Millions of workers who are saving for retirement and rely on advice from professionals on how to invest their savings will be better protected under a new rule finalized Monday by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Retirement Security Rule, also called the Fiduciary Rule, updates the definition of an investment advice provider. Read more →

Planning ahead, I decided to try to see what I could find that was new for an Easter lunch that with fit in my new, low-fat Dean Ornish meal plan. I found Chicken-less Mandarin Orange Morsels, mashed potatoes, and green beans at Trader Joe’s. At Safeway at the end of a long shopping trip, I found some hot cross buns. Read more →

Do you have accumulated debt, maybe from student loans, credit cards, car loans, or overspending? Are you savings money for the future? Although a lot of people struggle with saving, it’s possible to gradually building small savings into large sums. Here are some ways to help you begin to save or build up your savings, offered by the FDIC. Read more →

Every week, I write and send out my newsletter Helpful Money Tips for You. This week’s newsletter has a number of financial tips that will be valuable to to you and your family during 2024. See it below. I’m getting a lot of compliments on the newsletter. People like it because it’s brief and has information from a variety of sources that they can put to use right away. Read more →

It’s that time of year again. It’s unbelievable that 2023 has rolled by so fast. That means that the 2024 election is getting even closer and closer, an election with so many consequences for consumers and their financial lives. As usual, I’m one of the few reporters writing about the top consumer and personal finance stories of the year, research that I enjoy. Read more →

As a fan of the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement, I thought I’d try a side hustle, one of the FIRE recommendations. Since I have pinecones that fall on my driveway all year around, I decided to collect them and sell them on craigslist. I have two kinds of pinecones; those from European pine and Douglas fir trees. Read more →

Today I received an email saying that my Social Security number was going to be suspended. Scam. Ironically, it was “signed” by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I wonder if he was chosen for the scam because he’s a Tea Party conservative from Texas who people may think would come after them in other states. Read more →

My best wishes to you and your loved ones for 2023. On New Years eve, I wrote about the top consumer and personal finance stories of 2022. Inflation and higher interest rates topped the list, and I predict that those two issues will continue to confront consumers throughout the new year. My recommendations include: Read more →

It’s time for my annual article on the top consumer and personal finance articles of the year. As usual, there aren’t many reporters covering this important topic. However, in addition to the best news, health, political, and science stories of the year, there’s a new category: the top climate change stories. Read more →

I just wanted to write and let you know today about what's going on with my newsletter. I scour personal finance websites every week to find the best tips for people to use in their personal finance lives. I've been getting a lot of positive feedback on it. Recently, J. Money of Budgets Sexy took a look at my newsletter. Read more →