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Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

More Reasons Why I Decided to Buy a New Car Instead of a Used One

By Len Penzo

As I mentioned in my previous post, I finally relented and bought myself a new car. I can understand why some of you may be scratching your head at my decision to buy new instead of used. Especially when the playbook of good personal finance ...

Continue reading More Reasons Why I Decided to Buy a New Car Instead of a Used One

May 1, 2013

I Finally Broke Down and Bought a New Car

By Len Penzo

OK, I did it. After commuting to and from work in my 1997 Honda Civic for the past 13 years, and with my son on the verge of getting his driver's license, I finally relented and bought myself a new car. That's right. I'm now the proud owner of ...

Continue reading I Finally Broke Down and Bought a New Car

April 29, 2013

How to Get the Best Travel Deal from Price Comparison Websites

By Sabado Domingo

Price comparison websites are a great resource for budget-conscious travelers, with many people skipping travel agents altogether and doing the flight booking themselves. Due to the huge growth in this type of website, there are now more price ...

Continue reading How to Get the Best Travel Deal from Price Comparison Websites

April 26, 2013

A Small Victory in My Quest to Raise Financially Literate Kids

By Len Penzo

Teaching kids about personal finance is not an easy job. Even so, as a parent I believe it is my responsibility to ensure that my kids have a thorough understanding of good personal finance practices before they leave the nest. Ultimately it will ...

Continue reading A Small Victory in My Quest to Raise Financially Literate Kids

April 10, 2013

Why Bag Ladies are Financially Savvier Than Many Celebrities

By Len Penzo

Grammy Award winner Dionne Warwick, who found fame in the 1960s singing "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" filed for bankruptcy yesterday. Younger folks may recognize Warwick from the 1990s, when she was the celebrity spokesperson for the Psychic ...

Continue reading Why Bag Ladies are Financially Savvier Than Many Celebrities

March 27, 2013

How I Stupidly Got Ripped Off by Not Getting Multiple Estimates

By Len Penzo

Whether we realize it or not, we manage financial risk whenever we take the time to get multiple price estimates from competing contractors. Those who do often get rewarded for their efforts. As for those who don't, well ... they often end up ...

Continue reading How I Stupidly Got Ripped Off by Not Getting Multiple Estimates

March 25, 2013

Economic Collapse 101: What It Will Look Like, and How It May Start

By Len Penzo

It takes courage to face the bogeyman. I bet many of the good folks in Great Falls, Montana, were more than a little worried earlier this month after a local television station there sent out an ominous message warning viewers that the dead were ...

Continue reading Economic Collapse 101: What It Will Look Like, and How It May Start

February 27, 2013

9 ‘Oops’ Moments That I Ultimately Paid For (One Way or Another)

By Len Penzo

Last week I needed to venture into my attic to check on some rat traps, so I grabbed my flashlight to help me navigate my way through the rafters. As luck would have it, the flashlight wasn't working; the last person who used it forgot to turn the ...

Continue reading 9 ‘Oops’ Moments That I Ultimately Paid For (One Way or Another)

February 25, 2013

The Unconventional Wisdom of Household Strategic Planning

By Len Penzo

My son, Matthew, is quickly approaching his 16th birthday and so I've been giving him a few driving tutorials. I haven't let him get behind the wheel just yet -- that's on next month's agenda -- but it's gotten to the point now where every time ...

Continue reading The Unconventional Wisdom of Household Strategic Planning

January 28, 2013

The Best Credit Cards of 2013

By Guest

This is a guest post by Logan Abbott. Logan is the editor of MyRatePlan.com, a leading comparison site for credit cards, mobile phones, phone service, insurance, and more. The New Year is upon us, and that means you probably made some New Year's ...

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January 18, 2013

Looking Back at My Magic 8-Ball’s Predictions for 2012

By Len Penzo

For the past three years, I've been using my trusty Magic 8-Ball to predict the future. I know. Laugh all you want, folks, but it's been quite successful over the years. In 2010, my Magic 8-Ball had an astounding 70% success rate. The following ...

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January 16, 2013

Save Money: In-School or Going Back

By Sabado Domingo

Whether you're starting college for the first time, or going for a different degree years later, you should look for ways that you can save money during college. College is a great expense and many people incur thousands of dollars of debt in student ...

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December 28, 2012

Essential Tips for Lowering Your Grocery Bill (Part 3)

By Len Penzo

This is final post in my three-part series outlining essential tips that the Penzo household follows for keeping our grocery bills under control. Of course, there are many methods for cutting the grocery bill that go way beyond shopping at ...

Continue reading Essential Tips for Lowering Your Grocery Bill (Part 3)

December 27, 2012

Essential Tips for Lowering Your Grocery Bill (Part 2)

By Len Penzo

Food isn't cheap. Want proof? Then chew on this: I spent almost $12,000 in groceries last year for my four-person family, including two teenagers. And what's really scary is that I work very hard to keep my food bill as low as possible every ...

Continue reading Essential Tips for Lowering Your Grocery Bill (Part 2)

December 26, 2012

Essential Tips For Lowering Your Grocery Bill

By Len Penzo

One of the big reasons the Honeybee has tolerated me for so long is because I love to cook. Some of you fellas out there would be wise to keep that in mind. Why is that, you ask? Well, it's somewhat ironic, but the fact remains, the more time men ...

Continue reading Essential Tips For Lowering Your Grocery Bill

December 24, 2012

100 Words On: How Smart People Make High Risk Ventures Pay Off

By Len Penzo

Risk and reward are inextricably intertwined. Of course, the richest rewards come to those who are willing to take the biggest risks. The oft-forgotten corollary to that strategy is that, by its very nature, high risk endeavors also have a greater ...

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December 20, 2012

Why Financial Success Often Depends on the Road Not Taken

By Len Penzo

Decisions, decisions. Like it or not, our lives are defined by them. It's no secret that a big part of our financial success is based upon the decisions we make in life. Just ask any person who has jeopardized their financial future by, say, ...

Continue reading Why Financial Success Often Depends on the Road Not Taken

December 17, 2012

15 Reasons Why Waterbeds Are For Suckers

By Len Penzo

Sometimes people buy things that they eventually end up regretting. I know I've got a long list. I've already explained why corner lots and whirlpool tubs are for suckers. Today, I've got two words for anybody out there who is currently ...

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December 3, 2012

Why I Refuse to Get Upset By Subtly Deceptive Advertising

By Len Penzo

Last weekend I was lured to an online calendar website with the following promise: "Everything up to 60% off!" Sixty percent! While I was visiting there I found a calendar that was on sale for $13.49 -- $1.50 off the regular price of ...

Continue reading Why I Refuse to Get Upset By Subtly Deceptive Advertising

November 28, 2012

How I Know When to Drop Collision & Comprehensive Auto Insurance

By Len Penzo

Although we refuse to admit it, everybody is occasionally guilty of holding on to things a little longer than they really should. I often question the Honeybee's motives regarding her proclivity to keep around old birthday cards and our kids' ...

Continue reading How I Know When to Drop Collision & Comprehensive Auto Insurance

November 26, 2012

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