Pay your taxes with plastic and you'll pay the price.

No doubt you use a credit card for the great majority of your purchases. This comes with obvious advantages -- if you pay off the bill in full each month.

Your bank profits off money sitting in your savings account by lending it out at a higher rate than it returns to you.

So why not eliminate the middleman and lend your money to others yourself?

While most people like to blame their financial troubles on a lack of money, more often than not the real issue is spending.

The vast majority of the things you own are wants, not needs. Beyond shelter, food and some items such as transportation to work so that you can earn money, almost everything is a want.

Spring is on the horizon and it is a perfect time to look at areas of your financial life that could use a little dusting.

One bank statement-cluttering culprit that can be easily swept away?

Excessive ATM fees.

Turn up the lights, turn down the music and forget about romance.

It's time to face the business side of marriage.

Let's face it, personal finance isn't nuclear physics.

The basics are so simple that anyone can get the concepts down in less than a day -- spend less than you earn, save and invest the rest.

As the dollar plummets in value vs. a myriad of foreign currencies, don't be caught by surprise at the ways it could affect your everyday life.

Today, two-thirds of undergrads who borrow graduate with just under $20,000 in loans, according to the College Board's 2005 Trends in College Pricing. That doesn't include credit card debt, adds Draut, who directs the program for economic opportunity at Demos, a research and policy advocacy group in New York City.

Thanks to a government rebate, a check might be coming your way.

Now what? Treat yourself to an iPhone?

Not so fast.

You don't have to have a ton of money to help your favorite causes.

Whether your budget is tight or you want to provide more personalized help than merely handing over a check, there are plenty of ways that you can make a difference in the world without parting with your money.

Here are 10 free and simple ways to give back.