ArcaMax

Dear Mary: We have decided to pay off a bunch of bills and do some much-needed repairs on our house. Can you tell me the difference between a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit? Which would be better? -- Scott

Dear Scott: With a home equity loan, or a HEL, you walk away with a check for the full amount of the loan and a second ...Read more

The claims are so over the top, they practically sparkle. The messages flood in from every direction -- email, TV, radio, social media and sometimes even hand delivery by a very enthusiastic "friend."

"Make over half a million dollars every four to five months from home with a one-time investment of just $25!"

"Become a millionaire overnight -...Read more

Dear Mary: Is there a law that says how long the grace period must be? (And if you don't mind, exactly what IS a grace period?) -- Justin

Dear Justin: In the world of lending and borrowing, the "grace period" is the number of days between the time you make a credit card purchase and when you will begin to pay interest on that short-term loan.

...Read more

Dear Mary: My wife and I have been married for three years. She has memorized my credit card information.

This is my personal account, and she is not listed as an authorized user. However, she charges to it without my knowledge, and it's getting out of hand. About a year ago, I took a loan from my 401(k) and paid off the balance, only to have ...Read more

Got ice and snow on top of super cold temperatures this winter? "Everyday Cheapskate" reader Jennifer does, and she wrote, "Do you have a solution for melting ice and snow on walkways, driveways, steps and windshields?"

I do, and at least one of these homemade recipes is sure to come to Jennifer's rescue, and quite possibly yours, too

All of ...Read more

Next to your rent or mortgage payment, food is probably your biggest expense. Don't believe me? For the next 30 days, track every nickel you spend to feed your face, then tell me it doesn't add up to one boatload of cash-ola.

Every dollar you don't spend on food is a dollar you get to keep for something else -- like knocking down that student ...Read more

Little things mean a lot -- like the two words "batteries included." Just knowing they're in there somewhere means less hassle and one less thing to buy. But face it. The initial powering-up of a battery-operated device is a minor concern. It's the cost of keeping it going for years to come that should be considered.

The commercials are ...Read more

Insurance is a funny thing. You learn all you can, shop diligently, scrape together the money to pay for it and then hope you'll never have to use it.

In addition to health and automobile coverage, most people insure their lives so that in the event of their death, those who depend on their income will not be left high and dry.

Term life ...Read more

Dear Mary: We've just received notice that the rent on our three-bedroom house is going up from $950 to $1,200 a month. We were struggling before, so we really can't afford the increase. We have looked at an apartment community, where our rent would be around $850 a month.

I found another home that could be a great permanent family home. This ...Read more

Face it -- towels have a rough life. They start out all fluffy and full of promise, soaking up years of bathing and showers. Then, seemingly overnight, they turn into faded, scratchy threadbare rags that are one step away from being loofahs. But before you toss them in the trash (or shove them in the back of a linen closet for "later"), let's ...Read more

Some time ago, I got a message from Elaine G., who had recently joined a mom's group. With all of her newly minted friendships, she and her child are getting invitations to lots of toddler birthday parties.

Her dilemma took me back to when our boys were small. Birthday parties for all their friends were challenging. That's why Elaine's message ...Read more

This week, as I reached into the mailbag, I pulled out two questions, neither of them with easy answers. I was tempted to set them aside and try again, but I decided to tackle both, knowing that my letter-writers are not the only ones facing these kinds of financial situations.

Dear Mary: If my parents are in debt and they die, who pays the ...Read more

Dear Mary: I have been dating a woman for about two years. Getting to know her, I have learned that she has significant financial problems that she has not told me about. I have found out by doing a little research on my own (public records, etc.).

This is a serious relationship. We are both divorced with children. Money issues were one of the ...Read more

A reader recently wrote in with a question that pops up more often than dandelions in a spring lawn:

"I need a new car -- we want a Honda CR-V, but after looking at the used car listings, it looks like new might be a better deal, especially since it saves me from putting much money down."

To which I say no, no and NO! Unless you can pay cash ...Read more

Recently, I've been on yet another of my seemingly never-ending quests to pare down and clean out. I got this surge of energy after reading how Graham Hill is living with less. A lot less.

Hill, a self-made young millionaire who decided he really didn't need lots of stuff, wrote about it in the New York Times. He lives in a 420-square-foot ...Read more

Being wasteful is easy, especially when everything seems to be so plentiful and simple to replenish. Just order more. Or run to the store, right?

Sure, we love to buy things on sale, but that's not the only way -- or the best way -- to cut costs. Discovering simple ways to make things last longer is the surefire way to save time and money.

...Read more

Let's be honest -- keeping a home clean sometimes feels like trying to shovel snow in a blizzard. No matter how much you scrub, wipe and mutter under your breath, there's always another mess waiting in the wings. But over the years, I've discovered a little miracle in a can that keeps my sanity intact. It's called Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser, ...Read more

What would you do if you had to use -- let alone actually enjoy -- everything you own?

Truth be told, most of us will never live long enough to accomplish such an overwhelming requirement. Instead, we pack it, stack it and pile it away -- even pay rent to store it. Then we keep right on accumulating, acquiring and attaining even more. More ...Read more

When asked to describe the perfect bath towel, most people would include the words "thick" and "thirsty." Cotton Inc., a research and marketing company, agrees and goes on to say that the perfect towel can also stand up to constant use and laundering for at least a decade.

The secret to buying the perfect towel is in understanding fibers, loops...Read more

Before you toss that steam iron because it refuses to steam and the soleplate is sporting a brown, burned-on, gross mess -- you might want to give it a little love with a good cleanup. It's not difficult to bring a tired steam iron back to working like a dream!

As always, check the owners manual before proceeding with any cleaning process so ...Read more