The Effective Simplicity of Budgeting by Envelopes
Tue, 30/06/09 – 20:13 | 3 Comments

This is a guest post from Andrea Horn, a personal finance instructor, mom of two boys, and creator of Recession Proof Living.
Want to get out of debt and start building wealth? Then grab some …

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The Most Common Roth 401K Misconception
Sun, 28/06/09 – 14:06 | 2 Comments

Why would anyone choose a Traditional 401K over a Roth 401K?? After all, your company paid match is equivalent and if it’s post tax with a Roth, you’re really getting more money from your employer.

WRONG!

Your employer’s match on Traditional 401K’s AND Roth 401K’s is pre-taxed and always automatically put into a separate Traditional 401K account. Your match will be worth the same amount today and in the future, whether you contribute to the Traditional or the Roth. If you thought you were being clever by going with the Roth to get more of a match, well…. sorry.

To the Readers:

Did you think that by contributing to a Roth 401K you were getting a bigger match?

If you found this article helpful, subscribe to my free RSS feed, or sign up for free email updates! You may also find the following articles of interest:

The Complete Guide to Choosing Between a Traditional 401K and a Roth 401K

Choosing Between a Traditional 401K and a Roth 401K, Part II: How will my Choice Effect Early Retirement?

Roth IRA Basics in a Question and Answer Format

Cash for Clunkers Credit Incentive Details
Sun, 21/06/09 – 19:57 | 5 Comments
Cash for Clunkers Credit Incentive Details

The “Cash for Clunkers” bill has passed both the House and the Senate and is expected to be signed by President Obama shortly. The bill is intended to boost U.S. auto sales while encouraging people …

How to Train & Prepare for your Backpacking Trip
Thu, 18/06/09 – 22:14 | 4 Comments
How to Train & Prepare for your Backpacking Trip

Since this is a finance AND lifestyle blog, I’ve been covering the basics of backpacking lately. You save money over typical vacations every time you hike, get to experience the great outdoors, and challenge yourself …

Why you Should Calculate your Real Hourly Wage
Sun, 14/06/09 – 18:23 | 6 Comments
Why you Should Calculate your Real Hourly Wage

How much do you make? $50K a year? OK… how much do you really make? The answer may surprise you. When looking at the larger personal finance picture, it’s important to figure out how much …

Choosing the Right Backpacking Food & Clothing
Thu, 11/06/09 – 22:41 | 5 Comments
Choosing the Right Backpacking Food & Clothing

In the last post on buying backpacking supply gear, there were two noticeable things left out by design - food and clothing. Why? It’s hard to survive without either - but almost equally as challenging …

The Beginner’s Guide to Backpacking: Buying Backpacking Gear & Supplies
Sun, 7/06/09 – 13:59 | 11 Comments
The Beginner’s Guide to Backpacking: Buying Backpacking Gear & Supplies

Whether doing a week-long trek through the Grand Canyon, or a two night weekend hike at a nearby state park, backpacking has a number of great benefits and is relatively cheap in comparison to typical …

The Service Engine Light: Your Mechanics Dirty Little Secret
Sun, 31/05/09 – 21:31 | 12 Comments
The Service Engine Light: Your Mechanics Dirty Little Secret

If you’re like me you shiver at the thought of paying hundreds of dollars for major vehicle repairs. Well, the dreaded ’service engine’ light came on in our Pontiac Grand Am this past week. Even …

Top 10 Best Cities to Find a Job in
Wed, 27/05/09 – 22:02 | 16 Comments
Top 10 Best Cities to Find a Job in

Kiplinger recently highlighted its 2009 list of the top 10 cities. The list had a heavy focus on cities that have steady or growing employment levels. You’ll notice that many of the 10 cities are …

Is the Peace Corps a Legit Alternative to Getting a Job?
Mon, 25/05/09 – 22:36 | 9 Comments
Is the Peace Corps a Legit Alternative to Getting a Job?

Despite nearly a 4.0 GPA at a respected university, resume counseling, and mock interview practice, I had a very hard time finding a job upon graduation. At least 100 resumes and applications and many months …