, one of the biggest being whether to buy a ...Read more

What would it feel like to check your bank balance and find a pile of money you didn't know you had? Stop wasting money on goods and services that don't matter in the long run. By plugging the money leaks in your life, it's possible you could see the financial equivalent of working a second job in your wallet.

BUYING FROM A TV OR INTERNET AD. ...Read more

A new leather sofa or leather handbag -- so beautiful. Or perhaps it's the car you've had for a long time, the one with leather upholstery that still looks fantastic because that you've babied and protected it against spills and stains. And then somehow, that beautiful leather gets hit with an ink stain. It shouldn't happen, but life being what ...Read more

I love simple DIY household cleaners, not only because they're so much cheaper than their commercial cousins but because they work better. I'm certain that over the years I've tried hundreds of recipes and formulas. Let's just say that some work well; others, not so much.

Recently, I've been researching and testing the wonders of cornstarch to ...Read more

In what may be the ultimate Wall Street meets Main Street story, Goldman Sachs has agreed to buy Wheaton, Illinois-based Innovator Capital Management, an 8-year-old ETF investment firm, for $2 billion.

Founded in 2017, Innovator offers everyday investors a portfolio of exchange-traded funds that include options to buffer downside risk while ...Read more

Hiring a professional painter is like hiring a magician. One day your walls are dingy, the next they're flawless. The only trick? The bill. A single room can set you back $400-$600. Multiply that by a few rooms, and you might as well start selling plasma.

The good news: You can paint your own walls. With the right tools and tricks, nobody will ...Read more