Personal Finance

• Most Topular Stories

• 15 Ways to Reduce Core Expenses and Debt

  Debt Free Adventure

  Guest Author

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  When struggling to emerge from debt it's a good strategy to focus on ways to reduce core expenses so you can use the savings to pay off debt faster.Related Articles: Cool Ways to Cover Summer Expenses Non-Monthly Expenses – How to Budget for Lump Sum Payments 11 Ways We Dove into Debt and How We’re Digging Out

• 7 Side Business Ideas that are Worth your Time

  freemoneywisdom.com

  Jon the Saver

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  There are literally hundreds of articles online that talk about legitimate side business ideas.  Unfortunately, most of them talk about fluff jobs that are just simply not worth your time.  Do you want to make the big bucks or not? This article is all about honing in your energy and placing it somewhere where the money will flood in.  You have to be strategic with the type of side business you start.  It’s stupid to just do something if you have a “passion” for it.  What if your passion doesn’t pay?  I think you see where I’m going with this. Here are 7…

• 5 New Tax Lessons for 2012

  Fiscal Fizzle

  Wojciech Kulicki

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  It’s February 1st and while for most Americans, taxes are still a distant thought, my business taxes were filed last weekend and my personal taxes are “in the envelope,” so to speak.I’m not trying to be an A+ student, I simply want my money back. While I strive for the $0 refund every year, I inevitably make some unexpected tax moves throughout the year. The good thing is that they usually bring down the amount of taxes I have to pay.HistoryI personally do my taxes every year, relying on products like TurboTax for the necessary advice and paperwork. Every year, I…

• Unemployed Lawyers Sue Their Law Schools

  Consumerism Commentary

  Flexo

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:30 pm

  A group of fresh, unemployed lawyers have banded together to sue law schools. 73 alumni have filed at least fifteen class-action lawsuits, alleging the schools inflated employment figures and salary data to attract students and increase rankings. The real goal of the lawsuits seems to be to effect systemic change in the education industry and associations that accredit law schools, like the American Bar Association. Schools are in the business of generating alumni, and to a great extent, use as many marketing tricks that any company uses in order to influence public opinion. It’s true…

• Is Retirement Just Too Dang Risky?

  Get Rich Slowly - Personal Finance That Makes Sense.

  Robert Brokamp

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  This is a post from staff writer 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. I’ve been saving for retirement since my mid-20s, and I write a retirement-planning newsletter every month. Yet here’s the thing: I don’t plan to ever fully retire. And while most people list “retirement” as their number one investing goal, I don’t think most other people should retire, either — at least not at age 64 for men and 62 for…

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  Fool.com Headlines

• Is the Dow's Rally Running Out of Steam?

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:22 pm

  Cisco's great earnings are met with a yawn.

• The Smartphone Rocket Slows Down

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:08 pm

  IDC figures say the sales figures could be coming back to Earth.

• Cisco Shows Telecoms Still Buying Expensive Gear

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:08 pm

  Cisco puts a short-lived myth to rest.

• Earnings Show 'Bank Transfer Day' Results

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:46 pm

  How the protest affected the bottom line.

• Wal-Mart Defies This Analyst's Expectations

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:37 pm

  In a sea change, the retailing behemoth is becoming more socially conscious … while still raking in the cash.

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  I Will Teach You To Be Rich

• Where I’ve been for the last two weeks

  Ramit Sethi

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:11 am

  After a month of hyper consumption of caffeine, sleeping 4 hours/night, and a team around the world that outperformed any team I’ve ever worked with, the Dream Job launch is complete. Here’s a PDF with 50+ pages of uncensored feedback from new Dream Job students talking about why they joined my new course on finding your Dream Job: “Why I joined Dream Job” (PDF, no opt-in required). The course was an instant IWT bestseller, and it’s closed to new students now. Soon, I’ll share some of the marketing lessons behind the launch. I’m doing my traditional…

• What I think of information addicts

  Ramit Sethi

  22 Jan 2012 | 9:04 pm

  I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about giving away free material vs. charging for it. Here’s a recent 1-hour interview where I talk about free vs. paid material, including how I went from charging $4.95 for my first ebook to $12,000 for my most recent course. I also did another interview on the psychology of monetization, too, where I cover more academic psychological and marketing theory. This is for the true psychology/marketing nerds, so I reveal some gems that only they would appreciate. Based on the kinds of emails I get, I assume about 80% of you are huge huge nerds. So, let’s…

• What The Pros Know About Networking That You Don’t

  Ramit Sethi

  20 Jan 2012 | 11:57 am

  When I was on the Today Show a couple years ago, I sat down to prep a few minutes before air time. About 45 seconds before we went live, Meredith Viera came onto set. She took one look at the topic sheet, then reached out to shake all of our hands. In the next 30 seconds, she asked a couple questions to get to know us, and then we started the segment. What was fascinating was that, within those 30 seconds, she was so personable that we instantly felt a connection to her (“Wow, she’s so friendly!”). And I realized that the masters — like the world’s top TV anchors, politicians,…

• How to use Natural Networking to connect with anyone — including the exact email scripts

  Ramit Sethi

  18 Jan 2012 | 10:36 am

  How many of us have heard career experts telling us to “go out there and network”? What does that actually mean? They never seem to specify. So we end up going to 1 or 2 pointless networking events, which actually turn out to be a bunch of unemployed people looking for jobs, until we realize the pointlessness of random networking. We stop going. But we keep hearing about the importance of our network, and we hear about how most jobs are found through personal contacts. Pretty soon, it becomes clear to us that it’s WHO you know, not WHAT you know. But we have no idea how to actually turn…

• How to write a resume that wins

  Ramit Sethi

  17 Jan 2012 | 12:31 pm

  Last night, 3,000+ IWT readers from all over the world tuned in, live, to learn the inside techniques to craft a winning resume. These are the same techniques I used to get jobs at Google, Intuit, and many other companies. Attention jackasses: These are not my curtains. I’m not 78 years old. I was at a hotel. I had nothing to sell. I just wanted to show people that — instead of blaming the economy, or believing that “I don’t have enough experience” is a valid excuse — they could take their Dream Job search into their own hands. Here’s what attendees had to say:…

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  Get Rich Slowly - Personal Finance That Makes Sense.

• Is Retirement Just Too Dang Risky?

  Robert Brokamp

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  This is a post from staff writer 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. I’ve been saving for retirement since my mid-20s, and I write a retirement-planning newsletter every month. Yet here’s the thing: I don’t plan to ever fully retire. And while most people list “retirement” as their number one investing goal, I don’t think most other people should retire, either — at least not at age 64 for men and 62 for…

• 8 Questions to Help You Save More

  April Dykman

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  This is a guest post by Fiona Lippey. Fiona is the author of the bestselling book The $21 Challenge and founder of Australia’s largest frugal website, SimpleSavings.net. If you want to save money, and I mean really save money, then you’re going to have to stop buying Stuff. You have reduce the amount you consume. Today I want to share the system I’ve been using for the last 15 years to reduce my spending and make sure I don’t get tricked out of my hard-earned cash. Question 1: Stop! Is this a good decision? Before you reach for your cash, before you grab your credit…

• Can Money Buy Freedom?

  J.D. Roth

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  On Saturday, my friend Tyler hosted a blog meetup. I first met Tyler several years ago. He was a GRS reader who dropped me a line to see if I’d meet him for dinner. I said “yes” — as I almost always do. Now, several years later, Tyler runs a successful blog of his own. It was fun to see his readers come out to support him. Note: I’ve never hosted a meetup for GRS readers, but the more of these I attend for other blogs, the more fun I think it would be for us to have some gatherings of our own. What do you think? Whenever I visit a new city — Denver in…

• Reader Story: Why I Lied About Money

  J.D. Roth

  5 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  This guest post from Aloysa is part of the “reader stories” feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or failure. These stories feature folks from all levels of financial maturity and with all sorts of incomes. You can read more from Aloysa at My Broken Coin. For six years, I lied to my ex-husband about how much money I was making. Some people make up lies trying to build self-esteem. Those people lie “up”. I lied down, hiding how much money I made, and underestimating the work I…

• Q&A: My Current Financial State

  J.D. Roth

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Fridays are typically “Ask the Readers” days at Get Rich Slowly, but today I’m doing something a little different. I’ve made a couple of big revelations lately, and those have generated a lot of questions. Today, I’ll answer a handful of these questions in order to give an outline of how I’m managing my money. There’s a lot to be said about the discipline it took to be conscious spender (and saver) even after a windfall. How did you do this? In a way, conscious spending became easier after the sale of Get Rich Slowly. But it also became more…

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  Personal finance news - CNNMoney.com

• The $400-a-year credit card

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:08 am

  Would you pay $400 a year to own a credit card?

• Fewer young adults hold jobs than ever before

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:33 am

  The share of young adults with jobs has hit its lowest level since the government started keeping records just after World War II.

• Top 10 counterfeit goods

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:32 pm

  Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 25,000 counterfeit goods that were making their way into the country. The total value of that loot: $178.9 million. Here are the top 10 fakes and how to spot them:

• Bob Rodriguez: The best advice I ever got

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:24 pm

  "In the fall of 1974 I was in graduate school at USC taking a portfolio-management investment course. The financial markets were in difficulty, and I didn't understand how securities were being sold at such depressed levels. I had only recently discovered Security Analysis by Graham and Dodd when we had a guest lecturer come in named Charlie Munger, who went on about this idea of value investing. After the class was over, I walked up to Charlie and asked him if there was one thing that I could do that would make me a better investment professional. His answer was, 'Read history, read history,…

• Warren Buffett: Why stocks beat gold and bonds

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:22 pm

  Investing is often described as the process of laying out money now in the expectation of receiving more money in the future. At Berkshire Hathaway we take a more demanding approach, defining investing as the transfer to others of purchasing power now with the reasoned expectation of receiving more purchasing power -- after taxes have been paid on nominal gains -- in the future. More succinctly, investing is forgoing consumption now in order to have the ability to consume more at a later date.

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  Consumerism Commentary

• Slate from Chase No Balance Transfer Fee Card Review

  Flexo

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  Not every credit card on the market today is out to provide consumers with great rewards, because not every card customer can make the most of those rewards. Credit cards are just tools, and depending on who is wielding them, they could have a positive or a negative effect on that person’s finances. Some people just use credit cards to habitually buy what they can’t afford. For them, a great rewards credit card might actually be counterproductive. A good example would be someone who has made mistakes with credit cards in the past and is now looking for some way to get out of the…

• Amazon.com Retail Stores: Another Threat to Small Businesses?

  Flexo

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:22 am

  I was torn when Amazon.com, the online-only retailer for books, music, and movies, became popular. I liked the convenience, but it was clear that local brick-and-mortar bookstores would have difficulty competing with Amazon’s prices in the long term. I was swayed enough to the side against Amazon when I participated in a boycott of the company when they filed for a patent for the 1-Click ordering system. Over the years, though, I’ve come to accept Amazon.com as a part of my life as a consumer, and I shop using Amazon.com for more than just books, music, and movies. I gave into my…

• Unemployed Lawyers Sue Their Law Schools

  Flexo

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:30 pm

  A group of fresh, unemployed lawyers have banded together to sue law schools. 73 alumni have filed at least fifteen class-action lawsuits, alleging the schools inflated employment figures and salary data to attract students and increase rankings. The real goal of the lawsuits seems to be to effect systemic change in the education industry and associations that accredit law schools, like the American Bar Association. Schools are in the business of generating alumni, and to a great extent, use as many marketing tricks that any company uses in order to influence public opinion. It’s true…

• Debt Collections: Do You Have To Pay?

  Flexo

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:15 am

  People who borrow money generally understand that they will eventually need to pay borrowed money back to the lender. This understanding, whether codified in a contract or not in any particular case, makes lending and borrowing money work as an economic mechanism. It’s interesting that regardless of what’s written in a contract, most debt can be legally ignored. Borrowers may feel bound by their pride to honor commitments, but every state in the country has laws that prevent lenders from chasing after deadbeat borrowers after a certain amount of time. Time-barred debts are subject…

• Your Ego and Your Wallet

  Marc Pearlman

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  This is an article by Marc Pearlman. Marc is a money management professional who has been in the finance industry over 20 years, and he is the author of The Positive Money Mindset and host of the radio show, Your Money Matters. I watched as these two were duking it out — at the poker table, that is. Fortunately for me, I was out of the hand with my lousy cards safely in the muck pile. I watched with no attachment to the outcome, but I had a prediction of who would come out the victor in this poker showdown. This young kid, probably mid to late twenties with a black hat pulled half way…

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  Forbes - Personal Finance

• Report: Attorneys General Near $25B Foreclosure Settlement With Big Banks

  Steve Schaefer

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:58 pm

  With holdout attorneys general in California and New York set to sign on, multiple reports Wednesday night said a nationwide foreclosure settlement with five major banks could be made official as early as Thursday.

• Gift Guide: How to Not Screw Up Valentine's Day

  Justine Rivero

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:21 pm

  Are you seriously mailing a baby in a wooden box for Valentine’s Day? C’mon guys, you’re better than that.

• The Forever Portfolio

  William Baldwin

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:46 pm

  This story appears in the Feb. 27, 2012, issue of Forbes magazine:

• The Case For Dying Broke

  William Baldwin

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:44 pm

  The following story appears in the Feb. 27, 2012, issue of Forbes magazine:

• How A High-Earning Couple Got Roth IRAs And You Can Too

  Ashlea Ebeling

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:32 pm

  This story appears in the Feb. 27, 2012 issue of Forbes magazine, p. 56, titled “Roths For The Rich.”

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  Yahoo! News: Personal Finance News

• Mortgage deal nears as holdout states join (Reuters)

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:32 pm

  Reuters - California and New York, two big holdout states in a $25 billion mortgage settlement, are expected to join the deal, smoothing the way for an announcement on Thursday, according to a person familiar with the matter.

• Housing regulator acted on "ideology": lawmakers (Reuters)

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:58 pm

  Reuters - Two Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday accused the regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from blocking the firms from reducing principal on the mortgages they back for reasons of "ideology."

• The U.S. and China: A Duel to the Debt (The Motley Fool)

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:22 pm

  The Motley Fool - In this period of "exceptional uncertainty" (to quote Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke), where can investors turn for a considered perspective on the current environment? Produced to feed the beast of the 24-hour news cycle, the bulk of financial journalism and commentary today isn't worth the servers it is stored on. One notable exception to that rule is Buttonwood, the financial markets column of The Economist. Philip Coggan is the columnist -- arguably the most influential position in financial journalism (along with the head of Lex at the Financial Times).

• Need for more Fed bond buys a "close call": Williams (Reuters)

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:04 pm

  Reuters - The U.S. central bank may yet need to buy more bonds to bolster the weak recovery, but better-than-expected jobs data makes it a "close call," a top Federal Reserve official said on Wednesday.

• Coinstar's Spectacular Quarter Makes It Worth Your Dollars (The Motley Fool)

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  The Motley Fool - Automated retail solutions provider Coinstar (Nasdaq: CSTR - News) beat Street estimates handsomely in the fourth quarter, and saw its shares spike 13% in extended trading.

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  My Money Blog

• Moved For Financial Reasons? Share Your Story.

  Jonathan

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:59 pm

  Have you moved for financial reasons? Where did you move to? Where did you move from? How did you decide? Larger income? Better job for similar income? Lower housing costs? Something else? Share your story in the comments below! I don’t think there will be as many as the 358 replies to my six-figure salary stories request, but I’m sure reading your case studies would be very interesting. Related posts: Do You Make A Six Figure Salary? Share Your Story. What Cities Are People Moving To For Financial Reasons? U-Haul vs. Penske Moving Truck Rentals: Share Your Story Moved For…

• What Cities Are People Moving To For Financial Reasons?

  Jonathan

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  This post has been revised with new info and added to my Expense Reduction Guide: Housing. Although it takes considerable effort, nearly 40 million Americans move every year. Now, the reasons for all these moves are not all financial, but you can improve your financial situation drastically by moving. You might increase your income, decrease your housing costs, or decrease your tax bill. Where are people moving to? This Forbes article analyzed address data from IRS tax filings, and found that a trend that households are moving to warmer climates with lower taxes and property values. The…

• Straight Talk SIM Card + iPhone 4S = $45 Unlimited Prepaid Plan

  Jonathan

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:11 am

  Can you finally get the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S on a cheap prepaid plan without hacking your phone? Straight Talk, a prepaid MVNO that is a joint venture between Tracfone and Wal-mart, is now offering the ability to buy Straight Talk SIM cards that you can pop into any AT&T-compatible, T-Mobile-compatible, or unlocked phone. They even offer a micro SIM card that are compatible with Apple iPhone 4 and 4S, for a one-time cost of only $14.99 with free ground shipping currently: The plan is cheap too. For $45 a month you get unlimited minutes, unlimited text, and unlimited data with no…

• TD Ameritrade Online Cash Services $200 Bonus

  Jonathan

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:52 am

  It looks like TDA is following the trend of combining checking account features with their traditional brokerage accounts. If you have a TD Ameritrade account, this looks like a pretty easy $200 bonus score. Visit this promotion page to sign up for Online Cash Services and if you (1) sign up for a Visa debit card and make 4 purchases of $10+ by 3/31/12, and (2) enroll in BillPay and pay 4 bills totaling $100 between 1/15/12 and 3/31/12, you will get $100 each = $200 total. Both the debit card and online BillPay are free services. Many of you many have old, inactive TDA accounts that are still…

• Slate Card from Chase: 0% APR For 15 Months + NO Balance Transfer Fee!

  Jonathan

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:14 pm

  New, improved offer! The Slate Card from Chase is now available with 0% APR on both balance transfers and purchases for 15 months, and the best part: NO balance transfer fee! There are different flavors of this card, but you should see it mentioned right at the top of this specific offer link. You can literally borrow money for free and pay it back in 15 months with no interest (keeping in mind you’ll still need to satisfy the minimum payment each month until then). No annual fee. This is a limited time offer, and very rare these days to find a no balance transfer fee 0% APR offer that…

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  The Simple Dollar

• Use Public Transportation (38/365)

  Trent

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  When I was in college – and for the first several months of my post-college career – I was an avid user of public transportation. I would ride the bus to work every day like clockwork. For many semesters, I would catch a bus at about 7:48 AM or so. It deposited me right in front of one of the buildings where I would have a class at 8 AM at between 7:55 and 7:58 AM, giving me just enough time to stroll into the classroom, sit down, and open my notebook just as the professor began talking. Later on, I would stand outside of that apartment building to catch the 7:37 AM bus, which…

• The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Marriage Advice Edition

  Trent

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  If I had to give someone advice on how to keep a marriage in good shape, here’s what it would be. Every day, do two things. One, tell your spouse that you love them and tell them something specific about them that you love. Two, spend half an hour doing something that helps them in some way and expect no compliments or comment from it – do it just because you care about that person. This works better if you focus on something that you know will really matter to your partner. For instance, if your partner loathes doing the dishes, just do them without comment once or twice a week.

• Practice Good Gas Conservation Habits (37/365)

  Trent

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  One of the fun things about my wife’s car is that it has a constant readout of the miles per gallon on the dashboard. It lets you know what your miles per gallon over the last five minutes is, the mpg of your entire trip, as well as your estimated miles per gallon right at that moment. The data it produces is really accurate. We’ve measured this ourselves by checking the gas mileage manually by calculating it from the odometer and gas receipts and comparing it to the data in the car. It’s often a competition between Sarah and myself to see who can get the best gas mileage…

• Following the Time Trail and Downgrading Subscriptions

  Trent

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  In the past few months, we’ve ended our subscription to GameFly, reduced our subscription to Netflix to streaming-only, stopped receiving four magazines, and given away or sold a bunch of items around our household. At first glance, one might think we were going through some sort of economic crisis. After all, this is the exact same kind of cutting back that I regularly suggest to people who are finding themselves in a financial pinch. We actually made these decisions based on time, not money. With each one of those spending cuts we made, we realized that we simply weren’t getting…

• Minimize Your Load (36/365)

  Trent

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  Depending on the specific model, your car loses 1-2% fuel efficiency for every 100 pounds of extra weight in the car. That’s a surprising amount that can really add up. For example, let’s say you’re matching the extra weight that a friend of mine (who we’ll call Cathy) carries in her car. She consistently carries (mostly) unused car seats in the back seat of your car, plus she hauls around a box of books in the trunk along with a few other excess items. The sum total of that extra load is about 70 pounds. That means, depending on the model, Cathy is burning an extra…

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  Wise Bread

• Join Our Tweetchat on Thu 2/9, 12pm Pacific for Chance to Win $200

  Ashley Jacobs

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:32 pm

  Join our Tweetchat this Thursday at 12:00 pm Pacific for lively conversation and a chance to win $200 in prizes! Use #WBChat to participate. This week's topic: How People Land in Debtsville. We'll talk about mistakes people in debt make, "keeping up with the Joneses," and setting a monthly budget. Share tips on having enough savings to cover financial setbacks, paying your credit cards in full each month, and recycling your available credit. For an easy way to keep track of the conversation, try using our special Tweetchat Chatroom. Anyone can participate, but you…

• 15 Tested Tips for Creative Efficiency

  Annie Mueller

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:36 am

  Creative pursuits and efficiency don't always seem to go together; in fact, our age-old wisdom tells us that in order to be truly creative, we need wide open swaths of time, unbounded by other obligations like work, kids, and the need to get dinner on the table. (See also: Fun and Cheap Ways to Get Creative When You’re Bored) Then there's real life, which includes work, kids, the need to get dinner on the table…little things like that which won't go away. Life won't be put on hold while we decide to get creative. So what's the answer? Unless we've found "being creative"…

• How to Select the Best Jeans for Your Money

  Dealnews

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:24 am

  It's awesome to score a pair of jeans for super cheap, but it's even more satisfying if you know that pair will last you for a long time. But how can you really know what the longevity of your jeans is before they actually get put into regular wardrobe rotation? The folks at Real Simple have some tips on how to choose the most valuable pair of jeans for your buck, and, to get you started, we've pulled some examples that aim for prolonged life while still spending as little as possible. (See also: 25 Things to Do With Old Jeans) First, the site suggests sticking to darker denim, since…

• Best Money Tips: Managing the Family Shopping Chore

  Ashley Jacobs

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some great articles on managing the family shopping chore, financial benefits to being sick, and having a productivity routine. Top 5 Articles Tips for Managing the Family Shopping Chore — Manage shopping for your family easily by only buying what is on your list of things to buy. [Parenting Squad] The Financial Benefits to Being Sick — Being sick keeps you from going out and spending money while giving you extra time to be productive. [Careful Cents] Why You Should Have a Productivity Routine — To have a…

• Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Review Your Credit Report?

