It used to be the case that only low income families lived paycheck to paycheck. As the recession strikes deeper into the economy, the problem is spreading upwards through the middle class. The majority of people in the US have no savings and are currently unable to save any money after paying all the bills. [...]

There’s a simple rule when it comes to debts. Unless the debt is interest free, continuing to borrow the money is costing you money. If you can earn interest on savings or get a return on other investments, it usually benefits you to pay off the debts and invest your money. Except, if you are [...]

When buying their homes, most people never really think about the costs of insurance. Yet the building you choose has a direct effect on the amount of premium you will pay to insure it. Where you buy is critical. Should there be a track record of hurricane, tornado or flood damage in the area, many [...]

When the going is good, the majority simply renew their existing policies or spend only a few minutes buying a new policy. Saving a few dollars is less important when credit is flowing freely. But now we are in a recession and every dollar matters, it’s time to look more carefully at how we spend [...]

In the days when credit was cheap, anyone with a secure job paying a check every month could borrow. There were still millions on or below the poverty line, but the majority in the US could buy what they needed and then some. People did still get into trouble. But, mostly, banks and finance companies [...]