emergency fund

Financial frenzies come in many flavors, most triggered by big life changes, fraught with emotion and unfamiliar challenges. But if you let those events lead you to make spur-of-the-moment money decisions, you'll often face even bigger problems down the road.

Three Baltimore-area public school employees are splitting a $105 million Mega Millions lottery ticket. But how should they invest their money? Actually, the same way you should invest yours.

It's hard to save, especially when times are tough. But when you get a tax refund check, you've essentially set up an IRS-sponsored savings plan. By overpaying your taxes a little bit every month, you build up a slush fund that you collect on every April. So since you've already saved it, why not...

Nearly 6 out of 10 U.S. consumers will be getting a tax refund this year, but the majority of those won't be using it as an excuse to go shopping: Instead, they'll stash it away or pay credit card bills, according to new survey by PriceGrabber.com. The survey by the online shopping site, which...

By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger If you have a refund check coming your way, consider using it to bolster your personal balance sheet. The average refund has been around $3,000 for the past two years. (Most people receive their refund within three weeks of filing their returns.) That's a nice...

Do you fear something awful is around the corner when it comes to your finances? Given recent years' economic woes, it's not unreasonable. But you can turn your worries to your advantage by planning for the worst before anything goes wrong.

Saving doesn't come easily for us young adults. Entry-level salaries don't give you a lot to work with, and we tend to spend what we make. But don't worry: We're not doomed to frivolity and financial ruin. Here's how you can start saving smart.

A few weeks ago, we asked DailyFinance readers for their best tips for putting your financial house in order. Many were quick to note that the foundation of financial security lies in being ready when disaster hits. Here are some of their best suggestions for planning for those rainy days.

There are many roads to financial security, but whatever path you follow, there are some mandatory steps everyone ought to take along the way. Alexa von Tobel, founder of LearnVest.com, cuts through the thicket of advice to give us her essential keys to sound money management.

As you ring in the New Year, you'll probably make some personal resolutions, like "lose weight" or "volunteer more." These are sound goals, but don't forget to add saving money to the list. Learning how to save money will offer you peace of mind, so you'll basically be checking off two resolutions for the price of one. Read on for detailed information on how to budget effectively.