Yesterday, my four year old son was watching a television program at his grandparents’ home. At our own home, we don’t watch much non-PBS programming at all, so this was one of my son’s first real exposures to advertising. I came into the room after he had been watching…
Over the last few months, I’ve given a small pile of presentations related to The Simple Dollar, my upcoming book, and other topics. Along the way, I’ve learned several things about what constitutes a good presentation and what constitutes a failure. Here are the seven key things I’ve learned,…
Recently, I picked up two Le Creuset 5 1/2 quart French ovens on a special deal. I’ve been slowly upgrading our kitchen implements and I’ve wanted to upgrade our cracked ceramic casseroles with enameled cast iron that can be used over a burner and also thrown in an oven…
Randy Johnson, president of Independence Mortgage Co. in Newport Beach, author of “How to Save Thousands of Dollars on Your Home Mortgage” and a mortgage broker since 1983, answers questions… Q. My lender approved a short sale on my property but their approval letter states they can collect on…
Today, I’m spending the day with my family, enjoying some turkey, taking a nap, playing a few games, and kibbitzing with people I love. Wherever you are today (whether you’re in the United States or not), take a moment to look at the good things in your life and…
Happy Thanksgiving to all. I am thankful we avoided Great Depression II, at least for now, and the worst of the credit crisis is over. However, I do miss writing stories about the boom and bust of the subprime lords. Oh New Century, why did you go gently into…
Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day (one of the two holidays of the year that are really important to me, the other being Christmas), I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on the eight things over the last year that I’m most thankful for. I’m thankful for my family.…
The Mortgage Bankers Association said today its index of loan application volume nationwide dropped 4.5% last week from a week earlier as mortgage rates were nearly unchanged. However, demand was mixed. click to enlarge A refinance index fell 9.5 percent from the previous week, but a purchase index rose…
Since many of you are reading this during the workday and will be traveling as soon as you leave, I thought I would collect together some of my favorite travel, Thanksgiving, and auto tip articles from various websites. A Holiday Travel Survival Guide A good collection of tips, plus…
Monica writes in: I used to buy my daughter several new outfits before the start of the school year and then a few more items for Christmas. This worked well when she was less picky about her clothes. The last few years, though, she’s wanted nothing but a few…