The Investor’s Blog

If you’re hoping to buy a home in 2021 with a small down payment, prepare for a reality check. One of the far-reaching consequences of the pandemic is that the 20% down payment is making a comeback. Just to be clear: Lenders aren’t requiring you to put 20% down. Mortgages backed by the Federal Housing…
Read more

You go to the doctor for your annual physical to make sure your body’s healthy. But when’s the last time you had a checkup for your financial health? It’s important to know how well you’re managing your money and where you can make changes for the better. Without a regular financial checkup, you might continue…
Read more

When your tire blows out on the highway, you fracture your ankle on vacation or you experience a layoff, having emergency savings can prevent you from sinking into credit card debt and tanking your credit score just to stay afloat.   An emergency fund is that safety net you can fall back on when faced…
Read more

Dear Penny, I have been dating a guy for eight months. He has always insisted on paying for our dates, generally meals, and wouldn’t hear my objections. So I relaxed.  But he was unhappy with a gift I bought him, and now he brings up that he always pays for our dates. He still wants…
Read more

You are the CEO of your own money. You’re the one in charge. You make all the major decisions. When it comes to your pocketbook, you’re the highest-ranking executive, and you’re the one overseeing everything. That’s good and bad. The bad part is, you have all the responsibility, and there’s no one else to blame.…
Read more

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners. So you need to know how to make money from home … Join the crowd! Thanks to a genius invention called the internet, people all…
Read more

We all know solar panels can lower your power bill, and they’re good for the planet. But let’s get real: Who can afford these things? Ah, but a company called Arcadia Power lets you take advantage of solar energy — without any of the normal cost or headache of installation. You don’t even need your…
Read more

We all know solar panels can lower your power bill, and they’re good for the planet. But let’s get real: Who can afford these things? Ah, but a company called Arcadia Power lets you take advantage of solar energy — without any of the normal cost or headache of installation. You don’t even need your…
Read more

Every now and then, well-intentioned plans to save money simply fail. You think you’re following the frugality playbook only to have it backfire. It’s when trying to be cheap ends up being expensive. It happens to the best of us. Here are 10 situations where trying to pinch pennies has the potential to end up…
Read more

Your heart quickens as you spot the package at your front door. You rip open the box and stare at the contents inside. But it’s not just the new dress from your favorite indie vintage seller that has you jazzed. The dress has come wrapped impeccably and hand-stamped with the brand’s logo. Inside are a…
Read more

So, 2020 was a really terrible year, am I right? This pandemic has stolen all kinds of things from us. It took millions of jobs, hundreds of thousands of American lives, and countless hours of in-classroom school instruction. It emptied our bank accounts and shredded our peace of mind. How about 2021? Is 2021 coming…
Read more

You have insurance for your health, your car, your house, but what about your pets? Do they have pet insurance coverage? If you don’t currently have pet insurance, you’re not alone. While around 67% of U.S. households own pets, just over 1% of those pets are insured, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance…
Read more