The next 4 years are going to be...unpredictable. There may be severe disruptions in the economy, food,  oil supply and job markets.

The only "smart thing" I am encouraging all my family and friends is this: set up an emergency fund and keep it safe. We need 3 months (better yet 6 months) of the essentials - rent, utilities, medical, car payments ( Read more... )

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If you have any money in your retirement accounts or just any account that is a money market fund, pay heed: the US has changed the protections for these funds and they are no longer guaranteed to keep their value.

Traditionally money market funds are places where people can store cash. Most are tied into some form of retirement or investment ( Read more... )

You would think that inflation is measured with 'real' values (things like the cost of bread or milk or gas). It is not - today inflation is measured using much more static values that hide the fact that things that real people need to live are rising much faster than many of us can afford. For example, if inflation was measured the way it was in ( Read more... )

I've been ignoring money and finance issues for the past year - like a lot of people I've been going "lalalalala."

But here are a few money links

Helping your elderly parent qualify for in home/nursing home care. - good for people who are in the middle income wise.

When couples disagree on money

Don't let medical bills sneak up and mug you in the night ( Read more... )

I haven't done a money post in a while. But here is a grab bag of finance links.  You can find more here and here
[A Dreamwidth post with
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Because
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I love bloggers. they give real life advice. anyhow, I have a kick ass money/finance/retirement rss feed filter on LJ. This blogger is one of my favorites: Broke Ass Student

Sample entries:
Surviving Paycheck to Paycheck? You Can Still Start Saving
My 2007 Goals for Financial Prosperity

I am also a fan of Dave Ramsey's " ( Read more... )

If you lose your health insurance, finding new insurance may be very difficult. Wherever possible, use COBRA to continue any existing health care insurance. If you do not have continuous coverage, you may be denied treatment down the road for 'pre-existing conditions ( Read more... )

Edited: There have been updates on these recent events. More here. But Jensen Ackles attorneys did send a C&D letter against a fan website and a Livejournal community.

I have no idea if any all of what is being reported below is true. In fact, without the facts all of our opinions are just conjecture. But this scenario raises an interesting point ( Read more... )