  Ashley Jacobs

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:36 am

  Having a good credit score is an important part of your financial health. It is necessary to review your credit report from time to time to check on your credit health and make sure you have no discrepancies with your report. Some people review their credit report once a year while others do it more regularly. How often do you review your credit report? Yearly? Monthly? When was the last time you reviewed your credit report? Tell us how often you review your credit report and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card! Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards We're doing three…

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  Bargaineering

• Basic Rules to Make Your Portfolio More Tax Efficient

  timparker

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:18 pm

  If you’re a do it yourself investor, you probably know a thing or two about stock selection but might not have given much thought to the tax implications of your investment actions. You should never pick investment products with the tax advantage as your primary reason. A quality investment product trumps tax advantages any day of the week but part of making money as an investor is to position it in the best way possible to keep the IRS’ hands off of it. If all of your investment capital is kept in a single brokerage account there are likely better ways to make your money work harder for…

• Financial Options for the Unbanked

  Miranda

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:15 am

  One of the issues that has been coming up lately in the world of finances is that of consumers who are “unbanked.” The unbanked are those who do not use banking services. They don’t keep their money at regular financial institutions, and they may not be interested in getting an account for various reasons, ranging from being unable to maintain a high minimum to all of the fees. However, it becomes necessary for many to interact with some sort of financial services provider, since many of the unbanked still have paychecks to cash. Some of the options available to the…

• Soft Credit Check vs. Hard Credit Check

  Jim

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:10 am

  If you’ve done enough research about credit scores, you’ve probably heard the term “soft credit check” and “hard credit check.” They’re sometimes referred to as “soft pulls” or “hard pulls,” but the terms mean the same thing. A soft credit check is any check of your credit score or report that doesn’t affect your score. It’s soft because it doesn’t hurt, things that hurt are hard. Hard credit checks can, and usually do, hurt your credit score. (OK, I don’t know why it’s called a soft check vs. a…

• Why Your Portfolio Needs Bond ETFs

  timparker

  7 Feb 2012 | 1:18 pm

  Exchange traded funds or ETFs are to the investment market what the IPhone may be to the cell phone market. It’s one of the fastest growing, game changing products to hit the investment markets since the 401(k). There is an ETF for just about everything and what makes them so popular is their relative low cost. Never before could you invest in mutual fund like products at a fraction of the mutual fund cost. For most retail investors, they know of some of the more popular ETFs like the SPDR S&P 500 or the SPDR Gold Shares with the really cool vault full of Gold in an undisclosed location…

• Kids & Money: When to Look for Scholarships

  Miranda

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:15 am

  If you plan on sending your child to college, you know that it’s expensive. The cost of an education rises each year. And, while you are hopefully saving up for college with the help of a savings account or a 529 plan, it doesn’t hurt to look for other ways of paying for school. Scholarships can provide a way for your child to get free money for college. A scholarship can reduce the burden on you, as well as reduce the burden of student loan debt for your child. If you want your child to get a scholarship, though, you both have to start preparing ahead of time. It’s…

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  Passive Panda

• How to Make Invoicing Easy and Get Paid On–Time (The #1 Invoicing Tool For Freelancers and Small Businesses)

  James Clear

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:08 pm

  Getting paid is important — and that means invoicing is important. There’s a way for you to make professional invoices and get paid on–time, everytime with a just few clicks of a button. If you’re still tracking invoices in a Word document, calculating payments in an Excel spreadsheet, or building your own invoicing templates, then it’s time to make life a whole lot easier on yourself. There is an awesome invoicing software that can do all of the work for you and it’s called Freshbooks. I’ve used it for months now and I have loved every minute. The best part?

• Business Name Ideas: The Secret Recipe for Cooking Up a Business Name That Brings In More Customers

  James Clear

  31 Jan 2012 | 7:33 am

  The key to a choosing a business name that brings in more customers is to make sure you achieve two goals. First, good names get the right kind of people in the door. When a prospective customer reads your name, they should be interested in learning more. Second, good names are easy to recall. A name is useless if people can’t remember it. Meanwhile, a memorable name can be shared with friends, searched for on the web, and talked about at work. And that’s it. If people remember your name easily and it gets the right people coming in the door, then it’s time to move on and do…

• The Simple Blueprint to Getting Started (Plus, 7 Ways to Consistently Make Good Choices)

  James Clear

  24 Jan 2012 | 1:06 pm

  There is a way for you to earn more money without working too hard or getting incredibly lucky. Would you like to know what it is? It can be summed up in three simple words: be more consistent. How do you do that? Keep reading and I’ll tell you. How to be more consistent The secret to earning money is not luck or intelligence or creativity — it’s consistency. The people who are the most successful are the most consistent. This is true whether we are talking about money or sports or art or anything in between. You must show up each day, do the best work you can, and then do the…

• This is Your Year

  James Clear

  5 Jan 2012 | 3:14 pm

  Click here to view the original version. (Feel free to download it for your own use. Free of charge.)

• How to Make $30,000 in 30 Days (And Why You Don’t Need a Unique Idea to Make Good Money)

  Benny Hsu

  12 Dec 2011 | 6:35 am

  Here’s a quick question for you… What’s a huge obstacle that prevents most people from earning more money? The answer… Coming up with a good idea. We often never start projects that could make us money because we want a “perfect” idea. We think that our idea needs to be unique. Or we think that our idea can’t be any good because someone else has already done it. Don’t get me wrong, it can be hard to think of an idea that will make more money. But if you think that your idea needs to be new or unique, I’m going to prove that mindset completely…

• 

  fivecentnickel.com

• Own Your Investments, Rent Your Fun

  Nickel

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:24 am

  I’m not sure where I first heard it, but whenever I get the urge to “invest” in a lake place, or do something similarly extravagant, I always fall back on this saying: “Own your investments and rent your fun.” I’ve mused in the past about buying a vacation home, but the harsh reality is that such endeavors are rarely as wonderful as you’d expect. Yes, it would be great to have a weekend getaway, but second homes can easily become a money pit. You need to furnish them. You need to heat and cool them. You need to pay property taxes on them. You…

• Citibank to Issue Credit Cards in China

  Nickel

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pm

  Here’s an interesting development in the world of finance… Citibank has apparently gained approval to issue a credit card in China. This makes Citi the first non-Asian bank to enter the market. Citi has actually had a co-branded credit card in China since 2004, but those cardholders are technically customers of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. Elsewhere in Asia, Citi has 16M credit card customers, but China… Wow, what a huge market. I haven’t seen any details regarding this card and, frankly, I know very little about the credit card market in China. I did, however, run across…

• Heartstrings and Pursestrings

  Jeffrey Steele

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:52 am

  Consider Valentine’s Day. Is there any holiday known to man and woman that brings into greater conflict the heartstrings and purse strings? You want to express your inner most feelings for your sweetie in the gift you choose, but doing so may require you break the bank. And that could be counter-productive. Who wants a penniless pauper as his or her main squeeze? For men especially, this month-two, day-14 Catch-22 delivers such a load of anxiety that they may not recover until just before Sweetest Day, when it explodes in their faces all over again. I’m betting if they’re…

• Saving Money at the Grocery Store: Store Brand Pricing on the Rise

  Nickel

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:23 am

  It’s been awhile since I published my list of 36 ways to save money on groceries, and it appears that the landscape has begun to change. According to the WSJ, stores have been increasing the prices on their private-label foods faster than the prices of the equivalent national brands. By the numbers, the prices on store brand non-perishables increased 5.3% last year vs. 1.9% for national brands. And for perishables, the numbers were 12% vs. 8%. The driving force behind these price increases? Oddly enough, it appears that the recession is to blame. Stores apparently wised up to the fact…

• Missing Tax Paperwork?

  Nickel

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:09 pm

  Have you started thinking about doing your taxes yet? I haven’t. Rather, as I do every year, I’ve just been tossing all of our tax forms in a pile as they arrive, and I haven’t paid much attention to what’s here vs. what’s missing. But now that we’ve moved into February, you should have everything you need to file your taxes, as most everything is supposed to be in your hands by January 31st. Here’s a quick rundown of forms that you might be expecting: W-2 (for wages earned) 1099-DIV (for dividends received) 1099-INT (for interest earned) 1099-MISC…

• 

  NYT > Your Money

• Wealth Matters: In Investing, Disclosure Only Gets You So Far

  By PAUL SULLIVAN

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:00 am

  Focusing too much on disclosure itself can blind investors to more important issues and hurt returns.

• Special Section: Wealth: Taking Back Your Business

  By PAUL SULLIVAN

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:28 pm

  Entrepreneurs who have seen the companies they sold hurt by bad management or a bad economy often get the urge to take back control.

• Special Section: Wealth

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:04 pm

  A special section from The New York Times on wealth and personal finance.

• Bucks Blog: A Drive to Bring Back Paper Savings Bonds Languishes Online

  By ANN CARRNS

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:41 pm

  An online petition to bring back paper savings bonds has yet to gain traction.

• Wealth Matters: Advantages and Risks of Gingrich’s S Corporation

  By PAUL SULLIVAN

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:28 am

  Newt Gingrich set up his speaking and consulting business as an S corporation, which exempted this portion of his income from Medicare taxes, an unusual move for a business based on services.

• 

  The Millionaire Nurse Blog

• Can You “Like” This Post: On Facebook?

  Dr.Dean

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:51 am

  Facebook IPO “No”, was my apparently shocking, but simple answer to one of the nurses at the hospital last week. I was polite but firm! She wasn’t asking about IV fluids on my post-op patient, or whether I had seen the latest lab work. Her important medical question: “Are you going to buy Facebook when it goes public?” (For a primer on how a company goes public, check out this  kinda racy post-I warned you.) Like? Facebook the Stock I’ll expound on the IPO answer at the bottom of this post… But I read something  surprising this week. You and I may…

• A Valentine’s Day: Make A Choice!

  Dr.Dean

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  Valentine’s Day: My wife and I are headed out of town soon to celebrate our anniversary.  And before you say congratulations, or what’s that got to do with Valentine’s Day, be patient… Our 31st anniversary was in December  (now you can still say “congratulations “).  We got married during my short Christmas vacation in my senior year of medical school-I know, it wasn’t too smart-the getting married at Christmas part. We’ve tried through the years to celebrate our anniversary on our anniversary, but there’s just too much goin’ on 5…

• Financial Follies: Steven Signs With Penn State Edition!

  Dr.Dean

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:44 am

  The Friday Financial and Health Follies (FFHF)  summarize the important (or just fun) financial and health issues of the week. Share the humor of  the funny Make fun of the stupid. Highlight  and explain new  financial and health news-so you don’t miss it! Friday Financial Follies Man, sometimes I think…..”I’m gettin’ old!” I went to a celebration this week.  Why would a celebration make me feel old? One of the little babies I delivered almost 18 years ago signed a scholarship offer Wednesday to play quarterback for Penn State University.   Even with…

• Disability: Nothing To Quack About!

  Dr.Dean

  2 Feb 2012 | 5:52 am

  Disability Nightmare! Imagine  traveling down Interstate I-75 towards Orlando. The kids are singing “it’s a small world after all” the most annoying song on the planet.  You’re so excited you even sing along. Your first vacation since the financial world crashed in 2008. In an instant, your world  has flipped.  You wake up and find you’re upside down, held only by the strap of your seat belt. This could be you! Your wife and kids, are dazed but seem OK.  Your legs are at a funny angle, but don’t hurt. In a couple of days  you awake in a hospital room…

• 5 Per Day: Keeps Docs Away?

  Dr.Dean

  31 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  Fruits and Veggies-5/day We’ve been hearing about fruits and vegetables since we were kids.  Think about it, even Popeye knew he could depend on spinach-when facing the bad guys! Research today emphasizes the need for good nutrition.  Our bodies are kinda’ like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, without his oil can he was frozen in place for decades. Our oil can is what we put in our mouths. Yumm, easy to find fruits and vegetables! Only a miniscule percentage of us get our ‘Five a Day” even though obesity is on the increase and grocery shelves are overflowing. How to get 5/day How? …

• 

  AllFinancialMatters

• Americans Are Back to Borrowing…

  JLP

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:14 am

  From today’s WSJ: Household borrowing through credit cards, car loans, student loans and other installment debt—which excludes mortgages—rose at a seasonally adjusted 9.3% annual rate in December, following a 9.9% rise in November, the Fed said Tuesday. That was the biggest two-month surge since late 2001, when auto makers rolled out zero-percent financing after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The title of the article is Auto and Student Loans Drive Borrowing Surge. Mr. [Troy] Davig said the latest data offer a glimmer of hope that the long process of household debt-reduction,…

• Insure.com’s List of the 20 Least and Most Expensive Cars to Insure

  JLP

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:30 am

  Car shopping? If so, Insure.com’s list of 20 least and most expensive cars to insure might be something you will want to read. Their list of the 20 least expensive cars to insure: 1. Toyota Sienna LE: $1,111 2. Toyota Sienna 4 cyl: $1,114 3. Jeep Patriot Sport: $1,116 4. Jeep Compass Sport: $1,118 5. GMC Sierra K1500 Regular Cab: $1,121 6. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab: $1,125 7. Dodge Grand Caravan SXT: $1,129 8. Ford Escape XLS: $1,137 9. Toyota Sienna 6 cyl: $1,139 10. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Extended Cab: $1,143 11. Dodge Journey SXT: $1,143 12. Honda Odyssey LX: $1,146 13.

• A Complete Streak History of the S&P

  JLP

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  This is Part 2 of my last post. What follows is a complete streak history of the S&P going all the way back to 1926. What you will see is the month or months in the streak, the length of the streak and the total return during the streak. It’s pretty self-explanatory. The graphic after that is a summary. Click on the graphic to download PDF

• S&P Positive and Negative Streaks 1926 – 2011 (Part 1)

  JLP

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:01 am

  Through January 2012, there are 1,033 months of total returns for the S&P (January 1926 – January 2012). Here’s a look at how those months break down as far as streaks go. You’ll notice that there are a lot more one-month negative streaks than positive streaks. Looking at the data, I noticed that during longer streaks of positive returns, there might be a couple of one month periods of negative returns. It’s also interesting to note that the longest negative streak is 9 months (-32.78% over that 9 month period) and that it only occurred one time (January 1974…

• Ten for Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  Lindsay

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  1. Best and Worst Things to Buy in February My fave: The iPad!   2. How to Have Anything You Want With No Regrets I like the reminder that we’re working so hard to have money to live our lives - not to feel guilty about every penny we spend.   3. 5 Things You Should Consider Renting or Borrowing I wouldn’t mind borrowing camping gear, but a casket…? Not too sure about that one.   4. How Much Should You Save Before Jumping Into Investing? This is a discussion we’re currently having in our family – the author made some interesting points.  …

• 

  FreelanceSwitch

• How To Deal With Criticism

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  Working in the creative field means you are an open target for criticism. Someone doesn’t like your photography work, they think you’re a bad writer, or your prices are unfair. And as freelancers, it can be hard not to take criticism—no matter how well meaning—personally. I read this blog post on Forbes.com on how to deal with really tough criticism, written for people who are business leaders. While I’m not necessarily the target audience for this article, I did take away some good lessons that I’d like to share for the freelance set. The first thing we need to consider is that…

• 5 Ways to Spread the Freelance Love

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Valentine’s Day is probably not a holiday that brings your fellow freelancers to mind. You may have made a point to recognize your clients during the December holiday season, so why not make February the time to applaud your fellow independents? Spreading good karma always pays off in some manner, whether it be a new contact, lead, or networking opportunity. Here are some ways to get started. Hire someone. You might not think of yourself as a potential client to other freelancers, but face it, you can’t be good at everything. You could tap into fellow freelancers for several aspects of…

• Build a Better Tweet

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  A new study from Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science called “Who Gives a Tweet: Evaluating Microblogging Content Value” has unveiled what we like to read, and what we don’t like to read, on Twitter. I have to say, the results aren’t all that surprising. A team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon, MIT, and Georgia Tech launched a site asking for anonymous feedback from people like you and me in exchange for rating their tweets. Users had to sign in to their website and rate 10 tweets before getting any feedback on their own tweets. Luckily for these researchers, their…

• 5 Ways to Earn More from Current Clients

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  It takes a lot of work to get a new client. Unless you have a regular stream of referrals coming your way, you may need to do all the legwork yourself by approaching potential clients, contacting them, and testing if they’d be interested in your services. This often requires a lot of research and preparation. Still, you’re not sure any of these prospects will convert into paying clients – even if you know you did everything right. This is why, during a work famine, it may be easier to get hired again by people who already paid you before: your former and existing clients.

• Grow Your Community by Asking Questions

  FreelanceSwitch.com

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  Reporters at The Washington Post are now actively engaging their readers by posting comments in streams on the paper’s news stories online, something they’ve never done in the past. The paper switched to a new website platform called Echo, which has helped them grow their online community. Reader comments at the paper have shot up 142% since March, 2011. This is new territory for many journalists. Never before have they been urged to take part in the conversations the public is having online about their stories. This type of involvement helps reporters fend off rumors, speculation, and…

• 

  The Digerati Life

• How To Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rates

  Silicon Valley Blogger

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:40 am

  Many debtors have admitted that one of their biggest concerns is for their credit card companies to raise their interest rates on existing debt balances. I’ve actually heard of reports in the past of card rates that would go up to a whopping 30% APR. Some ask, is this legal? To the extent that it [...]How To Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rates Copyright 2011 TheDigeratiLife.com All rights reserved.

• Tax Efficient Investing For Retirement

  Todd Smith

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:15 am

  Are you saving for retirement? Consider the tax ramifications. It’s painfully obvious that we have officially entered into a period in which many people work far past the age of retirement — whether it’s because they actually want to or because they have to. With people living to be much older nowadays, “retirement” tends to [...]Tax Efficient Investing For Retirement Copyright 2011 TheDigeratiLife.com All rights reserved.

• Does Your Digital Photo Frame Contain Bugs? Watch Out For Malware

  Silicon Valley Blogger

  3 Feb 2012 | 6:00 pm

  Protect yourself from merchandise bugs. Another retail “holiday” is coming up that’s out to separate you from your dollars. What are you thinking of getting your Valentine? Beyond the standard roses and chocolates (or even slinky nightwear ), I’ve always thought that a nice gift for Valentine’s Day should be something personal enough yet still [...]Does Your Digital Photo Frame Contain Bugs? Watch Out For Malware Copyright 2011 TheDigeratiLife.com All rights reserved.

• Free Online Tax Filing, Tax Preparation Services & More

  Silicon Valley Blogger

  2 Feb 2012 | 11:35 pm

  It’s the time of year to think about working on your taxes. I just started looking into mine and like any other year, it’s going to be “fun”. Oh Joy. But I expect it to be more “fun” for us this year, given that our small business projects are now our dominant sources of income [...]Free Online Tax Filing, Tax Preparation Services & More Copyright 2011 TheDigeratiLife.com All rights reserved.

• Got Laid Off? 14 Steps To Survive A Job Loss

  Silicon Valley Blogger

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:30 pm

  If you just got laid off, you may be asking: what’s next? Here’s what to do if you lose your job unexpectedly. There was a time when job losses were across the board and piling up weekly. Things may not seem as bad today, but I’ve got a friend who recently called me with the [...]Got Laid Off? 14 Steps To Survive A Job Loss Copyright 2011 TheDigeratiLife.com All rights reserved.

