Ask Chuck: Financing Fixer Upper Fever
Dear Chuck, I need your advice. My husband thinks we should get an installment loan to update our home. Although we can do a lot of the labor ourselves, we need materials, tools, and some professional labor to get what we both want. I would rather save for a year, but he has time in […]
Ask Chuck: Should I Postpone My Honeymoon?
Dear Chuck, I want to plan a honeymoon for my autumn wedding. But, with student loans and car debt, I know I should not use a credit card or deplete my savings that way. I hate to disappoint my fiancé but believe we should wait to take a trip when we are better off financially. […]
Ask Chuck: The Cost of Kids
Dear Chuck, I am engaged to a man who recently declared he would prefer we not have children. He believes the rising cost of living will prohibit our ability to adequately provide for more than ourselves, especially if we have to help care for our parents. I struggle with that because I believe that by […]
Ask Chuck: Breaking the Cycle of Overspending
Dear Chuck, My husband is tired of my overspending. I struggle living on the budget he’s made because I make quick purchases rather than planning ahead. Then I feel guilty defending my decisions when the bills arrive. How can I get out of this cycle? Spontaneous Spender Dear Spontaneous, Frist, be thankful you have […]
Ask Chuck: Get Rich Quick
Dear Chuck, We have a lot of debt. Rather than taking on another job or trying to excel at his current one, my husband is seeking money in undesirable places. He buys weekly lottery tickets, shops garage sales and thrift stores looking for “treasure.” Meanwhile, I’m teaching piano lessons in our home while trying to […]
Ask Chuck: Is Low Price Better Than High Quality?
Dear Chuck, I like nice, quality things. My husband prefers lower prices. My perspective is that buying quality is better in the long run. Is there a right or wrong way to look at it? We are stuck on which refrigerator to buy to replace the old one we have now. Needing A Compromise […]
Ask Chuck: Should My Wife and I Have a Joint Bank Account?
Dear Chuck, I am engaged to be married late this summer. My father recently asked if we are planning to have joint accounts like he and mom have for decades. I didn’t have an answer. We have friends with joint accounts and some with separate ones. We want to start off right. What do you […]
Ask Chuck: Finding Financial Peace with Your Spouse
Dear Chuck, If I had a nickel for every argument my wife and I have had about money, well…we probably wouldn’t argue about money! Can you help us get on the same page? We can’t even build a budget together, much less get out of debt. Financially Frustrated With My Wife Dear Frustrated, Thanks […]
Ask Chuck: How to Recover from Financial Infidelity
Dear Chuck, Some of my closest friends are going through a nasty divorce right now. Apparently, they had both been hiding financial information, credit cards, debt, etc. from each other for a number of years, and the fallout has been detrimental. I’ve heard of more couples experiencing “financial infidelity” lately and it makes me so […]
Ask Chuck: How to Be Financially Prepared for a Surprise Pregnancy
Dear Chuck, My husband and I just got married 4 months ago and got pregnant pretty quickly after our wedding. While we are so excited about becoming parents, the pregnancy was unexpected and now we are trying to build our financial lives together and prepare for a child. Any advice on how to save fast […]