IQ

Tips for Getting a Great Vacation at a Great Price

May 2013

Are you already thinking about a summer vacation? Getting away from the daily grind can be refreshing and energizing. Too often, that feeling lasts only until the bills arrive. Then buyer’s remorse strikes.

You can avoid spending more than you can afford on this year’s vacation—or any vacation. All you have to do is ask yourself the right questions and invest some time in planning. That may sound like drudgery—particularly when a TV ad promises a dream resort vacation for "one low inclusive price" if you call immediately. Stop before you pick up that phone. Planning done right can be a fun treasure hunt. A little time spent exploring your options online and via phone can save you big. Here’s how to do it.

March 2013

It may be March 2013 but it is not too late to make a 2012 contribution to your IRA—Individual Retirement Account. If you don’t have an IRA, you can create one now. To an existing or new IRA you have until April 15, 2013, to make 2012 contributions. An IRA provides individuals a way to save money for retirement and save on income taxes. Having an IRA can be an important retirement savings tool no matter your age or employment status. Why not take a moment to check out these basics?

February 2013

College loan debt is a fact of life for many college graduates. So it’s important to manage student loan debt both to minimize how much you have to borrow and to repay the loans efficiently.

The average student loan debt for a graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the class of 2011 was $26,600, according to a survey conducted by the Institute for College Access and Success. Approximately two-thirds of students graduated with loan debt. Recent reports from the Federal Reserve estimate that total student loan debt nationally has passed 1 trillion dollars, more than current national credit card debt.

January 2013

Are you ready to replace your current vehicle with a new—or newer—set of wheels? If so, you’ve got lots of company. The average age of passenger vehicles on the road is approaching 11 years, and automotive sales have been growing in recent months. Many of these consumers, however, spent as much as several thousand dollars more than they needed to. Why? They fell into one or more of five common traps in the car buying process that I’m going to show you how to avoid.

December 2012

You talk to your kids about stuff that’s important to their upbringing: wearing a helmet, getting good grades, handling peer pressure, avoiding drug and alcohol abuse.

Yet money management and fiscal responsibility are often absent from the list.

T. Rowe Price released a study in March that found 77% of parents don't always tell their kids the truth about money matters, and nearly a third of parents surveyed said they don't talk to their kids about family finances at all.