HouseholdFinances

Sooner or later, your kids will come home with something that lands them in bed, sick. For parents, caring for a child's aches and pains often leads to household financial distress. Working parents face the additional challenge of finding a substitute caregiver while they're away. Here are five ways to get prepared before the common cold comes calling.

U.S. credit card debt shrank 5% in the second quarter from a year ago, approaching 10-year lows. It's not just due to banks, which have written off uncollectible debts. Learn how consumers are taking control of their finances and how you can too.

In the season premiere of reality-television show "Downsized," which airs Tuesday, things are looking up for the Bruce-Rumsey family of nine. In an interview with The Price of Fame, family members tell us they've made mistakes. Here's what you can learn from their story.

Doing the laundry is bad enough without having to spend a pretty penny on energy and detergent. Here are five tips on how to keep the chore from taking your wallet to the cleaners.

Far fewer U.S. families are saving money for emergencies and education than their Chinese counterparts, according to a University of Missouri study released Thursday.

As the new school year approaches, families head to the shops for new supplies. But the back-to-school shopping season can be hard on the wallet. Follow these money-saving tips from moms across the country and you'll have plenty of cash left for apples for the teacher.

Most Americans rely on other sources besides their savings accounts when hit with an unexpected expense, according to a poll by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. The moral of the story? Americans need to save up more for emergencies.

Even before the latest stock-market plunge, U.S. consumer confidence was already sliding downward, according to a Fannie Mae survey released Monday. Some 70% of respondents say the economy is heading in the wrong direction.

The stork has arrived, bringing a beautiful baby girl or boy into your life. It also brought a ready-made drain on your wallet. The list of costs is seemingly endless: diapers, health care, child care, education, clothing, and much more. Here are some family-planning tips to keep your finances from interfering in the joy of parenting.

Every parent knows that having a child isn't cheap. The average cost of raising a family has grown higher than ever, and parents are making some sacrifices to pay it. Here are some of the common tradeoffs new mothers and fathers are making.