Is It Better to Donate or Sell Your Car?

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Sell or donate marquis mark

I have a 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis (His name is Marquis Mark!). I purchased it from a friend a year and a half ago for $500. Since that time I have put about $1,500 into it. This was done about a year ago to keep it safe and to fix a couple of oil leaks. I have been saving money for another car once this one dies. But given my situation (living in a fairly rural town without any friends or family nearby), I am worried about being stranded should it break down on me. Therefore I have been thinking […] Read more »

Battle of the Sexes, Over Debt?

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In today’s world women are no longer “just staying home” to raise their children. I say “just staying home” as anyone that is a stay at home parent knows that raising children is one of the most difficult jobs you will ever have. Many women are both working full-time and raising their children out of necessity for their family. Whether you are married with kids, divorced with kids or widowed with kids it’s a tough dual role to play, for either parent. As a divorced single mom I know the challenges of going it alone and the debt that goes […] Read more »

10 Things on Which to Never Spend Money

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There are so many good things on which to spend money. Here's a list of things to avoid! Extendend Warranties: Just say no. Extended warranties are a numbers game, and those numbers favor the seller. If you are really that concerned that your new purchase is going to break then you shouldn't be buying it. Save your money. If you want to have some fun when the clerk asks you if you would like the warranty respond by asking "Why, is this product no good? Is it going to break? Oh well, maybe I shouldn't buy it at all then." Read more »

Financial Asset Management – A Different Perspective

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Almost crayon level financial asset management

When it comes to my abilities in the arena of financial asset management, I don't consider myself to be more than a couple of notches above the crayon level. Although I've been free of debt for quite some time now, it's not because I'm a financial wizard, it's mostly because of my natural inclination to aim high and be financially conservative. If you listen to my sweetheart Ellen, she might also suggest that I have some sort of a crystal ball. Whatever the case may be, I'd like to offer a different perspective on wealth preservation in light of what I see as our ever-changing economic climate. I think you'll find much of this discussion to be applicable, regardless of where you might be in terms of debt. Read more »

Improve Your Blog, Improve Your Finances

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As a blogger who writes about money, I often draw parallels to money and life. But it wasn’t until recently that I realized how closely improving a blog is to improving personal finances. Here are just a few ways that I’ve noticed: Start with one thing When I decided I wanted to write a personal finance blog, I had to pick what I wanted to write about. I wanted it to be more focused and detailed than my previous blog and I knew that I had to write about what I know. Since I know nothing about investing and I […] Read more »

The $57 Jar Of Candy

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Imagine a large glass jar filled to the top with your favorite kind of candy. How much would you pay for it? $10? $20? How about $57? This past weekend, Vonnie and I attended a benefit for her aunt who was recently diagnosed with cancer. There was a wonderful outpouring of support from the community through donations of items to sell in a silent auction. Vonnie, being her usual rock star self, visited business throughout our community and accumulated a dozen or so items to contribute to the auction. We also put together a basket of items we personally donated, […] Read more »

How To Ask For Help

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Asking for what you want is critical to meeting your goals, but it's a surprisingly difficult thing to do. I know I struggle with it all the time. When I ask someone for help I worry that I'm bothering them, or taking advantage of them. What's weird is that I don't worry they will say "No". I'm actually more worried that they will say "Yes"! If they agree to help me I worry they won't follow through or they are secretly mad at me for "making" them help. The reality is that no one gets anything done alone. We all need help. Read more »

Your Car, Your Wealth

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I’ve always preferred to buy low mileage cars that are 2-5 years old because they often sell for less than 50-60% of their original sales price. I’ve financed a few of them and had car payments ranging from $151 to $275 per month. My Toyota Avalon passed 232,000 miles last month and began to have the minor problems that eventually lead to major repairs. Luckily, it sold quickly and I found a low mileage ten year old car at an affordable price. Before finding that car, I stopped at a few dealerships to see what they had to offer. Wow, […] Read more »

Increase Your Personal Savings and Live the Life You Want

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Do you have trouble saving money? Take one look at the savings rate in America and you’ll realize you’re not alone. It goes up and down but before the gloomy recession savings rates were as low as -2%. You read that right. Americans had a negative savings rate! It’s gone up a little bit since then but there is still much room for improvement. Clearly Americans have trouble saving money but imagine if there was something that encouraged you to pay yourself first each and every month. Instead of running out of money at the end of the month to […] Read more »

Home Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction

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Everybody’s favorite season has arrived. It’s tax season and whether you dread it or not, if you live in The United States, own property or earn an income you are going to have to confront it. When you own property, the best way to reduce your taxable income is to take advantage of the home mortgage interest tax deduction. However many home owners are losing the advantage by not itemizing their taxes. There are a number of tax breaks for home owners and hopefully this post will clear up any confusion you may have with the home mortgage interest tax […] Read more »

Finding Teachable Moments in Your Day-to-Day

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teaching kids about money

One of the main driving forces behind my own blog, The Debt Princess is to stop others from going down the dark path that debt took me down. I want to remind people of the dangers of debt and encourage them to take care of their own finances. I also try to encourage my readers to speak to their own children about money. I am working diligently with my own kids to make sure that they are not following in my footsteps. Offering allowances in exchange for chores, is one great way to teach about money. I like to be […] Read more »

Does Your Demographic Decide How You Pay Bills?

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The times, they are changing; life is very different for today’s youth, otherwise known as Millennial’s. Their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents lived in a seemingly different world; one without smart phones, laptop computers, and online bill pay. Those of you born into Generation X, Baby Boomer, or Silent Generation know what I mean. You did not grow up with today’s available technology and skepticism may be keeping you from hopping aboard the technology train. You paid bills your bills the old fashioned way with a checkbook, envelope, and a stamp. But is there more to how you pay your […] Read more »

Lists Save Time, Money, and Stress

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I love lists! I make lists for everything, from to do lists, to bucket lists, to what to watch on TV lists. But where my finances are concerned I like my shopping lists best. I rarely go shopping without a list. Why? Because shopping lists save you time, money, and stress. Shopping lists save money. I consider making a shopping list kind of like shopping from home. You take a look around and decide what you need. You can make your shopping decisions without the glitz and glamour of the store. There is no wandering around the store to see if there is anything else you need. Read more »

Is Debt Really Slavery?

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Hello! My name is Bobbie Bushman and I am the newest contributor to Enemy of Debt. I found Enemy of Debt a couple of weeks ago and I loved it right away because I felt they were doing something that not many other websites are doing. They are telling you the truth about debt, how it can trap you, and how becoming debt free can change your life for the better. Since I knew I was going to be writing for this site, I starting thinking about what I wanted to say. One thing I say a lot in my […] Read more »