Michael on June 30th, 2009
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So my wife and I are starting to shop for a home.  We’ve never owned a home before.  We almost did twice before, in two different states and in what seems like two different lifetimes ago.  For a variety of reasons, it didn’t happen either time, but I’m pretty sure it will this time.
You: What [...]

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Michael on June 26th, 2009
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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.
You: When should I use frequent flyer miles vs. paying for an airline ticket?
-Steven R., Milford, CT
Straightforward Answer:  If you can get more than two cents [...]

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Michael on June 24th, 2009
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This is a guest post by Kathryn Marion, author of Grads: Take Charge of Your First Year After College. Last week, I posted Transitioning to the Real world and asked for questions for Kathryn.  Today, Kathyrn provides her answers:

I know that saving money is important, but I also love traveling/vacationing which gets expensive. Some friends [...]

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Michael on June 22nd, 2009
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Of all the articles in this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance, I most enjoyed Moneymonk’s Why American’s Don’t Save. Perhaps because it reminded me of a post I wrote long ago, Top 10 Excuses For Not Saving, but also because it was an excellent reminder of being realistic about the future.
Fact 1:  It won’t be [...]

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Father’s Day Financial Lessons
Earlier this month, I wrote a detailed article Three Financial Reminders For New Dads over at FiLife (a joint venture between The Wall Street Journal and IAC.  I’m sharing it with you in honor of Father’s Day. How are you (or the Dad in your life) celebrating? I’m going to the Red [...]

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Michael on June 17th, 2009
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The following is excepted from my first book, Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck:
Identity theft, the stealing of another individual’s personal information in order to commit illegal financial transactions, is a major problem today.  Reviewing your credit reports annually is one way to monitor suspicious activity.  In addition, there are other tactics to consider. Some of these [...]

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You:  It’s not lighthouses.
Probably not.
You: Or millions of acres of corn fields.
Not likely.
You:  What is it?
Very high average student loan balances.
You: How and why would you know this?
Late at night, after we get the kids down, one of the things I like to do to relax is study student loan patterns by county.
You: For real?
Heck [...]

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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.
Coincidentally, I received the following two questions less than five minutes apart:
You signed my book at the ING DIRECT cafe in Chicago some time ago.  In [...]

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Michael on June 10th, 2009
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I just received two copies of Grads: Take Charge of Your First Year After College by Kathryn Marion.   One’s a keepsake for me, since I wrote a small “bonus” chapter in the Money section of the book. But the other copy is a gift for you.
You: For me?
Maybe.
You: How do I find out if it’s [...]

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Michael on June 8th, 2009
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I’m always eager to share articles written elsewhere that are useful to Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck readers.  That’s one reason I read the Carnival of Personal Finance every week. This week’s version, hosted by fellow New Englander David from Money Under 30, includes my post Should I Repair My Car or Buy Another One?
Of the [...]

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