Personal Finance

• Most Topular Stories

• Yes, You WILL Get Social Security

  Get Rich Slowly

  J.D. Roth

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  Have you ever wondered what the panhandlers you see on the street would do if you actually gave them a bunch of money to spend? Like many people, I generally give my pocket change to anyone who asks. I figure that if they have to ask, they probably need it more than I do. (Yes, I know that there are just as many folks who think this is ridiculous, and who never give anything to folks on the street. What can I say? The empathetic J.D. almost always get his way over the logical J.D. Exception: I never give to aggressive panhandlers.) Last weekend, the Toronto Star featured a fascinating article…

• Help! My Debt Snowball Is Melting!

  Get Rich Slowly

  Sierra Black

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

• A Review of Ray Lucia’s “Buckets of Money Retirement Solution”

  AllFinancialMatters

  JLP

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  In a comment left on my review of Ray Lucia’s Buckets of Money this morning, Kirk wanted to know what Ray Lucia likes about nontraded REITs. Here is what I found: • Nontraded REITs do not have the volatility that public REITs have. • Nontraded REITs can bring in capital for purchasing properties. Public REITs cannot raise funds as easily (they can borrow or issue new shares). According to Lucia, this could put nontraded REITs in a better position to get the best deal and the most diversification. I’m not sure how bringing in new capital doesn’t negatively affect…

• Dear Graduate, do you want to retire in five years?

  Early Retirement Extreme

  Jacob

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:21 am

  Heads up! The Silicon Valley #2 meet up will take place at Lake Vasona in Los Gatos on September 11th @ 2pm. See the forum discussion for ongoing refinements. The New York City meet-up will take place at Columbos Park in Chinatown at September 18th @ 3pm. See the forum discussion for ongoing refinements. It would be nice to have an idea of the head count. You can make your intentions known in the appropriate forums—if that’s not possible, you can do it in the comments below. There has been two meet-ups so far. Silicon Valley #1 and Chicago. There hasn’t really been any…

• How to Get Two Free Credit Reports a Year

  Bargaineering

  Jim

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:22 am

• 

  Fool.com Headlines

• JDSU, an Optical Giant, Enters the CPV Market

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:17 am

  CPV going to where the sun is rather than where the subsidies are?

• Meet the Cash Kings of Beer

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:38 am

  These companies are rolling in greenbacks.

• What's the Best ETF Right Now?

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:34 am

  We poll a panel of Fools for their finest fund picks.

• Meet the Cash Kings of Paper

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:33 am

  These companies are rolling in greenbacks.

• The Next 4 Dot-Com Buyouts

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:29 am

  Another round of consolidation could soon sweep Web-based companies.

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  I Will Teach You To Be Rich

• How many of you earn over $100,000 / year?

  Ramit Sethi

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:23 am

  How old are you? What do you do for a living? How did you feel once you earned $100k? What, if anything, changed? If your friends earn a lot less than you, does that ever present problems when hanging out?

• Get featured in the Wall Street Journal — today only

  Ramit Sethi

  29 Aug 2010 | 8:12 pm

  Every 2 weeks, I send out an email newsletter with material that you never see on the blog. It’s over 45,000 members strong, and it’s filled with insider material that helps my readers get an edge in investments, negotiations, entrepreneurship, and psychology. I’m sending out another newsletter today at noon. Today’s issue will contain: An exclusive interview with one of my students, Andrew, where he describes exactly how he started earning thousands/month on the side…enough to quit his full-time job and set his own schedule. The weekly opportunity to get…

• Thank you to this month’s IWT sponsors

  Ramit Sethi

  27 Aug 2010 | 6:15 am

  In the last few months, I’ve been restructuring a lot of my business behind the scenes to help me focus on writing and producing more stuff to help you guys — whether on this blog, my newsletter (which is dramatically improved…and still free), on TV, Earn1k, and more. My team has been helping me handle things like technology and customer service. When I saw how well it was going, I built a team to proactively find the best companies I want to partner with — so I can stay focused on writing for you. So today, I wanted to thank a couple of great sponsors that have been…

• Best backhanded compliment of the year

  Ramit Sethi

  24 Aug 2010 | 4:19 am

  I have long been a deep admirer of backhanded compliments. The very best ones require a perfect combination of sarcasm, wit, bittersweet praise, and disdain. Women are especially good at them. So when reader “FinanceDad” left this one, I was overjoyed: “To think I was just going to call you a narcissist before reading this article” Pure art. I can’t stop laughing. Here’s what I’m going to do: Whoever leaves a comment with the BEST backhanded compliment gets a free signed copy of my book, I Will Teach You To Be Rich. The only rules: It must be about me…

• How to go from $25/hour to $75/hour in 2 weeks

  Ramit Sethi

  17 Aug 2010 | 10:36 pm

  I’ve been helping a friend earn more money, and tonight was a breakthrough. Here’s what happened… My friend has a full-time job, but recently she’s been doing some freelance project management on the side for a small consulting firm, where she earns $25/hour. After a while, she realized that $25/hour doesn’t really add up to much, and she was getting frustrated with the owner’s poor management skills. (You know how it goes: Very disorganized, non-responsive, took days to get back to emails…) But I encouraged her to stick around for 2 things: to get…

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  Get Rich Slowly

• Help! My Debt Snowball Is Melting!

  Sierra Black

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. The summer heat has taken a toll on my debt snowball. Two months ago, I paid off the last of my credit card debt, but I still have thousands of dollars in loans. I started the summer with over $10,000 in my savings account, no credit card debt, and a solid plan to pay off my remaining loans within the next few years. Then life happened. I’ve been living out of suitcases for the past two months, traveling to New York, Buenos Aires, and Bangor.

• How Would Panhandlers Use Free Credit Cards?

  J.D. Roth

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:00 pm

  Have you ever wondered what the panhandlers you see on the street would do if you actually gave them a bunch of money to spend? Like many people, I generally give my pocket change to anyone who asks. I figure that if they have to ask, they probably need it more than I do. (Yes, I know that there are just as many folks who think this is ridiculous, and who never give anything to folks on the street. What can I say? The empathetic J.D. almost always get his way over the logical J.D. Exception: I never give to aggressive panhandlers.) Last weekend, the Toronto Star featured a fascinating article…

• Yes, You WILL Get Social Security

  J.D. Roth

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the adviser for The Motley Fool’s Rule Your Retirement service. He contributes one new article to Get Rich Slowly every two weeks. We hear a lot about the doubts over the future of Social Security. Here are a few I’ve come across: “Three-fourths of those 18 to 34 don’t expect to get a Social Security check when they retire.” — USA Today “My husband and I are both 28, and we laugh every time we hear [‘yes, you’ll receive Social Security’]. No, we won’t…

• Are Discounts Coming for Paying in Cash?

  April Dykman

  31 Aug 2010 | 1:00 pm

  This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. A couple of weeks ago, J.D. highlighted research that showed that rewards cards cost the poor (in higher prices overall) and benefit the rich (who are more likely to use the cards). But what if retailers offered you a discount if you paid in cash? It might not be so far-fetched. In Will Financial Reform Kill the Rewards Card?, Brett Arends writes that a provision in the financial reform act allows for such a discount. If competition works its magic, that discount should end up worth as much, or more, as the points you get from a card. We may…

• Insurance Basics: How to Save on Insurance

  J.D. Roth

  31 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  This is the second part in a short series about insurance basics. Last week, I explained how insurance works. Next week (or possibly the week after), I’ll offer some tips on car insurance. Today’s article offers some general insurance tips useful for most situations. All insurance works pretty much the same way: You pay a premium (a set amount of money) to the insurance company, usually on some sort of schedule (monthly or yearly, for instance. In return, the company issues an insurance policy to you, which is a contract that gives you certain coverage, or financial protection.

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  Personal finance news - CNNMoney.com

• Quest for the perfect credit score

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:21 am

  A major league pitcher dreams of throwing a perfect game. High schoolers eyeing the Ivy League study furiously in hopes of earning 2400 on the SAT. Meanwhile, Chris Peplinski is pursuing his own brand of flawlessness: an 850 credit score.

• Second act: Software to wind energy

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:19 am

  Jim Maguire describes himself as being ahead of his time, and he's hardly bragging. In 2002, Maguire -- who managed software projects for large companies -- was consulting in Germany when he discovered "the next big thing."

• 4 tips for caring for mom and dad

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:12 am

  Caring for an ailing or aging parent is never easy, but the challenges only multiply when Mom and Dad live far away.

• McDonald's sizzling stock

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:07 am

  Can these arches stay golden if the economy tumbles again?

• The U.S. is a mess. Should we invest overseas?

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:08 am

  Question: Looking into the future of the American economy, I see tons of debt, the yoke of increasing social spending, pork-fed bureaucratic waste, the exporting of jobs and the importing of poverty. While this may paint a negative picture, I feel it's reality. We all want to be patriotic, but aren't there more fiscally responsible places to invest in that may offer a better landscape? --Dave, Bethlehem, Penn.

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  CONSUMERISM COMMENTARY

• Personal Balance Sheet, August 2010 ($382,103, +3.4%)

  Flexo

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:00 am

  If you follow the endless financial news, you might have heard that the stock market ended August on a sour note. My investments suffered like those of many investors around the world. The only investment I’ve been adding to for the last few months has been my 401(k) at regular intervals. I’ve been holding off investing otherwise, and any extra income has been sitting in cash accounts.At this point, I take a close look at my finances only once a month. That’s a big change from ten years ago, when I wasn’t earning enough even to pay for the cost of commuting to work. I…

• Chase Continental Airlines OnePass® Plus Card

  Flexo

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  As I live not too far from Newark, New Jersey, many of my flights around the country are serviced by Continental Airlines, an airline with a significant hub at Newark Liberty International Airport. Like all airlines, Continental has been cutting services and adding fees to keep fares low, but I’ve never had a bad experience with the airline.I came very close to cashing in 30,000 miles in exchange for first-class upgrades in a recent trip, but the seats never became available. It took a few days for the unused miles to be credited back to my account, but even customer service was…

• Ten Tips for Entrepreneurs

  Flexo

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:30 am

  I don’t like the term “entrepreneur.” It’s not because it comes from French, though the word does have an interesting etymology. The first time the word was used in English, borrowed from Old French, it meant a “manager or promoter of a theatrical production” (source). The word has a different meaning now. Anyone who runs a business is an entrepreneur, but the word’s connotation goes beyond a dictionary definition.Entrepreneurs are driven, singularly focused, relentless, and in some cases, shady or sleazy. Not all share these negative aspects, but I…

• Considering Buying a Multifamily House

  Flexo

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:36 am

  I’m still a fan of the mobility and flexibility offered by renting a place to live rather than buying. I don’t know where I’ll be living in the next few years, and I wouldn’t want to deal with the expense and hassle of selling a house so soon after purchasing. Perhaps my evaluation of my situation is changing, however.I like the area where I live. As of today’s thinking, I probably won’t move way from the greater Princeton area unless my girlfriend and I decide to live closer to her family in Queens or Long Island. The borough of Princeton is an expensive…

• When Does It Make Sense to Pay More For Quality?

  Smithee

  31 Aug 2010 | 4:57 am

  My brain is slowly re-wiring itself now that I’m finally free of credit card debt, and I’m wondering about things that I never seriously considered before. I remember many years ago talking with a friend who tried explaining to me that it made sense to spend $600 on a pair of shoes, if they were high-quality enough to last for decades. At the time, I rejected that idea immediately and, I thought, forever. After all, they’re just shoes.But now, I’m allowed to think about paying more for higher quality in additional areas of life, and I find that I want to think about it…

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  Forbes.com: Personal Finance News

• Bernanke Out Of Bullets But Not Bombs

  31 Aug 2010 | 10:00 am

  Federal Reserve's ability to buy assets and spark inflation is unlimited.

• Five More True Tales From A Tax Lawyer

  30 Aug 2010 | 1:40 pm

  Tilting at windmills and convincing the IRS that a client's ex-girlfriend deep-sixed his paperwork.

• How To Stop The IRS Machine

  30 Aug 2010 | 9:00 am

  IRS computers grind out lots of incorrect notices demanding more tax. Here's how to fight the IRS computer matching machine.

• When To Pay A Financial Pro

  27 Aug 2010 | 11:00 am

  Sometimes, you can save money by doing it yourself. Here's help deciding when you need professional tax, estate or financial planning help.

• Retirement Planning Simpler If You Ignore The News

  27 Aug 2010 | 9:00 am

  Don't worry about the Dow or home sales. Instead, automate savings, stay out of debt and make sure your documents are in order.

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  MSN Money Latest Articles

• 50 stocks to buy in September

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:00 pm

  StockScouter, MSN Money's stock-picking tool, can help investors find companies capable of outperforming the broader market in the weeks ahead.

• The 'Obama debt relief' scam

  1 Sep 2010 | 1:04 pm

  New regulations will soon crack down on shady debt settlement companies. Until then, don't let desperation guide your decisions. Plus: What to ask before signing on.

• Is that rental car really insured?

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:50 am

  The last thing you want on vacation is a costly surprise. Here are 3 ways to ensure you've got coverage.

• How the stock market is killing jobs

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:00 pm

  Today's rapid-fire, anyone-can-play market makes it tougher for small companies to raise money to grow and hire. Do we need a new market to save the economy?

• The No. 1 key to a fund's success

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:00 pm

  A study by Morningstar says the company's star rating system isn't the most vital factor in predicting a mutual fund's performance.

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  Yahoo! News: Personal Finance News

• Summary Box: Mortgage rates hit low of 4.32 pct. (AP)

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:22 am

  AP - RECORD LOWS: Mortgage rates fell to the lowest levels in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. The average rate for a 30-year fixed loan was 4.32 percent. The 15-year fixed loan hit 3.83 percent.

• How to Get a Government-Backed, Zero-Down-Payment Mortgage (U.S. News & World Report)

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:13 am

  U.S. News & World Report - More than four years after real estate values peaked, the historic plunge in home prices remains fresh in the minds of mortgage lenders. After taking painful losses on delinquent home loans, banks have imposed tougher standards--such as increased credit scores and higher down payment requirements--on applicants of all stripes. And as investors fled for the hills, the exotic mortgage products that helped fuel the real estate boom have largely disappeared from the private market. But that doesn't mean all buyers need a big pile of cash to snag a home loan. ...

• 5 Reasons You Should Buy Your Latte (U.S. News & World Report)

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:51 am

  U.S. News & World Report - The Latte Factor, a term coined (and trademarked) by personal finance guru David Bach, is one of the most talked about concepts in the world of personal finance. But it might be based on faulty math.

• Mortgage rates hit record low: Freddie Mac (Reuters)

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:25 am

  Reuters - U.S. mortgage rates fell in the past week to the latest in a series of record lows as yields on government debt dropped, according to a survey released on Thursday by Freddie Mac, the second-largest U.S. mortgage finance company.

• Mortgage rates hit decades-low of 4.32 percent (AP)

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:27 am

  AP - Mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks, as investors worried about the economy.

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  My Money Blog

• Continental OnePass Plus Card: Free 25,000 Miles, Free Checked Bag, Primary Rental Car Insurance

  Jonathan

  2 Sep 2010 | 2:42 am

  Now that I’m flying a lot more again, I’m back in the hunt for some frequent flier perks. I just came across the new Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Card from Chase, which has a pretty nice mix of perks for travelers. Sign-Up Bonus: Free Flight 25,000 Bonus Miles after first purchase (no minimum amount) for first-time Continental Airlines personal Cardmembers. That’s enough already for one free roundtrip airfare within the continental US. No annual fee the first year. The regular annual fee is $85, but is waived the first year. 5,000 Bonus Miles for adding an authorized…

• Updated 529 College Savings Asset Allocation: Added Stocks, 10-Year 5% APY CD

  Jonathan

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:48 am

  Since we’re on the topic of college tuitions, I have recently adjusted the investment mix in my Ohio CollegeAdvantage 529 Plan. As I’ve mentioned before, I choose a very conservative mix because I think a 20-year or less horizon with a 4-year or less withdrawal period is actually a pretty short horizon. I just want to see gradual but reliable increases in my balances. In contrast, I view retirement as a 30 year horizon with another 20-30 year withdrawal period. Previous Asset Allocation My original asset allocation was 100% Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) through…

• Charts: College Tuition vs. Housing Bubble vs. Medical Costs

  Jonathan

  31 Aug 2010 | 12:45 am

  This chart from Clusterstock (via Carpe Diem) shows the cost of college tuition comparison to historical housing prices and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the same period. The CPI is designed to track our cost of living by estimating the average price of consumer goods and services purchased by households. Everything was normalized to 100 starting in 1978. While housing went up 4x at its peak (~400), college tuition has gone up over 10x. Instapundit Glenn Reynolds says the higher education bubble is about to burst: It’s a story of an industry that may sound familiar. The buyers…

• How To Sue a Telemarketer (Book Summary)

  Jonathan

  30 Aug 2010 | 12:05 am

  I’ve been getting an increasing number of telemarketing calls recently, so I readily agreed to a review copy of How To Sue a Telemarketer by Stephen Ostrow, lawyer and judge. I had a vague recollection that you can get $500 every time a telemarketer violates the Do No Call list, and was hoping there would be a quick form or template to fill out and slam these annoying folks. It turns out to be a bit more complicated than that, but the basic steps are outlined below. Before you do anything else, you should confirm that your phone number is registered at the National Do-Not-Call Registry.

• Updated myFICO Coupon Codes & Twitter Tip

  Jonathan

  27 Aug 2010 | 11:53 pm

  The last time I actually paid for my credit score was before I bought my house, and that was basically a fit of paranoia to make sure it was crazy-awesome before the lender pulled it. There are plenty of “FAKE-O” credit scores out there, but the only place to get your real FICO score is myFico.com. I’ve actually checked my FICO score several times since then for free, as promos usually pop up every couple month or so. I always try to post them here, but am often a bit late. This happened again this week, with myFICO offering free scores to the first 3,000 people. It was…

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  Steve-olson.com

• How to Live Longer and Healthier

  Steve

  9 Aug 2010 | 6:54 am

  So you want to live longer? Healthier? Happier? The first thing you should do is… Get off your butt! Stand up! Quit sitting so much! There, I said it. It sounds too simple doesn’t it? But it’s a fact - Sitting for long periods is killing you regardless of your exercise regimen. According to this study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology: Regardless of physical activity – Women who sat more than 6 hours a day were 37% more likely to die prematurely than those who sat fewer than 3 hours a day. Regardless of physical activity - Men who sat more than 6…

• The 26 Best Self-Improvement Posts Ever

  Steve

  10 Jul 2010 | 10:17 am

  Need a place to find the best self-improvement blog posts ever? One big list of inspiring geniuses? Well, here it is… my list of the best self-improvement posts ever: 1. - How to be Creative – Originally published in 2004 by Hugh Macleod at the Gaping Void. If you haven’t read it, you’re missing some of the best advice ever given freely over the internet. If you have read it, read it again… 2. - How to Make Money From Your Blog – If I had a dollar for every person who started blogging after reading this post… well… I could quit my job. This…

• How to Buy Used and Discount Books Online

  Steve

  8 Jul 2010 | 4:46 pm

  People always ask us the best way to buy used and discount books online, so I put together a how-to guide and published it on our new website booksmn.com. We put together a 3000+ word guide that will show you with text and illustrations… The best places to buy used books online How to decide which seller to buy from How to get the best price for the best service How to get the best deal on shipping How to minimize damage during shipping How to ask questions before you purchase Other hints and tips for getting a steal What book conditions really mean You can find the guide here: How to…

• Supply Side Home Economics

  Steve

  25 Jun 2010 | 6:49 am

  I’m tired of everyone telling us how to save money. What we need is people telling us how to make money. Like a lot of people today, maybe your budget is tight. Maybe you read Money Magazine looking for a few tips to get ahead. Or maybe you read Get Rich Slowly (one of my favorite blogs). Most money sources have oodles of tips on how to save money and make your fixed budget go further. Common Tips About Money: Cutting coupons Eat out less Quit buying books and use the public library Bring a bag lunch to work Shop at the Salvation Army and the Goodwill Buy in bulk at a warehouse club…

• Are You a Past, Present, or Future Oriented Person?

  Steve

  30 May 2010 | 10:59 am

  This video is brilliant, thought provoking, and informative. The whiteboard illustrations alone are worth every minute. In one section the presenter states the main purpose of schooling is to turn children from present minded hedonists into future oriented planners and organizers. That’s part of the truth, but there is a social sorting aspect of schooling that goes far beyond simply reprogramming our perception of time. It’s a way of creating winners and losers before the adult game of life even begins. Also, one can be a future oriented person without succeeding in school.

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  The Simple Dollar

• Reader Mailbag: Dream House

  Trent

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:00 am

  What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to five word summaries. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question. 1. 401(k) profit sharing 2. Online job application tips 3. Illness and challenges 4. College freshman advice 5. Mortgage decisions 6. Annuities for retirement? 7. Refinancing questions 8. Universal life policies 9. Using self-help advice 10. Getting started with credit Two readers this past week wrote to me asking if I would detail what I would like to have in our dream house. I’d like a five bedroom house…

• Yard Sale Ethics: Is the Sticker Price the End of the Story?

  Trent

  1 Sep 2010 | 1:00 pm

  In my recent post about cultivating your own knowledge for fun and profit, I mentioned that you should hit yard sales, consignment shops, estate sales, and so forth as a way to put your knowledge to work for you and take advantage of underpriced items. A few commenters thought that this was unethical, so I thought I’d look at that particular point a bit more deeply. I’ll start off by giving you a specific example of a situation where I did this in the past. As a teenager, I collected Magic: the Gathering cards (I still play with my wife using a handful of remaining cards). I had a…

• The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Making It All Work Edition

  Trent

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:00 am

  After the universal positive response to my idea of doing a chapter-by-chapter discussion of David Allen’s Making It All Work, I’ve decided to go ahead with it. Expect it to begin in a few weeks (I usually like to have several posts already in the bag for series like that before I start posting them). Meanwhile, here are some interesting articles I’ve read from around the web this week. Professionals, Amateurs, and the Great Unwashed Which are you? And which one would you be most likely to hire? I think it depends on the job, but I agree that enthusiasm and passion make up…

• Conservative or Aggressive: How Does a New Investor Know What to Do?

  Trent

  31 Aug 2010 | 1:00 pm

  If you’ve read the reader mailbags for a while, you’ve noticed that I often get messages from people who have worked their way into a good financial place and now have some money to invest, often for the first time in their life. They look around, watch CNBC, read investment advice online and in books, and still aren’t sure exactly what to do. Should they keep the money in cash, or buy a CD from the bank? Should they invest in stocks, and if so, should they buy individual stocks or put money in a mutual fund? What about bonds? What about real estate? The options seem…

• Finding the Rhythm

  Trent

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  One of the biggest things that’s changed in my life since my financial turnaround and subsequent career changes is that I’m constantly involved in a lot more self-evaluation than I used to be. I’m constantly looking at how I do things, looking for ways to improve the quality and value of how I spend my time and energy and money. Something I’ve noticed quite a lot lately is how much of my life seems to move along with a particular rhythm. I don’t necessarily mean that things are the same day-in and day-out, because they’re not. What I mean is that I go…

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  Uncommon Cents

• A Housingless, Jobless Recovery?

  Ryan

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:08 pm

  Housing numbers and job numbers are still in the pits although the economy climbed out of recession mode awhile ago. At least in terms of numbers. Whether it really feels like it–well, it doesn’t. Is this a recovery without housing and jobs? If so, where’s the growth? Housing was propped up at least for awhile by the tax breaks for first time homeowners; now, however, despite record low mortgage rates, there isn’t a lot keeping housing up. Jobs continue to be lost without a lot of job creation; other than the temporary census jobs which are just about gone, it’s…

• Ooops. A Delay

  Ryan

  31 Aug 2010 | 10:02 pm

  Sorry, it’ll take a little while more to get back on track here. I had to urgently (although expectedly) change the brake pads on my truck. This took a lot more out of me than I thought it would. I hope to be back on track real soon now. My apologies.

• Not an eBook Convert Yet

  Ryan

  30 Aug 2010 | 2:19 pm

  I would really like to have some (more) eBooks on my iPad. While I am not much of a reader (especially of fiction), it’s clear to me that I would read much more if I could get books on the iPad. There’s also no shortage of eBook readers for the iPad. Besides Apple’s iBooks application there’s also a Barnes & Noble Nook and Amazon Kindle application, plus others. Google Books has a bunch of freely available eBooks too. Yet the eBooks I really want access to are the ones that my public library lends out through their Overdrive program. Unfortunately, since these…

• …And We’re Back

  Ryan

  27 Aug 2010 | 2:27 pm

  My apologies for thre longer than expected absence. Philadelphia proved very entertaining and the Livestrong Challenge proved more than challenging (but that’s a tale for another blog). My thanks to Team Fat Cyclist Philly, especially my captain the amazing Philly Jen, roommate Tommy, and tammate Philly Maggi. I wish you guys and the rest of Team Fatty lived right up the road. I’m still on vacation but we’ll be back to our usual Uncommon Cents goodness in a few days.

• Vacation Mode

  Ryan

  14 Aug 2010 | 4:24 pm

  I’m officially on vacation from both of my jobs, so this blog will also be in vacation mode as I travel to Philadelphia for the Livestrong Challenge.

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  BASIL & SPICE--FINANCIAL WELL BEING

• (9/2010) Bank Executives On The New Lending Fund

  At Basil & Spice

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:55 am

  Norbert Michel Ph.D.-- Silly puns can provide us with immense joy. Just ask my son, a big fan of Lightning McQueen and Mater. So I’m calling for a new law that applies to all members of Congress. When describing economic policy, members can no longer use analogies, only silly puns. Their analogies stink. For instance, New York’s Democratic Senator Charles Schumer wants to make sure the Feds “thread the needle” on their next attempt to improve the economy. Apparently, Schumer is referring to the tricky problem of spending even more federal tax dollars (i.e., more…

• (9/2010) Boomergeddon: 20% Of The Population In 2050

  At Basil & Spice

  2 Sep 2010 | 2:18 am

  Review By Dr. Joseph S. Maresca The author of Boomergeddon (Oaklea Press/2010), James A. Bacon, points to some high points like the Clinton balanced budgets during a period of Republican congressional control. Importantly, the book points out an invisible layer of government consisting of special interests and an army of lobbyists who have a vested stake in a bigger government. The over 65 population is slated to grow from 10% in 1970 to over 20% by 2050. That itself is not terrible because older people tend to assist their families with everything from child care to help in school and even…

• China 2010: 87% Citizens Happy With Nation, Economy

  At Basil & Spice

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:18 am

  Review By Loyd E. Eskildson China's transition from a planned economy has succeeded while similar reforms in the Soviet Union and its satellites created initial production downturns and increases in unemployment, and their subsequent efforts have not been nearly as successful as China's. The key theme of Transition and Development in China: Towards Shared Growth (Ashgate/2009) by Yun Chen is comparing China gradualist path with Poland's more radical path, as well as Hungary (another more gradual approach); in reality, the author doesn't even…

• (8/2010) Book Review: Benjamin Roth's: The Great Depression: A Diary

  At Basil & Spice

  29 Aug 2010 | 8:51 am

  Reviewed By David M. Kinchen Benjamin Roth's 'The Great Depression: A Diary' Brings Nation's Greatest Financial Meltdown to LifeThe 'forgotten men' of today are the doctors, lawyers, insurance men, etc.  They are down and out and can do very little about it. -- Benjamin Roth, diary entry Nov. 10, 1933 That refrain -- echoing Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Forgotten Man" radio speech of April 7, 1932, when he was still governor of New York  --  runs through Benjamin Roth's The Great Depression: A Diary (PublicAffairs/2010, $15.95 quality paperback, 288 pages, edited by James Ledbetter…

• (8/2010) CBO Forecasting: Into The Future

  At Basil & Spice

  26 Aug 2010 | 6:30 am

  Norbert Michel Ph.D.-- A few weeks ago I poked fun at Dean Baker for making a mountain out of a molehill. Baker, the head of the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), was miffed that the Congressional Budget Office changed its long-term budget projections to make the deficit situation seem much worse than in their earlier projections.Apparently due to Baker’s prodding, the CBO later changed its projections and, for all practical purposes, admitted they made a mistake. I stand by my original premise, though, which was that the true budgetary situation for the U.S. government is…

• 

  Wise Bread

• What I Learned From Working at a Bank

  Janey Osterlind

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:00 am

  My boss has asked me in my last two performance appraisals what I enjoy about my job and each time, I say that having this job will make me 10 times wealthier in my personal life. I don't mean that I'm making a ridiculous salary. (Maybe someday...) I mean that looking at borrowers all day lets you see all kinds of slices of life — and hopefully learn from them. In the short time I've been at my job, I've seen all kinds of borrower financial statements: conservative borrowers and leveraged borrowers; those who got rich by investing in real estate and those who inherited money. Those who…

• What Does Being Rich Mean to You Anyway?

  David Ning

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:00 am

  Money Magazine had an interesting article in the September 2010 issue titled "Do You Have What It Takes To Be Wealthy?" The article comprised of 15 questions aimed to tell you if, indeed, you have a good chance to be rich. I aced it (if you consider having a solid chance of being rich a good thing, that is), but what is the definition of being wealthy anyway? Is it just a number we call net worth? Or is it something else all together? I was given a tour the other day of a $6 million dollar home. Apparently, the owner bought the piece of land for $4 million and spent $10 million…

• How to Get a Life: Consider the Worst Case Scenario

  Craig Ford

  2 Sep 2010 | 6:00 am

  There is something that drives everything we do. Some actions are driven by love. Others motivated by hate. Money can get most of us moving. Some act based on their religious beliefs. The Purpose Driven Life reminds us that some are motivated by FEAR. And I believe it. As a minister, I've had the opportunity to peer into the psychological depths of many people. I've seen their raw emotions. When the masks are removed, fear controls much of what we do. Fear poisons us until we are too paralyzed to act. You are paralyzed by fear when … You won't pursue a small business idea because…

• Is GDP Still Important?

  Jabulani Leffall

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  Every pundit, politician, and economic forecaster (even smarmy financial dilettantes such as myself) have remarked that the recent recession was the worst economic calamity since the great depression. It's a very dramatic, historic and urgent thing to say — something that you want to have on record that you said — if for nothing else than to be part of history. Yeah, except it's dead wrong, in a manner of speaking. How would we know whether this past recession is actually the worst recession since the Great Depression? The measure of what is or isn't recession, Gross Domestic…

• Best Money Tips: Anatomy of a Coupon

  Linsey Knerl

  1 Sep 2010 | 8:49 am

  Best Money Tips roundup. Today, we share the anatomy of a coupon, how to clean your work laptop before you leave your job, and how to pick the very best airplane seat! Top 5 Articles The Anatomy of a Coupon — In case you weren’t aware of all the components that make a coupon a coupon, here’s a nifty guide to getting to know all you coupon’s finer points. I Love Coupon Month Internet Business Scams: 7 Steps to Keep You Safe — Perhaps one of the most comprehensive lessons in staying away from internet scams, this article is an easy and valuable read! Wealth Pilgrim…

• 

  Bargaineering

• How to Get Two Free Credit Reports a Year

  Jim

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:22 am

  Short answer: Live in Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey or Vermont. Long answer: In the seven states listed above, there are state laws that that require the credit bureaus to provide your credit reports absolutely free. These laws are in addition to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (technically, it’s the 2003 Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act which amended the FCRA) that requires the bureaus to provide your credit reports once twelve months, which you can access through AnnualCreditReport.com. For example, in my home state of Maryland, you had the right…

• Heist of the Century: Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Gold Bar Stolen

  Jim

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:34 am

  Up until August 18th, if you’ve ever wanted to touch a 16.5-karat gold bar, you could make short visit to the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West. The treasure hunter Mel Fisher, after which the museum is named, found the bar in 1980 from the wreck of the Santa Margarita located 25 miles west of Key West. The Santa Margarita, and it’s much larger and more famous sister the galleon Atocha, were Spanish treasure ships and they were on their way back to Spain loaded with gold and silver (and other precious items). A hurricane pummeled the entire convoy and the Santa Margarita was…

• What is a Bearer Bond?

  Jim

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:12 am

  Pick any action movie ever made and chances are someone is trying to steal a boatload of bearer bonds. My first introduction to them was in the Bruce Willis classic Die Hard but my favorite movie involving guns and bearer bonds was Heat. As a kid, all I knew was that bearer bonds were valuable. Very valuable. They were so valuable that guys would arm themselves with automatic weapons and assault rifles just to steal a bunch of them. As a kid, and honestly that’s all you needed to know to understand the plot, I thought bearer bonds were the bee’s knees. Move over Benjamins, I want…

• Bank of America $75 MyAccess Checking Incentive Bonus

  Jim

  31 Aug 2010 | 9:06 am

  There’s a “special limited-time online offer” for Bank of America credit card holders (I put that in quotes because these promotions come and go all the time) when they open a MyAccess Checking account online. It’s an online only offer of $75 when you open a new MyAccess Checking account and make a qualifying deposit. A qualifying deposit is one that is at least $125 made within 30 days of opening the account. There is no direct deposit requirement for this bonus, though it’s a way to avoid the maintenance fee (the other way is maintaining a balance, more on that…

• What is a Ten-Bagger?

  Jim

  31 Aug 2010 | 4:06 am

  I was reading my latest issue of the Motley Fool Stock Advisor when I saw them use a term I’ve always found entertaining – ten-bagger. The newsletter itself was talking about how Netflix has become a ten-bagger since David Gardner’s recommendation in 2004. The term ten-bagger refers to a stock that is worth 10 times more than its original purchase price, or an appreciation of 900% over the holding period. The origins of the term are from One Up On Wall Street by Peter Lynch and it’s most often cited by long and hold investors because it’s so hard to do. Before a…

• 

  fivecentnickel.com

• Stop Learning and Start Earning

  Neal Frankle

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  It’s time to stop learning and start earning. I’m not kidding. You really should stop studying and just get out there. Once I did, I became a lot more successful. I can best explain the true cost of learning when I tell you about launching my blog. Two years ago, I didn’t know what a blog was. A friend convinced me to launch one in order to market a book I was writing, so I decided to “look into it.” The more I looked into blogging, the less I understood it. As a result, I went deeper. I bought every book on the subject I could. I paid gurus to lead me to the…

• Mixed Banking News From the FDIC

  Nickel

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:00 am

  This is for all you financial statistics junkies out there… According to the FDIC’s quarterly banking profile, more than one in ten US banks (829 out of 7830) are currently in trouble, and the number appears is climbing, with the number of banks on their “problem list” increased by 7% during the 2nd quarter. In terms of bank failures, 118 banks have already under in 2010, compared to 140 in all of 2009, and just a handful per year prior to the current economic crisis. In other words, be sure to pay attention to FDIC limits when managing your bank accounts. The good…

• Hotel Alternatives: Save Money When Traveling

  Guest Contributor

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  This is a guest post from Matthew Kepnes of Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site. If you like what you see here, please consider subscribing to his RSS feed. When we go on vacation, we book a hotel. We are sort of taught that’s where you stay. By instinct we book a hotel. We go online, shake our head at the high price, and book it anyways, wishing there was a better way. Well, there are a lot of better ways. The problem is that most aren’t advertised because they don’t have the marketing budgets that hotels have. On your next trip, consider these four alternatives: Bed and breakfasts Bed…

• Paying Down Debt With a HELOC

  Laura Martinez

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:00 am

  Are you swamped with high interest debt and looking for a solution? The airwaves are filled with ads for debt consolidation, but do you really need someone to do it for you? Why not do your own legwork and roll your debts into one low(er) interest loan? One option for consolidating your debt is rolling it into a HELOC. But first… You might have some questions. What is a HELOC? Is consolidating debt with a HELOC a financially sound decision? What problems might arise if you use your HELOC to reduce your debt? What is a HELOC? The term HELOC is shorthand for “home equity line of…

• Flexible Spending Account Changes for 2011 and Beyond

  Nickel

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:45 am

  Open enrollment season is just around the corner. With that in mind, I wanted to remind you of some changes that will soon be affecting Flexible Spending Accounts. For those that are unaware, an FSA allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for medical expenses. Starting in 2003, over-the-counter (OTC) medications were added to the list of allowable expenses, thereby giving consumers a lot of flexibility in how they could spend their FSA money. As I’ve outlined in the past, FSAs operate under some fairly Draconian “use-it-or-lose-it” rules. More specifically, if you…

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  LifeTuner Content

• How to get discount on medications

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:39 am

  Looking to save money on purchasing medications online?Avail $10 discount when you order above $70 and 10% discount when you order less than $70 - Only at International Drug MartThe Coupon codes with which you can avail discount are 15C2G, 15CNP and 15HANThe website: http://www.internationaldrugmart.com/

• What Does Tanking Home Sales Mean?

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:28 am

  If you have any interest in real estate or even general economic news, you've no doubt heard the chattering last week as the number of existing home sales for July was released. Sales fell 27 percent in July to the lowest level in more than a decade.The news was bad. Really bad. In fact, you know it's bad when even the real estate industry's top cheerleader, the National Association of Realtors, admits openly that the market will likely continue to decline through the end of the year.But as with all things financial news, we're here to ask the questions others miss - what do low home sales…

• Savvy Saver: How to Avoid High Mutual Fund Fees

  31 Aug 2010 | 9:36 am

  If the roller-coaster stock market isn’t enough to turn your stomach, here’s another reason for Pepto-Bismol: the high fees charged by many mutual funds. Sure, what ultimately matters is the total return on your investment, not the fees. But lower fees are one reason for the growing popularity of exchange-traded funds, investment instruments you can buy and sell on financial markets like ordinary stocks. ETFs often track an index such as the S&P 500. Many brokerages will charge you a commission to buy ETFs, but once you own them you’ll typically pay fees of just 0.5 percent a year, or…

• Looking Beyond Your Simple Will

  30 Aug 2010 | 12:13 pm

  Wills are only a part of a sound estate and family plan.  In fact, many of your assets pass to your heirs directly through beneficiary designations by operation of law.  Beneficiary designations override any bequests you make in your will.  For example, if you name your fiance as the beneficiary of your 401k in your will but your 401k provider has a beneficiary form on file that names your parents, your 401k will most likely go to your parents.  A properly prepared will excludes these types of assets for several reasons.  A Will most likely has to go through probate…

• 4 Key Investment Behaviors for the Young Investor

  30 Aug 2010 | 10:53 am

  Let's start by admitting how emotional investing can be.  Many decisions investors (and even some advisors) make on a regular basis are emotional.  Sometimes these decisions are correct, but many times they are not.  When investing for the long term, there really is not much room for emotional decisions.  I like to define long term investing as at least 10 years that you KNOW you will not be needing your money.  For most people, this is money in your retirement accounts and usually it is made up of mutual…

• 

  NYT > Your Money

• App Smart: How to Get Loyalty Card Prices Without Loyalty Cards

  By BOB TEDESCHI

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:01 pm

  Two apps, Cardstar and Key Ring, serve as repositories for your loyalty shopping card numbers. You just hand your phone to the cashier at checkout.

• Home Is Where the Tax Exemption Is

  By KATE MURPHY

  1 Sep 2010 | 8:00 pm

  As tax authorities look for cheats, they are finding that many people who are eligible for the benefit fail to apply for it.

• Why Labor Day Is Best for Buying a Car

  By JENNIFER SARANOW SCHULTZ

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:19 pm

  Why Labor Day is traditionally the best time to buy a car and how the deals this holiday compare to last year.

• How a Savings Account Expert Saves

  By JENNIFER SARANOW SCHULTZ

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:13 am

  Where the founder of MoneyAisle.com puts his savings.

• Wednesday Reading: New Jobs, but With Pay Cuts

  By JENNIFER SARANOW SCHULTZ

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:10 am

  A look at the pay cuts that can come with new jobs, trying to adopt when you're gay and other consumer-focused items from Wednesday's Times.

• 

  AllFinancialMatters

• Why Ray Lucia Likes Nontraded REITs

  JLP

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:21 am

  In a comment left on my review of Ray Lucia’s Buckets of Money this morning, Kirk wanted to know what Ray Lucia likes about nontraded REITs. Here is what I found: • Nontraded REITs do not have the volatility that public REITs have. • Nontraded REITs can bring in capital for purchasing properties. Public REITs cannot raise funds as easily (they can borrow or issue new shares). According to Lucia, this could put nontraded REITs in a better position to get the best deal and the most diversification. I’m not sure how bringing in new capital doesn’t negatively affect…

• A Review of Ray Lucia’s “Buckets of Money Retirement Solution”

  JLP

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  I received a copy of Ray Lucia’s The Buckets of Money Retirement Solution: The Ultimate Guide to Income for Life*, a couple of weeks ago. I avoided the first “Buckets” book because the title got on my nerves. As much as the title bugs me, I do think the strategy is solid. When I first became familiar with the “buckets” strategy it reminded me of Paul Grangaard’s Grangaard Strategy: Invest Right During Retirement*, which I reviewed and discussed several years ago. Lucia opens the book with a discussion of the credit crisis and how it has affected…

• Trailer for “Inside Job”

  JLP

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:46 am

  I have a feeling that I’m not going to like this movie. It’s supposed to be a documentary but I have a feeling it’s going to be one-sided. I want to watch a documentary based on Thomas Sowell’s “The Housing Boom and Bust.” That would be worth watching.

• Question of the Day: Who’s Your Favorite CEO?

  JLP

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:22 am

  ANNOUNCEMENT: Today’s the last day to enter for your chance to win a copy of The Road Out of Debt. I’ll announce the winner tomorrow morning. Here’s is today’s Question of the Day: Who is your favorite CEO? I would have to say that mine is Warren Buffett. I like him because he tells it like it is (read his Shareholder Letters). If they had a bad year, he tells you that they had a bad year. It’s refreshing. Runner up to Mr. Buffett is Herb Kelleher, retired CEO of Southwest Airlines. He had a sense of humor and ran a very successful airline. Most of all, he never…

• Total Returns for the S&P 500, 400, and 600 Indices (Through August 2010)

  JLP

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:30 am

  Well, August was a bad month for stocks: I have little historical information for the Midcap 400 and the Smallcap 600 but I can tell you that this was the worst August for the S&P 500 since August 2001.

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  Personal Finance Advice

• Businesses That Should Not Be Thriving

  Wixx

  2 Sep 2010 | 2:39 am

  I have recently read a number of articles about the businesses which are being hit the hardest by the current downturn in US and well as the global economy. This got me thinking about the businesses that should be affected, even though apparently some of them aren’t. Giant Gas Guzzling SUVs: Not only are they [...]

• Get Paid to Look at Porn – Strange Ways to Make Money

  Maggie Ellis

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:20 am

  If you’ve ever wanted to be paid for the time you spend surfing the Internet for porn, I’ve got good news for you. It is possible to get paid to look at porn on the Internet. We all know that the Internet is a big place and that it is difficult to police. User generated [...]

• The Effect Of Choice On Our Financial Resources

  David G. Mitchell

  31 Aug 2010 | 2:57 am

  You cannot recover the money that you spend, but you can always earn more. Money will come to you from hard work, good fortune and simple luck. You will spend all of it or some of it and often you will be able to control how you much of your money you give back to [...]

• Accepting the Kindness of Strangers

  Jennifer Derrick

  30 Aug 2010 | 2:12 am

  I’m often puzzled when, in an effort to help someone else save money, I’m looked at like some sort of criminal or crazy person. Here’s an example. This week I had a coupon for $5 off at TGI Friday’s. The coupon explicitly stated that it could be used multiple times or given away to friends. [...]

• Fire Prevention Saves Money

  Jennifer Derrick

  27 Aug 2010 | 1:16 am

  A fire is not only emotionally devastating and life threatening, it can be financially devastating, as well. Even with great insurance you may find yourself having to pay out of pocket for things you didn’t have covered or for unexpected expenses. If you don’t have insurance, or not enough enough insurance, you could be out [...]

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  FreelanceSwitch

• Keeping Clients: Ongoing Clients & Agency Work

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:30 am

  By definition, the word “freelancer” implies that you are self-employed take on several projects from multiple parties. Many freelancers find this sort of a glamorous life, but in a sense I have to argue against it. In fact, there’s not too much that is desirable about scraping for food. And until your business is built up—that takes years, not months—there’s got to be a better way. On-Going Clients Luckily there is. It’s called ongoing clients. By this, I mean that you get several projects from one client. Clients like this are usually marketing or advertising agencies and farm…

• Review: Toodledo Task Manager

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  1 Sep 2010 | 12:30 pm

  First, let me share a little secret with you.  I am a master procrastinator.  I always manage to get the job done, and often to the best of my abilities, but if I don’t have that looming deadline, sometimes time slips through my fingers.  I blame YouTube, Twitter, FreelanceSwitch, WorkAwesome, and lifehacker.  If it weren’t for them, I’d be massively productive whenever I sit in front of the computer. As I started to get more clients, I realized that I needed a task manager to help me stay on top of the various projects.  After trying a few of the free or freemium options, I opted…

• 10 Requirements for Working with Clients in Other Countries

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:30 am

  Freelancers are given the opportunity to work for either clients within their respective areas or clients coming from abroad. Personally, as a freelancer living in Asia, I’ve worked only with clients who run their businesses a hundred miles away such as those in the US, the UK, and Australia. I’ve never seen their faces, heard their voices, and of course never tried visiting them at their offices since our only mode of communication is either the email or the instant messenger. Yes, the work is still being done from home as how it is with on-shore freelancing, but international…

• Legal Agreements: Do You CYA?

