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8 Ways Parents Can Cut Their Shopping Budget
Tweet Share on Facebook May 26, 2010 Comment (4)It’s no secret that becoming a parent is an expensive endeavor. The Agriculture Department reports that a baby born to a middle-income family in 2008 will cost about $221,190 in food, housing, child care, and education costs over the first 18 years of its life. Shopping alone, a category that includes clothing and hobbies, costs married parents with children about $11,500 a year, compared to $8,900 for married couples without children, according to the money comparison site Bundle.com.
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How Behind Are Your Retirement Savings?
Tweet Share on Facebook May 25, 2010 Comment (3)If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably not saving enough for retirement. Most people – 57 percent – say they are either “a little” or “far behind” their retirement savings goals, according to a new survey by TD Ameritrade.
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6 Signs Consumer Spending is Back
Tweet Share on Facebook May 19, 2010 CommentAfter an era of fewer restaurant meals, “stay-cations,” and other cutbacks, shoppers are ready to pull out their wallets again. Not only have retail sales rebounded, but consumers themselves are reporting that they are in the mood to shop. According to two new surveys out this week, we might be on the verge of experiencing the Great Shopping Comeback of 2010. Here are six signs of its existence:
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Advice for Recent College Graduates
Tweet Share on Facebook May 18, 2010 Comment (2)Congratulations, new college graduates – you’re done with school, at least for the moment. You’ve probably packed up your dorm room, listened to some inspiring speeches, and sent your resume out into the working world. And unless you’re the lucky recipient of a trust fund, you probably have some concerns about paying your bills in the coming months and years.
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Creating a Home, On a Budget
Tweet Share on Facebook May 14, 2010 CommentSetting up a home, whether it’s a small studio or four-bedroom ranch house, can be quite a daunting task, especially when you’re on a budget. In her book Making a Family Home, Shannon Honeybloom offers dozens of ideas for creating cozy, welcoming, and even educational spaces. The good news is that the vast majority of her suggestions don’t cost much at all. I recently chatted with Honeybloom over E-mail about how to give your home a make-over without breaking the bank. Excerpts:
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Do You Live in a High-Debt City?
Tweet Share on Facebook May 13, 2010 Comment (3)Seattle might be known for good coffee and being home to Grey’s Anatomy, but it also deserves another association: Lots of debt. According to a new report by the credit reporting agency Experian, Seattle has the highest average debt per consumer -- $26,646. Dallas, Denver, and Atlanta aren’t far behind.
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Parents Struggle with Retirement Savings
Tweet Share on Facebook May 13, 2010 Comment (6)Children, while adorable, also strain their parents’ budgets, making it more difficult for them to save for retirement and get out of debt, according to a new survey by TD Ameritrade. The brokerage house found that while 46 percent of Americans without children say being “debt-free” is an essential component of financial success, only 37 percent of those with children say the same thing. That suggests that for many parents, the day-to-day expenses of children make it almost impossible to steer clear of debt altogether, says Diane Young, director of retirement and goal planning for TD Ameritrade.
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10 Behaviors That Hurt Your Credit Score
Tweet Share on Facebook May 11, 2010 Comment (7)Do you know the top 10 financial behaviors that can hurt your credit score? It turns out that most people don’t – especially parents. According to a new survey by ING Direct, only five parents out of 1,042 could correctly identify the following behaviors as damaging to credit scores.
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Navigating the Ups and Downs of Air Travel
Tweet Share on Facebook May 11, 2010 Comment (2)The airline industry has seen a lot of turbulence lately, from the Continental-United merger to consumer outrage over baggage fees to volcanic ash-related cancellations. But as long as you plan ahead, you don’t need to pay top dollar this summer. Follow these five suggestions to get to your destination for less:
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Recovering From the Greece-Related Stock Plunge
Tweet Share on Facebook May 6, 2010 Comment (2)The stock market plunged today – down around 9 percent at one point – as Greece’s financial troubles continue to weigh on the world economy. But that doesn’t mean that you need to wallow in your 401(k) losses tonight. (In fact, I recommend avoiding logging into your account to see exactly how much has evaporated.)
