• Dave Says: Lost and overwhelmed

    Dave Says: Lost and overwhelmed

    Dear Dave, My fiancé and I just started your class, but we’re having trouble getting our beginner emergency fund together. We both work full-time, and I make $59,000 a year while he has worked in retail for several years and makes $22,000 to $25,000. I’m trying to manage a couple of side jobs, but we…

  • Dave Says: You always need an emergency fund

    Dave Says: You always need an emergency fund

    Dear Dave, I’ll be retiring in the next couple of years. When I leave my job, we will have a yearly income of $65,000 through my pension. I don’t think we need an emergency fund with such a dependable, steady income stream like that, but my wife disagrees. She says she would feel safer if…

  • Advice: Is starting a small business right for you?

    Advice: Is starting a small business right for you?

    By Christy Wright My mom started her business when I was only six months old. She was a single mother with only $64 to her name, but with a determination to survive. To make ends meet, she went back to the one thing she knew she was really good at: baking and decorating cakes. We’re…

  • Mental health is good health

    Mental health is good health

    By Bill Myers Mental health is essential to overall health and well-being, and mental illnesses are common and treatable. So much of what we do physically impacts us mentally – it’s important to pay attention to both your physical health and your mental health, which can help you achieve overall wellness and set you on…

  • Dave Says: Before or after?

    Dave Says: Before or after?

    Dear Dave, I’ve started following your plan, and I’ve got a beginner emergency fund of $1,000 saved. Now that I’m ready to start paying off debt in Baby Step 2, do you recommend paying off credit card balances before or after closing the accounts? Maeve [uam_ad id=”54865″] Dear Maeve, I’m really proud of you. Congratulations…

  • Dunkin’ unwraps ‘wildly wonderful’ new flavors

    Dunkin’ unwraps ‘wildly wonderful’ new flavors

    After a long winter, we yearn for spring and summer to bring things that are bright, fun and a little indulgent; all words to describe Dunkin’s out-of-this-world seasonal menu. And with nearly two dozen locations in Montco alone, getting your fill is not far away. Welcoming the wildly wonderful new flavors along with returning fan…

  • Dave Says: Budget billing for utilities?

    Dave Says: Budget billing for utilities?

    Dear Dave, I’m just starting my debt-free journey and trying to lay out a budget. What are your thoughts on budget billing for utilities? Ryan Dear Ryan, I think it’s wonderful! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it at all. For a lot of folks, especially those in your situation, it helps smooth out utility payments…

  • Dave Says: Be intentional with your time

    Dave Says: Be intentional with your time

    Dear Dave, As a business owner, how do you find a life balance between work and home? I have my own small business, and sometimes I feel like I’m putting in too much time at the shop and not spending enough time with my husband and kids. Molly [uam_ad id=”54865″] Dear Molly, The idea of…

  • Dave Says: How to handle travel expenses

    Dave Says: How to handle travel expenses

    Dear Dave, I’m an admissions counselor for a university, and I make $37,000 a year. I spend a lot of time on the road, and I’m trying to get out of debt, but I have one credit card I’m still using for travel expenses. The university refunds me for these expenses, which always run $300…

  • The best and worst things to do for Spring Break

    The best and worst things to do for Spring Break

    By Rachel Cruze We’ve all been waiting for a break from this cold, dreary winter. Well, for students (and their families) across the country, it’s finally here: spring break! But as much as you’ve been pining for sunshine and a beach, spring break isn’t an excuse to bust the budget, or worse—go into debt. Your…

  • Shopping under the influence is real, and lucrative

    Shopping under the influence is real, and lucrative

    An alarming trend is emerging, a growing number of online shoppers are “shopping under the influence.” An incalculable number of surveys have been conducted about online shopping, however very few have focused on the amount of money people spend while under the influence of alcohol. Now that people can shop on the couch with a…

  • Dave Says: Preparing for the real world

    Dave Says: Preparing for the real world

    Dear Dave, I’m getting married this summer and about to become a stepfather, but my fiancé’s daughter from a previous marriage seems very irresponsible. She’s 20 and lives at home, has trouble holding a job, and she doesn’t really want to work. When she doesn’t have money to make her car payment, she seems to…

  • Free Coors Light every time Bud runs an attack ad

    Free Coors Light every time Bud runs an attack ad

    Free Coors Light is pouring from the taps at Kelly Taproom in Bryn Mawr! Kelly Taproom has a new special tap called “The Coors Light,” one of five other bars in the country receiving the unique new tap. For the duration of the March Madness Tournament, every time Bud Light runs an attack ad against…

  • Dave Says: Time to fix the real problem

    Dave Says: Time to fix the real problem

    Dear Dave, I’ve heard you tell people to avoid debt consolidation companies. Why do you think debt consolidation is such a bad thing? Tom Dear Tom, The main reason is that debt consolidation makes you feel like you did something to really change your financial world when you didn’t. That’s part of the catch. Believe it or…

  • Americans will wager $8.5 billion on March Madness

    Americans will wager $8.5 billion on March Madness

    Americans plan to wager $8.5 billion on this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament, with 1-in-5 adults placing a bet, according to a survey released  by the American Gaming Association (AGA). Key findings from the survey, conducted by Morning Consult, include: [uam_ad id=”54865″] 47 million American adults will wager $8.5 billion on March Madness; $4.6 billion will be wagered on a…

  • Wright: How to find your passion and build a business you love

    By Christy Wright Has anyone ever told you, do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life? But here’s the thing, you can’t do what you love unless you know what you’re passionate about. I have the best job in the world. As a certified business coach and creator of Business Boutique, I get to help…

  • Dave Says: Finances before and after the wedding

    Dave Says: Finances before and after the wedding

    Dear Dave, I’m getting married this summer, and I’m on Baby Step 4 of your plan. My fiancé is getting onboard with your advice, too, and she’s currently in the process of paying down her student loan debt. Would it be a good idea to go ahead, and put most of my emergency fund savings…

  • Local lawmakers introduce economic development bills in Washington

    Local lawmakers introduce economic development bills in Washington

    Legislation was introduced in the House and Senate to secure the future of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC). Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY), introduced the House bill. In the Senate, the bill was introduced by Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Ben Cardin (D-MD). The bills, both titled The New Markets Tax…