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  31 Aug 2010 | 12:30 pm

  As a freelancer, it’s sometimes easy to do a deal on a virtual handshake and feel confident that you know exactly what your client wants.  Usually, this is because they told you exactly what they “think” they want – but that’s a post for another day.  For the most part, doing business this way is just fine. CYA (Cover Your, er, Butt)  is a common term in business, and freelancing shouldn’t be any different.  Misunderstandings about the work expectations can be costly in either your time or your money, or both.  Many people think contracts and NDA (Non Disclosure Agreements)…

• What My Law Career Taught Me about Freelance Writing

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:30 am

  When I was a practicing corporate lawyer and dreamed of getting into freelance writing, I didn’t think that the two worlds had much in common. Sure, I knew that both jobs required a good deal of reading, researching and writing. But apart from that fundamental skill set, I imagined that with the ditching of my high heels, dark suits, and litigation bag, I would be leaving behind many of professional rules and practices that shaped my life. Wrong. After I got over the I’ll-write-all-day-in-my-PJs fantasy, and realized that a successful freelance career involves much more than writing, I…

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  No Credit Needed

• Use The Debt Reduction Mindset To Save For Future Purchases

  NCN

  25 Aug 2010 | 8:08 pm

  Determined. Back when I was getting out of debt, I was the very definition of determined.  I worked hard, extremely hard, to stay on budget, earn extra money, and rapidly pay down my debts. Once I paid off my debts, I remained determined, and worked hard to fully-fund my emergency fund.  I also worked hard to fund retirement and education savings accounts.  I was motivated, pumped about the progress I had made, and, like I said, determined. After  couple of years of enjoying the debt-free life, things changed.  I lost a bit of my determination, and a bit of my focus.  I think that this…

• I Mailed A Payment To The Wrong Business Address

  NCN

  24 Aug 2010 | 8:54 pm

  Have you ever - lost your wallet? - forgotten to mail a payment? - misplaced an important financial document? - overdrawn your checking account? - spent more than you could afford to spend? - maxed-out a credit card? - made any number of finance-related mistakes? If you answered yes to any (or all) of the questions above – welcome, you are among friends. Just last month, I mailed a check, which I intended to mail to a local medical center, to the wrong business address – a doctor’s office located just down the road from the medical center. When I make a mistake, like the one…

• Amended Our Tax Return

  NCN

  23 Aug 2010 | 8:13 pm

  I did something today that I’ve never done before – I filed an amended tax return.  Back in March, I filed my taxes but didn’t claim the first-time homebuyer credit.  Armed with the proper paperwork, forms, and software, it took, literally, 10 minutes to amend the return. According to the IRS website, returns claiming the first-time homebuyer credit must be mailed, with correct documentation, and cannot be e-filed.  This is the primary reason we did not claim the credit on the initial return.  We were expecting a small, but not insignificant, tax refund, even without the…

• Hidden Costs Of Home Improvements

  NCN

  17 Aug 2010 | 8:09 pm

  This past Saturday, I had my kids playhouse moved from our old house to our new one.  The playhouse paint didn’t match our new house, so I spent some time today painting it.  I also repaired a few shingles that were damaged during the move.  Oh, and I also installed a small window-unit air conditioner, so the kids can play in the house and be comfortable. I have a list, a mile long, of home improvement projects.  I want to build shelves for the shed.  I really want to build a potting bench for the back porch – and I still need to do something about landscaping our backyard. …

• My Favorite Podcasts

  NCN

  22 Jul 2010 | 11:02 am

  Here’s a list of my favorite podcasts - History Podcasts - Norman Centuries – A Norman History podcast created by Lars Brownworth. 12 Byzantine Rules – The History of the Byzantine Empire by Lars Brownworth. Hardcore History – An unconventional look at history by Dan Carlin. History of Rome – A weekly podcast about the history of Rome. Sports Podcasts - Dan Patrick – A daily podcast, in three parts, by Dan Patrick. Tony Kornheiser – A daily podcast, in two parts, by Tony Kornheiser. Bill Simmons – A podcast from ESPN personality, Bill Simmons.

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  The Digerati Life

• ETrade: Free Trades for 60 Days, Get Up To $500 Cash Bonus

  Silicon Valley Blogger

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:50 pm

  At the heels of a $50 bonus for new TradeKing customers, ETrade has come up with their own sweet offers. I’ve actually been an ETrade customer for ages now and have been with them since they first launched. That’s way over a decade ago. At any rate, I’ve always been happy with their service. They’re one of the earliest and best online brokers in the industry, having received some of the highest ratings from various industry watchers and publications. ETrade: Free Trades for 60 Days, Get Up To $500 Cash Bonus E*TRADE is offering a number of promotions for new customers.

• 3 Things To Do With Your Online Cashback Earnings

  Silicon Valley Blogger

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:08 pm

  Don’t you just love cash back sites? I rarely buy anything online now without first going through one of these sites to find out what kind of online deals are available. With more and more of these sites around, we no longer have an excuse not to earn some money on our next online purchase. However big or small the cash back I receive, I always end up better off as a result. Just to cover the bases here, let me mention a couple of those cash back sites that my family members and I like to use. I’ve mentioned these sites quite a bit in the past, but surprisingly, not everyone has heard…

• Planning To Roll Over Your 401K To An IRA?

  Todd Smith

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:53 pm

  Years ago when I first worked the “front lines” talking to employees of some of the largest 401(k) plans, it seemed that many of the calls I received had something to do with employees who left or were leaving their employer. Often, people simply wanted to know “how to get their money” and we would discuss the various distribution options. Interestingly, some of the most heated conversations were automatic cash-outs. A little known regulation (at least to those calling) allowed employers to automatically send checks (a taxable event) to former employees with low plan balances. The…

• DebtGoal Review for Online Debt Management

  Millie Kay G.

  29 Aug 2010 | 9:31 pm

  It’s time to take the bull by the horns. If you’re one of those folks who started the year by resolving to get your finances and debt under control, and feel that there’s more you’d like to do for this cause, then do read on. If your current resolution is to chip away at your debt starting right now, then you might want to check out DebtGoal, an online debt management tool that aims to give you transparency over your debt. Following is our review of this online service. DebtGoal Review for Online Debt Management DebtGoal is a website that offers to help you understand…

• How A Second Income Stream Can Give You Some Financial Security

  Guest Blogger

  27 Aug 2010 | 8:34 pm

  This guest post is written by Kevin of 20smoney.com. Financial security is something that most of us pursue, but many are failing to find these days. While financial security is achieved through a combination of sound financial practices such as budgeting, managing debt, investing and other personal finance activities discussed in this blog, there is one area that I’d like to talk to about today that frequently goes unmentioned. Today, I want to talk about how a second income stream can be a major catalyst in achieving financial security. First, let’s quickly look at today’s economic…

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  Mighty Bargain Hunter

• Gouge me ’til it hurts

  mbhunter

  2 Sep 2010 | 12:25 am

  As of right now we’re looking at about 30 hours before Hurricane Earl blows past our latitude.  It reminds me of something that happened during the aftermath of previous hurricanes:  price gouging.  Price gouging is a disparaging term given to the practice of hiking prices of demand items after some disruption has occurred that would normally clear out the existing supply.  Gasoline, food, water, ice, and toiletries are good examples of items vulnerable to price gouging. There was a discussion over at GaryNorth.com about this topic.  In Gary’s response to the discussion, one…

• If I need to ask what “forex” is, I probably shouldn’t try it!

  mbhunter

  31 Aug 2010 | 11:44 pm

  It’s a little embarrassing that I’ve seen so many advertisements and blogs for things related to “forex” and I never bothered to look up what the heck that meant. Thankfully, it turned out that I had heard of what it means, just not by that word.  “Forex” is an abbreviation for the (huge) foreign exchange market, also known as the currency market.  It’s the place where you can take your United States dollars and buy Japanese yen, pounds Sterling, Euros, Canadian dollars, etc.  Or the other way around, of course.  The bid and ask prices for a…

• Travel need not be troubling

  mbhunter

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:46 am

  (This is a guest post from ThinkingMoney.org.  If you like what you’ve read, consider subscribing to their feed.) When going on holiday one of the biggest worries is money. Having a budget and overspending is done far too often as we get carried away. Traveling abroad has special challenges.  It doesn’t help that for some bizarre reason we seem to think that we are not spending as much if the note is not in the currency we are used to.  (I’ve often referred to Euros as a form of Monopoly money!) Unfortunately, these notes are what make the world go round. Without them, the…

• It’s CLEARANCE time at Restaurant.com

  mbhunter

  26 Aug 2010 | 10:18 pm

  CLEARANCE is the word that will give you 80% off of your Restaurant.com dining certificates! For those of you who aren’t familiar with Restaurant.com, here’s a quick rundown.  Restaurant.com sells dining certificates for thousands of restaurants across the US.  A $25 dining certificate gives you $25 off of qualifying expenses at that restaurant.  Normally, a $25 dining certificate costs $10, so if you buy one and use it, you just netted $15 off of your meal.  Nice, right? Through August 31st, 2010, it’s even better:  using the coupon code CLEARANCE at checkout will give…

• Stores can now refuse small credit card charges

  mbhunter

  25 Aug 2010 | 11:40 pm

  Fresh after posting on whether small credit card charges are shameful or otherwise to be avoided, I got a comment on that post.  “Paul” asks: “Wasn’t a provision of the financial reform bill that passed this July that store owners are now legally allowed to not accept a credit card charge for less than $10? I’m almost sure it was.” I hadn’t gotten wind of this at all, but I dug around to try to verify Paul’s claim. Sure enough, Paul got it.  Payment card networks are no longer allowed to demand that merchants accept all payments, regardless of total…

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  Personal Finance Online Resources for Indian Users

• Reflections On Economic Crisis By Governor RBI

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:45 pm

  Dr. D. Subbarao, Governor, RBI reflects on the economic crisis and the crisis in Economics in his speech at IISc, Bangalore.  A few months into the crisis, the Queen happened to be at the London School of Economics and asked a perfectly sensible question: ‘how come none of the economists saw the crisis coming’. The Queen’s question resonated with people around the world who felt that they had been let down by economics and economists. As economists saw their profession discredited and their reputations dented, the economic crisis soon turned into a crisis in economics The Governor, RBI…

• Direct Tax Code DTC: Updated

  1 Sep 2010 | 12:56 am

  The Direct Tax Code (DTC) was introduced in the Parliament on August 30, 2010. If you have read about the proposed DTC (tax-planning/30-fundamentals-of-tax-planning/217-review-direct-tax-code-dtc.html), the new bill appears to be existing/old wine in a new bottle. And it has seen much dilution from the draft bill that was proposed last year.In any case, it's good to be aware of the tax implications that the new bill would bring when it's applicable. For starters, the bill is valid w.e.f. 1, April, 2012.

• How To Setup Your Financial Independence

  11 Aug 2010 | 6:09 am

  As we celebrate another Independence Day, let's take a look at setting up your financial freedom. Freedom is being free of restraints and means having liberty from slavery, detention, or oppression. So, Financial Freedom would entail being free of money worries, to be free from working under oppression for money. Sounds interesting? Or does it look like too difficult thing to do? Does it look to be a utopian idea? The good news is that it can be achieved. Read on for the details. It important to remember that freedom does not come for free and does not mean doing whatever we like. The fact…

• Last 5 Days to Go To File Your Taxes

  25 Jul 2010 | 10:42 pm

  There are 5 days to go for you to file your IT Returns! Avoid the rush and stress of filing on the last day i.e. July 31st, 2010 - and also avoid the potential mistakes that can be made when you file in a hurry. And if you want to tackle your return yourself, you have an online option too. The advantage of online filing is that it's convenient and user friendly exercise where you get to learn a bit about your finances too.

• Playing Soccer And Personal Finance Are Similar

  20 Jul 2010 | 1:13 am

  Spain is Soccer World Cup 2010 Champion. Analysts say that is because of their mental strength, their wily forwards, a strong defence and the hardworking midfield. Important: Do remember that what the analyst say is on the basis of hindsight of course. Spain was pilloried for losing their first match by the same analysts! This article is about what you can learn from the game of soccer and apply to your own personal finances!

• 

  Generation X Finance

• Flexible Spending Accounts: Is a FSA Right for You?

  Jeremy

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:19 am

  Flexible Spending Accounts Provide an Easy Way to Save Money and Pay for Health Care Expenses One unfortunate result of rising costs associated with health care and health insurance is that employers are now looking for ways to trim employee health benefits. This usually includes increasing co-pays, out-pocket-costs, and deductibles. The good news is that employers are also conscious of the burdens such benefit cutbacks could potentially have and are thus introducing new services to offset the increased costs shouldered by their employees. Flexible spending account plans are just one such…

• Poll: What’s Your Take on the Hindenburg Omen?

  Jeremy

  25 Aug 2010 | 7:17 am

  If you’ve been listening to the media lately you may have heard something about the Hindenburg Omen. It sounds kind of ominous, and I guess it should because it predicts a severe market crash. The Omen has been behind every market crash since 1987, but significant stock-market declines have followed only 25% of the time. So there’s a high likelihood that the Omen could be nothing more than a false signal. Who is Behind This Technical Indicator? The Hindenburg Omen (not originally given that name) was dreamed up by Jim Miekka, a blind mathematician who edits a newsletter called the…

• Book Review of Leah Ingram’s Suddenly Frugal

  Charissa

  23 Aug 2010 | 8:08 am

  I consider myself a lifetime learner.  Maybe that is one of the reasons why I feel compelled to read anything I can get my hands on.  My past experience as a book reviewer for an arts and entertainment magazine put me into contact with nearly every publishing house in the United States.  I will be the first to admit how exciting it can be to get a box full of books to read in the mail. I am really drawn to instructional books on the topics of personal finance, self-sufficiency, and saving.  Maybe that is one reason why Leah Ingram’s Suddenly Frugal: How to Live Happier & Healthier…

• Emergency Preparedness: How Does Your Family Rate?

  Charissa

  18 Aug 2010 | 10:39 am

  Emergency situations often catch people off guard and leave them feeling devastated.  From financial difficulties incurred from a layoff or an unforeseen medical expense to fires and natural disasters, one thing is certain.  Without a rock solid back-up plan, the chances of your family weathering a storm are next to zero. So, what do you do to prepare yourself for the unexpected?  You open the doors of communication with your partner and you come up with a way to get out of any pickle you might find yourself in.  This might sound easier said than done but it is of vital necessity.

• 10 Ways to Make Money Online from Anywhere

  Guest

  17 Aug 2010 | 6:16 am

  Working and making money from anywhere – if you haven’t yet tried, might seem like a distant world or something you could never do.   The thought of having more control of your lifestyle by be able to work from home or any location you choose might not even enter your reality.  Perhaps you can’t fathom a lifestyle where you don’t have a place of work to show up every day.  Maybe the thought of going it on your own as a freelancer or entrepreneur scares you to death. But with an ever expanding global communication and social network – the reality of working from anywhere is…

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  Earn More and Invest Wisely at The Sun's Financial Diary

• When Is The Right Time To Apply For Social Security?

  David Dierking

  1 Sep 2010 | 6:06 am

  Social Security has become a bit of a buzz word in the world of finance. Individuals and lawmakers alike spend countless hours trying to figure out how long the 75 year old trust fund will stay afloat and what type of benefits, if any, future retirees can expect to see from the program.While we could spend a lot of the Social Security discussion on what the program’s future looks like there’s another critical discussion facing today’s retirees right now – when is the best time to apply for benefits?A little basic background first. Workers who pay into the Social Security system via…

• It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Saving Money

  Shannon M. Medisky

  30 Aug 2010 | 6:46 am

  Holiday gift shopping is likely the farthest thing from your mind as you soak up the sun’s rays this summer, but if you have children in your life than now’s exactly the right time to start thinking about it.Even as you read this article, stockrooms in the back of retailers everywhere are bursting at the seams with the “latest and greatest” toys and electronic gizmos just waiting to hit store shelves in anticipation of the holiday gift giving season. Problem is, though, that unless current shelf inventory is cleared to make way for the new stuff, there’s simply nowhere to put it…

• How Much Mortgage Can I Afford?

  Sun

  27 Aug 2010 | 6:48 am

  As I mentioned earlier, we are in the process of refinancing our mortgage to take advantage of the record low rate. We have heard back from our broker and there is good news and bad news. The good news is we have locked in a rate that’s much lower than our current rate of 4.25% APR, so we can save some money on monthly payment The bad news is that the rate was locked in on Monday and we could only get 3.875%, not the 3.75% I had hoped for With this rate, the monthly bill will be lowered by less than $80, which probably won’t make any big difference. However, since the refi…

• Why Entrepreneurs Make Bad Managers

  David Dierking

  25 Aug 2010 | 6:43 am

  Like most people nowadays, I’ve worked several different jobs over the course of my career. I’ve worked for some folks who were great managers and I’ve worked for some that were their own worst enemy. My first job out of college was working for an individual who built his own investment firm from the ground up. After over 30 years in business, that investment firm doesn’t even exist any more (I’ll get into that a little bit later).It turned out that some of the traits that served him best as he built his company also led to the downfall of it. A co-worker and I discussed this very…

• Stock Up for School NOW for Savings

  Shannon M. Medisky

  23 Aug 2010 | 6:19 am

  Think you’ll save more money by waiting? Want to window shop a bit more before committing? Are you considering waiting until after school starts before picking up all the necessary supplies? If so, you’ll likely lose out on tidy sum of savings. The time to stock up for school and still save money is now, not later. Keep reading to find out exactly why and how to do it.Stores are on a schedule set by their distributors, not you. Sure, you may not believe it and your child most definitely won’t want to hear it, but “back to school” sales, displays and supplies are available now. It…

• 

  My Open Wallet

• I'm an Heiress

  Madame X

  31 Aug 2010 | 9:19 am

  Remember Great Aunt Minnie? She died peacefully a few weeks ago. I had a chance to see her one last time in May, and spoke to her on the phone a few days before her death. I couldn't go to her memorial service, so it still seems almost surreal that she's gone, after her being such a constant, steady figure in my family's life all these years.So it was even more weird to find a thick envelope in my mail the other night, which turned out to be from Minnie's lawyer, because I'll inherit a share of her estate.Minnie had no children-- she left everything to my father and his 5 sisters, to be…

• 2010's Highest Paid Authors

  Madame X

  24 Aug 2010 | 7:22 am

  Here's a juicy little tidbit for anyone who's ever hoped to write a bestseller! Forbes has posted a list of the authors who made the most money over the past 12 months:James Patterson ($70 million)Stephenie Meyer ($40 million)Stephen King ($34 million)Danielle Steel ($32 million)Ken Follett ($20 million)Dean Koontz ($18 million)Janet Evanovich ($16 million)John Grisham ($15 million)Nicholas Sparks ($14 million)JK Rowling ($10 million)Of course, this is just an isolated 12-month period, so it's not a good indicator of how much these authors might make on average over a few years. And though…

• "The First Shoppable Children's Storybook"

  Madame X

  19 Aug 2010 | 6:03 am

  Ugh! This ad popped up when I looked at the NY Times web page this morning and I was so shocked and horrified, I had to share it:Ok, people are going to advertise products, and ads include more and more elaborate entertainment content. And plenty of movies for adults and teens include product placements, and it's happening more and more in books too. But what tin-eared advertising genius had the bright idea to create "the first shoppable children's storybook?" And actually be proud of it! Is this really what the world needs now?Some of the proceeds are being donated to charity, at least...

• Money Art

  Madame X

  18 Aug 2010 | 10:29 am

  I stumbled across this and thought it was quite cool: Scott Campbell's laser-etched dollar bill art.

• Cogitating on Cohabitating

  Madame X

  12 Aug 2010 | 6:26 pm

  Here's a topic that's been on my mind a lot lately-- how do you decide whether or not to move in with your sweetie? As I write this, mine is recovering from a knee surgery, and I'm playing nurse, maid, chef, and chauffeur. I haven't been home in a week, and I keep wondering if it's silly for us to live in two separate apartments, as this kind of situation highlights the need and desire to be together.A while back, I tallied up the amount of space we occupy between the two of us-- 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, close to 1800 sq feet... in NYC, this is not necessarily palatial, but still rather…

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  Almost Frugal: Learning about Frugality!

• Money Saving Crafts

  Kelly

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  I love to make things. I don’t think that I’m especially artistic- I’ve never been able to paint or draw. But I really enjoy sewing, doing needlepoint, collage, paper maché and many other ‘crafty’ hobbies.But crafts can be a great way to save money too.For example, after we moved, we had room for a coffee table in our living room again. We didn’t want to get something that was too big, because we were luxuriating in the feeling of almost having too much space. We didn’t want to get something too heavy, because it would have to be moved whenever…

• My New Year’s Resolutions

  Beth

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:01 am

  It’s that time of year again.  Not January 1st, but September 1st, the real New Year’s Day on my calendar.  After 18 years of being educated and 10 years of working in education, it’s hard not to feel like the beginning of the school year is when the real chance for a fresh start occurs.  Every year I make my new school year’s resolutions, the ways I’ll improve on what I did the year before—what I’ll keep and what I’ll tweak and what I’ll throw out completely.This is true for me on a personal level as well.  It’s easy to get into habits during the school year that,…

• Tell Us Tuesday: Gender Differences in Financial Advice

  Kelly

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:00 am

  I was inspired by the survey from this post to ask today’s Tell Us Tuesday question:Do you think men and women are given different financial advice? Were you given different personal finance lessons than others you knew because of your gender? Do you teach your sons and daughters different things about money?I want to answer no, and I’m pretty sure that I teach my kids the same things about money (as much as I can, accounting for their different ages). I think that my brother and I had a similar financial education, at least as far as our mom- our shared parent- was concerned, and…

• Taking Inspiration Where You Can

  Kelly

  30 Aug 2010 | 3:00 am

  I was using StumbleUpon the other day to look for inspiration and interesting sites (OK, OK, it was really to avoid working on my thesis) and I found this post about the new playroom Hooked on Houses has created for her kids.I love this room! I want this room. It makes me want to move and, as I shared on the Good Reads page, buy a big house I can’t afford so that I can have a room like this, for my kids to play in.That, of course, is not going to happen. I love my apartment and all the space we have which, although it is not that much according to US standards (about 1000 square feet),…

• Weekly Round-Up: Back to School

  Kelly

  29 Aug 2010 | 3:00 am

  While many kids in the US have been back at school for at least a few days now, school in France, and by that I mean all over France, starts this week. Preschool and elementary school kids start on Thursday, while junior high and high schoolers go back on Wednesday. My three kids will all be in school this year; my daughter is starting preschool, my second son is starting first grade and my oldest, my big boy, is a nonchalant second grader who knows all there is to know about everything.I even went out and bought a camera this week, to document things.In the meantime, here are a list of my…

• 

  7million7years

• Managing your life through the rear-view mirror …

  Adrian

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:57 am

  Not many people are rich, so following COMMON financial wisdom can’t be all that it’s cracked up to be, can it? Case in point: paying down your mortgage is a subject that always gets a rise out of my readers. I see it very simply: If mortgage rates are currently 5%, what investments can give you 5% + whatever margin you feel you need to compensate you for risk? How ‘risky’ is that risk? And, what do you stand to lose? Some people, like Executioner, look at the 100% risk/loss scenario: Although I’ll concede that it is unlikely that a broad index fund would ever drop…

• Does MLM go too far?

  Adrian

  30 Aug 2010 | 1:47 am

  Silicon Valley Blogger joins some others in hating on a particular MLM company. You can read his/her post to find out which one and why … Now, I have absolutely NO experience with that particular MLM, and very little personal MLM experience at all, other than reading a lot about MLM when I was younger and participating in Amway for a little while. But, I take issue with SVB’s sub-heading (about half-way into his post; asking: “Does MLM go too far?” And, I wasn’t afraid to tell him/her so: I don’t think that there’s anything inherently wrong with MLM; it’s…

• If you wanna succeed, you gotta learn to walk on water …

  Adrian

  29 Aug 2010 | 1:19 am

  6 million+ views, now that’s how to build a brand … here’s a lesson in viral-marketing for you: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/walking-on-water.shtml

• A couple of reader e-mails …

  Adrian

  27 Aug 2010 | 12:19 am

  I like receiving questions / comments, etc. via e-mail, even if it’s not always flattering, like this one from ‘hardtop’: Been reading your website for a while and your posts. What you share is nothing new.  Just the same recycled material that all the “guru” financial “experts” share with their flock. None it it will make you rich, nevermind 7in7. Becoming rich is more about being in the right place at the right time (luck) with the right product and enough capital. One could follow yours and similar advice for years and never get rich. Keep up the…

• Financial rock’n'roll …

  Adrian

  25 Aug 2010 | 1:10 am

  I don’t think that I ever mentioned it at the time, but I went to Warren Buffett’s Annual General Meeting in Omaha in 2008. It was like going to a rock concert … without the music. It was held at some football stadium, which was packed with 30,000 (maybe more?!) people and Warren Buffett and his long-time business partner, Charlie Munger sitting at a table with three large video screens behind them (just showing Warren and Charlie sitting at the table … only MUCH larger!). They basically spent the day munching on Sees Candy (peanut brittle, I believe) and sipping on…

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  Lazy Man and Money

• Save Money Going on Back to School

  Lazy Man

  31 Aug 2010 | 8:08 pm

  (I'm sorry if I'm a little late and you've done your back to school shopping. I've been a little distracted the last week (see my previous posts. However, hopefully this gives you a day or two to save a little money.) Back to school time is a hectic time period for parents. There are lists upon lists of school supplies, school schedules to memorize, and bus routes to remember. I'm probably missing more than a few things, but fortunately, there's going to be a long time before I have to deal with it. In down economies like this one parents have the additional stress to stretch a dollar as much…

• Brief MonaVie Update (and Personal Finance Links)

  Lazy Man

  29 Aug 2010 | 7:12 pm

  There has a been a lot of action since I wrote about MonaVie Blackmailing Me. I got a lot of traffic thanks to a lot of people on Reddit.com voting the story up. One would be slightly exaggerating, but one could say I had a good month that day. That tells me the story got out there. Call it the Streisand Effect. I've had a few conversations with the person who tried to blackmail me. He said one of my readers sent him a threatening email. He even tried to twist it that it was somehow my fault. Amazing logic considering that I never advocated any violence... and he was the one breaking the law…

• MonaVie Blackmails Me?

  Lazy Man

  24 Aug 2010 | 10:54 am

  I got an interesting email a yesterday from a person who says his name is DeeDee (yep he really chose the email address of notverynicedude@gmail.com) that I'd like to share with all of you. It isn't very much related to personal finance, but I know a lot of you are interested in my MonaVie saga. You don't need to know the saga for the rest of this (but I think it is a riveting read, if I say so myself). If you are interested (you don't need to read it for the rest of this) you can read a the full version of my MonaVie experience here.) I’ve been watching the [Lazy Man's MonaVie article] and…

• Personal Finance Links

  Lazy Man

  23 Aug 2010 | 10:14 am

  Like many of those in the football world, I'm still in shock in seeing Wes Welker's comeback on Thursday night. I'm typeless (speechless on a keyboard), so I'm just going to go to the personal finance links: Money Writers: Brip Blap writes learn one lesson: who is the client? Digerati Life wonders should you invest in an ivy league college education? Frugal Dad goes beyond the emergency fund: preparing for economic collapse. Generation X Finance presents 10 ways to make money online from anywhere. Million Dollar Journey discusses overseas Canadian residents and tax returns. Money Smart Life…

• A Tale of Two Televisions

  Lazy Man

  18 Aug 2010 | 8:57 am

  It was the best of televisions, it was the 2nd best of televisions. A friend called me up this past weekend with a dilemma. He was looking to buy a new television. It was Massachusetts' tax-free weekend and he was looking to take advantage and save a few percent. He said to me, (paraphrased) Lazy Man, I have narrowed the choices down to two televisions both 46 inch LED TVs. One is a Samsung at $1500 and the other is a Sharp at $1000. The Samsung looks better... I asked him about the Sharp television and he said it was the Sharp Aquos. You might have seen the commercials for the Aquos... they…

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  No Credit Needed

• Use The Debt Reduction Mindset To Save For Future Purchases

  NCN

  25 Aug 2010 | 8:08 pm

  Determined. Back when I was getting out of debt, I was the very definition of determined.  I worked hard, extremely hard, to stay on budget, earn extra money, and rapidly pay down my debts. Once I paid off my debts, I remained determined, and worked hard to fully-fund my emergency fund.  I also worked hard to fund retirement and education savings accounts.  I was motivated, pumped about the progress I had made, and, like I said, determined. After  couple of years of enjoying the debt-free life, things changed.  I lost a bit of my determination, and a bit of my focus.  I think that this…

• I Mailed A Payment To The Wrong Business Address

  NCN

  24 Aug 2010 | 8:54 pm

  Have you ever - lost your wallet? - forgotten to mail a payment? - misplaced an important financial document? - overdrawn your checking account? - spent more than you could afford to spend? - maxed-out a credit card? - made any number of finance-related mistakes? If you answered yes to any (or all) of the questions above – welcome, you are among friends. Just last month, I mailed a check, which I intended to mail to a local medical center, to the wrong business address – a doctor’s office located just down the road from the medical center. When I make a mistake, like the one…

• Amended Our Tax Return

  NCN

  23 Aug 2010 | 8:13 pm

  I did something today that I’ve never done before – I filed an amended tax return.  Back in March, I filed my taxes but didn’t claim the first-time homebuyer credit.  Armed with the proper paperwork, forms, and software, it took, literally, 10 minutes to amend the return. According to the IRS website, returns claiming the first-time homebuyer credit must be mailed, with correct documentation, and cannot be e-filed.  This is the primary reason we did not claim the credit on the initial return.  We were expecting a small, but not insignificant, tax refund, even without the…

• Hidden Costs Of Home Improvements

  NCN

  17 Aug 2010 | 8:09 pm

  This past Saturday, I had my kids playhouse moved from our old house to our new one.  The playhouse paint didn’t match our new house, so I spent some time today painting it.  I also repaired a few shingles that were damaged during the move.  Oh, and I also installed a small window-unit air conditioner, so the kids can play in the house and be comfortable. I have a list, a mile long, of home improvement projects.  I want to build shelves for the shed.  I really want to build a potting bench for the back porch – and I still need to do something about landscaping our backyard. …

• My Favorite Podcasts

  NCN

  22 Jul 2010 | 11:02 am

  Here’s a list of my favorite podcasts - History Podcasts - Norman Centuries – A Norman History podcast created by Lars Brownworth. 12 Byzantine Rules – The History of the Byzantine Empire by Lars Brownworth. Hardcore History – An unconventional look at history by Dan Carlin. History of Rome – A weekly podcast about the history of Rome. Sports Podcasts - Dan Patrick – A daily podcast, in three parts, by Dan Patrick. Tony Kornheiser – A daily podcast, in two parts, by Tony Kornheiser. Bill Simmons – A podcast from ESPN personality, Bill Simmons.

• 

  Boston Gal's Open Wallet

• Cult of less: Living out of a hard drive

  Jane

  22 Aug 2010 | 7:17 pm

  The BBC News article: Cult of less: Living out of a hard driveVirtual homelessnessChris Yurista, a DJ from Washington, DC, cites this trend in digital music as one reason he was able to hand over the keys to his basement apartment over a year ago."It's always nice to have a personal sense of home, but that aside - the internet has replaced my need for an address," the 27-year-old said.Since boxing up his physical possessions and getting rid of his home, Mr Yurista has taken to the streets with a backpack full of designer clothing, a laptop, an external hard drive, a small piano keyboard and a…

• Money Makeover: Paul Schnebelen

  Jane

  22 Aug 2010 | 3:38 pm

  The LA Times Money Makeover: Newly single and rethinking his future profiles 41 year old, Paul Schnebelen of Oxnard, CA. Paul recently broke-up with his fiancee of 10 years and is reevaluating his finances now that he is single again. Then, in January, the relationship ended. Schnebelen took on about $3,000 in credit card debt to ship his ex's belongings to her new home in Oregon. He kept their parakeets Suzette and Joe, named after singing animatronic birds in the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland."We were married in everything but name," said Schnebelen, 41. Sometimes the breakup feels…

• Death and Unemployment

  Jane

  19 Aug 2010 | 5:38 am

  The Michigan Messenger article: Death and Unemployment reports on the ultimate downside of long-term unemployment for some. While a depressing article to read, it did highlight how the unemployed are helping each other.

• A New White-Collar Juggle

  Jane

  17 Aug 2010 | 7:38 pm

  The Wall Street Journal article: A New White-Collar Juggle reports that moonlighting is up thanks to the great recession toll of pay cuts, salary freezes, furloughs, and income stability concerns. When job demands clash, moonlighters' day jobs win. Stefanie and Craig Miller both work for the same big company, she as a customer-marketing vice president, and Mr. Miller as a senior logistics executive. For much of the past two years, the Atlanta couple has worked nights and weekends starting a Units mobile-storage business on the side to avoid having "all our eggs in one basket," Ms. Miller…

• Alternative Income: Writing and selling erotica?

  Jane

  15 Aug 2010 | 11:19 am

  The Marketplace.org story: Fulfilling a desire through erotic writing tells the tale of Sean McNeely, an unhappy cubical drone who is moonlighting as an erotica writer and hoping to make it his full time job soon. And Sean is always complaining about this day job. McNeely: And you feel like screaming and saying, "People! People!"He's a writer and a really good one. Years ago, he worked as a travel writer, jetting off to glamorous places. But he got laid off after 9/11 and ended up as a communications manager for a group that helps turn new technologies into businesses. He works in a cubicle,…

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  Free From Broke

• My Blogging Essentials or What I Use To Blog

  ffb

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:42 am

  Every now and then the subject comes up – What do I use to blog?  Let me give you a quick rundown of my blogging essentials:WordPress.org - Here’s where it all starts.  WordPress.org provides the major framework for this site.  Without it I wouldn’t be able to set up a place where I could write and we could all communicate on the articles.  WordPress.org is free to download but you need a hosting plan somewhere else in order to get it up and running. Media Temple Web Hosting- This is where I’m currently hosted.  What that means is I rent a kind of database parking…

• What’s This Groupon I Keep Hearing About?

  ffb

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:15 am

  Maybe you’ve seen some ads on the web. Perhaps you heard about it on the local news.  I don’t know about you but I’ve been hearing about Groupon everywhere!  So what is this Groupon all about?!?Groupon (group+coupon) is a site that offers up a daily deal on some of the best attractions, eateries, and shops in your area (well, in lots of areas so far). How it works:-Every day Groupon offers of a great deal.  These deals can easily save you 50-90%!-When enough people sign up for the deal then you can get the offer.  I guess if it isn’t popular then it isn’t…

• Too Much Debt? 5 Steps To Pay Off Your Debt

  ffb

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:23 am

  Sometimes it can feel like you're trapped in debt!I still remember the first day of class at college. The professor walks into the classroom and hands you a piece of paper called a syllabus.  In that paper is all of the work you will complete over a four month period.  However, you automatically begin to feel overwhelmed.  How, you ask yourself, am I going to finish all of this?In my case, I would total up all of the number of pages that needed to be read in a semester. I would then take that number and divide it by the number of days in the semester.  Suddenly, reading 15 pages per…

• It’s Still A Good Idea To Buy A House In This Economy

  ffb

  30 Aug 2010 | 3:14 am

  The New York Times, in their Your Money section, recently ran an article titled In Defense of Home Ownership. In the article the author, Ron Lieber, takes to task the notion that now is a horrible time to buy a house.  He mentions that despite the bad housing news we hear, stocks going nowhere, and unemployment not getting better, now can still be a good time to buy.Here are his cases where home-buying can still make sense: Rates Lower Than EverFixed mortgage rates are at historic lows.  People are locking in mortgages at 4.5% (consider the ’80′s when mortgage rates were in the…

• Discover More Card with $75 Cash Back Bonus Review

  ffb

  27 Aug 2010 | 3:27 am

  Discover More Card $75 Cash BackWe’re all looking for the best ways we can use our credit cards and one way to help is to find the card that best fits our needs. Here’s a card that could help with your spending habits – the Discover More Card with a $75 cash back bonus.Here are the features: - 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 12 months (then regular APR after).- 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first six months (then regular APR after).- You get a $75 cash back bonus after you make $500 in purchases in the first three months.- 5% cash back on…

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  Blogging Away Debt

• The Millionaire Next Door…

  Beks

  1 Sep 2010 | 8:17 pm

  I had the opportunity to read ‘The Millionaire Next Door’ by Thomas Stanley this week during my commute to work. The book is in one word… amazing. I mean really, if the guy can make a book entirely of statistics about a group of people I can’t even relate to and keep me interested, he’s a pretty good author. Stanley covers the gamut of what makes a millionaire different from others. From how they manage marriage, to work, to frugality, to children, it’s all there. The most shocking statistic? Most millionaires drive used domestic cars worth less than $30,000. The most popular…

• Paying bills non-conventionally?

  Beks

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:10 pm

  I received the credit card/vet payment bill today for Hutch’s hospitalization (He’s doing WONDERFUL by the way. I went running with him last night and it was awesome!!) $1781.00 I lost my breath. But hey, according to the paperwork, if I make minimum payments…I can be paid off in 13 years. It annoys me that this credit card company hopes my debt may outlive my dog. As I stared at the bill, I was annoyed with myself. Dave Ramsey encourages people to live outside the box rather than have a natural reaction to accrue more debt. I didn’t think outside the box. I threw in the towel –…

• Advice…

  Beks

  30 Aug 2010 | 3:00 am

  A reader asked for some advice regarding her husband. My husband never hid debts so I don’t have any experience in this area. How would you deal with this?: Can you provide any suggestions for someone whose spouse is still in denial about their spending addiction? My husband has been hiding his debts from me for a long time. Now, because his bills are out of control, he can’t hide it anymore & pay his share of the household bills. I have offered to help, suggested counseling…does anyone have any suggestions?

• Garage Sale!!

  Beks

  28 Aug 2010 | 2:15 pm

  My grandparents moved from Arkansas to California to live with my parents a few months ago. Since my parents live in a rural area and I live in the city, mom thought it would be a good idea to have a garage sale of her and my grandmother’s duplicated items at my house. My mother flew in my sister, the family garage sale expert, from Kansas to help her assemble the wares. Yes, it was a pretty transparent excuse to get my sister to visit, but we didn’t mention it. I haven’t hosted a garage sale at my home before and wasn’t sure if she would get the traffic she needed. Judging from the…

• Want to borrow my pen?

  Beks

  25 Aug 2010 | 8:08 pm

  I went shopping with a friend over the weekend – and by ‘shopping’ I mean she shopped, I watched. As she went to purchase a stack of clothing, she pulled out her shiny credit card and tapped it on the counter excitedly while she talked about how cute the clothes were. The cashier ran the card but couldn’t find a pen for the signature. My friend looked at me and asked, ‘Do you have a pen?’ I pulled out the only pen I had, my Financial Peace University pen from Dave Ramsey. As she gleefully signed at the bottom, I couldn’t help but laugh as I imagined the Financial Peace pen…

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  Clever Dude Finances & Life

• Should You Have a Survival Job During Unemployment?

  Clever Dude

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:42 am

  Copyright 2006-2010 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. (By Go Banking Rates) Being unemployed can make you feel useless, not to mention anxious, about the future of your finances. The outlook for American jobs isn’t great, either, as the unemployment rate in July remained at 9.5 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Even worse, 45 percent of these people have been without work for 27 weeks or longer. Obviously, you won’t remain without a job forever, but that stretch of time between getting laid off and finding a new position can drag on longer than you can…

• Appreciating Your Own Financial Education Experience

  Clever Dude

  30 Aug 2010 | 7:19 pm

  Copyright 2006-2010 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. I won’t say I grew up in a poor family, nor will I say I grew up in a rich one. From my knowledge, although my parents can contend this, I think we were in the lower middle class zone of the economic spectrum. I was born in the Pennsylvania, then was moved to Texas for a couple years until moving back to my birthplace. The second time around, however, we moved in with my grandmother. Since I was only about 5, I don’t know any of the discussions or agreements that happened at the time, but we ended up living with my…

• The Power of Forgiveness

  Clever Dude

  24 Aug 2010 | 2:05 pm

  Copyright 2006-2010 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. I had a puppy when I was younger. Well, not really, but it’s pertinent for me to be able to tell this story. I really wanted this puppy. I spent years pining for it, and then a year later, I finally got it. You could say “I loved him and hugged him and petted him and called him George” (literary reference), but that is true. I couldn’t be apart from this puppy for more than a few minutes without feeling lost and alone. I would walk it twice a day or more, fed it like a king, rolled around and played with it any…

• Get Your ING Direct $25 New Account Bonuses!

