Are you a Natural Born Spender or Natural Born Saver? Believe it or not, research suggests that---Spender or Saver---you may really be born that way. So if you want to change your financial habits---say cut back on impulsive purchases and save a … [Read more...]
Put Your Money on Autopilot: How to Build a No-Hassle Money Management System, Part 3 of 4
January 24, 2012 By 16 Comments
If I've learned one new thing in six years of blogging about money, it's this: The most important factor in financial success is not having a budget, meticulously avoiding debt, or choosing the right investments. It is having a system that makes the … [Read more...]
Emergency Funds: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know
October 20, 2011 By 32 Comments
Note from David: Wherever you are on the journey to "getting better with money", the concept of an emergency fund---rainy day savings that will be there for you in case the unthinkable happens---is critical. I know, I know, it's personal finance … [Read more...]
How Much Do You (Really) Need in an Emergency Fund?
April 21, 2011 By 26 Comments
One of my goals for this blog is to try to provide authoritative answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about money. One such question is: “How much do I need to save in an emergency fund?” Long ago, I answered that … [Read more...]
Steven Slater Proves It: You Need an F-You Fund
August 12, 2010 By 8 Comments
I love the Steven Slater story. In case you’ve had your head in the sand for the past few days, here’s the quick version: Slater was a Jet Blue flight attendant who had a really crappy Monday at work. After an altercation with a defiant … [Read more...]
Three Little Ways to Boost Your Emergency Fund
May 17, 2010 By 7 Comments
An emergency fund is the foundation of financial security. But whether you’re an I-Banker or starving artist, it’s never easy to sacrifice daily expenses now to build that emergency fund for later. We all want to save that extra cash each … [Read more...]
Sallie Mae Savings Account Review
May 12, 2010 By 1 Comment
Good news for online savers; we're starting to see banks move interest rates in the right direction -- up! -- for the first time in over two years. Leading that charge is Sallie Mae Direct†, the online banking arm of student loan company Sallie … [Read more...]
What to Do With A Windfall
January 8, 2010 By 6 Comments
Say you inherit, win, or earn $3,000, $30,000, or even $300,000. Lucky you. What should you do with a windfall of money? You may be inclined to spend it; to buy a new ride or take the trip you've been longing for. The urge to splurge is normal; … [Read more...]
Bangor Savings Bank—My Bank—Buys Portlanders Free Parking
September 18, 2009 By 2 Comments
My bank, Bangor Savings Bank, pulled a cool publicity stunt yesterday here in Portland, Maine. They paid the city $10,000 to make downtown parking meters free for the day. The bank covered meters with a blue hood that read "Free parking today from … [Read more...]
Free Savings Calculators on the Web
August 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Leading online savings bank FNBO Direct is relaunching its pay yourself first challenge with a handy savings calculator that lets you quickly evaluate your monthly saving and spending and find new ways to save. Here's a preview of FNBO's savings … [Read more...]
I'm David Weliver. At 26, I had NO savings and NO financial plan. I was maxed out, stressed out, and fed up. Then, I changed. I repaid $80k of debt, tripled my income, and bought a home. I'll show you how to get similar results.