7 Key Home-Buying Numbers to Know
Shopping for a House? Here are 7 Key Home-Buying Numbers to Know

by Larissa Runkle Contributor JANUARY 25, 2021

There’s a lot that goes into buying a new home, starting with finding the right one all the way down to finalizing the paperwork. Somewhere in that process, you’ll likely find yourself trying to decipher myriad new terms and figuring out what they mean for you.

We’ve compiled this list of seven key numbers you’ll need to know when buying a home — plus the details on how understanding these terms can help you land your dream home.

.50 Ways You’re Throwing Money Away

Sabah Karimi Updated Tue, February 2, 2021,

You probably don’t realize all the ways you’re wasting money and leaving free money on the table — and these little missteps can add up to big dollar losses. Fortunately, once you’re aware of these bad money behaviors, you can take steps to change them. Making small tweaks to your lifestyle and spending habits could pay off in a big way.

Keep reading to find out the costly money mistakes you’re making — and how to stop making them so you can keep more money in your wallet.

Throwing Money Away on Layaway

While layaway might seem like a sensible way to hold onto something you want to buy, it’s not always a smart way to net savings. That’s because layaway locks you into a certain price and — if ultimately financed by a credit card — additional interest charges.

.What To Do If You’ve Depleted Your Savings Over the Last Year

Gabrielle Olya February 1, 2021,

The coronavirus pandemic has led to millions of Americans losing their jobs, and oftentimes, unemployment income alone just isn’t enough to make ends meet. As a result, some Americans may have depleted all of their savings to make it through 2020.

A survey conducted by CNBC+ and Acorns last September found that 14% of Americans — up to 46 million people — had wiped out their emergency savings since the start of the pandemic. And a survey conducted by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies last May found that 15% of Americans had already dipped into their retirement accounts to cover living expenses, and an additional 13% planned to do so.

.The Financial Advice Your Parents Gave You is… Outdated. Here’s What to Do Instead

by Mike Brassfield Senior Writer

Pound the pavement. Just go and deliver your resume in person. Get out there and shake some hands, why don’t ya! We’ve all heard these financial pearls of wisdom from our parents (and not always because we asked). Despite their best intentions, a lot of these tips from our elders are, well… outdated. To say the least.

Here are six pieces of advice from our parents that simply don’t apply to us anymore — and some smarter options.

1. Work Your Way Through College

Working your way through college used to be an option — back when tuition cost a reasonable amount. That was a long time ago, though. Most colleges’ tuitions have easily doubled or tripled since the 1980s and ’90s. Working a job while you attend college can help pay the bills, but it won’t pay for college. That’s why so many of us are saddled with student loans.

.How To Start A Nonprofit Organization

Posted on January 12, 2021 by fritz@theretirementmanifesto.com

A few years ago, my wife asked how to start a nonprofit organization. Recently retired, she wanted to “give back” to society. She wanted to start a charity. She’s not alone.

Many retirees find that retirement is a great time to give back. Many have considered starting a charity. If you’re thinking about ways you can truly make an impact, this post is for you. Today, we’ll answer the question of How To Start A Nonprofit Organization, with a 10 Step Overview of how to create a 501c3 corporation.

Fortunately, my wife and I figured out the steps. She’s now fully engaged in running Freedom For Fido (“FFF”), the legally incorporated 501c3 nonprofit organization (NPO) she founded in 2019. The impact she’s had on our local community has exceeded her wildest expectations, and she’s found a true Purpose for her retired years. We answered the question of “How to start a nonprofit organization”, and we learned some things along the way. Today, we share our learnings with you.

.The Dave Ramsey 7 Baby Steps: Pros & Cons of His Method

If you have been looking for financial advice, then you’ve probably come across the name Dave Ramsey and his 7 Baby Steps in your research. Over the years, Dave has quickly become one of the most popular financial “gurus” in the space and has offered helpful advice to thousands of people. But there are plenty of people offering financial advice out there that it can be difficult to know who to trust and what methods are worth following. He can also be a fairly controversial figure, which has garnered him some flack about his workplace policies and methods. However, I’m not here to judge him on these aspects.

Instead, I’m exploring his 7 Baby Steps and if they are worth following to better your finances.

Who is Dave Ramsey? Financial freedom guru, radio presenter, and businessman with a cult following; Ramsey specializes in helping individuals complete their own total money makeover. He covers all aspects of personal finance; including credit cards, interest rates, student loans, Roth IRAs and daily budgeting. His unique emergency fund and “debt snowball” methods have garnered him a huge following around the globe.

.How Do I Save Up an Emergency Fund?

My Two Cents Jan. 14, 2021 By Charlotte Cowles

I know I’m supposed to have an emergency fund, and I want to make that happen this year. However, I’m not really sure how to go about it. I feel like I can barely pay my bills as it is, and I’m still working my way through some credit-card debt that I built up when I first moved to New York in my early 20s (I’m now 27). I paid off about $5K of it last year, but I have about $4K left. I also have private student loans that I’m paying at the same time. How do I balance all of these? Should I even bother trying to save while I still have credit-card debt, or is it better to tackle things one at a time?

Emergency funds get a lot of fanfare. And rightfully so! You can’t argue with the fact that having some extra cash lying around is helpful when the world goes to hell. But the problem with emergency funds is that they are great in theory and very, very difficult to put into practice. And that’s why most people never get around to saving one — they’ve got more urgent financial demands than a hypothetical rainy day.

But it’s also important to learn how to multitask with your money, and toggle between competing short- and long-term priorities. I’m not saying it will be easy or quick, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Once you make a plan, you can (and should) put most of the process on autopilot — and then be patient.

Suze Orman Says These Are Americans' Biggest Money Blunders

Esther Trattner Sat, January 23, 202

Best-selling personal finance author and TV personality Suze Orman has been inspiring Americans for decades to make better money moves and avoid serious financial mistakes. She's been as busy as ever in 2020, providing consumers with advice on how to weather the coronavirus crisis. In times of hardship and prosperity, Orman will be the first to tell you that what you don't do with your money may be even more important than what you do with it.

Here are 34 of her most fundamental tips for avoiding financial blunders, so you can save more money and make it grow.

1. Don't be too quick to buy a home

Homeownership is part of the American dream, and today's historically low mortgage rates have made homebuying even more appealing. But it's not always the right choice.

.Dave Ramsey Says These Are 10 Reasons You're Not Getting Ahead

Sarah Cunnane January 21, 2021

Talk-radio host Dave Ramsey says you can solve your money troubles just as soon as you stop causing them. The money management guru has been doling out his signature blend of tough-love financial advice and Biblical wisdom since 1992. He learned it all the hard way: In his 20s, Ramsey built a million-dollar fortune flipping houses but lost it all when banks started calling in his debts. He had to buckle down to build back up from bankruptcy.

Now his radio show is syndicated on more than 600 stations, and he’s the author of several books. He teaches Americans how to save more money and avoid wallowing in debt — even during the current financial crisis.