They say money is the leading cause of divorce. I’m still looking for the hard proof, but even if it is just an (ex-) wives’ tale, it’s believable. [...]

This month, I celebrate one year as a personal finance blogger. Last night, I was thinking: I’ve made a lot of mistakes in a year, but still things are coming along. Here’s a list of my blogging mistakes, and what you can learn from them (even if you don’t have a blog!) [...]

How many times have you written out a monthly budget that would make your bank proud, only to completely forget about it one week later as you charge the day’s third coffee to your Visa card? [...]

Earning a living is hard work; not spending it all is even harder. The root of all evil is not money, but greed. [...]

Overspenders and cheapskates have the same problem. They can’t make strategic spending decisions. Can you? [...]

I’ll bet you have an answer to that question. So what? I can’t sleep at night because of my debt! So what? I have creditors calling me all day long! So what? I can’t afford anything I want to do! Like I said: So what? [...]

I’ve got some good news – and some bad – about your money and your happiness.

Before we get into it, think about what you spend your money on. Not your bills, but the things you choose to purchase for yourself. Now think about why you buy what you do. Why you want what you want.

Now be honest with yourself. [...]

Recently I wrote about my positive experience getting a personal loan from Prosper, a peer-to-peer lending service. [...]

If you’re like me, you have probably been tempted by the miles rewards credit cards like the Citi AAdvantage Card or the Delta SkyMiles Card from American Express. The bonus miles you receive upon approval alone might be enough to bump your next cross-country flight to first-class. Never mind the miles you’ll rack up for everyday purchases and business travel. But what about that annual fee, which can range from $30 all the way up to $395?

A credit card annual fee used to be a necessary evil – the price you paid to get anything from your credit card other than the privilege of deferring payment for 30 days (hopefully no longer). But today cards like the Miles by Discover Card, BlueSky from American Express, or Citi PremierPass offer rewards for purchases without an annual fee.

What exactly, does the annual fee buy you?

Slightly “better” rewards, to be exact. The difference between the Citi Premier Pass (no annual fee) and Premier Pass Elite ($75 annual fee)? Both cards get you one point for every $1 spent and extra miles for every mile flow. The Elite Card gives you double points at select gas stations, supermarkets, and drug stores and gives you the option of getting a free companion airline ticket with every fare $299.00 and over. The enrollment bonus varies, also; Elite card members will score an additional 10,000 bonus miles.

In the Citi PrimerPass example, it’s obvious that if once a year you would use the free companion airfare feature, you would save more than the $75 annual fee. What about other cards? For purely points-based programs, ask yourself how much spending (and how much free flying) you’ll do.

The value of credit card points varies depending on how they are redeemed, but we can assume they are valued at about one cent each. If you earn 1 point for every $1 spent and spend $25,000 you may have a free ticket worth about $500. Definitely worth an annual fee of $75. But do you charge at least $2,000 a month on your credit card? Probably not. If you only charge $500 a month, you’ll have 6,000 points at year’s end, worth about $60. You’ll have ended up loosing $15 to the annual fee.

Of course, this example assumes you pay off your balance in-full every month. If you don’t, forget the annual fee, any rewards you’re receiving will be eaten away by finance charges. For this reason, credit cards with annual fees tend to have high interest rates. If you’re looking for a credit card to carry a balance, never pay a fee! Check out my article on credit card balance transfers for some tips.

Want to get the perks of an annual fee credit card without paying up? You have a couple of options. Most cards offer the first-year fee-free. You should be able to apply, use the card for a year to rack up the points, and cancel before the fee comes due. Just remember that both opening a credit line and canceling one put a slight ding in your credit score. The other route? Call up your card company and ask to waive your fee. It may not work with all cards, but most companies want to keep your business and will make concessions if you ask.

Looking for a no annual fee rewards card? Check out my recommend credit cards.

With all the great personal finance blogs available, you might think the last thing the Web needs is another list of money rules written by some nerd trying to change his spending habits. Maybe you’re right, but here are my Six Simple Laws of Personal Finance Under 30 anyway.

They’re for myself and for everybody else out there struggling to get ahead. They’re simple, they’re blunt, and they’re aggressive. I still break them from time to time, but I’m working on it.

1. Spend much less than you earn.

2. Do whatever it takes to get out of debt.

3. Put your savings accounts on autopilot.

4. Give back.

5. Set goals, and discover what it will take to get there.

6. Improve yourself, improve your earnings, improve your life. Never settle.