Avoiding Financial Trouble: Ten Tips

These simple suggestions will help you stay out of financial hot water.

Budgeting: How to Make a Budget

If you want to keep your spending under control, it's essential that you make a budget. A budget allows you to get a handle on the flow of your money -- how much is coming in and where it goes out. With that information in hand, you can make intelligent choices about how to spend.

Money Management 101

Except for those folks who are born accountants, most people find dealing with personal finances a chore. People are loath to manage their finances for all sorts of reasons, including not being comfortable with math, not having time, or even being fearful of finding out that there's just not enough money in the bank to cover the bills. But you must have a clear understanding of your finances to maintain or improve your financial health.

Combining Your Debt and Savings Goals

Recent college or high school graduates entering the workforce for the first time often question what they should be doing with their money  -- paying down debts, investing in retirement funds, buying a home? How do you prioritize your debts and what investments should you make? Here is some guidance on how to manage your money as you enter the working world.

Can You Afford to Buy a House?

More and more young professionals are pursuing the "American dream" by buying their first home. If you're a recent college grad or have spent a few years working and saving, you may be thinking about making your first home purchase. But is that the right step for you? Here are some things to consider.

Ways Kids Can Make Money

Encouraging your children to earn their own money is a great way to foster creativity and innovation, promote independence, and begin to teach them about key financial skills like budgeting, saving, managing money, and investing. If your kids are too young to enter the workforce, you can help them find creative ways to earn cash.