By Philip BrewerOne of the most universal bits of advice from financial planners is to track your spending.  It's also one of the most universally rejected bits of financial advice--rejected by people who find it tedious and fiddly.  In the interests of making everybody happy, I'm going to come down squarely on both sides of this issue. Anybody who's actually developed the habit of tracking their...

By Andrea DicksonOpen the pages of almost any magazine, or turn on the TV, and you're bombarded with ads that claim (if indirectly) that their products will make your life fuller, more rewarding, and all-around better. The message is pretty simple: spend, and you'll be so much better. There are, however, a few beauty methods that are nearly guaranteed to make you look and feel like a million bucks...

By Xin LuOn July 24th, 2008, the Federal minimum wage in The United States will increase from $5.85 per hour to $6.55 per hour in accordance to the 2007 amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act. This is a 70 cent or approximately 12% increase from last year. Are You getting a pay raise? I am guessing that for most people the answer is "no" because many businesses already pay more than th...

By Jason WhiteI'm pretty good around the house.  I can make most small, household repairs, and have even been known to take on a larger DIY project or two to save a buck.  However, I know my limitations, and will gladly call in the experts when I am out of my league.  Some guys just can't stand the idea of asking someone for help, because they think admitting they don't know how to do something...

By Philip BrewerThis post is about repurposing a trick that grown-ups use to manage a child's wants.  You know the one.  It starts with pointing at a substitute.  Then, the grown-up frames one of two questions, such that the answer is always "you don't need one." Whatever the child wants--let's call it X--the adult can always ask one of two questions: You've got a perfectly good X--you...