• 

  Mighty Bargain Hunter

• Mr. Rebates is turning 10 … and giving away $10,000

  mbhunter

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:49 pm

  I’ve talked about Mr. Rebates before many times.  This website, which has now been around ten years, allows you to save money online through thousands of stores simply by clicking through Mr. Rebates on the way to the online store.  The rebates accumulate until you reach $10.00, and then you can request them through PayPal. After you sign up, they’ll even kick in $5.00 toward your first payout.  Got friends?  If they sign up through you, then whatever rebates they earn will trigger a 20% commission to you.  Forever.  (It doesn’t reduce their rebate at all.  This is a…

• The magic of compounding has left the building?

  mbhunter

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:56 am

  You’ve heard of the magic of compounding, right? If not, here’s a quick version.  Let’s say you have a savings account that earns 1% per month.  (Don’t laugh too hard.  My dad had one that paid this rate at one point.)  Let’s say also that you put in $1,000 at the start of 2012, and never add anything more.  According to the Rule of 72, after about 72 months, I’ll have about $2,000.  In another 72 months, I’ll have $4,000.  In another 72, $8,000.  The amount in the account doubles each 72 months it sits there.  This happens because the amount…

• How to save money on gifts for your spouse

  mbhunter

  26 Jan 2012 | 1:53 am

  Next week I’ll have been married ten years to the best woman in the world.  (Yeah, I know — I’m biased.) We’ve gotten into the habit of letting each other know before we’re about to purchase something big — something that costs in the neighborhood of $150 or more.  When I tipped my plans to get a rather expensive 10th anniversary gift, my wife thought that we had better uses for the money at this time. This leniency extends to other gift-giving occasions like Christmas, birthdays, and even Valentine’s Day. She lets me off the hook.  But…

• Reusing paper towels?! Hmmmm …

  mbhunter

  16 Jan 2012 | 1:50 am

  We don’t watch a whole lot of TV — and we only have basic cable anyway — so I’m not a regular watcher of Extreme Cheapskates on TLC.  The first time I had heard of the show was through a video on MSN.com. This particular one-minute clip features four extreme cheapskate tactics: Cutting open toothpaste tubes to get at the last bit of toothpaste Sharpening the blades from disposable razors on the striking surface of a box of matches Pulling apart two-ply toilet paper to get two one-ply rolls Hanging up paper towels to dry Life is a giant exercise in opportunity cost…

• My two cents on Suze Orman and her prepaid card

  mbhunter

  11 Jan 2012 | 2:03 am

  Suze Orman needed to upgrade her leather jacket to a flak jacket tonight in a personal finance scrap match with personal finance bloggers over her new self-branded prepaid debit card.  The Approved Card is her own personally-branded prepaid debit card with what appears to be a decent package of tools and features.  The downsides, as pointed out by PT Money, are a $36/year minimum fee and a less-than-clear path to using it for building or rebuilding credit. Some of the more outspoken posters got tweets back from Orman’s Twitter account.  20 and Engaged has a history of the…

• 

  Personal Finance Articles, Tools, Calculators and Resources

• Fixed Maturity Plans: UTI Launches New Series

  18 Jan 2012 | 10:41 am

  Top Fixed Maturity Plans have given a return of 9.5% over the last one year. (See top FMPs on ValueResearch).  Fixed Maturity Plans is a type of Mutual Fund that invest in debt instruments and has a fixed maturity date. The FMPs are for Investors who want to park money for a fixed period of time with a view to meeting certain financial goals in near future. It is also for risk-averse investors who seek avenues for investment and in the process keep money in the form of bank deposits. You can see a list of FMPs on offer on Valueresearch UTI Mutual Fund has launched UTI Fixed Term Income Fund…

• IDBI Launches Portal to buy Government Securities

  17 Jan 2012 | 11:37 am

  IDBI Bank Ltd. has launched India's first online retail G-Sec Portal.This Portal provides an opportunity for retail investors to invest in Government securities. Government Securities are bonds issued, both by Central and State Government. Government securities are the safest investment one can have and can be part of your debt investments (See Debt & Equity, the two investment class). See more stories on Bonds. To register for the portal, you need to go to the IDBI Samriddhi G-sec Site. You need to allow the pop-up to sign in or register. Some of the important points to remember is as…

• 8 Investment Myths To Be Avoided

  13 Jan 2012 | 1:18 am

  Today I am going to debunk a few investment myths. You will know ‘why individual investors are failing miserably and how you can avoid being one of them’. I am too young to plan for retirement Have you started planning for your retirement? You may be saying ‘who me? I am too young to be thinking about retirement”. It is not so! Rethink. You should have started thinking about it yesterday. Because time flies quickly. If you were smart, and planned for retirement when you are young, your retirement years will be really those “Golden years”. If not you need to compromise and you need…

• Apollo Munich Optima RESTORE health plan review

  12 Jan 2012 | 3:42 am

  Apollo Munich Health Insurance has launched ‘Optima RESTORE’, a health insurance product that they are confident about being a game changing product. The unique benefit of Optimal RESTORE is that even when you have exhausted the basic cover and again fall ill with another illness, the entire sum insured will be reinstated for one to use, at no further cost. The company also offers lifelong renewal of the policy and senior citizens up to age 65 can take the policy. Similarly in family floater policy if someone’s illness in one’s family uses up the coverage and if any other member of…

• Where will you be Financially five years from today?

  10 Jan 2012 | 2:43 am

  Would you like to know the financial secret behind moving from where you are and where you want to be? Try to answer this question. “Where will you be financially five years from now? 10 years from now…? 20 years from now…?” You may get answers like “I will be financially stronger”, “I want to be financially better”. Are these answers specific? If you don’t know where you want to go exactly, there is no focus. When there is no focus; there will be lot of distraction. Distraction either leads to mediocrity or destruction. How to refrain yourself heading towards mediocrity or…

• 

  Generation X Finance

• How to Have a Memorable Valentine’s Day Without Spending Any Money

  Charissa

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:37 am

  With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of spending money you don’t have on things that you don’t need. If you’re looking for ways to make your loved ones feel special this February 14th but don’t want to go broke doing so, you’ve come to the right place. Consider this your guide to a fun and free Valentine’s Day. The following suggestions use the items you already have around the home to make gifts for your spouse and children. All that is needed is a few simple supplies and a bit of creativity. Who says you need to spend money on…

• How to Check Your Tax Refund Status and When It Will Be Deposited

  Jeremy Vohwinkle

  2 Feb 2012 | 10:06 am

  Once you’re filed your taxes, either electronically via eFile, sent off by your accountant, or mailed in the old fashioned way, you’re probably wondering when you can get your hands on that tax refund check. You can check your tax refund status 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, using the Where’s My Refund? tool on the IRS website. To access you tax refund information, you will need some information from the Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ you just filed. This includes your Social Security number, filing status and the exact amount of the refund. Your Social Security number is…

• How to Turn a Hobby Into a Business

  Jeremy Vohwinkle

  31 Jan 2012 | 9:36 am

  Did you know there are over 20 million sole proprietorships in the United States, and those individual businesses account for about 80 percent of all small businesses? The entrepreneurial spirit has fueled innovation and economic growth in this country since its inception, and people today are keeping the spirit alive and well. It makes sense because owning your own business can be incredibly rewarding. Being your own boss, creating something out of nothing, and even setting your own hours, are all intoxicating thoughts. That is why so many people dream about starting their own business. In…

• Is It Really Possible to Live Without Money?

  Charissa

  30 Jan 2012 | 8:40 am

  There’s such a thing as being really frugal but can you truly survive without money? How would you acquire the things that you need? Could you feed, clothe, and provide shelter for yourself without going to extreme measures? Would you find it freeing to be rid of all the material things weighing you down physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially? One man, Mark Boyle, decided to conduct a yearlong experiment living without money. In his book, The Moneyless Man, he states, “I don’t see myself as a hugely spiritual person in the traditional sense. I try to practice what I call…

• Saving For a Down Payment on a House

  Jeremy Vohwinkle

  27 Jan 2012 | 8:38 am

  The shakeup in the housing market over the past several years has brought the need and advantages of a down payment when buying a new home back into focus. In a traditional mortgage, the home buyer was required to provide a 20% down payment at the time of closing. This trend shifted during the housing boom and often allowed buyers to purchase a new home with little or no money down. This practice persisted until the financial meltdown of 2008 brought both borrowers and lenders back to reality and down payments have become a part of buying a new home again. While many of these low or…

• 

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

• What to Throw When

  Shannon M. Medisky

  7 Feb 2012 | 6:26 am

  A big—no, strike that—a HUGE part of saving money is protecting what you’ve invested in. It pays to know about how long you can expect something to last and exactly when to throw it out. So here’s a quick run-down on many items that you may be wondering about. Pantry Staples White rice will keep upto 30 years when stored properly (in a dry, air-tight container). Its brown counterpart, however, will only keep up to 5 months.Flour, or any other product made from grain or cracked seed, will last on a typical pantry shelf for about a year. The biggest concern is—big “eeww” factor…

• Chase Slate Credit Card No Balance Transfer Fee 0% APR for 15 Months

  Sun

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:59 pm

  These days, you don’t get a lot of credit card balance transfer offers that don’t come with a balance transfer fee. A few years ago, I played the credit card arbitrage game a lot and made some nice money by taking advantage of no-fee, 0% APR balance transfers from new and existing credit cards with little damage to my credit score. Credit card arbitrage was quite popular at that time because it cost almost nothing to play and the return was pretty good when savings account interest rates were much higher then than now. But the good time is probably gone forever, not only because…

• The Real Cost of Extreme Couponing

  Shannon M. Medisky

  1 Feb 2012 | 6:18 am

  If you’re concerned with saving money and intrigued by thrifty living, then you’ve likely watched or at least caught glimpses of the extreme couponing shows currently being featured across the airwaves or read a few articles on the topic. It’s true. People really can save thousands of dollars and build stockpiles enviously able to care for an army people, but what about the costs of such money saving tactics? After all, you rarely get something for nothing. Be ready to hand over much of your time in order to save money. Viewers watching such a show and who are paying attention will note…

• PenFed Platinum Cash Rewards Card Reduces Rewards, Again

  Sun

  30 Jan 2012 | 6:08 am

  Exactly one year ago this time, shortly before I got the card myself, I wrote about how PenFed was about to reduce the rewards that it offers through its Visa Platinum Cash Rewards Card. On March 1, 2011, rewards for PenFed Visa Platinum Cash Rewards Card cardholders on grocery shopping was cut in half, from 2% to 1%, but rewards for gas purchases reminded at the 5% level. The change didn’t affect my decision to get the card because I was only interested in using the card at gas stations, even though it didn’t make me feel any better to see a card that so many people like joined…

• (Cheap) Must-Haves for Parents

  Shannon M. Medisky

  26 Jan 2012 | 5:59 am

  I’ve been around the block a few times, and I’ve made said trip with kiddos in tow. As a result, I’ve come to learn there are few key “must-haves” every parent should have in his or her arsenal of tricks at all times. Fortunately, too, all of these items are cheap. But they’re absolutely worth their weight (and then some) in gold. So drum roll, please… Small bubbles are convenient, cheap and fun. They can easily be stored in the car, in a purse or stashed anywhere throughout the house or even elsewhere. Whether you get ‘em at a local retailer or…

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  My Open Wallet

• Net Worth December 2011

  Madame X

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  I ended last year with a net worth of about $565,459, up from $523,133 in December 2010. A gain of $42,326 or 8% is nothing to complain about, but it falls far short of my goal of $600,000.Here's 2011 vs. the previous year on NetworthIQ:Dec. 2011:Dec. 2010:The good news is that I saved money, and I put more of it into investments. But it wasn't a great year for the stock market. The net worth graph really shows it-- it's the least upward-sloping period since the big crash in 2008. Oh well-- not much I can do about that. I just have to keep controlling what I can control, and hoping for better…

• The Employee/Employer Relationship

  Madame X

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:07 am

  I've been thinking a lot about this issue lately, for a number of reasons.I'll start off with a story about a friend of mine who I'll call Karen. She has someone who comes in and cleans her apartment every week. Let's call the cleaning lady Tracy. Karen first hired Tracy about 15 years ago. At the time, she only had Tracy come every other week. As is typical for this kind of situation in New York, Karen paid Tracy in cash. Over the years, Karen raised Tracy's pay a few times, and when Tracy lost some of her other clients, Karen started having her come in every week so she'd have more work.

• Happy Holidays!

  Madame X

  23 Dec 2011 | 12:22 pm

  My goodness, it's been a busy month. So much for my good intentions of posting at least once a week! I can't say I've had any exciting financial news to report. Here's some off-the-cuff items!At Thanksgiving, I got one final check for a couple hundred dollars that was the final settlement of my great-aunt's estate.I've been finding that my cash balance in Pocket Money /Quicken is often way off, by several dollars or more. I'm still pretty good about tracking every penny of my spending so this is starting to make me paranoid. Is there a bug in the program? Is someone stealing money out of my…

• Is There a Point to Being Frugal and Trying to Save?

  Madame X

  27 Nov 2011 | 8:05 am

  A commenter left this question on my last post, and I thought it was worth answering separately:Can I ask you a question, in regards to some long term investments?I recently did some calculations and the results are very much frustrating, to be brutally honest.Have a look yourself - they are all published.If you invest $ 40, 000 a year over 35 years, at modest inflation rate of 2% and administration fee of 1-2% you need stock market to perform at 4% just to preserve value of your money and higher to gain anything.This means that you are only preserving money you are investing at a very high…

• Net Worth July-October 2011

  Madame X

  7 Nov 2011 | 8:00 am

  Another belated net worth update. (I was trying to post updates on NetworthIQ but the site doesn't seem to be working and their security certificate is expired. What's up over there?)Anyway, it's been an interesting few months-- some big ups and downs in my investment accounts. Mostly downs, unfortunately! After hitting a high of $591,390 back at the end of April, the stock market has been very cruel to me. I had a nice recovery in October, but I'm still down quite a bit from where I was.Not much else of interest to report, other than moving a few thousand dollars from cash into mutual funds…

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  7million7years

• Are polar bears left-handed?

  Adrian

  7 Feb 2012 | 1:44 am

  Here’s some interesting ’information’ that I picked up: Apparently, all Polar Bears are left-handed. Well, it seems that there are two types of people in this world: those who will now run off and propagate this ‘fact’ at trivia and pub nights, and those who will go and check their sources. I’m in the latter … now, I’m not obsessive about it, so this information ‘seems’ right, but I’ll let a polarbearophile prove me right or wrong with these Polar Bear Myths: - A hunting bear will cover its black nose while lying in wait for…

• Advice for a new multimillionaire!

  Adrian

  31 Jan 2012 | 9:53 pm

  I guess I am one of the few personal finance writers qualified to answer this interesting question that came to me the other day: What advice would you give a new 32 year-old multimillionaire that you wish you had known at that age? Firstly, don’t overestimate your wealth. Spectrum (a Chicago-based consultancy that specializes in understanding the High Net Worth individual and family) surveyed a number of people whose net worth was in the $1m, $5mill, and $25m+ ranges about how much money that they would need in order to feel wealthy. Almost invariably, the answer was: “about…

• Thinking about starting a solo business?

  Adrian

  27 Jan 2012 | 9:33 pm

  I think, these days, if you aren’t starting YOUR FIRST BUSINESS as an online business then you aren’t serious about making money. Let’s face it, we’ve all tried lemonade stands, paper rounds, flea markets and even working at McDonalds as ways to make money. But, compared to these, an online business can knock it out of the ballpark. Let’s take my son as an example: At age 12 he came to me and said he was starting an eBay business; he asked if he could use my eBay account (I said ‘yes’) and if I would invest $50 in return for 50% of the business so…

• … another man’s poison!

  Adrian

  5 Oct 2011 | 3:18 am

  To some people, it seems that I promote high-risk strategies. For example, long-time reader, Josh says: I wondered over to your blog to see what’s new and after reading a few posts I realized why I don’t visit anymore, and it’s because your articles are drenched in pro-debt/leveraged strategies. This is something I don’t agree with and don’t practice. I do understand the mathematical ramifications of using debt to leverage yourself, it’s just something I plan to do without. Firstly, what Josh is saying isn’t quite true … … in fact, I…

• One man’s lean …

  Adrian

  3 Oct 2011 | 2:17 am

  I don’t know if you follow the startup scene, but you will see a huge movement to the concept of ‘lean startups’ as championed by Steve Blank and Eric Ries. However, one man’s lean is just another man’s bootstrap. That’s not exactly correct: bootstrapping a company generally means starting it without much / any outside finance and launching it on the smell of an oily rag. For example, Guy Kawasaki famously started Truemors with just $12,107.09 … … if you know Guy [AJC: he's an early Apple employee; founder of garage.com one of the original…

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  Lazy Man and Money

• LifeVantage’s Lawyers Want to Whitewash My ProtandimScams.com Site

  Lazy Man

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:56 pm

  I received an email yesterday and it is official... Add LifeVantage to the list of companies that are threatening me with lawyers. This list includes: MonaVie (twice) and One24. Neither of those two previous threats amounted to anything. I responded to the letters, explained how it was legal, and the lawyers took their ball and went home. Here is LifeVantage's letter threatening to take down ProtandimScams.com. Compared to the previous attempts this certainly steps up the game. Like most letters coming from lawyers, it sounds almost as if I'm in big trouble. However, when you start to analyze…

• Super Bowl Sunday Reading and Predictions

  Lazy Man

  5 Feb 2012 | 7:45 am

  With the game starting in a few hours, I thought I'd take advantage of United States biggest non-official holiday and pen type a few words from a Bostonian's perspective (even if I do live in San Francisco now). I read just about every article that has been written about the Patriots in the last week. Of the 6 articles, I narrowed the best down to these 6... 3 on Tom Brady, one on Bill Belichick, and one on Bob and Myra Kraft. If that last one doesn't bring the emotions, the last one on Marcus Cannon beating cancer earlier this year to contribute should: Tom Brady - As Advertised - Why he has…

• Are Target Date Mutual Funds Right for You?

  Lazy Man

  2 Feb 2012 | 2:09 pm

  An article from my friend, Jeff Rose caught my attention recently: Why I Hate Target Date Mutual Funds and You Should, Too. The title caught my attention - hate is a strong word that I haven't seen Rose use too often. For those who aren't aware, target date mutual funds are typically designed to start out with more aggressive investments (stocks) and gradually get more conservative towards, well, the target date. The philosophy is that want to take the risks and reach for those high rewards at the beginning of your career, but as you get close to retirement, you want to preserve the nest egg.

• Eight Things I Think I Think

  Lazy Man

  31 Jan 2012 | 2:07 pm

  Ready For Zero - I think I want to thank Ready for Zero for hosting a good San Francisco area meet-up this past week. The company has some free tools to help users help themselves get out of debt. If you carry debt, it can't hurt to take a look at what they have to offer. Dog Show at the Cow Palace - I think I probably shouldn't have gone to a dog show at a local arena called the Cow Palace this past week. My wife went last year and due to many giveaways from vendors ended up with great value for her admission dollar. With the two of us going this time, the total cost was $36 ($12 for each…

• Ask the Readers: Do Groupon and the Entertainment Book Save Money?

  Lazy Man

  30 Jan 2012 | 12:23 pm

  Over the weekend, I was thinking about the Entertainment Book. If you aren't familiar with it, you've probably been living under a rock for the last 30 years. It's a book that has a lot of coupons, often of the buy one, get one free variety towards, as the name implies, entertainment activities. When I was child (we are going back over 25 years here), my parents would get the book and often use the coupons at restaurants. I was amazed at how a simple $25 purchase seemed to pay for itself in just one or two meals... and we had hundreds, perhaps thousands of coupons that we could use. It seemed…

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  Dividend Money

• Rules of Stock Trading from Jesse Livermore

  Skinny

  5 Feb 2012 | 1:32 pm

  Jesse Livermore’s 5 money management rules. These are the tried and true money management rules for traders, given to us by the greatest trader of all time.  I felt obligated to share these points as I read through them- even though I am more of a long term investor. I have always said that there are many ways to make money in the market and that you can always learn from others.  That said, please take these words of Mr. Livermore and figure out what they mean to you and your investing or trading plan. 1) Don’t lose money. Don’t lose your stake. A speculator without cash…

• 3 Reasons You Should Be Invested In Dividend Stocks Right Now

  Tyler

  10 Oct 2011 | 8:00 am

  If you’re still standing on the sidelines in cash at the moment, here are three good reasons that you should be invested in stocks right now. An investor’s choice of asset allocation is the single largest factor that will influence the probability of long-term success. Historical evidence suggests that cash investments return the least amount over the long run. There is significant upside potential in equities for long-term investors right now. Stock valuations are well below their highs and have a long way to go to be back in line with what we consider to be fair value. Sustained low…

• The Beginner’s Guide to Common Financial Terms

  Tyler

  26 Jul 2011 | 8:00 am

  If you’re a newcomer to sorting out your personal finances, then you may find yourself perplexed by the amount of jargon that appears on the advertisements and websites of banks and other financial institutions. You might do a web search or use a dictionary to find out what all of these financial terms really mean, but could still find you’re still muddled by the lack of decent explanation. If you still think you need some help, then take a look at this handy list of financial terms. Collateral Collateral is used to describe an object of high value that is used to guarantee the repayment…

• High Dividend Stocks

  Tyler

  11 Jul 2011 | 6:00 am

  When investing in dividend paying stocks, the dividend yield is obviously a factor that is part of most initial dividend stock screens.  High dividend stocks, meaning those stocks that offer a very high dividend yield, seem attractive when yield is viewed in isolation. As we know, investing in dividend paying stocks is more complex than just searching for the highest yield. In fact, we know that high dividend stocks are often priced as such because there is a fundamental problem with the company and the extremely high yield is a signal of significant risk. In the past we have learned to…

• Life Leases: What In The World Are They?

