All The Simple Dollar

Do you want 2014 to be a good year or a bad one? Building a good year takes lots of small, good decisions. 

The middle childhood years are prime for teaching the ins and outs of frugality and smart use of money.

Imposing a 'personal tax' on yourself is a clever way to add to your savings account, Hamm writes, but it is quite similar to maintaining a personal budget. Which method will help you save money?

Some people wait until their thirties or forties to start saving for retirement. If that's the case for you, Hamm writes, it's time to start saving for retirement immediately.  

The vast majority of Americans won't receive any significant inheritance from their parents. But if you happen to still receive an inheritance, treat it as a windfall and use it to shore up debts or rapidly build up your own retirement savings

Two of the biggest principles of frugality – spending as little as possible and investing in quality – often point people in opposite directions. Here are four questions to ask when deciding between the two. 

Bitcoin, or digital currency, is an intriguing new possibility for investors. But because of the high volatility and lack of regulation at Bitcoin exchanges, you should only invest in Bitcoin with money you are fully prepared to lose. 

In major cities, living closer to work will save you time and money on parking and transportation costs. But you'll end up paying much more for your living space. 

College savings plans aren't enough to cover the steep cost of college for some. For many students, especially those not at the top of their class or without a robust college savings plan, a trade school might be a better option. 

A weekend away isn’t an excuse to go break the bank, Hamm writes. Here’s how to pull off a weekend trip with your partner without melting your credit card and adding to your financial stress.

Buy-one-get-one-free deals sound good on the surface, Hamm writes, but the problem is that almost all of those deals have a catch. Often, there are multiple catches.

Finding the balance between frugality and tastefulness is tricky. Is it okay to snag a few ketchup packets from the burger joint? What about a few extra shampoos from the hotel? Trent Hamm shares where he draws the line. 

December can be a month of nickels and dimes slowly eating away at a family’s budget. Here are  eight small ways Hamm cuts back on on spending this time of the year, 

When shopping for car insurance, you have two basic coverage options: liability coverage and comprehensive coverage. Can't decide which is best for you? Trent Hamm offers this advice to help you choose the right insurance.  

When it comes to giving, thoughtfulness has much more weight than the gift itself, Hamm explains. This holiday season, avoid thinking about price tags and give thoughtful gifts rather than expensive ones. 

At first glance, it makes good frugal sense to continue to use an item until it is no longer functional. But waiting to replace something until it breaks could mean having to buy something at a less than ideal time. 

Personal finance is all about self-evaluation, Hamm writes. The more consistent your self-evaluation, the better your grasp of your personal finance situation will become.

Price-matching is essential when it comes to effective holiday shopping. Here are a few techniques that work really well – even without a smartphone. 

There are quite a few websites out there that do a spectacular job of handling the basics of personal finance, from figuring out how to handle debt to explaining the details of how stocks work. Here are four of the best personal finance resources on the Web. 

With traveling and gifts, the holidays can be painfully expensive. Here are 20 ways to ease the pain and save money this holiday season: