ArcaMax

Dear Mary: My husband and I have been out of debt for approximately five years. It's great. The problem is we now seem to spend a lot of money needlessly just because we can. We have so much money over and above our living expenses that it is easy to be reckless.

We keep just enough in savings ($2,000 or so) for emergencies but never get beyond...Read more

A credit score is a three-digit number between 300 and 850 generated by a mathematical algorithm (a mostly secret formula) based on information in your credit report, compared to information on tens of millions of other people. Like it or not, the resulting number is said to be a highly accurate prediction of how likely you are to pay your bills...Read more

Dear Mary: My question is about life insurance. My wife believes that I need life insurance because I am the sole breadwinner in the family and we have a baby daughter.

I am not sure it is important right now, as we just bought our first house. Our financial situation is very tight, and we will be having a lot of minor improvements on the house...Read more

Market capitulation is a term used by investors and traders during times of market decline. It refers to an extreme point of panic selling, where investors are willing to sell their assets at any price, resulting in a rapid decline in prices. Dictionaries define capitulation as the act of surrendering, which is a good way of thinking about how ...Read more

Stocks sold off in early April as investors grappled with how tariffs would impact inflation and the outlook for economic growth. Some investors even grew concerned about a possible recession. Some of the biggest tech companies saw their shares tumble 20% or more, with Tesla falling around 50% from its recent high. The Federal Reserve faces the ...Read more

Ah, tax season. That magical time of year when we all attempt to decipher the mystical language of IRS forms while hoping the government gives us back some of our own money. Before you start planning what to do with your refund, let's talk about tax identity theft.

Tax ID theft happens when a fraudster files a fake return in your name to steal ...Read more

A big coordinated garage sale in my neighborhood gave me a surprising wake-up call. It's one thing to see a family's stuff spread out in the front yard, but quite another to see a whole neighborhood's castoffs at one time. All I could think as I walked from one yard to the next was all the money wasters that led to this colossal display of stuff...Read more

There are many reasons not to carry credit card debt. The most obvious is that it's really expensive. And here's a reason often overlooked: It seems so much harder to work for money you've already spent.

But what if you do not carry any credit card debt at all? There are some who would say it is perfectly reasonable to use credit to pay for ...Read more

Dear Mary: We live in Nevada and own a second home in Arizona. My husband wants to sell the Arizona property and then use the proceeds to pay off our credit debt, auto loan and home equity loan on the Nevada property -- about $165,000 total.

I disagree. I think we should rent the Arizona property to generate income and benefit from its future ...Read more

Over the years, I've picked up my fair share of housecleaning tricks -- some from sheer trial and error, others from seasoned professionals who make scrubbing and tidying look like an art form. The best cleaning hacks aren't just about getting things spotless; they're about getting there cheaper, better, faster and without pulling a muscle.

So ...Read more

I reset my lawn sprinkler timer, which was more than an hour off due to the spring ritual known as daylight saving time. Rather than move it one hour ahead, I decided to let it run backward. It was mesmerizing to see time back up -- so much so that when I reached the desired time, I didn't stop. I let it go back another 24 hours and then another...Read more

Driven to save myself and my family from financial ruin, I jumped into the deep end of the industrial real estate industry. I knew nothing about negotiating. All I knew was that I had to close deals -- bringing interested parties together, getting them to agree and seeing that everyone walks away a winner.

I no longer sell real estate, but I ...Read more

How's your health? Not your physical fitness, but your financial well-being. For most of us, how much we earn tells us how we're "feeling" financially. But your income is only one part of the equation. How much of your income do you actually keep?

Not very much, I'll bet. Your income is low, you say; you've got bills to pay. Rents are sky-high;...Read more

Believe your eyes -- it's spring! Time to bid farewell to the snowblower, gas up the lawnmower and let the sunshine in (whether your allergies approve or not). And what better way to welcome the season than with a few simple money-saving tips to freshen up your home and yard?

DIY GLASS CLEANER

Forget expensive window sprays -- your pantry has ...Read more

I'm sure my supermarket is not the only grocery store with an area in the back I call "My Bargain Bin." It's refrigerated and features some dandy bargains, especially on perishable items approaching that "sell by" date. There are no limits on the number of items I can load into my cart -- all of them with ridiculously low, rock-bottom prices.

...Read more

Dear Mary: What does it mean to "balance" my bank account? How do I do that? Why should I? I really appreciate you answering my question. I'm sure I should know this, but honestly, I don't. -- Josey

Dear Josey: This is a great question, and I'm sure you'd be surprised to know just how many of your fellow readers want to know the same thing!

To...Read more