  Tyler

  13 Jun 2011 | 9:00 am

  If you or your loved ones are approaching retirement and have been investigating different housing options, chances are that you have come across the term Life Lease. What are Life Leases? In basic terms, a life lease is a form of prepaid rental housing.  The owner of a life lease purchases the right to occupy a unit and use the common facilities for as long as the lease remains in place. The length of the lease term could be for life or for a fixed number of years. Depending on the contract structure and jurisdiction, as we will learn later in the article, a life lease is a legal agreement…

• 

  No Credit Needed

• Mortgage Payoff Progress for January 2012 with Chart

  NCN

  13 Jan 2012 | 10:52 pm

  Two years ago my wife and I purchased our very first home. We have a conventional, fixed-rate 15-year mortgage.  Our goal is to pay it off our mortgage in less than ten years. As of January 13, 2011, we have made 22 regular monthly mortgage payments.  We have also made several additional principal-only payments. Our mortgage payment is drafted from our primary checking on the first day of each month.  Additional principal-only payments are made throughout each month, as we earn additional income and find ways to decrease budgeted-for expenses. Here is our most recent chart - The chart…

• When all is Said and Done, it is the Done that Counts

  NCN

  13 Jan 2012 | 5:30 am

  When all is said and done, it is the done that counts. Lots of folks spend their time talking about their problems, especially their financial problems.  Only a select few ever commit to the task of fixing those problems.  The talking is important, but only if it actually leads to real changes.  Decisions must be made, goals must be created, and plans must be implemented.  Real progress demands real work. Establish Big Goals - Here’s a brief paragraph, outlining the financial future that I want - I want to live my life without borrowing money.  I want to be able to send my children…

• Reduce Credit Card Use

  NCN

  12 Jan 2012 | 5:45 am

  According to this recent L.A. Times report - Consumer borrowing increased at an annual rate of 10% in November,the largest jump in a decade…  Outstanding credit card debt increased 8.5% in November… (emphasis, mine) It appears that folks are using credit cards more than ever – and outstanding balances are increasing. For more than seven years, here’s how I have reduced (and almost eliminated) my use of a credit card: I live on a budget. If we eliminate unplanned-for spending, we can eliminate unplanned-for borrowing.  At the beginning of the month, I know how much…

• Reduce Debt and Save Money on Groceries

  NCN

  10 Jan 2012 | 4:17 pm

  With so many of us focusing on improving our finances in 2012 – I thought it might be beneficial to link to a few of my favorite personal finance-related resources: Free Printable Grocery Store Price Book - I created this printable price book to track fluctuations in the prices of grocery store items.  Download the price book and print several pages.  You can track prices for multiple stores and multiple items. Free Printable Coupons – You can click the link and print your coupons from right here at No Credit Needed.  You can also click the link at the top of No Credit…

• The Emergency Fund

  NCN

  10 Jan 2012 | 4:35 am

  Savings.  Rainy-day Fund.  Cash Reserves. The Emergency Fund.  It goes by many names, and whatever you want to call it, ours helped us to get out of debt. Why we established an emergency fund before attacking our debt - When we first decided to start paying off our consumer debt, we were pumped.  It would have been very easy for us to have used every extra dollar to reduce our debts.  However, we were concerned about emergencies – those unplanned-for expenses with which we must all deal. So, even before we began to attack our debt, we funded an emergency fund.  Having a small…

• 

  Free From Broke

• Cost Basis Reporting – How it Affects Your Taxes

  Miranda

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:29 am

  When you sell an investment, your gains or losses depends on your cost basis.If you sell for more than your cost, you end up owning capital gains taxes on the increase.  If you sell at a loss, you don’t have to pay taxes on the difference; instead, you might be able to claim a tax deduction for your investment loss.What is Cost Basis? Your cost basis is what you paid for your investment, plus costs.If you bought 10 shares of a stock at $30 a share, and paid a $4.99 fee, your cost basis is $304.99 ($300 + $4.99 transaction fee).That means that you don’t have to pay capital gains…

• Groupon FTD.com National Deal – Double Your Value

  Glen Craig

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:01 am

  Groupon is at it again! Groupon is offering up a deal to help all those shopping for Valentine’s Day.  (They ran this deal last year too around this time).$20 for $40 worth of flowers, gifts, and more at FTD.com!This deal is good for online orders.  The deal will run today, February 8th, through Saturday, February 11th at 11:59pm Central. You know how much flowers and candy go up for Valentine’s Day, right?It’s ridiculous! Yeah, you can choose not to take part in the commercialism that is Valentine’s Day, but let’s face it, your significant other might not…

• Playing Dominion vs. Playing the Market

  Guest

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:28 am

  My boys received a copy of the game Dominion as a Christmas present.It’s a super game.  You acquire cards with powers.  The different powers work together in lots of interesting ways, but of course you must acquire them on a limited budget and have limited time in which to get as strong as you need to be.Making good choices requires effective strategizing.After playing the game two times, I wanted to learn more about how to play well.  I typed the words “Dominion strategy” into the Google search box to see what I could find.It pained me to see what turned up.Dominion has only been…

• How to Save Money on Auto Insurance – Easy Ways to Save Money

  Melissa

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:35 am

  Auto insurance is a necessary expense, but one that we often spend too much for.Many people seem to be much more likely to look for ways to save on groceries by clipping coupons or to save on gas by driving around town trying to find the lowest per gallon price rather than looking at their auto insurance.  Often people choose their auto insurer, pay their premium every six months, and don’t think about it further.Yet why pay more than you have to? There are plenty of ways to trim your costs and save money on car insurance.Consider the following easy ways to save on auto insurance:Bundle…

• Federal Income Tax Deadlines to File Taxes for 2012

  Glen Craig

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:40 am

  We’re now into that time the year that accountants and other tax preparers refer to as “tax season.”For the rest of us it’s panic season.  We scramble to get together our tax documents and hope that we won’t have to pay taxes.How many of you have filed your return the day it was due?  I’m raising my hand (not easy to type like that).Stressful, isn’t it?Add to the stress the fact that not everyone files taxes the same.  Some are individual filers while others file as self-employed.  Corporations file taxes too.But the tax deadlines aren’t all the…

• 

  Clever Dude Personal Finance & Money

• How Vonage saved me money overseas

  Clever Dude

  15 Jan 2012 | 4:48 pm

  Copyright 2006-2011 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. (This may sound like a commercial for Vonage, but it’s not. It’s seriously just my own story) I used to be a Vonage customer for about 6 years, but after a couple years of not using many minutes, I decided to just cancel it. Fast forward to now where I’ve been working from home almost every day for the last 6 months. Without a home phone, and only my work cellphone, I’ve been using twice as many minutes allotted per month. I needed a home phone. I checked with Comcast for a Triple Play deal, but to keep my same…

• We’re sitting on a time bomb…

  Clever Dude

  3 Jan 2012 | 10:11 pm

  Copyright 2006-2011 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. We’ve owned our house for about 8 years now, but the last owners put in some major renovations about 6 years before we bought it.  That adds up to 14 years, and you know what starts happening when a house gets 15-20 years old? Stuff starts breaking and failing. Why would I say that? Well, there’s some particulars to our home, but in general there’s a lifetime to certain appliances, etc. such as: Water Heaters: 10-11 years. We have 2 water heaters. One (gas) is about 15 years old and the electric one is about 13. Both are…

• How you know your electric water heater is dying

  Clever Dude

  30 Dec 2011 | 7:00 am

  Copyright 2006-2011 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. As some of my long-time readers know, we have 2 water heaters in our home thanks to the prior owners. One is a 40 gallon gas water heater upstairs that is for everything except the “new” bathroom the added. The 2nd bathroom has its own 30 gallon electric water heater. Why? I don’t know, but it has been convenient when we have a lot of guests visiting and needing showers at the same time. You may also recall that we each have “our own” bathrooms. The gas-heated one is mine and the electric one is hers. When my…

• Why I don’t tithe (in the traditional sense)

  Clever Dude

  29 Dec 2011 | 9:41 am

  Copyright 2006-2011 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. Tithe Definition from Dictionary.com: tithe   [tahyth] noun, verb, tithed, tith·ing. noun 1. the tenth part of agricultural produce or personal income set apart as an offering to God or for works of mercy, or the same amount regarded as an obligation or tax for the support of the church, priesthood, or the like. 2. any tax, levy, or the like, especially of one-tenth. 3. a tenth part or any indefinitely small part of anything. verb (used with object) 4. to give or pay a tithe or tenth of (produce, money, etc.). 5. to give or pay…

• What I learned from watching “Parking Wars”

  Clever Dude

  21 Dec 2011 | 9:57 am

  Copyright 2006-2011 Clever Dude. All Rights Reserved. (Photo courtesy of A&E) If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been lately, I’ve been to Germany, working, been very sick and watching a lot of TV. You’ll be hearing about a few of them in my upcoming articles because, regardless of their “reality show” genre, I’ve really learned some good lessons from each. The show Parking Wars airs on A&E and centers around the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s ticketing, booting and impounding divisions. Every episode has some type of drama, and…

• 

  Don't Mess With Taxes

• Two expected Obama fiscal 2013 tax proposals already under the microscope

  skbell1

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:39 am

  The president is planning to release his fiscal year 2013 budget on Monday, Feb. 13, and two tax proposals expected to be part of the plan already are under intense scrutiny. Obama's budget for the government's new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 will likely include: Continuation through calendar 2012 of the payroll tax cut set to expire on Feb. 29, and Ending the Bush tax cuts for households making more than $250,000 a year. The prez has been facing push-back from Republicans on Capitol Hill and the campaign trail for both of these. The political opposition is no surprise, especially…

• Will sales taxes come between Washington and Oregon shoppers?

  skbell1

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:07 pm

  Washington and Oregon have been good neighbors. But a change in sales tax collection could put a strain on that friendly relationship. Washington has no income tax. The Evergreen State's 6.5 percent tax on retail sales is its principal tax source. Shoppers who come up from Oregon, however, don't have to pay Washington's sales taxes. To get tax-free treatment, Oregonians simply show their state IDs and Washington businesses don't charge them sales tax on their purchases. This courtesy is extended to Beaver State shoppers because their home state doesn't collect a sales…

• Super Bowl prop bets pay $60,000

  skbell1

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:27 am

  Maybe it's time for those of us who dismiss those goofy Super Bowl prop bets to reassess our position. Two wagers that many of us considered to be throw-away bets paid off big for Jona Rechnitz.  Rechnitz's $1,000 bet on a safety being the first scoring play of the Super Bowl returned $50,000 when Tom Brady's intentional grounding in the end zone gave the New York Giants an early two-point lead. Rechnitz's buddy Benjamin Lyons promptly posted a picture on Twitter of the 50-to-1 winning betting slip. Rechnitz pocketed another 10 grand for a second bet that there would be a…

• Americans want payroll tax cut through 2012, but Congress stalled again

  skbell1

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:09 pm

  Republicans and Democrats trying to work out a full-year extension of the payroll tax cut are at loggerheads again. When the payroll tax cut short-term extension was approved in late December 2011, the measure also included the continuation of unemployment benefits and a Medicare payment tweak. But all three will expire if Congress doesn't act by Feb. 29. A House and Senate conference committee has been meeting since Jan. 18 to find a way to keep those provisions in place through 2012. The hope was that the political PR debacle just before Christmas would put the lawmakers in a mood to…

• Contribute to your retirement accounts

  skbell1

  5 Feb 2012 | 3:51 pm

  My running joke is that my ultimate retirement plan is winning the lottery. That's not likely to happen, so I still contribute as much as I can each year to my nest egg. Today's Daily Tax Tip is that you do the same. Self-employment retirement plan choices: If you're self-employed like me, you've got several options: SEP (Simplified Employee Pension) IRA, Solo 401(k) or SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees) IRA.  The plans vary depending on earnings amounts, how much you can put into them, when they must be opened, how easy (or difficult) they are to…

• 

  Money Smart Life

• Tax Return Organizer Kit Giveaway

  Ben

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:22 am

  Filing your tax return is easier if your records are organized. When you fill out your 1040, you have to dig up all of your files from the previous year so you can enter in your income and your deductions.   Regardless of whether you go through tax software that prompts you for all the information, do your taxes by hand, or if you give all your information to your accountant – being organized still pays off at tax time. Organizing Tax Documents If you file your receipts and tax forms as you get them then it’s much easier to find them when it’s time to file your tax…

• Tax Software Discounts

  Miranda

  31 Jan 2012 | 2:30 am

  One of the ways you can save money this tax season is to get a discount on tax preparation software. If you like to do your taxes yourself — with some help from tax programs — you can find a number of discounts. Here are a few ways to get tax software discounts: Brokerage or Bank Tax Discounts Some banks and brokerages offer access to discounted tax software. One good example is Vanguard. The brokerage offers you access to a discounted version of TurboTax. If you are a “regular” client, you get access for 25% off. Flagship Services clients at Vanguard actually get free…

• Can’t Pay Taxes, It’ll Cost You

  Miranda

  24 Jan 2012 | 8:04 am

  I think it’s safe to say that most of us don’t like filing income tax returns and writing big checks every April but you know what they say about dying and paying taxes – you can’t avoid them. If you don’t pay what the IRS says you owe it’ll end up costing you a lot more than your initial tax bill. When you skip out on your taxes, there are some fairly harsh penalties. Even if you know you can’t pay what you owe, you are better off filing a return and working with the IRS than just ignoring the problem and skipping taxes altogether. Penalties and…

• Your Financial Goals 2012

  Ben

  10 Jan 2012 | 8:47 am

  Did you ever notice that life often doesn’t go as planned?  When I first envisioned a financial goals system I had an idea of what the first topic would be but after asking you what your money goals were for 2012, it wasn’t at the top of the list. Here are your financial goals for the coming year.  Most of the goals are pretty self explanatory except for “Other”.  I grouped all the goals that only had a few votes into the “Other” category for the purpose of the summary. Of course, that doesn’t mean they’re not as…

• Best Gym Membership Deals

  Kevin

  8 Jan 2012 | 8:52 am

  Gym membership deals seem to be everywhere this time of the year. We’re one month into a new year – you promised yourself it was time to get healthy as part of your New Year’s resolutions, but have you? It isn’t too late to start now. Gyms usually see a large influx of customers in January as we all promise to get healthy and fit every year. If you’ve waited until now you can still get a good deal, and the crowds will be slowly going down moving further into the year. You’ve missed part of the “resolution rush”. Join the Right GymBefore you can…

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  I've Paid For This Twice Already...

• Increase Your Tax Return through Deductibles

  paidtwice

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:29 pm

  Now that the holidays are over many have begun thinking in advance about their taxes. The tax return is often that way that many households get their finances back on track and put a little extra in their savings accounts for rainy days. However, simply filing your taxes as quickly as possible isn’t always the best way to get the most out your return. If you are looking to get a few extra dollars back on your return this year, make sure that you check over your taxes twice to see if there are any write offs you qualify for. Deductibles can quickly add up and can dramatically increase…

• Avoiding Hidden Costs in Your Apartment Search

  paidtwice

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:55 pm

  If you’re in the hunt for a new apartment, you probably have a pretty good conception of your target neighborhood, your ideal price range, and the amenities you expect to find in any prospective place. You can walk into a building, quickly assess the kitchen, size, and upkeep, and easily arrive at verdict regarding that property. The apartment search can certainly be long, overwhelming, and challenging, but most people will know what they like – and what they don’t – as soon as they see it. But all the while, it’s always important to keep an eye out for hidden…

• DIY Projects that Will Save You Money in Winter

  paidtwice

  27 Jan 2012 | 11:45 am

  Winter is upon us and for many that means bundling up and dealing with high heating bills. While many find paying the utility bill a bit troublesome in the summer due to high AC costs, a bitter winter can lead to even higher bills. However, there are a few quick projects you can do around your home to keep that heating bill low during those cold winter months: Weatherstripping If you have an older home, there is a good chance that your home has settled over the last couple of years leaving slight cracks between your doors and windows and their frames. These slight gaps between your windows…

• Keeping Track Of Finances The Old Fashioned Way

  paidtwice

  26 Jan 2012 | 1:18 pm

  A good way to save money is to keep track of the money you do spend. This seems fairly obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people do not tabulate their daily, weekly, or monthly expenses. Before you know it, you can’t pay your rent and you’re taking out a loan in order to pay for your groceries. This could have been avoided by simply being aware of the money that’s in your bank account. Whats interesting is that money mismanagement actually seems to affect working people more than the unemployed, as unemployed people tend to be more aware of the money in their…

• Why You Shouldn’t Open a Store Card

  paidtwice

  25 Jan 2012 | 2:23 pm

  We’ve all had it happen. You walk into your favorite department or retail store and are quickly greeted by an employee asking you if you want to sign up for an in-store card. If they don’t catch you there, the store clerk will put you on the spot at the register and ask you if you’d like to sign up to receive 15 percent off today’s purchase. While in-store cards may seem harmless and like a good way to build up credit, they can actually do more harm than good. You’ll Spend More Retail stores offer in-store cards because they know they will make money off the…

• 

  My Two Dollars

• The 13 Most Commonly Overlooked Tax Deductions

  David

  3 Feb 2012 | 7:15 am

  With tax time right around the corner, many people are starting to get all their filing information together, such as receipts, donation records, bank statements, and 1099 forms. And while it’s important to make sure you have all the relevant documents so you can file your taxes correctly, it’s just as important to be sure [...]The 13 Most Commonly Overlooked Tax Deductions is an article from My Two Dollars No related posts.

• Your Bank Account Full Of Time – How Are You Spending It?

  David

  26 Jan 2012 | 1:46 am

  The other day I came across a saying that made me really give thought to the amount of time I have left in my life and what I want to do with it. Comparing the time I have left to accomplish my goals to the balance in a dwindling bank account made me really reflect [...]Your Bank Account Full Of Time – How Are You Spending It? is an article from My Two Dollars You might also like:Stop Paying Bank Account Fees – Best Banks with Free CheckingWhat Is a Money Market Account?Federal Government Spending – How Are Your Tax Dollars Spent?

• Comparison of Prices for My Purchases at the Dollar Store

  David

  28 Dec 2011 | 2:57 pm

  Think those dollar stores are only full of useless junk you don’t really need in the first place? Guess again. I too used to think that, until I stopped into a local Dollar Tree the other day on the advice of my grandmother, who wanted me to pick up some holiday wrapping paper for her. [...]Comparison of Prices for My Purchases at the Dollar Store is an article from My Two Dollars No related posts.

• 8 Banks Offering Checking Accounts With No ATM Fees

  David

  5 Dec 2011 | 3:33 pm

  I stopped paying fees to use an ATM about a year and a half ago when I moved my checking and savings from Bank of America to Charles Schwab. No matter where I am, how often I do it, or how much money I withdraw, Schwab reimburses me for any fees I incur from using [...]8 Banks Offering Checking Accounts With No ATM Fees is an article from My Two Dollars You might also like:Stop Paying Bank Account Fees – Best Banks with Free CheckingWhat Is a Money Market Account?

• 10 Ways to Stop Wasting Money

  David

  8 Aug 2011 | 8:24 am

  Just last week I read the article “Ten Biggest Money Wasters” over on CNNMoney.com and was fascinated at the types of things that people tend to waste their hard-earned money on. While a lot of us go way out of our way to clip mounds of coupons, drive an extra mile out of the way [...]10 Ways to Stop Wasting Money is an article from My Two Dollars You might also like:Stop Paying Bank Account Fees – Best Banks with Free Checking10 Ways For How to Save Money on Utility Bills

• 

  Queercents

• Safeguarding Your Money for Gay Travel in 2012

  DJ

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:44 am

  Like a lot of others, the sound of the last chime of the midnight bell as one year slowly draws into the next has barely faded from my ears before I’m thinking about my holiday plans for the year. I admit that I’m one of those who likes to spend a long time planning every [...]

• Suze Orman’s Prepaid Card

  DJ

  28 Jan 2012 | 11:13 pm

  Suze Orman is best known for her no nonsense approach to personal finance. Suze has published ten books, including The Nine Steps to Financial Freedom and The Money Class. She hosts The Suze Orman show on CNBC and writes a column for O magazine. Because she is so concerned about how people spend and save [...]

• Download the Pilot of ‘Smash’ Before it airs Feb. 6

  DJ

  17 Jan 2012 | 3:59 pm

  If you are tired of waiting for the pilot of the new musical ‘Smash’. Wait no longer. The Smash premiere is just around the corner to air on Monday, Feb. 6 at 10/9c! But Queercents readers don’t have to wait – download the full pilot from iTunes for free now. And in the below video, [...]

• New Years’ Consolidation

  DJ

  3 Jan 2012 | 8:44 pm

  Happy New Years’ 2012! Let’s make this year a prosperous one! First, you may consider transferring those high interest rate credit cards to a card that can give you 12 months of no interest and no balance transfer fee.

• Finding the Best Close-out Bargains

  DJ

  31 Dec 2011 | 9:51 pm

  We all enjoy a good bargain. There’s no getting around the fact that if we find something for considerably less than we would normally find it we’ll often part with our cash for something we didn’t even intend to buy. But although plenty of people will be out in the January sales looking for some [...]

• 

  MoneyNing

• You Got Your Tax Refund, Now What?

  AJ Pettersen

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Tax season is upon us. If you haven’t yet received your tax forms, you will be getting them soon. Getting a refund is exciting, but many treat it as though they won some sort of prize. Some decide to go and spend their refund on a big vacation or on a new entertainment system, but [...]

• Have Student Loans Contributed to the Rise in the Cost of College?

  Miranda Marquit

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  One of the big issues debated recently is whether or not a four-year degree is worth the cost. The cost of education continues to rise at a pace that outstrips inflation — and definitely outstrips wage growth. But why is education so expensive? There are various explanations for the rising cost of a higher education, [...]

• Is Private School Always Best?

  Tracy

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  I live in a metro area where many people wouldn’t dream of sending their children to public schools. It’s simply not an option that they would consider despite the high price of private schools (between $6,000-20,000 in my area). After all, the schools in my area are notorious for low test scores and discipline problems, [...]

• Understanding Your Heating Fuel Options

  Emily Guy Birken

  3 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  It’s that time of year again. Even the most frugal of homeowners is turning up the thermostat as the weather starts its yearly winter onslaught. This also means that my husband and I have begun our yearly “discussion” over better ways to heat our home. As someone who is always cold, I would certainly love [...]

• Money Beliefs that Hurt Your Finances

  Jamie Simmerman

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Is a sense of entitlement holding back your finances? We all operate from an entitlement perspective at times when we believe we deserve a special purchase or have the right to spend our money how we see fit. And you do deserve to reward yourself for working hard, but what happens when those rewards get [...]

• 

  treesfullofmoney.com

• A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Investment Risk

  Ben

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:39 am

  With all the uncertainty in the financial markets over the last few years, and the recent downgrade of the US Debt Rating by Standard & Poor’s, I thought it would be “worthwhile” to write an introduction explaining the basics of portfolio risk as it relates to any retirement, savings, or brokerage accounts you may have. We hear a lot about “diversification” and “asset allocation” in magazines, newspapers, financial blogs, and TV, but you may not know why these terms are important and how you may be exposing your personal investments (retirement or…

• How to Protect Yourself from Rising Oil and Gas Prices

  Ben

  4 Jan 2012 | 7:53 am

  Simple “Hedge Fund” Investment Techniques for the Average Person With the World’s economy starting to “turn-around” and now Iran’s threat to disrupt the shipping routes of oil tankers passing through the Middle East. Many analysts are expecting the price of oil to once again climb to new record levels over the next few months. If you’re one of the many expecting oil prices to rise, it may be a perfect time to implement some of my “hedge” techniques to protect yourself from rising gas and home heating oil prices! There has been a lot of…

• How to Do a Home Energy Audit: A Do It Yourself Guide

  Ben

  3 Jan 2012 | 8:01 am

  How to do a home energy audit yourself! The following article has been prepared as a step by step guide on how to conduct a do it yourself home energy audit. It is not my intention to replace the services offered by a professional energy evaluator; instead this article shall serve as a DIY guide for families that (for what ever reason) choose not to hire a professional at this time. Identify Air Leaks (Drafts) In Your Home Stopping cold air drafts in your home is essential to maximizing the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling system. According to the US Department of Energy,…

• How to Determine the Value of Clothing Items Donated to Charity

  Ben

  29 Dec 2011 | 5:00 am

  As per IRS guidelines, you are allowed to claim tax deductions for donations of clothing items to charitable organizations such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill. According to IRS rules on non-cash charitable donations (assuming you’ll be itemizing your tax deductions vs. taking the standard deductions), tax filers are allowed to deduct the “fair market value” of clothing items donated to eligible organizations. The IRS offers no clear guidelines on how to value specific articles of donated clothing for tax write-offs, however, they do loosely define what they mean by…

• 6 Ways to Reduce Your 2011 Tax Bill

  Ben

  26 Dec 2011 | 11:22 am

  There are two basic principles when it comes to reducing the amount of tax money you owe for the 2011 Tax Year. You can either reduce the amount of money you “earn”, or, you can “increase” the amount of money you’ve paid, donated or lost on tax deductible items. The following list includes legitimate and legal ways to accomplish these principles, but as always, I strongly advise you to consult a tax professional (which I am not) as each person’s individual circumstances are different. Defer Your Income: One way to reduce the amount you owe in taxes for the 2011 is to defer any…

• 

  The Dough Roller

• Side Hustle Comic Strip [Infographic]

  Rob Berger

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  Welcome to our week-long series on How to Earn Extra Income from a Side Hustle. Today we have a guest post and a comic strip infographic I know you’ll enjoy. Want to earn more money? Of course you do—that’s a silly question. Whether you’re earning $0 or $200,000, everyone could always use a little extra cash flow, especially during this somewhat sticky time in our economy. Aside from having some extra earnings to help you out with bills and the day-to-days of life, it is also important to have some money set aside for an emergency. In this economy, many people can’t afford to…

• 75 Ways To Make Money On The Side

  Rob Berger

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:12 am

  Welcome to our week-long series on How to Earn Extra Income from a Side Hustle. In this third of five articles, we cover 75 ways to make a side income. In yesterday’s article we looked a 5 resources for side hustle ideas. Today we have come up with a list of practical ways to make money on the side. Some of the ideas require specific skills, experience, maybe even a license, but others don’t. If you have the knowledge and drive you can turn your hobby, passion or expertise into dollars. What side hustles have worked for you? Which side hustles haven’t worked out? Tell us…

• 5 Incredible Resources for ‘Side Hustle’ Ideas

  Rob Berger

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Welcome to our week-long series on How to Earn Extra Income from a Side Hustle. In this second of five articles, we look at some resources that can help you find the perfect side hustle for you. Earlier in this series we talked about ways to supplement your income by finding a side hustle that didn’t necessarily involve working on a computer. They are great ideas and worthy of your consideration, but today we are looking at online resources. We have come a long way from looking to the classifieds, job fairs and postings as the only means to find work. Whether you want to stick with a side…

• Slate from Chase Review

  Rob Berger

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:15 pm

  Chase has upped the ante if you are in the market for a 0% balance transfer card. Called Slate℠ from Chase, the card offers a broad range of benefits including a 0% APR introductory rate for up to 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers. What sets the card apart, however, is that there is no balance transfer fee. The card also has no annual fee, so this is as close to free money as you can get. While we maintain a list of balance transfer offers, this deal is as good as it gets. Slate℠ from Chase Rates and Terms As with most credit cards today, Chase uses a tiered pricing…

• What a Great Home Based Business Looks Like

  Rob Berger

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Welcome to our week-long series on How to Earn Extra Dough with a Home Based Business. In this first of five articles, we look at some factors you should consider when deciding on your next side-income-earning adventure. Finding the perfect Side Hustle isn’t easy. In my case, blogging is how I make my extra income from home. But it wasn’t by design. As I’ve discussed here before, I started a blog fun, not fortune. The income was a byproduct. But if you are focused on making money, then there are some important factors to consider. While there are always exceptions,…

• 

  Moolanomy Personal Finance

• Important Tax and Filing Dates for Individuals and Small Businesses

  Kevin Mulligan

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:09 pm

  For both individuals and small businesses, keeping track of all the important tax and money due dates throughout the year can be overwhelming. Forgetting a deadline is an extremely costly mistake in most cases: you end [...]Read the rest of Important Tax and Filing Dates for Individuals and Small Businesses at Moolanomy.com. Copyright 2007-2011 Moolanomy.com. All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

• What Makes You Rich?

  Miranda Marquit

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  The current presidential election is bringing to light, perhaps more than any other presidential campaign before, the differences between the “rich” and those who do not have as much money. As a result, the debate over [...]Read the rest of What Makes You Rich? at Moolanomy.com. Copyright 2007-2011 Moolanomy.com. All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

• What is an Early Withdrawal Penalty?

  Kevin Mulligan

  5 Feb 2012 | 6:23 pm

  Why would you give the government an extra cut out of your retirement nest egg if you didn’t have to? We all work too hard and save too diligently to just willingly give the Internal Revenue [...]Read the rest of What is an Early Withdrawal Penalty? at Moolanomy.com. Copyright 2007-2011 Moolanomy.com. All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

• What is a Credit Report and How to Get Free Report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion

  Pinyo

  4 Feb 2012 | 8:30 pm

  One of the first step to help you better understand and improve your credit is to get your credit reports. Your reports give you a better understanding of what’s going on, and offer you the opportunity [...]Read the rest of What is a Credit Report and How to Get Free Report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion at Moolanomy.com. Copyright 2007-2011 Moolanomy.com. All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

• 5% Cash Back Credit Cards, February 2012 Promotion Calendar

  Pinyo

  2 Feb 2012 | 8:00 pm

  The following is the 2012 calendar of 5% cashback bonus promotions for some of the credit cards and debit cards that are currently offering a 5% promotion. These cards include Chase Freedom, Citi Dividend, Discover Card, [...]Read the rest of 5% Cash Back Credit Cards, February 2012 Promotion Calendar at Moolanomy.com. Copyright 2007-2011 Moolanomy.com. All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.

• 

  Gather Little by Little - Personal Finance with a Christian Perspective

• 3 notes about your IRS tax refund

  Stew

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:19 am

  Nearly 50 percent of US tax filers will be due a refund this tax season and that number continues to grow. It used to be that only a few low-income filers who did not claim enough on their W-4 forms during the year were issued refunds. These were people who had actually paid too much [...]

• Tips for Excel spreadsheet budgets

  Stew

  14 Dec 2011 | 11:00 am

  The Microsoft Office suite of programs is nearly universal when it comes to personal computers. Nearly everyone has a working knowledge of Word and is familiar with PowerPoint. Outlook, Microsoft’s email software, also has wide use and acceptance. However, my favorite MS program is Excel. When I worked as a soccer coach, I used Excel [...]

• 4 Tidbits of Financial Wisdom Straight From the Bible

  Guest Author

  5 Dec 2011 | 4:34 pm

  This is a guest post by Pastor Eric Johnston of the Christian Prayer Center, a site to post and receive prayer requests. At the Christian Prayer Center, we often get prayer requests asking for miracle financial blessings that include new homes, luxury automobiles, fancy motorcycles and the like. Instead of people praying for wisdom in [...]

• Tax penalty scare

  Stew

  16 Nov 2011 | 10:10 am

  Our household taxes are always been fairly complicated. This is mostly due to the fact that Mrs. Stew and I have always had multiple streams of income. While God has blessed me with steady, full-time jobs over the course of our marriage, we have always had to supplement our income with part-time, self-employed and contract [...]

• Footloose, Blue Light Specials and Layaway

  Stew

  26 Oct 2011 | 11:26 am

  KMart and Sears Layaway commercials are some of the most unintentionally hilarious advertisements on television right now. They are always met with smirks and sarcasm by Mrs. Stew and I. Layaway? Seriously? Sears and KMart are in the midst of conducting a full-court press on behalf of their layaway programs without seeming to realize that [...]

• 

  Hustler Money Blog

• TD Ameritrade $200 Bonus Online Cash Services Debit Card and BillPay Promotion

  Hu$tler

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:48 pm

  TD Ameritrade is offering $200 bonus for using their Online Cash Services checking account. In order to earn the $200 bonus,  you must (1) sign up for a Visa debit card and make 4 purchases of minimum $10 by 3/31/12, and (2) enroll in BillPay and pay 4 bills totaling $100 between 1/15/12 and 3/31/12. This can be easily done because both the debit card and online BillPay are free services. From the website: Offer valid for TD Ameritrade clients who sign up for a TD Ameritrade Visa® debit card and/or bill pay by 3/31/12. Clients who successfully sign up for the TD Ameritrade Visa® debit card…

• Google Screenwise Panel $25 Amazon Gift Card Bonus

  Hu$tler

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:22 pm

  Google’s Screenwise Panel is offering up to $25 in Amazon Gift Card to help them learn more about how everyday people use the Internet. Once you joined as a panelist, you must add a browser extension that will share with Google the sites you visit and how you use them. Get the first $5 just to sign up and download the browser extension and additional $5 every three months for staying with it up until the full $25 gift card. In order to join, you must be 13 or older with a Google Account or sign up for a free one. You will then need to use the Google Chrome browser. Simply register your…

• Kia Optima $25 Visa Prepaid Test Drive Bonus Offer

  Hu$tler

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:08 pm

  You can now test-drive a new 2012 Kia Optima for a free $25 Kia Visa Prepaid Card good until March 31, 2012. Simply register to get your Kia personalized certificate, then visit a Kia dealer near you,  and test-drive a Kia Optima to get your free $25 bonus Visa prepaid card. You must be at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license to qualify for this promotional offer. Even though it said test-drive is required, it has been proven if you tell the dealer all you came was for the gift card, they won’t make you do the test drive and waste their time. From the website: Test-drive…

• Costco $50 ShareBuilder Bonus for Executive Members

  Hu$tler

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:49 pm

  For those who are Costco Executive members, you can get this $50 ShareBuilder online brokerage account along with 30% off real-time trades for only $6.95. Also, you’ll get 50% off automatic investments for only $2 instead of the normal $4. For those that are not Costco members, you can still get this $50 ShareBuilder New Account Bonus open to all new customers. From ShareBuilder Costco Bonus T&C’s: $50 Account Bonus: Executive Members must open a new account to be eligible to receive the account bonus when the Costco Executive membership number has been entered in the…

• Chase Slate 15 Months 0% APR Balance Transfer with No FEE

  Hu$tler

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:37 pm

  It has been years since I saw a no balance transfer fee credit card! For a limited time only, Slate from Chase is offering No Balance Transfer Fee for the first 30 days of card membership. They are offering 0% intro rate for balance transfer for up to 15 months. Most, if not all credit cards, want you to pay 3% to 5% for doing a balance transfer. However, you won’t have to pay a dime for transferring your higher rate balances to this Chase Slate card! Slate® from Chase – Limited Time: No Balance Transfer Fee LIMITED TIME: No Balance Transfer Fee!* Transfer your higher rate…

• 

  American Consumer News

• Cheap Ways to Feed a Family of 4

  Debbie

  31 Jan 2012 | 3:06 pm

  Grocery bills are getting more costly every month. If you are trying to feed a family of 4 or more, it can quickly become a struggle to keep the fridge stocked and the family from bemoaning ‘pasta again?’. Here are some tips for keeping your family fed without breaking the bank: Preplan Your Menu If you can get into the habit of sitting down on a weekly or monthly basis to preplan your meals, you’ll likely find you can save a lot of cash starting right away. Your menu planning will not reduce the cost of groceries but will organize your grocery list so you can and do spend less.

• File Taxes by Deadline – Even If You Can’t Pay

  Debbie

  31 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am

  When the April income tax deadline arrives, you better be sure you have your documents and tax information filed on time and that means even if you can’t afford to pay the tax bill. For whatever reason you end up owing federal or state taxes, you have to file your income tax forms on time or your tax bill will only increase. Many Americans have to pay Uncle Sam but do not have the amount of cash it takes to eliminate the debt upfront. Some make the mistake of not filing taxes at all out of collection fears. The reality is no matter what your financial status is you must file on time. The…

• Change Your Life? Check Your Withholdings

  Debbie

  30 Jan 2012 | 2:06 pm

  Those that are employed for an extended period of time may forget to keep up with their human resource information, especially where their income is concerned. But any change in life circumstances may require a change on your withholdings documents. If you have gotten married, divorced, added dependents, or can no longer claim previous dependents, you should speak with a human resource or payroll representative at your job to ensure withholdings are correct. Consequences of Forgotten Withholdings Changes You may only realize your withholdings are incorrect at tax time when it is too late. On…

• What Might Trigger an IRS Tax Audit?

  Debbie

  30 Jan 2012 | 8:26 am

  It’s tax time again, and as you’re getting all of your documents together to prepare for filing, you’re probably hoping to get as many tax deductions.   In 2010, about 1.5 million people who filed the most common return on IRS Form 1040 were audited – only about 1.1% of tax filers.  On the other hand, if you earn more than $1 million during a tax year, you have a 12.5% increased chance of being audited. If you take more deductions than you’re eligible for; or trigger an IRS alert with one of the following red flags – you may find yourself dealing with an IRS tax audit. Here are…

• 5 Reasons You Should Pay Attention to Receipts

  Debbie

  30 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am

  For many consumers, receipts are just a nuisance that are quickly thrown away. But receipts play an important part in our personal financial life. It can be wise to get into the habit of storing receipts in a shoebox, basket or filing folder so you’ll have what you need for budgeting and tax purposes. Make it easy for yourself to collect the important data so you can incorporate saving receipts into your everyday life. Keep an envelope in the car so you have another location to keep your documentation. At tax time and when it comes to saving money, you will be glad you paid more attention.

• 

  Cash Money Life

• 10 Unusual Ways to Get Money Fast

  Emily Guy Birken

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:07 am

  This article was originally published on Cash Money Life at 10 Unusual Ways to Get Money Fast.We could all use a little extra cash. But between working your full-time job, family time, and all your other commitments, who has time to work a traditional part-time job? Luckily, there are plenty of off-the-wall ways to make money that you can fit into your schedule. Here are some of the weirdest ways to fatten your wallet. Perhaps one of them will be the perfect second revenue stream for you: 1. Selling yourself Would you sell your hair to raise cash? I’m not talking about the world’s oldest…

• How to Close a SmartyPig Account

  Ryan

  31 Jan 2012 | 5:32 am

  This article was originally published on Cash Money Life at How to Close a SmartyPig Account.I started organizing all of my tax documents, and while I was gathering all of my 1099s, I realized there are several accounts I am no longer using and which I should close. One of those happens to be my SmartyPig account. When SmartyPig burst onto the scene a couple years ago, they promised to revolutionize the savings industry. And in a way, they did. For awhile, anyway. SmartyPig added a social element to saving, and turned it into something of a game. To top it off, they added some of the best…

• Women and Money: Where Do You Stand?

  Miranda

  30 Jan 2012 | 7:23 am

  This article was originally published on Cash Money Life at Women and Money: Where Do You Stand?.As a female and a personal finance writer, I find it interesting when reports looking at women and money are released. Recently, a report called “Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being” was released by the White House. It offers some interesting information about how women make money these days, a considers the trends associated with women and money. The bottom line from the report, as far as women’s overall financial health is concerned, is that women…

• Volunteer Opportunities That Teach Valuable Skills

  Emily Guy Birken

  27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pm

  This article was originally published on Cash Money Life at Volunteer Opportunities That Teach Valuable Skills.In 2003, I became an AmeriCorps volunteer. For nearly a year, I worked in the art room of a Boys & Girls Club in Columbus, Ohio, creating educational and fun projects for 6-12 year olds. It was a rewarding, challenging, and educational part of my career. I can also say that it truly helped me later on when I decided to become a high school English teacher. During my student teaching, I felt fairly comfortable with classroom management and discipline—which are usually the bane…

• When Will I Get My Tax Refund?

  Ryan

  24 Jan 2012 | 10:55 am

  This article was originally published on Cash Money Life at When Will I Get My Tax Refund?.If you file your taxes with the IRS EFile, or with an tax software program that files your taxes online for you, then you are in luck – you will generally receive your tax refund much more quickly than if you file your taxes by mail. The reason is that electronic tax returns are easier for the IRS to process, making it faster for them to clear the books on your tax return and send you a refund check. IRS E-File – When Will I Get My Tax Refund? How long does it take to get your tax refund? The…

• 

  brip blap

• the whole life sabbatical (part 1 of 3)

  Steve

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  photo credit: urbanshoregirl Have you ever just wanted to chuck it all and walk away? To just walk away from your commitments and responsibilities and start over again somewhere else? Why didn’t you? I started thinking about the practicalities of walking away from my entire life of responsibilities after learning an acquaintance had done it. I divided my responsibilities up in a few different groups: work, family, finances and life. Each one has different implications in terms of walking away, and before anyone thinks I’m about to start discussing walking away from your family or…

• frugal or self sufficient?

  Steve

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:35 pm

  In the midst of years discussing financial apocalypse – which is probably a little bit overstated – I realized that the idea of saving money in times of crisis is a lot different from saving money in a time of plenty.  Cutting back on Nintendo games is a lot different than learning how to heat the house with paper scraps. A common debate that has occurred over the last decade in my consultant-infested workplaces has been the debate over “good” investments. I have had colleagues who cling to the stock market; some who swear by real estate; some who preach the mantra of…

• 9 ways to make saving automatic

  Steve

  30 Jan 2012 | 8:07 pm

  photo credit: Derek Farr ( DetroitDerek ) As anyone who has started to learn about personal finance knows, one of the fundamental ideas is “pay yourself first.” Paying yourself first is an easy concept (supposedly), but many people find it hard at first to make putting money into savings a priority. Saving money sounds like a good idea, but there is always a chair that needs to be replaced, new shoes for that special occasion or just one more iTune to add to the collection. So how can you make saving a habit? It’s a trick question – you don’t have to make it a habit, you have to…

• the questions you need to succeed in business

  Steve

  26 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  These are not my original thoughts, but they are a great list of questions if you’re interested in providing a service (a blog, a business, consulting – basically any service you can think of): What needs do people have that I can fulfill? What trend or trends are present here? What opportunities do they present? What are the current gaps in the marketplace? What is the insight that can lead me to create greater value in this segment? How can I leverage what I know about this category or industry that makes sense for my [work] and my brand name? How can I test the efficacy of my…

• 6 Ways to Salvage your New Years Resolutions

  Guest Writer

  25 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  We’re less than a full month into the new year. Did you make any resolutions? If so, how’re they doing? If you’ve already broken your New Year’s resolution, don’t be too hard on yourself. It turns out that the odds were stacked against you. A study in 2007 by Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol showed that 88% of people who make New Year resolutions fail to keep them. Those are pretty dismal numbers when you consider it. A lot of people break their resolutions and feel depressed. But as the Japanese proverb says “Fall 7 times, stand up 8″.

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  Poorer Than You

• Net Worth Update: January 2012

  Stephanie

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:28 am

  You know, I can remember being in ninth grade Global History class, learning about the Mayan calendar and the urban legends about the end of the world, and thinking “Gosh, in 2012, I’ll be 25, turning 26! I’ll be a real adult by then!” Ten years later, I’m figuring out that being 25 and being a “real adult” are two completely different things. But in the spirit of trying to be a real adult, let’s look at how the numbers have panned out for this month. Change: +$70 or +0.26 % Alright, still recovering a bit from my emotional spending and insane moving costs. I went a little…

• Net Worth Update: December 2011

  Stephanie

  23 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am

  Hey guys! So remember that time I stopped writing for more than six months? That was funny, right? Hahahaha… ha… ha. Sorry about that. Let’s get back to business. Change (from the last update in April): +$2323 or +8.63 % That’s a pretty respectable climb (more than 1% per month!) in numbers, but the graph reveals that there was also a bit of a backslide in there. So what gives? Just what has happened these last 8 months? Traveled the country as a NASA groupie. When we last left off, I had tried to go a NASA Tweetup for the STS-134 shuttle launch, but the launch was postponed.

• Rebuilding Your Credit

  Guest Author

  16 May 2011 | 7:00 am

  Jim Wang writes about personal finance and other money issues at his personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. Many of us have made money mistakes. Additionally, some of us have had financial disasters to contend with. In any case, once the debts start to pile up, and payments are missed, the damage to your credit can be substantial. If you have tried to get a credit loan recently, and you have poor credit, you probably know that your credit report can result in being turned down for a loan. Even if you aren’t denied, you will have to pay a higher interest rate in order to offset the…

• Net Worth Update: April 2011

  Stephanie

  3 May 2011 | 7:48 am

  I just flew in from Rochester, and boy, are my arms tired! Actually, my everything is tired. The NASA Tweetup for the shuttle launch finally happened, but the shuttle launch itself didn’t. And I jet-setted all around the East Coast to be there and get to a wedding back home… but I haven’t got a single regret in the whole thing. Sure, I’ll tell you more about that. But first, the numbers! Change: +$522 or +1.75 % Whoa… not bad at all! Especially considering the crazy travels of the past week! I left for Orlando on Wednesday night, spent two and a half nights in a group rental house…

• Savings Snowball Update: Back in Action

  Stephanie

  27 Apr 2011 | 7:00 am

  What with all the crazy change in my life, it’s got to be time to re-evaluate everything. Especially, I need to rethink my savings goals and how I’ll prioritize them. So it’s time to revisit the ol’ Savings Snowball. For those of you not familiar with the concept, here’s the short version: much like a debt snowball, each goal has a minimum payment that gets paid every month, no matter what. Any extra money I can scrounge up goes to the goal on the top. When the goal on the top is met, everything that was getting sent to that goal “snowballs” down into the second goal, and the…

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  The Wisdom Journal

• Q & A on Tax Exemptions, Dependents, and Charitable Giving

  Ron

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:45 am

  Since we work on our taxes (usually) only once per year and even then many of us turn them over to professionals whether in the form of a tax accountant or a software program like TurboTax, our understanding and recollection of many of the terms and definitions used during tax time can become a little fuzzy. I’ve been receiving a lot of questions on taxes via my contact page. Here is some information that I put together to help answer some of the most common questions about exemptions, dependents, and giving to charities. What are tax exemptions? Exemptions are legal ways to reduce your…

• What To Do If You Haven’t Received Your W-2

  Ron

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:51 am

  Employers are required to send W-2 wage statements to their employees no later than January 31 of each year. Many employers send W-2s earlier (some by a couple of weeks) in order to allow employees to complete their tax return as early as possible. That W-2 is critical to completing your tax return … without it you’re sunk. But what if you don’t receive yours on time? What if you’re hearing your co-workers talk about completing their tax return and you’re still waiting on that uniquely shaped envelope that contains your W-2? What to do if you are missing your W-2 If…

• Prefer To Use A Tax Prep Software OTHER Than TurboTax or H&R Block?

  Ron

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:43 am

  Not everyone uses TurboTax or H&R Block Online to complete their tax return (surprise!). Some people don’t like dealing with large companies, some want to support “the little guys”, and some just like the feel of the other tax software packages. Regardless, there is a significant number of people who prefer to use a smaller company’s tax preparation software. Does this describe you? If it does, give one of these companies a look: CompleteTax Just like TurboTax and H&R Block, Complete Tax offers: Maximum refund guarantee 100% accuracy guarantee Audit support…

• Beware of These Four Tax Preparation Scams

  Ron

  1 Feb 2012 | 1:30 pm

  Though most people who prepare tax returns are professionals and render correct, honest, thoughtful and excellent service to their tax return clients, some DO occasionally make a basic math error of miss a deduction. Those aren’t the people you need to beware of. No, I’m talking about the fly-by-night types that engage in fraud and other illegal activities. These scammers set up shop one day and are gone a few weeks later. When the unsuspecting tax filer discovers their mistakes and fraud, these guys are no where to be found. Dishonest tax return preparers can cause big trouble…

• What Are My Chances of Being Audited?

  Ron

  31 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am

  Good news! The chance you’ll need an IRS tax attorney because you’re being audited isn’t that great. You have about the same chance of dying in a motor vehicle accident (1:100). In fiscal year 2010 (tax year 2009), the IRS audited 1.1% of the more than 142 million returns filed the year before, but for taxpayers making less than $200,000, the rate dropped a bit to about 1.0%. However, if you’re in a higher income category, you have more reason to worry, even if you keep a tax attorney on retainer. It seems a higher income is an automatic audit trigger. The tax audit rate of those with…

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  Everybody Loves Your Money

• Top Gear TomTom 5” GPS Navigation for $60 Today

  admin

  2 Feb 2012 | 4:19 pm

  Check out this link: http://slickdeals.net/permadeal/68430/tomtom-tomtom-go-live-top-gear-edition-with-5-screen-lifetime-map-updates For $60 and free shipping you can get a 5” TomTom today.  This is a GREAT deal.  If you are interested, you better act fast though!

• George Lopez is Putting His Name on a Prepaid Card

  admin

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:45 pm

  Yet another celebrity sponsoring a prepaid card.  Of course there are fees.  Please just go to a credit union and get a card! http://www.businessinsider.com/george-lopez-hops-on-the-prepaid-card-bandwagon-with-mango-financial-2012-2

• Bayou Billionaires

  admin

  2 Feb 2012 | 11:57 am

  Have you heard about this new show?  It’s called Bayou Billionaires and is about people who are being paid large sums of money by gas companies who are digging for gas in their yards.  From the little that I’ve seen of it so far, they should rename the show, “How to spend all your money foolishly until it runs out”.  I’m sure I’ll watch it at some point because I love seeing how other people manage (or don’t manage) their money.  Unfortunately it might be awhile before I see it since we don’t have cable.

• Are You Going to Buy Facebook Stock?

  admin

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:38 pm

  Facebook submitted their paperwork to take the company public and raise upwards of $5 billion. The last estimate I saw put Mark Zuckerberg at $25B in net worth at that rate. Wow. I won’t be buying any of Facebook’s stock because I think they are probably the most hyped IPO of all time and little guys like me don’t stand a chance at getting a reasonable price. Are you going to be trying to participate?

• Should You Switch to an Online Bank Due to the Latest Fees From the Big Banks?

  admin

  10 Oct 2011 | 4:50 pm

  I must confess that I love watching consumers exercise their right to shop where they believe they’ll get the best value.  The latest article on MSN highlights that online banks are seeing large increases in new members as people, fed up by the latest fee hikes at commercial banks, shop around for better deals.  While I still think credit unions are the best place to stash your money and get your loans, online banks also offer much better rates, and services than the traditional commercial banks like Bank of America or Chase.  This is one of the best examples I have ever seen…

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  CreditCards.com

• Confessions of a former debt snowballer

  Julie Sherrier

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:58 am

  A lot of time, money and energy go into figuring out why people make the wrong choices when paying off debts. For example, when faced with multiple debts with varying interest rates, people tackle the debt using one of two strategies: paying the smallest debt off first (known as the infamous "snowball strategy"), or paying off the debts with the higher interest rates first (the more logical approach, which, if followed, gets you out of debt faster).I'm ashamed to say that, for quite a number of years, if not decades, I was a snowballer.  I wasn't always a personal finance editor, but I…

• TV's 'Downton Abbey' mirrors today's financial turmoil

  Jay MacDonald

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:56 am

  Full disclosure: I have never read a Jane Austen novel, my forebears were murderous mountain Scots, not British dandies in ascots, and my Old Vic was an uncle who drank. Nevertheless, I'm hooked on the BBC period drama "Downton Abbey" and I think I know why: "Downton" mirrors the financial and cultural turmoil of our times. Just with better hats. For the uninitiated, "Downton Abbey" (carried on the PBS network in the United States) begins in 1912 on the selfsame fictional Yorkshire estate of the Earl of Grantham, a position currently held by Robert Crawley. Like many strapped British…

• Emily's list: Reward tracker edition

  Emily Starbuck Gerson

  3 Feb 2012 | 6:27 am

  Last week at a happy hour, a friend told me that she is traveling to Paris later this year and is dreading the purchase of an expensive flight. When my friends and I found out that she didn't have a frequent flier credit card, we encouraged her to get one to help earn a free flight. There was some debate, however, about whether it's better to get one for a specific airline or for one that has general miles that can be used anywhere. Matt Kepnes, the blogger behind the popular travel blog NomadicMatt.com, has been jetting around the world for five straight years. I've actually met him twice…

• The straight poop about fast-food self-service kiosks

  Matt Schulz

  2 Feb 2012 | 9:50 am

  Looking for a place for my kid to use the potty, I managed to stumble across a quicker way to get through the line at a fast-food joint. Most every parent has been there: You're on the highway, trying to make time, and a voice comes from the backseat, saying, "I need to go potty." Fortunately, driving between Austin and San Antonio, there are countless places to stop, so rather than pushing our luck that Saturday morning, we just took the next exit off the highway and stopped at a Jack in the Box in New Braunfels, Texas. I've worked at fast-food places and, Lord knows, have eaten in…

• Emily's list: Too reliant on plastic edition

  Emily Starbuck Gerson

  27 Jan 2012 | 7:18 am

  Earlier this week, I went to run an errand during lunchtime and stopped at a small neighborhood gas station. I swiped my credit card, entered my ZIP code and waited. Eventually, I was told there was a network error. I looked up, and people at the other pumps had puzzled looks on their face. The station had a small kiosk with a cashier rather than a store. I saw a man yelling at the cashier. He was upset that he had swiped his card only to get an error message, without anything indicating that the transaction was completely over. He demanded to know if they still have his credit card…

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  Born To Sell Covered Call Blog

• Covered Call Option Screener

  25 Jan 2012 | 3:01 pm

  Born To Sell is in the business of screening for covered calls. We are constantly asked how to use a covered call option screener effectively. Investors know that a screener will save them time, but how to do you reduce the universe of 200,000+ covered call candidates down to a handful that you can then do additional diligence on? This article will show you how. How Many Covered Calls Exist? There are 5643 stocks and ETFs that trade today (Jan 25, 2012). Of those, 3716 have call options available. Factor in all the possible expiration dates and strike prices, and there are 229,636 covered…

• Writing Covered Calls For Consistent Profits

  11 Jan 2012 | 12:03 pm

  Writing covered calls for income has been a popular investment strategy for investors since standardized option contracts were first introduced in 1973. Many investors are happy with a modest rate of return, as long as it's fairly predictable and consistent. Or, if you're a risk loving investor seeking extraordinary returns, it is also possible to use covered call writing more aggressively. Writing Covered Calls The Conservative Way Playing it relatively safe with covered calls means choosing underlying stocks with these attributes: Large market cap. There are 508 stocks with market caps over…

• Option Hedging

  9 Jan 2012 | 10:03 am

  Hedging is when you take a position to protect against losses in some other position. Rather than put all your eggs in one basket, you put some in one basket and some in another basket which is inversely correlated to the first. If you are long a certain stock, you might choose to hedge that position by buying some put options for the same stock. That way, if the stock drops you are protected somewhat. You can exercise your puts and receive the strike price per share as a floor price for your investment. Sounds Good. What's The Catch? The catch is that hedging is not free. Much like buying…

• High Yield Stocks

  6 Jan 2012 | 11:08 am

  A popular screen for high yield stocks involves taking the Dow 30 industrial stocks, finding those with the highest dividend yield, and then sorting by P/E ratio. The idea is that by choosing high yield, low P/E, DJIA stocks you will be buying undervalued quality stocks. Then you can write covered calls against them. DJIA High Yield Stocks The top 16 highest yielding Dow 30 stocks today are: Company Symbol Dividend Yield AT&T T 5.8% Verizon VZ 5.1% Merck MRK 4.4% Pfizer PFE 3.7% General Electric GE 3.7% Johnson & Johnson JNJ 3.5% Dupont DD 3.5% Intel INTC 3.3% Procter & Gamble PG 3.1% Kraft…

• Bond Yield

  4 Jan 2012 | 8:07 pm

  No Interest For 18 Months! That's a nice offer when purchasing a new TV but it sucks when you're trying to live on fixed income investments. The Fed is serious about keeping bond yield (interest rates) low through the middle of next year. In their own words: "The Committee agreed to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and to state that economic conditions are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through mid-2013." FOMC Minutes, Aug 9, 2011 The resulting anemic bond yields make it difficult or impossible for many fixed…

• 

  Money Smarts Blog

• The RESP Book Kindle E-book – Half Priced Sale

  Mike Holman

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  I finally got around to getting an e-book version of The RESP Book created and it is now available from the Kindle store on Amazon.com.  Note that you can read a Kindle book on your computer – you don’t need an e-book reader. I’ve decided to have a special sale for my readers only and [...]

• My Online Opinion On Online Opinions

  Mike Holman

  16 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am

  I’m on holiday this week, so I thought it would be oh so much fun to republish an ancient post (Sept 2008), which most readers haven’t seen before.  Enjoy! Online opinions and reviews are everywhere.  If you are doing some online shopping, it’s almost impossible to go to a site offering merchandise that doesn’t allow [...]

• RESP Canada Learning Bond (CLB) – Why Aren’t More People Claiming it?

  Mike Holman

  11 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am

  Part of the Canadian RESP program is a grant, inappropriately named the Canada Learning Bond (CLB).  The “Canada Learning” makes sense, but I have no idea why the word “bond” was used. In actual fact the CLB is a grant and the big difference between this grant and the regular RESP grants is that no [...]

• LinkStuff – Bowling With Kids Edition

  Mike Holman

  6 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am

  Over the holidays, my wife and I went bowling with the kids (age 3 & 5).  I haven’t bowled in 25 years and all I remember is being in the gutter most of the time. They gave us a lane with rails on it which prevent the ball from going into the gutter.  What a [...]

• 2011 Portfolio Investment Performance – Not Too Bad

  Mike Holman

  4 Jan 2012 | 6:38 am

  I like to calculate my investment return each year, so I can see how I am doing. My investment return for 2011 was -1.8%.  While this kind of performance won’t secure my retirement any time soon, I was lucky that the numbers weren’t any worse. There were two reasons, I did reasonably well. Low Canadian [...]

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  One Frugal Girl

• How Would You Spend $500 on Valentine’s Day?

  One Frugal Girl

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:06 pm

  This is an easy question for me. If I had an extra $500 to spend on my husband I’d buy him a new Nikon camera lens. I know a lot of folks might think that doesn’t sound very romantic. I know everyone is expecting me to blog about taking an extravagant trip where we’ll ride horseback across a beach and spend our evening eating chocolate covered strawberries and toasting with champagne. While all of that does sound unbelievably lovely, and I certainly wouldn’t turn it down if anyone offered it to me, I don’t think anything would make my husband happier than a…

• Bamboobies Giveaway

  One Frugal Girl

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pm

  One of these days I plan to create the essential baby list for new moms. When I created my baby registry I read the reviews on Amazon and asked a lot of friends and family members for advice, but now that my son is three months old I have a much better idea of what I really needed and what products I could not live without. One of the items I bought before my son arrived was a HUGE box of disposable nursing pads. I wasn’t particularly happy with this purchase, because it wasn’t the best choice for the environment, but I really wasn’t sure which alternatives would work as…

• Free Tiny Prints Valentine’s Day Card

  One Frugal Girl

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:05 pm

  I am a huge fan of Tiny Prints. I think they have the most adorable cards and I love that I can customize them with the names and photos of friends and family members. Today they are offering a free Valentine’s Day Card if you like them on Facebook. I couldn’t resist a free card for the one I love. To find out more click here.

• What is Your Most Inexpensive Pick Me Up?

  One Frugal Girl

  4 Feb 2012 | 9:56 pm

  I have a lot of friends that get depressed during the winter time and although the weather on the east coast has been mild this year I still know a few folks who are down in the dumps. I know some women cheer themselves up with a day at the spa, but when I’m feeling blue I have one tried and true pick me up that always makes me feel better. I paint my toenails. I buy a special brand of polish that’s made without toluene, camphor, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The bottles typically cost about $8, which is nearly twice as much as the brands you can buy at the…

• Friends Don’t Let Friends Feel Embarrassed About Frugality

  One Frugal Girl

  3 Feb 2012 | 9:35 pm

  It’s funny how people who spend a lot of money are always so happy to show off their fancy cars and big houses, but those of us who choose to a live a more modest lifestyle rarely discuss our money saving habits among friends. Over the years a few closet couponers have opened up about their penny pinching habits and I’ve found that once the topic leaks out in conversation there is usually at least one or two other quiet frugalites hanging out in the crowd. In fact when the topic of frugality and saving money comes up in conversation someone is bound to confess their little money…

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  My Dollar Plan

• Free Money You Might Forget to Report on Your Taxes

  Madison

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:23 am

  Tax time is easy (well, relatively speaking) when all of your tax forms arrive the in the mail. However, I’m noticing an increasing trend for companies to make you login to your online accounts and download tax forms. The problem is that for those of us addicted to free money signups, the trail of accounts left behind also leaves a trail of tax documents waiting to be downloaded. Here’s a reminder list of accounts to trigger your memory so you don’t file before you receive all of your forms. It’s also a good checklist of accounts you’ll need to login to online if…

• Do You Have to Pay Taxes on Alimony?

  Jill

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:29 am

  Is alimony taxable? If you’ve recently gotten divorced and are receiving (or paying) alimony for the first time, you may be confused as to how to the IRS taxes those payments. Alimony can trigger large tax payments, especially in high-dollar divorce settlements. Depending on your situation, you may be kicked into a higher tax bracket or need to adjust your withholding to account for additional taxes owed. source: Enter the Story What is alimony? Alimony has a very specific definition in the eyes of the IRS. Alimony can be paid to a former spouse (in the case of a divorce) or current…

• How to Calculate Real Estate Investment Returns

  Madison

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:29 am

  What was the return on our real estate investments? As I update all of our investments for year end (it takes me until April, because many of our accounts don’t send year end statements until then), I like to compare our investment returns. The stocks and index funds are easy, as Quicken computes the IRR. But I like to be able to compare our other investments too, like our real estate. Unfortunately, it seems as if there are so many formulas to evaluate real estate returns, (ROI, ROE, Cash on cash, etc) pinpointing just one to use as a comparison is difficult. And everywhere I look, I…

• Chase Slate $75 Sign Up Bonus

  Kate

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:29 am

  Chase has a great Free Money Friday offer. Their Slate card has a $75 sign-up bonus and it’s perfect for low spenders! The $75 sign up bonus from Chase has one of the lowest amount of spending requirements we’ve seen in awhile. How to Get Your $75 Statement Credit Apply for the Chase Slate card. Use the card to spend $300 within 3 months. After 6-8 weeks, you’ll see a $75 statement credit on your account! Chase Terms and Conditions No annual fee. One-time bonus offer & valid only for first-time cardmembers with new accounts. Previous and existing cardmembers/accounts are…

• Obama’s New Refinance Program for Responsible Homeowners

  Madison

  1 Feb 2012 | 2:49 pm

  The Obama administration just announced details of the new home loan refinance program for responsible homeowners mentioned in the state of the union address. The new refinance plan is supposed to save homeowners an average of $3,000 per year by helping homeowners take advantage of the current, low mortgage rates. The new Obama refinance program will be for homeowners previously not covered by the making home affordable program: homeowners who are current on their payments, but can’t finance because they are underwater or have a loan not owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Responsible…

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  My Financial Journey

• Retirement Nestegg Report – January 2012

  MFJ

  1 Feb 2012 | 10:12 am

  Well a really good month for my retirement nestegg growth and my investment performance against the SP500. I had been on a bit of a losing streak (4 months in a row) – but I snapped out of that slump with a pretty good result this month. It probably had something to do with the fact that Netflix rebounded nearly 75% this last month alone As I’ve mentioned earlier I really don’t track my stocks or my portfolios that closely and I really only do these monthly reports for my own benefit so I can look back at periods like 2008-09 or the end of 2011 where things may have looked…

• My best and worst stocks in 2011

  MFJ

  4 Jan 2012 | 9:15 am

  Below are the top 8 best performing stocks I owned for the entire year in 2011 and their performance. MAKO Surgical Corp (MAKO) +65.64% Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) +58.82% Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) +53.96% Starbucks (SBUX) +43.20% United Health Group (UNH) +40.35% Panera Bread Company (PNRA) +38.80% Whole Foods Market (WFM) +37.54% Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) +36.49% It definitely looks like restaurants, food, and medical care was in for 2011 looking at my best performing stocks. Also noticed that this performance is quite a bit different than last year where I had 3 stocks that…

• My Investment Holdings – January 2012

  MFJ

  3 Jan 2012 | 7:30 am

  It’s been a year since I last updated my investment holdings so I figured January every year would be a good time to do this. In general my investments will not change much from year to year as I pretty much only buy stocks and do not sell very often, but I do make changes occasionally or tidy up my holdings so this will be a good place to see what changes have happened in my portfolio in the last year and what my current portfolio allocation looks like based on new investments and individual positions market changes. In the last year I have actually entirely sold off about 10 stocks. I…

• Retirement Nestegg Report – December 2011

  MFJ

  2 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am

  Well another year in the books and a bit of a bummer the second half of the year with regards to my nestegg growth and my investment performance vs the SP500. As you will see in some follow up posts – I had two of my largest stock positions from 2010 really tank in 2011 (Netflix and Dolby). I guess the good news is despite this somewhat worst case scenario I have found out that I am diversified enough where it did not do any irreparable damage to my portfolio. Another observation is that I only contributed $16,782 to my retirement nestegg this year and even a bulk of that came from…

• My savings account is now bigger than my home mortgage.

  MFJ

  2 Jan 2012 | 6:30 am

  Kind of a weird scenario happened last month. The amount of money that my wife and I have saved up for building our next house has actually surpassed the amount of the mortgage on our existing house. We have been living in our first house now for a little under 6.5 years which also ironically is pretty close to how long I have been writing this blog and now I am to the point if I wanted to could have my house paid off free and clear with a couple clicks of a mouse button. My wife and I have never paid extra on our mortgage and currently have it locked into an 5 year ARM at 4.0% that I think…

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  MoneyCrush

• On Goals and Actions

  Jackie

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:43 am

  I just have two questions for you today. 1. What are three things you want to accomplish with your life? Really think about your answer to that for a few minutes, if you don’t already know. Your list doesn’t have to include things like bringing about world peace or stamping out hunger, but it should include goals that are important to you personally. In other words, your answer should include things you really would like to accomplish before you leave this earth. Write those things down. Now, answer the next question: 2. What have you done today to bring yourself closer to…

• A Quick Survey

  Jackie

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:43 pm

  I don’t normally post on Tuesdays, but I wanted to pass along this request from the New Road Map Foundation, the non-profit organization started by the authors of my favorite personal finance book, Your Money or Your Life. They’re researching how people get out of debt and would like your help. Here’s what they have to say:   In America, we know a fair amount about how people get into debt and how difficult it is to get out of it.  We know very little, however, about the people who successfully repaid their debts – what programs actually helped which kinds of people…

• Ready, Fire, Aim!

  Jackie

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  You’ve probably heard the expression, “Ready, fire, aim!” before. It makes us laugh a little, because of course we know that it should really be “Ready, aim, fire!”. Sadly, the reality is that it’s often neither of those things. Instead, we go with “Ready, fire!” — which is at least better than never getting to “fire!” at all. Of course we all know that “Ready, aim, fire!” gets the best results, even though the other scenarios are much more common. But they don’t have to be. How do you make sure you’re…

• The Etsy Experiment: Month One

  Jackie

  3 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  One of the businesses I mentioned in Seven Businesses You Can Start for $100 or Less was opening an Etsy shop. With its low listing fees of 20 cents per item and its sales fee of 3.5% of the sales price of items sold, it definitely met my “$100 or less” criteria. And according to this Inc. article, as of April 2010 “…the number of items sold on Etsy totaled 1.3 million, and the statistics have been increasing exponentially since its inception in 2005.” So I considered that proof that at least some sellers are able to make money through Etsy. But could I do it…

• On Risk Taking

  Jackie

  1 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  It’s just a fact that life involves some risk taking. The thing is, there are different kinds of risk taking — everything from getting up and driving to work (which includes the possibility of getting in an accident) to deciding whether or not to buy a house. Many of those risks either directly or indirectly impact our financial lives. First, there are the financial risks — things like not preparing an adequate emergency fund or not carrying health insurance. What happens if you lose your job or get sick? That sort of financial risk taking can leave you broke and unable to…

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  Million Dollar Journey

• Scams of the Modern World – I

  Clark

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:30 am

  As most of us would agree, greed and gullibility fuel the growth of unscrupulous people and their myriad ways of deceiving the public through various channels. The scams we read about are diverse in nature and the investment industry has not been left untouched either. Below are some of the typical scams that we should be aware of and also let our near and dear ones know. Pyramid Schemes These schemes depend on the availability of enough victims to perpetrate the con. Pyramid schemes are sometimes referred to as network or multi-level marketing schemes. A well-known type is the Ponzi scheme,…

• Facebook IPO – Will You be Buying?

  FrugalTrader

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:30 am

  If you’ve been following finance news over the past couple of weeks, you would have likely read the headlines about the much anticipated Facebook Initial Public Offering (IPO).  With Facebook having the largest social network in the world with over 840 million active members and growing, they are moving towards Google like dominance, which has brought the interest of investors worldwide. So what is an IPO?  It’s basically a way for a company to raise money by issuing shares to public markets.  In the process, it can make existing shareholders very wealthy.  In this case, Mark…

• Are Junk Bonds for You?

  Clark

  1 Feb 2012 | 6:30 am

  As we have seen in earlier posts, a bond is a loan made to a government or corporation with the borrower obligated to pay back the principal with interest at maturity. The creditworthiness of the borrower (bond issuer) is reflected in the bond’s credit rating; the better the ability of the issuer to meet their debt obligation, the higher the credit quality of the bond. Bonds with superior long-term credit ratings (AAA, AA+, AA, etc.) are known as prime or high-grade bonds. These bonds are issued by companies with a solid track record and the high rating is a testament to the…

• Net Worth Update Jan 2012 (+2.16%) – A Fresh Start!

  FrugalTrader

  30 Jan 2012 | 6:30 am

  Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey January 2012 Net Worth Update – The first update for 2012! For those of you new to Million Dollar Journey, a monthly net worth update is typically posted near the end of the month (or beginning of the next) to track the progress of my journey to one million in net worth, hopefully by the time I’m 35 years old (end of 2014).  If you would like to follow my journey, you can get my updates sent directly to your email or you can sign up for the Money Tips Newsletter.. With a new year comes a fresh start, new goals, and the financial checklist of accounts…

• Last Chance for Newsletter Offer, Lost Decade, Mens Health and More

  FrugalTrader

  27 Jan 2012 | 6:30 am

  Remember the Successful Investor Stock Pick Newsletter offer that was supposed to end Jan 15?  Due to interest from readers, I managed to convince TSI to extend the offer until the end of January!  So as it stands right now, you can still get a one year subscription for the exclusive MDJ price of $30, which is $109 cheaper than their regular price and $59 cheaper than their current promo price on their site.  Check it out the deal here. Europe and the Lost Decade @ Canadian Money Forum Grading Men’s Health’s Tips to Build Wealth in Trouble Times @ Lazy man and Money Why Use Cloth…

• 

  Bible Money Matters

• How I Ended Up With A $5000 Dollar Tax Bill This Year. Oops!

  Peter Anderson

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:29 am

  This past week I started getting all of my tax forms.  I got my W2 from the company I work for at my day job, 1099s from a variety of companies that I do freelance work for, some miscellaneous tax forms from investments that we have and reporting forms showing how much we’ve donated to our church and other charities. I’ve been using TurboTax for the past few years, and I’ll be using it again this year – so I started entering all of my information into their software a couple of nights ago (check out the tax software  I recommend).   I’m still waiting on a…

• Lending Club Returns Continue Upward Trend At 11.44%. Lending Club Passes 500 Million In Loan Originations

  Peter Anderson

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:26 pm

  I‘ve been investing with Lending Club for a couple of years now, and I’ve gone from a skeptic when I first started investing with the service, to someone who is convinced that Lending Club can be an integral piece in any person’s investing strategy. I’ve seen good returns since I started, and despite warnings from a variety of sources about how the site was a flash in the pan and not something you’d probably want to put your money in, I’ve stuck with it. Over the years I’ve used the site I’ve only had one loan get charged off.  Since I was…

• Why You May Want To Get A Life Insurance Policy Even If You Don’t Have Kids

  Melissa

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:19 am

  Many say the life of responsibility begins when you walk down the aisle and say, “I do.”  Still others believe it truly begins when you have a child.  Certainly having a child can make you question your values and what you believe to be important in your life as well as make many people want to be more financially responsible.  Often, a couple finds the time immediately after the birth of a child to be a good time to buy life insurance. The thing is, you may want to consider purchasing life insurance even before your first child is born. Do You Need Life Insurance? Life insurance for a…

• Cutting The Cord And Getting Your TV On The Cheap (Without Using The Big Bad Cable And Satellite Companies)

  Peter Anderson

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:20 pm

  A couple of years ago I wrote a post on this site called Ways To Watch TV Without Paying An Arm And A Leg For Cable Or Satellite where I talked about a variety of ways that you can find free or cheap TV, movie and other entertainment content online – while not spending an obscene amount on a monthly cable or satellite TV bill. In the article I gave an inside look at the setup we have used at our house that gave us pretty much all the entertainment options that we would ever need. While our setup still works, it’s been a while since I wrote the post so today I thought I would write…

• How To File Your Federal Taxes For Free Using Free E-File Programs

  Peter Anderson

  2 Feb 2012 | 10:19 am

  Over the last few years I have considered not doing my taxes on my own and instead going to a CPA.  My tax situation has become more complicated, what with side income from the blog, taxable investments like Lending Club and Betterment, and a variety of other things that make tax day a bit more fun. The last few years, while I’ve been close to going to a CPA, the frugal spender in me keeps coming out, and I’ve gone back to the TurboTax software time and time again.   I’ve been using it for years now because I just didn’t feel like there was anything I couldn’t…

• 

  Canadian Personal Finance Blog

• Choosing a Career: an interesting Paradox

  bigcajunman

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:54 am

  My youngest daughter will be graduating from high school in a few months and she is concerned that she has not got a solid idea of what she wants to do at University and where she wants to attend. I have told her not to worry about it, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do until I graduated and even then I am not completely sure I ever really decided it just kind of happened (and I was very lucky). She then said to me that a friend was talking about going to Africa to teach English (interesting I would have thought you were going over there to work for OXFAM or some aid group, do the…

• Did You Know the CRA Has a YouTube Account?

  bigcajunman

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:19 am

  Indeed it does! Our friends at the CRA are working to help folks like me who don’t like reading much, by creating some very helpful videos to explain the various rules and tricks to do your Income Tax Returns. Are they really explanatory and useful? I think they are, they don’t go into gory details, but they are still quite useful, and they introduce the topics quite well, and make you aware of things that you might have forgotten about, or maybe didn’t even know. I subscribe to their YouTube channel, so when they upload new videos (and they seem to be doing that often this…

• OMG Giveaway Time: Turbotax

  bigcajunman

  7 Feb 2012 | 1:27 am

  Given the RRSP season is actually here, but to take full advantage of this, you need your tools to figure out whether buying RRSPs now is a good thing. Our friends at Intuit even offer a Free RRSP calculator on-line as well. Did I say Giveaway? Yes, I did, all you need to do is comment on this exact article in the format of: I want online Turbotax for free because…. That is it. Last year, I gave away the software and only got two applicants, so you have a darn good chance if you just leave a correctly formatted comment (and you must leave your e-mail address with the comment too, so I…

• Employment Hovers in January in Canada

  bigcajunman

  6 Feb 2012 | 1:12 am

  Evidently the pundits were expecting better numbers, but employment numbers stayed virtually the same in January (compared to December) and thanks to the accounting method, unemployment actually jumped in January. Both full-time and part-time employment were essentially unchanged in January. Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of full-time workers was up 1.2% (+170,000), while the number of part-time workers declined 1.2% (-41,000). At the same time, the total number of hours worked grew 1.4%, with all of the increase in the first half of the period. OK, not great news, but at least…

• Romney Rolls and Sunday’s Best

  bigcajunman

  5 Feb 2012 | 1:31 am

  Looks interesting down south in the GOP primaries, with Mitt Romney taking a lead, but does he have it all locked up? I have no idea, but American Politics are my favorite reality TV show these days. If Romney threatens to fire a few more folks, I think he’ll have the nomination in the bag. Winterlude starts up here in Ottawa, with skating and lots of fun winter activities. In Canada we have continued fear mongering about what the Conservatives may do to the Canada Pension Plan, and even more warnings from PSAC to the membership about upcoming severe cuts in the civil service.  How…

• 

  My Investing Blog

• How Do You Earn Money From Affiliate Programs?

  Maricel

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:36 pm

  Don’t let the title confuse you. This is just another way of earning passive income online via one type of internet marketing called affiliate marketing.  Simply put, it’s the income derived when an affiliate website sends traffic or generates sales for a merchant website. Affiliate websites post links to merchant sites and are paid through a certain agreement. If the links bring traffic or sales, the merchant site pays the website according to the agreement. This works well with content-driven websites (blogs for example) that brings in high traffic. The higher the traffic to the…

• 10 Easy Tips to Reduce Your Income Taxes

  Jason

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:35 pm

  Photo by John Morgan By Jason Van Steenwyk In the end, it’s not about how much you earn, but about how much of it you get to keep. In most cases, this means that you want to minimize your current year tax bill. There are, however, cases where it is better to pay the tax bill now in order to avoid having to pay higher taxes in future years. November and December are prime time for forward-thinking individuals and business owners to do some tax planning for the year. Moves you make now can pay off very quickly. Here are some of the things you can accomplish now, before the end of the year, to…

• Understanding the Basics of Stocks and Bonds

  Kristen

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:40 am

  Photo credit: Alex E. Proimos Whether you have some cash you want to directly invest or you are just trying to decide on the best plan for your retirement savings accounts, understanding how stocks and bonds work is critical. Although they seem intimidating, the concepts of stocks and bonds are actually quite simple for anyone to understand. First, let’s start with stocks, which are what usually comes to mind when people think of investing. When a company wants to grow and needs capital, one technique it uses is going public and allowing individuals to buy shares of the company, represented…

• Teaching The Entrepreneurial Mindset To Your Kids

  Maricel

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:33 am

  How are great entrepreneurs made? The answer is a classic nature versus nurture debate! Sure we have heard of successful, famous entrepreneurs and leaders, as well as well-known creative artists with the “CEO Disease”. People like Ted Turner, Pierre Peladeau, Abraham Lincoln, Vincent Van Gogh; even Steve Jobs was said to be diagnosed with this type of mental illness medically known as manic depression or bipolar disorder. Scientific evidence points to protein abnormalities in the brain linked to genetic origins as the cause of this disease that gives these successful people the kind of…

• Why Are So Many People Buying Gold?

  Jason

  5 Feb 2012 | 12:29 pm

  by Jason Van Steenwyk Photo Credit: Covilha It seems like these days, gold is all you hear about on the radio. Talk radio and television is thick with advertisements hawking gold and precious metals as an investment. And these days, there’s even a thriving segment of the financial planning industry dedicated to helping people own gold in their IRAs and other retirement accounts. So why the craze? Several reasons: Crisis We recently had a severe liquidity crunch that threatened to disrupt the entire financial system. When real estate prices collapsed, they took a lot of banks down with them.

• 

  2million's Personal Finance Blog

• The Total Cost of a Speeding Ticket

  2million

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:01 am

  I got my first speeding ticket in about 10 years last year. It was just a dumb move on my part as I wasn't paying close attention to my car's speed. I paid $139 for the ticket after court costs and other fees. I expected my next insurance bill to be slightly higher, but wasn't sure what to expect. Our annual car insurance bill in 2012 went up $172.05 to $963.17 for my wife & I. I believe 100% of the increase is due to my speeding ticket as I can't find any other indication of a rate increase, but I guess there is a chance some of it is a rate increase. I did a quick search at it looks like a…

• January 2012 Net Worth Update (+$29,888)

  2million

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:21 pm

  Assets Dec-11 Jan-12 Change Cash & Savings $ 27,882.26 $ 27,618.74 $ (263.52) -0.95% Taxable Brokerage Accts $ 158,906.63 $ 164,890.42 $ 5,983.79 3.77% Roth IRAs $ 82,652.93 $ 86,835.15 $ 4,182.22 5.06% Pre-tax Retirement Accts $ 272,245.83 $ 287,564.04 $ 15,318.21 5.63% Stock Options ESPP $ 921.38 $ 1,097.09 $ 175.71 19.07% Property #1 - Rental $ 160,000.00 $ 160,000.00 0.00% Property #2 - Rental $ 128,225.00 $ 128,225.00 0.00% Property #3 - Primary $ 300,000.00 $ 300,000.00 0.00% Property #4 - Rental $ 163,000.00 $ 163,000.00 Receivable (Payable) Other Assets Total Assets $ 1,293,834.03…

• Reducing Financial Impacts of a Job Loss

  2million

  26 Jan 2012 | 11:40 am

  My wife was recently notified that the preschool she teaches at for a few hours a week is shutting down. It got us thinking about a more difficult scenario for us - the loss of my job. Given its by far the most significant income we have we'd be in a world of hurt rather quickly if something happened. One of the things we have been working over the years is to expand our multiple streams of income as this is by far the best way for us to divert a potential disaster. Reduced reliance on a single income could be a huge safety net for us. However I recognize we are not in a comfortable position…

• Reduce Home Energy Costs

  2million

  23 Jan 2012 | 7:18 am

  Regulars readers know over the past couple years I've had some focus on trying to reduce our household energy costs. We moved into our current home at the end of 2008 and it didn't take long for me to realize we bought ourselves a money pit when it comes to energy usage. We current live in an approx 2,600 two story traditional single family house on a crawlspace foundation with a 1994 gas pack HVAC downstairs and 2003 heat pump upstairs. We also have a circa 1994 electric water heater located in the crawlspace and a well for our water. My wife stays at home with my daughter during the day,…

• Time Is Money

  2million

  16 Jan 2012 | 9:30 am

  While on our transatlantic cruise our dinner table companions were 2 couples in their late twenties/early thirties that had quit their jobs and were trekking around the world. We had some great discussions about life and I gained a lot of insight in to how to travel more frugally. One thing that stuck with me was the paradigm they operate in when spending money. They viewed time as an abundant resource as they had a lot more time than money. The decision criteria they used is very different than ours these days in which I consider us very time poor. These globe trekking couples happily trade…

• 

  FIRE Finance

• What Should We Do If Our Mutual Fund Goes Belly Up?

