detnews.com - Personal Finance

What you need to know if your bank fails

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:12:00 EST

New York -- Dozens of banks have failed this year. What do you need to know if yours is next?

Brian J. O'Connor: Cutting some junk from financial trunk is slam dunk

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:27:00 EST

This week's foray into frugality takes aim at the "Misc." category of my budget, the metaphorical junk drawer of family finances where old expenses go to be forgotten even though they still put a drain on the pocketbook.

Lose your job? Rebuild your career

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

As the U.S. unemployment rate climbs to almost 10 percent, and Michigan sits at 15.3 percent, no industry or profession has been spared when employers needed to cut jobs. That includes fields once considered untouchable.

7 rules for working at home

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:00:00 EST

Amid high unemployment, many people are moving from employee to entrepreneur, says business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, author of "When the Little Things Count ... And They Always Count."

Brian J. O'Connor: $1,000 savings goal hits pothole of reality

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:02:00 EST

After 10,000 flops in his attempt to invent the light bulb, Thomas Edison famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." In that spirit, let me say that in my first week of trying to cut $1,000 from my family's monthly budget -- an even grand -- that I also did not fail. I just found four ways that won't work.

New FHA condo rules may hinder mortgages

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:00:00 EST

The Federal Housing Administration is ready to implement new rules that could, in some cases, make it harder to get a mortgage to buy a condominium unit.

5 ways to protect a child's ID

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:00:00 EST

Children have become especially attractive targets for identity thieves, because youngsters have unblemished credit records, making it easier for thieves to take out loans in a child's name.

Brian J. O'Connor: Follow Metro family's effort to cut monthly budget

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:17:00 EST

Starting today and for the next 10 weeks, I'll devote this column to taking my own family budget apart, line-by-line, in a project called the Grand Experiment. Each week, I'll sift through one of our 10 largest spending categories, looking to lop $100 off of each one until we've cut our monthly spending by $1,000 -- an even grand.

Your budget buddy: How to track your own spending

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:57:00 EST

Whether you're using a computer program, online budgeting service such as Mint.com, or just a legal pad and a pencil, money expert Robin Thompson says a budget system needs to include your monthly spending, your big annual bills and monthly savings for your financial goals. It also needs to help you adjust your spending from day to day to keep on track. Here's how to start:

Economy watch: 10 college majors with job openings

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:57:00 EST

It's just the beginning of the school year, but students may fret over their college-to-career transition. The key is to choose an academic major connected to stable jobs, or those considered necessary despite fluctuations in the economy.