Gary Dek is a contributor to Gajizmo.com and is always looking for ways to make and invest money. Gary previously worked for an internet company on their M&A team, as well as investment banking and private equity firms in California. Some of life’s necessities, like homes and arguably cars, cost more than most people can save in 5 [...]

For the last three years, my husband and I have had a very low income, well under the median income level of the average American family.  This was a result of my decision to launch a freelance writing career and my husband finishing his Ph.D. We live in the suburbs of Chicago, so living expenses [...]

I think we can all agree that most debt is bad.  Some of us might even agree that all debt is bad.  Nearly all of us will also agree that nearly all of us have debt.  It’s not a comfortable thing to have usually, and, since you’re reading this, I can only assume that you’re [...]

The last few months have not been kind to my family.  As Dave Ramsey says, “Murphy came to visit.”  Within the last few months, I have had several medical tests run, my computer broke so I had to buy a new one, my husband’s pay was docked $750 for two months in a row because [...]

How many of you would turn down free money?  If someone just walked up to you in the middle of the street and offered you some money?  How about if the Publishers Clearinghouse van pulled up in front of your house, and they presented you with a big ol’ check with your name on it [...]

Do you have debt?  Does it drive you crazy?  Do you stay awake at night wondering how to pay it all off?  Does it feel like you will never pay it off?  Do you argue with your spouse about your bills? While debt can at times be a useful tool (student loans, for example), when [...]

When you’re in debt, and trying to escape from the cycle of debt, the one thing that seems to dominate your every thought is paying off that debt.  Far too often, those of us who talk about debt and finances regularly tend to focus on debt as well.  We focus on paying off debt, eliminating [...]

Staying out of debt is difficult.  Terribly difficult.  It isn’t made any easier if you rationalize yourself into debt, either.  Many of us spend a good deal of our time and energy trying to get out of debt, and stay out of debt.  We do that through so many devices, and each have our own [...]

Despite the best of intentions and the clearest of budgets, sometimes holiday spending can snowball out of control. It can start with an innocent extra box of ornaments or a gift for someone not on your list, and before you know it, you’ve charged the entire month of December on your credit cards and you’re [...]

My husband and I recently added up our student loan and credit card debt, and we were shocked at the figure–$58,000!  What was this debt comprised of?  It is made up of nearly $38,000 in student loans, $6,500 on a business credit card for a business that failed and $13,500 of personal credit card debt [...]