ArcaMax

Q: We are in the process of purchasing an apartment. Our closing attorney received the report from the condominium association showing the monthly dues were current, and we were surprised to learn that a special assessment was pending because the sellers told us that none were. The contract also says that no special assessments are pending. We ...Read more

Dear Cheapskate: I have cheapskates in my life. My father is one. My boss, my boss's mom and my boyfriend's mom. All these individuals have the following in common: They are unhappy. They avoid birthday parties, anniversaries or any type of holidays that require gift-giving, such as Christmas, at all costs.

They often choose to be by themselves...Read more

Like my garden, my mailbox is showing definite signs of spring. Just this week two beautifully addressed, thick envelopes showed up, both of them announcing graduation ceremonies -- one from high school, the other from college. However, neither even hinted at an invitation for me to give the commencement address. But had I been asked, I do have ...Read more

Dear Cheapskate: How long should leftovers be kept in the fridge? I have been debating this with co-workers, as one left her beef stew in the refrigerator for over a week and thought it was OK to eat. -- Angela N., New Brunswick, Canada

Dear Angela: There's no debate here -- you win by at least three days. The shelf life of any food will depend...Read more

Investment giant Vanguard Group is renewing its effort to get customers to embrace online banking, annoying some longtime clients.

The company, which has spent the past decade urging longtime fund investors to move their savings into the company’s brokerage accounts, now plans to raise brokerage fees in a bid to get holdouts to finally start ...Read more

Have you ever felt like you're supposed to be learning a lesson but don't know what it is? I know that feeling in a way that I hope I will never forget.

Not once but twice in a single month, the power went out at our home. The first time, a drunken, inexperienced 17-year-old driver plowed into a major utility pole in our neighborhood, turning ...Read more

My husband and I have experienced some hearing loss. The most frequently heard word at our house is "WHAT!?"

More pressing than our physical hearing loss is our selective hearing loss, something that happens to couples who have been married a long time.

Just the other day, the husband was working on his laptop at the kitchen table with his ...Read more

Q: When we decided to sell our apartment, one of our friends wanted to buy it, and we agreed to sell it to him at a discounted price. When he went for his interview with the condo board, he was told that he could not buy it because another owner in the building was going to. Do I need to sell it to my neighbor at the discounted price, or can I ...Read more

I love to watch home remodeling television shows. They give me confidence that I really could remodel a kitchen, build a shed or even install new windows all by myself. Usually, the feeling passes quickly, but I find myself feeling comfortable around power tools, and I do enjoy a good home improvement store.

Recently, the host of one of the ...Read more

Wouldn't it be great if low interest rates never changed? Sadly, the saying "All good things must come to an end" applies to credit cards too. Credit card companies are known for raising interest rates unexpectedly. They only need to give you a 45-day notice before increasing your rate, which can feel sudden.1

Have you heard from your credit ...Read more