how to not suck

How To Not Suck At Planning Your Wedding, Part 4: The Honeymoon

How To Not Suck At Planning Your Wedding, Part 4: The Honeymoon

Wedding Week on How To Not Suck rolls on down the aisle. We’ve already covered the big expenses, the stuff you pay too much for, and the pricey little extras. Today, it’s time to start thinking about that big post-wedding expense.

Once the big day is over and the marriage certificate is signed, you and your new spouse may head out on a new adventure — your honeymoon. [More]

How To Not Suck At Planning Your Wedding, Part 3: The Costly Little Extras

How To Not Suck At Planning Your Wedding, Part 3: The Costly Little Extras

Wedding Week continues on How To Not Suck! We’ve already talked about the big-ticket items and other major expenses that couples tend to pay too much for. Today, we look at all those additional purchases that can send wedding costs skyrocketing.

So far we’ve covered everything from the venue to the dress to the limo and the cake. Hard part’s over, right? Not exactly. [More]

How To Not Suck At Planning Your Wedding, Part 2: The Stuff People Pay Too Much For

How To Not Suck At Planning Your Wedding, Part 2: The Stuff People Pay Too Much For

How To Not Suck’s 5-part Wedding Week series continues today with information on all those purchases that only cost a lot because engaged couples are too-often willing to pay too much.

Yesterday we showed you how to save lots of cash on some big-ticket wedding items you need to book early. Once those are under control, you can move to the next phase in wedding-mania. [More]

How To Not Suck At Planning Your Wedding, Part 1: The Most Expensive Steps

How To Not Suck At Planning Your Wedding, Part 1: The Most Expensive Steps

Welcome to Wedding Week on How To Not Suck, a 5-part series on how to deal with all the things couples need to buy/rent/plan before they walk down the aisle. Today’s column focuses on those big-ticket items you need to get out of the way right away.

Maybe you’re one of the many, many couples who recently got engaged on Valentine’s Day (and judging by our Facebook feeds, this V-Day seemed to be particularly proposal-happy), or perhaps you’ve been engaged for a while but you’re spinning your wheels trying to figure out how to get started. Then let’s not waste any time. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Teaching Your Kids About Money

How To Not Suck… At Teaching Your Kids About Money

Even if you have one of those fabled money trees (a distant cousin of a ticket oak) in your yard, there’s going to come a time that you need to teach your children the birds and bees about money. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Valentine’s Day Gifts

How To Not Suck… At Valentine’s Day Gifts

Heads-up to everyone in a couple: Valentine’s Day is Friday and some of you will be expected to give some sort of gift to your loved ones. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with chocolates, jewelry, or flowers, but that special someone in your life is probably worth a little creativity and planning… right? [More]

How To Not Suck… At Merging Your Money When You Marry

How To Not Suck… At Merging Your Money When You Marry

Time and time again, we hear that money is the biggest problem for married couples, and yes, the main cause of divorce. It’s a problem that starts before most couples tie the knot. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Borrowing For College

How To Not Suck… At Borrowing For College

(This is Part Two of a two-part feature on paying for an education. Last week’s HTNS column focused on the best way to save up for college.)

With the rising cost of college tuition, many families figure they’ll have to beg, borrow and steal to pay for the cost of higher education. If those are the only options available to you, we recommend borrowing. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Making Financial New Year’s Resolutions

How To Not Suck… At Making Financial New Year’s Resolutions

It’s not quite 2014, but we’re already sick and tired of promises to help consumers make their resolutions a success. Lose 15 pounds in one week! Never crave a cigarette again! Watch your wrinkles disappear! Make sure you’re ready for intimacy whenever your partner is! Enough with the empty — or questionable — promises. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Last-Minute Christmas Gifting

How To Not Suck… At Last-Minute Christmas Gifting

Maybe you’re lazy. Or a procrastinator. Or a lazy procrastinator. We’re not judging because most of the time, that’s fine. But there are only a few sands left in the hourglass before Dec. 25, at which point you find yourself without gifts to give, promising your loved ones that you’ll get them something really nice at one of the after-Christmas sales. Fear not. Consumerist is here to help in your time of need — so your family doesn’t think you don’t give a hoot. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Saving For The Holidays

How To Not Suck… At Saving For The Holidays

The holiday season is still in full swing, and we’re willing to bet you’re not done spending money yet. What’s more, some of you will be paying off your holiday spending on credit card bills for months to come; the holiday cheer followed by the January credit card bill blues. Break this nasty cycle by planning ahead for the next holiday season. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Lowering Your Utility Bills

How To Not Suck… At Lowering Your Utility Bills

Stick what in my toilet? Let what hang out? Recycle… what? So many questions and so many odd suggestions, all in the name of trimming your utility bills. There are plenty of things you can do to cut costs. And with the cold weather coming — or already here for many of us — it’s a great time to see what you can do to stay warmer and save some cash. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Home Inspections

How To Not Suck… At Home Inspections

You’ve finally found that perfect home. A white picket fence. A pretty flower garden. That’s what it looks like to the untrained eye. But that perfect home could be filled with all kinds of trouble — poorly installed insulation, foundation problems, sub-par electrical work, infestations of termites and mice. Even a savvy home-shopper can miss hidden problems in homes. Put away your macho. No matter how handy you may be, a home inspection isn’t something that fits in the DIY category. Spending a few hundred bucks now on a qualified home inspector can save you tens of thousands later. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Getting Ready For Tax Season

How To Not Suck… At Getting Ready For Tax Season

It might seem a bit early to bring up tax returns, but this is actually the perfect time to get the ball rolling before the holiday season takes over our lives and unpleasant things like thinking about taxes get pushed off into the new year. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Picking A Retirement Plan

How To Not Suck… At Picking A Retirement Plan

Taxes now or taxes later? Unfortunately, “No taxes at all” isn’t an option. But when it comes to your retirement savings, you do have some control over when you pay Uncle Sam. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Deciding When To DIY

How To Not Suck… At Deciding When To DIY

Considering how expensive home repairs can be — and how dang easy they make fix-it jobs look on TV — it can be incredibly tempting to save some money by doing it yourself. But DIY isn’t always the less-expensive option when you figure in the costs for all the things that could possibly go wrong. [More]

How To Not Suck… At Getting Out Of Debt

How To Not Suck… At Getting Out Of Debt

You’re in debt and you know it. But (a brief pause, while I invoke my inner Jersey) whaddya gonna do about it? Credit card debt can seem like a never-ending spiral. As you try to pay it down, more interest charges accrue, and it seems your balance isn’t getting anywhere. Stop the bleeding already so that you can ultimately get back in the black. [More]

How To Not Suck… At First Year College Budgets

How To Not Suck… At First Year College Budgets

Welcome to “How To Not Suck,” a new, weekly series in which personal finance writer and consumer advocate Karin Price Mueller gives you the essential information to avoid being foolish with your finances. [More]