Most people understand that a mortgage is a loan from a bank (or other lending institution) in exchange for property. The actual processes of the home loan are quite a bit more complex than that. In fact, even paying back the loan is a little more complex than when paying off other types of loans. …
The idea of retirement is one that we hear quite a bit. However, the concept is still strange to many people. They think it is always a long ways off. However, for many it is closer than they may think, in fact retirement for baby boomers is happening now as the oldest of that generation…
Hi One Smart Dollar readers! My name is Erika from the website From Shopping to Saving where I share my journey as a recovering shopaholic. I share my experiences with saving, shopping (resisting it), self-improvement, and more. Feel free to ask me questions or follow me on Twitter. I’m sure everyone has heard of how our country is…
If you are anything like me, your days are packed full of everything from work to fixing dinner and everything in between. Sometimes this doesn’t leave us a whole lot of time to take care of the tasks in our life that are really important. One of those important items is to review your bank…
One of the most useful financial tools a person can have and use is credit. It is also one of the most dangerous tools and can completely ruin a person’s financial health if it is used inappropriately. There are many financial professionals out there that think it should only be used in rare circumstances. For…
Last week I mentioned that in accommodating our growing family, my wife and I decided to sell one of our cars. We have started the process of looking for an SUV that will be big enough to carry a baby and our 100 pound dog. Before starting the car buying process, I need to decide if I…
Owning your employer’s stock may allow employees to share in the success of a company. Conversely, the employee bears the risk that a company’s financial problems will also become the employee’s. Your retirement is at risk, not your employer’s, if your 401(k) plan contains too much company stock. This risk has actually been the cause…