Look Beyond Circulars for Coupons

Everyone likes to save money, and coupons are a great idea in practice. Except … how many coupons would you like to try and stash in your pocket or purse at any given time? And how much time would you like to devote to finding coupons that actually are for items you’ll buy? There are entire books devoted to this topic. Trust me. I’ve done freelance book reviews on them; it’s a rather intricate process.

I use paper coupons from time to time for groceries, but what about some discounts for items you may purchase online, like clothes, electronics, etc.?

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My Personal Finance Curriculum

There was a really interesting article in the New York Times last weekend about having courses on personal finance for kids in K-12. I think that this is definitely something schools should look into, even if it is not tested. Out of all the courses one takes in primary and secondary schools, a practical course like personal finance can really do some good – especially today.

I never took a formal personal course when I was in school; it wasn’t offered. The closest we came to it was when I was in seventh grade and I was in a “Home and Careers” class. It wasn’t really heavy on the economics; it was more about how to cook basic meals, sew, and the like. We had a unit on caring for a family. We were paired off into husbands and wives, and we had to care for a fake egg. The fake egg was a baby, and we were randomly chosen to have particular careers in different locations, salaries, etc. We had to budget for our home and raise the egg, er, I mean child.

I think I passed, but it didn’t really teach me much about personal finance. We all would fudge the numbers and concoct dream scenarios to ensure we would have enough money to survive. The real world doesn’t let one concoct dream scenarios. It has a penchant to just slap you in the face.

With that said, I gave some thought as to what kind of personal finance course I think would do a great deal of good. Check out this site for actual assignments and courses one organization, the National Endowment for Financial Education, put together for schools that want to take the plunge into personal finance courses.

After the jump, check out my personal finance curriculum.

Four Personal Finance Stories to Ponder

Apologies for the really long absence, but with the Easter holiday, going home to Wallkill several times in the past month, and a crazy period at work, I haven’t had much time to update anything worth substance.

In the past week, there have been several fantastic personal finance-related stories in both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

No, none of these have anything to do with income taxes. Do make sure you file by April 15^th, though, or else the big bad taxman just may come after you.

If you have the time this weekend, definitely peruse these not-so-long stories. I’ll give a quick summary and my thoughts on each one after the jump.

High Ambitions, Low Interest Rates

Have you ever felt as though the world is conspiring against you when you decide to make a change to improve your life? You vow to lose 20 pounds, and a Dairy Queen opens down the street from your house. You decide you want to be more productive at work, but then March Madness can be streamed for free on your computer.

Well, it can be the same for saving money. When the economy was flying high and the stock market made everyone look like a genius, savings rates were at all-time lows, sometimes even below 0 percent. Unsurprisingly, interest rates on savings accounts were also decent. Now that the recession hit and more people are saving money, guess what: Interest rates are pathetic. One percent here, .5 percent there, 2 percent for a 5-year certificate of deposit, et al.

March Net Worth: On the Rise

I’m continuing to make great gains in my net worth — since a small blip in November 2009, I’m continuing on the right path. My net worth increased another approximately 27 percent in the last month.

On to the numbers …

Simple Saving Tricks

I read a really interesting article recently on Kiplinger.com about 10 easy ways, or “tricks”, to make yourself save a portion of your hard-earned money. While saving is a fundamentally important pillar for any worthwhile personal finance plan — and this week is America Saves Week — I think it’s important to go back over some of the easy ways those who have trouble with discipline can ensure they are stashing away part of their money for savings.

Credit Cards: How Young is Too Young?

According to the Obama administration, it’s younger than the age of 21. A recent article in the New York Times talks about the new legislation slated to go into effect regarding the accessibility — or lack thereof — of credit cards for teenagers and those in their early 20s, and how parents should teach their children about money management.