The Amateur Financier

One of the most entertaining blogs I’ve encountered is from Stephanie, of Poorer Than You. She’s an interesting writer, with a unique perspective as a young woman finishing school and facing plenty of educational debt. She seems like a strong, fascinating person, and it’s nice to have her perspective out there in the blogosphere.

Some of the most interesting posts she’s done in the last month are listed below; be sure to check them out:

Is It Ok to Bridge the Gap with Credit Cards – This is an interesting post, considering the possibility of relying on credit card use to make up the difference between what she’ll be able to earn and what she can afford when she gets out of school. She’s looking into using her credit cards to help make up the difference between her earnings and her spending. It’s a difficult decision that shouldn’t be made lightly, but between the blog entry and her comments, it seems like Stephanie has thoroughly thought about her situation, and has determined that using her credit cards will be the best solution. If everyone put as much foresight into their credit use, we wouldn’t have nearly as many problems with excessive debt in this country.

Review: The Boglehead’s Guide to Investing – Stephanie takes a look at a book I’ve been looking to read for a while now, detailing the investing strategy and philosophy of the Bogleheads. (The people who follow the investment strategies popularized by John Bogle, founder of Vanguard.) She has high praise for the book, a very detailed and thorough treatment of a variety of financial topics, and strongly encourages everyone over their mid-twenties to read it (which, sadly, is a group that now includes me).

Checking the Status of my Health Insurance – One of the biggest worries for most people, especially those just getting out of college (or as in my case, losing their jobs) is ensuring continuing health coverage. Luckily, it sounds like Stephanie’s got coverage for the next few years, so that’s one load off her mind.

College Money Tip #8: Know What You Owe – Stephanie has been doing a series of tips for college students regarding their money lately. This tip in particular is right on target for college students and recent grads: knowing what you owe (particularly in this context, for student loans) and whom you owe money to is vitally important, if you hope to have a handle on your expenses.

• Tough Love Techniques to Stop Using Credit Cards
• What is Debt?
• Personal Finance 101
• P.E.P for the Week-5 Things You Didn't Know About Coffee Edition
• The Very Best Money Saving Tips