J.D. Blackwell articles

I gave my friend a recommendation at my work, but she bombed her interview. Now she’s mad that I didn’t tell her what questions to expect. What now?

You can recommend a friend to your manager for a possible job, but you can't influence the job interview process.
February 3, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

My home inspector offered to install a metal roof for 50% off through his roofing company. The current shingle roof looks fine to me. Do I need this?

Home inspectors are usually prohibited from soliciting work on a home that they've inspected. We also look at the pros and cons of putting in a metal roof.
January 27, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

I covered my roommate’s rent 3 months ago during an emergency. He keeps saying he’ll “get me back,” but he never clarifies when. What now?

If you helped out your roommate when he was short on rent, it's important to get a timeline on when he's going to pay you back.
January 20, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

I just inherited $22K from my grandma's will. Now my stepdad wants me to co-sign a loan so he can start his own barbershop. What now?

If you came into a large sum of money, you must think carefully before you commit to co-signing a loan for a family member.
January 20, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

We had to leave our condo because of a fire in the next unit. It’s been 3 months with no repairs done, but the HOA is still charging us. What now?

If you are not permitted to live in your condominium because of fire damage, it's critical to get on the same page as the HOA and the property managers about the timeline for repairs.
January 12, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

My realtor insisted on using his recommended home inspector, I bought the home and now I’m facing repairs they somehow missed. What can I do?

The realtor insisted that you use his recommended home inspector, but he missed several problems with the house that are going to cost you money. We look at what options you still have.
January 2, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

I want us to use my husband’s Christmas bonus to pay off our credit card debt, but he’s insisting we splurge and “treat ourselves” instead. Now what?

Your husband’s Christmas bonus just came in, but instead of paying off debt, he wants to splurge on luxuries over the holidays. We look at ways to put the money to better use.
December 22, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

We were promised that plastic waste would be recycled into new products, but most of America’s plastic ends up burned, buried, or shipped overseas.

Consumers were told that recycling programs would save the planet. But the reality is that plastic recycling isn't economically viable, and the system was built more on marketing slogans than economic reality.
December 19, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

I just moved into our house yesterday and the guy next door is already demanding that I pay for half of the fence he put in six months ago. Now what?

A neighbor shouldn't be asking you to pay half the cost of a fence installed months before you moved in, but it's still important to confirm your legal standing.
December 3, 2025 J.D. Blackwell