We filed our taxes back in February and received our federal tax refund back via direct deposit very quickly. Our refund was large. Much more than I expected. And it didn't bother me one bit. Large Tax Refunds Used to Really Irritate Me As in makemesomadIcouldscream. I hated giving the government my money as an interest-free loan. I wanted to have that money in my … [Read more...]

Personal finance is often best compared to personal fitness. Writers often bring up the comparisons between the two, as they relate to goal setting, determination, focus, etc. Screw that. Instead of discussing goals and delayed gratification, I'm going to compare  personal finance concepts to the always interesting world of dating. Let's take a look at what business/personal … [Read more...]

Having just wrapped up over three weeks of moving from one apartment to another, mobility is fresh on my mind. It's also fresh in the minds of many personal finance thinkers, who are once again considering renting as a very attractive alternative to buying. People like renting for a number of reasons, including the relatively low and predictable costs, and the freedom that … [Read more...]

Creating a sustainable lifestyle is not only about giving you peace of mind, it's also financially wise. The sustainable part is not necessarily about being eco-friendly (but it's a side effect sometimes), it's about having a lifestyle that doesn't have constantly having to upgrade.  Keeping up with the Joneses can wreck your monthly cash flow and put you into a position of … [Read more...]