Cost of Living - Let Checks Be a Stimulus for Saving Money
IT’S one of those classic ant-versus-grasshopper financial decisions, and millions of Americans are facing it.
What should you do with your stimulus check? Spend it, as human nature and Congress intend? Or take a few minutes to reflect up...
Your Money - Food-Shopping Tips Direct From the Store Manager
David Maxwell
Tom Heinen, left, and his twin brother, Jeff, operate Heinen’s Fine Foods, a 17-store chain in the Cleveland area. Because of the rise in food prices, the Heinens are rethinking how they do business.
At the bottom of some...
Your Money - When Credit Gets Tight, a 401(k) Loan Becomes Tempting
This year, word got out about a Visa debit card aimed at people who wanted to borrow money from their 401(k) accounts. With plastic in hand, they could withdraw the funds from an A.T.M. or spend them at any merchant that accepted Visa, just as they c...
Fundamentally - A Bear Market, Mauling Not Included
WITH the Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq composite index down about 20 percent from their recent highs, this sure looks like a bear market.
But does it feel like one yet? Before you answer, check how your overall portfolio has perfor...
The Count - Watching That Balance Grow . . . and Grow
It’s a tried-and-true piece of financial advice: try not to make too many purchases on credit. If you heedlessly let your balance build, you give yourself permission to live beyond your means and incur interest fees in the process.
Appar...
Update - New Proposed Legislation on 401(k) Debit Cards - Question
A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about the wisdom of taking loans against your 401(k) account. The story mentioned a company called Reserve Solutions that allows customers to access their loan via a debit card at an A.T.M. or any merchant that accept...
Your Money - Honor Your Word, or This Banker May Call Mom
Steve Ruark
Mary Milton, left, of Trappe, Md., treats herself to complimentary popcorn at Easton Bank and Trust in Easton, Md.
Just a few years ago, it was easy to write off the local community bank as a relic, a quaint reminder of an ag...
