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  • How to escape paycheck-to-paycheck living

    Posted Aug 22 2008, 02:18 AM by Ryan MacClanathan
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    Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

    This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.

    Out of all of the blessings that have come into my life over the last two and a half years or so (a new home, my daughter, financial recovery, a new career, a lot of wonderful readers), the one that has truly helped me to sleep better at night is the move away from living paycheck to paycheck.

    Paycheck-to-paycheck living happens when you are regularly waiting for your next paycheck before you make basic financial moves, like paying bills or buying food or doing something fun. It's incredibly dangerous for a number of reasons:   Read More...

    Discuss ( 16 comments) 7,267 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

  • The sucker factor: The cost of being unable to say no

    Posted Jun 27 2008, 05:57 AM by Karen Datko
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    Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

    This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.

    Alan wrote in with an interesting situation:

    My problem is that I can't say no to people. I am a sucker for Girl Scouts selling cookies. I am a sucker for salesmen at stores. I am a sucker for my church when they need money for something. I am a sucker for friends and family who need to borrow money. I am a sucker for the Green Party or Green Peace when they call and ask for money all the time. I have heard it called "the disease to please" before, and I just wanted you to know how much it affects me not only with a lot of stress and anxiety, but also financially. I don't think I am alone either. ... I am trying to empower myself by saying no to at least one person a day. It is not easy though. I always fear hurting people's feelings or making them angry. Your article today about the left and right brain was fascinating. It got me thinking about other parts of a person's psychological makeup that could potentially affect their spending habits. For me, if I could grow a backbone and say no to people, I would probably save $100 or $200 a month. Sometimes more.   Read More...

    Discuss ( 5 comments) 2,417 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

  • The stuff I want versus the guilt I feel after I buy it

    Posted Jun 13 2008, 06:26 AM by Karen Datko
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    Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

    This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.

    Last month, I was sorely tempted to pick up Mario Kart Wii. Mario Kart has been my favorite video game series. I played it for hours and hours with my friends in high school on the Super Nintendo, then burned countless hours in the college dorms playing it on an N64.

    Even as recently as last Christmas, I stayed up most of the night playing Mario Kart DS wirelessly against my wife's family at their Christmas celebration (one person had a cartridge and several of us had DS units.)   Read More...

    Discuss ( 4 comments) 1,998 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

  • Training wheels: Why I spend less time managing money

    Posted May 09 2008, 06:52 AM by Karen Datko
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    Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

    This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.

    When I first went through my financial meltdown, I was almost obsessive about my various accounts.

    I checked my credit card and bank balances daily, kept careful notes on every penny I spent, and planned and plotted every single expense. The giant budgets and debt snowballs and investing plans I created were amazing in their detail. I spent hours with Excel, calculating my financial life and seeing the implications of every little move I might make.

    Over time, though, something fascinating happened.   Read More...

    Discuss ( 4 comments) 6,250 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this