Personal Finance

In psychology, there’s a popular model of how people learn that describes how someone progresses from being a complete beginner at a skill to being proficient at it. In the first stage, called unconscious incompetence, you’re stumbling through your first attempts at something. You’re not just bad at it, you …

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.1. Future employment looking unlikely2. Thoughts on Dave Ramsey?3. Food spoiling in refrigerator4. Bigger emergency fund?5. Cashing out 401(k)6. How …

Like a lot of people in the modern world, there is often a constant undercurrent of stress and anxiety in my life. I have a wife and three children still living at home, each of whom I try my best to be there for in a meaningful and focused way. …

As we enter the sixth month of 2020, the historic COVID-19 pandemic is no longer dominating front pages in American newspapers. Instead, the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has inspired massive protests against police brutality in dozens of cities across the country, but also around …

As we enter the sixth month of 2020, the historic COVID-19 pandemic is no longer dominating front pages in American newspapers. Instead, the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has inspired massive protests against police brutality in dozens of cities across the country, but also around …

Blue Planet Studio / Shutterstock.com The coronavirus pandemic has upended lives and livelihoods and will leave long-lasting damage to the U.S. economy, analysts warn. The Brookings Institution think tank predicts that people will travel less, businesses will space workers and customers apart, restaurants will serve fewer customers at once and …

Dean Drobot / Shutterstock.com Summer is right around the corner. What better way to celebrate than with some sizzling hot freebies? From complimentary doughnuts and Apple tunes to free laundry services for frontline responders, we’ve rounded up some of the best deals June has to offer. Read on to learn …

Snezana Ignjatovic / Shutterstock.com Retirement can be a great time of life, but financial uncertainty is especially hard in this phase. If income is tight, every decision you make now counts. The current volatile stock market and low-interest-rate environment both are weighing on retirees’ financial decisions. How can you ride …

Your insurance only covers so much. Whether it’s homeowners, auto, boat or another kind of insurance you might end up in a situation where you’re facing something that your insurance won’t cover. This is where umbrella insurance comes in – it’s extra protection to help fill the gaps. Read on …