Finances

Groupon. Saveology. Living Social. Unless you're living under a rock, chances are you've probably heard of at least one of these sites. Websites that hook the consumer up with local business services at a deep discount are big these days, and it seems new similar sites are popping up on the web often. But do these sites really save you money?

Know Your Stuff

Resolutions may seem intimidating, especially when they are financial resolutions. Trying to resolve in one day to overhaul any or all aspects of your finances can be a nightmare. However, when you break down your resolutions into goals that are accomplishable, financial resolutions aren't quite as scary. Let's look at some of the best ways to make financial resolutions in the new year.

Think Big

Frugality has been a topic of conversation with many finance bloggers in the recent the months, and there seems to be a consensus that it is possible to be too frugal. This may seem surprising at first glance. I mean, how can it hurt to save as much money as possible? Let's take a look at the principles behind frugality and how being too frugal can be detrimental to your finances.

How Do You Define Frugality?

One of my favorite Christmas songs of all time is "The Twelve Pains of Christmas." Yes, you read that right. It's a parody song in which different singers lament things at Christmas that are a pain to them, such as rigging up the lights and trying to find a parking space. It's actually a pretty funny take on everyday life around the holidays.

When I was in college, I got into a couple of binds with credit cards. I was living paycheck to paycheck with little cash left for any kind of fun. So what did I do? Why I started to use my emergency credit card for non-emergencies. I racked up a sizable amount of debt by the time I graduated, and it took years to pay off. After that experience with credit cards, I vowed to never use one again.

Join our guest blogger Mitchell Pauly for a serious topic with some hilarious twists: The Purpose of College.

“There is a time and place for everything…and it’s called college.” -Chef (South Park)

A great Dane named Hamlet once lamented that age old question: "To work, or not to work?" Oh, wait, that's not exactly how it went. Um, anyway, all fuzzy college lit aside, today we're giving allowances a bit more attention. Back in March, I touched on allowances when talking about savings and kids. Today, we're looking at the pros and cons of different allowance strategies.

Two Schools of Thought

In the past, we have written posts about financial mistakes. These articles are helpful; they allow those of us on the brink of a financially disastrous decision the opportunity to foresee the future, based on the problems encountered by others. However, these stories really don’t lay out what to do in an ideal life journey through finances.

Have you ever met someone who seemed to have it all together? Perhaps this perfectly primped person could balance a load of laundry with a plate of cupcakes while herding sheepdogs, kids and monkeys out the door. Or perhaps this person could simultaneously balance multiple checkbooks at once, charge a purchase to her bankcard, and pay off the student loan, the gas bill and the mortgage (all while filing her taxes).

A few months ago, I saw Suze Orman on The Dr. Oz Show, where she mentioned that a financial diet can help people lose weight. Citing a statistic that claimed overweight people are paid $3.41 per hour less than their normal-weight counterparts, Orman went on to say that acknowledging your debt can lead you to skinny jeans. A little far-fetched? Well let’s take a look at the financial diet and Orman’s claims.

The Financial Diet