Woman stressed while buying a house

She’s About to Close on Her First Home and the Sellers Want 30 Days of Free Post-Closing Occupancy With No Penalty If They Don’t Leave, and She Can’t Walk Away Because She Already Submitted Her Earnest Money

ByKristin Stones

She was preparing to close on her first home at the end of the month, but the contract’s post occupancy terms had left her genuinely uneasy. The seller was asking for 30 days of continued occupancy after closing, entirely free of charge, with no financial penalty or protection built in if they failed to actually…

Couple talking on couch

Her Dad Asked Her Boyfriend to Put Up His Gaming Console Before Lending Him Money, Her Boyfriend’s Dad Gave Him the Cash Outright, and Now Her Boyfriend Wants Her to Take Out the Loan in Her Name Instead

ByKristin Stones

Her boyfriend needed fast cash to buy a car, and given the timing, with their baby due any day now, the request landed at a moment where family dynamics were already carrying extra weight. Despite that upcoming milestone, her boyfriend had never really made an effort to build a relationship with her father, generally described…

Woman sitting with her hands on her face looking worried

10 “Middle Class” Expenses That Don’t Fit a Middle Class Budget Anymore

ByKristin Stones

For a long time, certain purchases were seen as part of a comfortable middle class life. They were not considered luxuries, yet they also were not basic necessities. Families simply assumed those costs would fit into a normal budget if they worked hard and managed their money responsibly. Lately that assumption has started to feel…

Parents arguing with their adult daughter

Her Parents Are Approaching 60 With No Retirement Savings and Has Been Carrying the Stress of Their Financial Future Almost Entirely on Her Own

ByKristin Stones

Her parents were in their late 50s and early 60s, running a small business on one side while the other stayed home supporting that work, living paycheck to paycheck with no retirement fund built up and likely carrying existing debt. She, in her 20s, had taken it upon herself to learn about personal finance largely…

Female cashier getting yelled at by her boss

She’s a Part-Time Cashier Who Stayed Past Her Scheduled Shift to Finish a Task and Her Manager Said Leaving at the End of a Shift Requires Permission Depending on How Many People Are Working That Day

ByKristin Stones

She was a part time, hourly cashier and stocker, currently balancing limited hours around her college schedule. During a recent Saturday shift scheduled 9 to 3, she was finishing up a task around 2:55, recognizing she wouldn’t quite finish before her shift officially ended. She stayed about ten minutes past her scheduled end time to…

Young woman looking annoyed at her laptop

11 Expenses That Used to Be Responsible Choices but Now Look Questionable

ByKristin Stones

For years, many financial decisions followed a pretty clear script. Certain expenses were considered responsible because they supported stability, convenience, or long-term security. People followed that advice because it made sense at the time. Lately some of those same choices are starting to feel more complicated. The logic behind them has not necessarily changed, but…