Personal Finance Posts

What to Do With an Inheritance That Grew in the Stock Market  A listener wrote in with a story that's more common than people admit. Her aunt left her $20,000 last year, and she invested it based on advice from someone she was dating at the t…

The Four Numbers That Actually Matter on a Car Loan  A listener wrote in about to buy his first car from a dealership with zero experience in financing. He knew the finance manager was about to hand him paperwork full of numbers he didn't ful…

You Lost Your Job. Here's Your 30-Day Plan for the Bills.  A listener wrote in this week from a place a lot of people know. He lost his job three days ago, and his credit card statement is due in about two weeks. He doesn't have enough saved …

The Real Monthly Cost of Owning a Condo (It's Not Just the Mortgage)  A listener wrote in recently with a question I think a lot of buyers are quietly asking. He's seriously considering a condo, and the mortgage payment alone looks totally do…

How to Forgive Yourself for a Financial Mistake That Wasn't Really Yours  A listener wrote back to me this week. You might remember her from a recent episode: 69 years old, lost most of her mother's inheritance to a man she met at church, wen…

How to Stop Worrying About Money When You're Starting Over Later in Life  I got a letter recently from a woman turning 69 this year. She apologized to me twice before she even asked her question. She'd lost her mother's inheritance eighteen y…

Why I'm Changing the Name of My Podcast After All These YearsIf you saw the name change and your stomach dropped a little, I want you to read this before Monday. You deserve to hear it from me instead of piecing it together from a new logo in your p…

Why Your Raise Doesn't Feel Like a Raise  You got the number you worked for. A real percentage bump, the kind you were proud to see on your pay stub. And a few months later, you're staring at your bank account wondering where it went.  …

Siblings Inherited Two Rental Properties. Here's How to Decide Without Ruining the Relationship  Can three people who love each other split two houses without splitting the family? That's not hypothetical for one listener. Three siblings just…

Laid Off With $50,000 Saved. So Why Does It Feel Like Nothing?  She lost her job on a Tuesday. No package, no gradual transition, just a badge deactivation and a box in the car by lunch. Here's the part that surprised Ralph: she wasn't broke.…

Recession Odds Are Everywhere This Year. Here's How to Prepare Without Panicking  Economists this year can't even agree with each other. Some put recession odds at 30 percent. Others put it closer to 40. Consumer confidence has fallen to some…

Are Tariffs Really Why Your Grocery Bill Feels Higher This Year?  Tariffs are sitting at their highest average rate since the 1940s this year. Researchers estimate they're adding real, measurable cost to the typical American household's yearl…

Adult Child Moved Back Home? Here's How to Tell Helping From Enabling  Nearly half of parents this year say an adult child has moved back home. That's not a rare exception anymore. It's a documented, growing trend. So if your grown child is b…

How Big Should Your Emergency Fund Be When Layoffs Are Everywhere?  More than half of employed Americans say they're worried about losing their job this year. Layoff announcements keep showing up in the news, and a lot of them mention AI rest…

Is Your Work Life Insurance Actually Enough? Here's How to Find Out  Most people with life insurance through their job have never looked at the actual number. They just assume it's enough. That assumption is worth questioning, especially sinc…

Repair or Replace Your Car? A 5-Step Way to Decide  You hear it before you even turn the key all the way. That new sound. Your stomach drops. Is this the repair that finally fixes things, or just the next chapter in a very expensive story?  …

5 Questions to Ask Before You Refinance Your Mortgage  Mortgage rates are moving again, and everyone seems to have an opinion. Refinance now. Wait a little longer. Rates are about to drop further. When you're talking about one of the biggest …

Student Loan in Default? Here's What Happens Before Wage Garnishment Starts  A letter shows up with the Department of Education's name on it. Your student loan is officially in default, and wage garnishment is starting again for the first tim…

Grocery Prices Keep Rising: Here's the Real Reason and What to Do About It  A listener sent in her receipts. Same store, same ten items, eight months apart. The total jumped from around $165 a week to $211. Same brands, same family of four, n…

Your phone buzzes with an urgent message: "Your bank account has been locked. Click here immediately." Your heart starts racing. Is it real, or is someone trying to steal your money? How to Spot a Fake Bank Text Before It Costs You Money  F…

Retirement feels far away, until one day it isn't. If you've ever wondered whether you're actually saving enough, you're asking one of the most important financial questions you'll ever face. How Much Should You Save for Retirement? 5 Steps to Kno…

CD Interest Rates Are High Right Now: Is a Certificate of Deposit Right for You?  Banks are advertising certificates of deposit with some of the best interest rates in years. A guaranteed return sounds like an easy win, but is locking up your…

Is Your Savings Account Quietly Costing You Money?  You finally started saving. Then a coworker mentioned they're earning over four percent on their savings while yours is barely earning anything. Suddenly you're wondering if you've been doin…

Should You Save Money or Pay Off Debt First? Here's the Right Order to Do Both  Every extra dollar seems to come with a decision attached. Save it for emergencies, or throw it at your debt? Pick one, and it feels like you're neglecting the ot…