Tag: buy

Sure, you see the wisdom in cutting ties with the Joneses. You want to become more financially responsible while crafting a values-centered life for both you and your spouse, but you’re just not sure where to start. The solution is to think more like your grandparents probably thought—if you don’t really need it and can’t really afford it, don’t buy it. However, you may have to rethink a few things you currently categorize as "necessities." For example:

"Anythin fo' half-price is a bargain, irregardless o' what ya pay fo' it." ~ Mammy Yokum

A person's possessions speak volumes on what that individual regards as important. The advertising industry, devoted to identifying what the citizen considers significant, manipulates the market to create those choices. With massive sums to be spent, the competition is as fierce as it is grotesque.

Are the two of you really ready to buy your first home?

I often help newly-married couples negotiate the purchase of their first home. They are always enthusiastic after driving through preferred neighborhoods and singling out those homes they identify as fitting into their price range. They have saved a down payment, they say, and are ready to not only look, but present offers. It is then that I offer them the following advice—a checklist—of eight practical steps to take before moving forward:

It often goes unrecognized that purchasing big-ticket items, like appliances, have long-term advantages under the scrutiny of a cost-benefit analysis. It is important to understand the difference between a high price tag that's justified and a low price tag that is not worth the savings. To do so, you must do your homework. That includes taking inventory of what features you need in an appliance, how much you are able to spend and what your home will support. As in, it is not realistic to expect to place a restaurant quality gas range in your house if you don’t have access to gas or the space for such a large appliance.

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Joseph Shonkwiler, the proud father of newborn twin boys, owns a life insurance policy.

Like many millennials, the policy was not a priority for the 34-year-old from Cambridge, Massachusetts, until the twins were due. He will start paying down close to $200,000 in student debt after completing his MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management.

A study from Life Happens, a consumer group formed by insurance providers, and LIMRA, the life insurance trade association, found that 29 percent of millennials cited saving for a vacation as a priority over purchasing life insurance or increasing their coverage.

Whether you are preparing for your first car-buying experience or you’ve bought many, most of us worry that we're walking into the experience unprepared or are afraid of being taken advantage of when dealing with a car salesperson. You're in the fortunate position that you're not alone in this process, in that your spouse can give you a trusted second opinion.

Car salespeople have a reputation—some of it deserved—of swindling customers. But most of the time when a car buyer spends too much money, it’s due to ignorance of the buying process.?