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Blog

Musings on personal finance and more...

Mike Pumphrey - July 10, 2023

Student loan cancellation is dead: what now?

The Supreme Court has cancelled student loan cancellation. Here's what to do now that that particular plan is dead. …

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Mike Pumphrey - July 3, 2023

Is there an alternative? Stocks, inflation, and where to put your money now

With inflation and rising interest rates, some say that there are better places to put your money than stocks. I'm skeptical. …

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Mike Pumphrey - June 26, 2023

What is the minimum you could live on?

Determining the minimum amount of money you could live on is important for determining your emergency fund and other financial goals. …

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Mike Pumphrey - June 19, 2023

Should you move your emergency fund to an interest-earning account?

It's not important to earn interest on your emergency fund, but if there is no downside, then why not do so, now that rates are so high? …

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Mike Pumphrey - June 12, 2023

Was the student loan moratorium bad for borrowers?

It's hard to argue that the student loan payment moratorium was somehow bad for borrowers. But some economists are still trying. …

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Mike Pumphrey - June 5, 2023

How not to be house poor

Home ownership can be a financial disaster if you're not careful, and one of the ways to prevent this is to not be "house poor". …

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Mike Pumphrey - May 29, 2023

You might now have less medical debt on your credit report

The three credit agencies give a benefit to those with outstanding medical debt, and in the process show how much power they wield over us. I’m on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) mailing list, mainly so you don’t have …

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Mike Pumphrey - May 22, 2023

Will millennials benefit from the largest wealth transfer in history?

Millennials have gotten the short end of the economic stick for most of their adult lives. But this bad luck might be about to change. …

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Mike Pumphrey - May 15, 2023

What if you hate spreadsheets?

For those who want to track their spending but who hate spreadsheets, fear not, as you have multiple options. …

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Mike Pumphrey - May 8, 2023

3 reasons to ignore your bank’s spending categories

You should decide your own categories based on your specific situation. Also, your bank will always be wrong. …

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