For 25 years, journalist and author Laura Rowley has helped people navigate the minefield of personal finance and explored the relationship between money and happiness. In her DailyFinance column, she aims to help you make enlightened decisions about your money -- and your life. Need some advice? All you have to do is ask.
In the midst of a divorce, a mom of five faces a financial horror story: $40,000 in credit card debt, a huge mortgage payment and minimal college savings -- and she has no idea how to budget. DailyFinance's Laura Rowley offers a few ways she can begin her escape from the financial twilight zone.
After a long spell in which one or both spouses were unemployed, a couple with three kids finds themselves $50,000 in debt. Now, with wife and husband back at work, they're aiming to get all their financial pins in a row and bowl a strike. DailyFinance's Laura Rowley offers a strategy for success.
Splitting up makes a mess of your finances, as Lynn, a nurse living in Florida knows all too well. Her 2008 divorce from her husband of 28 years left her in debt, with bad credit, and with limited financial skills. She's already begun to dig out, but she needs a better plan.
Credit card debt is tough to avoid -- and tougher to escape. We received an email from a reader who owes $20,000 on her cards, and spends a third of her income on those payments. Credit expert John Ulzheimer offers a legitimate method for her to reduce monthly costs and get out of the red.
Credit card banks know plenty about you -- but what do you really know about them? CreditKarma.com wants to give you the inside scoop on which cards cater to whom, so you'll be able to find the best fit for you -- and avoid having your credit report dinged by turn-downs.
Joe did right by his mother in her declining years, but half a decade of expensive care for her has left the 53-year-old in a financially precarious position. Money and Happiness columnist Laura Rowley offers him a step-by-step plan to get out of debt and back on track for his own retirement.
Cassandra and her husband have seen major life changes in the past few months: A new house in the NYC suburbs, bills that suddenly exceed his salary, and a new business for her. But though her consulting firm is thriving, now she's got a different problem: how to properly take money out of it. DailyFinance drafted an expert to help.
A compulsive shopper splurges on her credit cards and then hides the purchases from her spouse. She wants to stop. Dr. David Krueger, a former psychiatrist and author of the new book The Secret Language of Money offers some advice.
On the one hand, the volatile stock market has some investors looking for "safety." On the other, stock market losses have led some to desperately seek fat returns elsewhere. Either way, you could wind up in trouble, because scam artists are ready to prey on the desires of both.
An estimated two-thirds of baby boomer households will receive an inheritance at some point, with a median amount of $64,000, according to an AARP study. I recently received an email from a reader who has fallen deeply into debt in anticipation of her legacy -- and is now worried that her bailout may not be at hand.
If you live on the East Coast, the earth moved under your feet Tuesday -- and in Colorado, the same thing happened Monday. With two fairly strong earthquakes hitting areas of the country where they rarely strike, you may be wondering: Am I covered? Should I be? DailyFinance answers your post-quake questions.
Used has become chic, especially when it comes to cars. Trouble is, with everybody clamoring for cheap transportation, pre-owned has gotten pricier, which means you'll have to dig to find deals. Web2Carz.com has made that hunt a little easier with its Best Used Cars Under $10,000 list.
We all know not to pay sticker price for a new car or a house, but the prices for many of the things we buy regularly aren't set in stone either. And where there's wiggle room, there's haggling. So how can you haggle gracefully? Regina Lewis explains the two cardinal rules of haggling.
For some of us, getting a financial fresh start might begin with paying back taxes. More than 1 million taxpayers had federal tax liens filed against them in 2010, a 60% increase from 2007. On Saturday, the IRS will host open houses at 74 Taxpayer Assistance Centers around the country to provide assistance with getting liens withdrawn and answer questions about ongoing issues.