  Clever Dude

  24 Aug 2010 | 5:32 am

  Copyright 2006-2010 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. I love my ING Direct Orange Savings account. Well, love is a strong word. I really like it because I get a much better interest rate than my main bank, but even better, YOU get money for opening an account too! I just loaded up on some more $25 ING Direct referral links, so if you don’t have an account yet (and you’re interested in one) keep reading… Your bonus for opening an account is $25 (and $10 for me) with a minimum opening deposit of $250. That’s an instant 10% return on your money To receive this $25 bonus, you have…

• How I Saved $500 in a Month with Little Effort

  Clever Dude

  11 Aug 2010 | 5:33 am

  Copyright 2006-2010 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. By Vanessa I earn good money, more than most of my friends (and family!) but as a consultant I work hard for it – I get inside my clients’ businesses, I help them with whatever they may need, I offer my advice, my contacts, my services and of course my time. I work late and on weekends and as a result my partner and I recently decided to reward our hard work with a new car. The Dream I have always wanted an Alpha Romeo (probably because of my Italian background – who knows) and so my partner and I headed to the prestige car…

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  Don't Mess With Taxes

• Are you ready for Hurricane Earl?

  skbell1

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:13 am

  Readers of the ol' blog and residents of U.S. coasts are damn glad that the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season has been slow. That means they haven't had to read my freak-outs about the storms and incessant posts about how to prepare for a hard hit. Sorry, but once you go through a couple of 'canes, it's hard not to worry about them even when you're well inland. But now Hurricane Earl is stalking the Eastern Seaboard, poised to brush North Carolina's Outer Banks before skirting New England and eventually making landfall in the Canadian province of News Brunswick or…

• Tax moves to make in September

  skbell1

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:32 pm

  Whew! It's been a crazy busy start to September. I had a ton on my to-do list, some of the tasks being end-of-August items that rolled over into today. One thing I did accomplish today (finally!) was updating the monthly tax moves calendar there in the left column (scroll down a tad). Give it a look. There are lots of tax moves you can make in September to help lower your 2010 tax bill. Now if I could only figure out where in the heck summer went and when cooler temperatures will arrive! Related posts: Weekly tax tips Daily tax tips Midyear Tax Moves 2010 Just past midyear…

• Highest personal state income tax rates

  skbell1

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:41 am

  While we wait for Congress to reconvene next week and start dealing with the impending return of higher federal income tax rates -- OK, quit laughing. It could happen; the Congress doing something, I mean. -- I thought it would be interesting to look at states that already substantially tax their higher-earning residents. Forbes put together a nice slide show on just that topic. According to the magazine, the 10 jurisdictions -- and I have to use that term since the list includes a non-state, the District of Columbia -- with the highest personal income tax rates are: Hawaii:  11 percent on…

• Donate and deduct credit card rebates

  skbell1

  31 Aug 2010 | 11:00 am

  Got credit card rebate cash piling up in your account but nothing really catches your buying fancy? Then donate the plastic-produced money to your favorite charity. Not only does the IRS say it's cool with that philanthropic move, the tax agency says you can deduct your rewards rebate donation. The only thing you have to be careful about is complying with existing charitable donation rules. This means, first off, that the charity getting your rebates is an IRS-authorized organization.  A couple of credit card issuers, according to the Wall Street Journal, already have rewards donation…

• Iowa film credits back, but California out of money for its moviemaker tax break

  skbell1

  31 Aug 2010 | 1:31 am

  Despite many detractors, state programs that provide tax breaks to lure filmmakers continue to be popular among the agencies doing the doling out. In Iowa, where scandal forced the suspension of the Hawkeye State's film tax credit program and the filing of criminal charges alleging theft and mismanagement, two movies have just received Iowa Film, Television, and Video Promotion Program tax credits.  Sam Steele & the Junior Detective Agency, set in Des Moines, and Ash are the first two productions to receive the tax breaks under the state's "fully revised process" that…

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  Money Smart Life

• Mortgage Protection Insurance Basics

  Kevin

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  When we first bought our home we received a ton of advertisements for mortgage protection insurance in our mailbox within the first week. They kept on coming at least one or two letters per week offering mortgage protection insurance, mortgage protection plans, and mortgage cancellation insurance for the first six months of owning our home. It was insane. I had never heard of mortgage protection insurance so I figured other potential home buyers would be interested in discovering what it’s all about before all those letters start hitting your mailbox. Private Mortgage Insurance vs…

• Stock Analysis Ratios

  Ben

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:31 am

  Stock analysis across multiple stocks is much simpler if you take advantage of the insight you can glean from a collection of stock market ratios such as earnings per share, price earnings, dividend yield, and debt to asset ratio.  The performance and market conditions for each company behind shares of stock you’re comparing will vary, making it harder to evaluate the companies all on the same criteria. That’s where financial ratios come into the picture; they can help you understand where companies stand relative to one another in terms of cash flow, debt, earnings, and other…

• Cash Back Rewards When Moving

  Miranda

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:52 am

  One of the things that I realized during two cross-country moves is that you can really rack up the credit card rewards points with a little help from doing something you have to anyway. Moving can be expensive, but you can offset some of the costs by being savvy about your rewards: Cash Back Cards One of the things I did for one move was to put my major moving expenses on my cash back credit card. If you rent a moving truck, or hire a moving company, you can put that large expense on your card. Save up ahead of time for your move so that you can pay off the balance right away. That way the…

• Best Moving Companies for Your Money

  Miranda

  30 Aug 2010 | 11:24 am

  The best moving companies for your money aren’t necessarily the cheapest.  When it comes to moving you have to consider not just the hourly rate of the movers but also their level of experience and the speed with which they work. Since you’re trusting them to load and move all your belongings you want to make sure you’re dealing with a reputable moving company that hires quality movers.  Here are some of the things to look for when you’re screening moving companies. Best Moving Company Practices Try and find out a little bit more about the moving company before you…

• 5 Keys to Retire Overseas

  Ben

  28 Aug 2010 | 9:39 pm

  To retire overseas and live on the beach on a fixed retirement income may sound enticing but how realistic is this form of retirement living? The concept of stretching your retirement savings by moving to a place with a lower cost of living seems to make sense but some of what you hear about retiring overseas may be misleading. Retiring Overseas Retiring abroad is viewed as a way of maintaining one’s social standing on a reduced income, or possibly even improving it. The stereotypical view of a retired western expat is one of an older person on a state pension who lives a decadent…

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  Being Frugal.net

• Jammin’ with the Fam

  Lynnae

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  My husband is a guitar player, and a pretty good one, I might add. He loves his music! My daughter, following in his footsteps, loves all things music as well. She’s an aspiring flute player and singer, and this year she’s going to add guitar to her musical repertoire. Not quite as talented, but definitely proficient, I play the flute and sometimes sing. And though my son declares he’s not interested in music at all, he sure enjoys banging on our new-to-us drum set. I even caught him strumming his dad’s guitar yesterday. Despite the fact that we all love music, our varying abilities…

• Homemade Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

  Lynnae

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  I’ve really been working on eating fewer processed foods lately, and one of the projects I’ve started to tackle is baking my own bread products. I’m certainly no expert yet, but I was pretty proud of my hamburger bun baking efforts last week. I’ve made whole wheat hamburger buns once before, and though they tasted good, they were really heavy. So I went in search of a better recipe to suit my needs, and after a little tweaking, I came up with a hit. I started with the Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns recipe from Heavenly Homemakers. Then I combined it with a homemade dough enhancer recipe…

• Friday Links: Adopt a Rescue Pet Edition

  Lynnae

  27 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  Yesterday the kids and I took a little field trip to our county animal shelter. We had to renew our dog’s license, and while we were there we just had to visit the dogs and cats at the shelter! There weren’t too many dogs, though we we were able to play with some baby pit bulls. I’m not a huge pit bull fan, but those puppies were sure cute! Then we headed over to the cat section and held the cutest little kitten ever! There were a lot of cats up for adoption, and my son begged to take one home. Sadly, I had to tell him no, as we already have two cats and a dog. Last year we adopted our…

• Kyle’s Coupons: Frugal Gift Ideas for your Spouse

  Guest Contributor

  25 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  My wife and I just celebrated our anniversary and this year I actually remembered! I will never forget again, I promise honey. But that is a post for another day and it will be titled, “How to make up with your wife without breaking the bank.” But anyways, this year I scored major points with my wife. Some of the gift giving tips below fit into not only anniversaries, but also birthday’s, Christmas, and of course Mother’s Day. Here are a few of my favorite gift ideas that my wife has loved that didn’t break the bank: ~ Music Mix – If you have your music…

• Our New School Year Begins

  Lynnae

  24 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  Yesterday we started our second year of homeschooling. Though last year went well, we had a few technical problems that I’m hoping to avoid with a little organization this year. Our biggest problem last year was missing school supplies. You see, we’re very relaxed about where we do school. We read books on the bed in the master bedroom. We do math at the kitchen counter. Hannah likes to do her independent work in the spare bedroom. And at the end of the day, the school supplies would be all over the house. That wouldn’t be a huge problem, except for the fact that the next morning,…

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  My Two Dollars

• Need Help Paying Medical Bills? – Negotiate and Ask For a Discount!

  David

  30 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  I just received yet another medical bill from a pathology office that my Dermatologist used a few months ago. After a small biopsy on one visit, and then surgery and stitches on another, I thought I had wrapped up paying off this latest round of skin cancer medical bills – but boy was I wrong. See, I had finished paying off the $700 in doctor’s bills, but not the bills for the lab that did the pathology testing and diagnoses. I had forgotten that my doctor said that those services would be billed separately! Thus, a new bill showed up the other day for $382 from these guys, and just…

• Buy Local – How Spending Money Locally Benefits You & Your Community

  David

  26 Aug 2010 | 10:39 am

  Sure, the convenience of those big-box stores is nice because you can get almost everything you need (and a bunch of stuff you don’t, if you are anything like the average person – myself included) in one place, but do you know where your money goes after you give it to the clerk? It heads right back to the big-box headquarters, paying out giant bonuses and perks to the bigwigs while leaving the workers to fight for minimum wage and meager benefits. I fight the urge to buy everything at the big-box stores as much as the next person, because of convenience and price, but when I think…

• New Bank Overdraft Fee Laws For Your Debit Cards & Checking Accounts

  David

  18 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  As of August 15th, 2010, there are new laws in place regarding overdraft fees from your bank. Up until that date, many banks and credit unions automatically enrolled customers in an overdraft service that could run as much as $35 each time you over-drafted your account. This service was there (in addition to padding the bank’s bottom line) to “protect you” from having your card declined due to having insufficient funds in your account. Granted, if they had just left the $35 IN the account, maybe you wouldn’t have gone over the limit, but still – this was an automatic enrollment…

• Could Your Lack Of Money Be Your Own Fault?

  David

  16 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  About two weeks ago, I was having a pretty in-depth conversation with a good friend of mine when the topic of money came up. Normally, I try to keep talk about both money and politics out of my discussions with my friends, but this time I decided to go with it to see where it went. We talked about how much money we used to make in our twenties compared to today, and if we were doing better now than we were then. While I make about 50% of what I used to make at my highest earning level in corporate America, I am much happier than I was then – I make my own hours, work when I want, and…

• How to Sign Up For the New Health Insurance Plans for Pre-Existing Conditions

  David

  10 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  Just this week, I applied for health insurance that I may actually be able to get. After going without insurance since last year, and being rejected by all the private companies I could find to apply to, a very important part of healthcare reform has started – the ability for those of us with pre-existing conditions to get some form of health insurance. This part of the law created a new program to make health coverage available to you if you have been denied health insurance by private insurance companies because of a pre-existing condition. Hands up – that’s me! Administered…

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  Queercents

• Stretch Your Food Dollar: Lunchtime Extravaganza

  Serena

  31 Aug 2010 | 10:59 am

  Clint mentioned last week that he’s been bringing his lunch to work in order to stretch his food dollar. He’s a smart cookie. If you figure that the average lunch costs around $10, you could be saving $50 a week by bring your lunch to work. The challenge with bringing your lunch is that lunchtime can get kind of ho-hum if you just bring a sandwich or a frozen meal every day. I’m a big believe in sack lunches. I’ve shared recipes with you all in the past for soups, salads, and sandwiches. Here are a few more salad recipes that actually get better after being in the…

• Penny Wise, Pound Foolish: Food

  Clint

  25 Aug 2010 | 4:37 pm

  Thus far in this series, we’ve talked about all the things you should and shouldn’t buy as a consumer to save you money. We discussed how higher quality can cost a little extra initially, but how in the long run it can pay off to pay a little extra. I’ve ignored one thing that you should pay for though, and I hope that thus far it hasn’t been to your detriment. Yes, it makes sense, but you should be sure to pay a little extra for your food. I can understand how you feel right now. You’re probably wondering what expense you can afford to scale back on now. If not…

• Do Nothing to Prevent Overdraft Fees

  Serena

  25 Aug 2010 | 11:23 am

  Are the rest of you as irritated as I am about the banks sending out reminders to consumers about the new overdraft regulations? As of August 15th, customers have to specifically opt in to their bank’s overdraft protection if they want the bank to process transactions that would send an account into insufficient funds. That’s because NSF charges are big business for the banking industry. The Center for Responsible Lending explains: In recent years, many banks have offered overdraft coverage as an automatic “feature” on most accounts. Banks routinely cover overdrafts for a flat…

• Penny Wise, Pound Foolish: Cable

  Clint

  18 Aug 2010 | 8:03 am

  One investment I see people making over and over again is in their diversion. I have heard repeatedly from friends that they’d freak out if they lost their most precious resource: TV. I’m here to tell you that even though you may love it and you may spend all your time with it, paying for TV is foolish. The biggest question to ask yourself is what cable package you have. If you have the super mega deluxe package with 1,500 channels and HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax, why? How could you possibly watch that many channels in your life? In my hedonistic college days, the most I ever had…

• Ten Money Questions for Chris Ryan

  Clint

  16 Aug 2010 | 2:18 pm

  For those of you who haven’t followed this blog very long, we were known for our Ten Money Questions feature, which had small financial-related interviews with various gay celebrities. We have brought this very popular feature back and plan to run it monthly. Enjoy today’s inaugural post with Chris Ryan, NYC club promoter. 1. Just because you do a lot of stuff, can you give us a brief layout of your club promotion empire? Yes, I run a production/promotion company. Onehalf of it is producing events (booking venues, acts, dj’s, staff, gettingdécor, set-up/take down, etc.)…

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  Personal Finance Blog by Money Ning

• Second Recession: Don’t Let Fear Take Over

  Vered DeLeeuw

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  “There’s going to be a second recession. You have to get out of the market NOW!” Said my friend. “It’s going to be a double-dip recession, and the second dip will be REALLY bad. Even treasuries won’t hold up if there’s a triple-digit inflation. You should do what I did. I gave a big chunk of my money to an Australian guy that buys real gold for you and holds it in underground shelters.” This was a real conversation with a real life friend, and as depressing as it was, the conversation also got me thinking about how fear can lead to irrational…

• When You Can Negotiate an Apartment Lease and When to Walk Away

  Thursday Bram

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  An apartment lease is a contract just like any other: there is no one set contract that you have to always adhere to if you want to rent an apartment. As long as the landlord is willing, you can negotiate the terms and make sure that you get the best deal possible. It’s significantly easier to negotiate if you know at least a little about what is happening with local rentals: if you’re living in an area where there just aren’t a lot of apartments available right now, you can negotiate yourself right out of an apartment if you’re not careful. But if you know a landlord…

• Is It Time to Sell Your Mutual Fund?

  Miranda Marquit

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  One of the most difficult things to figure out in investing is when to sell something. The decision to switch things up can be a difficult one to make. What if you get rid of an investment, and it takes off? You’ve just lost out on big profits. Another concern is that you keep an investment that spirals downward, resulting in big losses when you finally decide you have to sell. When it comes to mutual funds, though, many people don’t even think about switching things out. This is because many mutual funds are held in retirement accounts that don’t get a lot of scrutiny.

• You Can Learn from Spendthrifts. Really.

  Tracy

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  Poor spendthrifts don’t get a lot of love on personal finance blogs and websites. We tsk-tsk at their irresponsibility and try to show them the joys of being prudent and frugal but maybe there are lessons that we can learn from our more free spending cousins. Of course, it’s all about balance and if the scales are too tilted towards wild abandon it can end in disaster but I’m a firm believer that there are positive ways to express almost any personality trait. And in the interest of complete disclosure, I have a spendthrift streak in me a mile wide and have found that it gives me a few…

• Saving Money on Prescription Drugs

  Guest Contributor

  28 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  Prescription drugs are one of those items that we know are necessary, but the cost can make them a real budget buster. Some medications cost in excess of $100 each month, and for those people who take several drugs at once, the price tag quickly exceeds their ability to pay. Before you opt out of taking medications you need, let’s look at some ways you can reduce your expense. Check to See What Prescription Drugs are Covered A formulary is a book that lists what medications your insurance company covers. Make sure to ask your insurance company for a copy. Find out if your insurers have a…

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  Money Blue Book

• Day trading: Do you have what it takes?

  MBB_writer

  25 Aug 2010 | 9:29 am

  This is a guest post from Marc Pearlman. When people ask me if they could be successful at day trading, my first response is, “Do you know what day trading is?” Most people don’t. You might think day trading is about finding the best online brokerage, grabbing a stack of financial reports, arming yourself with financial blogs and news and then diving in. What many would-be day traders don’t realize is that success doesn’t come from the uncanny ability to analyze balance sheets and fundamentals like Warren Buffett. And even if you have the ability to interpret…

• Investing tips for today: Q&A with money expert Saly Glassman

  MBB_writer

  9 Aug 2010 | 4:13 pm

  by Barbara Marquand In the wake of the financial meltdown, top money expert Saly Glassman says investors need to take responsibility of their finances and get their investments back on track. Glassman, ranked the nation’s No. 1 woman financial advisor by Barron’s, is author of “It’s About More Than the Money: Investment Wisdom for Building a Better Life” (FT Press: 2010). We recently chatted with her about today’s hot personal money management issues, from coping with losses to investing independently with discount brokers. MoneyBlueBook.com: What’s…

• Overcoming Spending Anxiety: When Financial Planning for Retirement Isn’t Enough

  MBB_writer

  14 Jul 2010 | 9:00 am

  This is a guest post from Marc Pearlman. Back in the early to mid-1990s I made my living by sitting in front of computer monitor with green and red glowing pixels that flashed stock and commodity prices. I was an off-the-floor stock and commodity trader, and in my world, green and red meant everything. Green meant I was making money, and red meant I would be drawing out of my savings to pay for monthly expenses. Fortunately for me, I was given some sage advice from a wealthy mentor of mine who was about 25 years my senior and knew of an obstacle that I was likely to encounter. I still…

• New Credit Card Statement Format

  MBB_writer

  13 Jul 2010 | 1:47 pm

  Usually when I open my credit card statements, my eye goes right to the line that tells me how much I made during the past month in cash back and credit card rewards points. Recently, though, something else caught my eye when I opened my monthly statement: the brand-spanking-new statement format mandated by the Federal Reserve. As of July 1, credit card issuers were required to conform with new rules approved by the Federal Reserve Board to protect consumers from what many have seen as unfair (or at least unclear) practices by the card issuers. The new statement does a lot of things…

• 2011 Federal Income Tax Brackets (IRS Tax Rates)

  quinstreet

  23 Jun 2010 | 7:51 pm

  Although it seems like we already cut a pretty good share of income from our paychecks to satisfy federal income tax demands, most of us had better brace ourselves for a rise in our 2011 federal tax returns as the federal deficit is on track to hit new highs. Many tax cuts enacted by President Bush in 2001 and 2003 are set to expire in 2010. These cuts were designed to help all income levels: America’s low-, middle-, and higher-income workers. The Tax Foundation summarized some of the major changes to the tax code during the last decade: lowered key federal tax brackets (28% to 25%, 31%…

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  My 1st Million At 33 - yes, you can do it too

• Market leaders are revealing themselves

  Frugal

  24 Aug 2010 | 6:54 am

  Slowly through each wave of rise and fall, markets are revealing where the capitals are concentrating. The market leaders are no longer US, Japan, nor Europe, but Brazil, India, China, and Taiwan. US market is facing heavy pressure again today. S&P 500 has broken support at 1080/1085, and then 1065/1060. The technical pictures [...]

• Changing my short-term outlook

  Frugal

  4 Aug 2010 | 6:43 am

  I have been sitting on about 40% in cash (double at the “normal” 20% for me to compensate my high volatility stocks), trying to avoid a big fall that may have come. The last market drop wasn’t that big. In fact, it has risen back to about the mid-point of the trading range. I’m [...]

• Deplete uranium bombs killing infants and causing cancers

  Frugal

  25 Jul 2010 | 5:36 am

  Dear good people with conscience, It is 4:30am in the morning on Sunday. Still waking up from my midnight prayer to God. Just the thought of the incredible amount of pain and suffering that these infants and cancer-sick people need to suffer bring tears immediately to my eyes. LOOK AT THE [...]

• Critical supports need to hold

  Frugal

  20 Jul 2010 | 6:22 am

  Just a short message on stock market. If S&P 500 doesn’t hold 1040/1050 today or through this earning season, then I will turn bearish again. Holding at this level is critical to paint a chart of higher low than the last low at S&P at 1010. Markets have been extremely volatile. It’s best [...]

• Stock markets turning around

  Frugal

  14 Jul 2010 | 7:47 am

  Markets have dipped and then came back since I last commented. For the short term (months), I am moving my bearish stance to neutral because markets have moved beyond the Fibonacci levels. Staying on the sideline in this volatile market is probably the best bet for now. One should use small trading [...]

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  Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck

• Major on the major; minor on the minor

  Michael

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:23 am

  More than two years ago I posted Your Problem Isn’t Starbucks, emphasizing the importance of Saving Strategy # 5: Major on the major, minor on the minor.  Working with Ode Magazine, I created a video further illustrating the importance of the strategy. I think you’ll find it simultaneously liberating and motivational.  Am I right?

• Fiscally Responsible, Not Cheap-Spending on Memberships

  Michael

  23 Aug 2010 | 12:28 pm

  I’m quickly approaching the completion my second book: The Savings Solution.  While the book is almost all new content, I am revising some of my favorite and relevant blog posts and including them as sidebars.  One such sidebar follows. Although adapted from a post I wrote back in December, 2007 it is as relevant to my life today as it was then. I welcome any and all thoughts! Before I had children, I traveled to Ann Arbor, Michigan several times a year to attend University of Michigan football games . Unfortunately, the quantity of my Michigan visits plummeted when I became a…

• Debt Management Video

  Michael

  16 Aug 2010 | 6:08 am

  Here’s my next video on debt management. I hope you enjoy it? You: Is the volume going to be a problem again? That depends. You: On? On whether you want to hear it. You: Of course I want to hear it! Good. Then just increase the volume.  But keep in mind – in a work setting, far better for a video’s volume to be set too soft than too loud.  Especially when we’re talking about debt. Enjoy and please let me know what you think.  Like videos? Want more? Podcasts instead? What topics?

• Would you pay for financial advice from a computer?

  Michael

  9 Aug 2010 | 9:48 am

  I’m a bit skeptical of the quality and impact comprehensive online-only financial planning can make, but the thought has enough merit to have garnered several million dollars in venture capital investment and prominent Wall Street Journal coverage. Take a look at the WSJ article and share your thoughts. One of the key reasons I went to the educational model was because I felt too many people who needed the advice couldn’t afford (or wouldn’t choose to pay for) it. Has the Great Recession changed your attitude about or ability to pay for such comprehensive advice?  Would you…

• Financial Responsibility Video

  Michael

  2 Aug 2010 | 5:58 am

  I recently recorded a video on financial responsibility for Ode Magazine. Please take a few minutes to watch the video below and let me know your thoughts (only the first commenter gets to complain about the low volume, please). =)

• 

  treesfullofmoney.com

• Consumer Alert: “Flushable Wipes” are NOT Flushable

  Ben

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:30 am

  Consider this a very important warning if you use flushable moist toilet paper wipes or flushable toddler wipes in your home!  These products will ruin your home’s septic system!  After weeks of issues with our sewage drains and a $325 service call  to the local septic service company (see the pictures below), my family knows about this issue all too well! Flushable Wipes My A$$: One phone call and a $325 check to my local septic tank service company was "all it took" to take care of my flushable wipe problem! A special thanks to John (my home builder) for also stopping…

• GMAT Study Tips (Graduate Management Admissions Exam)

  Ben

  2 Aug 2010 | 4:23 am

  If you intend to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 12th Edition right now! In case you didn’t know, the GMAT or Graduate Management Admissions Test is sort of like the “SAT” for business school.  The GMAT is one of several components required as part of the business school application process (GPA, work experiences, essays, and professional recommendations are some others). For aspiring MBA readers who are required to take the GMAT,  I would like to share some of the tips and…

• Graduate School, GMAT Studying, and My New Year’s Resolutions!

  Ben

  29 Jul 2010 | 1:38 pm

  It’s hard to believe 3 months have passed since I’ve written a new article on Trees Full of Money! Although I promised in my 2010 New Year’s Resolutions article that I would write more personal finance articles (and I have), over the last few months I’ve been working on another one of my goals for 2010…the pursuit of a graduate degree. Here is an excerpt from that article: Enrolling in a Graduate Degree Program: In my article Are Online Degrees Worth Anything, I mentioned my desire to pursue an advanced degree over the Internet. After some careful research,…

• The Summary of My Family’s Debt Free Success Story!

  Ben

  20 Jul 2010 | 7:02 am

  When I started blogging about personal finance matters over two years ago, I knew I had to share the story of how my wife and I overcame $90,000 of consumer debt in less than two years. After all, the focus of my personal finance website was to help people get control of their finances and lead less stressful lives. I had read many great debt free success stories myself and each one kept me motivated until we eventually achieved our goal of becoming debt free!  Telling our story would allow me to “pay it forward”. What I didn’t realize was how challenging it would be to…

• Investing in Property: Should You Start Young or Wait?

  Ben

  21 Jun 2010 | 4:29 am

  When you’re young and it is your natural inclination to live fast, flexible and free and why shouldn’t you? You have your whole life ahead of you. However, if you are one of the more savvy members or generation Y then you will know that if you want to achieve the dreams you have for your future you need to start now and the more you learn about property investment, the more you will realise that investors in their 20s can have just as much if not more success than their more experienced counterparts. Should You Start Investing Young? Many successful property investors who started building…

• 

  The Baglady

• Mergers and Acquisitions

  admin

  21 Aug 2010 | 2:33 pm

  A long time ago I wrote a post about stock options called California Dreamin’ — ISOs and the Silicon Valley Worker Bee. Basically I wrote about why most people do not get rich from stock options here in the valley and I really hope that young folks coming out of college read my post.  With that said, I am writing this post today because my company just got acquired by a huge company this week.   This is one of the many mergers and acquisitions in the technology field this week and those of you who know me know which deal it is.   As expected, I am not rich , but I will be…

• The No-Mortgage Budget

  admin

  6 Aug 2010 | 12:59 pm

  Lately I have been thinking a lot about getting rid of our mortgage.  If we did not have any housing costs, then our monthly expenses would significantly decrease.  This is a very generous monthly budget I have drafted. Property Taxes: $358 Food: $600 Car Insurance: $190 Gas:$200 Electricity and water: $175 Home insurance: $50 Cellphone + internet: $120 Life insurance: $42 Travel and Entertainment: $300 Home maintenance: $100 Total: $2135 I know that I didn’t include donations, taxes, and health insurance, but I did include a generous estimate of our core expenses.  We actually…

• The “American Dream” of my generation

  admin

  9 Jul 2010 | 4:40 pm

  Today I read an NYT article that basically focused on one young man’s inability to launch a “dream career”, and how his family worried about him.    The article is titled “For a New Generation, an Elusive American Dream” and it notes that 23% of young adults aged from 18 to 29 are not searching for a job, and 14% are unemployed.  The story tries to paint a  bleak picture of my generation’s future, but I think the writer does not quite understand what the American Dream is for today’s young adults. I feel like that the article focused too much on…

• Time to Update the Goals Page

  admin

  9 Jun 2010 | 8:51 am

  I wrote the “Goals” page almost three years ago and haven’t really updated it. I think now it is a good time to address what I have written and what has happened so far. This is the old Goals page: “My goals are quite simple — have at least one child and retire early. However, to do this I would need to save up a quite sizable retirement fund for myself and a fairly large college fund for my child. The pursuit to pass down my genes has a huge financial responsibility attached to it since once I have a child my pay may decrease quite significantly. I have seen many…

• Student Loans – the new subprime crisis?

  admin

  3 Jun 2010 | 4:52 pm

  I have been gone from this blog for a while mostly due to my work and family, but there are so many things I want to write about and haven’t had the time for.  Today I read an article on the New York Times about a young  woman named Cortney Munna the same age as me who has nearly $100,000 of student loans.  The article basically tries to chronicle how the woman got so much debt, and whose fault it is that it got so big.  Here are some of my thoughts on this matter. First of all, many commenters berated Ms. Munna and her mother for choosing an expensive school they could not afford,…

• 

  The Dough Roller

• Why You Should Buy Your Next Cell Phone From Amazon

  DR

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:49 am

  When you think of getting your next cell phone, Amazon probably isn’t the first online destination that comes to mind. Well, it should be. I’ve been in the market for a new phone to replace my iPhone (more about that in another article). I’ve chosen the Droid X from Verizon Wireless, which comes out in a few days. And here’s the kicker–I can get the Droid X from Amazon for less than I can if I buy directly from Verizon Wireless. Amazon recently launched a beta version of Amazon Wireless. And as the Wall Street Journal reported, Amazon has been offering many…

• The 10 Largest Companies in the World

  DR Writer

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  You can measure the size of a company any number of ways.  Market capitalization, the total market value of all shares outstanding and profit margin might work for some but you can also measure a company by total value of assets owned. Today we will look at total revenue, the total amount of gross the company brings in. All of these companies are ranked by their revenue in US dollars. Keep in mind that some of them prepare their books in other currencies, so the dollar value of the revenue they bring in is subject to change based on the exchange rate at any given time.  Also, some companies…

• What is a W-11 Form?

  DR Writer

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:00 am

  Employers curious about tax credits, read on: IRS Form W-11 could get you a tax credit.  Form W-11 is a form used to verify that an employee you recently hired is eligible to qualify you for a tax credit under the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act. The form is really just a certification by the employee that states the following: “I certify that I have been unemployed or have not worked for anyone for more than 40 hours during the 60-day period ending on the date I began employment with this employer,” and “Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined…

• PenFed Premium Travel Rewards American Express® Card 20,000 Point Bonus

  Michael

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  If you’re not familiar with PenFed, it’s probably in your best interest to get to know them. Short for Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PenFed has recently launched a variety of top notch rewards credit cards including the PenFed Premium Travel Rewards American Express® Card.  This card, in addition to a bevy of rewards opportunities mentioned later, is offering new cardholders 20,000 bonus rewards points after signing up and making at least $650 in purchases during the first three months of card ownership. Additional rewards can also be earned on the PenFed Premium Travel Rewards…

• Food Prices Are Soaring Everywhere!

  DR Writer

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:00 pm

  Over the last several years, food prices have begun to soar. Not only at high end grocery stores such as Whole Foods but even at chains such as Safeway, Sam’s Club and Costco. Fueled by trends in the global demand for food and the costs involved in supplying it, finding cheap food is becoming almost impossible. To illustrate the huge jump in food prices, one only has to look at commodities such as wheat and rice. Between 2005 and 2008, average world prices for rice rose by 217%. As it pertains to wheat, the recent droughts and wildfires in Russia caused the government to ban grain exports…

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  Moolanomy Personal Finance

• How to Save Money for Your Dream

  Go Banking Rates

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:00 am

  Everyone has that one extravagant possession he’s always wanted, but never had the money for. Even you probably think about your dream wedding, vacation or home every now and then and long for the cash you need to buy it. So why keep wishing when you can start saving instead? If you want something bad enough, you’ll have the ambition and persistence necessary to make that dream a reality. Take a look at how you can do it… Photo by Honza Sterba via FlickrWhat It Takes to Make It HappenHere’s the bottom line: saving a large sum of money for a “dream”…

• 9 Great Personal Finance Articles to Start Your September

  Pinyo

  1 Sep 2010 | 6:25 am

  It’s unbelievable that August is over and September is upon us already. Next thing you know, it will be Christmas! To kick off the last trimester of the year, I’ve scoured the blogosphere to bring you some interesting personal finance articles from around the web. Check out these articles at your leisure and enjoy.Are You a Financial Nerd, Geek, Dweeb or Dork? from Go Banking Rates — An interesting look at your financial alter ego. May be one just doesn’t describe you well enough, so go ahead and pick two — may be you’re a Nerdy Dweeb? Image from Go Banking…

• How to Support a Family on a Single Income

  John Schroeder (Staff Writer)

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  I often get asked the question – “How can my family live comfortably off of a single income?”. In my response, I always let people know that it is possible and is not that hard. My wife and I have chosen to support our family on one income (by me) and have her stay at home with our two children. While there can be some ups and downs and financial uncertainty raising a family from a single income, the benefits are well worth it.Photo by Kevin N. Murphy via FlickrSo how can we afford to live a comfortable lifestyle in today’s society on a single income? Mostly by proper…

• How to Build Passive Income Stream With Rental Property

  Shaun Connell (Staff Writer)

  30 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  Out of all of the personal financial strategies, one of the most lucrative financial moves is that of purchasing property to lease out to renters. Doing this, if done correctly, can earn you a fantastic return for your investment, as well as earn you a passive income. If you follow some basic guidelines, it could be a viable option for you. Below is a basic real estate investing guide for beginners, with answers to basic questions first time rental investors often ask. Photo by Skaneateles Suites via FlickrWhat is passive income?Any time you make money, the IRS will have to be involved, so…

• How to Budget in Less than 20 Minutes a Week

  Craig Ford (Staff Writer)

  27 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  One of the most common misconceptions about budgeting is that is takes a l-o-n-g time.  Most people who do not learn how to make a budget do so because they believe they don’t have the time to budget. But, if your budget is doing its job you should be able to budget without a major disruption to your schedule.While some people work for different reasons, most people work to pay the bills.  Some even hate or begrudge their jobs.  Yet they continue to put in 40 plus hours a week to earn money to pay the bills.  However, for most people, taking 20 minutes a week to budget could…

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  Fabulous Financials

• Punk My Plateau Day 1: The Firm Fail

  Single Ma

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:37 am

  I completed a 40 minute cardio, weights, and ab workout with The Firm DVD.  It’s too bad because I have nothing exciting to report.  I barely broke a sweat and was only in my fat burn heart rate zone (120 bpm) for 18 seconds. 0_o The cardio was not challenging at all. Now I understand how those skinny chicks can bounce around with a smile on their faces during the entire workout. I used 5 lb dumb bells for the weight session, which was a pretty good work out. My upper body is really weak, so this burned my arms – especially triceps. The abs workout was ok, but Jillian Michaels…

• Punk My Plateau: Complete List of Weight Loss Challenge Participants

  Single Ma

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  You guys are THE best!! Almost all of the weigh in submissions were on time and we’re off to a GREAT start.  I love your energy and excitement. It’s contagious.  Thank you all sooo much for motivating me to punk my plateau! Without further ado, here’s the complete list of weight lost challenge participants with our starting weight and final September weight loss goal. SEPTEMBER  WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE Name Starting Weight Verified Goal Single Ma 144.8 x 6 BK 184 x 8 Aretha 208 x 8 chele 140 x 5 keyalus 172.5 x 6 Jay 192 x 5 APH 162.8 x 6 Michelle 160.4 x 8 JBlue 170 x 5…

• Punk My Plateau: Day 1 Weigh In

  Single Ma

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:22 am

  [standing on the scale, weight 144.8, BMI 26.5] Well there you go.  Ya girl weighs 144.8 lbs, which means I’m 9.8 lbs away from my happy (healthy BMI) weight.  Aaaaah shucks now, it’s time to Punk My Plateau!  By the way, if your scale doesn’t calculate your BMI, you can estimate it here. YOUR Starting Weigh In REMINDER: All starting weigh in reports need to be submitted no later than 9pm ET tonight. For a recap of how to submit and other deets, review the challenge details. Participant Q&A I’ll try to include this section at least once per week.  Since today is…

• Punk My Plateau: Weight Loss Challenge Details

  Single Ma

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:30 am

  I appreciate all of you for your support and participation in the Punk My Plateau Weight Loss Challenge.  I hope you are excited, motivated, and committed until the very end.  I promise, I will be and I intend to share my ups and downs.  By the way, my goal is to lose 1.5 lb per week for a total of 6 lbs.  Here’s a list of all participants and our goals: SEPTEMBER WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE Name Goal Single Ma 6 nofearingthemoney 5 BK 8 Jay 5 Karen 10 APH 6 Molly 8 Tazzee 8 Michelle 8 JBlue 5 Toni 8 Barbara 10 Aretha 8 laura 8 chele 5 cynamonluv 10 Alicia 5 Bonnie 10 Jenifer 10 Molly #2…

• September Challenge: Punk My Plateau

  Single Ma

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:15 am

  Aight peeps, I need some motivation and support.  Ya girl is down to the last 10 lbs between me and my happy (healthy BMI) weight and these suckers are holding on for dear life.  For the past several weeks, my weight loss has yo-yo’d: lose 2, gain 1, lose 1, gain .5 – you get the picture.  The net effect?  A mere -2.8 lb loss in July and -1.4 lb loss in August.  These are the smallest monthly losses I’ve seen since I began my new lifestyle back in late December.  So I think it’s safe to conclude that my body has adjusted to the lower calories, healthier food, and…

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  Gather Little by Little - Personal Finance with a Christian Perspective

• Odd jobs for a little extra cash

  Stew

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  If my day job were actually a “day” job with a set schedule and regular hours, I would almost certainly have a part-time job to go with it. As it is, my only alternate stream of income is blogging which works well with my varied schedule.I am always on the lookout for other ways to make a little extra cash, especially if it is a change-of-pace job. For instance, if your full-time job is as a school teacher, you might want to find a part-time job where you do not have to deal with people. If you have a stationary office job, you might want to get outside, if you are a construction…

• Lessons from Luke: all the wealth of the world is not worth your soul

  Stew

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  This is another post in the series of articles that I am writing about how the Gospel of Luke deals with the subject of money. The book of Luke was written as a letter from one rich man – the physician, Luke – to another rich man by the name of Theophilus. You can read the first post in the series here.Last time we discussed the idea of the Christian ethic in all of our dealings, but especially seen in how we handle finances at work and in our household. As we continue reading through the Gospel, we come to the temptation of Christ by Satan. The account is found in Luke…

• Is your store-branded credit card worth the hassle?

  Stew

  26 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  I have made no secret of the fact that we use credit cards here at the Stew household. “We” as in, my wife and I – our children do not currently carry plastic, although my seven-year old told me to “just put it on the card” the other day.She and I might need to have a talk.Years ago, before I really knew what a credit score was worth, my wife and I would often sign up for store-branded credit cards in order to get the various incentives that come with getting a card: $50 bonus or 20% of a purchase or any number of things.I have since come to understand that the…

• How much is moving worth?

  Stew

  23 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  I have mentioned once or twice that we would like to find a place to rent that comes with lower rent than our current location.Late last week, Mrs. Stew found a rental that had just come open on Craigslist and called to find out more details. A few days later, we drove over to see the place. It was not terrible, some things we liked, some things we did not like. Let me lay out the pros and cons to see what you think:Good things about our current place:More space: The finished square footage between our current duplex and the possible new location is about the same, however, our current place…

• Christian Finance Blog Carnival

  Stew

  18 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  Here are some from the Christian Finance Blog Carnival that is organized by Money Help for Christians. Perhaps a few articles will be of interest to you:Joseph presents Coupons – Save Money posted at Penny Pinching.Craig Ford presents Student Loan Debt Forgiveness | For Ministers & Non-Profit Workers posted at Money Help For Christians, saying, “How ministers can have their student loan debt forgiven.”Colin Robertson presents How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt posted at The Truth About Credit Cards.com.DebtManagement presents New FTC Regulations Seek to Rein in Unethical Debt…

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  Money & You® -Excellerated Business Schools®- DC Cordova

• Mahatma Gandhi – Food For Thought

  DC Cordova

  21 Aug 2010 | 5:53 pm

  Mahatma Gandhi gave his grandson Arun Gandhi, The Seven Blunders of the World… on their final day together, not too long before his assassination. The Seven Blunders Are: Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Knowledge without character Commerce without morality Science without humanity Worship without sacrifice Politics without principle This list grew from Gandhi’s search for the roots of violence. He called these acts of passive violence. Preventing these is the best way to prevent oneself or one’s society from reaching a point of violence. To this list, Arun…

• Grant Lewers Interviews DC Cordova

  DC Cordova

  18 Aug 2010 | 7:30 am

  Grant interview me because he wanted to share with the world about left/right brain teaching techniques — about “Excellerated Learning” and to show many others that when they don’t succeed in School is not because they are not smart, it’s just that their style of learning may not match our traditional school’s way of teaching. He was so happy to have found me, since he had heard so much about me/Kiyosaki as he was growing up, and he interviewed me for his show in The Room Live.

• Join Us For The World Expo In Shanghai

  DC Cordova

  13 Aug 2010 | 3:55 pm

  Visit China with a Powerful Network Of Successful Entrepreneurs! World Expo Shanghai / Networking Trip to China September 17 – 25, 2010 Have You Ever Wanted to Go to China and Meet Successful Entrepreneurs That You Can Do Business With? Chinese Entrepreneurs are just as eager to meet people from other countries/markets, as you are to meet them… DC Cordova has been doing business in the Asia Pacific Region since 1989 – and been doing programs in China since 2001 with her wonderful associate, Willson Lin, and his team of hundreds of people that spend full time promoting the Chinese…

• A Novel Leadership Example

  DC Cordova

  1 Aug 2010 | 8:39 pm

  Leadership isn’t always about being the leader… as this video explains. It’s a great example of how to start a movement, and how important it is to get momentum.

• Celebrating Buckminster Fuller

  DC Cordova

  12 Jul 2010 | 5:48 pm

  Today, July 12, we are celebrating R. Buckminster Fuller’s birthday. He was such a futurist that we can expect his work still being world-famous decades from now.  We were blessed to have him in our lives as a Mentor — we were not his Protegees (you had to be a genius to be that) — but students of the principles that he taught us. Bucky would learn from nature and then apply it the human experience. Here’s a great video from CBS Sunday Morning Show… You can find many other resources and learn more about our dear teacher in our Bucky Library here…

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  Hustler Money Blog

• Get $220 Bonus from Bank of America Checking Account

  Hu$tler

  26 Aug 2010 | 5:16 pm

  For those with a Bank of America credit card, you can get a $220 Bonus for open its Checking Account. This one of the highest bonuses I’ve seen in a long time especially from Bank of America. However, in order to get the $220: * Earn $100 for setting up Direct Deposit within 3 months. * Earn $20 each month for six months for paying your Bank of America credit card online from your new Bank of America checking account. I personally bank with BOA due to their convenience of more than 5,900 branches or 18,000 ATMs. Sign up now before they take it away. Fine terms: Eligibility: This is a…

• New Chase $100 Bonus til 9/30/2010

  Hu$tler

  24 Aug 2010 | 10:29 pm

  The $125 Chase personal checking bonus is currently dead, however you can get the $100 Chase Bonus by emailing me at hustlermoneyblog@gmail.com No direct deposit is required with this coupon In order to see the coupon code, you must have a Chase account. Whether it’s a Chase checking or credit card, log in first to see the $100 coupon. If you do not have a Chase account, you can email me at hustlermoneyblog@gmail.com to request for a Chase $100 bonus code. Get a $100 cash bonus when you open a Chase CheckingSM account and set-up direct deposit or make five debit card purchases.

• $20 Cash Back Bonus from Chase for Paying 3 Bills

  Hu$tler

  24 Aug 2010 | 3:36 pm

  I’m not sure if it’s by invitation or not, but if you use Chase banking, you may be able get $20 Cash Back for paying 3 Bills Since you are paying bill already, might as well jump on this to get the cash bonus.  Simply use your Chase Debit Card to pay 3 or more phone, cable/satellite TV, insurance and/or utility bills. You could help avoid late fees and hassles, plus get $20. Don’t forget about the Chase $100 Bonus for opening a Checking account. Here’s all you need to do: 1. ENROLL your Chase Debit Card in this promotion. 2. PAY 3 or more phone, cable/satellite TV,…

• Chase RealCash $10 Bonus Debit Card + 3% Cash Back

  Hu$tler

  20 Aug 2010 | 9:46 pm

  For those with a Chase checking account and use their debit card often, it might be worthwhile to sign up for this $10 Bonus RealCash Debit card to get 3% cash back on groceries, gas, fast food, coffee, and drugstores. It’s important to note that there is a $25 annual fee with this debit card cash back special. There is also the Chase $100 Checking Bonus if you don’t have one. From the website: Qualifying Purchases: Qualifying purchases include purchases made with your debit card without using a PIN. Such “non-PIN” purchases include purchases you sign for, purchases…

• $150 Checking Account Bonus at BBVA Compass

  Hu$tler

  19 Aug 2010 | 7:59 pm

  For all my readers  living in AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, NM & TX, you can now get $150 checking account bonus from BBVA Compass. Offer ends on 8/31/2010 Follow these steps: Open a new Build to Order Checking account online Set up payroll Direct Deposit and earn $75 Sign up for Online Bill Pay and earn $25 per month by paying at least 5 bills per month for 3 months Deal ends 8/31/2010 From the website: All accounts are subject to approval. Minimum $25 opening deposit required for checking accounts. Offer available for new consumer checking households only. Accounts opened online between 8/1/2010…

• 

  American Consumer News

• Financial Times Free Trial: Get a Four-Week Free Trial to the Financial Times

  admin

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:00 am

  If you have any interest in keeping up-to-date about the news that’s happening on the global stage, consider taking advantage of the four-week free trial to the Financial Times which is currently being offered to new customers by the financial paper of record. The Financial Times is offering all new customers a risk-free four-week free trial subscription. After the Financial Times free trial period, you have the option of opting in for 48 more weeks, for a one-year total subscription, for just $99.00. If you aren’t interested in continuing after the free trial, you can cancel at any time.

• HSBC Advance Review: Our Review of HSBC Advance’s Online Savings Account

  admin

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:37 pm

  HSBC Advance, the rebranded version of HSBC Direct, offers an online savings account to customers in the United States that’s currently offering a 1.10% APY interest rate. Here is our HSBC Advance Review. Because of the current depressed interest rate environment, the idea of an online savings account has all but disappeared. These accounts which were offering competitive 5% APY interest rates just three years ago have fallen to about 1%. HSBC Advance is right in the pack along with their 1.1% APY, but is still well above what you would get from a bricks-and-mortar bank and is currently…

• Mozy Pro: Affordable Backup Solutions for Your Business

  admin

  1 Sep 2010 | 1:49 pm

  If you own a small or medium sized business and don’t have a back-up solution for your computer systems, you’re leaving yourself vulnerable to losing years’ worth of important documents and files. There are a number of back-up solutions available, but one worth considering is the Mozy Pro solution by Mozy. There are a lot of different ways to back-up your data. A common technique that many small business owners rely on is backing up their data to an external storage device, such as an external hard-drive, a USB flash drive or burning their content to CDs. However, if all of your data is…

• MozyHome: Get Unlimited Data Backup for Your Mac or PC

  admin

  1 Sep 2010 | 1:42 pm

  If you don’t have a comprehensive back-up plan for your computer, you are placing yourself at risk to lose years’ worth of important music, documents and photos. There a number of back-up solutions available, but one worth considering is the MozyHome service. There are a lot of different ways to back-up your data. A common technique that many people rely on is backing up their data to an external storage device, such as an external hard-drive, a USB flash drive or burning their content to CDs. However, if all of your data is in one place, you are still at risk from a fire or any natural…

• Prime Rate Website Offers Wall Street Journal Subscription Discounts

  admin

  31 Aug 2010 | 8:20 pm

  If you have any interest in a subscription to the Wall Street Journal, the financial paper of record for the United States, the U.S. Prime Rate has a great deal for those interested in subscribing. Here’s the press release they recently issued: PHILADELPHIA, PA–(Marketwire – September 29, 2009) – The United States Prime Rate website at www.FedPrimeRate.com is now offering discount subscriptions to the Wall Street Journal. “We’ve added lots of new content, including new blogs and charts,” said content manager Steve Brown. “We’re excited to…

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  Cash Money Life

• How To Save Money on Telephone Service

  Ryan

  2 Sep 2010 | 2:48 am

  Technology changes everything. 10 years ago, almost everyone had a traditional landline telephone. 20 years ago I lived in a town where you only had to dial the last 4 digits to make a local call. Before that it wasn’t uncommon to have a party line, where people shared a phone line and if you weren’t careful, they could listen in on your calls. Now you can get call waiting, caller ID, and a host of other features via a traditional landline, cable connection, or the internet. Or you can skip the landline altogether and just use a cell phone, which is what I have done for the last 7…

• Finding Work Overseas

  Guest Contributor

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:20 am

  Finding work overseas: Yes, it’s possible, yes, there are challenges, and yes, it may be worth it. The economic recession has been difficult and millions of Americans of all ages are facing the prospect of long term unemployment or underemployment (i.e. having a job that barely pays the bills and does nothing to enhance your career). Some people may be wondering about opportunities in other countries in order to continue their career progression, or simply find a job that pays well. Unfortunately, this most recent economic crisis has been almost global. Most recessions, in fact almost all…

• Chase Ink(SM) Bold with Ultimate Rewards(SM) $50 Cash Bonus

  Michael

  31 Aug 2010 | 12:00 pm

  The Chase Ink(SM) line of small business credit cards are excellent ways for start-ups to acquire a line of credit to help them grow.  However, if you’re more interested in finding a card to make everyday purchases, simply for convenience, look no further than the Chase Ink(SM) Bold with Ultimate Rewards(SM) charge card.  Charge cards, unlike credit cards, require the balance to be paid in full each and every month.  Failure to do so could result in extensive penalties, including the closure of your account. As an added bonus, signing up for the Chase Ink(SM) Bold with Ultimate…

• Why Do Millionaires Budget?

