Tag: buying

The first major expense for most couples is their wedding. After spending months or years of planning, you might think you can relax a bit before jumping into other major buying decisions. However, most newlyweds realize it’s now time to say, "I do" to other major financial purchases. Check out this list of big buys that come up during marriage, along tips on how to handle them.

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:

I was recently delighted with a special surprise evening. For our 20-year wedding anniversary, my husband insisted on planning a "Johnny Walker Surprise" that was not revealed to me until we reached the destination. (Yes, my husband's name really is Johnny Walker).

"A surprise? But, I don't like surprises," I replied. I say that, often, yet I have never actually encountered a surprise of his that I didn't like.

For couples today, a cheating spouse can mean more than the betrayal of a physical affair. While it may not be the first type of infidelity one thinks of, there is a new form of unfaithfulness that many couples are feeling the pain of: financial infidelity. From hidden debt to secret expenditures, lying about finances can cause a marriage to go into default.

Fortunately, there are certain indicators that can help a spouse detect the onset of financial infidelity and take action to fix any financial issues they may be facing. If a spouse’s behavior with money begins to shift and become out of character, it is vital to confront them and manage the problems before they snowball out of control.

Buying or selling a car is a big transaction—so scammers and thieves have come up with elaborate ways to exploit the process. Here are some of the most common schemes and techniques to watch out for, and the best ways to protect yourself.

Title Washing

You may have heard the phrase "clean title" when referring to buying a used car. It’s a good thing—by clean, it means the car doesn’t have a "salvage title," which in most states has a stamp indicating salvage status.

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.

The American Dream has evolved past the humble "white picket fence." Way past. We all strive for the "nice" home (as defined by HGTV and Pinterest) as opposed to the cozy one, keep a perpetual car payment instead of driving an older model, and chauffeur kids to an endless array of pricey activities rather than sending them outside. Call it creeping consumerism, entitlement, or plain old peer pressure. The point is, we see our hectic and expensive lifestyles as normal—and it’s time we realized that keeping up with the proverbial Joneses is actually extravagant and irresponsible.