• About
  • Mortgage Basics
  • $40K Challenge
  • Aunt Doris
  • Grandfather Says
  • Privacy
  • Archives

Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

100 Words On: Why You Should Never Ever Be Afraid of Failure

By Len Penzo

Most of us learn to fear failure and avoid it at all costs. During our quest for financial freedom, however, well encounter plenty of failures. Usually, we learn from them and move on. Sadly, the fear of failure is also used as a convenient excuse ...

Continue reading 100 Words On: Why You Should Never Ever Be Afraid of Failure

21 Comments July 7, 2022

What Everyone Should Know Before Depositing Their Money In a Bank

By Len Penzo

In case you're wondering, only 10% of all humans have an "outie" belly button. At least that's what Wikipedia claims. For what it's worth, like most folks, I have an "innie." By the way, belly buttons don't have a monopoly on innies and outies; ...

Continue reading What Everyone Should Know Before Depositing Their Money In a Bank

26 Comments July 4, 2022

Black Coffee: Born on the 4th of July

By Len Penzo

It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe ... Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what's been going on in the world of money and personal finance. I've got another busy weekend ahead of ...

Continue reading Black Coffee: Born on the 4th of July

22 Comments July 2, 2022

When It Doesn’t Pay to Buy Big-Ticket Items on Sale

By Len Penzo

Not too long ago a twentysomething friend of mine was telling me all about the brand new big-screen high-definition television he bought. According to him, it was a great deal. "How much was it?" I asked. "I paid $2000 after I got the guy to ...

Continue reading When It Doesn’t Pay to Buy Big-Ticket Items on Sale

11 Comments June 27, 2022

Black Coffee: Digital Castles in the Air

By Len Penzo

It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe ... Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what's been going on in the world of money and personal finance. I hope everybody had a wonderful week. ...

Continue reading Black Coffee: Digital Castles in the Air

14 Comments June 25, 2022

100 Words On: Why You Need Emergency Savings AND a Rainy Day Fund

By Len Penzo

People often use the terms "rainy day fund" and "emergency savings" interchangeably when they are really two completely different forms of personal finance insurance. A rainy day fund is meant to help you weather short-term, relatively low-impact ...

Continue reading 100 Words On: Why You Need Emergency Savings AND a Rainy Day Fund

38 Comments June 23, 2022

The Embarrassing Anatomy of a Phishing Scam

By Len Penzo

You've got to hand it to scam artists. They often succeed in spite of themselves. If I had a nickel for every time I retrieved a message from my inbox warning me that my PayPal account has been limited, or that my credit card has been suspended, ...

Continue reading The Embarrassing Anatomy of a Phishing Scam

34 Comments June 20, 2022

Black Coffee: Too Little Too Late

By Len Penzo

It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe ... Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what's been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Well ... another busy week is behind ...

Continue reading Black Coffee: Too Little Too Late

21 Comments June 18, 2022

10 Big Reasons Why I Love (and Hate) Credit Cards

By Len Penzo

The other day I overheard a couple of nice ladies going on and on about why they loved, loved, LOVED their credit cards. And let me tell you, they really loved them. At first, I didn't understand what all the fuss was about. Like most people, I ...

Continue reading 10 Big Reasons Why I Love (and Hate) Credit Cards

37 Comments June 13, 2022

Black Coffee: A Distinction Without a Difference

By Len Penzo

It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe ... Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what's been going on in the world of money and personal finance. I hope everybody had an enjoyable week. ...

Continue reading Black Coffee: A Distinction Without a Difference

13 Comments June 11, 2022

100 Words On: The Smartest Way to Eliminate Your Credit Card Debt

By Len Penzo

I don't care what you've heard about Dave Ramsey's debt snowball, the credit card debt-elimination method that calls for paying off cards with the lowest balances first -- regardless of their interest rate. It's wrong. Ramsey claims the debt ...

Continue reading 100 Words On: The Smartest Way to Eliminate Your Credit Card Debt

48 Comments June 9, 2022

A Primer on the Gold Standard and Gold Revaluation

By Len Penzo

Today I want to share a primer with you on the gold standard, as well as a fun hypothetical example of how a potential gold revaluation would work. With nearly $200 trillion in funded and unfunded liabilities on its books, the US government has ...

Continue reading A Primer on the Gold Standard and Gold Revaluation

June 6, 2022

Black Coffee: On the Horns of a Dilemma

By Len Penzo

It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe ... Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what's been going on in the world of money and personal finance. I've got another busy weekend ahead of ...

Continue reading Black Coffee: On the Horns of a Dilemma

June 4, 2022

How to Ensure You’re Getting the Most from Your Wallet

By Len Penzo

Think about how much stuff you have in your wallet at the moment: maybe a little cash, and probably a few debit cards or credit cards. Now, are you satisfied with how much your wallet is earning for you? It's never a bad time to take a look ...

Continue reading How to Ensure You’re Getting the Most from Your Wallet

May 30, 2022

Black Coffee: The Wise and the Wicked

By Len Penzo

It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe ... Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what's been going on in the world of money and personal finance. I hope everybody had a wonderful week. ...

