There’s no denying that scary things exist. The Great Depression happened. So have wars, and large-scale credit issue, unforeseen recessions, identity thefts – yes, they happen. But as is the case with any other fear, the key to carrying on a happy existence is to not let the frightening what-ifs prohibit you.

A few years ago, it seemed like anyone could sashay into a bank and get instant approval for a home loan. Such is not the case anymore; according to the latest annual statistics from the Mortgage Bankers Association, only 55% of loan applications are being accepted these days.

It’s pretty clear at this point that we are living in a comfort culture, where emphasis is placed on the fast and easy, as opposed to the whole and healthy. And that’s a shame. We’re the richest, fattest, least healthy country in the world.

Insurance: it’s a huge industry, with thousands (or more) of jobs and billions of dollars involved – and an ever-changing tide of rules, regulations, and trends. Because of this, there is a great deal of misinformation and wrong assumptions about the various forms of insurance and their applications in your life.

After moving a few times, I realized that I was lugging around all of these books that I had already read, didn’t love that much, would never read again, and would likely not lend to anyone. I decided it was time for a major purge.

In reality, the idea of the “deal” is one of the strongest, most easily manipulated, and least understood marketing techniques around. It’s only logical to always be on the lookout for a deal when making purchases of any size…but how do you know when you’re actually onto something good?

In the spirit of shedding a little clarity on the topic, let’s break down some of the long-standing myths surrounding credit and credit scores…because sometimes the best way to figure out the facts about something is to call out the fiction.

Great weather, dreamy locations – the great reasons for summer weddings. Lots of you are going through the process of planning your wedding and as we all know, it can be one of the most frustrating tasks to tackle. But how do we go about throwing off a killer day without running up your credit?

What I quickly realized, though, was that with the amount of samples available out there today you can practically eliminate having to purchase items completely, and you can certainly avoid wasting money on a product that turns out to not work or not be what you expected.

The architecture was ancient, with one house in the Gothic style next door to the soft rounded arches of a house from the Victorian era. The food was also good, true Italian food, like seafood spaghetti or fresh bass, which they bone for you at the table, and fresh if purchased in the right places. But don’t expect to get anything for free.