Ask the Expert: Buying points
Is buying a lower mortgage interest rate worth it? Buyers can actually buy a lower interest rate by buying points, essentially putting more money in the…
Author: Rick Good
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader's money, real estate, and business coverage.
Regional speech prejudices abound
According to Forbes, it takes a person 30 seconds to linguistically profile a speaker. They might quickly know what part of the country a speaker comes…
Planning on Sunday makes Monday (and the week) go better
Squeezed in between the football game and bedtime, a little Sunday planning could go a long way to making the week go smoother. Here are four easy ways to…
5 hotel tips
1 You are more likely to get a discount at an independently owned hotel. 2 Don’t bargain with the person on the reservation phone line. Call the hotel…
Longest TSA waits
The time you spend waiting in a TSA line varies with the airport. According to a Wall Street Journal survey, here are the longest wait times in ‘standard…
Farthest airport walks
If it feels as if you walk miles in an airport, you probably don’t. But there are significant hikes. For a Wall Street Journal survey, 40 airports…
How to choose your first apartment
Do everything you can to show you can pay the rent on time and leave the rental undamaged. Remember, rentals are expensive to maintain and easy to lose…
What if I lose my job?
If you lose your job or get laid off, and can’t afford to pay the rent, tell your landlord you have to move and why. Then, move promptly. Even if it means…
What to expect from a landlord
It should be a natural partnership: Landlords want to keep their apartments rentable. Tenants want a nice place to live. But disputes happen. They key is…
First apartment? Don’t make this huge mistake
Young people getting by on their first paychecks may not realize how important it is to pay rent and pay it on time. Establishing a good rent record gives…