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Family and Life

The Cost of Summer Camp

by Luke Landes

While growing up, my brother and I both benefited from experiences at summer camp, both day camps and sleep-away camps, at various points in our childhood. My memories from summer camp have stayed with me, and the experiences have shaped who I am. I first heard Pink Floyd at summer camp, from a counselor playing ... Continue reading this article…

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Should Couples Get a Prenup?

by Luke Landes
Kim Kardashian

Prenuptial agreements are on the rise, as more individuals are concerned about losing their assets in the wake of the recession. Prenups, when handled correctly, can protect an individual’s assets in the increasingly likely event of divorce. Without a prenup explicitly defining how assets should be divvied up, if a divorce occurs, any income earned ... Continue reading this article…

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Paying Children for Good Grades

by Luke Landes

I always encourage parents to find interesting ways to teach their children about responsible money management. When I do, I always lean toward behavior modeling. Children who, even at an early age, see their parents engaging in a positive relationship with money will subconsciously take what they observe to heart more than any explicit lessons ... Continue reading this article…

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Your Earliest Money Memory ($50 Giveaway)

by Luke Landes

Today is the first day of Giveaway May at Consumerism Commentary. Every weekday this month, I will be giving away a prize to a Consumerism Commentary reader. Keep reading this article to find out how you can win a $50 gift card from Amazon.com. Yesterday, Kate Levinson appeared as a guest on the Consumerism Commentary ... Continue reading this article…

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How to Financially Succeed as a Couple

by Elle

This is a guest article by Elle, the author of the blog Couple Money. Handling personal finances can be an intriguing, challenging, and rewarding process. Being married and handling finances can double those effects. My husband and I have learned through the years that working together can be powerfully effective and motivating. While every couple ... Continue reading this article…

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Change of Plans

by Smithee

This post is by staff writer Smithee, who may just be the financial opposite of Flexo. You’re going to think I’m crazy. At the very least, you’re going to think I haven’t learned how to live a financially responsible life. I’ve written here many times about my struggles with just making ends meet, and for ... Continue reading this article…

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When Can You Lie About Money to Your Spouse?

by Luke Landes
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The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) has concluded through conducting an online poll that 31 percent of people who combine finances with their spouse or partner have been deceptive about money with the individuals who trust them. Some lies are more hurtful than other lies, so the study looks at the type of financial ... Continue reading this article…

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Should You and Your Spouse Combine Money?

by Luke Landes
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In American society in the past, when it was more common for a family to have one income, that income might have covered the family’s expenses that correspond to the expenses that two incomes pay for now. That family, if typical, often consisted of a father, a mother, and two children. The one income was ... Continue reading this article…

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6 Money and Life Lessons From the Chilean Miners

by Luke Landes

The world cheered as the thirty-three miners trapped a half-mile underground in Chile for more than two months were pulled aboveground to safety. The rescue mission was a fantastic success. Aside from the miners, no one can be happier for their survival of the ordeal than their families. Mining is a risky profession even when ... Continue reading this article…

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When She No Longer Supports You

by Financial Samurai

This is a guest article by Sam, the author of the blog Financial Samurai and the founder of the Yakezie Challenge and Network. He writes a column for Consumerism Commentary every other Tuesday. Patrick is one of the most ambitious people you’ll ever meet. After graduating summa cum laude, Patrick joined Morgan Stanley and made ... Continue reading this article…

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Searching For Love and Money In All The Right Places

by Financial Samurai

This is a guest article by Sam, the author of the blog Financial Samurai and the founder of the Yakezie Blog Network. He writes a column for Consumerism Commentary every other Tuesday. This article serves as an introduction to this new bi-weekly column. At age 15, I stopped growing and I remember being so disappointed. ... Continue reading this article…

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Money, Sex, and Infidelity: Who is More Likely to Cheat

by Luke Landes

The results of a study at Cornell University show that in a long-term relationships such as marriage or cohabitation of over a year, income disparity within the couple increases the likelihood of infidelity. The headlines of the study speak more to the data that show men who earn less than their wives are five times ... Continue reading this article…

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How To Combine Finances for Couples

by Luke Landes
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When a couple marries or otherwise commits to be in a long-term relationship with each other, the question of whether to combine money usually arises. The debate about whether what could be called “his money” and “her money” should become “our money” is endless. Different arrangements work for different couples, and this article doesn’t address ... Continue reading this article…

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Pet Ownership: A Financial and Emotional Responsibility

by Luke Landes

My household has almost always included pets. First, let me establish the true hierarchy. It’s very clear when you live with one cat or more that they own the place, and we humans are only permitted to share living space with them because we provide food and shelter. The only years I’ve lived in a ... Continue reading this article…

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Information Consumerism Commentary

by Smithee

In an earlier part of the century I was suffering from information overload. TV, radio, podcasts, Twitter, Facebook, clones of Twitter and Facebook… and even with a feed reader, there were too many websites to keep up with. I was getting burned out, and I started having frequent daydreams about giving up and raising goats. ... Continue reading this article…

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How To Stick With Your 2010 Resolutions

by Kelly Whalen

This article is presented by Kelly Whalen, Consumerism Commentary staff writer. It’s the time of year when everyone is talking about their New Year’s resolutions or goals for the year. Tops on the majority of Americans’ New Year’s resolutions for 2010 are losing weight, quitting smoking, and saving more money. While losing weight and quitting ... Continue reading this article…

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New Year’s Eve on a Budget

by Kelly Whalen

This article is presented by Kelly Whalen, Consumerism Commentary staff writer. At midnight people around the world will be celebrating a new year with celebrations, parties, or a quiet evening at home. You may already have plans to party like it’s 2009, but if you don’t here are a few ways you can celebrate without ... Continue reading this article…

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12 Last Minute Gift Ideas

by Kelly Whalen

This article is presented by Kelly Whalen, Consumerism Commentary staff writer. With only one more day until Christmas you may still be in the market for a few last minute gifts. If you are like me, the idea of driving through traffic and elbowing through crowds to find gifts is not going to bring you ... Continue reading this article…

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Learning and Saving

by Jeff

There are a lot of things in the world I know nothing about. Not knowing about something can be very expensive. Allow me to illustrate… The brake light came on in our car a couple of weeks ago, and we started looking around at different places we could have them checked. We were a bit ... Continue reading this article…

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Wedding Donations, Smart or Tacky?

by Jeff

The recession has forced almost everyone to make a change in one way or another. For one Atlanta couple, their wedding has turned into more than they had anticipated. Vanessa Caldwell and Cole Parker are getting married on November 11, and needed a way to cover their expenses. They decided to turn to their friends and ... Continue reading this article…

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