I have a friend who enjoys horse racing. Well, to be precise, I have a friend who enjoys betting on horse races. When we go to Las Vegas, we like to spend an afternoon at a sportsbook. We pool our money and he picks a few races. On any typical trip, we sit down with […]
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What are Kasasa Checking Accounts?
Have you ever heard of Kasasa? Until recently, I hadn’t. But I’ve heard of similar products out there. Kasasa is financial services company based in Austin, TX, and they offer white-label banking services to small community banks and credit unions. Founded in 2003, they were originally called BancVue (doing all the same stuff) and changed […]
7 Men’s Wearhouse Money Saving Tips
When I got married nearly a decade ago, my groomsmen were scattered across the country. There was only one store that had locations in all of these places and that store was Men’s Wearhouse. I visited a local Men’s Wearhouse in Maryland and learned they were rotating out their existing tuxedo lineup and replacing them […]
Best Bank Accounts for College Students
I went to college in 1998, the literal Stone Ages of Banking when the best banks had marble facades, massive branches, and big minimum balance requirements. My bank of choice was PNC Bank, one of the largest in the western Pennsylvania region, and I chose it because they had ATMs in our student union. That […]
What to Do if You Lose Your Wallet or Purse
When I was a teenager, I lost my wallet for the first, and thankfully last, time. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have much in it except a few dollars and my high school identification card. Even that loss felt like a monumental pain in the butt but I can’t imagine what it would be like […]
Blue Nile Diamonds Review
I’m an independent shopper. If I need something, I like going into the store, getting it, paying for it, and leaving. Online shopping is perfect for me because I don’t have to drive anywhere, wait in line to pay, and then drive home. Which means one thing — I really do not like going into […]
Stockpile Review: How to Gift Stocks in 2018
Before I knew anything about investing, I was enamored with stock certificates. I thought they looked beautiful because they looked like college degrees made to look like money. My dad always had his degree certificates up on the wall in his office but they looked so austere. These stock certificates looked gaudy. They were fantastic. […]
5 Big Differences between Commercial Banks vs. Credit Unions
My first bank account wasn’t at a bank. It was at a credit union. At the tender age of 16, my mom and I walked into a branch of the Teachers Federal Credit Union and opened up a joint account. They printed out a little card, laminated it, and handed it to me. I stuck […]
How to Finance an Engagement Ring
An engagement ring is a big step. It’s also a big purchase. Maybe you have enough cash on hand if you tap into your emergency fund. Maybe you don’t. There’s no arguing that when you buy an engagement ring, diamond or otherwise, it’s best to pay cash. If that isn’t you, or at least not […]
47 cheap fun hobbies that won’t bore you to tears
Everyone needs a hobby. Or two. Or five. But not everyone can afford a hobby. Or two. Or five. Especially if that hobby is an expensive one, like golf or, you know, something absurd like collecting cars or art. The perfect hobby is one that lets you tap into some of your energy and creativity […]
Stealth Wealth: Why True Wealth is Best Kept to Yourself
When I read The Millionaire Next Door by William Stanley, I was amazed at how many millionaires lived in plain sight. If you think about popular exposure to wealth – it’s pretty flashy. We’re trained, by television and social media, to think that millionaires live a life of excess. Big mansions, expensive cars, lots of […]