  Craig

  30 Aug 2010 | 9:52 pm

  This guest post is by Craig Ford.  Craig, a freelance writer and missionary, blogs at Money Help For Christians.  Today is the last day that you can get a copy Craig’s eBook, The Secret to a Successful Budget for 30% off. In the book The Millionaire Next Door, the authors, Thomas Stanley and William Danko, share the results of their research and interviews with millionaires.  Ultimately, they seek to identify the habits, traits, and characteristics of millionaires.  Essentially, the book serves to correct many false assumptions regarding the lifestyle of the rich. Stanley and Danko ask…

• When Companies Go Too Far

  Ryan

  29 Aug 2010 | 11:10 pm

  We live in an information age where most companies welcome the dissemination of information about their products and services. And why not? So long as they can back it up, companies only have something to gain. That is why you see so many businesses with FaceBook pages and Twitter accounts – they want to reach a larger audience and create a buzz about their company. But some companies can’t back up their products or services and they only stand to lose money if information about their product, service, or business model is examined with a critical eye. In these instances,…

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  Grad Money Matters

• 10 Reasons Not to Buy a New Car

  31 Aug 2010 | 8:40 pm

  (This is a guest article by Miles Walker*)The debate on whether to buy a used car or new car rages on, with both sides justifying their choice vehemently. With the on going recession and the economy being down, we have a few more people jumping on to this side of the fence, where we like our good old cars. Here are my ten reasons for why buying a new car is not a great idea. 1. Necessity:While many people live in areas that require some sort of motorized transportation, buying a brand new car right off the showroom floor is not necessarily a wise move. Once the ink is dried on the contract…

• 10 Great Ideas to Earn a Part Time Income

  26 Aug 2010 | 9:00 am

  (This is a guest article by Cody*)Attending college is an exciting time of life with many new adventures. Attending class, studying, networking, walking around campus and doing whatever else is fun these days. One of the least attractive ideas is finding a part time job when you could be attending football games or going to a party, but it is something that is nearly essential to fund your college experiences and to set you up for your post graduate life. I have assembled 10 great ideas or ways to earn a part time income while attending your university.Free LanceHave a skill? There are many…

• Networking to Success

  23 Aug 2010 | 8:52 am

  (This is a guest article by William Eve*)When you graduate and join the workforce, you learn that in addition to your degree, many more skills are required to climb the career ladder. One skill that should be mastered as early as possible is the art of networking. Grad school is the perfect place to lay the foundation and hone your networking skills, so that you can enter the workforce with a distinct advantage over your peers. Here's a quick crash course on networking to get you started.What is Networking?Networking is the building of relationships within the business world. You meet someone…

• Masters Degree Programs Online: Should you Jump on the Band Wagon?

  18 Aug 2010 | 8:48 am

  (This is a guest article by Justin Laughridge*)If you are considering getting your degree online, regardless of your field or your chosen major, you aren’t alone in the current educational landscape. In fact, online education is a rapidly growing segment of the educational systems at many colleges, as evidenced by the rapid uptick in online enrollment. Consider this: from 2002 to 2006, the number of students enrolled in online degree programs has almost tripled, and the number continues to grow, with most estimates agreeing that well over 1 million students are currently enrolled just in…

• The American Dream of Home Ownership: 10 Things You Can Do as a Student

  16 Aug 2010 | 8:27 am

  (This is a guest article by Kyle Chezum*)College students often take home ownership as a fact of adult life — as something inevitable that will happen when it happens. But homeownership requires real effort, commitment, and responsibility, many college students aren't sure what steps to take to meet these requirements. The following ideas will help get you started on homeownership before you graduate.Put some thought into it. Are sure you want a home? Is it part of your future plans? If so, make it a goal. Work toward it. If you're not intentional about getting there someday, you won't.

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  brip blap

• teaching and being taught, and links

  Steve

  27 Aug 2010 | 7:02 pm

  I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this on this blog or not, but I spent a fair amount of time as a part-time schoolteacher for both middle school and college freshmen as a substitute teacher and later as a graduate assistant. I taught intro to calculus and accounting in grad school and substituted for math, gifted ed and other subjects when I was still chasing my starry-eyed dream of becoming a math professor.  I was good.  My students liked me and I don’t recall if I’ve ever had a negative review or bad experience teaching (I don’t think I have).  I…

• how to become a successful consultant

  Steve

  23 Aug 2010 | 7:07 pm

  I’ve preached the gospel of “going it alone” for years on this blog, and I stick by it. I’ve seen far too many of my colleagues hung out to dry by the corporations they work for to think that being an employee is a good career path.  But being a consultant has one ugly secret, deep down at its core:  in order to be a successful consultant (monetarily, not actually effective) requires that you first spend your time in the dirty, ugly trenches as an employee. I’d like to say it isn’t true. I’d like to think a really gifted, talented person with an eye…

• minimalism, and links

  Steve

  21 Aug 2010 | 6:49 pm

  One of the most difficult steps to organize your life – finances, relationships, etc. – is decluttering, I think.  I’ve been thinking a lot more recently about the idea of decluttering and minimalism.  I don’t consider myself a minimalist, but I have simple test that works:  if I clean up, do I feel more relaxed?  If I organize and remove unnecessary items, do I feel better?  Yes, I do.  It’s not a tough test; anyone can do it quickly.  I don’t like clutter.  I don’t even like auditory clutter; on a Waldorf-inspired binge a few months ago, I…

• learn one lesson: who is the client?

  Steve

  18 Aug 2010 | 8:36 pm

  Whether you work as an employee, a consultant, a small business owner or an entrepreneur you probably find yourself in a client relationship from time to time. In my case, I’m always serving a client. Over time I’ve realized that a good question to ask yourself, as someone in client service, is “who is the client?” I’ll approach this question as a consultant, but I think it applies to almost anyone who works with clients or even works in a company where they have to treat other employees as clients. Asking this question might seem stupid, but I think that…

• nothing ever changes, and links

  Steve

  15 Aug 2010 | 8:30 pm

  Not to inject politics, but just to point out how times change, here’s a quote from an American politician in the not-too-distant past (emphasis mine): In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we’ve discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. We’ve learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives…

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  Poorer Than You

• Net Worth Update: July 2010

  Stephanie

  9 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  Back for another check-in on my finances! Prepare yourself – this entry comes with a startling revelation! (Dun, dun, DUN!) Change: $1,561 or +4.86%   A nice continuous climb for that little line! If you look at the chart, you may notice that it’s up into the area that was the first “fall” in the chart back in 2007, when I went back to school and started taking out student loans again. But, this is where the “startling revelation” comes in… The growth on this chart is a lie. Or, an exaggeration, anyway. And I call this a startling revelation because it really did take me by…

• Net Worth Update: June 2010

  Stephanie

  2 Jul 2010 | 5:40 am

  I’m back again for another spin ‘round the ol’ Net Worth calculation! It’s time to see what happened in June and how some big changes (relatively speaking) to my student loans affected the bottom line. Here’s the sitch: Change: $1,220 or +3.66 % Yep, I still go it! (“It” being that awesome knack I have for making my net worth climb upward these days.) I managed to sock a good amount away into my savings, while weathering a few tiny storms that threatened to pull my net worth back in the downward direction. It’s all about the savings, my friends. Student Loans: You may note, if…

• Net Worth Update: May 2010

  Stephanie

  30 Jun 2010 | 5:18 pm

  Nothing like doing something at the last possible hour! (It’s a great way to relive your college days once you’re a year out, by the way.) Before I calculate all the fun stuff for June of this year, I really ought to go back and cover what happened in May. So, here goes… Change: $721 or 2.12 % Hot diggity-dog, guys! Yep, things are going pretty a-okay for the time being. Of course, any upward movement is a big deal for me, compared to the years of depressing student loans and work-study paychecks that dragged my line graph down-down-down. Happy times! Knocked one of the weddings off of…

• Net Worth Update: April 2010

  Stephanie

  10 May 2010 | 5:00 am

  Hi. I don’t want to leave you guys hanging, even though that’s what I’ve obviously managed to do. I won’t try to do the obligatory excuses, but rather just say that my life has gotten more hectic instead of less, and that we’re still in the “valley” of my hypothetical time graph. However, my net worth graph is looking a lot less valley-like, so let’s focus on that! Change: $1,311 or 3.70 % I call that “movin’ on up” alright! The vast majority of April’s jump went into my newly formed retirement account at Vanguard, actually. The rest is sitting in my (interest-baring)…

• Net Worth Update: March 2010

  Stephanie

  2 Apr 2010 | 4:19 am

  I sincerely hope you enjoyed yesterday’s April Fool’s Day prank, and that if you did fall for it, you’re not pissed at me! Yesterday’s post was a heart-wrenching goodbye that was 99.9999% true. That’s the key to a good April Fool’s joke: plausibility. Everything in yesterday’s post was true… except for the conclusion that I’ll stop writing. Because honestly, I’m not smart enough to know when to quit. Lucky for you, I suppose Plus, I have some truly HOT news to share in this month’s Net Worth Update, so it’s no time to quit writing now! Change: $1,427 or 3.87 % Booyah,…

• 

  The Wisdom Journal

• Why I Didn’t Buy A Franchise

  Ron

  31 Aug 2010 | 6:50 am

  Franchises offer a lot of benefits for entrepreneurs. The biggest benefit is the “system” that a franchise develops and then sells to franchisees. With a franchise, you get instant name and brand recognition, and the assistance of a team or professionals who have “been there, done that.” But all that glitters is not gold in the world of big time franchises. Put on your thinking cap and ask yourself, why would a company wish to franchise its operations? Why would they give away their most closely guarded secrets, their unknown formulas for success, and their highly classified and…

• Getting Past A Call Screener

  Ron

  30 Aug 2010 | 1:42 am

  Getting past a call screener is easier than you think. Of course, some people are totally confident in their ability to use the phone and get to a decision maker (we generally call them high powered salespeople). However, 90 percent of us are reluctant to pick up the phone and make a “cold call” if we think there’s a call screener involved (we usually call these job seekers). If you’re not experienced in using the phone, believe it or not, it’s a mostly friendly and helpful world out there. Most executives I know DO screen their calls but generally are courteous and…

• Roundup and Link Love: End of Summer 2010 Edition

  Ron

  26 Aug 2010 | 11:00 pm

  Yeah, I know. Summer officially ends September 20th or so, but when the kids go back to school, let’s face it: summer’s over. We’re caught up in back to school-itis. Here are some great articles and posts I read this week. Check ‘em out! Democrats, Republicans, and the Federal Debt Since 1979 – you might be surprised. Lowest Paying College Degrees – going in with your eyes open if you choose one of these degrees. Is College Still Worth the Debt? – hmm, maybe. I think it depends on how much debt and how much you can expect to earn with your degree. How To Finance Your Degree The…

• The Beauty of a Handwritten List

  Ron

  26 Aug 2010 | 4:25 am

  When I was in college, I stumbled upon a study method that always resulted in an “A” when I used it. It centered around taking notes in class, then rewriting those notes. I found that the more I wrote, the better I could remember. Writing things down by hand allowed me to dictate my future. Some believe that writing a list trivializes and oversimplifies but in my case, a list made things come alive (it still does). Can you imagine going to the grocery store to purchase items for a new, complicated recipe without having a list? You’ll probably have to make at least one more trip, maybe…

• 8 Job Market Myths and Truths

  Ron

  25 Aug 2010 | 3:35 am

  Finding a job in the midst of an economic recession can be a daunting task. The job market seems confusing, positions scarce, and applicants plentiful while the myths abound more than ever. I believe the key is to seek more than just a job, but to seek a position. A job is general, whereas a position is specific to its role and responsibilities. 8 Job Market Myths 1. If I can’t find the right position for me, it probably doesn’t exist This is a typical, though inaccurate conclusion drawn by many frustrated job seekers. According to study after study, over 85% of all job vacancies are not…

• 

  Everybody Loves Your Money

• Average College Debt in the US

  Hazzard

  25 Aug 2010 | 5:13 am

  Well, this wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but I guess the main thing to realize is that this is the average.  If you are helping to increase the average, I’d say you are in bad shape, but if you are able to complete a college degree with average debt or lower, it seems like a good investment.  I mean, many people finance more than $20K for a car!  Seems to me you’d be better off financing that amount if you actually get a college degree out of it. Anyway, go check out the cool graph at Mint.com http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/student-loans-08242010/

• What’s the Single Best Thing to Do to Lower Your Energy Costs?

  Hazzard

  19 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  Think you know the single best thing you can do to save energy?  A recent survey shows that most people don’t.  The single best thing you can do to conserve energy and save money on your power bill is to swap out all of your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.  While you can certainly save money by vigilantly turning off lights around your house, you get much bigger savings by actually using CFL bulbs.  If you think about it, it kind of makes sense.  While you might save some money only using a 60 watt bulb 75% as long, you can save much more by using 15…

• Calculating a 10% Discount

  Hazzard

  17 Aug 2010 | 5:31 am

    There are only a few things in life that are as easy as calculating a 10% discount.  I think I grasped the concept at about age 7.  Look at the total and move the decimal point one digit to the left to figure out what a 10% discount would be.  For example a $10.00 total would yield a $1 discount.  A $100.00 total would yield a $10 discount.  If you are out here surfing through personal finance websites, I’m sure you didn’t just learn something new.  If you happen to be Forest Gump, you also probably didn’t learn anything new here. So why do the…

• Our Budget – A Look Back

  Hazzard

  16 Aug 2010 | 5:05 am

  I was browsing through my “Personal Finance” folder on my computer a couple of days ago and stumbled upon an old copy of my master budget/net worth spreadsheet from about 4 years ago.  I’ve always enjoyed looking back at old copies of our finances because it reminds me of how far we’ve come. As I looked over the numbers on the spreadsheet, one number really stood out.  It was the “total monthly expenses” number.  The number was actually higher than our expenses are today.  I won’t lie.  It put a smile on my face, mostly because it made me feel like…

• Calculating My Daily Costs

  Hazzard

  13 Aug 2010 | 4:15 pm

  I was sitting around one day when I started wondering how much my property taxes cost me each day.  I had absolutely no idea, although I knew that I pay over $4000 a year in property taxes.  After a quick check, I found I’m actually paying $4450 in property taxes each year.  Ugh.  So, what does that work out to per day?  $12.19.  Double ugh. Then I started wondering how much it costs me per day to be in my house.  If it costs me $12.19 for taxes, how much does it cost me in interest and insurance costs?  $51.00 per day.  Geez.  Maybe I…

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  CreditCards.com

• No politics in shutdown of bank failure

  Dan Ray

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:00 am

  Alexi Giannoulias' bid to take President Obama's former seat in the U.S. Senate got a boost Thursday when a federal report concluded politics played no part in how the failure of his family-owned bank played out. "Nothing came to our attention to suggest that FDIC officials or the FDIC examination, enforcement action, or closing processes were subject to any political or inappropriate influence," said the report issued by the inspector general's office of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. A leading Republican, Rep. Dan Issa of California, had asked the FDIC to investigate the April…

• Brother, can you spare a swipe? Contactless card reading guitar unveiled

  Tyler Metzger

  30 Aug 2010 | 1:48 pm

  Have you ever had the strong urge to give your hard-earned money to someone strumming "Dust in the Wind" out of key at a vacant intersection? Well, neither have I. But London-based issuer Barclays hopes our apprehension will disappear with its new approach to street charity: a wireless, touchless, credit card accepting guitar. The financial institution unveiled the instrument Thursday, Aug. 26, in London during a publicity stunt promoting its "contactless technology." People passing by a street musician -- known as a "busker" in the UK -- were handed prepaid cards loaded with £5 and were…

• Emily's list: Hurricane season edition

  Emily Starbuck Gerson

  25 Aug 2010 | 4:53 pm

  Despite officially starting June 1, hurricane season is about to kick into high gear.  While meteorologists have scaled back their predictions a wee bit, there are still some major storms coming our way, according to Reuters. There is double the chance this year that a hurricane will hit the U.S. Northeast Coast, making the area just as risky as Florida and the Gulf Coast.The Weather Service International has predicted that we will see 18 named storms, 10 of which will go on to become hurricanes. Five of those are expected to be category three or higher (111 miles per hour or more), says…

• Emily's list: More airline fees edition

  Emily Starbuck Gerson

  20 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  I don't know why I'm surprised when airlines add new fees. Sadly, it seems like there is no end in sight. The baggage fees instituted a few years ago when the airline industry was suffering were what kicked off the trend, and since then, airlines have begun charging for the likes of blankets, soft drinks and paper tickets, not to mention the fees incurred for redeeming frequent flier rewards. There have also been rumors about budget airlines, such as Ryanair, charging to use the toilets, but fortunately, that hasn't happened yet. On Wednesday, American Airlines got creative and announced a…

• Jennifer Aniston, Liv Tyler alleged victims of card fraud

  Tyler Metzger

  19 Aug 2010 | 2:21 pm

  Jennifer Aniston's former beautician could be doing the hair and nails of a different type of clientele if convicted of stealing credit card information from a variety of A-list celebrities. Maria Gabriella Perez, owner of the Beverly Hills salon Chez Gabriela Studio, was arrested Wednesday and accused of fraudulently charging hundreds of thousands of dollars on cards belonging to Aniston, Liv Tyler, Anne Hathaway and Melanie Griffith, according to court documents and news sources. Records claim Perez charged about $280,000 to celebrity cards in just one year; $214,000 of that was charged on…

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  Money Smarts Blog

• New Direction For Money Smarts Blog And A Book Announcement

  Mike Holman

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:00 am

  As Mr. Cheap announced yesterday, our blog partnership has come to an end.  It’s been a great three years and I only hope that he continues to write elsewhere, so I can still enjoy his posts. Future direction of Money Smarts Blog My plan for Money Smarts Blog is to make the blog more focused on personal finance.  There will be the usual range of personal finance topics, but there will be an increased emphasis on investing topics such as investing accounts and investing products. I’m going to do one post on Wednesdays and a roundup on Fridays.  I may try doing the occasional…

• Money Smarts Changes

  Mr. Cheap

  31 Aug 2010 | 2:11 am

  Mike recently hinted at some upcoming changes and got frequent commenters intrigued. In the past, it’s often take us a couple of stabs to clearly convey changes to the blog, so this is my half of the description of what’s happening.  Mike should be providing more details tomorrow. Mike recently called me up, reminded me that when I sold him my half of the blog we’d agreed that either one of us could opt-out of the paying me $20 / post agreement we’d made, and that he wanted to bring it to an end. My reaction was actually to laugh, because I’d been planning for a…

• Relatives Battling Over RESP Money – Who Gets It?

  Mike Holman

  30 Aug 2010 | 2:00 am

  We have an interesting RESP question asked by Bea – who shall henceforth be referred to as “Grandma B”.  Here is her comment: Who supervises how the resp is spent–can a child remove all the funds and not use them for education–I am a grandmother of a family who have resp grants from me–I hold the papers in my name and know the father would love to grasp the funds on the 18th birthday–what is the protection–is there proof needed by the government that it was used for education? If the 2nd child turns 18 and the first one did not go on to school are they…

• LinkStuff – End of Summer and Heat Wave Plus Big Announcement Edition

  Mike Holman

  27 Aug 2010 | 3:00 pm

  The Toronto heat wave is finally over. I think it started sometime in February? Lots of big announcements regarding Money Smarts Blog next week, so make sure you come back and check them out. One announcement on Tuesday and another on Wednesday. My wife sent me a couple of great quotes regarding inactivity this week – I thought they were great. You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind. Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome. Samuel Johnson My faves Michael James on Money wrote a neat post on exactly how much his in-ground pool…

• How to Get More Comments on Blog Posts

  Mr. Cheap

  27 Aug 2010 | 2:15 am

  One of the best things about blogging is the comments readers leave. Far more than other publishing mediums, blogs allow the writers to get closer to having a dialogue with their readers. On a number of occasions I’ve talked to people about comments, why readers comment and how to get them to do so more. I’m unwilling to follow a number of the approaches myself, but here they are for other bloggers to consider. Get More Readers There’s a certain proportion of readers who will comment on blog posts (I’ve heard the estimate of 1% from multiple sources), so the easiest…

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  Single Guy Money

• How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt When Your Income is Irregular

  SingleGuyMoney

  28 Aug 2010 | 11:59 pm

  I've always been very careful to live within my means and not take on any significant amount of debt but around six months back, I learned the hard way that this isn’t always enough to keep you in the black. My beloved cat suddenly got very sick and I instinctively knew that I’d do whatever it took to help her. Everything seemed to happen all too quickly and she passed away a couple of weeks later, at which point I’d charged my emergency-only credit card for $1,500 on tests, treatment and medication for her various ailments. For most people, the prospect of paying this off…

• Cell Phone Contracts - How I Make Sure I’m Really Getting Good Value

  SingleGuyMoney

  23 Aug 2010 | 11:50 am

  I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to pin myself down to one cell phone provider after my previous contract came to an end. I’m not one for fancy cell phones so all I was really looking for was something with a reasonable amount of airtime that wouldn’t leave me out of pocket. Here are some of the things I had to think long and hard over before choosing which provider to go with: How much airtime I'll really use. I don’t tend to spend a lot of time on my cell phone so I have no real need for a contract that offers 1000 minutes or unlimited texts. Several of my friends are tied into…

• Make Money Online with Surveys - Can It Be Done?

  SingleGuyMoney

  18 Aug 2010 | 8:01 am

  When the topic of making extra money comes up, taking online surveys is often one of the ideas that is put forward. This is something that I do myself after I read about it on an online forum, but it’s by no-means a “get rich quick” scheme. If you’re thinking about signing up for a host of survey websites, it’s best to know what you’re getting involved in so you can decide if it’s going to be worth the effort. What Are The Reward Options? For the most part, you’ve got the choice between cash and vouchers. Cash may come in the form of a Paypal payment or in some cases, a…

• College Dorm Room Decorating and Furnishing Ideas for Less

  SingleGuyMoney

  9 Aug 2010 | 11:08 am

  Most dorm rooms are on the basic side and all you'll usually get is the bare minimum in terms of furniture and decoration. They tend to be impersonal but putting your own stamp on the place can quickly become a challenge for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there's the all-important money issue. Most students are not exactly rolling in dough and are unlikely to have the funds to spend on decking out a dorm room. Secondly, there's the space aspect to consider too. Dorm rooms are invariably rather small and don't lend themselves to hosting much more than the furniture that is already there, so…

• How Can I Pay Less For This?

  SingleGuyMoney

  7 Jul 2010 | 8:15 am

  How can I pay less for this? That's a question you can ask yourself when it comes to any purchase, big or small. You can apply this question to just about anything you spend your money on. The economy is slowly improving but it never hurts to save money whenever you can; no matter what the state of the economy. It never makes sense to pay more than you have to. I've recently started to apply this method of thinking when I go shopping for those everyday items I use all the time. I tend to buy the same products each and every month; especially when it comes to toiletries. I know how much my…

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  One Frugal Girl

• Wedding Advice: Spend Less on the Wedding and More on the Honeymoon

  One Frugal Girl

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:00 am

  What can I say, I have weddings on the brain these days. I had so much fun shopping for wedding dresses for a friend of mine that I seriously considered researching the bridal boutique business. I don't want to own a store right now, but I could definitely imagine working in that line of business later in life, maybe after I retire.I've been married for five years now and if I were to provide one piece of wedding planning advice to future brides it's this; spend less money on your wedding in order to enjoy a bigger, better honeymoon. In my humble opinion weddings flash by in the blink of an…

• Marital Advice: What I Think Every Couple Should Do Before They Get Married

  One Frugal Girl

  31 Aug 2010 | 8:45 pm

  What's the best wedding advice you could provide to a newly engaged couple? My non-financial advice is simple: Make sure you are marrying the right person. In order to help you decide if he or she is the right person I suggest buying a book like The Hard Questions: 100 Essential Questions to Ask Before You Say "I Do." The book helps you discuss a range of topics that will impact your future lives together. Everything from the simple questions like how many children you want to have, to more difficult questions like how you will care for your aging parents.I wouldn't exactly call the questions…

• I Did Not Make A Big Stink Over Splitting the Bill

  One Frugal Girl

  29 Aug 2010 | 5:12 pm

  Last week I asked my fabulous, One Frugal Girl readers how they would handle a situation in which they were asked to foot the bill for the food and drinks of other people at a party. I decided not to include the details of what I actually did, so that I could read unbiased comments from my readers.This was an interesting scenario for me and I bet that you will be surprised by reaction to this situation. Normally, as One Frugal Girl, I would have gone over the moon at the thought of paying for other people. If you like to eat expensive food or you're a big drinker than I think you should back…

• Things Have Been Crazy Busy

  One Frugal Girl

  25 Aug 2010 | 8:50 pm

  I've been neglecting One Frugal Girl lately. Between working crazy hours and spending quality time with family and friends I just haven't had the time to sit in front of my computer to blog. I haven't forgotten about this little blog. I've just been really swamped with work during the week and playtime when the weekend rolls around. I keep trying to carve out a moment or two to blog, but I must admit that it keeps landing at the bottom of my priority list. I hope to return to it more regularly in the next few days.

• $4 Movie Ticket on Fandango.com

  One Frugal Girl

  25 Aug 2010 | 8:40 pm

  Click here to purchase a Fandango movie ticket ($12 value) for only $4. You can use this Groupon for new releases and it can be used anywhere across the US. But, you can only buy one – either for yourself or as a gift.Hmm, now to decide what movie to watch. Any ideas?

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  My Dollar Plan

• Squeezing in One Last Summer Vacation

  Madison

  2 Sep 2010 | 6:25 am

  We had just returned from our last vacation… but I have a confession to make… while we were there, I convinced Scott that we should squeeze in just one more summer vacation before Labor Day weekend rolls around and our oldest heads back to preschool. We had a fantastic time in Seattle, and I was pleased that the American Express SkyMiles card worked well to save on baggage fees. So here I am on vacation again! I drove down with the boys earlier this week and Scott is flying down with our daughter today to join us for the long weekend. It was the first long drive that I’ve…

• Do You Have to Pay Taxes on Unemployment?

  Amanda

  1 Sep 2010 | 6:31 am

  Losing your job can be psychologically and emotionally draining, as well as can suck the life out of your bank account. Unemployment insurance is typically a few hundred dollars a week, which is a fraction of what you used to make, and equates to a salary considered under the poverty line in the United States. Given this, you would think that the government would not make you pay income tax on that money as well. However, you would be wrong; you do need to pay taxes on unemployment income. Well, wrong and right, depending on what year you were unemployed. Unemployment Taxes: Pay Now or Pay…

• Marriage Tax Penalty Returns in 2011

  Madison

  31 Aug 2010 | 6:29 am

  The marriage tax penalty is set to make a comeback in 2011. Lets take a look at the marriage tax penalty, an often confusing and overused term, to see what it really means and why it’s coming back. What is the Marriage Tax Penalty? Ten years ago, married couples had to pay more than double the taxes they would if they were two single filers. Owing more tax as soon as you married became known as the marriage tax penalty. The culprits of the marriage tax penalty were standard deductions and tax brackets that were only larger than, but not double, the single deductions and brackets.

• How Far Would You Go to Save Money?

  Jill

  30 Aug 2010 | 6:29 am

  A year ago, I moved into a new apartment building. It’s a luxury building, and I was the very first tenant to occupy the 600 square foot space with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. At the time, the brand new building was offering 2 months free rent, bringing the pro-rated monthly total to just within my price range. Fast forward 12 months and my lease is up. The rent is going up $90 per month and my two free months are last year’s news. Needless to say, the apartment is no longer renting for a price I feel comfortable paying. Searching for Something New I live…

• Social Lending Arbitrage Beats Projections

  Madison

  27 Aug 2010 | 6:29 am

  Our social lending arbitrage expert, Derek, is back! After one of my Lending Club loans defaulted, I really wanted to know how Derek’s loans were doing! We’ll check in with him and see how his strategy is working… Social Lending Arbitrage Its been six months since I first introduced my Social Lending Arbitrage method to the mydollarplan community, and Madison has asked me to provide an update on where I stand with my method. To summarize the idea, this method basically plays an arbitrage game similar to the no-interest credit card arbitrage popular on the site but with a…

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  My Financial Journey

• Retirement Nestegg Report – August 2010

  MFJ

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:40 am

  Well the market was down almost 6% this month and while I don’t really care about month to month fluctuations it was very nice to see that my nestegg was only down 2% this month. I am very glad I took the time to break out my performance of my investments and compare it to the market in general because I’m finding out that whatever system I have with regard to individual stocks is actually paying off for me with regard to the extra time and risk put into it. Also by always comparing my performance to a relative benchmark I can take a look at a relatively bad month overall for the…

• Retirement Nestegg Report – July 2010

  MFJ

  2 Aug 2010 | 8:49 am

  Here is my monthly nestegg report. Traditional Rollover IRA – $11,377.09 (+5.42%) My Roth IRA – $35,095.10 (+5.61%) Wife Roth IRA – $19,764.27 (+5.80%) Current Traditional 401k – $65,220.90 (+9.30%) Roth/Traditional % = 41.73 % (tax free) Total Retirement Nest Egg $131,457.36 (+7.42%) Monthly Contributions $605.84 (401k) SPY Performance +6.90% My Monthly Investment Performance +6.93 % (+0.03%) My Monthly Individual Stocks Performance +5.63 % (-1.27%) Copyright © 2010 My Financial Journey. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in…

• Retirement Nestegg Report – June 2010

  MFJ

  1 Jul 2010 | 1:47 pm

  Well things are headed down again and I have to admit I am sort of hooked back into the market and have been doing a lot of research on possible investments again. Funny if you read my posts from the turn of the year I had pretty much said I was in cruise control and would only be looking at my investments a couple times a year. Well that certainly hasn’t been the case and I have been doing a lot more research and been buying a few new stocks as of late. Part of my excitement may have been due to the fact that the market is headed south again and also because I went back and calculated…

• Retirement Nestegg Report – May 2010

  MFJ

  30 May 2010 | 7:10 pm

  Well another volatile month for the stock market and I think I read somewhere that this was the worst May for the stock market since 1962. This is good news for young people like me as long as we can keep our jobs as this will likely allow us to buy the stocks that will fuel our investment performance over the next 30 years at very discounted prices. I believe the last downturn I did a very good job of keeping my cool and sticking with my plan and taking advantage of the depressed stock prices. I also had the luxury of seeing how fast things grow in a recovery and how all of that keeping your…

• Retirement Nestegg Report – April 2010

  MFJ

  1 May 2010 | 1:40 pm

  Traditional Rollover IRA – $11,906.58 (-1.03%) My Roth IRA – $36,947.37 (+4.14%) Wife Roth IRA – $20,901.23 (+7.81%) Current Traditional 401k – $67,360.15 (+2.73%) Roth/Traditional % = 42.19 % (tax free) Total Retirement Nest Egg $137,115.33 (+3.51%) Monthly Contributions $605.84 (401k) SPY Performance +3.04% My Monthly Investment Performance +3.05 % (+0.01%) My Monthly Individual Stock Performance +4.27 % (+1.18%) Copyright © 2010 My Financial Journey. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator,…

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  MoneyCrush

• 31 Days to a Better Bank Balance: Day 3

  Jackie

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  Today is all about you, your priorities, and your money. I’m a big believer in goals, because having goals (and following through on them) gets us to where we want to be. But sometimes in the rush of day to day living some of our priorities kind of get pushed off to the side. So let’s start with a quick evaluation. Make a list of up to 10 things you enjoying doing and/or want to accomplish. It doesn’t matter what order they’re in on the list, as long as they’re important to you. Here’s mine, in random order: 1. Spending time with my family 2. Traveling 3.

• 31 Days to a Better Bank Balance: Day 2

  Jackie

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  This post is a continuation of the 31 Days to a Better Bank Balance series, which is designed to help improve your financial life and your bank balance. Today’s tip focuses on spending. Not reducing spending, necessarily — although that may come later — but identifying spending. In general, most of us spend without really thinking about it. We may not be happy with the amount that we’re spending or how much things cost, but we’re used to buying the things we typically buy, and we’re used to spending the amounts we typically spend. And that’s where the…

• 31 Days to a Better Bank Balance

  Jackie

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  Today, I’m introducing the 31 Days to a Better Bank Balance project. The premise is that we can all do things to improve our financial lives — and our bank balances. Most of these things are simply small steps that that add up to big changes. It’s just a matter of doing them. So, there will be 31 days worth of posts relating to the subject, spread out over a period of time. However, they won’t be generic posts that talk about the topics. Instead, each post will contain a specific step you can do that very day that will put you that much closer to a better bank balance.

• The Summer Doldrums

  Jackie

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  Every year, just before fall, it seems as though I fall into the summer doldrums. I just don’t want to do…anything. Unless you count wanting to run off on a vacation somewhere beach-y where I then sit and do nothing while listening to the ocean. Unfortunately, I can’t go on a vacation right this very moment, and so my pocketbook suffers, because doing nothing seems to involve an awful lot of eating out on my part. (I also don’t want to cook, or for that matter go to the grocery store to buy meals that could go in the microwave. So I spend.) Does this kind of thing…

• The Little Decisions Matter

  Jackie

  27 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  It’s amazing what a big impact the seemingly small choices we make have on our lives. I’m not just talking about whether we develop a daily latte habit either, although that can certainly impact our pocketbook. What I’m really talking about are the little decisions regarding what we choose to do with our time. I was reminded of this when someone asked to borrow a book from me recently. They borrowed The Elements of Style, a guide on grammar and writing style. I’ve had that book on my shelf for many years, but I didn’t realize quite how long I’d had it until…

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  Million Dollar Journey

• A Primer on Corporate Bonds – I (Credit Ratings)

  Guest Blogger

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:30 am

  This is a column by regular contributor Clark. The earlier parts of the bond series dealt with the basic types of bonds and their risks and suitability. This part will begin a sub-series on corporate bonds. As mentioned in the first part of the series, corporate bonds are issued by companies to gather funds for their business. With thousands of companies issuing bonds, where does one start to make the list smaller? Credit Rating Agencies Similar to credit reporting bureaus that keep track of a consumer’s credit history, there are Nationally (US) Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations…

• Why the Long Term Growth of the Economy is Not Relevant to Investing

  Ed Rempel

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:30 am

  An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn’t happen today. – Laurence J. Peter Our last article explained why the economy is not relevant to investing – short term. If you want to forecast the stock market this year or next year, the economy is essentially irrelevant – because the stock market forecasts the economy, not the other way around. More surprising for investors, however, is that even the long term growth of the economy is not relevant to investing! Most investors mistakenly believe that, over the long run, stock prices…

• Net Worth Update August 2010 (+1.56) – RRSP Contribution

  FrugalTrader

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:30 am

  Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey August 2010 Net Worth Update - RRSP Contribution Edition. It’s a little past halfway through the year and I finally got my act together and made our RRSP contributions.  I figured since our cash savings was buiding up, we might as well put it to some use.  The bright side is that we’ll get the tax deduction for 2010 tax year, but the other side is that I’ll need to find a place to invest the cash.  In total, we contributed $23,000 in our combined RRSP’s which is pretty close to our contribution limit for the year. What do you…

• Flipping Houses, Electric Cars, Market Roll Over and More

  FrugalTrader

  27 Aug 2010 | 3:30 am

  Flipping Houses for Profit @ in the Archives (1 year ago today) Is the Market Headed for a Rollover Accident? @ Balance Junkie Thoughts on Electric Cars @ Canadian Money Forum Geothermal Home Heating Case Study – Going Green Puts Green into Your Pocket @ Canadian Financial DIY Advice To Future University Students @ Canadian Personal Finance Blog Carnival of Personal Finance @ Live Real Now Social Media is a Waste of Time – But Can’t be Ignored @ WalletPop Free ACB & Capital Gains Tracker in Excel @ Canadian Capitalist 50 and Broke? Early Retirement Planning Can Help @…

• The Downside of Owning REITs

  Guest Blogger

  26 Aug 2010 | 4:30 am

  This is written by our resident real estate guru Rachelle. In many of my past columns I have discussed the problems of buying real estate in our current market. I have mostly decried that current prices, even at today’s interest rates, are too high to make a profit. I have also warned of the dangers of investing without including proper expenses such as property management, vacancy and maintenance expenses. I have said that it is possible to find properties that can be considered investments but the search will be long and arduous especially if you are buying in the larger centres such…

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  Bible Money Matters

• 5 Things About Money I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was Younger

  Guest Poster

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:48 am

  Sam Ewing, who used to play baseball for the Chicago White Sox, once said, “Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair.” Many of us may feel that we can never quite catch up with our money, but one thing is certain: There are many things about money that we probably wish we had known when we were younger. For those of you who are still young or even young at heart, here are five things about money that you should probably think about. 1. Compound Interest If you can save money at a young age and invest it in a…

• How To Get A Spouse To Start Budgeting

  Craig Ford

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  This post is by Craig Ford.  Craig, a freelance writer and missionary, blogs at Money Help For Christians.  Today is the last day that you can get a copy Craig’s eBook, The Secret to a Successful Budget for 30% off. Married couples don’t always see eye to eye.  If you’re married, you didn’t need me to tell you that . When I started writing about making a budget and answering budgeting related questions, I found that people often struggle with a spouse who won’t get on board with the finances. The usual response is a full frontal attack.  One partner digs his or her heals in and…

• What Is An Economic Bubble Anyway?

  John Frainee

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:31 am

  It seems nearly every financial publication released today has the term “bubble” in it somewhere. Many of us know it’s a bad thing, but what does it really mean and how do they happen? Do they truly have an effect on the average consumer? Hopefully we can clear up the confusion of what an economic bubble is and determine if we can know when one is occurring. What Is An Economic Bubble? Economic bubbles happen when trade of a specific item (like a stock, asset, product, or service) is artificially inflated beyond normal standards of trade. On a graph, this looks much like a…

• Buying A New Or Used Car? Negotiating Tips To Use With Car Dealers

  Peter Anderson

  26 Aug 2010 | 7:21 am

  Buying a new car will often be the 1st or 2nd most expensive purchase that you’ll make – depending on whether you own a home.  Unfortunately far too many people just don’t do their research, and don’t  try very hard to find the best deal because they just feel intimidated when going to a car dealership or talking with a car dealer.  In my opinion that’s a big mistake. If you do your research, and make sure to have your financing (or cash) lined up and ready to make the purchase, you’ll have more power when you go out to make a deal.  Here are some sites…

• How To Get Free Financial Help Online

  Jason Price

  25 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  I’ve talked a lot over at One Money Design about my personal experience as a Money Map Coach and often share how this FREE program is a helpful resource for people experiencing financial challenges. In short, the coaching services are FREE and available through Crown Financial Ministries.  Crown is dedicated to equipping people worldwide to learn teach God’s financial principles. Money Map Coaching If you’re not familiar with Money Map Coaching, there are two key components that make it so helpful to people. First, coaches help people learn what the Bible says about money and how to…

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  Canadian Personal Finance Blog

• Half Price Products

  bigcajunman

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:17 pm

  Where Do You Draw the Line Previously I have written about 50% off meat in fact Michael James has even asked if Cut Rate Meat is Safe , and my wife and I have expanded our cut rate shopping to the 50% off rack of various goods that our local grocer has, and enjoy getting some treats for a very cheap price. Our grocer has in fact made it very easy to see the items he has slashed the prices on, as the product usually has a triangular flaming pink label with the words 50% Off emblazoned on it, so there is no danger you might miss these good bargains. Typically these items are about to reach…

• RESP Withdrawals Redux

  bigcajunman

  31 Aug 2010 | 11:09 pm

  Hopefully the Last Post on RESPs (for now) I went to the bank with our Free letter from my middle daughter’s University (the nice one in Nova Scotia), which was e-mailed to us, and finally the entire RESP story came into crisp and clear focus. It can be summed up with a simple phrase that we will call the Big C8j Customer Service Rule: People who work in phone centers for banks (or any financial service) do not know how things really work, in the bank branch. What do I mean by this? Remember all that ranting I have done about getting letters to get money, and having to pay $12 to get…

• RESP: The Old Switcheroo

  bigcajunman

  30 Aug 2010 | 11:41 pm

  Wait a minute, Good Service? After my tirade Money to Get Money from yesterday one of the schools involved in my RESP escapades suddenly got very sensible, and I must somewhat retract some of my commentary. My middle daughter is going to a smaller school in Nova Scotia, and she had not noticed anything on the web site stating about how to get a Letter of Enrollment or such, which might be needed for an RESP, so she sent the Registrar for the school an e-mail asking what steps needed to be taken to get a letter like this and how long it might take. This e-mail was sent on Sunday night, Monday…

• RESP Money to get Money

  bigcajunman

  29 Aug 2010 | 11:44 pm

  Blood from a Stone This whole getting money out of an RESP has now turned into a money making business for everyone (except me, of course). Both universities I am dealing with seem well prepared for me, because on their web sites are effectively the statement: Dear Parent of our Student, If you thought that extricating your money from an RESP was going to consist of us simply sending you a letter for free, or sending you an e-mail stating this, think again. We feel that sending out a letter to you that states that you have paid for your child’s education (no the bank won’t take…

• Weekend Comment Wrap Up

  bigcajunman

  27 Aug 2010 | 11:34 pm

  Where are the Videos? I ran out of videos that I could post that were of Personal Finance interest so I have decided to try out a review of the comments that I got this week, since I did seem to get a lot of comments about a few of my posts. All of the “How to run a Blog” documentation suggests the success of a Web Site can be reflected in the comments that the site receives, but I just like comments because many times that is where I get my best ideas for posts and such. For CPI up Thanks to HST Andy R. commented: “Just saw an Ontario HST charge on a parcel shipped to me in…

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  Early Retirement Extreme

• Silicon Valley and New York City Meet-ups in September

  Jacob

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:45 am

  Heads up! The Silicon Valley #2 meet up will take place at Lake Vasona in Los Gatos on September 11th @ 2pm. See the forum discussion for ongoing refinements. The New York City meet-up will take place at Columbos Park in Chinatown at September 18th @ 3pm. See the forum discussion for ongoing refinements. It would be nice to have an idea of the head count. You can make your intentions known in the appropriate forums—if that’s not possible, you can do it in the comments below. There has been two meet-ups so far. Silicon Valley #1 and Chicago. There hasn’t really been any…

• Dear Graduate, do you want to retire in five years?

  Jacob

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:21 am

  Dear Graduate, By now you should have obtained a degree. While this shows you have no particular useful skills, except for a few notable professions, it will make you employable in the corporate world. You now have a choice to make. You can join the majority, have a career, and work for the next 30 years while dreaming of retiring to Florida someday unless prematurely stopped by a heart attack, or you could retire in 5 years. For the former cookie-cutter lifestyle, allocate 15% of your income to a so-called retirement account (401k, IRA, etc.) and invest it in a index fund (I suggest 50%…

• Stoicism vs (Zen) Buddhism — preliminary conclusions

  Jacob

  31 Aug 2010 | 8:45 pm

  I am currently looking into both in more detail to derive fortitude in the face of the permeating growth/consumerism mentality. Stoicism and Zen Buddhism are very similar. They both try to deal with the problems of the ego. Conversely, consumerism is all about gratifying the ego. I don’t think I’m qualified to comment in detail, however … Zen Buddhism and Budo eliminates the ego through “practice”. This practice can take the form of meditation or detailed repetition of say martial arts techniques or brush strokes. The goal is to reach the state of no-mind, also…

• Fit Dad Fat Dad

  Jacob

  31 Aug 2010 | 6:18 am

  The title of this post is “Fit Dad Fat Dad” partially in honor of Rich Dad Poor Dad and partially to stir up some controversy in exactly the same way as RDPD does. RDPD has a fairly poor reputation amongst pf bloggers. I think the reason is that it questions widely held beliefs on personal finance. The aim of RDPD is to get the reader to stop thinking like a middle class person and start thinking like a capitalist or an investor. This is about as hard as convincing a democrat to become a republican or vice-a-versa. Many readers completely miss this point and instead complain why…

• Can I retire with 2 million dollars?

  Jacob

  30 Aug 2010 | 9:12 pm

  This, and various perturbations, is one of the most frequent google search term that hits this site. I think my very general answer would be, that if you have to ask that question then the answer is “PROBABLY NOT!” If you’re asking if you can retire with 10 millions dollars, the answer is still no. The problem is essentially scale-less. Asking the question implies that one has accumulated X dollars without any thought towards expenses and jobless income. I posit, that if those things had be considered, the answer would be obvious and the question would not have to be asked.

