Personal finance advice by DimeSpring.com
New role for your boss: Retirement savings cheerleader
NEW YORK (MaimStreet) — U.S. workers are obviously having a tough time getting a grip on their retirement savings, but many may not know help is available from an unlikely source — their employer.The latest Retirement Confidence Survey from the Washington, D.C.-based Employee Benefits Research Institute reports that 49 percent ...
Workers now expect little guidance on retirement
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — When it comes to helping finance their retirement, today’s career professionals increasingly believe they’re on their own.That’s the conclusion drawn by a study from Financial Finesse, an El Segundo, Calif., personal finance services firm.READ: How much you should be saving for retirement while in your 20sAccording ...
How to pinpoint your home's break-even moment
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — The old rule of thumb says: Don’t buy a home unless you’ll stay there for four or five years — long enough for appreciation to offset expenses such as the real estate agent’s commission when you sell. If you won’t have the home that long, rent.But ...
Is it worth it: Master's degree
When the job market stinks, many college students take refuge in graduate school, figuring the time and money spent getting a master’s degree will boost their career prospects. But with the interest rate on student loans doubling to 6.8 percent on July 1 — adding to the $1.1 trillion in ...
College grads are shocked by their own loan debt
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — Are U.S. college graduates “surprised” by the amount of student loan debt they’ve accumulated?You bet they are. But the real question is this: How did college grads not see this loan debt tsunami coming?READ: What will your kid's college really cost?More data are pouring in confirming ...
How to ID a car damaged by Hurricane Sandy
NEW YORK (TheStreet) — Hurricane Sandy damaged more than 250,000 automobiles when it slammed into the Eastern United States six months ago, and experts fear dishonest sellers are still trying to soak used-car buyers with vehicles hit by the storm.READ: Here are some questions to ask when buying a car"The ...
Divorcing parents must figure out kids' future expenses now
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — It's a frustrating truth that years after most divorcing parents have signed their separation or divorce agreements, the subject of child-related costs is a source of ongoing squabbles.And whereas the emotional pain fades and the custody issues become fewer, kids' expenses never do. They just seem ...
How to get into business with your pet
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — When Dee Dee Murray, a Seattle artist, taught her dog to paint, she never dreamed putting a paintbrush in the Dachshund's mouth would also help her own business."When I would paint, she would always come up and lie beside me, and I just wondered if she ...
Divorcing parents must figure out kids' future expenses now
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — It's a frustrating truth that years after most divorcing parents have signed their separation or divorce agreements, the subject of child-related costs is a source of ongoing squabbles.And whereas the emotional pain fades and the custody issues become fewer, kids' expenses never do. They just seem ...
Q&A: How can I afford to stay home with my baby?
Whether you continue to work outside of the home or choose to be a stay at home parent, the reality is that having a baby will put a crimp in your finances (not to worry, parenting has many intangible rewards). Your precious little bundle comes with an entourage: toys, diapers, ...
Savvy Financial Latina: How to win the scholarship game
My parents always encouraged/expected me to do well in school, and I realized the only way I was going to be able to get a good-paying job was to study. The only obstacle standing in my way was money. At a very young age, I realized my parents could not ...
5 home renovation projects you'll regret when you sell
BOSTON (MainStreet) — A new bathroom or roof can make your home a lot more pleasant, but don't expect to recover its cost when you sell.That's because a recent analysis by Remodeling magazine and the National Association of Realtors found that none of 35 upgrades studied will boost your home's ...
Frugal Rules: Can I go on summer vacation if I’m still in debt?
I shared last month about how I became a pro at flexing my credit card muscle while in college. Some go to college to learn, others to start out life on their own for the first time; I went to college to party. Whatever I wanted, I flexed my plastic ...
Find your ideal homeownership situation
NEW YORK (BankingMyWay) — A house is a home. No, it’s an investment. OK, then, it’s both.And that’s problem — a muddled view that can be used to rationalize an unsuitable property. If the home’s too expensive, we figure, well, it’s a good investment. And if the value isn’t rising ...
Q&A: Should I refinance my mortgage?
Assuming your goal is to reduce your interest expense, you’ll know it’s time to refinance if the cost to refinance can be recouped by your reduced mortgage payment before you plan to sell. READ: Take these features into consideration when buying a homeHere are the steps:Gather the info on your ...
Ask Jane: Who can I leave my guns to, legally, if I die?
This is a tricky question because state laws differ so much. Compounding the problem is that most states don’t even pay much attention to who inherits guns unless the heir gets into trouble. Then — if possession turns out to be illegal — he or she can get into big ...
Beat a speeding ticket (or at least take the sting out)
BOSTON (TheStreet) — A moving violation can cost you more than $1,000 in fines and higher auto insurance premiums, but here's some advice that's just the ticket for minimizing the damage to your wallet."If you get a speeding ticket and your car is a 2005 or newer with full coverage, ...
50-Plus Finance: Can your goals hold you back?
Don't get me wrong — I'm all about setting goals. But when goals are fuzzy or unfocused, they can start to hold you back.I have three kids in college about to graduate, and goals are at the forefront of my mind. One of my goals is making sure goals are ...
What we don't know about our own credit scores
NEW YORK (MainStreet) — Almost half of Americans don’t know their own credit score, which in the eyes of consumer advocates is roughly akin to not knowing your own Social Security number or cellphone number.A study last year of 2,215 consumers by CoupinCabin.com reveals that 47 percent of U.S. adults ...
Q&A: How can I stay motivated to spend less and save more?
Sometimes there must be a sense of urgency to accomplish a goal. For example, my parents, sisters, nieces and other family members have banded together to lose weight during the next 30 days. Whether it’s my niece posting an exercise tip or one of my sisters sending me some weight ...
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