Continue reading Black Coffee: The Wise and the Wicked

May 28, 2022

9 Indispensable Financial Tips for Teens & Twentysomethings

By Len Penzo

I hate to admit this, kids, but I used to think my parents were really dumb. A few peas short of a casserole. All foam, no beer. Dumber than a box of hair. I get it; most teenagers and young adults already know everything about anything. But as ...

Continue reading 9 Indispensable Financial Tips for Teens & Twentysomethings

May 23, 2022

Black Coffee: Back to the Borscht Belt

By Len Penzo

It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe ... Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what's been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Well ... another busy week is behind ...

Continue reading Black Coffee: Back to the Borscht Belt

May 21, 2022

100 Words On: Why It’s Not Poor Etiquette to Put Ketchup on a Hot Dog

By Len Penzo

There are plenty of food snobs out there who insist that it is sacrilegious to put ketchup on a hot dog. That assessment is echoed by The National Hot Dog Council which proclaims that ketchup should never be put on a hot dog by anyone over the age of ...

Continue reading 100 Words On: Why It’s Not Poor Etiquette to Put Ketchup on a Hot Dog

May 19, 2022

The 6 Most Valuable Grocery Store Products

By Len Penzo

When it comes to utility, not all grocery items are created equal. If value can be defined by versatility then, some grocery items offer a lot more bang for your buck than others. Sure, everybody knows about the incredible and legendary ...

Continue reading The 6 Most Valuable Grocery Store Products

May 16, 2022

Black Coffee: Out to Lunch

By Len Penzo

It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe ... Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what's been going on in the world of money and personal finance. I hope everybody had an enjoyable week. ...

Continue reading Black Coffee: Out to Lunch

May 14, 2022

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 67
  • Next Page »

The Question of the Week:

Did you buy any fireworks to celebrate Independence Day this year?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Recent Posts

  • 100 Words On: Why You Should Never Ever Be Afraid of Failure
  • How to Retire Five Years Earlier Than You May Think You Can
  • 11 Dollar Store Bargains You’d Be Crazy to Buy Anywhere Else
  • What to Look for When Purchasing a Medical Alert System
  • What Everyone Should Know Before Depositing Their Money In a Bank
  • Black Coffee: Born on the 4th of July
  • How To Start Investing In Cryptocurrencies
  • Grandfather Says: The Travails of Working with Stone
  • 5 Expert Tips for Saving Money with a Credit Card
  • How to Implement Strategic Planning Processes

Disclaimer

This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and the content herein should not be mistaken for professional financial advice. In fact, making investment decisions based on information published here, or any other website for that matter, is more than unwise; it is folly. This website accepts advertising in the form of monetary and other compensation; as such, topics of discussion are occasionally influenced by these advertisers. Sometimes, an article may also include affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, this blog earns a commission if you click through and make a purchase (for example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). Remember, you and you alone are responsible for the decisions you make in life, so please contact an independent financial professional for advice regarding your unique personal situation.

Sign up for the weekly Len Penzo dot Com newsletter
Len Penzo dot Com Delivered Weekly
Join more than 40,000 readers and fans who enjoy personal finance and macroeconomics with an offbeat twist!
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing!

Popular Now:

  1. 1. The 6 Most Valuable Grocery Store Products
  2. 2. Series I Savings Bonds Are Now Paying 9.62%; Here Are Their Pros & Cons
  3. 3. 25 Examples of Shrinkflation That No Longer Fool Consumers
  4. 4. 7 Big Reasons Why a Roth IRA Isn’t the Best Way to Save for Retirement
  5. 5. 3 Ways That Great Sleep Helps You Get Richer
  6. 6. What’s the Fastest Way to Pay Down Your Mortgage Early?
  7. 7. How to Save Money on Dental Care So You Won’t Go Broke at the Dentist
  8. 8. Historical Gold & Silver Benchmarks for Wages and Commodity Prices
  9. 9. Tip Inflation: We’ve Got Nobody to Blame But Ourselves
  10. 10. 4 Good Reasons Why Some Quarters Are Painted Red

All-Time Most Popular:

  1. 1. 19 Things Your Suburban Millionaire Neighbor Won’t Tell You
  2. 2. Dear Friend: Here Are 41 Reasons Why I’m NOT Lending You the Money
  3. 3. Why Your Expensive Luxury Car Doesn’t Impress Smart People
  4. 4. If You Can’t Live on $40,000 Annually It’s Your Own Fault
  5. 5. 21 Reasons Why Corner Lots Are for Suckers
  6. 6. 4 Smart Reasons Why College Isn’t for Everyone
  7. 7. 18 Fast Facts About Social Security Numbers
  8. 8. My Ketchup Taste Test: Upset! Guess Which Brand Topped Heinz
  9. 9. Why I Prefer a Spreadsheet to Track Expenses and Manage My Finances
  10. 10. Here’s a Simple Trick for Getting Credit Card Interest Charges Waived

Copyright © 2022 Len Penzo dot Com · All Rights Reserved · Designed by Nuts and Bolts Media

© Len Penzo dot Com 2008–2022