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  The Happy Rock

• Crazy Saving with Coupons – “Pick Another Check-out Lane, Honey” Book Review

  Ed

  12 Aug 2010 | 5:03 am

  This post is about a book that was recommended to my wife called “Pick Another Check-out Lane, Honey(Affiliate Link)“.  The two authors cover their ingenious couponing method from soup to nuts.  My wife has just begun using this method and with the help of the Krazy Coupon Lady’s book and website, we’ve been saving lots of money at the grocery store. Chapter 1: “Save 50-90% at the grocery store“ How?  First, the couponing method laid out in the book instructs you to only use a coupon on a sale item to maximize savings.  You’d be surprised how much…

• Couch To 5k – Free Running Exercise Program For Couch Potatoes

  Ed

  3 Aug 2010 | 9:36 pm

  Josh Clark invented a running program called Couch to 5k. While, I realize that this program has existed since 1996, it maybe new to you as it is to me. His training system aims to take the couch potato and slowly(and painlessly) get him/her prepared to run a 5k race.  The first couple weeks are a mixture of running and walking. The training is 9 weeks for about 20 minutes a session every other day. While, preparing this post I realized how popular this program is. There are facebook groups, fan sites, pod casts, even a iphone and Android app dedicated to Josh Clark’s program. The…

• Plugging the Holes in Your Budget

  The Happy Rock

  3 Jun 2010 | 6:31 pm

  The following is a guest post by a dear friend Ed(@ed_bruner) who is just months away from finally getting out from under $40,000+ in debt. Use cash to plug up the holes I assume every family budget has holes in it.  Ours did.  The holes were mostly unaccounted spending or personal spending…a trip to a retail store, a lunch out, snacks, etc.  These “little”spending events can destroy a budget or even derail your debt reduction if they are not kept in check. The way we handle this issue is by allowing ourselves weekly spending cash. The rest of the income is for bills &…

• Into Debt And Out Again – Overcoming $40,000 Of Debt

  The Happy Rock

  20 May 2010 | 7:21 pm

  The following is a guest post by a dear friend and colleague Ed who is just months away from finally getting out from under $40,000+ in debt. Give him a warm welcome in the comments or a shout on twitter(@ed_bruner): The First Step Into Chains When my wife and I got married, we were debt free with money in the bank (minus my student loans…which I wasn’t even thinking about). When she got pregnant, we decided it was time to buy a house. The year was 2001. The Housing bubble in NJ was already ballooning. We had difficulty finding anything that wasn’t a “fixer-upper”x2. Mistake #1: the…

• Your Life Is A Story, So What Does The Back Of Your DVD Say?

  The Happy Rock

  5 May 2010 | 10:05 pm

  I have been listening and reading through A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life(affilaite link), and in it Donald Miller provides a very simple framework for thinking about your life: your life is a story. The basic premise is that the same rules apply to your life as they do to stories.  The stuff that makes a good story makes a good life.  If your life feels boring then the story that you are telling is probably boring. Nobody sets out to tell a boring story, they often just happen because we aren’t intentionally trying to tell a good one. The…

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  2million's Personal Finance Blog

• Observations from Re-Renting Rental #1

  2million

  29 Aug 2010 | 5:56 pm

  I just went through the most stressful and time consuming rental turnover I have had since I began renting out Rental #1 5 years ago. Rental markets as with real estate are very localized, but I figured I would share some observations from trying to find a new tenant this year. It was a far cry from the experience I had with Rental #2 back in May where I didn't even have to listed it to get it rented - the current tenant had a friend that wanted to rent the place. Previously when I needed to find a tenant for either rental I found between a "For Rent" sign in the front yard and an ad on…

• Investment Performance July 2010 (+6.17%)

  2million

  27 Aug 2010 | 8:14 am

  This is an ongoing monthly update on how our equity investments are performing. Please see this background on the investment tool I developed and how I am using it to track our performance against a benchmark to measure our progress or lack thereof. July Highlights: Our monthly performance was a disappointment compared to our benchmark (6.17% vs 7.02%).This marks 6 months in a row that our benchmark, the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index (VTI) has beat our portfolio. Not a good recent track record.We made some purchases at the beginning of the month as stock prices were still reeling from…

• $4 Movie Ticket via Fandango

  2million

  25 Aug 2010 | 3:27 pm

  Groupon is offering a movie ticket ( up to $12 off) via Fandango for $4. Limit 1 per person but each person in your party could buy the Groupon. Offer to purchase Groupon expires 8/30 and must redeem on Fandango by 2/28/2011. My wife and I each picked up one for a future date night.

• Everbank Refinance Closing Costs

  2million

  23 Aug 2010 | 9:10 am

  We closed last week on the refinancing of our primary mortgage. We ended up getting a 30yr fixed mortgage @ 4.375% for $256,000 through Everbank. We decided to maximize what we borrowed at this low rate and will use the additional ~$20k borrowed to pay off part of a higher rate mortgage on a rental property. I thought it might be useful to some to see how our closing costs ended up evolving over the course of the refinancing process. Here is the initial unofficial GFE numbers I viewed on Everbank's website before applying: Unofficial GFE From Web Site Estimate My Estimate* Everbank…

• Wells Fargo Three Step Refinance With No Cost

  2million

  22 Aug 2010 | 10:22 am

  While in the middle of our refinance, I received a letter from Wells Fargo (who currently owns our primary mortgage) giving me an opportunity to refinance with them through a simplified process that would cost us nothing to reduce our interest rate or even change the term of our loan. The program was called the Wells Fargo Three-Step Refinance System program that would basically allow me to reduce my interest rate by .25% and reset my loan term to 20 or 30 years. It pitched a simple refinance process that had no costs to the customer and closing paperwork that Wells Fargo would mail to you,…

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  FIRE Finance

• Top 100 Personal Finance Blogs - Ranked By Traffic

  30 Aug 2010 | 10:21 am

  [This post is written and copyrighted by FIRE Finance (http://firefinance.blogspot.com).] Note: Please do not be misguided by this post's url date i.e. Sep 2007. We've published Aug 2010's rankings at the same url to keep it fresh with the latest rankings. Makes bookmarking easy :). Updated on Aug 30, 2010: Welcome back to our rankings of personal finance (pf) blogs for Aug 2010 based on traffic data of Jul 2010. It requires a lot of hard and smart work to figure among the best personal finance... Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• Upto $1100 - Bank Bonus + FREE ipod Touch + FREE Flip Video Camera

  26 Aug 2010 | 6:39 pm

  [This post is written and copyrighted by FIRE Finance (http://firefinance.blogspot.com).] Updated Aug 26, 2010: Today we present some of the best online bank bonuses mostly at the national level. This list includes checking account bonuses as well as savings account ones. There is a lot of free money available via these bank bonuses. However some sincere work is needed to earn a bank bonus. It pays to keep a log of the various conditions that need to be met for each bank bonus offer. Also,... Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• $100 Bank Signup Bonus - Chase Business Checking Account

  25 Aug 2010 | 4:27 pm

  [This post is written and copyrighted by FIRE Finance (http://firefinance.blogspot.com).] Aug 25, 2010: If we own a business then we can pocket an easy $100 courtesy Chase. When we open a qualifying Chase Business Checking account with a minimum deposit of $1000 we'll earn a bonus of $100! This offer expires on 30th September, 2010. Sign Up Link: Deal & Details Offer valid through 9/30/10. Offer not available on account conversions or in combination with any other offer. To qualify for... Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• $75 Bank SignUp Bonus from Bank of America

  18 Aug 2010 | 9:12 pm

  [This post is written and copyrighted by FIRE Finance (http://firefinance.blogspot.com).] Aug 19, 2010: Bank of America is offering a $75 sign-up bonus for opening a personal checking account with them. After a long time we found a BOA checking account bonus. So it's a welcome :). Sign Up Link: Deal & Application How to earn the bonus?To open a new checking account, apply online and reference offer code CH75OL1.Expires: To take advantage of this offer, you must use the Offer Code... Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• Back To School - Super Savers Guide

  16 Aug 2010 | 1:14 pm

  [This post is written and copyrighted by FIRE Finance (http://firefinance.blogspot.com).] Aug 16, 2010: Back to school season is here. Parents and students alike are busy planning, budgeting and shopping to meet the semester head on. With rising tuition and increasing costs of school as well as college education, getting our kids back to school can be a major drain on our pockets if we don't plan it well. It gets better if we can get our kids to cooperate with us :). Well, easier said than... Click on the post title to continue reading .....

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  Ranjan Varma's Blog

• What’s Common Between Economics and Physics

  Ranjan

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:02 pm

  They say that learning never stops. But they also say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. My view: Both are just perceptions/assessments. The truth (to my mind, ofcourse) is, it depends on You. But this post is … Continue reading →

• Who Does Your Retirement Planning For You

  Ranjan

  31 Aug 2010 | 11:35 pm

  If you have a government job or work in some of the PSUs where you get a pension after retirement, you’re one lucky soul who has his/her retirement planning done even without your intervention. Moreover in most cases, it is … Continue reading →

• Transforming Financial Behaviour

  Ranjan

  31 Aug 2010 | 12:55 am

  There are two ways of making better financial decisions. One, getting information, analysis and education to make the right decisions. You do this by reading, searching, asking questions and advice. You can get them on the internet(blog, websites) and the … Continue reading →

• How to set up your financial freedom?

  Ranjan

  11 Aug 2010 | 3:33 am

  As we celebrate another Independence Day, let’s take a look at setting up your financial freedom. The following article was published in Jetlite’s in house magazine Flylite. Freedom is being free of restraints and means having liberty from slavery, detention, … Continue reading →

• Providing Investment Advice Services

  Ranjan

  3 Aug 2010 | 3:57 am

  I received a mail from Namrata Mehta asking about my investment advice services. To be more specific, here’s an edited version of the mail: My husband and I work in the IT industry in bangalore and are looking at investing … Continue reading →

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  How I Save Money.net

• How I Save Money At CVS: 30 August 2010

  LuLuGal

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:28 am

  On this trip I paid $0.00 out of pocket for $32.75 worth of items. I have not been to CVS for a few weeks because I did not like the selection of things that offered ECBs back and I would not do my regular shopping at CVS because Walmart is lower priced. I finally saw a few things that I wanted and could give to a friend and the combination of the coupons I had just sweetened the deal for me. Transaction 1 Item: Cascade dishwasher tabs Price: $3.99 CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $1.00 Coupon used: $0.25 MFR Item: Bounce dryer sheets Price: $3.99 CVS Extra Care Bucks earned: $1.00 Coupon used:…

• Common Debt Management Myths (Guest Post)

  LuLuGal

  30 Aug 2010 | 3:26 am

  Debt management skills are in great demand at the present time, especially for numerous consumers who find themselves buried beneath a mountain of credit card and other unsecured debt. Debt problems such as these can take on a life of their own and grow to nightmarish proportions when not managed appropriately. Beyond the sobering financial consequences they can exact, debt problems can also disrupt the personal lives of those involved and eventually assume “center stage” among their priorities. Before a debt problem has a chance to develop into an issue of this magnitude,…

• Tracking my Finances in 2010: August Week 4

  LuLuGal

  27 Aug 2010 | 3:23 am

  I have decided to post my weekly spending for the previous week on Fridays so you know how my cash has been flowing for the week. Please note that I get paid on the last day of the month so my cash flow net effect will usually be negative until the last day of the month. This does not mean that I am adding to my debt, it just means that the money coming in is less than the money going out because bills are due starting on the first but I don’t get paid until the last day. So again to clarify (since I get so many questions), this shows the cash FLOW for the month. On Day 2 of every…

• Why Think About Car Insurance When Shopping for a New Car?

  LuLuGal

  25 Aug 2010 | 2:22 am

  So you have finally decided that it’s time to get a new car. There truly is so much to consider when shopping around for the right vehicle. And if you’re like most of us, you have a budget to think about. One of the main factors that will be on your mind is the car’s monthly payment. You’re looking for a vehicle in your price range, and shopping around for that low interest loan. Right? How much of that budget are you planning to spend to bring the right vehicle home? Well, before you make any decision, be sure to take into account your possible car insurance costs. Finding the right…

• Five Ways to Save Money For Your Down Payment (Guest Post)

  LuLuGal

  23 Aug 2010 | 3:16 am

  If you want to be smart with your money, staying out of debt is critical. Debt comes with interest attached, and paying interest is like paying for the money itself. This is redundant spending. The conventional home mortgage is the most dramatic example of redundant spending as a result of interest. In a 30 year mortgage, at a 5% interest rate, you’ll likely pay for your home in full almost three times before the end of the loan term. That’s steep. There are three ways to reduce this redundancy and save money. • Take out a mortgage with a shorter term or a lower interest rate.

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  Funny about Money

• The Summer of Murphy’s Law

  funny

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:24 pm

  Going into this summer, the longest period I’ve ever faced without enough income to make ends meet, a thought entered my little pea brain: If anything can go wrong, this is the time it will go wrong. Expensively wrong. It’s Funny’s Corollary to Murphy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will always go wrong at the worst possible moment. Now it can be reported: Murphy’s Law is a true law of Nature, and Funny’s Corollary is dead right. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a long series of expensive fiascos and missteps, all of them happening when…

• She’s Back!

  funny

  31 Aug 2010 | 9:30 am

  Delightfully, the engaging and lovely author of Simple Life in France has resurfaced. She’s been a bit out of commission, between surviving the first few months of gravitude and uncertainty about where DH will be assigned, now that he’s fully recovered from injuries sustained in a car wreck. O me of little faith! I thought she had abandoned the blogging life (to get back to real life, perhaps?) and so had deleted her link from the blogroll. But now she’s back, it’s back. Go there. Enjoy! Related posts:Thank You, Mrs. Micah! Blogging: It takes over your life My Error!

• Auughhh, Part II: Gaaaaaaaaahhh!

  funny

  30 Aug 2010 | 8:48 pm

  This morning after I got home from class, I called Mr. L., the Plumber par Excellence, and he met me casa M’hijito, where of late a geyser was said to have erupted in the laundry room. He decided pretty quick that the problem was a clog in the drain line. However, he had a time figuring out exactly how the lines were configured because of where the leak seemed to be coming from. He called his sidekick, who appeared in due course, parking a second large plumber’s truck in front of the house. Studying the situation, they think the drain drops straight down from where you can see the…

• Auughhh!

  funny

  30 Aug 2010 | 6:38 am

  No time to write this morning. Substitute post: an e-mail exchange… Sunday, August 29, 1010, 8:48 p.m. Funny to Tina Annoying end to a hassle-filled week. Went down to my son’s house w. the little dog in tow. He fixed a wonderful dinner. Having been up since 2:00 a.m., I thot I’d stop in the park in the way home, exercise the dog for a few minutes, then come back to the house and fall face-forward in the sack. You can sense this coming, eh…? Naturally, when the dog and I climb back into the car after a frolick in the park, the goddamn thing won’t start! Dead…

• When I Said Best and Highest Use of a Swimming Pool…

  funny

  29 Aug 2010 | 6:22 pm

  …I wasn’t thinking big enough. You’ll recall I daydreamed about turning mine into a pondful of bass and lake trout. No imagination there! Take a look at what this pair came up with! Holy mackerel. You, too, can have a miniature farm in your backyard!

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  Rule #1 Blog: Phil Town on Investing

• Retail & Housing Stocks In Driver's Seat

  Phil Town

  13 Aug 2010 | 1:22 pm

  Stock Market Review: August 13, 2010 This is the final week of the busy portion of earnings season. After the worst week for U.S. exchanges in over a month, housing and retail will direct trading with both corporate and economic data due up. Last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 3.29% to close at 10,303. Wednesday's greater-than 2% decline, stemming in large part from the U.S. trade deficit surging from $42 billion in May to $49.9 billion in June, comprised the bulk of the weekly loss. The S&P 500 dipped 3.7%, finishing at 1,079, and the Nasdaq Composite plunged 5%. The…

• Join me Aug 5th for an exciting business opportunity with my friend, Bill Bartmann!

  Phil Town

  4 Aug 2010 | 9:52 am

  Hey guys, I need to tell you about something that is happening tomorrow night and see if you want to jump in on this.   Here’s the deal… During the last government bailout of banks (the Savings & Loan crisis) my friend, Bill Bartmann, went from bankruptcy-to-billionaire. In case you don’t know Bill, he’s lived one of the most amazing “rags to riches” stories in U.S. history. He went from being a homeless teenage alcoholic high school drop-out to one of America’s 25 wealthiest business leaders.   But here is what is most relevant to you. The business opportunity…

• Phil Town joins elite group of entrepreneurs on AOL Small Business Board of Directors

  Phil Town

  6 Jul 2010 | 11:46 am

  AOL Small Business has been re-launched by a friend of mine, Rod Kurtz, from the Your Business TV show at MSNBC. Also Rod is the former editor of Inc Magazine.  Rod and I have done several shows together and I’ve enjoyed his banter and brain on every one of them. So when he called about joining the AOL Small Business Board of Directors, I said absolutely! The Board is made up of a number of very successful entrepreneurs including Sir Richard Branson, the legendary founder of Virgin Group,  Bob Parsons, the founder of Go Daddy, Rob Dyrdek, the entrepreneurial skateboarder and Lexy Funk,…

• A view from Singapore

  Phil Town

  4 Jun 2010 | 2:09 pm

  I spoke yesterday at an investors conference in Singapore. What surprised me a bit here is the fear level. Asians have been on a roll and Singapore, a financial island in a sea of statist thieves, benefits disproportionately. Good times in Asia are very good times in Singapore. So why all the concern. Perhaps they know something we don't. What if the Dragon is slowing down dramatically? What if the PIGS overfeeding (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain) has spread to Hungary, France and others? What if the USA is found to be the biggest Hog of all?   Who knows, right? But watch out…

• Answer the critics with your own Rule One success

  Phil Town

  23 Apr 2010 | 8:44 am

  Warren Buffett once said that people either get this Rule One type strategy right away or they never do. Paul Brown, a book critic for the New York Times, falls into the latter category. His review, published in the NY Times in April 2010, basically argues the book is ‘intriguing’ but ‘almost nothing here registers as new.’   This sort of passive aggression reminds me of a story Dr. Jonas Salk told me a long time ago when I was investing in a business he had an interest in. I was at his home in La Jolla, California, for dinner and Dr. Salk was explaining how critics react to a…

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  Timothy Sykes

• I Got Squeezed & Lost $4k = Last Week’s Earnings

  Timothy Sykes

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:25 am

  TIMalert: .

• 10 Undiscovered Penny Stock Trades For You

  Timothy Sykes

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:00 am

  Texas Pacific Land Trust (TPL) I am still short and finally my patience looks to be paying off as the stock is fading a bit, unable to rise even in a bigtime up market yesterday…as PennyStocking Silver subscribers (TIMalert subscribers click reply and let us know if you want to upgrade) know I have... .

• Shorted A Strong Penny Stock Up 100% Due To Promotional Spam

  Timothy Sykes

  2 Sep 2010 | 6:46 am

  TIMalert: .

• There Are 4 Pump & Dumps Now, 2 Have Dumped, 2 Are Still Ripe :) Michael Arrington, Joe Fahmy, & Others Please Learn

  Timothy Sykes

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:20 am

  UPDATE: As TIMalert subscribers know I just shorted one of these other pump and dumps and am currently up $1,000 on a minuscule $6,500 investment…welcome to how easy it is, I just wish there were more shares available to short! LiveStock is live tomorrow so tune in and learn please I loooove... .

• The 10 Top Penny Stocks To Watch Today

  Timothy Sykes

  2 Sep 2010 | 2:39 am

  Sales are heating up here, it’s gonna rock 12 steps for wannabe stock promoters .

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  Lending Club

• Grim Outlook for Bank Account, CD and Credit Card Holders

  Patrick Gannon

  27 Aug 2010 | 8:07 am

  Economic news this week show a grim outlook for bank account, CD and credit card holders: Average Interest Rate on Savings and CDs Falls to Below 1%: Lowest in a Decade The San Francisco Chronicle and Bloomberg News announced yesterday that "the average interest on savings, checking, money market and certificate of deposit accounts fell to 0.99 percent in July, the first decline below 1 percent in a decade". The author comments that this trend is pushing people, who see their deposit earnings dwindle, to consider alternatives in smaller banks and credit unions, as well as higher yield CDs via…

• Financial Innovation to Take SXSW Interactive 2011 by Storm (VOTE!)

  Rob Garcia

  13 Aug 2010 | 10:27 am

  In 2010, financial innovation timidly showed up at SXSW Interactive with folks from Mint.com, CreditKarma, SmartyPig, Chase, Kickstarter, Kiva and Lending Club invited to panels. Next year, it promises to be the year of financial innovation at SXSW... if you vote for these panels, that is. Banks: Innovate or Die! This panel will explore the idea that many banks are not only too big too fail, they're also too big to innovate.  Big banks have lost their innovative edge and consumers are the ones who lose.  Invited panelists include folks from INGDirect, Ally Bank, USAA, BankSimple, Grameen…

• 10 Traps to Avoid When Taking out a Personal Unsecured Loan

  guest

  12 Aug 2010 | 10:07 am

  The following is a guest post by Neil Faulkner, freelance journalist.  This article was originally posted on and adapted for US audiences with permission from lovemoney.com, a popular money management online publication in the UK. Taking out a new loan can be a dangerous endeavor. Here are the ten costliest traps to watch out for when taking out an unsecured personal loan. Unsecured personal loans are the simplest products there is, but the finance industry still manages to squeeze in a good number of extra ways to make money from you. I've counted many traps so, before you buy, read here…

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  Mint.com: Personal Finance Blog

• Bank or Credit Union? You Decide

  Ana Gonzalez Ribeiro

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:02 am

  photo: edenpictures Banks seem to have a bad reputation don’t they? They charge you for every type of service imaginable. Labeled as profit mongers who invent outrageous fees and give mediocre customer service, banks have not made a good impression on consumers. As a result, many of us end up looking for alternatives. One option: a credit union. What is a credit union? Credit unions are not-for-profit cooperative financial institutions that are owned and controlled by their members. A credit union is democratically governed, each member has one vote, members elect the board of directors…

• Creative Financing Tips for Small Businesses

  Joshua Ritchie

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:36 pm

  (Hugo90) Financing a small business is rarely an easy task. Unless you have spotless personal credit, getting a corporate credit card will be difficult. Without a large savings account, bootstrapping is also problematic. So what’s a creative-minded entrepreneur to do: give up? Of course not.  Businesses throughout history have grappled with the financing problem, and the successful ones all found ways around it. More often than not, the very same strategies can be used to get over your personal financing hurdles. “Cash Floats” Despite being remembered as a towering business…

• Back-to-School Budgeting Lessons

  Reyna Gobel

  1 Sep 2010 | 12:34 pm

  photo: Bloomington Salvation Army Once high schoolers go to college, they’ll manage their own money. And without the help of their relatives, what are the chances they will be prepared to do so? Less than half of all US states have personal finance education requirements in high school, according to this Jump$tart map of State Financial Literacy Requirements. Only four states require a full semester. If your child or other family members are entering their senior year of high school and you worry about how they’ll manage their money when they head to college, use back-to-school shopping…

• From Last Night’s Dinner To Today’s Lunch: Add Taste, Save Cash

  Frugal Foodie

  1 Sep 2010 | 6:38 am

  photo: Jeffrey Beall With Labor Day around the corner, getting back in the habit of packing a tasty and healthy lunch is a good back-to-school resolution — for you and your kids. Obviously, eating out instead of bringing a lunch can be a serious drain on your budget. When Frugal Foodie met Mr. Foodie back in the day, he was putting aside $80 per week for lunches out. Now he’s a frugal convert: we both put together lunches that are a version of the previous night’s meal. The key phrase: “a version of.” BYO lunch is a little easier to stomach when it’s not…

• The New Generation of Bank Fees And How to Avoid Them

  Joshua Ritchie

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:13 pm

  (Keith Williamson) For many years, banks relied on overdraft fees and sudden interest rate hikes to pump up profits. But recent financial sector reforms have largely outlawed these practices. And while consumers are no doubt jumping for joy, the banks are not quietly accepting the loss of billions of dollars in annual profit. Instead, they have already rolled out a series of new (and perfectly legal)fees, ranging from maintenance fees on previously free checking accounts to innovative charges on debit cards. Here is a primer on the new bank fees, who is likely to encounter them, and how to…

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  Personal Finance Buzz - Published news

• Should You Have a Survival Job During Unemployment?

  beforen0w

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:41 am

  So what do you do during the interim to maintain an income and avoid accumulating debt?

• 5 Easily Avoidable Financial Mistakes Young People Make

  beforen0w

  31 Aug 2010 | 11:02 am

  If you’re young and broke and can’t figure out why, you may be making one of the following most common, but easily avoidable, financial mistakes.

• Festival Of Frugality #245 – The Exorcist Edition

  Canadian Finance

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:18 am

  This week's edition of the Festival of Frugality, hosted at Canadian Finance Blog.

• BP Share Price To Remain Constant For A While

  blackguy

  28 Aug 2010 | 4:40 pm

  BP Share Price will be having no big changes in the upcoming months as predicted by us. The reason is simple - the oil spill crisis and the future plans of the company.

• Does CPI Underestimate Inflation to the Detriment of Savers?

  MMarquit

  28 Aug 2010 | 4:29 pm

  Is CPI accurate? If it underestimates inflation, then you might be getting the short end of the stick.

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  Free Money Finance

• Gas Companies Aren't Selling Me Their Credit Card

  NA

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:45 am

  It seems like all the "rage" now in my city -- every time I fill up my car with gas I get a commercial on the pump screen before they print out my receipt. It always says something like, "You could have saved 5 cents per gallon today if you had used the Shell Credit Card." Yeah, yeah, yeah -- can I just have my receipt? The reason this may look like a good deal is that while it says "5 cents" some people might translate this into "5 percent." If the card did pay 5 percent, that would be a pretty decent return. But it doesn't offer that -- it offers 5 cents per gallon off. Let's say a gallon…

• Avoiding Mover Scams

  NA

  2 Sep 2010 | 1:29 am

  The following is an excerpt from Buying a Home: The Missing Manual You may have heard horror stories about scam movers who demand a big deposit and then never show up on moving day or who hold people's possessions hostage until they pay an amount three or four times greater than the original estimate. Don't get scammed. If you plan to use a professional mover, follow these tips: Choose a local mover. Most scammers operate online only. Work with an established local company whose office you can visit. Get in-person estimates. Don't settle for an estimate that you get from a phone call or by…

• My Plans for Labor Day

  NA

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:28 pm

  Moose Tracks ice cream (yeah!) and yard work (boo!) is on the horizon for my family this weekend. We're going to Chicago in a few weeks, so we're going to be low-key until them vacation-wise. What are your plans to celebrate the holiday?

• Money To-Do Calendar: September

  NA

  1 Sep 2010 | 12:45 pm

  The personal finance book Grow Your Money!: 101 Easy Tips to Plan, Save, and Invest ends with a list of what financial steps we should take each month. They list the August steps as follows: Review your insurance coverage to make sure no changes need to be made. Do an employee benefits checkup. Here's what I do on these: I usually review our insurance needs when I get the premium notice for the next year (or prior to it if I plan to shop around a bit.) Some of my insurance is set (like life insurance) while others can vary (like car insurance), but unless there are some major changes in my…

• Help a Reader: Universal Life Insurance Decision

  NA

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:45 am

  Here's an email I recently received from a reader: I am recently married, and my husband's parents took out a Universal Life Insurance policy for him when he was six (6) years old.  Yesterday, we met with the insurance agent to transfer the policy into my husband's name, and add me as a beneficiary.  After growing for 20 years, the policy is now worth $58,000 and the premium is $17/month. I know from reading your blog that 1) buy term and invest the rest is usually the better way to go; and 2) you don't need life insurance until you have dependents who rely on your income.  We currently…

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  Ultimate Money Blog- Save Green and Live Green!

• I’ll Never Make Enough Money

  Mrs Money

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:21 am

  I spent last week with my whole family at a cottage in Michigan. All 19 of us spent the week in a three bedroom cottage with one bathroom. Thankfully, we all love each other and get along pretty well, so things worked out. We cooked every meal at the cottage and spent most of the day on the lake in paddleboats and kayaks. It was an amazing time just spending time together and reconnecting. It also made me want to move back there even worse, but that’s something that’s been on my mind for quite some time. photo credit: dougtone While I was there, my one aunt made a comment that I…

• Nobody Cares About X as Much as You

  Mrs Money

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:51 am

  I’ve always heard the saying “Nobody likes your kids as much as you” which basically means that when they are acting up in a public place, you may think it’s tolerable, but others may just want to choke them. I was thinking about it though, and that truly applies to pretty much everything! Nobody cares about your money as much as you, and nobody cares about your debt as much as you either. Nobody cares about your money as much as you Think about it- retailers aren’t out handing out coupons at the register to help you save money; you’ve got to seek them out…

• Save the Earth- Don’t Have Kids

  Mrs Money

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:44 am

  Someone remarked to me the other day that they were semi-surprised at my strong desire to have children. They thought that with my concern about the future of the environment that adding another person to the planet would be a faux pas for me. While I understand that every person creates more strain on the Earth’s resources, I also believe that if we all lived a little lighter and consumed a little less that we’d be in a much better place than not having kids just to save the environment. photo credit: p.Gordon I’ve thought sometimes that it’s almost selfish to want to…

• Eat Your Weeds

  Mrs Money

  30 Aug 2010 | 3:27 am

  Weeds can be a big problem in anyone’s yard, but when you do your best to keep an organic lawn, the weeds can take over!  Fortunately, many varieties of weeds are actually very nutritious and can be beneficial to consume.  Before you start eating weeds, though, make sure that you are picking weeds from a trusted source, preferably your own yard that you know hasn’t been sprayed with any chemicals. photo credit: Asbestos Bill Make sure that you can identify weeds before you start chomping down on the green goodness.  What weeds are edible and good for you?  Let’s find…

• Sports Car Insurance Rates

  Mrs Money

  28 Aug 2010 | 3:43 am

  The other day I received our car insurance premium bills in the mail (along with our homeowners insurance policy bill, car tag registration on both cars, plus a driver’s license renewal notification!). We put aside money each month in an ING savings account nicknamed “car insurance” so that when the time comes, I transfer the money to our main account and pay the bill. It works out really well for us, and I am glad that we are able to pay six months worth of car insurance at a time. By paying in full for six months, we receive a discount and avoid paying a monthly…

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  Money Crashers

• How To Respond To Unauthorized Transactions In Your Bank Account

  Erik Folgate

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  This past weekend, for the first time in my adult life, I was the victim of identity theft. We were walking into the movie theater about to sit down for a movie, and I got a phone call from a weird phone number. I listened to the message as we sat down in our seats and it was Bank of America saying there was suspicious activity in my bank account. My first reaction was that it was a scam, some kind of phishing attempt to get me to call them back and give them personal information acting like they were Bank of America. I have an iPhone, so I logged into my online banking from the BOA iPhone…

• FNBO Direct: A One Stop Shop For Banking

  David Bakke

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:05 pm

  I have reviewed quite a few banking sites in the recent past and the first thing that struck me about FNBO Direct is that it is about as close to a “one stop shop” for banking that I’ve been able to find. One of their most attractive feature is their 1.1% APR for their online savings account. While this isn’t anything drastically out of the ordinary, you need to also consider all the other great services that they have to offer. The Basics First, let’s get through the basics. FNBO Direct offers an online savings account which can earn up to 1.1% APR. The rate is a variable one…

• How To Save Money At The Dentist’s Office

  David Bakke

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:03 pm

  I recently had a dentist’s appointment to have my teeth cleaned. For the most part, I am terrible with keeping up with regular dentist appointments. This was the first time I had been in a few years. Regardless, this latest trip helped me to realize that, yes, you can save money at the dentist’s office. Of course, the first line of defense against saving money on dental visits is to take great care of your teeth. But beyond that, here are 5 more great tips: 1. Choose the Right One If you don’t already have a regular dentist, I would not just pick one out of the phone book. I actually…

• Groupon Review – The Best Daily Deals In Your City

  Kira Botkin

  31 Aug 2010 | 10:53 am

  If you’re a deal hunter, you’ll love Groupon. Each day, Groupon, which is a free service, offers a different deal on something fun to do, good food, a new experience, or something you’ve always wanted to try. It’s basically a gift certificate at a discount. Groupon has coupons available in dozens of metropolitan areas including multiple ares in some larger cities like Los Angeles or Washington, DC. It is also available in several Canadian cities and many countries outside the United States as it continues to expand and gain a huge following. How Groupon Works When you sign up for…

• Now Is The Best Time To Start Saving For Big Purchases

  Mark Riddix

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  There is no time like the present to start on things that you have been putting off. Getting a jump on your to-do list will reduce your stress levels and give you a sense of accomplishment. In addition, there is no better time than now to start saving for some big future purchases. By saving ahead of time, you will be more financially prepared to make some of these big purchases without having to take on massive amounts of debt. So, without further adieu, here are some ideas for purchases you should get started on now as well as tips on beginning to save for some future big-time purchases: 1.

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  Mighty Bargain Hunter

• Gouge me ’til it hurts

  mbhunter

  2 Sep 2010 | 12:25 am

  As of right now we’re looking at about 30 hours before Hurricane Earl blows past our latitude.  It reminds me of something that happened during the aftermath of previous hurricanes:  price gouging.  Price gouging is a disparaging term given to the practice of hiking prices of demand items after some disruption has occurred that would normally clear out the existing supply.  Gasoline, food, water, ice, and toiletries are good examples of items vulnerable to price gouging. There was a discussion over at GaryNorth.com about this topic.  In Gary’s response to the discussion, one…

• If I need to ask what “forex” is, I probably shouldn’t try it!

  mbhunter

  31 Aug 2010 | 11:44 pm

  It’s a little embarrassing that I’ve seen so many advertisements and blogs for things related to “forex” and I never bothered to look up what the heck that meant. Thankfully, it turned out that I had heard of what it means, just not by that word.  “Forex” is an abbreviation for the (huge) foreign exchange market, also known as the currency market.  It’s the place where you can take your United States dollars and buy Japanese yen, pounds Sterling, Euros, Canadian dollars, etc.  Or the other way around, of course.  The bid and ask prices for a…

• Travel need not be troubling

  mbhunter

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:46 am

  (This is a guest post from ThinkingMoney.org.  If you like what you’ve read, consider subscribing to their feed.) When going on holiday one of the biggest worries is money. Having a budget and overspending is done far too often as we get carried away. Traveling abroad has special challenges.  It doesn’t help that for some bizarre reason we seem to think that we are not spending as much if the note is not in the currency we are used to.  (I’ve often referred to Euros as a form of Monopoly money!) Unfortunately, these notes are what make the world go round. Without them, the…

• It’s CLEARANCE time at Restaurant.com

  mbhunter

  26 Aug 2010 | 10:18 pm

  CLEARANCE is the word that will give you 80% off of your Restaurant.com dining certificates! For those of you who aren’t familiar with Restaurant.com, here’s a quick rundown.  Restaurant.com sells dining certificates for thousands of restaurants across the US.  A $25 dining certificate gives you $25 off of qualifying expenses at that restaurant.  Normally, a $25 dining certificate costs $10, so if you buy one and use it, you just netted $15 off of your meal.  Nice, right? Through August 31st, 2010, it’s even better:  using the coupon code CLEARANCE at checkout will give…

• Stores can now refuse small credit card charges

  mbhunter

  25 Aug 2010 | 11:40 pm

  Fresh after posting on whether small credit card charges are shameful or otherwise to be avoided, I got a comment on that post.  “Paul” asks: “Wasn’t a provision of the financial reform bill that passed this July that store owners are now legally allowed to not accept a credit card charge for less than $10? I’m almost sure it was.” I hadn’t gotten wind of this at all, but I dug around to try to verify Paul’s claim. Sure enough, Paul got it.  Payment card networks are no longer allowed to demand that merchants accept all payments, regardless of total…

• 

  Rebel Traders - Stock Market and Economic Analysis

• Economic Data and Earnings Schedule for September 2 2010

  Chuck

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:17 pm

  (all times are US ET) 7:45 am – ECB Rate Decision 8:30 am – US Final Q2 Nonfarm Productivity, Q2 Final Unit Labor costs, Initial Jobless Claims, Continuing Claims 10:00 am – US July Factory Orders, July Pending Home Sales 10:30 am – Natural Gas Inventories 11:00 am – US Treasury announcement 1:00 pm  – US Treasury’s 10-year TIPS auction Same store sales data before the open Earnings Before the Open: DLM, LAYN, SCMR, UTIW After the Close: ARST, COO, ESL, FNSR, HRB, MITL, ZQK, SEAC Economic Data and Earnings Schedule for September 2 2010 is a post…

• Christina Romer Makes a Final Recommendation Before Leaving To Teach Keynesian Economics

  Chuck

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:45 pm

  The departing Christina Romer (aka Aunt Bee) says the government should continue to spend its way out of trouble. Christina is returning to teach economics at UC Berkeley where she will no doubt spew the virtues of Keynesian economics and ignore the virtues of responsible spending. {…} White House economist Christina Romer says the government has the tools for bringing down unemployment, but policymakers need to find the will and wisdom to use them. Romer called on officials Wednesday to move forward on policies that will increase government spending and cut taxes. She also called for…

• Homebuilder Hovnanian (HOV) Reports Dismal Quarter

  Chuck

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:30 pm

  The home builder Hovnanian (HOV) reported after the market close today and with the exception of an improved gross margin (probably a result of more layoffs within the company) the data sucks. Hovnanian Enterprises Inc Reports Q3 -$0.92 v -$0.52e, R$380.6M v $386Me - Q3 contract backlog 1.5K homes v 2.2K q/q - Q3 homebuilding gross margin 17.1% v 9.1% q/q - Q3 net new home contracts -37% at 902 homes - Q3 contract cancellation rate 23% v 17% q/q, flat y/y Homebuilder Hovnanian (HOV) Reports Dismal Quarter is a post from: Rebel Traders - Stock Market and Economic Analysis

• Auto Sales Data for August 2010

  Chuck

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:26 pm

  The numbers are in. How did auto sales in the United States do in August? See below: General Motors Corp Reports August vehicle sales -11% (combined 4 brands), to 185.1K units (-21.9% y/y for all brands, including discontinued brands). Note: 51.9 thousand of the sales GM reported for August were actually to fleets (car rental, leasing companies, etc). Daimler AG Mercedes- Benz reports August US sales +15% y/y; to 19.6K units Ford Motor Co Reports August US Sales -10.7% Y/Y; to 157K units Chrysler reports Aug US sales +7%, at 99.6K units Porsche Reports US Aug sales +33% y/y, to 2,032 units…

• Stock Market Rewind – September 1, 2010

  Chuck

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:13 pm

  Wanted that bounce? Well we got it. I will address the charts in tonight’s market video which will be posted in a short while. The day started out with a bit of news from the New York Times. They calculated that the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) over the past month was the busiest month since August of 1999. I maintain my view that the increase in M&A activity is all part of corporate survival for the next decade. Companies needing to finds ways of increasing revenue are realizing that organic growth of current products will not be enough, they must buy up the competition…

• 

  Rich Credit Debt Loan

• Leveraging Debt

  Rich Leverage

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:17 pm

  Financial Leveraging is the borrowing of funds in order to invest and gain returns enough to profit and cover the principal and accrued interest. For a company, the investment is made again its own equity, as borrowed funds would go into expansion of the company. A homeowner would consider the home as the source of equity. Financial leverage can be a risk, especially if the ratio of leveraged debt to equity is high. Conversely, the growth of equity has been found to be proportionate to the ratio. Overall, debt leveraging is a tool that can greatly impact the financial circumstances of the…

• Book Review: You Don’t Have to Be Rich By Jean Chatzky

  Rich Leverage

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:10 am

  Can a book about lowering your financial expectations be any good? We were intrigued by the premise of this book and decided to give it a try. It was a bit surprising in some places, and a little disappointing in others, but overall it was a very interesting read that we found to be thought provoking. While it is certainly not for everyone, if you're struggling to make ends meet, some of the advice contained herein may be very useful to you. Chatzky's main premise is that seeking to be rich may be counterproductive, when you could instead be seeking to be "comfortable." For most of us, that…

• Using Credit Cards to Make More Money

  Rich Leverage

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:53 pm

  When it comes to credit cards, most of us think of them as a way to get things we really want right now. We may not actually "need" these things, but we sure do want them. Whether it's a new couch, a new stereo or even a new wardrobe, we use our credit cards faithfully at the behest of our wanter. However, there is a common issue affecting most people in today's societies. Our "wanters" are out of control and they are wanting the wrong things. There is nothing wrong with having some new clothes, but there is a better way to use your credit cards that can actually result in you having more…

• Restore Your FICO Score – Part Three

  Rich Leverage

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:49 am

  In the previous parts of this article we discussed how FICO score can impact your financial status as well as the initial steps that you can take to begin restoring your FICO score. We covered handling collections first since they do have a big impact on your overall score, but there are a few other ways that you can quickly see a big jump in your score. After you have the collections on your account either settled or verified, double check to make sure that they were removed from your credit report. If a collections agency agreed in writing to remove the entry upon payment and did not, you…

• Fools Born to Buy Debt Allow Wall Street Exports to Boom

  Rich Leverage

  31 Aug 2010 | 2:46 pm

  With the fall of the stock market, the collapse of the economy became clear. The real driving force behind it, however, was the failure and dropping confidence in the largest bond market of the world. Known as structured finance, it has led to a crisis which rivals the Great Depression, as well as brought about the demise of twenty plus banks and almost $3 trillion in government spending and guarantees. Securitization is the biggest export for the US in the 2000s. What they are is the bundling of consumer loans sub prime mortgages. The US has the largest debt, having borrowed $27 trillion…

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  Spilling Buckets

• Net Worth Report for August 2010: $29,014 +$3,414

  SpillingBuckets

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:46 am

  The photo at left is of the "Jack Rabbit" roller coaster snapped last night at Seabreeze Amusement Park in Rochester, NY.  Opening as the fastest roller coaster in the world in 1920 the ride remains a mainstay of the park and is the 4th oldest roller coaster ever built. We had a chance to learn a little more about the park at several displays throughout. The grounds and its ownership tell a unique history of change and perseverance and of reinvention as the park adapted to change with the times. Our reinvention as it relates to income will likely chart a similar…

• Book Review: Debt-Free U, College Without Loans

  Ry@SpillingBuckets

  28 Aug 2010 | 6:58 pm

  "Student loans now constitute about 25% of all non-real estate consumer debt -- alarming when you consider that 30 years ago, student loans were practically nonexistent." "College "rankings" are useless -- designed to sell magazines and generate hype.  If you trust one of the major guides when picking a college, you face potential financial disaster." Author and current college student Zac Bissonnett allowed Leslie and I to review an advanced copy of his new book Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching Off My Parents. I was excited.

• Do 20-Somethings Deserve a New Life Stage?

  Leslie

  19 Aug 2010 | 11:32 am

  I read an interesting article today in the New York Times, on what the deal is with us 20-somethings. The article details the difference between today's twenty-somethings ("emerging adults") and the same age group in previous decades.The article debates whether the transitional self-exploration phase that so many of us go through is actually a newly discovered life stage in the the same sense as childhood or old age, or just a cultural phenomenon. Just as adolescents are broken into 'tweens and teens, the author suggests that young adulthood should consist of emerging adults and young adults…

• What is Quantitative Easing?

