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Gradual Frugality: Finding Enjoyment in Saving Money

by Leo Babauta

This is a guest article by Leo Babauta, originally published on Consumerism Commentary on April 3, 2007. Leo, the author of Zen To Done: The Ultimate Simple Productivity System writes about achieving goals, creating habits, productivity, personal finances, frugality and more at his blog, Zen Habits. On Zen Habits, I detailed some of the things ... Continue reading this article…

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The Benefits of Owning a Condo

by Flexo

A few years ago, I declared I would (probably) never buy a condominium. I still believe this to be true. All my adult life, I’ve lived in rented apartments. Some have been nice, some have been not so nice. My least favorite living arrangement was a railroad apartment in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was ... Continue reading this article…

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

by Flexo

Last November, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau began to take shape after being a part of a bill in Congress signed into law in July 2010. Now, a year later, the bureau is ready to launch. Elizabeth Warren was appointed by President Obama to assemble the bureau, and in this role, Congress pressed her on ... Continue reading this article…

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Podcast 118: Consequences of Extreme Couponing

by Flexo

Today’s guest on the Consumerism Commentary Podcast is consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch. Andrew frequently appears on television to speak about retail trends and provide advice for shoppers to break bad buying habits. Visit her website for more information. Andrea talks with Consumerism Commentary Podcast host and produce Bryan J Busch about the negative effects ... Continue reading this article…

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Is Private Elementary School Worth the Money?

by Kiley Theiring

This is a guest article by Kiley Theiring. Kiley is a film student and freelance writer. In this article, she questions the value of private elementary school and reflects on her own experiences to offer suggestions to parents. As a parent, you are interested in giving your child all the best opportunities that you can ... Continue reading this article…

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United MileagePlus Explorer Card Review

by Flexo

Air travel used to be seen as a luxury, but those days are long gone. If flying was ever fun and convenient, it’s not anymore. My last flight from California, a trip to visit family, was plagued with delays and inconveniences. It was a good thing the flight was delayed; otherwise, I might have missed ... Continue reading this article…

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Wells Fargo Fined For Misleading Customers and Falsifying Documents

by Flexo

It always pays to shop around. If more mortgage customers didn’t choose to borrow from the trusted institution that held their savings and checking accounts without question, it seems that these customers could have found lower interest rates, particularly if these borrowers were customers of Wells Fargo. The Federal Reserve is alleging that between 2004 ... Continue reading this article…

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The End of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)

by Flexo

The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is one section of the tax code everyone, regardless of political party affiliation, seems to hate. Originally designed to ensure the wealthiest Americans wouldn’t be able to avoid paying a fair share of tax, the AMT isn’t adjusted for inflation, so an increasing number of not-as-wealthy Americans are subject to ... Continue reading this article…

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