All The Simple Dollar

Allowances can help children master one of the hardest lessons of personal finance: managing and controlling personal desires.

Many employees receive their pay on a weekly or biweekly schedule, Hamm writes. Meanwhile, most bills come on a monthly basis, some even less frequently. There are some tips for reconciling the two.

Well, ok, maybe not every decision. But thousands of minor choices, including opening a window or flipping a light switch, are personal finance decisions.

The truth about any article you read or video you see from someone who is announcing economic doom is that they’re either trying to sell you something or they’re trying to make a profit for themselves, Hamm writes.

Getting out of debt usually mans adjusting to a lower standard of living, which can be difficult. Coping takes patience, resolve, and just a little bit of calculated indulgence. 

Coupon savings may not be as impressive as they initially seem when you evaluate the savings through the lenses of the time invested, the space invested, and the cheaper alternatives you can get without coupons, Hamm writes.

If you're single, Hamm argues that you can save for retirement, even on the smallest of paychecks. 

Investing can seem complicated, but it boils down to three basic principles. 

Hamm gives his take on a pithy list of everything you need to know about financial planning. 

Paying off credit card debt is one of those situations where personal finance is really personal, Hamm writes.

Amazon Prime gives you free shipping and other perks for $80 a year. Depending on how often you use Amazon, it could be money well spent. 

TurboTax has an offer that lets you accept your tax refund in the form of an Amazon gift card. Should you do it? 

Take your commute into account when you’re shopping around for a job, Hamm writes. One of the best subtle financial moves you can make is to simply live close to your work.

If you ever want to put yourself onto firm financial ground, you cannot afford to treat your tax refund check like a Christmas present, Hamm writes.

From a purely financial standpoint, saving payments for a higher inflation rate makes sense. But that line of thinking neglects several key things. 

Anticipating future wealth informs major financial decisions, and that can be a good or bad thing. Being pessimistic about your future earnings is more likely to lead to a positive outcome. 

Seeing the future as an inevitable path, rather than something nebulous, makes much clearer the choices you make today. Planning one's finances, career, and life can make all the difference.  

Some banks offer accounts that offer bonuses for regular contributions, with certain restrictions. If you have the chance to get into one and can easily afford the consistent contirbutions it’s definitely worthwhile.

If you’re in a dual-income household, could you make ends meet if one of you simply deposited your entire paycheck into savings and investments for the future?

If you’re eyeing your retirement savings in order to keep your head above water, turn your eyes instead to the multitude of tools you already have in your life for coming up with some quick cash or trimming back your spending for a while, Hamm writes.