  Leslie

  10 Aug 2010 | 10:48 am

  Apparently there are rumors running around that the Fed is shifting to something called Quantitative Easing in an effort to help the still flat-lining economy. What exactly is Quantitative Easing? Well... according to former Fed economist Ken Kuttner it's simply adding some zero's to the end of the bank's accounts. True, the Fed will buy bonds but then it simply credits the banks with money. It sounds slightly better when defined this way (summed from Wikipedia): When interest rates are at zero, or very close to it, but something is needed to stimulate the economy, a central bank might create…

• Giving While Living: A Philosophy That's Catching Fire

  Ry@SpillingBuckets

  5 Aug 2010 | 7:12 am

  "Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present." -Albert Camus Salami on wheat.  Chuck was a sandwich man, selling late night snacks to hungry students after all of the hamburger joints closed for the night.  As the first person in his family to attend college, let alone the school of hotel management at Cornell University, Chuck Feeney knew what a big deal his admission was.  Born in 1931 and the son of an insurance underwriter, Chuck was a child of the great depression.  So when he turned down job offers from major hotel chains to "travel and search…

• 

  Saving to Inve$t

• 10 Ways To Get Out Of Debt Starting Now

  andys2i

  1 Sep 2010 | 8:06 pm

  Debt is as American as apple pie. It is estimated that 80% of Americans live with debt and that includes $8 trillion in home mortgage debt.  Many of us go to work every day simply to pay for products or services that we’ve already received. We can’t help our children with college, fund our retirements, participate in charitable giving, or simply go on that dream vacation we’ve always dreamed of. Debt is the financial equivalent of obesity. Most people have it but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s deadly. It’s time to break the debt cycle and we’re here to help. Here are 10…

• The Best Retirement Plans for Young Workers

  andys2i

  29 Aug 2010 | 7:09 pm

  It’s not breaking news that you should be saving for retirement. Most employed people understand this fact, so hopefully, you are setting some cash aside for your golden years despite the tough economic climate. The tricky part of retirement financial planning is figuring out how much you should actually save and where it should go. Luckily, if you’re just starting the career phase of your life, you have the opportunity to take advantage of a few strategies for young savers. The following is an examination of what could be the best retirement plan for a young worker. How Much You…

• How to Get and Qualify For a Small Business Loan

  andys2i

  28 Aug 2010 | 7:51 pm

  In the current economy with 10% unemployment many people are becoming self employed small business owners as a way to make living. Apart from the daunting task of starting a viable business the biggest challenge is to actually get the funds to start or keep the business running. This is particularly the case if your personal savings have dwindled to the point that they just cover your personal living needs. This is where a small business loan can help you launch your dream and get you started on the journey to being your own boss. Before delving into the details of how to get a small business…

• Housing Market Predictions and Forecast For Home Prices in 2010 and 2011

  andys2i

  25 Aug 2010 | 6:30 am

  The future of the housing market is one of the most disconcerting unknowns for Americans. Homeowners are naturally worried about the price and future of what is normally their largest asset. Would-be buyers and sellers are finding it hard to close on deals because of the uncertainty of future prices and difficulties in getting a loan. Renters get impacted by higher rents, as more people rent rather than buy. Thus people in all walks of society are directly impacted by the future of the housing market. Not a day goes by where there isn’t another article or political debate talking about…

• Making an International Money Transfer – Costs, Rates and Risks

  andys2i

  23 Aug 2010 | 9:35 am

  Transferring money domestically is pretty straightforward and you can normally work with one bank or financial institution to take care of the entire process. However as I and other friends who have moved overseas have found, transferring money across countries is not as straightforward. Further, the process, terminology and requirements tend to vary across countries. Moving money between America and England, Mainland Europe and Australia is relatively easy because these “developed” countries have established and regulated foreign exchange transfer systems. Whilst, moving money…

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  MYM Updates

• Top Affordable Halloween Costumes for 2010

  milkyourmoney@gmail.com (milkyourmoney@gmail.com)

  31 Aug 2010 | 8:30 am

  The following list completely ignores all of the typical Halloween costumes like vampires, those go without saying, rather, this list is aimed more at the trend of dressing up like somebody famous or recently made famous. Every year there seems to be a new batch of celebs thanks to politics, reality shows, and balloon boy stunts. Below is the MYM’s top 2010 list of affordable costumes for 2010. Steven Slater – Made famous by freaking out on a passenger on a plane, while working as a flight attendant, Slater stole a beer and slid down the emergency exit on a JetBlue flight. Slater adds…

• Should You Snake Your Clogged Drain or Use Drano Products?

  milkyourmoney@gmail.com (milkyourmoney@gmail.com)

  29 Aug 2010 | 8:14 am

  While pouring a bottle of Drano down your drain is probably easier, it’s definitely more expensive and will likely have to be down again after a few months. Generally, most people experience problems in their shower with draining problems from hair and God know what else, and the some what lazy solution is to buy an expensive bottle of Drano and pour it down the drain, let it sit and rinse it down.  This does work, but I would consider buying a snake and manually unclogging the drain. I got a drain snake for about $4.00 at Harbor Freight Tools, which will last forever, compared to an $8…

• Use a Cheap Candle Warmer for a Coffee Mug Warmer

  milkyourmoney@gmail.com (milkyourmoney@gmail.com)

  26 Aug 2010 | 8:10 am

  Awhile back, I looked everywhere for a coffee cup warmer because I cant stand when my coffee gets cold at work. I was tired of pouring cold coffee down the drain or getting a buzz by slamming the cup before it chilled. After looking everywhere for a coffee mug warmer, I finally just settled on a candle warmer from Bed Bath & Beyond for relatively cheap (don’t forget to use one of the 20% coupons that seem to always come in the mail). I’m happy to report that it does actually keep the coffee warm, but not hot. Basically, for me it keeps the drink warm enough to drink, which is exactly…

• Should You Switch Electricity Providers from BGE to Dominion?

  milkyourmoney@gmail.com (milkyourmoney@gmail.com)

  25 Aug 2010 | 2:12 pm

  If you live in Maryland, you likely received a promotional letter from Dominion Retail urging you to switch electricity providers from BGE to them.  If your like me, the letter and whole setup is a little confusing. Apparently, if you switch to Dominion, all this really means is they will “arrange” the supply of electricity that BGE delivers to you. So your billing, services, and repairs will continue be through BGE, it’s really the back end work that would be changing. Should we all be switching to Dominion is the question. Consider the following before making a decision: If you make…

• Increase the Life Of Your Dress Shirts with Metal Collar Stays

  milkyourmoney@gmail.com (milkyourmoney@gmail.com)

  24 Aug 2010 | 8:03 am

  For those of you that have to wear a button up shirt to work everyday, metal collar stays is must have item to expand the life of your shirts and keep you looking good.  Generally, all button up shirts come with plastic collar stays, which mysteriously get eaten by the washing machine. When the shirt is relatively new, this can go unnoticed, but when a shirt starts ware, you will see the collars start to curl up around the edges. This is where replacement metal collar stays come into play. For relatively cheap (usually around $15) you can get a set of metal collar stays of different sizes…

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  Bills.com - News Releases

• Bills.com Earns Spot on Inc. 500|5000 for Third Consecutive Year

• Personal Finance Resource Bills.com Acquires Home-Account

  Home-Account’s consumer mortgage platform will be incorporated into innovative new personal finance tools from Bills.com

• New Study Demonstrates Americans are Outliving Retirement Savings

  Money Resource Bills.com Outlines Eight Retirement Savings Strategies

• Bills.com Shares Five Financial Strategies for Americans Facing Expiring Unemployment and COBRA Benefits

  Decisions made in critical weeks following loss of benefits could make a big difference for many families

• Bills.com Urges College Students to Take Advantage of Millions in Potential Financial Aid Before Deadline Passes

  Bills.com Student Loan Savings Center offers basic college savings strategies for families grappling with high cost of tuition

• 

  PennyJobs.com

• New eBook - How the Global Economy is Dependent on Christianity - 25% Off for Limited Time

  27 Aug 2010 | 6:19 am

  Today I’m really excited to announce the official launch of my latest eBook – How the Global Economy is Dependent on ChristianityThis is my latest eBook that shows how the entire economy is dependent on traditional Christian values.  In this eBook I explain how the global economy will quickly collapse if world leaders try to replace Christianity with globalization, humanism or socialism or anything else. The question that leaders are asking around the world today is 'does the world need Christianity anymore?'  now that we have…

• Our Prosperity Comes from Liberty and Freedom, Which Are Rooted in Religion - Not Government

  25 Aug 2010 | 1:30 pm

  America is the global protector of tyranny.  America’s global influence as a protector of tyranny comes from our economic strength. Our prosperity comes from our liberty and freedom, because liberty and freedom provide the opportunity for innovation.  But liberty and freedom can only survive if they are rooted in culture and constantly defended. Our liberty and freedom are rooted in our religion as is recorded in the documents that created our nation - specifically Christianity. Because Christianity teaches us that we are created by a loving and intelligent God in which…

• Of Course Obama is Not a Christian as His Speeches and Policies Reveal

  20 Aug 2010 | 12:43 pm

  Obama's recent support for the ground zero mosque has brought attention to his religion.  Is he Christian, Muslim or something else?The media jumped at the opportunity to pose the question to the public with a poll.  The first poll showed that nearly one in five people or 18 percent think Obama is Muslim.  That was up from 11 percent who said so in March 2009.  The survey also showed that just 34 percent think Obama is a Christian and 43 percent are not sure of his religion.  In a separate poll by Time magazine on Monday after Obama’s comments about…

• Let the Federal Government Cuts Begin

  10 Aug 2010 | 11:26 am

  Yesterday the Pentagon announced that it was going to close a major military training facility in an effort to cut billions from its budget over the next few years. As I have been saying for quite some time now, the Federal Government is eventually going to have to cut spending in a major way.  Early next year, after the Nov. elections, I fully expect Obama to start cutting away at every department’s budget. Not that he wants to, but that he has to.  And I’m sure he will try to continue funding his pet projects, like Obamacare, while forcing deeper cuts in everyone else’s pet…

• How California’s Proposition 8 And The Same-Sex Marriage Debate Affects the Economy

  5 Aug 2010 | 11:20 am

  Yesterday a U.S. District Count Judge overturned Proposition 8, California’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Nothing changed with regard to marriage because the judge suspended the ruling pending an appeal, in which this process is likely to continue all the way to be U.S. Supreme Court.Supporters of the extreme ideology of same-sex marriage like to say that if the redefinition of marriage does not affect me personally then why should I care? When I first heard this I thought it sounded good, but the speakers at the recent rally in my home town of St. Cloud MN by the…

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  Girls Just Wanna Have Funds: Personal Finance Blog For Women Taking Charge Of Their Finances

• Wordless Wednesday: Pink Stiletto Pumps

  Ginger

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:17 am

  What are you wearing today? Post pictures in the comments or @Gingerlatte on Twitter

• #TopTenTuesday: 10 Ways To Make (or find) $1000

  Ginger

  31 Aug 2010 | 11:14 am

  1.  Start a pet sitting business. If you live in a large metropolitan city or even the suburbs, pet sitting and boarding can be a good way to earn extra cash. 2.  Provide daycare/aftercare for children in your neighborhood. The best way to go about doing this is to research the costs into getting licensed (if necessary), set up costs (turning the basement or sunroom you never use into the child care area) and determine what your competitors are charging then undercut them but a few dollars while adding a bit more with regards to the services you offer. 3.  Secret Shopper. EPMSOnline.com is…

• Ask For The Salary Upfront And Here’s Why

  Ginger

  30 Aug 2010 | 6:20 am

  If you’ve ever been on an interview and held your breath until the final offer only to be disappointed, please, read on. One of the most annoying things about the job hunt has to be hoping that they will make an offer commensurate with what you believe to be your worth.  Not only your worth but what the company has actually budgeted for the position.  But how do you know what they have actually budgeted for the position? You Ask! Men ask for what they want twice as often as women do and initiate negotiation four times more.  Men, socialized in a “scrappier paradigm,”…

• Friday Favorites: Student Loan Edition

  Ginger

  27 Aug 2010 | 9:44 am

  Today I declined to get started on a doctoral program due to concerns around taking on more student loan debt.  I just don’t see myself being burdened with more loans than I am right now with no guarantee of a significant increase in salary. I’ve added some articles here on student loans and others that caught my eye throughout the week.  Let me know in the comments if you’re planning to go back to school.  If so, are you taking out loans or paying your way through?  My total cost would have been an extra $90,000.  Call me gun shy but in this economy, I don’t know…

• Salary Negotiation Tip From The Experts

  Ginger

  26 Aug 2010 | 6:00 am

  A:     Excuse me sir, may I talk to you? B:     Sure, come on in.   What can I do for you? A:     Well sir, as you know, I have been an employee of this prestigious firm for over ten years. B:     Yes. A:     I won’t beat around the bush.   Sir, I would like a raise. I currently have four companies after me and so I decided to talk to you first. B:     A raise?   I would love to give you a raise, but this is just not the right time. A:     I understand your position, and I know that the current economic downturn has had a negative impact on sales, but you must also take…

• 

  Girls Just Wanna Have Funds: Personal Finance Blog For Women Taking Charge Of Their Finances

• Wordless Wednesday: Pink Stiletto Pumps

  What are you wearing today? Post pictures in the comments or @Gingerlatte on Twitter

• #TopTenTuesday: 10 Ways To Make (or find) $1000

  1.  Start a pet sitting business. If you live in a large metropolitan city or even the suburbs, pet sitting and boarding can be a good way to earn extra cash. 2.  Provide daycare/aftercare for children in your neighborhood. The best way to go about doing this is to research the costs into getting licensed [...]

• Ask For The Salary Upfront And Here’s Why

  If you’ve ever been on an interview and held your breath until the final offer only to be disappointed, please, read on. One of the most annoying things about the job hunt has to be hoping that they will make an offer commensurate with what you believe to be your worth.  Not only your worth but [...]

• Friday Favorites: Student Loan Edition

  Today I declined to get started on a doctoral program due to concerns around taking on more student loan debt.  I just don’t see myself being burdened with more loans than I am right now with no guarantee of a significant increase in salary. I’ve added some articles here on student loans and others that caught [...]

• Salary Negotiation Tip From The Experts

  A:     Excuse me sir, may I talk to you? B:     Sure, come on in.   What can I do for you? A:     Well sir, as you know, I have been an employee of this prestigious firm for over ten years. B:     Yes. A:     I won’t beat around the bush. [...]

• 

  The Finance Buff

• Mortgage Refinance: Tradeoff Between Rate and Closing Cost

  TFB

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:16 am

  Say you chose a lender for your mortgage refinance. You still have to decide whether you should go for a lower rate with a higher closing cost or a higher rate but with no or minimal closing cost.  You can also buy down the rate by paying points. Making the perfect decision requires a crystal ball. Will the mortgage rate go down in the future? When and by how much? How long are you going to keep this loan? Note I didn’t ask how long you are going to stay in the house, because you can still stay in the house and refinance the loan again if the rate goes down. The good thing is we…

• Mortgage Refinance: Which Lender?

  TFB

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:03 am

  As I mentioned last week, I’m doing a mortgage refinance with a lender I haven’t used before: First Internet Bank of Indiana ("First IB"). My previous two refi’s were done through National Mortgage Alliance (NMA). NMA did the jobs well both times. My last one finished in 2 weeks from application to closing. So why change? Lower cost for the same rate and term. Is it worth it? I think so. Let me explain how I chose the lender in this post. It Doesn’t Have to be Local Right now 90% of the loans end up being sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. As long as the rate…

• Mortgage Refinance: Is Your Lender Legit?

  TFB

  31 Aug 2010 | 6:02 am

  When you see a mortgage offer from a place you are not familiar with, you may be concerned whether it’s a legit business or a scam. When you apply for a loan, you have to give out a lot of personal information . You don’t want to give those information to a scammer doing identity theft. How do you know they are legit? Banks If the prospective lender is a bank, you can try finding it in FDIC’s directory. For example I’m using First Internet Bank of Indiana. I see it in FDIC’s directory. It’s been FDIC insured since 1998. Previously I used National Mortgage…

• FT vs WSJ: Which is Better?

  TFB

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:28 am

  My Wall Street Journal subscription expired in July, but they are still sending me the paper. Maybe they wish I would renew, but I already started a subscription to Financial Times. Having both papers at the same time gives me an opportunity to put them side by side for a comparison. Both Financial Times (FT) and Wall Street Journal (WSJ) cover business news. I like FT better. Let me explain why using last Friday’s papers as an example. Fewer pages. Friday’s FT had 22 pages in two sections; WSJ had 46 pages in four sections. FT had one full ad page and two pages of market data;…

• Volcker Tax Reform Report

  TFB

  29 Aug 2010 | 11:17 am

  Back in February 2009, President Obama appointed former Fed chairman Paul Volcker to head a President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB). The Board issued a report on tax reforms last Friday. Who’s on the Board The board is largely non-political. Besides Paul Volcker, the Board has as its members a former SEC chairman, a venture capitalist, a representative from AFL-CIO, corporate executives, endowment fund manager David Swensen, university professors, and Obama’s economic advisor Austan Goolsbee. Scope of the Report The board was asked to consider ideas that pertain to…

• 

  Amateur Asset Allocator

• Are International Bond Funds For You?

  Kyle

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  You may be looking for a secure investment in these uncertain times. There are many other options besides the stock market for those who still want to find something in which they can invest for the future. International bond funds are one option that you can consider. An international bond fund is similar to U.S. issued bonds in that they pay interest at regular intervals and pay the principal back at maturity. International bonds, or sovereign bonds, come in many forms. For instance, one type is the Brady bond, which is denominated in U.S. dollars, and is backed by the U.S Treasury as well…

• Getting To The Bottom Of Debt

  Kyle

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  It’s another four-letter-word that we love to hate, and even though it was invented as a way to help us out of financial troubles, it has become the leading cause of most of our money woes today. Debt is everywhere; it is a normal part of every adult’s life; however, some people are able to manage it better than others and for them, it does not cause chaos or wreak havoc on their lives. The key to managing debt lies in knowing it inside out – there are some debts that are good for you and some that are so bad they mustn’t be touched with a bargepole; there are some debts that must be…

• Remedy An IRS Delinquency With A Tax Settlement

  Kyle

  27 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  If you owe back taxes, the IRS can seize your bank account, garnish wages, or put a lien on your assets.  You can remedy IRS delinquency with tax settlement and save big. What Is A Tax Settlement? When you settle delinquent taxes, this is referred to as a settlement.  There are a number of different programs, including the Internal Revenue Service’s program.  For those considering settling back taxes, keep in mind that the IRS has specific requirements to qualify. If you owe $10,000 or more, applying for a Partial Payment Installment Agreement (PPIA) is one possible solution. The IRS…

• The American Dream: 10 Ways To Make It A Reality

  Kyle

  26 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  The American dream can encompass many things. It is an idea, fostered by our forefathers, that people will be rewarded for their hard work, and advancement and recognition will be based on merit. It is not an expectation of free handouts or streets made of gold, but rather an ideal that anyone can progress in life by the sweat of their brow and the courage of their convictions. What it amounts to is the ability to live a good life and provide a stable home for one’s family. And while attaining the dream of home-ownership has become a bit more difficult in recent years due to the downturn of…

• Lump Sum Vs Annuity For Retirement

  Kyle

  25 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  Retirement can be another uncertain chapter in a person’s financial life.  Investment options such as 401K’s, pensions, and Roth IRAs all have benefits and drawbacks for individuals entering the golden years of their lives.  Which is the best option for you?  Which is the best option for your family?  Your spouse?  These are all tough questions that must be planned for when choosing between a 401K lump sum vs annuity or a pension lump sum vs annuity. It is important to take into consideration all potential outcomes of post retirement years when making a decision such as this.  Many…

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  Tip'd / Published News

• How Could She Afford That? Getting Over Your Neighbor-Envy

  GoBankingRates

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:35 am

  Here's what to do when you find yourself murmuring, "Why do they get that and I don't? It's not fair!"13 Tips (http://www.gobankingrates.com)

• Avoid These 5 Major Money Mistakes

  MMarquit

  2 Sep 2010 | 6:50 am

  Marriage, compound interest, and estate planning are all ripe for errors. 17 Tips (http://money.usnews.com)

• Early Mortgage Payoff….A Good Idea?

  Wealthpilgrim

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:01 am

  An early mortgage payoff is not in your financial interest right now. In fact, it’s the last thing you should do. Here's why17 Tips (http://wealthpilgrim.com)

• Debit or Deposit: My Money Mess

  MMarquit

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:42 pm

  I made a massive money mistake this month. Good thing my parents were there to bail me out.15 Tips (http://www.allbusiness.com)

• It’s a Habit with Sammy Rabbit Review – Teaching Kids About Money Done Right

  pffirewall

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:49 pm

  It's hard to get kids into learning about money. The company It's a Habit, Co has some great products and resources for doing just that.14 Tips (http://www.pffirewall.com)

• 

  No More Spending

• September 2010 Net Worth Update +£906

  no more spending

  2 Sep 2010 | 1:32 am

  1) The increase this month is a little inflated due to the balance of our checking account. 2) We made a small mortgage overpayment of £57 3) £19,167 is needed to achieve our December 2011 goal. To subscribe to No More Spending please click here.  Thank you for reading.

• Extra Money Earned: August 2010

  no more spending

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:30 am

  Overall from different sources my goal is to generate at least £2,010 of extra income in 2010; this money can either be alternative income or passive income. August earning breakdown: £83.08 Site income: I sold some advertising space on one of my sites £6.44 Amazon sales: Only one book sold on Amazon in August due to my failure to keep my listings up to date! £24.23 Bank interest: This is from our emergency fund savings.  £113.75 Total Total so far in 2010 £1,296.35/£2,010 These figures are an improvement on July {£54.26} but worse than…

• A Snowflake Challenge for September

  no more spending

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:59 am

  I'm kicking off a new challenge for September: A snowflake challenge. Snowflakes are a spinoff of the snowball method that is used to pay down your debt faster; they are the little bits of money that you make, extra to your snowball, that speed up your debt free day; if you are debt free then you can also use any snowflakes to increase your saving rate. My challenge for September is to make an extra £300/$460 in snowflake income.  Every Wednesday I will be blogging my progress....let's hope there is some! :-) So where am I going to make an extra £300? At the moment I'm banking on…

• Menu Plan Monday: Grocery Spending Update

  no more spending

  30 Aug 2010 | 12:13 am

  This month {18th August - 17th September} I'm trying to keep within a grocery budget of £230/$360.  At the beginning of my month I did a large shop to fill my freezer {3 drawers in a fridge freezer} and now I'm doing small top ups along the way; I've spent £144.75 of my budget so far, with my last shop being at Aldi where I spent £19.25 on milk, bread, fruit, vegetables, ham and raisins. This week's menu: Monday: Homemade Quiche, Jacket Potato and Salad Tuesday: Sausages and Mash {make twice as much for tomorrow} Wednesday: Beef Bourginon and Mash Thursday: Something with eggs {I…

• Saturday Link Round Up: 28th August 2010

  no more spending

  28 Aug 2010 | 7:50 am

  Hello and happy Saturday; here are just some of the articles I've enjoyed reading this week; Where Do You Put Any Monthly Extra? at Sweating the Big Stuff {guest post} Do You Put Your Emergency Fund to Work - Part 1 at PF Firewall {includes Part 2 & 3} Make Organic Food Affordable at Money Ning Pre-Assembling Meals at I'm an Organizing Junkie How We Invest at Frugal Babe Investing in Your Life Pays Off in the Long Term at Get Rich Slowly and at Move To Portugal this week: Be frugal, be green {er} Preparing for a car boot sale Have a great weekend!

• 

  Bill MacKay

• ANNUAL VACATION A BASIC NEED

  8 Aug 2010 | 12:11 pm

  If the annual vacation is now considered a basic need what’s a luxury?The cultural shift between the two is well underway.With boomers at the door to retirement and Gen X and Y adopting theirparents’ luxuries as basic needs, traditional budget categories are obsolete.What used to be basic needs (which I label as Body Basics) consisted of food, clothing, and shelter. These needs have been gradually expanding and now include things many in the prior generation could not afford regardless of what you called them.A survey by MainStay Investments identified these as basic needs:An internet…

• LIFESTYLE UPGRADE OVERDUE

  18 Jul 2010 | 5:32 pm

  Recent reports suggest a lifestyle upgrade is overduebecause the next ten to twelve years look like much more of the same.Low job creation, home values, and consumer spending.High unemployment, foreclosures, and taxes. Doesn’t look like much fun any way you cut it.Following the experts advice to save more, work longer, and reduce your standard of living are grim reminders of a stalled economy.All pursued, of course, to protect your standard of living later. The nasty conclusion is what most of us at midlife are trying to avoid:we will run out of lifestyle before we run out of money.In other…

• UNEXAMINED SPENDING IS A RECKLESS FORCE

  11 Jul 2010 | 5:36 pm

  Unexamined spending is a reckless force shaping your life.You ignore your spending habits at your peril.The process of analyzing your spending is simple.So simple perhaps it’s the reason you ignore it.How can anything that is so easy actually work in a world where complexity gets celebrity status?Spending On Purpose is that approach.It is a way to help you manage the risks inherent in spending your income as you attempt to make your dreams come true.The flip side of this, and the focus of the “purpose” part,is controlling where you can, and stopping where you must, spending habits and…

• GET SMART AMERICANS

  27 Jun 2010 | 5:23 pm

  At least get money smart because Congress thinks you’re dumb.So guess what? Here comes another government agency to help.You are so easily tricked and trapped by the fine print,a credit card agreement, a mortgage loan applicationthat a Consumer Financial Protection Agency is needed.It will “give families a chance to take control over their money, but families will have to be smart” states Elizabeth Warren.Warren is Chair, Congressional Oversight Committee and a strong advocate of the agency under consideration.TIME OUT! Will someone please show me how any agency or anyone can help you…

• ARE YOU SPENDING ON PURPOSE?

  13 Jun 2010 | 5:15 am

  Are you spending on purpose or still buying impulsively?While men and women seem to do it –shopping--differentlyyou still have to get it right to both feel good and meet your goals.These are different in so many respects.Feeling good is instant; satisfaction in the moment. A welcome rush of dopamine as you salivate over all the great stuff you could choose and finally purchase. Isn’t it wonderful! Spending has its rewardsthat have nothing to do with the object purchased.But that often is the problem. Think QVC, the shopping channel.Goal achieving is another matter.The journey may be long,…

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  ThinkMoney.com

• How will a debt management plan change my finances?

  1 Sep 2010 | 8:22 am

  A debt management plan will have a big impact on your finances, but remember it`s designed to help you.Full article: How will a debt management plan change my finances?Visit: www.thinkmoney.com

• What help will I get during my debt management plan?

  26 Aug 2010 | 9:03 am

  Debt management companies can help you with your finances throughout your debt management plan.Full article: What help will I get during my debt management plan?Visit: www.thinkmoney.com

• Timeline of an IVA

  26 Aug 2010 | 4:15 am

  Here`s our step-by-step guide to what`s involved in entering into an IVA.Full article: Timeline of an IVAVisit: www.thinkmoney.com

• How an IVA can help

  24 Aug 2010 | 8:19 am

  Here`s a quick rundown of the various ways in which an IVA could help with your unsecured debts.Full article: How an IVA can helpVisit: www.thinkmoney.com

• How will a debt management plan affect my credit rating?

  23 Aug 2010 | 10:31 am

  A debt management plan could really help you if you`re struggling with debts you can no longer afford to repay, but reducing the repayments you originally agreed to make will have an impact on your credit rating.Full article: How will a debt management plan affect my credit rating?Visit: www.thinkmoney.com

• 

  Capital Stories

• Real Improvements to Your Investment Portfolio: Lessons from the Past 10 Years

  admin

  26 Aug 2010 | 8:14 am

  Please join us for a focused discussion on Investment Returns as part of our 2010 Educational Luncheon Series.This will be a great opportunity to explore what has happened in the financial markets over the past 10 years and how returns have affected the retail investor. We will explore what some people are afraid to talk about: Actual Historical Returns, What Do They Mean? What did we learn? How do we apply these realities to our future investment decisions? Please be our guest over lunch and learn about how you can improve your chances. This is also a great opportunity for you to bring along…

• Coin Tosses and Investment Return Tables

  patrickmullins

  1 Jun 2010 | 1:02 pm

  Financial marketers know that human wiring encourages us to judge decision-making skill based on the recent outcome. This is true even if that outcome is a random result. So in the investment world, tossing a coin and producing heads three times in a row is seen as skillful. Predicting the wrong result of a toss is viewed as a repeatable and flawed approach, and this is true even though the probabilities for the next toss remain unchanged. My take is that it is much easier to focus on short term results than to try and uncover whether-or-not an approach is increasing the probability of…

• Growth (decline) of a Dollar – A 10 year investment review

  patrickmullins

  12 Mar 2010 | 5:31 am

  Ten years ago the NASDAQ composite index was double today’s value. A dollar invested in this US technology index in March of 2000 is worth 68 cents now. During this decade, it happens that our Canadian dollar has advanced about 27 percent against the US greenback, so converting back to Canadian dollars the total would look more like 41 cents. This investment return pain has been shared between technology investors and companies, and perhaps especially, employees. In general most Canadians looking to provide for their families and retirement would have been much better served looking outside…

• Lotteries and Fairness

  patrickmullins

  5 Jan 2010 | 1:18 pm

  In continuing the discussion of the concept of fairness, lets now look at lotteries. Lotteries are different; we don’t seem to demand fairness to participate. In a series of fair lotteries below the gross proceeds are evenly distributed among the participants. (For a review of my definition of fairness see my previous post). Mean is the average payout: (total payout/ number of players). For all the three lotteries above the mean is 1, or your money back. Though this doesn’t describe what we see in the chart very well. For all lotteries above, mean returns look okay, no matter the payoff…

• Our intuitive understanding of fairness

  patrickmullins

  29 Dec 2009 | 8:46 am

  The economics of a fair game are intuitive. Even very young children understand the rules. In aggregate the participants get out of the game the resources they put in. There is seen to be an equitable arrangement between participants. Adult bargaining games designed to test understanding of fairness, reciprocity and altruism can be helpful to clarify our understandings of these concepts. Two of these games are the ultimatum game and the dictator game. Ultimatum game: In this game there are two players, a proposer and a responder. The proposer offers any amount of a given total stake to the…

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  Maximizing Money

• Chase Exclusives Credit Card Bonuses for Chase Checking Account Customers

  MaximizingMoney.com

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:15 am

  Chase Exclusives is currently offering credit card bonuses for Chase checking account customers to earn extra Ultimate Rewards points or refunds on interest charges if you have both a Chase checking account and a Chase credit card. If you have a Chase Bank checking account, you can qualify for these Chase Exclusives credit card promotions. Chase Ultimate Rewards Points Bonuses with Chase Freedom® Visa Current Chase checking account customers can earn 10% extra points per $1 spent plus 10 points per purchase through the Ultimate Rewards program with the Chase Freedom® Visa.

• British Airways Credit Card up to 50,000 Bonus BA Miles Promotion

  MaximizingMoney.com

  1 Sep 2010 | 6:00 pm

  The British Airways Visa Signature Card is currently offering up to 50,000 bonus BA miles. Apply for this British Airways credit card to get 25,000 bonus miles after your first purchase, which is enough for a free domestic flight on American Airlines or Alaskan Airlines (both of which are BA partner airlines). You’ll also get 25,000 BA bonus miles on your first card anniversary, which is enough for another domestic reward flight. This British Airways rewards card does have a $75 annual fee. However, you’ll also receive a $50 discount on all British Airways round-trip transatlantic…

• Columbia Credit Union in Washington up to $1,000 in Banking Promotions

  MaximizingMoney.com

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:10 am

  The Columbia Credit Union in Clark County, Washington, is currently offering up to $1,000 in banking promotions for checking accounts, consumer loans or refinancing, and mortgages when you bank with Columbia Credit Union. Columbia Credit Union membership is open to individuals or businesses in Washington State (and to the family members of eligible individuals). You’ll get $250 for opening a new Columbia checking account, $250 for opening a new loan or refinancing your current loan, and $500 for opening a new mortgage or refinancing your current mortgage. That’s a total of $1,000…

• Kashi Snack Drive Free TLC Chewy Treat or Crackers

  MaximizingMoney.com

  31 Aug 2010 | 1:45 pm

  The Kashi Snack Drive is providing free samples of TLC chewy treats or crackers, available through September 19, 2010, or until supplies run out. You can get a free sample of TLC Cereal Bar Ripe Strawberry, TLC Chewy Granola Bar Trail Mix, or TLC Crackers Original 7 Grain. Just fill out the quick Kashi Free Sample Form to request your chewy deliciousness today. The form only requires basic information that is needed to deliver your free snack, and signing up for emails is optional, so there are no further commitments required. This offer is available to U.S. residents only. You must be 18 or…

• Marathon Credit Card $15 Free Gas Promotion

  MaximizingMoney.com

  31 Aug 2010 | 9:39 am

  The Marathon Credit Card is currently offering a $15 free gas promotion with your approved Marathon card application. Just apply for a Marathon Credit Card or Marathon Premier Card, and you’ll receive a $15 free gas credit during your first billing cycle. Apply online or by phone for your new Marathon Credit Card and receive a $15 free gas bonus today. Marathon Card Bonus Details The $15 credit offer is valid only on new Premier and Regular Consumer credit card applications. The credit will be applied to charges incurred in the first billing cycle during which the newly issued card is…

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  Darwin's Finance

• Is the McMansion Dead?

  Darwin

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:33 am

  Over the past few weeks, there have been several headlines declaring the death of the McMansion.  Depending on how you define the “McMansion”, there may be some merit to the argument, but other aspects of the American desire to have things that are “big” are alive and well.  I mean, didn’t we declare the death of SUVs when oil prices hit $140/barrel only to see sales come roaring back when oil then dropped 70% the following year?What is a McMansion?To some, a McMansion is just a large home.  Anything exceeding 2500 square feet or so probably qualifies to…

• Tutoring Gone Wild in America

  Darwin

  23 Aug 2010 | 4:49 pm

  While I always knew tutors existed and my wife even considered doing it for some time since she was a teacher before opting to stay home with the kids, I didn’t realize the extent to which tutoring and costly tutoring at that, occurs in America.  There was a NYTimes article this weekend outlining not only the prevalence of private tutors, but also the exorbitant costs and what the expectations are from parents.  Based on the article and on comments from readers on their experiences, I was shocked to learn that in many districts, the MAJORITY of students have their own private tutors,…

• Who Would Make the Best Use of $Billions – Bill Gates or US Govt?

  Darwin

  17 Aug 2010 | 7:30 pm

  As the saying goes, “No good deed goes unpunished”, with the recent announcement that several billionaires will end up donating much of their wealth to philanthropy before they die rather than passing it on to heirs (along with a substantial portion to US coffers by way of the estate tax), many prominent Europeans are coming out against this move and calling it “Undemocratic”.  So, people who are willing to give away BILLIONS of dollars in generational wealth rather than spend it or pass it all on to their heirs are being criticized.  Per a recent article in the Wall…

• For-Profit College Scams – Really Think Before Enrolling

  Darwin

  11 Aug 2010 | 12:49 pm

  The GAO released a damning study of the for-profit college industry which showed outright lying and deceptive tactics by personnel in order to dupe prospective students into enrolling in their programs when it was questionable as to whether doing so was in their best interest.  Many of the personnel used high pressure sales tactics and provided erroneous information in order to get undercover prospective students to sign up.Why is the GAO Involved?Well, based on the exploding student enrollment at these colleges, the government has issued Pell Grants totaling $4 Billion in 2009 and over $20…

• Social Security Tipping Point in 2010 – IN THE RED

  Darwin

  9 Aug 2010 | 4:21 am

  Social Security will actually pay out more benefits this year than it will take in which is a pretty shocking wakeup call.  While I’d been hearing about skepticism over the solvency of Social Security ever since I was a little kid, 2010 marks a year when the payouts don’t match the intake and given our aging demographic and low birth rate, there’s no plausible expectation of the situation reversing itself without a major overhaul (reduction) in benefits or increase payroll contribution (tax increase, which Obama promised wouldn’t happen to those making less than…

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  Get Out Of Debt With Scott

• Millionaires

  goodwithscott.com

  story links: Millionaires

• Debt Advice

  goodwithscott.com

  story links: Debt Advice

• Get Out Of Debt Services

  goodwithscott.com

  story links: Get Out Of Debt Services

• Reduce Debt

  goodwithscott.com

  story links: Reduce Debt

• Avoid Bankruptcy

  goodwithscott.com

  story links: Avoid Bankruptcy

• 

  MainStreet.com

• Xbox Live Gold Raises Its Price

  Jeanine Skowronski

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:30 am

  Microsoft is raising prices on its subscriptions to popular online game service Xbox Live Gold.

• New Homebuyer Tax Credit: Coming Soon?

  Brian O'Connell

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:06 am

  Will Uncle Sam unveil a new version of the homebuyer credit? Don’t hold your breath, says the Fed.

• In Defense of Airlines, Sort Of

  Jeanine Skowronski

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:55 am

  It’s easy to hate airlines. But is our aversion really justified, and if so, why?

• Illegal Immigration Drops in Recession

  Seth Fiegerman

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:25 am

  A new study finds that the number of illegal immigrants declined significantly during the recession.

• Bernake Says Shut Down Troubled Big Banks

  The Associated Press

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:00 am

  As a panel continues investigating the financial crisis, Ben Bernake petitions the government to do away with threats to our financial system.

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  theBKBlog

• New Credit Card Protections Trigger Higher Fees by Card Issuers

  Jonathan

  10 Aug 2010 | 1:48 pm

  As you may know, last year Congress passed a law called the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009.  This law, nicknamed the CARD Act of 2009, was designed to regulate a variety of unpopular credit card tactics, such as interest rate increases without notice, inactivity fees and unfair interest calculations. According to credit card industry analysts, the CARD Act of 2009 will eliminate over $390 million in fees for credit card issuers.  Not surprisingly, the credit card companies do not intend to walk away from this fee income.  For every fee and penalty…

• Can You be Sued for Non-payment of your Mortgage if You Do Not Reaffirm?

  Jonathan

  3 Aug 2010 | 9:17 am

  I recently received an email from a blog reader asking about his obligations to his mortgage company when he does not reaffirm: I have read your blog and you are very through so I write you with hopes that you might answer this question for me. I file Chapter 7  in 08, and did not reaffirm my loan. I am still living in the house and did make some payments. However, i have not for the last 8 months. It is my understanding that I must sign a document to reaffirm and that continuing payment in itself is not a reaffirmation…or?  Well it gets a little more complicated.  My house is valued…

• Can You Rely on a Verbal Promise that Your Foreclosure Will be Delayed?

  Jonathan

  18 Jul 2010 | 8:03 am

  Last month, I met several times with a potential Chapter 13 client who was facing a mortgage foreclosure.  Over the course of the past few months he has been juggling his creditors and bills trying to stay afloat and during that time he fell behind to his mortgage company by more than four months, and found himself in the foreclosure process. This individual earns over $100,000 annually, but, unfortunately he used to earn more than double this amount.  His problem was not the mortgage, but his other bills, including a very high car payment and a mortgage payment arising from a failing real…

• Ruling by Supreme Court Impacts Bankruptcy Exemptions in Georgia

  Jonathan

  14 Jul 2010 | 8:37 pm

  The United States Supreme Court rarely accepts cases that affect consumer bankruptcy debtors.  Recently, however, the Court considered an issue that potentially impacts all debtors – the treatment of exemptions. The term "exemptions" refers to property you own that is protected from the reach of the trustee or creditors.   For example, every state provides for exemptions that include your clothes, a certain amount of household goods, a certain amount of equity your car, and a certain amount of equity in your home.   Georgia has fairly stingy exemptions – you can…

• Examples of Bankruptcy Fraud

  Jonathan

  9 Jul 2010 | 10:43 am

  Last October, I wrote a post on this blog about bankruptcy fraud, and pointed out that everything included in a bankruptcy filing is subject to scrutiny by the office of the United States Trustee, which is an arm of the United States Department of Justice.  In other words, false statements on a bankruptcy petition could land a debtor in hot water – dismissal of the bankruptcy case, fines and even prison. Because the bankruptcy process can seem informal, it can be easy to forget that a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 filing is made up of documents filed in a federal district court and subject…

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  Extra Income Blog

• Aug 28, Teaching Sewing Classes to make extra money

  28 Aug 2010 | 11:20 am

  Teaching sewing or embroidery on a part time basis can help keep traditional crafts alive as well as earn you some extra money.

• Aug 1, Choosing the best small business accounting software

  1 Aug 2010 | 10:26 am

  Tips for choosing the best small business accounting software for your home business. Find many ideas for making extra income in your retirement.

• Jul 22, Earning money at home

  22 Jul 2010 | 8:29 am

  Earning money at home in your retirement - small home business ideas to get you started.

• Jul 18, Gardening hand tools for profitable gardening

  18 Jul 2010 | 3:29 am

  A quick rundown of the most useful gardening hand tools you will need when setting up a garden maintenance business

• Jul 16, Start a profitable gardening business from home

  16 Jul 2010 | 7:19 am

  If you have a green thumb, why not consider starting a profitable gardening business in your retirement. It will help keep you fit and supplement your income in later life.

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  Bible Money Matters

• 5 Things About Money I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was Younger

  Guest Poster

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:48 am

  Sam Ewing, who used to play baseball for the Chicago White Sox, once said, “Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair.” Many of us may feel that we can never quite catch up with our money, but one thing is certain: There are many things about money that we probably wish we had known when we were younger. For those of you who are still young or even young at heart, here are five things about money that you should probably think about. 1. Compound Interest If you can save money at a young age and invest it in a…

• How To Get A Spouse To Start Budgeting

  Craig Ford

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  This post is by Craig Ford.  Craig, a freelance writer and missionary, blogs at Money Help For Christians.  Today is the last day that you can get a copy Craig’s eBook, The Secret to a Successful Budget for 30% off. Married couples don’t always see eye to eye.  If you’re married, you didn’t need me to tell you that . When I started writing about making a budget and answering budgeting related questions, I found that people often struggle with a spouse who won’t get on board with the finances. The usual response is a full frontal attack.  One partner digs his or her heals in and…

• What Is An Economic Bubble Anyway?

  John Frainee

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:31 am

  It seems nearly every financial publication released today has the term “bubble” in it somewhere. Many of us know it’s a bad thing, but what does it really mean and how do they happen? Do they truly have an effect on the average consumer? Hopefully we can clear up the confusion of what an economic bubble is and determine if we can know when one is occurring. What Is An Economic Bubble? Economic bubbles happen when trade of a specific item (like a stock, asset, product, or service) is artificially inflated beyond normal standards of trade. On a graph, this looks much like a…

• Buying A New Or Used Car? Negotiating Tips To Use With Car Dealers

  Peter Anderson

  26 Aug 2010 | 7:21 am

  Buying a new car will often be the 1st or 2nd most expensive purchase that you’ll make – depending on whether you own a home.  Unfortunately far too many people just don’t do their research, and don’t  try very hard to find the best deal because they just feel intimidated when going to a car dealership or talking with a car dealer.  In my opinion that’s a big mistake. If you do your research, and make sure to have your financing (or cash) lined up and ready to make the purchase, you’ll have more power when you go out to make a deal.  Here are some sites…

• How To Get Free Financial Help Online

  Jason Price

  25 Aug 2010 | 5:00 am

  I’ve talked a lot over at One Money Design about my personal experience as a Money Map Coach and often share how this FREE program is a helpful resource for people experiencing financial challenges. In short, the coaching services are FREE and available through Crown Financial Ministries.  Crown is dedicated to equipping people worldwide to learn teach God’s financial principles. Money Map Coaching If you’re not familiar with Money Map Coaching, there are two key components that make it so helpful to people. First, coaches help people learn what the Bible says about money and how to…

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  Christian Personal Finance

• Salesperson? How Honesty Improves Your Sales!

  John Frainee

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:00 am

  If you are a salesperson, no doubt you’re constantly looking for new strategies. You’ve tried everything: giving a “special” offer, having a positive attitude and demeanor, or throwing in something for free. But here’s something you don’t always see on that sales floor: honesty! Whether you are a salesperson in a retail environment, or are starting your own business online, I’m confident that these principles can be applied. Your income is sure to skyrocket when you make honesty the best tool in your sales strategy. Pros, But Where Are The Cons? Many…

• Good Debt or Bad Debt | The Crayola Approach

  Craig Ford

  1 Sep 2010 | 8:00 am

  I recently bought a pack of 64 crayons for my daughter.  I had no idea there were so many colors.  Back in my day, the world of colors consisted only of a handful of primary colors. But with the help of Crayola, my eyes have been opened to a new world of color. It actually can be quite overwhelming deciding if you want to color Barbie in brick red, red violet, wild strawberry, or plain old red.  This unsuspecting dad once had the audacity to call a crayon purple when in fact it was orchid colored. However, Crayola taught me a very important lesson about debt. Debt discussions are very…

• Tips On How To Get Along With Your Boss

  Jason Price

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:37 am

  There is nothing worse than working for a boss that you don’t get along with and when there is a lack of mutual respect in the relationship.  Most people spend 40 hours or more a week at work which is significant.  For some, this 40 hours can be gruelling because everything their boss says or does rubs them the wrong way. For those who have been in the working world for a while now you’ve probably experienced one of these frustrating situations.  No matter what you did, or how hard you worked, your boss never saw favorably of you.  Or, maybe you just didn’t get along. …

• Key Performance Indicators For Your Finances

  Jason Price

  30 Aug 2010 | 7:53 am

  Obviously driving a car carries a big responsibility.  You have to follow the law which protects you and others.  You also have to ensure your car is operating effectively and will take you to your destination.  Otherwise, a break down on the highway can put you in a dangerous situation. How do you know if you’re obeying the law and your car is operating effectively?  You use indicators such as your miles per hour, gas gage, oil level, temperature and so on.  Some cars today even have an electronic compass to help guide your way. Whether you’re driving a car, or you are the CEO of a…

• 4 Money Principles Talked About In The Bible

  Guest

  29 Aug 2010 | 8:31 am

  The following guest post was written by Mark who regularly writes for BuyLikeBuffett.com The world would be a much better place if everyone applied biblical principles to their everyday lives. The Bible teaches foundational principles that help develop holistic individuals. You can improve your spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional life by living by the Bible’s time tested truths. Did you know that the Bible also has great advice that you can apply to your money matters? There are over 800 scriptures that address the topic of money (here are 250 of them). From getting out of debt to…

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  Give Me Back My Credit

• Texas AG Sues American Home Mortgage Servicing

  Denise Richardson

  31 Aug 2010 | 1:30 pm

  The Texas Attorney General has decided to crack down on abusive mortgage servicing practices -after a FOX news 4 investigative piece that noted homeowner complaints involving their mortgage servicing company; American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc. a/k/a AHMSI.In an earlier blog, "Never missed a mortgage payment --but facing a foreclosure" the video investigative report shed light on the types of complaints many borrowers these days have against their mortgage company.  Just two weeks after this investigation, the AG's office who originally told complaining consumers they should hire…

• The financial crises; exposing the truth...

