There are hundreds of savings accounts on the market now, catering to all sorts of savers. Saving options are becoming more varied and accessible with the introduction of new financial technology companies. These solutions can start small by rounding up purchases to the next dollar and depositing that loose change into a more structured savings … Read more
Index funds allow investors to track the market in a low-cost, consistent way, according to most analysts and advisors. An index fund provides exposure to a diverse selection of publicly traded securities that are intended to perform identically to a market index. They don’t always perform in an exact 1-to-1 ratio, as we will see. … Read more
Question: Dear Steve, My son (30) and his girlfriend (25) don’t have a lot of money. They are expecting our first grandchild in Oct. 2020. We want to make sure this grandchild has a good start in life. My husband and I can afford to save for this grandchild and provide life insurance as well. … Read more
When the Great Recession hit, it hit hard. Americans experienced job loss, foreclosures, a sharp rise in student loan defaults and high consumer debt. The recession also taught us plenty of important lessons. We asked 8 personal finance experts on their main financial takeaways on the past decade. Here’s what they had to say: Image Credit: Nattakorn … Read more
I once heard someone say there is never a great day to have a flat tire. So very true. But you can add this to the list, there is never a good day to have you eleven-year-old refrigerator crap the bed. Yes, our refrigerator greeted Tuesday by deciding that’s the day it would expire. It … Read more
This is the second update in my weekly series of my experience using cryptocurrency to get people excited about saving money. I will be the first person to admit there is little fundamental reasoning behind investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, or any one of the many other digital currencies out there. However, one … Read more
I previously wrote How to Use Bitcoin to Get Out of Debt or Build an Emergency Fund and need to get on a regular update schedule so Monday’s seem like a good day to do it. On December 6, 2017 I purchased $100 worth of Bitcoin at $14,244.87 per coin and received +0.0067505 BTC. After … Read more
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are going from a dull whisper to a louder conversation lately. The value of Bitcoin especially has shot way up. I remember when I first heard about Bitcoin in 2015 and it was trading for around $200 a Bitcoin. It’s now gone as high as $18,000 for that same Bitcoin. A … Read more
The Trump administration has been vigorous in wanting to cut regulations. That’s not always a bad thing. But this suggested change really caught my eye. President Trump has signed a memorandum which clears the way to eliminate the fiduciary rule for investment brokers. The fiduciary rule may sound like something boring but every person saving … Read more
I spend almost all of my time focused on helping people to get out of debt. But today I wanted to take a moment and focus on what to do once that crisis has passed and I’ve added a new section about life after debt to my free guides on dealing with debt. Let’s talk … Read more
“Dear Steve, Bought a home a year ago after finishing paying off students loans (am currently 27). I started contributing to a Roth about 6 months before I purchased the home and am now wondering if I should continue to max out the Roth or pay off the house faster? M” Dear M, I think … Read more
“Dear Steve, I am looking for a workshop or advisor to help get my finances straight. I have a poor credit history so i need advise in working through that in addition to rebuilding my credit. I have several retirement accounts from different jobs that I am not sure what to so with. Do I … Read more
“Dear Steve, I am not sure if you are the same Steve Rhode I wrote to about 7 years ago. I heard about you on the TV show Starting Over, with Rhonda Britten. I wrote to you asking advice on how to get out of the large debt we had from attempting to start our … Read more
“Dear Steve, We are $23,000 in debt not including our house. We are able to make all payments but nothing is left over to save. $11,000 of this debt is an old school loan that we pay $114/mo on. $5000 is an auto loan. The rest is old credit debt. We have paid down about … Read more
A recent article in the online version of the Wall Street Journal caught my attention. It was called “Clients From Venus.” Source It began by pointing out that women are becoming increasingly involved in personal finance. “Women control $8 trillion in assets in the U.S., and by 2020 are expected to control $22 trillion, according … Read more