A Tentative Personal Finance Blog

The dreaded “B” word. Budget.The only other word that starts with “B” that might generate a worse reaction in most people is the word bankruptcy.
Unfortunately, the word budget has gotten a bum rap. It’s basically just a PLAN. When you budget, […]

The following piece is courtesy of Marotta Asset Management and gives their thoughts on creating financial harmony in marriage:
No married couple wants a scandal, even if it is just financial in nature. Money problems can ruin the love affair with your spouse. The work of blending two lives in harmony requires certain basic commitments. Many […]

A recent piece in the New York Times discussed the number one cause of stress in America: money woes. It also offered a bit of advice on how to deal with it that might run counter to what is traditionally considered good manners: “Talking about it might be taboo, voyeuristic or impolite, but money is […]

I thought I could stay away from here at least until the end of the day, but my wife’s working today and I’m home alone. I could be getting ready things ready for the rest of the week, but I’ve been a little obsessive with posting.
Mint.com just posted an intriguing contest to celebrate their […]

Memorial Day is a day to reflect on the service, sacrifice and honor of the men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. So while you enjoy the rest of your three day weekend with friends, family, BBQ and big department store sales, please do not forget the true meaning of Memorial […]

All around me there has been an explosion of newborns. I’m at that age where people are starting their lives. Most are getting married and having kids. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to the Babys ‘R Us and the children’s clothing isle at Target this past year. […]

This month’s issue of Money Magazine contains an article with credit card recommendations for a variety of spending types. Here’s the run-down.
For big spenders: Blue Cash from American Express.
This card offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases for six months, but the best feature is the cash back reward program. The program offers 5% cash […]

The Motley Fool has a great write up on investing overseas. I like the outlook for foreign investments and think the US will be lagging in the near future. In fact, I’ve got almost 40% of my portfolio in overseas stocks or funds.
Admittedly, the term foreign investing sounds, well, foreign. The companies […]

From Creditslips.org, via Consumerist: If everyone in the U.S. spent zero percent of their personal income on food, shelter, taxes, and medical care for one year, the savings wouldn’t fully cover our collective mortgages, credit cards, car loans and other personal debts. Granted, this figure lumps all debt into one category, without accounting for the […]

Leo of Zenhabits, has a spiffy post on six free alternatives to Quicken & MS Money. I can’t vouch for any of them because I haven’t used them, not even Excel. I know that the spreadsheets work for a few of my buddies. I don’t really see too much of a difference […]