Ask the Expert: Building equity
We are trying to decide between a 30-year mortgage and a 15 year mortgage. The interest rate is a bit lower on the 15-year but the payments are nearly…
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.
How to buy a home when there aren’t many on the market
In economic parlance, many describe today’s housing market this way: demand is high and supply is low. In practical terms this means there are more buyers…
Dining out by the numbers
In a normal month during 2016, the average U.S. family spent: * $143.70 for food prepared outside the home, including takeout and delivery. That’s up from…
Insurance exams may disappear
In the next 10 years, you probably won’t have to get a health exam to get life insurance. The fact is that insurance companies can learn all they need to…
Facing the facts: Accountability can be painful, necessary
Bad decisions, poor work, bad results — That is the painful side of the picture we all want: Great decisions, great work and, of course, great results….
The post office by the numbers
235.2 million – revenue received in dollars 160.2 million – dollars paid to postal employees in salaries and benefits 506.4 million – number of mail…
For a beautiful start in spring: You can store your tropical bulbs
The growing season might be over, but you don’t have to say goodbye to your tropical plants. With a little effort, you can have twice as many next spring,…
Cord cutting update: Streaming TV expands
Entertainment is more plentiful than ever — and more expensive. Cable gave everyone a great picture and more choices but it brought along high fees that…
The politics of tipping
Just when you thought everything was political, it really is. Even tipping. According to research by creditcards.com, a great tipper is a male Republican…
Teaching kids about the cashless economy
The cashless society reigns and it is getting more powerful every year. One area of life that usually does involve cash are allowances paid to kids every…