Mail … Mary gets lots of mail, many of those messages are questions. Rather that respond directly to the sender, questions and answers she believes will have a universal appeal for many readers appear in “Ask me Anything” posts. Got a question? Use this contact form to reach her.

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Ask Me Anything: Lost Wallet, 529s, Dubious Credit

Today's batch of reader questions reminds me how complicated our lives have become since the introduction of consumer credit. Some

Ask Me Anything: Best Cookbooks for Kitchen Newbies | Insuring Fine Jewelry

Here it is, another episode in our Ask Me Anything series where I reach into my virtual mailbag and pull
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Dear Mary: Drowning in Debt, Bouquet Garni How-To, Quilt Rescue

It’s mailbag day, when I reach into my virtual mailbag and pull out for few questions from my dear Readers,
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Dear Mary: I’m Not Sure I Can Trust Her … Now What?

Of all the things I’ve ever dreamed of being, advice columnist was never on the list. But here I am
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How to Overstress Kids and Ruin the Family Finances at the Same Time

Experts tell us it is not good for kids to be overstimulated by things or activities. You can simultaneously push
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How to Bake Gluten-Free High-Rising Beautiful Soft Sandwich Bread

If you bake gluten-free for yourself or others, you have likely attempted to bake soft, airy, sandwich-worthy bread. And your
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Would You Put a Teenager In Charge of the Family Vacation Budget?

One of the most memorable letters I’ve received in my writing career came from a reader reporting on how she
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Handling an Inheritance Requires a Game Plan

While not always easy to think about, inheritances are a part of the financial picture for many  Boomers—and just one
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Ask Me Anything: Big Bulky Laundry, Cash for Text Books, Who Needs Life Insurance, and More

Another reach into my virtual mailbag—the place where hundreds of questions land every single day! How awesome is that? The
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Ask Me Anything: Baked-On Crud, Window A/C, DIY Floor Cleaner, Shrunken Wool, How to Get Out of Debt, and More!

I've been accused of thinking I have an answer for everything (you know who you are, my dear husband), and
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Most Common Money Questions Women Ask

I recently asked a group of women of all ages to tell me the money questions they most wanted to
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Ask Me Anything: How to Store Potatoes, Adult Children Money Matters, Shrinking Tuna, and More

It’s Mailbag day and time to reach in my a file named ECMailbag. That’s where I save all of the
Credit cards. Financial business background.

Breaking Up (with a Credit Card) is Hard to Do

It's a lot easier to open a credit card account than to close one! Let's just say that when it
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Help! I’m Drowning in an Upside Down Car Loan

It's time once again to reach into my virtual mailbag to pull out a few questions from you, my dear
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Ask Me Anything: Dry Slow Cooking, Clean Grout, Home Safe, Cloudy Glassware, Not-Drying Dryer, and Lots More!

I don't mention it as often as I should, but the truth is that I'd be lost without you, my loyal,
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Ask Me Anything: Scratched Dinnerware, Cosigning Parents, Silent Stylist, Mortgage Write-Off, Yum Rum Cake, and More

Once again, it's mailbag day, when I reach in and pull out your questions. While there are always more than
Question and Family

Ask Me Anything: Plastic in the Oven, DIY Spreadable Butter and More

I love my overflowing inbox filled with questions from my dear readers. What I don't love is not being able to
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Ask Me Anything: Vinyl Flooring Care, Healthy 5-Min Bread, Stubborn Water Spots

If you've ever dealt with vinyl flooring—especially in an older home where the flooring has not been well-cared for, you
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Ask Me Anything: Why is Dip-It No Longer Available, Laminate Floors, Unscented Dawn

Growing up in Boise, Ida. (shout out to all my Gem State readers) my parents had a percolator. I can
hand with a calculator. money saving concept.

Saving Money by Choice, Not by Chance

A question that I answered in a previous post brought a small avalanche of mail, mostly from readers who were
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With ATM Receipts and Legal Guardians, Leave Nothing to Chance

Face it, life is uncertain. We cannot know the future, but that doesn't mean we should just throw caution to
induction cooktop GE-Cafe

Are You Ready to Make the Switch to Induction Cooking?

I have to tell you that receiving the message in today’s post put the biggest smile on my face. Induction