Now more than ever the idea of an emergency cash fund is critical.  Many personal finance gurus recommend that individuals and/or families put aside at least 3 months of living expenses in a conservative vehicle (such as a CD, money market fund, or traditional savings account).   Living expenses include: mortgage, taxes, utilities, food, gas, and car payments.   An emergency […]

Guest blogger from Heros of Capitalism writes about why he still buys books as opposed to going to the local library.  via Get Rich Slowly. Top four money fights for couples.  via FreeMoneyFinance. Best personal finance books for your bookshelves. via Blue Print for Financial Prosperity.  6 simple household hacks.  via MSN Money Blog guest blogger WiseBread. Tips for saving […]

It’s no surprise that given the current state of the economy people are hanging on to their stuff longer and not opting to buy new.  The events taking place in the car industry currently (with record low unit sales for both domestic and foreign manufactures) serve as a perfect example of individuals not buying or leasing new vehicles but rather […]

(photo: thanks to the Pittsburgh Post) I come from a very giving family, as is the case for most recent immigrants.  My mother and father, while lower middle class, have always provided their children with whatever was in their means.  As a small child, my parents purchased hi-quality clothes and shoes for us, paid for braces, prepared wonderful meals, purchased […]

Scordo.com is away!  Normal postings will resume on Monday December 29th, 2008!  Happy Holidays. Vince

– Alison offers advice on decoupling Christmas from spending.  via Diamondcutlife.org – FrugalDad touches on a key topic: Breaking the Monthly Payment Mentality.  via Frugaldad.com – NYC blogger FreeFromBroke asks an interesting question: If You Were Rich How Frugal Would You Be.  via FreeFromBroke.com – FreeMoneyFinance provides some insight on avoiding a used car-lemon.  via FreeMoneyFinance – Finally, Lynnae has […]

Are you’re struggling to find a few last minute gifts for your relatives and friends and have totally given up (are you asking yourself if mom was really that good to me this year?)?  Well, the perfect gift is actually not at some mall or a web site with a discount code, rather it’s right in your head or a […]

Maria Laurino of the NY Times recently published an article on the Italian-American tradition of serving seven fishes during the holiday season (the feast of the seven fishes) and here’s her explanation on on why many Italian-Americans prepare fish on Christmas Eve: “The significance of seven types of fish has yielded numerous theories, including a correspondence to the number of […]

If you’re looking for a hardy salad to satisfy your hunger during the winter months, look no further than my all time favorite snow-month salad: Fennel, Honey Crisp Apple, and arugula Salad.   Lets start with the ingredients: – 1 medium sized fennel (you should be able to find this vegetable at most markets; here on the East coast it’s […]

A September New York Times article argued that the key to “wedded bliss”  is a shared viewpoint on money matters and I couldn’t agree more with the basic premise.  I’m sure you all know couples who couldn’t be more different: she likes Prada and drives a shiny black Lexus, while he dresses like he just returned from Woodstock and eats […]