  Denise Richardson

  27 Aug 2010 | 9:23 am

  As I noted in an earlier blog, when it is a little ol' consumer up against a big corporation, there just doesn't seem to be any compelling reason for that mortgage servicer, or big bank to TELL THE TRUTH. Image by Elfboy via FlickrThis week, Richard Zombeck from ShameTheBanks.org wrote a great blog that is indicative of what many homeowners have been screaming about for some time. His blog; Government Tactic: Help Banks by Lying to Homeowners over at the Huffington Post is passionate and eye-opening --with several great comments -be sure to read it in its entirety here. Here a few short…

• NOVA pulls together a first class event for victim advocates

  Denise Richardson

  25 Aug 2010 | 5:25 am

  I know I have been unusually silent this week and apologize for not being able to respond to many emails --yet. The reason being is I have been in Utah at a conference for victim advocates and attending and presenting workshops throughout the week. It's been a golden opportunity to meet the amazing advocates behind the various organizations that assist and and support victims of crime --  representing a contingency of victim advoctes from 42 states and 5 countries! The hard working people behind NOVA (National Organization for Victim Assistance pulled together a  first class event!

• Class Action filed against mortgage companies and foreclosure attorneys; Seeking return of homes and punitive damages...

  Denise Richardson

  20 Aug 2010 | 12:34 pm

  New York-based attorney Susan Chana Lask has filed a federal class action complaint on behalf of tens of thousands of New York State homeowners who lost their homes to an alleged foreclosure fraud orchestrated for years by a New York "foreclosure mill" attorney and major mortgage companies. The case is filed in the US District Court, Eastern District of New York, entitled "Connie Campbell against Steven Baum, MERSCORP Inc., et al.", Case #10CV3800. It alleges violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and the Fair…

• Scam Alert: Facebook's DISLIKE Button a Scam

  Denise Richardson

  20 Aug 2010 | 6:14 am

  If you haven't yet heard, yes, there's yet another a new Facebook "phishing" scam  making the rounds. Many FB users have fallen for this scam and as they click on the link that comes with a message about Facebook's new app; a "DISLIKE" button, they end up installing malicious malware or spyware on their computer.  Facebook doesn't have a "DISLIKE" button.Image via WikipediaThe Facebook message that encourages you to get the 'DISLIKE' button appears to come from a friend; "I just got the Dislike button, so now I can dislike all of your dumb posts!!: or "Get the official DISLIKE…

• 

  Prime Time Money

• 10 Money Lessons Every College Student (and Parent) Should Know

  Guest

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:03 am

  College can be an amazing experience. Late night pizza runs, cramming for exams and watching foreign films while discussing philosophy is all part of the fun. However, college doesn’t have to be about accumulating debt or seeing how many free t-shirts you can get by applying for student credit cards. Here are ten money lessons every college student (and their parents) should know as they head off to class. 1) Get a job. I’m sure your parents hound you about this. Guess what? They’re right! Students who get a job and are actually paying for part, most or all of their schooling tend to…

• Cheap Homes for Sale: Finding Local and Lucrative Real Estate Investments

  Guest

  1 Sep 2010 | 1:01 pm

  For real estate investors, it can be difficult to predict how the housing market is going to change, which can make buying, renovating, and selling an investment property a very risky business. With the housing slump, it seems that the consequences of investing could become more extreme as the market either worsens or improves drastically. What can seem like cheap homes for sale now can turn into overpriced homes within a couple of month’s time. To get some bearings on this delicately balanced subject, some trends in housing values are discussed below. Home Value Statistics According to…

• Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card 25,000 Bonus Points Offer

  Michael

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  When it comes to travel, there’s no better credit card issuer to have than American Express.  The American Express rewards program comes with many different kinds of protections and services that no other credit card issuer can provide and arguably their best travel credit card is the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express.  And, as an added bonus to new cardholders, the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express is offering up to 25,000 bonus points, enough for multiple stays at a category 1 or 2 Starwood hotel.  10,000 bonus Starpoints are…

• WTDirect Online Savings Account Review

  PT

  31 Aug 2010 | 2:19 pm

  Do you have a high cash balance and need a good place to stash those funds other than a CD or traditional savings account? If so, you might consider WTDirect. WTDirect was started in 2006 as the online savings arm of Wilmington Trust FSB, a company that is owned by the Wilmington Trust Company, who has been around since 1903. The WTDirect Savings Account The WTDirect savings account is not unlike most other online savings accounts: no fees or minimums, connected to an older (traditional) bank, FDIC Insured, etc. They have no minimum balance and a great introductory rate (regardless of…

• The Cost of Owning a Car in the City

  Guest

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:58 am

  The other day on Dave Ramsey’s Facebook wall the topic of conversation was how to save on cars. 10 years ago it would have sounded funny to me if someone said they didn’t have a car, but now it sounds smart. Boston is definitely the kind of city where it makes sense to not own a car, for a number of reasons. Reasons for Not Owning a Car in the City With a robust public transit system, cabs for late night jaunts, and no part of town that can’t rather easily be reached via foot, you don’t miss a car. If I need to get outside of the city I can take the train or rent a car, and my fiancé…

• 

  RetirementRevised

• How to cut expenses in retirement

  Mark Miller

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:20 pm

  How much will you need to live on in retirement? You’ll often hear the big financial services companies offer this rule of thumb: Plan to replace 80 percent of your working income in retirement. Ellen Wagner tossed the rule of thumb out the window when she retired in 2008. Instead, she developed a plan to live [...] Related posts:Chris Farrell sees a new frugality emerging for retirementRenting is another way to go mortgage free in retirementHow much money will you really need for retirement?

• Aging in place, aided by technology and community

  Mark Miller

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:14 am

  Most Americans prefer to stay in their homes as they age, and the trend is accelerating as a result of new technology and grassroots initiatives such as intentional villages. National Public Radio’s Science Friday ran a good story on the challenges facing families and communities will face in the years ahead. Featured guests include NPR correspondent Jennifer [...] Related posts:Guide to universal designNPR: How the economy complicates eldercareActive adult retirement living concept turns 50

• Late night with Steve and Johnnie

  Mark Miller

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:28 am

  I stayed up late last night to talk about The Hard Times Guide to Retirement Security with Steve King and Johnnie Putman, a married duo who host a great overnight program on WGN Radio in Chicago. The interview ranged across a wide array of topics, including what young people need to do to plan for [...] Related posts:Podcast: The Hard Times GuidePraise for The Hard Times Guide: USA TodayThis weekend: Are young retirement investors abandoning stocks?

• More families raiding retirement accounts to pay for college

  Mark Miller

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:23 pm

  Renée Hirshfield didn’t expect to tap her retirement account to pay for her daughter’s college tuition. But when she opened the bill for Sarah’s junior year at Mount Holyoke College, sticker shock set in. “She had been getting a fair amount of financial aid, but there had been a slight spike in my income the year [...] Related posts:Why people withdraw funds from retirement accountsFinal tally on 2008 retirement accounts shows 24 percent dropNearly half of job changers cashed out of 401(k) accounts in 2008

• Social Security do-over option may be curtailed

  Mark Miller

  30 Aug 2010 | 1:12 pm

  Social Security’s do-over option may be sharply curtailed under new regulations proposed by the federal government, according to Mary Beth Franklin of Kiplinger’s. Few people know it, but Social Security allows you to change your mind after you’ve filed for benefits. Say you file for benefits at age 66, but decide a few years later that [...] Related posts:New calculator shows how delaying Social Security boosts benefitsReader Q&A: Social Security spousal benefitsReader mailbag: Social Security COLAs and spousal benefits

• 

  Your Money Relationship

• Debt Update: The End Of Summer

  Adam

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  Hey all! It’s the last full month of summer and an overall good one for our finances. Once again, not much has changed (i.e. we didn’t win the lottery). However, we did have another record month for our family loan payment. We were able to drop a $1,500 bomb on it. It’s definitely not going to be that much next month but it feels awesome to pay that much off right now! Also, I know I haven’t been posting frequently on here and it’s mostly due to a new project of mine. I am working on a new blog called Things To Learn. Basically, I write about things that…

• Debt Update: $1,000 On The Family Loan

  Adam

  3 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  Another month come and gone. Is it just me or is time flying by this year? Anyway, it was another typical month. Nothing too special. We did pay $1,000 on the family loan, our largest amount to date! We’re hoping it leads to a lot more in the future. August should be a good month as we are getting an extra $1,000 from a summer job that my wife did plus about $500 in some stuff that we sold on eBay. Debt Update: $1,000 On The Family Loan Related posts:Debt Update: Another One Bites the Dust! Debt Update: The End Of Summer Debt Update: November 30, 2009 Debt Update: Finally Settling Down…

• How Much Debt Do You Have?

  Adam

  10 Jul 2010 | 7:00 am

  I am going to start to post some very small articles on Saturdays. They are going to consist of polls, small snippets that make you think or quick updates. I am also going to include a roundup in the post each week. So, make sure you check in on the weekends to read up on some articles that I found interesting over the past week! Anyway, I thought today would be a good time to assess the status of everyones debt. I have always been interested to see how much debt you all have. Please be assured that I am not collecting ANY personal information with this poll. It’s just that, a poll.

• Spring Cleaning = Cash

  Adam

  8 Jul 2010 | 7:00 am

  I know what you are thinking, “This guy is crazy, spring is over!”  Well, spring cleaning can come late for some people, especially procrastinators like me (and possibly you). When I talk about spring cleaning, I am specifically referring to selling some of the junk that you don’t use. As you are cleaning up around the house and digging in places that haven’t seen the light of day in over a year, you are bound to find some stuff to sell. A few weeks ago, my wife and I decided to do a little spring cleaning ourselves. Needless to say, I was very surprised at the amount…

• Debt Update: Two Months Combined

  Adam

  6 Jul 2010 | 7:00 am

  Yeah, yeah. I know I’m a month behind. Doesn’t that make this more exciting though? Well, the last two months for us were full of financial surprises. We paid for a graduate class, had our tires replaced, blah, blah, blah. It seems to be getting a little old if you ask me. I just want things to go as planned! Even with all of these “extra expenses” we are still able to pay all of our debts (at least the minimum). We just aren’t able to get that extra snowball going the way we would like. July is looking good but heck, it’s only the beginning of the month.

• 

  Kiplinger

• Strategies to Reduce Taxes on Social Security

  Tax planning may ease the tax bite on your benefits.

• Fabulous Freebies 2010

  Your money is no good here. These 33 quality goods and services won't cost you a thing.

• Great Deals in Muni Bonds

  Despite a few scare stories, municipal bonds remain among the safest investments.

• This Kiplinger 25 Fund Manager Navigates New Turf for Tax-Free Bonds

  Municipal-bond issuers face lower ratings and greater risk of default, but investors can still find good values and tax advantages.

• 6 Steps to Protect Your Home from Hurricanes

  You don't have to just sit there worrying about the weather.

• 

  Rate Nerd

• $100 With New Free Checking Account at PNC Bank – Daily Deal

  Rate Nerd

  1 Sep 2010 | 8:18 am

  PNC Bank is giving away $100. Open a select new PNC Personal Checking Account, setup a qualifying direct deposit and make 10 check card purchases with your PNC Bank Visa Check Card, and get $100. For people who want to keep things simple and desire a checking account with no minimum balance requirement and no monthly service charge. This account also offers reimbursement of non-PNC Bank ATM fees with a $2,000 minimum average monthly balance. Your PNC Peronal Checking Account comes with these benfits, plus $100: Free global ATM usage for select checking accounts Free Online Banking and Bill…

• Bank of America $75 Checking Account Offer – Daily Deal

  Rate Nerd

  30 Aug 2010 | 6:18 am

  Get $75 from Bank of America when you open a new MyAccess Checking account online and make a qualifying deposit. Bank of America’s  $75 offer is not as rich as others, but you get the benefit of fantastic online banking and branches  and ATM’s just about everywhere. When you open a new MyAccess Checking account you get online access to both your checking and credit card accounts virtually anywhere, any time. Paying your credit card bill has never been easier.  With this offer you get  $75 when you open a new MyAccess Checking account online and make a qualifying deposit.

• Free Checking Account Pays 4.00%, Free ATM, Perks – Daily Deal

  Rate Nerd

  27 Aug 2010 | 8:35 am

  4.00% APY interest, free ATM fees, discounts and perks. Cambridge Savings Bank’s SuperSmart Checking makes a lot of sense on deposits up to $25,000. SuperSmart Checking  from Cambridge Savings Bank is a checking account that earns you interest at an incredible rate of 4.00% APY, but it also gives you FREE ATM access anywhere with unlimited monthly ATM surcharge refunds. Plus, you’ll earn rewards points towards free stuff every time you use your debit card. The high interest rate and free ATM banking is just the beginning of all  you get with SuperSmart Checking. This account…

• 4.01% Free Checking Account, Free ATM Fees – Daily Deal

  Rate Nerd

  25 Aug 2010 | 7:52 am

  Earn 4.01% APY and get ATM Fees refunded with this free checking account. Georgia Bank & Trust has a very competitive free checking account offer on balances up to $25,000. The checking account is free and comes with a MasterCard Debit Card, if you use an ATM anywhere in the nation GB&T will automatically refund those fees, and the checking account includes Internet Bill Pay services, overdraft protection and access to Internet Banking 24/7. Checking Account Qualifications: Make 10 MasterCard Debit Card purchases through your Georgia Bank & Trust checking account each month Set up…

• Chase Coupon $100 Checking Account Offer – Daily Deal

  Rate Nerd

  23 Aug 2010 | 7:43 am

  Chase Bank’s coupon for $100 with a new personal checking account offer is back. Use this Chase coupon to open your checking account, set up direct deposit or make 5 debit card purchases and you’ll get a $100 cash bonus. This coupon from Chase is a great offer.  Chase is one of the largest banks in the world, and has over 15,000 US ATM’s.  Their online banking is excellent.  We have several checking accounts with Chase and have been very happy with them.  Along with the convenience and value of a Chase checking account, you’ll also get: No Monthly Service Fee — Chase…

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  Investoralist

• Healthy French economy and other Monday links

  Dana

  30 Aug 2010 | 1:45 pm

  The economics behind women’s tennis tournaments. Eurozone’s dysfunctional internal markets. Does the special relationship across the pond still exist? How the German language evolved from the primordial Germanic soup. Can the French economy be in better shape than the German’s? Interesting short story from the perspective of a mail-order bride. Nationalistic sentiments running high everywhere, including Japan.

• Long weekend links

  Dana

  29 Aug 2010 | 12:58 pm

  EU project going into slow reverse?  Rather simplistic view draw from a distance, but causes much more nuanced in my opinion. And I’m sure the next generation of palliative patients will have a different set of regrets. How little thoughts we give to dying. On the German versus American attitudes when it comes to labour. How Trader Joe works. Who has the freedom to travel without a visa? What makes a global city?

• Brussels’ image campaign and other Wednesday links

  Dana

  25 Aug 2010 | 2:25 pm

  What education should seek to teach. No representation, low taxes. On class, facial hair, and Turkish politics. Things to know about start-ups. The case for learning foreign languages not strong enough for the British. Brussels’ image overhaul campaign.

• On tolerating knock-offs and other Tuesday morning links

  Dana

  24 Aug 2010 | 1:08 am

  Americans can’t relax nor vacation the way Europeans do. How to make knockoffs in hopes of making the real thing one day. Nice transition from the last piece, this was apparently how Germany did it back then. -vores are the new –isms. Eurocrats salaries going up or down? Commercialization of Ramadan.

• Convergence and other weekend readings

  Dana

  21 Aug 2010 | 11:18 pm

  The absurdity behind the consulting industry. To be a weed dealer in Amsterdam. It’s one thing to make money as a writer, another to be prolific and respected. Eurasia and a new great game? Sex and real estate in China. US and Europe converge. Tunnel vision in the Internet age.

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  The Financial Blogger

• What I Learned From The 4-Hour Workweek

  MD

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  The book the 4-Hour Workweek (by Tim Ferriss) has been mentioned on this site before. It’s a book with polarizing view points. Some completely love it. Others think that it’s a complete scam. I guess you could say that I fall somewhere in the middle. There are parts of the book that completely changed the way I think. Then there are aspects of the book that just didn’t resonate with me. At the end of the day, I wanted to share what I learned from the 4-Hour Workweek book: You can always outsource. There are simply some tasks that are either really time consuming or we just…

• TSX Dividend Yield, Returns and Ex-Dividend Date

  The Financial Blogger

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  As usual, I’m displaying the TSX dividend yield, returns and Ex-dividend date. There you go! TickerNamePriceDividend YieldReturn MTDPayout RatioEx-Dividend date YLO-UYellow Pages Income Fund5.1615.51-7.33231.039/28/2010 PWT-UPenn West Energy Trust20.038.991.19N/A9/28/2010 ERF-UEnerplus Resources Fund24.428.854.35413.179/8/2010 COS-UCanadian Oil Sands Trust25.087.97-5.15100.6911/17/2010 AET-UARC Energy Trust19.816.06-0.1133.989/28/2010 SLFSun Life Financial Inc25.045.75-12.18146.5911/22/2010 TATransAlta Corp21.135.492.78129.8312/1/2010 BCEBCE Inc33.375.486.174.189/13/2010 HSEHusky Energy…

• How To Get A Raise… After a Raise!

  The Financial Blogger

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:00 am

  At the beginning of the year, I wrote about my 4 financial goals for 2010. I had selected the following: #1 Pay off the loan from my parents (done!) #2 Increase my online income by 50% (work in progress) #3 Finish in the top 10 financial planners in Montreal (work in progress) #4 Increase my base salary by 15% (this is where my challenge was). When I reviewed my financial goals in June, I told you that I just got a huge raise of…drum roll…..1.67%! This was basically just enough to cover inflation (not really in fact since the 1.67% salary raise is taxed!). Therefore, I was pretty far away…

• Avoid These Lifestyle Inflation Culprits

  The Financial Blogger

  30 Aug 2010 | 3:00 am

  This guest post was written by Go Banking Rates, bringing you informative personal finance content and helpful tools, as well as the best interest rates on financial services nationwide. Follow them on Twitter at @GoBankingRates. The feeling that accompanies a new job, pay raise or big bonus is hard to beat. Suddenly, you can afford all the things that used to fall beyond your standard of living. The nicer car, smart phone and the bigger apartment–now they can finally be yours since you have been working so long and hard for them. Have you ever stopped to consider whether these upgrades…

• Why Are College Students Stressing About Economy?

  MD

  26 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  The recession has affected many people across the globe. Wealthy individuals lost fortunes. Individuals with lucrative potions lost their high salaries. Highly profitable industries have gone extinct. Just one thing has me really curious though. Why is everybody stressing about the economic climate. Alright seriously, why are college students stressing about the economy? I really don’t understand why so many college students are so stressed out about the economy. However, many college students that I still communicate with are nervous about the state of the economy. This is why I…

• 

  Intelligent Speculator

• Making the case for dividend stocks with a high payout ratio

  IS

  2 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  As regular readers know, every month we post the top dividend stocks from the S&P500. Then, a few days later we send out a newsletter (you can sign up for it free) which takes a deeper look into those stocks in order to get not the highest dividend stock but the one that shows the most promise in terms of long term passive income. That generally implies a healthy company (financially) that is growing its dividend and can afford it. One of the criterias that we also use is the payout ratio which we decided to spend more time looking into today. What is a payout ratio? The payout ratio is a…

• Quick news – September 1 2010

  IS

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:11 pm

  Tech news: (concern the stocks we follow) Apple (AAPL) announced a new multiplayer Game Center, a new touch only Ipod touch, a new Itunes version, a tv box that uses Netflix (NFLX) for movie streaming, tv rentals are now available through Itunes Best return:     Netflix (NFLX) +7,48% Worst return:   Shanda Interactive (SNDA)

• Top 100 Dividend Stocks – September 2010

  IS

  1 Sep 2010 | 3:00 am

  It is that time again, time to look at the top US dividend stocks. We’ve done this in past months and it’s been gaining popularity every time as many are like us, trying to build passive income through a dividend portfolio. The same stock is back on top of the rankings, although there are some challengers and I would expect things to change in the near future. That being said, I think many other criteria need to be considered when picking dividend stocks and that is why I will be narrowing down the list later this week for our mailing list members. If you are interested in finding…

• Top 50 ETF’s – September 2010 edition

  IS

  31 Aug 2010 | 3:22 pm

  In what turned out to be the worst month of August in over a decade, bear ETF’s, funds that are built in order to profit from market downturns were at the top of the ranks. These funds and especially the leveraged short ones dominated the charts with Direxion and Proshares sharing the lead. The other successful bet was the long treasury (TMF) which is essentially the same bet as a poor performance of the equity markets usually translates into strong performance of the treasuries. Other bets that did well are: -Short oil (DTO) -Long Gold Miners (GDXJ) -Long Global Carbon (GRN) The one…

• Quick news – August 31 2010

  IS

  31 Aug 2010 | 1:55 pm

  Tech news: (concern the stocks we follow) Apple (AAPL) is said to be about to announce that it will include a Netflix (NFLX) service in its next tv box AOL (AOL) just acquired mobile firm  “Rally up” Rackspace (RAX) was cut to “hold” by Benchmark Staples announced it would soon be selling the Amazon (AMZN) Kindle in its stores Google (GOOG) released a “smart sorter” in its Gmail section that performs “smart” email sorting Google (GOOG) & AP reached a distribution deal Best return:    Quinstreet (QNST) +2,19% Worst return:    Research…

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  Kingdom Calling Advisors

• Stock Market Crash? Here are the signs

  Wes Bridel

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:05 am

  is a Stock Market Crash coming soon? Here are the signs…  the world economy is teetering on the edge of another crash.  This will include a stock market crash which directly affects most of us directly, but it will also be in many other areas.  If you missed the first economic update video in this series you can view it here. Many of you will have missed it because I coded Monday’s blog post incorrectly.  I’m sorry for the mistake and the inconvenience to you! Today’s video focuses on the biggest news items of the last 6 weeks which relate to the coming stock…

• US Dollar & Gold News- Economic Update

  Wes Bridel

  30 Aug 2010 | 4:16 am

  Gold & the US Dollar, what’s changed?  Much has happened in the last 6 weeks that affects both gold & the Dollar.  It’s taken me a while to get back to making economic update videos since the birth of Westin.  But now I’m back.  This video focuses on the biggest news items which relate to the US Dollar and to gold.  Because it was about 6 weeks since my last report, I’m sticking to what I feel like are the biggest news items in both this video and the next one which will come out soon. As you’ll see, there have been some major harbingers of trouble…

• A Biblical Oil Idea?

  Wes Bridel

  27 Aug 2010 | 4:10 am

  Does the Bible speak of oil being found in Israel?  Should you invest towards that end?  I have no idea, but twice in the last week someone has suggested this idea to me, so I thought I would pass it along to you since we are on the subject of oil. Here is a link to some videos and stories on oil companies in Israel.  As with any investment, you should ideally only invest if you both understand it and feel like it’s within the stewardship calling the Lord is leading you in.  Obviously, if the Lord spoke unmistakably to you about investing in a certain way, you should follow His…

• Oil Investing Today

  Wes Bridel

  25 Aug 2010 | 4:30 am

  Oil is the most contested resource in the world.  World production has not been growing at nearly the rate that world consumption has been.  We’ve been discussing aspects of energy investing. As we’ve stated previously, the world is consuming more and more oil all the time while new supplies are not able to keep up.  While politicians love to talk about alternative energy, the fact that we rely on oil as our main source of energy cannot possibly change anytime soon.  It is easier to imagine a world where economic activity drops severely and far less energy is used in total, than it is…

• Oil: The Commodity Advantage

  Wes Bridel

  23 Aug 2010 | 4:19 am

  Oil, like most any form of energy that we will be looking at, is a commodity product.  There might be two benefits in this for you.  We’ve started discussing energy recently.  Today, we look at the commodity advantages of oil. The first advantage is that some believe that we have entered a longer term phase where commodities are more and more scarce.  The thinking here is that as more people around the world become consumers, more and more commodities will be necessary.  Thus prices would increase. Second, if you are concerned with the value of the US Dollar dropping in the future,…

• 

  Satori Alliance

• Loan Modification Madness

  Dan Noble

  31 Aug 2010 | 2:40 pm

  I’m all for government oversight of consumer protection, but I wish they’d put more thought into the impact of their regulations before they passed them.  Take California’s SB94 covering loan modification and its effect on California homeowners.  It’s one of those things that, as comedian Harry Anderson used to say, “sounded like a good idea at the time”.  But as with many laws, it has unintended consequences. Loan modification is a big deal right now, because foreclosure notices are seeping up everywhere you look, from people who’ve been out of…

• Are Distressed Properties Disappearing?

  Dan Noble

  19 Aug 2010 | 1:35 pm

  As the summer wears on, I’m seeing a whole lot more activity on our distressed properties. I’m not sure what to attribute this to: investors patiently waiting for the bottom of the market, or our desire to take less in the way of profit to get certain properties off the books. Either way, it’s gratifying. But what’s causing this? I’m beginning to suspect that the supply of really cheap property is disappearing, or “being absorbed,” to use the industry term, for three reasons. 1)      Savvy investors have undoubtedly snapped up the really good…

• The Art of Contrary Thinking

  Dan Noble

  10 Aug 2010 | 12:35 pm

  A friend of mine showed me an interesting book recently. My friend told me this book had originally been given to him by a man who graduated from college in 1927, and had the bad timing to become a stockbroker. That man was working at a brokerage in San Francisco on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the day investors traded a record 40 million shares of stock. On that day, people following a herd mentality helped trigger a massive loss of financial value. Though the book didn’t have a fancy cover and it wasn’t more than a couple hundred pages, its first printing had been in 1954…

• My Kind of People: Kurt

  Dan Noble

  4 Aug 2010 | 3:19 pm

  This is another in an occasional series of profiles of DBNR Investments customers. Click here for more. Who knows why people end up living in the wrong part of town? Maybe they’ve just finished picking up the pieces of a long, financially debilitating family illness. Maybe a divorce diminished their resources. Maybe they were laid off and had to move to economize. It doesn’t matter. It happens. I postulate this because I don’t know how DBNR prospect Kurt and his family ended up in the wrong part of Indianapolis. All I know is that he lives in a downtrodden apartment house…

• The Changing Face of Delinquency

  Dan Noble

  27 Jul 2010 | 3:18 pm

  In a really good mystery, the author can spin a set of circumstances to look like one thing has happened, and then unravel them to reveal a completely different - but equally plausible - sequence of events. I find myself asking if that’s what’s going on in the current mortgage-delinquency market. Simply put, there are two disturbing trends - the number of mortgages that are entering the phase known as delinquency is rising, and the amount of those mortgages is rising. That is, a greater number of owners in more-expensive homes are falling behind on their payments. Just for…

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  Don't Quit Your Day Job

• Carnival Spotlight – Week of Monday, August 30, 2010

  PKamp3

  30 Aug 2010 | 8:39 am

  Carnival Roundup Last week, Cameron Daniel’s article Tax Incidence was featured in the Carnival of Personal Finance, hosted by Provident Planning.  Go check out Provident and the carnival! Notable Posts “A Simple Trick to Get Your Credit Card Interest Charges Waived” – And Len means simple.  All you’ve got to do it usually pay your credit card bills on time.  Read it for more… “Trillion Dollar Public Pension Shortfall” – But what can you do?  It’s a gray area if states can even declare bankruptcy. “Why Americans Can’t…

• Neuroeconomics: A New Way of Examining Markets

  PKamp3

  25 Aug 2010 | 9:16 am

  This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who writes on the topic of online colleges. She welcomes your comments on her gmail: blauren99 @gmail.com. When we think about the study of economics, we usually think of the mathematical models we were taught in high school and college. The entire corpus of economic studies has been founded on the notion of people as predictable, “rational” actors. Neuroeconomics, a relatively new field that is acquiring more and more intellectual currency, closely studies human behavior and its influences, based largely on stunning advances…

• The Employment Ratio

  PKamp3

  18 Aug 2010 | 9:19 am

  Amid all of the talk about unemployment duration and the unemployment rate is a little known ratio, touched upon in this Wall Street Journal editorial.  You’re curious, however – because the unemployment rate caluclation has been messed around with quite a bit, how does it line up with the ratio?  Lucky for you, I’ve got a graph here. All numbers from the BLS, seasonally adjusted: Unemployment Rate vs. Employment Ratio (BLS) That dip at the end in both ratios?  People leaving the workforce.  Unemployment numbers can tell you one thing, but it’s harder to be fooled…

• Tax Incidence

  CameronDaniels

  16 Aug 2010 | 12:38 pm

  In a previous article, I discussed the importance of understanding elasticities (the responsiveness of units supplied or demanded to the price fluctuations) in welfare analysis. In this article, I will discuss how this affects a very important concept, tax incidence. Tax incidence is the term used to describe who truly pays a tax. If a $50 tax is placed on a good- for instance, washing machines- the tax incidence attempts to measure who is paying the $50. It would be foolhardy to assume it all falls on the consumer. If Whirlpool could charge an extra $50 and not reduce demand, then they would…

• And Now, For Something Completely Different

  PKamp3

  13 Aug 2010 | 9:08 am

  … goes the famous Monty Python line, and I hope that this article doesn’t disappoint!  Everyone needs an article about music at some point.  Here’s rock and roll from an angle you may have never considered. The Mission: Introduce a friend who’s been living in a cave to rock and roll, three albums at a time.  Even he (she?) couldn’t help but be exposed to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, so you can give him other material.  You have five care packages available, with spots for three albums each.  No greatest hits albums. Also, write your friend a letter telling…

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  Money Saving Tips: All - billeater.com

• Is Real Estate Really Dead?

  Jessica Bosari

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:23 am

  A recent NY Times article titled, "Housing Fades as a Means to Build Wealth, Analysts Say,” came out with gloomy statement: “…many real estate experts now believe that home ownership will never again yield rewards like those enjoyed in the second half of the 20th century, when houses not only provided shelter but also a plump nest egg.” The article goes on to quote one silly economist as saying, “People shouldn’t look at a home as a way to make money because it won’t.” Read the rest...

• Stockpiling for Savings: A Short Guide

  Jessica Bosari

  31 Aug 2010 | 5:23 am

  The economy today has problems everywhere. One of those problems is the rising prices of groceries. Groceries are costing more and more each year. People are no longer getting the same cost of living increase raises they used to get, meaning grocery shopping is increasingly straining. Despite the difficulties, there are many ways to save. One of the best ways is to stockpile products when you see great sales.   While costs may be high, many stores have incredible weekly savings designed to draw people to the store. These usually require signing up for the bonus program, which is free of…

• Taking the Plunge Into Dumpster Diving: Do it Right, Get Free Stuff

  Jessica Bosari

  27 Aug 2010 | 11:16 am

  Ewww! You might think. Dumpster diving? Climbing into a big box full of people’s trash is not for everyone, but that’s not what dumpster divers really do anyway. By using some common sense and keeping your wits about you, you’ll find used but useful items, some of which may even be valuable. It's an environmentally sustainable practice that saves money and reduces landfill waste. Here are some tips for embarking on your treasure hunt:Read the rest...

• What to Do When You're Saving too Much Stuff

  Jessica Bosari

  26 Aug 2010 | 7:15 am

  Skokie, Illinois fire rescuers recently drilled a hole in the ceiling to rescue an 82 year-old woman from her apartment. They couldn’t use the door because the space was piled to the ceiling with hoarded stuff. Earlier this year, an El Paso, Texas woman died by fire when the newspapers she had hoarded fed the flames. Firefighters couldn’t get through the clutter to save her. These may sound like extreme cases, but hoarding is becoming an ever-increasing problem. Those who find themselves in cluttered surroundings could end up like one of these women if they don’t take…

• Start Saving Money at the Movie Theater

  Jessica Bosari

  25 Aug 2010 | 1:37 pm

    We all like to go to the movies, but with the economy the way it has been and prices that seem to rise every year, going to the movies just isn't the cheap distraction it used to be. With movie tickets climbing above the ten dollar mark and concessions quickly adding up to more than double that, a night out at the movies can quickly run an entire family over a hundred dollars. Fortunately, it's possible to have an enjoyable night out at the movies without spending a week's pay, so long as you take into consideration a few key elements that can help save you money.Read the rest...

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  Blonch

• Top Travel Apps Make Good Travel Sense

  pigo

  19 Aug 2010 | 8:06 am

  Sometimes good personal finance involves not wasting money. If you’re considering a vacation or business trip, and have an iPhone, you should check out this roundup of best travel apps to get the best one possible. There’s no point wasting money because you didn’t do a good enough job planning your trip, is there?

• Spending Money Wisely

  pigo

  4 Nov 2009 | 9:18 pm

  Just finished watching the Yankees win the World Series, and it got me thinking about spending. Not just any spending, though- smart spending.

• Tweet and Re-tweet were posting on a blog

  PecosJack

  1 Oct 2009 | 1:59 pm

  Tweet and re-tweet were posting on a blog. Tweet logged off. Who was left?

• Affordable Health Insurance Available

  PecosJack

  16 Sep 2009 | 5:52 am

  Previously I explained that health care is available to everyone – there is no health care crisis in this country. Now let’s show why there is no health insurance crisis either, which I can most effectively do by showing that health insurance is affordable to everyone. In terms of a health insurance crisis, can we agree that folks who currently have coverage aren’t in a crisis? They may think their premium is too high, but it isn’t a crisis, OK? So, let’s look at the uninsured as the crisis. In 2008 The Los Angeles Times reported the number of people without insurance declined from…

• There Is No Health Care Crisis

  PecosJack

  14 Sep 2009 | 9:35 am

  I know this is political heresy, but I disagree with either of the two premises of the health care reform debate. Understand the difference between health care and health insurance. The reform debate seems to have blurred those lines, but either way: * First, there is no health care crisis in this country * Second, there is no health insurance crisis either These contradict the widely accepted premises behind what you are told by the media, politicians and even AARP, so I understand skepticism. Today, let’s examine the “health care crisis.” Health care is available – even to the…

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  Manisha Thakor

• FSAs: One of the Best-Kept Financial Secrets

  Manisha Thakor

  23 Aug 2010 | 6:47 am

  Million of Americans are missing out on one of the best-kept financial secrets in America: Flexible Spending Accounts. Are you one of them? What is a Flexible Spending Account and why should you care? A flexible spending account is a benefit offered by many employers to help you pay for expenses not covered by your health insurance (85% of companies with over 500 employees offer FSAs). Examples of expenses that can be covered by funds in a flexible spending account range from out-of-pocket co-pays for doctor visits and prescriptions to a range of qualified dental and eye care expenses such as…

• 7 Savings Myths: Busted!

  Manisha Thakor

  21 Jun 2010 | 5:43 pm

  Americans have started doing it again with a vengeance. Saving, that is. The US savings rate touched 5% in the 2nd quarter of 2009 and has been hovering steadily over 3% since then. While that’s still a far cry from the double-digit savings rates we saw in decades past, it is a big improvement from the negative rates of personal savings we had at the start of this millennium. However, there are many savings myths still floating around out there. Here are 7 Savings Myths – Busted! 1. I can only save a little bit, so it’s not worth it. Would you tell your child in the morning,…

• Will Your Golden Years… Be Golden?

  Manisha Thakor

  7 Jun 2010 | 9:15 pm

  One of the most common personal finance questions I’m hearing from people (of all ages!) is this: “Is it possible for my golden years to be… truly golden?” The one, two, three punch of the housing, stock, and job markets has left millions reeling. Thankfully, there is some good news. And here to deliver it is Mark Miller, author of the newly released book, The Hard Times Guide to Retirement. Below are some excerpts from a recent Q&A with Mark: Mark, what prompted you to write The Hard Times Guide to Retirement? I’ve been covering retirement and aging for more…

• Time is Money: How are You Spending your “168 Hours”?

  Manisha Thakor

  26 May 2010 | 10:11 pm

  If you haven’t heard of Laura Vanderkam yet – you will. My intellectual girl crush on Laura began back in August 2009 when I read her wonderful op-ed in USA Today, The Princess Problem.  I was gripped by her grasp on the odd conundrum that is the modern woman’s relationship to money and power.Immediately I knew that I wanted more, and Laura did not disappoint. Her new book, 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think launches today and let me say… it is absolutely brilliant.  As a personal finance expert I am fond of chanting “time is money”.  But…

• Four Questions to Find a Financial Advisor

  Manisha Thakor

  22 May 2010 | 7:01 pm

  Confused about money? In the aftermath of swan dives in both the housing and stock markets, many individuals are questioning their ability to manage their money on their own.  Banks, insurance companies, brokerage houses, and accounting firms are some of the many institutions offering financial advice. With so many choices, however, it can be confusing to figure out who to hire, especially if you are just starting out. Here are four questions you can ask to help find the financial advisor that’s right for you. (1) HOW DO YOU GET PAID? A good financial advisor should be able to answer…

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  Money Matters

• Moving in together? How couples can avoid financial stress

  strandslucia

  20 Aug 2010 | 4:19 pm

  Exactly one year ago I moved in with my boyfriend. I had lived with roommates before, but this was the first time I lived with someone I was in a relationship with. I quickly learned that things are much different living with a partner, than with a friend. One of the biggest changes I experienced was learning to deal with each other’s personal finances. It’s something that most people don’t think about before moving in with a partner. I’ll admit, in all the excitement of moving, I didn’t think about it. At least not right away. But eventually the topic comes up and we both realized…

• 5 Money Tips for College Students

  strandslucia

  13 Aug 2010 | 3:24 pm

  Going away to college can be hard- new friends, new living arrangements, new environment, etc.- and for many students, college is the first time you are living on your own. This means it’s also the first time you need to think about managing expenses, paying bills and other financial responsibilities. This can be overwhelming if you haven’t had much experience in the money management department, so we thought we’d put together some tips to help you survive. If you're a college student, before heading off to school, check out these 5 money tips to help you succeed financially. 1. Stick…

• How to Lower Your Cable Bill

  strandslucia

  6 Aug 2010 | 11:24 am

  It happens to everyone. You move in to a new house or apartment, your cable provider gives you a great deal on a 6-12 month package, and then one day you get a cable bill that’s triple the amount you’re used to paying. The introductory deal has expired. This is what happened to me last month. We called the cable company to try and arrange another reasonable package deal that would fit our budget, but we couldn’t come to terms and in the end we decided to do the unthinkable- we downgraded our cable. For me, the decision was easy, but convincing my HD-obsessed, DVR loving, premium channel…

• 5 Back to School Savings Tips for College Students

  strandslucia

  2 Aug 2010 | 11:58 am

  Summer is coming to an end and its back to school time for college students. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, the average college student's family will spend $616.13 on new apparel, furniture for dorms or apartments, school supplies and electronics. That’s a lot of cash! If you’re headed off to college this year or you’re a parent helping your child with back to school needs, check out our list of 5 tips to help college students save on back to school shopping: Make a list and take inventory Before you go out shopping, its best to figure out what you’ll need,…

• Welcoming Quicken Online Users to moneyStrands

  strandslucia

  20 Jul 2010 | 11:32 am

  Last September Intuit, maker of Quicken Online, announced it would acquire Mint.com. In February, after the acquisition was complete, it was determined that all Quicken Online users would be migrated over to Mint.com and all of their account history and account connections would be preserved. Yesterday we learned (via TechCrunch) that Intuit has made the decision to not transfer or allow customers to transfer their data from Quicken Online to Mint.com. We understand that losing months or years worth of data is a huge burden for the many Quicken Online customers who put so much time and effort…

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  Sound Money Matters

• A Year without New Clothes?

  Aryn

  2 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  I read an interesting article on Marketplace.org about several bloggers who went a year without buying any new clothes.  No used clothes, either, although they could buy all the underwear, shoes, and accessories they wanted. So, that got me to thinking, could I go a year without buying new clothes? The answer for me is probably no. And I don’t really buy that much, but there are some times when I do need to buy new clothes. When I Buy New Clothes I do tend to keep my clothes for a long time. I have t-shirts and jeans that I’ve been wearing for four or five years. Some items are probably…

• Taking Back Your Time

  Aryn

  1 Sep 2010 | 4:00 am

  About a month ago, my husband and I realized that we seem to watch more TV during the summer when there’s supposedly “nothing on.” In fact, it got so bad that I was eager for the fall season to start so I’d have less to watch (which actually isn’t true, it’s just spaced better.) When I realized that I was resenting the shows I watched, or not paying attention, I decided to take action and reclaim some of my time. Set Priorities The first thing I did was set priorities. Is this episode of Weeds more important to me than an hour of writing time? No, so I…

• Reader Question: Furnished Rentals

  Aryn

  27 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  This question comes to me from a reader: “I’ve lived in a furnished home for 5 years. I’ve paid over $150,000.00 in rent. The home owner want me to pay for the Living Rm, Dining Rm and 2 Bedroom Set. Should I have to replace these furnishings?” My first response was: heck, no. Then I thought about a little. My response is still, probably not, but there could be situations where the renter is on the hook for the furniture. Who Is Responsible for Replacement Furniture in a Rental Apartment Typically, a furnished rental costs more than an unfurnished unit. The higher fee is…

• How to Buy a New Car

  Aryn

  24 Aug 2010 | 3:59 am

  I’ve been waiting a long time to buy my new car. My trusty Toyota Corolla had just turned thirteen-and-a-half when the mechanic informed me that three of the four engine mounts were broken. It would cost $538 to repair it. I already planned to buy a car in November, so my husband and I decided to bump up that timetable rather than pour more money into the old car. Researching New Cars I know a lot of frugal experts recommend buying a used car, but that’s not my philosophy. I’d rather buy one brand new, thereby getting the free maintenance they usually offer and the full warranty. Then I…

• Car Loan Basics

  Aryn

  19 Aug 2010 | 4:00 am

  I’m buying a new car this weekend. My husband and I considered spending our entire emergency fund to pay cash for the car, but then we took a look at the budget and decided it was too big a risk. So, we’ve decided to get a car loan. Rates are pretty reasonable right now for people with our credit. Car Loan Sources You can get a car loan from various sources. Dealers may or may not be a good option. I also checked out credit unions and big banks. Dealer Loans Obviously, a dealer wants to give you the loan because they make more money that way. However, a dealer may not be the best option.

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  Blonch Personal Finance

• Top Travel Apps Make Good Travel Sense

  pigo

  19 Aug 2010 | 8:06 am

  Sometimes good personal finance involves not wasting money. If you’re considering a vacation or business trip, and have an iPhone, you should check out this roundup of best travel apps to get the best one possible. There’s no point wasting money because you didn’t do a good enough job planning your trip, is there?

• Spending Money Wisely

  pigo

  4 Nov 2009 | 9:18 pm

  Just finished watching the Yankees win the World Series, and it got me thinking about spending. Not just any spending, though- smart spending.

• Tweet and Re-tweet were posting on a blog

  PecosJack

  1 Oct 2009 | 1:59 pm

  Tweet and re-tweet were posting on a blog. Tweet logged off. Who was left?

• Affordable Health Insurance Available

  PecosJack

  16 Sep 2009 | 5:52 am

  Previously I explained that health care is available to everyone – there is no health care crisis in this country. Now let’s show why there is no health insurance crisis either, which I can most effectively do by showing that health insurance is affordable to everyone. In terms of a health insurance crisis, can we agree that folks who currently have coverage aren’t in a crisis? They may think their premium is too high, but it isn’t a crisis, OK? So, let’s look at the uninsured as the crisis. In 2008 The Los Angeles Times reported the number of people without insurance declined from…

• There Is No Health Care Crisis

  PecosJack

  14 Sep 2009 | 9:35 am

  I know this is political heresy, but I disagree with either of the two premises of the health care reform debate. Understand the difference between health care and health insurance. The reform debate seems to have blurred those lines, but either way: * First, there is no health care crisis in this country * Second, there is no health insurance crisis either These contradict the widely accepted premises behind what you are told by the media, politicians and even AARP, so I understand skepticism. Today, let’s examine the “health care crisis.” Health care is available – even to the…

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  Quizzle Blog - Home, Money and Credit

• Debt Consolidation vs. Credit Counseling: Which Is Right for You?

  Stephanie Hamilton

  2 Sep 2010 | 8:46 am

  If you’ve made the decision to get control of (and possibly get rid of) your debt, congratulations! Taking an honest look at your debt obligations isn’t easy. Neither is it easy to develop an effective repayment plan. Over the last several years, two types of companies have emerged – both aimed at helping consumers manage and eliminate debt. Many people assume that “debt consolidation” and “credit counseling” are essentially one and the same, but they offer very different services and may not be right for everyone.

• How to Get Your Credit Card Company to Lower Your Interest Rate

  Guest Blogger

  1 Sep 2010 | 12:47 pm

  In the modern world, economic and financial challenges are a worry for all of us. Of these concerns, the most common one is mounting debt and the biggest form of debt tends to be credit cards. To tackle your credit card debt, it's important o understand what's contributing to that debt and how to get a break from your credit card company.

• 6 Ideas for Redecorating a Kid’s Bedroom on a Budget

  Guest Blogger

  31 Aug 2010 | 9:03 am

  Kids' tastes change, and frequently. Keep up with their ever-changing moods and styles with a bedroom makeover. Here are six decorating ideas that keep costs within reason, but still give your child the change of scenery he or she craves.

