By Linsey KnerlConsumer scams are a dime a dozen (or in some cases, thousands of dollars a crime).  What are the red flags that you should always be on alert for?  Can even financially savvy spenders get sucked in?  What is the government doing to protect you?  We speak with the Federal Trade Commission to get the scoop -- directly from those who specialize in consumer awarenes

Image courtesy of re-ality Nothing can be done without energy. A car without fuel wouldn’t get you to where you want to go because there isn’t any energy to power the engine that moves the car.

As I’ve studied happiness over the past few years, I’ve learned many things that surprised me. Each day for two weeks, I’m going to debunk one “happiness myth” that I believed before I started my happiness project. Yesterday I wrote about Myth #1: Happy People Are Annoying and Stupid.

By Paul MichaelMy wife brought this to my attention. I’m not an avid Oprah viewer, but usually when I tune in I hear good advice. And with the help of financial guru Suze Orman, she’s asking families all across America one simple question; what can you live without? At first, it seems like a daunting task. Don’t go out to eat. Don’t use your credit cards.

Although I mention other methods of investing around here from time-to-time, the fact is that most of my retirement investments remain ensconced in index funds. Index funds are mutual funds created to track the movement of a stock market index, such as the NASDAQ or the S&P 500. Their goal is to earn the same return as their corresponding index.

11 months ago I almost quit my IT support job with a large Accounting company. Jay, the owner of Dumb Little Man, and my best friend, told me to list 25 things I could personally do to get ahead.

Over the last year or two, I’ve had to do a lot of thinking about where I wanted The Simple Dollar to go in the future. The site had become quite popular, but I didn’t know what that meant.

Turkeys don’t like skunks.  Skunks like turkeys, but mainly because they can eat the baby chicks.  So it isn’t surprising that when a skunk comes around a mother turkey will attack it to keep it away from her babies.

Nerea wanted a bulletin board but didn't like the regular ones because they were an eyesore. So Nerea decided to create a customized bulletin board with Ikea materials.

The Clorox bleach company recently contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in trying their Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. My cats have a nasty habit of kicking litter out of their litter box, so I’ve been using Clorox wipes to clean up their kicked-up mess for years. I don’t use the wipes in any other location of my home, but in the litter box space they are essential.

A few days ago, I was being interviewed by a local newspaper when the interviewer, after asking a ton of questions about frugality and my ideas on personal finance, simply asked me the titular question. Do you want to be rich? I thought about it for a moment and realized the question - and the answer - isn’t as easy as it sounds.

"Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide." ~Marcus Tullius CiceroThe above quote, from our beloved Ancient Roman lawyer, writer, scholar, orator and statesman, is great for certain situations.

Tax season is in full swing. Readers are peppering me with questions, and marketers are forwarding promotional material for their products. This seems like a good time to meld the two opposing forces into a single post! Tips for preparing your tax return

Is it possible to become invisible without breaking the law? (Photo: gravitywave) LOS ANGELES, MID-JUNE 2008 Sitting on a plush couch in the neon-infused nightclub, I asked again: “What’s it about?”