Michael on October 31st, 2008
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You:  Wasn’t the first economic stimulus a failure?
Well, some people feel it did help the economy.
You: What?  The economy’s in the crapp toilet.
Still, some people feel the economy would have been even worse earlier if not for the first stimulus package.  That said, the administration of the economic stimulus is still causing pain, evidenced [...]

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Michael on October 29th, 2008
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Having just read through this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance, I’m happy to provide you with the number one article of the week: Is the credit crunch threatening your relationship? What a shame that the question has to be asked and I’m hopeful that Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck readers can confidently answer “No.”  But the [...]

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Michael on October 27th, 2008
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I visited my brother over the weekend.  He gave me another example of how to live fiscally responsibly without being cheap.
You: Why is “living fiscally responsibly, not cheaply” such an obsession for you?
While obsession seems like a strong word, the concept is critical because it is sustainable.
You: You mean from an environmental perspective?
No.  A successful [...]

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Michael on October 24th, 2008
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You: Pay taxes on losing investments?  That sounds counterintuitive.
It is counterintuitive.
You: Okay.
But it is what can happen and is likely to happen to many mutual fund holders this year as reported by The Wall Street Journal earlier this week.
You: What? I own some mutual funds. I’m going to owe taxes on them even though they’re [...]

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Michael on October 22nd, 2008
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Is your spouse good for your marriage?
You: What?
Is your spouse good for your marriage?
You: I heard you the first time.  I’m just not sure what you mean. I don’t think I’d technically be married without my spouse.
True enough.  What about financially, is your spouse good for your marriage?
You: Is this about a dowry?
No, it’s about [...]

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Michael on October 20th, 2008
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I hope you had a nice weekend.  Aside from sports (Michigan got killed and the Red Sox finally succumbed in Game 7) I had a great weekend.  My family and I went to the White Mountains and had a wonderful time.  The girls just love the outdoors, especially hiking.  Thanks to hotel points, the whole [...]

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Michael on October 17th, 2008
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It’s Friday, so it’s time for this week’s reader-submitted Q & A. If you’d like to submit a question, click here for more information or simply email a question.
Thank you for writing this book. In one place, I have found a way to understand my financial future!
I have on question, though: My wife and [...]

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Michael on October 16th, 2008
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Continuing on our theme of basics, I read one particularly good article at this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance: The article, written by Fiscal Zen, is 25 Savvy Tips for Car Buyers and Owners
As you know, there are always great articles at the Carnival of Personal Finance, this week including my post discussing how The [...]

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Michael on October 14th, 2008
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The stock market is hyperactive.
You: Gee, you think?
Indeed.  The last thing I saw this volatile was Joe Pesci in Goodfellas.
You: That guy was explosive!
Fortunately, less people will be murdered as a direct result of this market’s volatility.
You: I sure hope so.
One of the things to remember during periods of economic certainty is that the basics [...]

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Michael on October 10th, 2008
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Told by British comics during 2007, this remains one of the more compelling explanations for how we got to where we are today.
Here’s the video.

Continue reading about Friday humor: The real cause of the financial meltdown