• A Mother’s Tips for Moving to a New Home

  Guest Blogger

  30 Aug 2010 | 11:29 am

  If you’re like many Americans, you move homes fairly regularly. In fact, more than 40 million Americans move every year, according to the Census Bureau. For many folks, moving is about getting into a bigger or better home. Whatever the reason, moving always brings stress and extra expense. Here are five helpful moving tips that will hopefully make your next move a little easier.

• 5 Best Credit Cards for College Students

  Nick Fadoir

  25 Aug 2010 | 1:14 pm

  Being away at school offers a plethora of spending opportunities. Some are to be expected, like books, groceries, rent, utilities and random university fees. And some, like hospital and auto expenses, are not so expected.

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  How to Get Out of Debt

• USOBA Sends Out Message to Members. Beware of Loopholes.

  Steve Rhode

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:18 am

  An amazing tipster just sent me an email that USOBA sent out this morning to members. I’ll let you be the judge but I think the email indicates USOBA has finally thrown in the towel on the Federal Trade Commission Telemarketing Sales Rules battle. If we can take the email at face value, it really is good sound advice and if USOBA really means it, good on them. The USOBA team highly advises all of our members to be cautious of these new business models, and we strongly encourage all members to check with their legal counsel before moving in any direction. The downside is that this...

• My Debt Settlement Firm FBL Associates Won’t Answer the Phone and Now I’m Panicking. – Tony

  Steve Rhode

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:04 am

  “Dear Steve, I was contacted by LGF(Life Guard Financial) one day explaining how they have my file and that I qualified for their help. They knew all my information (debt amount ,SSN, etc…) so it sounded more legit at the time. They told me how President Obama passed laws to assist people like me get out of debt. With the whole new president thingy and having my information I thought it was for reals. I was making all payments at the time just was drowning from interests and getting bad credit from high limits. Still I told them I wanted to do research first and they told me...

• Debtmerica Launches It’s New Performance 100 Program to Comply With FTC TSR. But…

  Steve Rhode

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:39 am

  So this morning I open up the press release from Debtmerica and I was elated to see yet another debt settlement company come out and support the FTC TSR. But when I scrolled down to the bottom of the release, what do I see, but an embedded look at the top of their website with language that the FTC TSR specifically addresses, claims made. I’m not trying to be hypercritical here but seriously, if Debtmerica or any debt settlement company is going to send out a press release bragging about compliance, maybe a quick review of the front page would be in order? Click image for larger…

• We Are Working With a Settlement Company But Chased Just Sued Us. – Myra

  Steve Rhode

  2 Sep 2010 | 7:08 am

  “Dear Steve, We are living paycheck to paycheck, trying to sell our home (shortsale) to make the most of the small income we have, due to the fact I lost my job over 2 yrs ago, I am working now but only enough to still stay at home to not have to pay the expensive childcare which we can’t afford because I’m not making even half of what I used to make. My husband & I decided a couple of years ago to contract a company that negotiates with creditors on your behalf. We pay this company monthly & the contract is for 3 1/2 yrs. Obviously we stopped paying our cards…

• I Purchased a Car With My Ex-Husband That I Can’t Afford Anymore. – Yvonne

  Steve Rhode

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:18 pm

  Yvonne wrote to me through the GetOutOfDebt.org site and asked the following question. If you have a credit or debt question you’d like to ask just use the online form. I’m happy to help you totally for free. Income from the GetOutOfDebt.org site advertising is used to help alleviate poverty. If you would like to help me to help others, there are easy and free things you can do, click here to learn how you can help. “Dear Steve, I had purchased a vehicle 3 years ago with my now ex-husband at the time he was going to help me with payments which were 265.00 per month and...

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  Broke as a Spoke

• The Story of the $12 Michael Kors Wedges

  Corrin

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:35 am

  I’m a clothes horse. My closet looks more like a boutique than a typical bedroom closet. I have my favorite affordable stores (which I never shop without a coupon) but I lust after designer brands. Over the years (and with the assistance of my sister), I’ve gotten pretty good at combing discount stores to find the big names on clearance. It takes time and persistence, but the payoff can be big… Six weeks ago, I found a pair of Michael Kors wedges at DSW. The department store price was $198. The DSW price was $66 plus an additional 30% off. I loved them. I Tweeted them. I…

• Current eBay Auctions

  Corrin

  28 Aug 2010 | 6:37 pm

  Are you a fashion maven? In the mood for some bargain shopping? I listed several high ticket items on eBay for a steal and will be listing more as the week goes on! Take a look… NWT Tibi Madeline Cap Sleeve Dress – color Haze size 12 Miraclebody Jeans – Katie Size 18 Miraclebody Jeans – Samantha Size 16 Luminess Air Pro Airbrush Kit w/ 10 Full Size Samples! Brand New Glitter TOMS – White Size 8 Baby Banz – Adventure Banz Camo Baby Sunglasses Vera Bradley Tote in Very Berry Paisley NWT Hobo International Nylon Tote Bag Kushyfoot ‘Flats To Go”…

• Daily Dollars – August 22 thru 28

  Corrin

  28 Aug 2010 | 7:52 am

  Payday! Payday! My husband has been out of town for three weeks, so admittedly there was some money spent this week that was celebratory. It was nice to splurge, but we’re back on the straight and narrow again. $80 Costco $59 Target $130 Academy Sports $14 Which Wich $23 gas $164 State Farm – car insurance $42 Time Warner – internet $128 utilities $490 car payment – Prius $500 Chase $14 vet $18 Staples $22 Five Guys $100 Book People $7 Jimmy Johns $110 Gap Outlet $14 UT volleyball $570 ING See that $570 to ING? That breaks down to $500 to emergency savings account, $50…

• If I was richer, I’d still be with ya

  Corrin

  23 Aug 2010 | 6:58 am

  Warning: Sprinkling of the f-word and other swear words throughout video. Watch at your own discretion. It should be illegal for songs to be as catchy as the new Cee-Lo Green track. Even though it’s August, I declare this the Song of the Summer and a worthy Theme Song for Frugal Bloggers. If I was richer, I’d still be with ya

• Daily Dollars – August 15 thru 21

  Corrin

  21 Aug 2010 | 7:00 am

  $25 Post Office $63 grocery $20 Groupon $8 parking/drink at Austin tweet-up Did you take advantage of the amazing Gap Groupon this week? The site troubles were worth $25 for $50 worth of merchandise at any Gap store. Plus, I had a $5 off Groupon coupon! Where did you spend your money this week? Daily Dollars – August 15 thru 21

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  Personal Finance Firewall

• My Final Weight Loss Competition Recap

  Jesse Michelsen

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:19 am

  This past Sunday marks the official end to the weight loss challenge I joined in May and I thought it appropriate to give a recap of the competition and share a few things that I learned along the way. The winners of the competition have yet to be announced but so far we are holding in 5th place. Even though it doesn’t look like we will be taking home the $10,000 in cash prize, the competition was an overall success. Each member of my team (Baker@ManvsDebt, Brad@EnemyofDebt (and EnemyofFat), Paul@FiscalGeek, and Darren) did an amazing job and lost more weight in the past three months…

• It’s a Habit with Sammy Rabbit Review – Teaching Kids About Money Done Right

  Jesse Michelsen

  27 Aug 2010 | 2:38 am

  I’ve got two young kids, and another on the way. One thing I am always interested in is ways that I can get my kids interested in learning about money just like their Daddy. So when I was offered a chance to review a set of CD’s based just on that topic, I jumped at the chance. The CD  set includes one CD full of stories about Sammy the Saver, the main character of the stories and the face of the company. These stories aren’t your typical kids stories. Each story was in depth, and far more detailed than I expected. The stories each had a simple problem to be solved that had…

• Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 3 – An Outside Voice

  Jesse Michelsen

  26 Aug 2010 | 1:11 pm

  This is the second part of a three part series. The first and second parts of this mini-series can be found: Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 1 Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 2 This next part of the series is contributed by Phil Taylor, creator of PT Money: Personal Finance. These are his thoughts on alternatives to the traditional savings account for holding an emergency fund. A wise first step in any financial plan is to have a bit of easily accessible cash in the case of emergencies. This will help you avoid depleting your checking account when you face an…

• Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 2

  Jesse Michelsen

  26 Aug 2010 | 2:42 am

  This is the second part of a three part series. The other two parts can be found here: Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 1 Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 3 Just a quick refresher in case you missed the first part and are unwilling to quickly read it over The bank I hold my emergency fund has closed down. I have since moved the money from that account to my savings account but I want to find a more suitable home for it. The money is my emergency fund, so there are certain requirements that have to be met by any investment or account that it sits in. Those…

• Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 1

  Jesse Michelsen

  25 Aug 2010 | 3:04 am

  This is the start of a three part series. The other parts can be found here: Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 2 Do You Put Your Emergency Fund To Work? – Part 3 Since my bank closed down and I would be moving my emergency fund money over to one of the other banks I use, I got to thinking that I really need to put that money to work for me. A fully funded emergency fund ( 3-6 months of expenses), for just about anyone, is a lot of money, and having it sit in a no-yield account really seems like a waste. Here are the requirements I came up with for ways to make your emergency…

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  the ¢entsible life

• 529 plans: Interview on the basics of college savings

  Kelly

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:37 am

  You may just be settling into your back to school routine, and for many of us that means our kids are one step closer to college. While savings overall are up over the last 2 years, many families still aren’t able to save much if anything towards their children’s college educations, and I admit this is one place we need some help. I had the opportunity to interview Steve Jobe, Principal and Director of 529 Programs at iShares, about 529 programs. I hope you find this info as useful as I do! photo credit: <> Kelly: Can you give Centsible readers an overview of college saving…

• Olly Shoes: Blogger’s Day, Olly Online and a Discount for Readers

  Kelly

  1 Sep 2010 | 11:09 am

  Olly Shoes is a store I’m completely loyal too. When someone asks where to buy kids shoes I always say Olly. We discovered them when they opened shop at a local outdoor shopping mall, and ever since I stepped in their doors for the first time we’ve shopped there for our kids’ shoes. With 4 kids and constantly growing feet you can imagine we’ve been in more than just a few times. The brands they carry are certainly pricier than Payless, or big box stores, but they last longer, and keep my kids from having sore legs and aches and pains from running around all day. My…

• Sears Labor Day Sale and how to shop for appliances

  Kelly

  1 Sep 2010 | 7:02 am

  Labor Day is a great time of year to shop with back to school markdowns and Labor Day sales. This week (September 1st-7th) Sears is having a huge Labor Day Sale. Sears invites customers to make The Big Switch to ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances and enjoy incredible savings during its storewide Big Switch Labor Day Sale. This isn’t just any old Labor Day sale, it’s “The Big Switch,” switching your appliances to save you money on energy bills, and make an impact on the environment. As someone with a 20 year old fridge this is very appealing since I know our fridge is…

• Peddler’s Village: Bloggers Day and a Giveaway

  Kelly

  31 Aug 2010 | 6:27 am

  Recently I attended a blogger’s day out at Peddler’s Village. I’ve always heard wonderful things about it, but we’ve never been. This was the perfect opportunity to see Peddler’s Village, and we couldn’t have had better weather or company. Our first stop was Giggleberry Fair, and as my kids pointed out how could you not like a place with the name Giggle in it?! By far their favorite part was the 3 story climbing, ball shooting, play area. (see my photos below) It was also the part that I only went into briefly-let’s just say it’s a little loud!

• Back to school: and they’re off

  Kelly

  30 Aug 2010 | 6:25 am

  It’s sort of a bittersweet seeing the kids off to school today. Yes, I’m excited to have alone time to work (And some quiet time with my 4 year old for half the day), but I think I may miss them. It’s going to take me a bit to adjust. I’m so used to the constant noise, interruptions, and conversations about everything from serious to silly topics. I’m not sure I know what to do with myself. Kelly Copyright © 2010 This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news…

• 

  Canadian Finance Blog

• Using Credit Cards the Right Way

  Guest

  2 Sep 2010 | 2:00 am

  “This is not your money, it never will be.” That was my thought as I opened the envelope and pulled out my first credit card back in 1993 – just a freshman in college.  I was excited because I had a new way to purchase things – it was your basic no frills credit card with a $500 limit and no rewards or special features.  I had watched my parents using credit cards time and time again growing up and I felt like an adult, even though I wasn’t. From the beginning I was never disillusioned by the fact that whatever I purchased on this card had to be paid back right away –…

• Learning to Fail Fast

  Alan Schram

  1 Sep 2010 | 2:00 am

  Nobody likes to make mistakes. However, the simple reality of life is that at some point, all of us are going to be wrong, do something bad, or somehow screw something up. That’s just life, and it has been since we learned how to walk, write out the alphabet, and do calculus. We are going to make mistakes. The trick is to learn how to fail fast, so that you can get back to doing things right again. Let’s look at a couple examples and see how failing fast will help us earn more money and save more money. Small Business Imagine you are thinking about starting a small business. You…

• Festival Of Frugality #245 – The Exorcist Edition

  Tom Drake

  31 Aug 2010 | 2:00 am

  The Last Exorcism is out in theatres and #1 at the box office. While I’m looking forward to seeing it, I can’t help but think that it’s simply an attempt to copy one of my favourite movies, The Exorcist. So for this week’s edition of the Festival of Frugality, here are some trivia bits about The Exorcist that you may not have known! While you’re here, consider signing up for the RSS feed or email subscription. Both deliver the latest articles directly to you everyday! Have a Twitter account? Then follow me for all the latest posts or to send me any comments or…

• Finish College Without Student Loan Debt

  Tom Drake

  30 Aug 2010 | 2:00 am

  With tuition prices increasing each year, going to college or university can be expensive. This can also be the same time that young adults move out on their own, increasing the costs even more. While getting a student loan can help pay for these expenses, with proper planning and saving money wherever possible, you can get through your higher education without student loan debt. Canadian Government Programs The best way to avoid student loan debt is likely with an Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). Of course this is something that was hopefully set up by your parents, but if not you…

• Friday Links

  Tom Drake

  27 Aug 2010 | 2:00 am

  On Monday I reviewed Craig Ford’s The Secret to a Successful Budget. If you’d like to get this e-book for 30% off, you only have until the end of the month to pick it up for $12! Money Smarts Blog gives us 6 reasons Canadians should invest in oil stocks. WealthWebGurus examines the new credit card measures coming in Canada. Monevator wonders, are you richer than your kids, or poorer than your grandchildren? Money Energy shows how to convert your income into progressively safer streams. Cash Money Life wants to know how much is a college degree worth? Wise Bread shares 3 proven…

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  CreditShout

• Are Money Market Accounts Still Relevant?

  Kevin

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  The following post is by Fred from OnlineBanksBlog.com, a personal finance site focused on helping people find the best bank rates. The number of banking products available today compared to the number available just ten years ago is astounding. Online savings accounts and checking accounts have changed the way consumers bank. Now, with the advent of these online accounts, I find myself wondering whether money market accounts are still relevant. Money Market Accounts Historically In times past, most financial advisers have touted the money market savings account (often called an MMA) as the…

• Three Ways to Consolidate Your Credit Card Debt

  Dawn Allcot

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:00 am

  There are a number of ways to consolidate your credit card debt. This article will describe three popular and practical ways to consolidate credit card debt: Using another credit card Through a debt consolidation firm Through a personal loan or a home equity loan Using A Low or Zero Interest Credit Card to Consolidate Your Credit Card Debt The easiest way to consolidate your credit card debt is to apply for a new credit card offering 0% interest on balance transfers for as long as possible. (A year or more is best). Make sure you list all your credit cards and the balances you want to…

• Credit Card With No Credit Check?

  Chris Martin

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:59 am

  For people with poor or no credit, it may be difficult to obtain approval for a traditional credit card. As a result, prepaid credit cards may represent a viable alternative. One product which guarantees approval of all applications is the UPside Visa Prepaid Card. Customers who load money onto the card do not have to worry about a credit check or an activation fee. The monthly maintenance fee is just $2.99, and that amount drops to 99 cents if at least $500 is loaded onto the card every month. This can be easily accomplished by setting up a Direct Deposit account which transfers money from…

• 25% Off Home Appliances With Sears Card

  Chris Martin

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:58 am

  Sears stores have been mainstays in many communities across the U.S. for decades. But some people may not know that the retailer offers its own credit card. Now through October 15, shoppers can save 15% off most appliances, and 5% off of all Kenmore appliances and floor care products. In addition, buyers can also save an extra 10% off such purchases if they use their Sears card. This all adds up to up to 25% off some appliances. However, cardholders should probably pay off their balances as soon as possible – because the annual percentage rate on the card is 25.24%. And like traditional…

• 10% Off Dillard’s With American Express Credit Card

  Chris Martin

  1 Sep 2010 | 10:54 am

  There are over 300 Dillard’s department stores in the United States which offer brand name clothing and merchandise at reasonable prices. There is also a credit card which can provide even more deals and savings to the shoppers who use it. The Dillard’s American Express Credit Card gives cardholders a reward point for every dollar spent on the card and double points for purchases made at Dillard’s. There is no membership fee, and applicants can get approval for the card within 30 seconds. Right now, people who spend $100 or more on the day they get their card will get a 10%…

• 

  Baddest Credit Fixed

• Store

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:44 am

  We partner with Amazon to bring you the latest books and software which will help eliminate your bad credit. You can check details, add to cart and even check out right from this

• seo tips

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:44 am

  seo tips [..]

• 

  Realm of Prosperity

• 5 Common Financial Brain Farts

  Simon Zhen

  1 Sep 2010 | 5:30 am

  The world seems to be spinning at such a rapid pace that the many basics of money are neglected. It is these small lapses of financial common sense that foster a trend of bad habits. Take out the numbers and look at the fundamentals. With a hint of logical reasoning, our personal finance management skills would become that much more powerful. 1. Buying stock is buying part of a business. The mentality of investing in the stock market has drifted to a point where people are buying stocks and praying for the share price to go up. Too often is there a voice saying that stocks are a way to make…

• Book Review: The Skinny on Credit Cards

  Simon Zhen

  29 Aug 2010 | 6:00 am

  Written by author Jim Randel, The Skinny on Credit Cards was the straight-to-the-point type of book that I had expected. It acted very much like the CliffNotes guides that we used to skip out on reading the entire novel. Throw in a short storyline and some stick figure illustrations with the bare bone facts on credit cards and Randel presents us with a nice one-hour read to set readers straight. Here are some things that Randel does nicely: Unmasks the disguises of a credit card. He puts it in your face. When you use a credit card, you are making loans and you are borrowing money. It’s…

• The Minimalist Lifestyle: Efficient and Saves Money

  Simon Zhen

  28 Aug 2010 | 1:16 pm

  Minimalism is an art that I’ve seem to have slowly adopted unconsciously. It may have contributed towards my carefree, lax attitude toward physical possessions. Some may call it being lazy or apathetic but I prefer the freedom from unnecessary worry and concern over material substance. All too often do we place an excessive amount of sentimental value on items that are better off if they remained out of our lives. The typical outcome is clutter – the true enemy of a minimalist. A Minimalist Lifestyle The minimalistic life consists of days where physical belongings represent the…

• Opting Out of Credit Card Upgrades May Only Be Temporary

  Simon Zhen

  25 Aug 2010 | 5:30 am

  This is a guest post by Michael from CreditCardForum.com, a message board and blog for the discussion of credit card deals, as well as a place to talk about the drawbacks that come with the use credit cards. In today’s post, he will be talking about one of those drawbacks. Last week, Simon wrote about how Citi tried to automatically “upgrade” him to a World MasterCard – a credit card that has no pre-set spending limit. I actually have the Citi Dividend Platinum Select card myself but I am lucky that they haven’t tried to change my card, yet . However I have faced…

• We Are Forever Indebted to Technology

  Simon Zhen

  23 Aug 2010 | 5:30 am

  I love tech gadgets. Don’t you love tech gadgets? How can you hold an iPhone 4 and not say “it’s one of the best phones I’ve ever seen”? How can you stare at your 1080p HDTV playing Avatar on a Blu-ray disc and not be mesmerized at the amazing detail and clarity? This is evidence of the innate behavior of the human race to strive towards what has never been done before – to continue inventing new things that makes a chore or task even easier. Tech companies are, and will forever be, in a perpetual competitive race to release the next gadget or software that…

• 

  About.com Financial Software

• Complete Credit Card Solution for iPhone

  1 Sep 2010 | 9:09 am

  Intuit and mophie have introduced the Complete Credit Card Solution for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, which allows businesses to process credit cards using an iPhone. This product/service bundle combines Intuit's GoPayment credit card processing app and merchant services with mophie's marketplace, a small and lightweight case that wraps around an iPhone....Read Full Post

• When Transaction Downloads Are Wrong

  31 Aug 2010 | 8:20 am

  A couple of minutes ago the Mint iPhone app told me that I spent $1,054 at Land's End on my Visa card. This transaction caused my Mint budget to be all out of whack, and caused my heart to skip a beat because when I  shop at Land's End, I might drop at most $200 at one time....Read Full Post

• Find Cheap Gas With Your iPhone

  30 Aug 2010 | 8:43 am

  Labor Day weekend is almost upon us in the United States, and many people will be taking that last summer road trip over the long weekend.  Unfortunately, chances that gas prices will go down over a holiday are slim, but your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad can help you find the best gas prices as you travel.   Check out 3 iPhone Apps that save money on gas....Read Full Post

• Want to Write About Mobile Banking Apps?

  26 Aug 2010 | 1:19 pm

  About.com is looking for a contributing writer to cover mobile banking apps on the Financial Software site.  We're looking for someone who can help users understand how to keep their mobile financial data secure, and introduces readers to various mobile banking and personal finance applications on a variety of mobile platforms (will especially need to test iPhone and Blackberry apps).  Candidates need to understand mobile banking security and be able to translate technical language into authoritative but reader-friendly content....Read Full Post

• Sync Your Smartphone or iPhone

  23 Aug 2010 | 10:58 pm

  Here's a tip from 4 Reasons to Manage Money on Your Smartphone or iPhone: Even if you don't use desktop financial software along with a Smartphone or iPhone app, synchronizing the data is a great way to have a back up if your mobile device is damaged. You also may want to view or print reports at some point, which is easier to do with desktop financial software....Read Full Post

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  Credit Card Chaser

• International Travel and Credit Card Rules

  askmrcreditcard

  25 Aug 2010 | 6:23 pm

  This is a guest post by Jason D. Steele, who has been a credit card writer for the blog at AskMrCreditCard.com since 2008. In addition he has his personal blog where he writes about Travel, Aviation, and Consumer Issues. Last week, Joel published a feature article about credit cards and international travel titled “Hong Kong Phooey”, a subject that I have been writing about this summer. Joel concluded his international travel blog post review of the “Hong Kong Phooey” feature article by asking, “Do YOU have any humorous stories or words of advice for those…

• The Precious Metals of Credit Card Marketing

  Joel

  24 Aug 2010 | 4:09 pm

  Gold credit cards, platinum credit cards, diamond credit cards, the list goes on and on. Have you ever wondered why credit card companies use metals from the periodic table of elements to describe their cards? Are they chemists, or bankers? Let’s take a look at the connection between credit and metal and then be sure to check out our slick tool to compare credit cards from all across the periodic table of elements! GOLD Actual Cost: $1,200/ounce Annual Fee: $125/year When credit card marketers want to make you feel classy, this is the standard — the gold standard. There’s…

• Yes, You Do Need a Credit Card – and You Need to Use It

  Mike Clover

  18 Aug 2010 | 8:59 am

  This article comes from Mike Clover. Mike has been a Mortgage Banker for 9 years. He is also a consumer advocate for better credit education and a blogger on the CreditScoreQuick.com Blog. The current state of the economy has put Americans in a new frame of mind – one that says it isn’t fun anymore to be in debt. Some folks are even trying to go “all cash” to get away from the danger of checking overdrafts and/or identity theft. But, you never know when you might actually need to use credit, whether you want to or not. There are times when the car engine blows up, or the furnace goes…

• Why the “Reverse Robin Hood” Credit Card Study is a Load of Crock

  Joel

  11 Aug 2010 | 11:36 pm

  In Michael S. Derby’s Wall Street Journal article titled “Credit Cards Take from the Poor, Give to the Rich” a ridiculous study is highlighted that claims a number of very interesting things, chief of which is that credit cards serve as a form of “Reverse Robin Hood” to take money from the pockets of the poor to give to the rich. The title of the study is, “Who Gains and Who Loses from Credit Card Payments? – Theory and Calibrations” by Scott Schuh, Oz Shy, and Joanna Stavins. Here is the abstract: “Merchant fees and reward programs…

• Credit Card Readers – 9 Incredibly Complicated Credit Card Readers (Plus One That’s Awesome)

  Joel

  3 Aug 2010 | 8:54 pm

  Have you ever noticed that there is clearly no standard for credit card readers? It seems like every time you swipe your credit card to buy something, you’ve got to re-learn the entire process. As the cashier watches impatiently, you try to figure out the right positioning of the card and which way the plastic strip is supposed to go. And invariably, you get it wrong. Imagine trying to figure out how to pay with this guy staring at you... It’s time to publicly display some of these awful card readers, and demand that credit card companies come up with an easy-to-use standard. No one…

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  Fixed Rates Mortgage

• Is A Reverse Mortgage Right For Me

  freetrafficsystem

  16 Aug 2010 | 5:04 am

  Most people unremarkably learn about reverse mortgages from an advert, word-of-mouth, a newspaper article or on the Cyberspace. They bear witness usually senior citizens making the claim that reverse mortgages saved them from financial break, or that they were capable to be financially independent because of a reverse mortgage. Sounds too well to be true right? We will explore the pros and cons of the Reverse mortgage, thus you can make an informed decision that’s right for you. It’s a relatively common problem among senior citizens: although they own their homes, they don’t…

• Low Interest Rates With Colorado Fixed Rates Mortgages

  Jane Doyle

  15 Aug 2010 | 6:02 am

  Interest rates are the lowest they have been in 40 years, so buying a home with Colorado fixed rates mortgages is much more affordable now than it was last year. With lower prices on the market, lower interest rates, and some great deals, the time to act is now. It really pays to investigate what mortgage loans are offering and how to qualify for these low interest rates. Check out the current rates by visiting such sites as bankrate.com. Then consult a licensed mortgage professional. You can find some great recommendations from the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association, and know that those…

• Everything You Wanted To Know About Fixed Rate Mortgages

  Cheyenne Dockstader

  11 Aug 2010 | 9:33 am

  Fixed rate mortgages in Colorado are typically very easy to find, because it’s the most common type of mortgage. This kind of loan offers a lot of choice in terms – buyers can opt to pay their mortgage over 30, 20, 15 or 10 years, but the most common terms are 15 and 30 years. A bi-weekly fixed rate mortgage can shorten a loan, but requires half of the monthly payment on a bi-weekly basis. The reason fixed-rate mortgages are so popular is that they offer stability; the interest rate remains the same throughout the loan, and the monthly or bi-weekly loan payment is always the same,…

• Gap closes on fixed, variable rates

  admin

  22 Jun 2010 | 10:14 am

  Gap closes on fixed, variable rates Expectations that interest rates will be steady in coming months have narrowed the gap between fixed and variable loans. Read more on Business Day

• America Movil, Infonavit to Pay Lowest Bond Yields in 19 Months

  admin

  22 Jun 2010 | 8:15 am

  America Movil, Infonavit to Pay Lowest Bond Yields in 19 Months June 16 (Bloomberg) — Mexican companies from America Movil SAB to housing agency Infonavit are poised to pay the lowest yields relative to the government in 19 months as slowing inflation fuels demand from pension funds. Read more on Bloomberg

• 

  Eliminate The Muda!

• Tips for Choosing a Business Credit Card

  The LeanLifeCoach

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:36 am

  If you own a business, big or small, you know one thing to be true: there are expenses that come up from time to time. This is true no matter what industry you are involved in. Although cash is king, there will be times when using a business credit card makes the most sense. Of course, you cannot do this until you have the plastic in your wallet.Last month, I applied for my first business credit card. While the process was simple, for the most part, I learned quite a bit along the way. Below are five tips that will help you when applying for a business credit card:1. Start with the financial…

• How to Best Use Credit Card Reward Points

  The LeanLifeCoach

  23 Aug 2010 | 12:22 pm

  One of the biggest benefits of using a credit card is the ability to collect reward points for every dollar that you spend. At some point, though, you need to make decisions on how to use the points that you have accumulated.There are many strategies to follow when it comes to using reward points. Below are a few to consider, as well as some of my personal experiences:1. Save your points for something big. As you know, you can cash in reward points for everything from small denominations of cash to flat screen televisions, cruises, and airline tickets. Rather than spend your points the first…

• Tips for Setting up and Running a Garage Sale

  The LeanLifeCoach

  9 Aug 2010 | 6:24 am

  Anybody can put on a garage sale, right? All you have to do is throw some stuff on a table, sit on a chair, and wait for shoppers to arrive. While this is the basic theory, it is far from the truth. If you truly want your garage sale to be a success it is important that you focus on the finer details.From start to finish, you need to know what steps to take as well as what you can do to improve your chance of a successful event.Below are several tips that should put you in the right frame of mind:1. Market your garage sale well in advance. The biggest mistake that many people make is…

• Travel Cheap Without Sacrificing Quality

  The LeanLifeCoach

  28 Jul 2010 | 10:00 am

  Does this sound familiar? You want to do a lot of traveling, but you don’t want to rough it, so you end up not traveling because you can’t do it the “right way.” Believe it or not, you can travel cheap but still stay in great hotels, eat top notch food, and experience the culture. Before I ever leave on a trip, I have a fun time doing my best to save as much money as possible. This includes searching for deals on everything from hotels to rental cars. And of course, once I arrive at my destination the “savings game” continues.I think it is important for every…

• 5S In Action – Organize and Simplify

  The LeanLifeCoach

  18 Jun 2010 | 8:19 am

  BeforeSome people, it seems, are blessed with a natural inclination to organization. Their desks are kept clean, the cupboards are organized, and their closets are neat. A co-worker of mine had an almost mythical ability to produce any document or sliver of information from his array of three ring labeled binders behind his desk. How can anyone not be impressed?The rest of us struggle somewhere between compulsive hoarders and clutter that occasionally gets out of control.While I have always detested filth I had come to terms with clutter, even embraced it at times in my life. If anyone has…

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  Mogo :: Blog - Stop The Pain of Overspending

• Top 15 Most Read Quick and Easy Savings Articles

  Mogo Savings Wizard

  31 Aug 2010 | 10:28 am

  Over the last few weeks we’ve been posting quick and easy savings articles that save you real money! Below is a list of the 15 most read savings tips by our  savings community that will help you stop the pain of overspending. 1. How I Saved Over $220 On My Cable/Internet Bill 2. Three Expenses You Will Never Miss! 3. How I Lowered My Credit Card Rate & Saved $100s! 4. FREE Online Services That Are So Good You Should Pay for Them (But Don’t Have To)! 5. Follow The Bouncing Cheque 6. Ways To Save $100 In 10 Minutes! 7. Groupon – Deals In Your City That Save Big Bucks 8. How I…

• The Yard Sale Trap

  Mogo Savings Wizard

  30 Aug 2010 | 5:16 pm

  Is there anything more seductive than a yard sale? Ok, don’t answer that. Seriously though, it’s hard to resist the allure of a yard sale! Neatly stacked rows of treasures, just waiting for you to explore, discover and get a serious discount on some hidden item you didn’t even know you needed. That’s exactly the thing though isn’t it? You didn’t know you needed it….which means that you probably don’t need it! I’ll be the first to say that if you know you have a real need for an item, yard sales can be a fine place to acquire them. Just don’t fall into the trap! What trap…

• Saving Money In The City: Why It’s Not As Expensive As You Think

  Mogo Savings Wizard

  27 Aug 2010 | 1:41 pm

  Sometimes it seems like living in the city is costly. In some cases it can be; property is usually more expensive, car dealerships charge a little more inside the city limits not to mention the gas stations! Added to all this you feel more pressure to keep the same standard of living your neighbors do, because you live closer to them. Then there’re the choices… instead of having one or two options for dining out you have hundreds, or even thousands – enough really to eat out every night. Plenty of ways to go over-budget, eh? It doesn’t have to be that way though. The amount of variety…

• Follow Mogo On Twitter And Tweet To Win A Kindle!

  Mogo Savings Wizard

  26 Aug 2010 | 4:01 pm

  Follow Mogo on Twitter and post the tweet below to win the all-new Amazon Kindle! Follow @MogoMoney & Tweet: Visit http://savingsalert.mogomoney.com for the BEST #Canadian #deals to #win a #Kindle! http://ow.ly/2vsjv Contest closes @ 11:59 EST on November 1st, 2010. Winner will be contacted by personal Twitter message on November 2nd, 2010. Open to North American residence only. Share on Facebook

• Buy In Bulk and Save Big Bucks

  Mogo Savings Wizard

  26 Aug 2010 | 11:00 am

  Frugal shoppers have long been wise to the secret of buying in bulk. If it’s something you truly use a lot of, you can save a ton of money each year. I ran across a wonderful bulk foods site today. Ironically, it’s www.bulkfoods.com. At Bulk Foods they offer a huge variety of products; Nuts, grains, beans, dried fruits, dried vegetables, powders, salts, yeast, spices, even organic selections. You have some variety in the prices too. You can purchase anywhere from a single pound to up to thirty pounds of their individual items. For those with a sweet tooth, Bulk Foods is going to work even…

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  PR Newswire: Financial Services

• ZIMTU CAPITAL CORP. ANNOUNCES RARE EARTH ELEMENT PROPERTY TRANSACTION WITH RARE EARTH METALS INC.

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:28 am

  VANCOUVER, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Zimtu Capital Corp. (TSXv: ZC) (FSE: ZCT1) ("Zimtu" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company and its prospecting partners Gary Lewis, Aubrey Budgell and Neh Pinsent (collectively, the "Vendors") have entered into an option agreement with R

• Verizon Communications Raises Quarterly Dividend 2.6 Percent to 48.75 Cents per Share

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:08 am

  NEW YORK, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) today declared a quarterly dividend of 48.75 cents per outstanding share, an increase of 1.25 cents per share, or 2.6 percent, from the previous quarter.  On an annual basis, this increase

• Chubb Board Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:01 am

  WARREN, N.J., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Board of Directors of The Chubb Corporation (NYSE: CB) today declared a regular quarterly dividend in the amount of $0.37 per share payable October 5, 2010 to shareholders of record on September 17, 2010.   For further information contact: Gle

• The McGraw-Hill Companies to Present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Investment Conference on September 13

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:00 am

  NEW YORK, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Harold McGraw III, chairman, president and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), will present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Investment Conference. The conference will be held September 12-13 in San Francisco, CA. Mr. McGraw is scheduled to speak on Mo

• FUTURE FORCE PERSONNEL Ranks No. 4906 on the 2010 Inc. 5000 With Three-Year Sales Growth of 5%

  2 Sep 2010 | 9:56 am

  NEW YORK, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ --Inc. magazine ranked FUTURE FORCE PERSONNEL NO. 4906 on its fourth annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy. (Logo:  htt

• 

  Ready To Be Rich

• Christmas Bazaars 2010 Schedule in Metro Manila

  Fitz

  1 Sep 2010 | 12:41 am

  The Christmas season is just around the corner and once again, bazaars will be everywhere in the metro. And to help everyone with their bargain shopping, I’d like to invite all bazaar organizers to post their Christmas Bazaar Schedule here. But more than this, I would also like to encourage... [[ This is just a preview of the article. Please visit my site http://fitzvillafuerte.com to read the whole story. Thank you. ]]

• Productive Things To Do While Waiting at the Airport

  Fitz

  30 Aug 2010 | 2:02 am

  One of the perks of having control of your own time and being your own boss is the luxury of travel. However, while going to other places far and away can be fun – waiting for hours, stuck at the airport, is not. It happens… technical problems, weather conditions, air traffic, and other... [[ This is just a preview of the article. Please visit my site http://fitzvillafuerte.com to read the whole story. Thank you. ]]

• How To Start A Dog Breeding Business

  Fitz

  23 Aug 2010 | 12:01 pm

  One of the most lucrative home-based business you can do nowadays is dog breeding. I have a couple of friends who are into it and they say that breeding dogs for profit has become one of their major sources of extra income. But how do you start a dog breeding business? Do you just buy... [[ This is just a preview of the article. Please visit my site http://fitzvillafuerte.com to read the whole story. Thank you. ]]

• Allow Yourself To Be Uncomfortable

  Fitz

  19 Aug 2010 | 2:36 pm

  Do you want to grow as a person, find success and change your life for the better? Then allow yourself to be uncomfortable. Face your fears and do the things that scare you. Venture into the unknown and discover new things. Go beyond the safety net and be uncomfortable. When was the last time that... [[ This is just a preview of the article. Please visit my site http://fitzvillafuerte.com to read the whole story. Thank you. ]]

• All the Things I Did Before I Bought My House

  Fitz

  17 Aug 2010 | 10:38 am

  Owning a house is everybody’s dream and today, one of my readers shares his story on how he was able to finally afford it. This guest post shows us several lessons: the power of automatic savings, the value of research and due diligence and how leveraging can really help us achieve our goals... [[ This is just a preview of the article. Please visit my site http://fitzvillafuerte.com to read the whole story. Thank you. ]]

• 

  Cash Flow Planning for Life

• Retirement Planning: 3 Tips That Are Essential To Your Future.

  Mark

  25 Aug 2010 | 6:27 am

  You probably don’t know exactly what you need to… Make sure that you grab the “3 Tips To Help You Sit Pretty In Retirement” eBook from www.Makara-Assoc.com. …be doing when it comes to Retirement Planning. That is completely fine because planning for retirement is complicated! There are many different factors to consider for a retirement plan. 3 of the most important are: A Social Security Plan A Retirement Asset Plan A Personal Savings Plan So here are 3 Tips for you to get started on  your own retirement plan. Tip 1 – Social Security Planning: How much will I…

• Tip 3 – Personal Savings Plan: It’s all about the Cash Flow!

  Mark

  11 Aug 2010 | 10:34 am

  Here piggy-piggy-piggy… The basis of a good Personal Savings Plan is not to have a fancy piggy bank! It’s to have mastery over your Cash Flow. To make sure you are on track you should have the following: Emergency Savings (for illness or disasters) Short Term Savings (for normal expenses) Long Term Investment Savings (for retirement) Hopefully this is already in place. Now you just need to take a look forward to your future preferences in retirement such as: Where you Retire (the state you retire to) When you Retire (your age and your life expectancy) How much Retirement Savings you hope…

• Tip 2 – Retirement Planning: Did you know the income you use in retirement has BIG tax implications?

  Mark

  28 Jul 2010 | 9:06 am

  You have been saving money your entire life to get to this point…. you have Pensions, IRAs, Annuities, and 401k’s – Think you’re all set? You’re not! The IRS is going to be taking some of your hard earned cash! Why would they do that? Well, when you start taking your retirement assets as income, the IRS collects tax on your income. Taxes, along with hundreds of other variables could affect your cash flow. Here are just a few examples: Tax-ability of the income source Withdrawal rate and tax consideration Asset allocation conversion of each pool of dollars or inflation Rate of return…

• Tip 1 – Social Security Planning: How much will I get & when shall I start taking it?

  Mark

  14 Jul 2010 | 8:20 am

  Curious about what your future income will be. . . you could visit a fortune teller and peer into that crystal ball… But, there is an easier way to find out what your Social Security income will be! You can start your Social Security planning NOW by locating one simple item: Your annual social security statement (and your spouse’s, if applicable). If your statements are lost or not available, the social security web site has a social security planning calculator, that will estimate your projected monthly income payable at age 62. You can check for your full retirement age at…

• Retirement Planning, How to Sit on the 3 Legged Stool of Retirement!

  Mark

  30 Jun 2010 | 6:00 am

  Are you worrying about your future… …and what you need to do NOW to make sure your retirement money doesn’t run out? It is a tricky process of planning, much like sitting on a 3 legged stool. You need to consider each of the 3 legs of the stool very carefully or else you will end up on your backside The 3 legs of the stool are: Social Security Planning Pension & Retirement Planning, and A Personal Savings Plan. This can turn out to be a tricky balancing act, but preparation is the key. Retirement planning will bring up questions such as: How much income will I need in…

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  JoeTaxpayer

• Retirement or College tuition?

  JOE

  2 Sep 2010 | 5:02 am

  With all the press about people not saving enough for retirement, or much else for that matter (the median household net worth is $91,304, including home equity) I’ve been thinking more about how people prioritize their spending. Debt taken on for college tuition has always been thought of as “good” debt. I’ll pass on that judgment and just call it a sometimes necessary evil. But for whom, the student or the parent? Should parents pick up the tab? There are studies out there for nearly everything, I wonder if any study has been done on whether students do better for…

• A Retirement Lane Roundup

  JOE

  29 Aug 2010 | 5:02 am

  This week we start with a post by Roshawn Watson, My Big, Fat Trashy Home: The Fall of the McMansion. In this article, Shawn does a great job explaining the origins of these homes and how they cost you far after the purchase is over. The article hit home for me as we quickly discovered that we weren’t really using all the space in our house (just over 3000 sq feet) after we moved in. Do we really need a formal dining room, and what’s with that living room, when the family room is where we hang out? On the flip side we had a neighbor move away from a similar size home to one twice…

• Begging For Home Buyers

  JOE

  28 Aug 2010 | 5:02 am

  Even with the 30 year fixed rate mortgage dropping to 4.42% average, sellers are still struggling to move their houses, and new home sales have fallen to new lows. Related JoeTaxpayer Posts Relief for home short sales Hindsight Bad Paper, and Lots of it Fun With Statistics Graduates Job Market Related Articles From Other Websites Downsizing and Mortgage Refinance Strategies Morning Update/ Market Thread 4/16 Introduction to Mortgages pt 3 of 5 The Master List - 66 Ways to Save Money Are you ready to walk away from your mortgage?

• Do Dividends Matter?

  JOE

  27 Aug 2010 | 5:02 am

  It seems this is not such a simple question. What do you prefer, a stock that grows, long term, doubling in price every 7 years or so (this is an average 10% annual return) or one that grows more slowly, say at 5% per year, but offers a 5% dividend? I’ve seen arguments on both sides, those who take the dividend as a sign of strength, reflecting steady profits and the company disbursing a share of those profits with its shareholders each year. I’ve also heard those who say that a dividend is akin to a company saying, “We have no idea how to invest this money. We don’t…

• Bush Tax Cuts Expiring Soon

  JOE

  25 Aug 2010 | 5:02 am

  As we’ve seen, the estate tax expiration had an impact of the families of a number of people who passed this year. But this was a one year deal, next year if congress doesn’t fix this, the tax comes back to levels not seen in nearly a decade. That’s not all. When Bush was in office, income tax rates were cut under two bills, the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (EGTRRA) of 2001, and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Before EGTRRA, and back in 2011, will be a lowest rate of 15%, no 10% bracket. To summarize, our current rates include…

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  Simplified Saving :: Saving Money

• 2 Sep 2010 | 10:11 am

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  2 Sep 2010 | 10:11 am

  Every month, Christianaudio.com offers a free premium audiobook download. I love these books and always look forward to the first of the month so I can download a new one. The FREE download for September is Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders. This book is absolutely incredible! I highly recommend you download it! To get your free copy, click here and add the download to your cart. Use coupon code  SEP2010when prompted to get this month’s free download. You must use the code to receive the download for free! Share This

• Free 2011 Planner from Women’s Health

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  1 Sep 2010 | 12:26 pm

  Sign up for a free 2011 Planning Calendar from from WomensHealth.gov.  These calendars are available in English or Spanish and will be shipped in December. Thanks Money Saving Mom Share This

• Sears Labor Day Sale: Make the Big Switch

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  1 Sep 2010 | 8:54 am

  Over the last 5 years, my husband and I have done quite a bit of appliance shopping.  We’ve bought all the major appliances at least once (and some of them 2 and 3 times) thanks to 2 moves, a complete kitchen remodel, and a flood.   During this time, we’ve learned a lot about the cost saving benefits of Energy Star rated appliances. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I’m all about finding ways to save money!  One of the ways we’ve done this is to buy appliances that are Energy Star rated AND on sale!  Not only do…

• FTD: Free Floral Bouquet on Good Neighbor Day

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  31 Aug 2010 | 8:04 pm

  Wednesday, September 1st is Good Neighbor Day and FTD is celebrating by offering FREE Florist Designed Bouquets at participating florists. Keep one flower for yourself and brighten the day of those around you with the other flowers!  We don’t have a participating florist in our area, but there may be one in yours!   Find your nearest participating florist here. Thanks Saving Cents With Sense! Share This

• {Expired} Zazzle: 100 Free Business Cards or Gift Cards

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  31 Aug 2010 | 7:41 pm

  Front Back Aren’t these gift tags the cutest?  I just designed them and ordered 100 of them over on Zazzle.com for only $0.20 and that included shipping!  They’re actually business cards, but they’re the perfect size for gift tags!  I left extra room on 1 side to whole punch them so I can tie a ribbon through them. Wanna create some cute and FREE business cards or gift cards?  Head on over to Zazzle.com where now through tomorrow only (9/1), you can snag 100 business cards with FREE shipping! You’ll pay nothing out of pocket! Here’s what you need to do… Head on…