Don’t Risk It All
My husband is a good, hard-working man, who has been stuck in a job he really doesn’t like for almost 10 years. He came to me the other day with an idea to cash out his 401(k) and use the money to open a business. He has always loved the idea of going into business […]
How to Know When You Should Offer Advice/Help
I’m worried about my younger brother, and I need some advice. He’s divorced and has a son, and lately, it seems like he only wants to be a dad when it’s convenient. On top of this, he’s very irresponsible with money for someone in their thirties. Our mom and dad passed away several years ago, […]
If You’re Not Going All In, Stay Out
I have an idea for a small business I think would be a huge success in my area. How do you feel about me keeping my current day job, and hiring a full-time manager for the business to handle the day-to-day operations, while I do the accounting and oversee things? If it doesn’t break even […]
A Lesson He’ll Remember For the Rest of His Life
Our 21-year-old son is in college, and we’ve always warned him to stay away from credit cards. Despite our warnings, we recently learned he got a store-branded credit card. The good news is he has stayed under the credit limit. The bad news is he has never made any payments on the purchases he made, […]
It’s a Credit Card Addiction
I think my mother-in-law has a serious credit card problem. She can’t afford stuff, but she shops anyway, chalks up more and more debt, acquires more credit cards, and thinks she’ll pay for it all later somehow. Her ex-husband has bailed her out a few times, but he’s unwilling to help anymore. My wife and […]
What Kind of Life Insurance Do You Recommend?
Q. My wife and I are both 36 years old, and we have two children. Our son is six, and our daughter will be four next month. We’ve been walking through the Baby Steps, and we should have our home paid off sometime next summer. We realized the other day the one thing missing from […]
Teach Them to Be Givers… And Be an Example
Q. With all the commercials and marketing that accompany the holiday season, how can parents teach their young children about giving and putting others first at this time of year? A. Christmas is a traditional time to give and help others. But even for adults, it’s easy to get so caught up the glitz that […]
Love Them Enough to Teach Them Well
My husband and I are having arguments about money where our children are concerned. They are both 16, and I think they should have part-time jobs and be learning the value of work. He feels they’re only young once and wants them to enjoy being teenagers. He also gives them money anytime they ask. I […]
Different Personality Types Can Be a Good Thing
My husband is an entrepreneur. He has a very hard driving, energetic personality and way of doing things, while I’m more laid back and soft spoken. How can I support him best in terms of encouraging and communicating with him? I want him to know I care, that I want to help and that I’m […]
Should I Cash in 401(k) to Pay Off Mortgage?
Should I cash in my 401(k) to pay off my car? I have just enough in the account to pay off the car and free up money in my budget. If I were in your shoes, and I could pay off the car in 18 months or less, I’d live on rice and beans—plus a […]