budgeting

Like all behaviors, your buying habits reflect your background, experiences and psychological makeup. But those things don't have to control your financial future. Here are some emotional states that drive people to make poor purchasing decisions, and some advice on how to keep those emotions from sending you to the poorhouse.

The start of a new year is a traditional moment for turning over a new leaf -- but real change doesn't come easy. With that in mind, we're asking you, our readers to share your best financial planning stories, tips and secret strategies.

At this time last year, maybe you thought the economy would be a bit more gracious by now. No such luck. But as we reflect on the year that was, here are six financial lessons that 2011 taught us all.

Those Girl Scouts aren't just about selling cookies -- the green-sashed entrepreneur who supplies your Thin Mints is also preparing to be the boss. The GSA now offers 13 merit badges to teach its more than 3 million members financial literacy -- everything from good credit to savings and investing.

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.

A pair of soon-to-be parents wrote DailyFinance's Laura Rowley looking for "a good technique for budgeting with a newborn or just budgeting period." With the cost of raising a child just to 17 estimated at more than $250,000, they're smart to be thinking about those money issues early.

It's one thing to use Photoshop to make your waistline look slimmer in your snapshots. Many people also take a distorted view of their finances, fooling themselves about the health of their balance sheets. Here are some common self-deceptions.

If you've ever tried budgeting for the long run only to find that your best-laid plans always seem to get ruined by short-term emergencies, then you're not alone. Unexpected things pop up that can surprise even the most dedicated budgeters. Fortunately, there are some ways you can balance your...

So you first messed up your finances in your 20s, then made matters worse in your 30s. But now you're ready to act your age, get serious about the business of fixing your credit and start writing your financial comeback story, right? Whether you went on a few too many credit card-fueled shopping...

Recently, Wall Street Journal columnist Brett Arends wrote about how he's giving up credit cards and going all cash. He cited some compelling advantages to dumping his plastic, but it may not be right for you. Here are five things you give up by switching to an all-cash lifestyle: