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Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

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Why the Customer Is Always Right – Most of the Time

By Len Penzo

Almost everyone has asked a restaurant, bank, or other business to redress a particular grievance. It's debatable whether the titular idiom of this post should be credited to Marshall Field or Harry Gordon Selfridge, but it is true nevertheless; the ...

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July 11, 2024

Are Used Cars Better Than New Cars?

By Len Penzo

Are used cars better than new cars? Everybody would love to have a new automobile every couple of years but, for most, that's an extremely expensive proposition -- nor does it make much sense. You can't beat a used vehicle purchased from a private ...

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April 18, 2024

Why Inflation Is Taxation Without Representation

By Len Penzo

Inflation is a tax that doesn't require legislative approval. In other words, inflation is taxation without representation. Let's look at an example. Assume your savings account earns a very modest 3% interest. Whether that interest is taxed at 100% ...

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April 4, 2024

Why Deflation Benefits Savers

By Len Penzo

Ever since the Great Depression, central bankers have, curiously, striven to avoid deflation at all costs. But benign price deflation caused by increases in productivity -- as opposed to "bad" deflation caused by a reduction in money supply -- leads ...

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March 7, 2024

Why a Home Shouldn’t Be Considered an Investment

By Len Penzo

It's often said that a house is our biggest investment, yet the primary function of any house is to simply provide us with a place to live. Yes, handsome gains can be had for those with good timing. However, as investments go, houses rarely match the ...

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February 22, 2024

Why You Should Never Cosign A Loan for Anyone

By Len Penzo

Cosigning for a loan is one of the dumbest financial moves you could ever make. By cosigning, you not only assume liability for the borrowed money, but you also make it tougher on yourself to qualify for large loans -- regardless of your payment ...

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February 8, 2024

Why Grandma Was Smarter Than You About Money

By Len Penzo

Yes; Grandma was smarter than you about money. Is that a crazy thought? Well ... Grandma may not pay bills with a smartphone or trade stocks on her computer -- but the fact is she can teach a few lessons about saving money that you can take to the ...

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January 25, 2024

Why Money Isn’t the Root of All Evil

By Len Penzo

So you think that money is the root of all evil? Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can't exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle ...

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January 11, 2024

You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For

By Len Penzo

One of the most popular financial tips that people routinely dispense to others is, "You get what you pay for." Perhaps that's why many folks erroneously believe they can't go wrong by paying more for something -- whether it's a fancy meal, designer ...

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December 28, 2023

Donating to Charity and the Company Charity Drive

By Erin Baker

The holiday giving season is upon us and many people are thinking about donating to charity. If your company sponsors a specific charity, the decision to give as an employee can be a tricky one. Is this an organization you might give to anyway? Is ...

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December 14, 2023

One of the Biggest Money Mistakes a Household CEO Can Make

By Len Penzo

It's been said that failing to plan is planning to fail -- especially with respect to personal finances. And although you may be prepared, one of the biggest money mistakes any household CEO can make is to abandon their financial plan. Especially ...

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November 30, 2023

How Debt Trouble Is Usually Related to Your Diet

By Len Penzo

Many folks in debt trouble who tally their assets and liabilities after years of modest but steady increases in income often end up scratching their heads, wondering why their net worth is nothing to write home about. Whether those in debt trouble ...

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November 16, 2023

Why Thanksgiving Never Falls On November 29 or 30

By Len Penzo

In 1863, President Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November to be a day for "thanksgiving and praise." It's a tradition that managed to stay that way until 1939 when worried retailers begged President Franklin Roosevelt to make Thanksgiving a ...

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November 1, 2023

Why Tracking Your Expenses Is So Important

By Len Penzo

It's true; there are many folks out there who successfully manage their household finances without ever using a budget. Even so, most successful home money managers that don't have a budget still track their expenses and income. That's because trying ...

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October 19, 2023

The Best Way to Make Ends Meet on a Limited Income

By Len Penzo

For those struggling to make ends meet, where one lives becomes more important as household income decreases. For example, when taking into account food, utilities, healthcare, housing, and general goods and services, New York City is more than twice ...

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October 5, 2023

How Thinking Outside the Box Can Save You a Fortune

By Len Penzo

A fellow walked into a New York City bank asking for a $4000 loan. "Okay," the teller said, "But we're going to need collateral." The man responded: "My black Porsche is in your parking lot. Here are the keys." Several weeks later, the man returned ...

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September 21, 2023

The Baffling Allure of the Eiffel Tower

By Len Penzo

Is the Eiffel Tower overrated? Originally built as the grand entrance to the 1889 World's Fair, today the Eiffel Tower is the undisputed romantic symbol of Paris and most-visited paid monument on Earth. Even so, that didn't stop more than 1000 ...

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September 7, 2023

Why Making a Good First Impression Is Important

By Len Penzo

Like it or not, when it comes to evaluating others, people tend to form an opinion within 30 seconds of meeting someone for the first time. Unfortunately, that resulting initial impression is generally extremely difficult to reverse should we start ...

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August 24, 2023

Is It OK to Borrow from Your 401k?

By Len Penzo

Roughly 3 in 10 people now borrow money from their 401k retirement plans. Generally, you can borrow half your account balance -- up to $50,000 -- for as long as five years. But is it okay to borrow from your 401k? True, it's among the cheapest loans ...

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August 10, 2023

Escaping Your Comfort Zone: Why It’s So Important

By Len Penzo

Escaping our comfort zone is hard. After all, it's only human nature to want to spend as much time as possible there. And why not? It takes courage to walk away from the dependable familiarity and security that waits for us there; for many, sometimes ...

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July 27, 2023

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