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:06 pm

  A common notion is that if we work hard at our jobs, save diligently and then invest our hard earned money in a well diversified portfolio which promises an average return of at least 8% on the long run, our financial future would be safe and secure. There are many real life stories that have proven the viability of this concept. But the current economic downturn does not guarantee anything. We Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• $30 OFF - OfficeMax Coupon Codes | Promotional Codes | Discounts - 2012

  7 Feb 2012 | 6:37 pm

  Here are some great OfficeMax coupons that can come in handy if you are planning to make some big ticket purchases for office supplies. These coupons from OfficeMax can give you substantial savings if you are planning to buy tax or personal finance software. We hope that these Office Max coupons help save your hard earned dollars. OfficeMax Coupon Code - $30 OFF $30 OFF your Next Purchase of Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• Staples Ink Cartridge Trade In

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:04 pm

  Staples has a recycling program which allows you to trade in ink cartridges. You can now recycle your empty ink and toner cartridges at any Staples store and earn $2 per cartridge in Staples Rewards. You can use Staples Rewards currency to buy what you need at any Staples store or online or over the phone. Staples Ink Cartridge Trade In Link There is a limit of recycling 10 cartridges per Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• January's Best of FIRE Finance - 2012

  30 Jan 2012 | 11:31 pm

  Jan 31, 2012: January, the first month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, is named for Janus (Ianuarius), the God of the Doorway. In Latin, the word for door is "ianua" - January is the door to the year. The name has its beginnings in Roman mythology. Traditionally, the original Roman calendar consisted of 10 months which summed up to 304 days. Winter was considered a month less Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• Top Traffic Referrers for FIRE Finance - Dec 2011

  26 Jan 2012 | 12:41 pm

  Jan 26, 2012: December was a fun month since it brought in holidays filled with the spirit of sharing. It's always exciting to choose gifts for our loved ones. The beauty of pure joy shared with our near and dear ones is unparalleled. We hope you had a fabulous time too :). We're really thankful to our readers and the pf community who sent traffic our way in the holidays. Here's our top traffic Click on the post title to continue reading .....

• 

  How I Save Money.net

• Monthly Financial Check Up: January 2012

  LuLuGal

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:29 am

  This month I came in $1681.17 in the red. I was expecting to have a negative cash flow because of the job loss so that was something to keep in mind. Areas where I remained under budget are: -Shopping : I remained at $66.65 under my shopping budget. This budget includes household items, clothing and personal items. - Home: As usual, I remained under my home budget for the month, based on the rent and water bills. - Utilities: I stayed under my utilities budget to the tune of $42.26, even though the electric bill still needs to come down. Areas where I went over budget are: - Food: I…

• Send Money Online With Credit Cards Through Moneygram

  LuLuGal

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:59 am

  I have been using MoneyGram to send money every now and then to family members who are outside of the country. I liked the program because once you register online you can receive a discount on the fee every time you send money. I had not sent money in a little while but last week I needed to send some money in a hurry. I would have had to transfer the money from my ING savings account into a local account and then withdraw it to take cash to MoneyGram. This would take me a few days and my relative was really in a hurry so I wondered if I could do it online instead. I logged in to my…

• Valentine’s Day Is Almost Here!!!

  LuLuGal

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:33 am

  So Valentine’s day is right around the corner and I know that many of us are getting ready to shell out some big bucks for that special someone. There are so many options of what to give someone to show you care but they do not all need to cost lots of money. A valentine’s day gift can be sweet and practical at the same time and it can still mean a lot to someone. I know that a few people have been concerned with the economy and may be cutting back on gifts this year…while others are experiencing an uptick in finances and will spare no expense. The important thing to…

• Started Working On My Taxes

  LuLuGal

  30 Jan 2012 | 4:21 am

  Well I still do not have all of the documents I need to completely file my taxes. I started inputting what I have so I could see an estimate of the final picture. My tax situation is greatly different from previous years because I lost my job last year and still have not found suitable full time employment. My W2 lists a really low figure compared to past months since I did not receive paychecks from September to December of last year. I ended up giving the same amount at church as I was giving before I lost my job but the tax software is saying I cannot claim it because I donated too much…

• Just Pulled A Credit Report

  LuLuGal

  27 Jan 2012 | 4:57 am

  I just pulled one of my credit reports from the ONLY site that is totally FREE. To get your free credit report directly from the three agencies you need to go annualcreditreport.com to log in. Once you have filled in the necessary identifying information on the first page you will be able to request a credit report from Experian Equifax Transunion. You can request all three at the same time or you can do what I do, which is request one from each bureau every four months so that you spread out the reports over a full year. I was only able to get one report this time because it is not time for…

• 

  Funny about Money

• Is This EVER Gonna Go Away?

  funny

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  Up since 2:00 a.m. coughing and gagging. This is bar none THE worst respiratory ailment I’ve ever had. Have lost track of how long this had been going on because I’m too sick to think, but my sense is it’s been about a month or six weeks. I’m beginning to think it’s never going to clear up. Guess I’ll have to call the crew at the Mayo again. Ugh! How I hate having to beat my way through rank after rank of gatekeepers to get at a doctor. Apparently they’re hired to block patients from talking to doctors. Then, whenever I do manage to get an…

• Tax Time y-Cumin’ In

  funny

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Getting a running head start on the taxes this year, thanks to a new(ish) accountant who sees  no good excuse for dawdling. Tax time, is, after all, a-coming in, and really, except for a couple of stray K-1′s from the ex-DH’s various limited partnerships, there’s no reason not to start pulling all this stuff together. The S-corp’s 2011 tax data, such as it is, can be said to already be pulled. The 1099s have been sent winging toward the folks who help make Funny about Money and The Copyeditor’s Desk possible, and all of the corporate transactions are duly…

• High Noon: Concealed Weapons on the College Campus

  funny

  4 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  Having been vetoed by our governor last year, our wacko legislators are trying again to make it legal for students and faculty to carry concealed weapons on college campuses. Does anyone need any other evidence of how crazy these people are? Even after the bonkers defunct Senator Russell Pearce was yanked out of office by a recall election, they just don’t get the picture that Arizona still has some rational citizens. Pearce promptly found new work as the state Republican party’s vice-chairman (its no. 2 position) and still maintains a Web page describing himself as Senator. Why…

• Susan G. Komen vs. Planned Parenthood

  funny

  3 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  So, what do you think about the flap over the Pink Ribbon set’s slap in the face to Planned Parenthood, wherein the Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity announced it was cutting off its funding to one of the major providers of women’s healthcare because (horrors!) it provides contraceptive care and ends unwanted pregnancies. Predictably, it sure makes me mad as a cat. Reproductive care—including decisions about when and under what circumstances one is going to bear a child—is a central part of women’s health care. Many more of us ovulate and get pregnant than fall victim…

• Saved from Another $250 Bill

  funny

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:08 pm

  Surprise! Something didn’t go wrong for a change! Last month I figured I was $650 or so in the hole, but that was wrong because I’d forgotten to enter the $225 bill for the oven repair. So January actually ended about $875 in the red. {sigh} Hoping to recover sometime before the utility bills heat up in lockstep with the weather (according to NASA, temps are supposed to go up about 2 degrees in these parts, which would give us 118- to 120-degree days this summer), I’m pinching every penny this month. Yesterday I went to turn the heat on under a pan and…nothing. The…

• 

  Rule #1 Blog: Phil Town on Investing

• FREE RULE #1 CASH FLOW WORKSHOP TO TEN ESSAY WINNERS

  Phil Town

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Hi Rulers, We are going to hold our first Rule #1 Cash Flow 3-Day Workshop here in Atlanta Friday through Sunday, Feb 17-19.  This is a BETA workshop to get our the team ready for their first live events 'paid' coming up in March where the students will have paid $4,995 each to attend.   Melissa and I will be at the Workshop in Atlanta to observe this unique event. Its going to be a very small workshop - 20-30 people.  There are already 10 people enrolled from customer support team.   If you attend this Workshop you are in for an enlightening, inspiring, revolutionary educational…

• JOHN DUNCAN ON INTUITIVE SURGICAL - MOS BUT NO PBT

  Phil Town

  22 Jan 2012 | 6:40 pm

  John Duncan posted this ISRG analysis on my facebook messages page and I thought it was rational so here it is: The Robotic Surgery money machine Phil, I would appreciate it if you could review my analysis of Intuitive Surgical (ISRG).  I purchased this business (okay, not the whole thing, but quite a few shares of it) when it was definitely on sale and made a good profit.  I recently sold it.  Since then it has run up even more in value.  Now I wonder if I made a mistake. What is Intuitive Surgical? ISRG is a manufacturer of a proprietary robotic surgical system - the "Da Vinci…

• THE SECRET DOCUMENT THAT TRANSFORMED CHINA

  Phil Town

  21 Jan 2012 | 2:09 pm

  My daughter, Danielle, found the following incredible story on the NPR iPhone App:http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/01/20/145360447/the-secret-document-that-transformed-china?sc=17&f=1001 The Secret Document That Transformed Chinaby David Kestenbaum and Jacob Goldstein - January 20, 2012 In 1978, the farmers in a small Chinese village called Xiaogang gathered in a mud hut to sign a secret contract. They thought it might get them executed. Instead, it wound up transforming China's economy in ways that are still reverberating today. The contract was so risky — and such a big deal —…

• 

  Timothy Sykes

• Video Of My Visit To SureTrader Headquarters & Free Wires Until February 10th

  Timothy Sykes

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  As I posted yesterday, I’m disappointed/disgusted that I work so hard finding you the best broker for short sellinf in SureTrader and yet sooooooo few of you take me up on it, continually whining about not being able to find … Continue reading → .

• I Am Hugely Disappointed In You

  Timothy Sykes

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:39 am

  URGENT: If you’re reading this now, you missed the live show, but you can still watch it on demand, as I made a very cool announcement on a special LiveStock from SureTrader‘s offices in the Bahamas today, check it out … Continue reading → .

• 3 Penny Stock FAQs I Answered Before I Left For The Bahamas The Other Day

  Timothy Sykes

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  Asked the trading challenge Student last night: Real quick before you head off to the bahamas, what advice can you give me for getting into a daily routine, maybe an example of yours i want to start digging in…also what … Continue reading → .

• Innovation In Trading & Penny Stock Scam Busting: A 72-Minute Podcast You Should Listen To

  Timothy Sykes

  5 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  I did this podcast on Endacast a while ago but as trading challenge students know, it’s been a VERY busy few months….the good news is the topics are still valid: In this episode of Endacast, Sal talks to Logan about … Continue reading → .

• You Don’t Have To Wait For The IPO, You Can Trade Facebook’s Stock Now!

  Timothy Sykes

  4 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  There’s been tons of media hype on Facebook’s IPO, but only one way to make $ on it today: Click here to see how Yup, the actual IPO isn’t for several months but there’s an opportunity to profit now: Don’t … Continue reading → .

• 

  Lending Club Blog

• Lending Club’s Year in Review

  Lending Club

  13 Jan 2012 | 2:12 pm

  As we look back at 2011, we wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on a successful year and especially to thank our many borrowers, investors and employees who made it all possible! A record 21,721 loans for $257,363,650 were originated on the Lending Club platform during calendar 2011, more than double the $126,351,175 issued via 12,537 loans during calendar 2010!  (Lending Club’s fiscal year ends March 31st.)  Through December 31st, a total of $460,296,150 of personal loans have been originated since we commenced operations in 2007! Who are some of the people who helped make 2011 a…

• Press Play: Lending Club’s Video Highlights

  Lending Club

  21 Nov 2011 | 4:09 am

  Lending Club is proud of the recent successes we've had as a financial community with our investors and borrowers, and we've been fortunate to have been featured in many well-established, recognized publications in the past few months. From hitting $400 million in loan originations, to airing our very first TV commercial, we're looking forward to wrapping up 2011 with a bang (and maybe with some more record-breaking news, too!) Here's a look back at some of our most recent video highlights: Fox Business – Oct. 7, 2011 "A Loan That Works for Borrowers and Investors" Renaud LaPlanche, Lending…

• Happy $400MM To Us!

  Lending Club

  3 Nov 2011 | 5:12 pm

  We’re proud to announce that this week Lending Club passed $400 million in total loan originations, less than four months after reaching $300 million. It’s hard to visualize such a large number, and we’ve had some fun kicking around ways to understand just how much money $400 million is—for example, it could buy 100 million gallons of gas (enough to drive from San Francisco to New York 1 million times!), 200 million Slurpees, or maybe 250 Lamborghini Reventons. But in all seriousness, reaching $400 million is a big milestone for us, and an exciting way to move into the final months of…

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  MintLife Blog | Personal Finance News & Advice

• Hot, High-Paying Career Sectors

  Janet Al-Saad

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:26 pm

  In today’s labor market, a well-paid, lucrative job may sound like wishful thinking. We have all heard grim stories of unsuccessful job hunting, but the news is not all dire. According to career site PayScale.com, the good news is that certain industries are still offering fast growing jobs in this otherwise slow-growth economy. Not all jobs are “hot,” but those looking to start a new career might be helped by looking specifically at certain jobs that pay well in growing industries. These jobs are largely specialized roles that require dedication and are traditionally…

• A Guide to Raising Financially Fit Children

  Vivian Wagner

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:27 pm

  Teaching kids about money, like teaching them about anything, isn’t always easy. Raising financially-fit children, however, is one of the key duties of a parent, so any time spent in this area will pay off. Parents must start teaching their children about money when they’re young. The lessons learned in early childhood will last children through their teenage years and into adulthood It’s more difficult to start giving lessons to teenagers. Therefore, the earlier you start, the more likely the lessons will stick. With that in mind, here are a few guidelines for teaching kids…

• How to Be a Frugal Foodie On Valentine’s Day

  Frugal Foodie

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:46 am

  A romantic Valentine’s Day meal may be the fastest way to your sweetie’s heart – and an empty wallet. The National Retail Federation expects that the 35.6% of people who say they plan to take their significant other out that night will spend a collective $3.5 billion, second only to jewelry in terms of holiday expense. Houston Asset Management, which creates an annual “Cost of Loving Index” for common gifts, says diners can expect to spend 9% more this year, due largely to higher food prices. Despite these figures, it’s relatively easy to be both frugal and romantic, whether…

• Why You Want to Start an Emergency Fund Today

  Craig Guillot

  7 Feb 2012 | 3:54 pm

  According to a 2011 survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 64% of Americans don’t have enough cash on-hand to handle a $1,000 emergency. If you don’t have money put away for emergencies, you’re walking a financial tightrope. Building an emergency fund is one of the most important ways to protect yourself against financial disaster. It’s an account with money set aside strictly for emergencies and when bad things happen. Experts say when people fail to have an adequate emergency fund in place they often turn to debt. Because stuff happens Bad things…

• Cheap Valentine’s Day Dates

  Nicholas Pell

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:31 pm

  Valentine’s Day comes hot on the heels of the holiday gift-giving season. If you’re like most people, you’re sitting around looking at your bills wondering how you’re going to afford another holiday. What people often forget is that Valentine’s Day isn’t about expensive chocolates, flowers or fine dining — it’s about you and the one that you love spending time together. Whether you’re newlyweds or old marrieds, here are some ways you can spend February 14 that will have you remembering the very first time you met. A Home Cooked Meal Especially if one of you tends to do…

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  Personal Finance Buzz - Published news

• How I Ended Up With A $5000 Dollar Tax Bill This Year. Oops!

  biblemoneymatters

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:16 pm

  I just started entering my income, deductions and other information in preparation for filing taxes. Unexpectedly I realized that I will owe almost $5000 this year.

• Euro Recovers Some of Its Losses in Choppy Trading

  MMarquit

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:39 am

  Trading remains choppy for the euro today as traders and investors look for direction. Everyone is waiting for a Greek debt deal to be reached, and a certain amount of concern is present that nothing has been signed yet.

• Financial Engineers Vs Real Engineers

  myuniversitymoney

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:35 am

  real engineers, guys that are actually responsible for building those little things we rarely use like bridges, roads, buildings, water systems, etc. They don’t make as much as the guys that play with numbers and don’t actually add anything of real value to our economy? At what point do we realize that this stuff has gone too far.

• US Dollar Index Falls Earlier, But is Gaining Ground Now

  MMarquit

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:40 am

  Many expect a Greek debt deal to be done today, and that means that there has been some demand for high beta currencies in earlier trading. Now, though, the US dollar seems to be gaining some ground as some of that risk appetite fades and the Greek situation looks a little less certain.

• Why Value Investors Should Avoid Most Value ETFs and Mutual Funds

  AAAMPblog

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:22 am

  Value investors should avoid most value ETFs and mutual funds because of financial service stocks that are now volatile and have erratic dividends.

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  Free Money Finance

• How Much Do You Spend on Kids' Birthday Parties?

  NA

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:29 am

  US News gives some alternatives to pricey kids' birthday parties. This piece made me wonder -- just how much do people spend on birthday parties for their kids? We have some friends that go totally overboard and others that seem to pass them by without much fanfare. Here's what we do: Each of our kids gets $100 for his/her birthday. They decide what they want to do with the $100 -- have a party, get presents, or pocket the cash. Over the years, we've had all of the scenarios accepted. The current favorite appears to be "pocket the cash." No matter which option is selected, we make the…

• Tricky Tactics by Mutual Funds

  NA

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:45 pm

  We've talked a lot about index fund investing and, specifically, how they beat most actively managed funds over a long period of time once costs are deducted from returns. As well as they do, Wise Bread thinks index funds probably beat more actively managed funds than is generally accepted because of some tricky tactics by those other funds. Their summary: Most funds try to compare themselves to the S&P 500, but many of them cite the performance of the index itself instead of the performance of the index plus the dividend that the 500 companies in the S&P 500 distribute. The current…

• Free Money Finance March Money Madness, Round 1, Posts 5-8

  NA

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:15 pm

  Here we go with the first round of Free Money Finance March Money Madness (to follow all the action click on my March Money Madness category link and scroll down to read all the posts involved in this subject.) I've listed each "game" (one post versus another) in segments along with the wording provided by the author when the post was submitted. I've also listed a keyword after each post title to make it easy to vote (as a made-up example, you can just comment: Game 1: Saving; Game 2: Investing, etc.) Be sure to comment which one you like the best out of each set of two -- you will help…

• Worst Money Advice Ever

  NA

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:45 am

  MSN Money lists six stories of people telling the worst financial advice they ever received. Here are the stories with my thoughts on each: "About 10 years ago an old accountant advised we cash in a substantial 401k plan to pay off credit card debt, instead of instituting a plan to pay it off over time and learn how to spend and save at the same time." I've learned this the hard way over the years of advising people: if the underlying habits don't change, then normally good money moves are worthless (not that cashing in a 401k is a good money move.) But hitting on their latter point, the…

• Where Do You Stand on These Financial Ratios?

  NA

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:29 am

  Dough Roller lists a set of financial ratios and gives guidelines on where each of us should stand in relation to them. These can be used as a sort of financial check-up to see if you're on track. Here they are along with where I fit into each one (FYI, I cut out the five (yes, FIVE!) debt ratios since I have no debt, including a mortgage, hence they are all "0" for me -- which made for some boring reading for you all if I included them): Emergency Fund Ratio (Liquid Assets/Monthly Expenses) -- The generally accepted rule of thumb is that you need 3 to 6 months of expenses in an emergency…

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  Ultimate Money Blog- Save Money and Live Green!

• Welcome, Baby Money!

  Mrs Money

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:41 pm

  I had my baby on January 22, 2012!  She was born at home and weighed 6 pounds even and was 19 inches long.  She came a lot earlier than I ever expected (I thought I would have her today!)  Life has been great lately, but more busy!  I can’t believe how much laundry a little person can help create.  We are so in love and couldn’t be happier.  I’m trying to think of a good nickname for her for the blog and the only thing I’ve come up with so far is Penny! I can see how our money is going to change as a result of the baby- I think our electric bill will be higher…

• Gluten Free Pancake Recipe

  Mrs Money

  11 Jan 2012 | 5:37 am

  One of my favorite breakfast foods is pancakes. Since going gluten free, I’ve had pancakes less often than usual. For awhile, we were buying Pamela’s Ultimate Baking and Pancake Mix but it got to be too expensive. I just couldn’t justify adding that into our food budget. I had to come up with some recipes that would be gluten free using items we normally had on hand. I have an awesome gluten free pancake recipe that has been tested and endorsed by those who are not even gluten free! Gluten Free Pancake Recipe (serves at least 2 people) -2 cups ground oats (you can use…

• Our 2012 Budget

  Mrs Money

  9 Jan 2012 | 5:10 am

  For 2012, I wanted to come up with a more accurate budget, seeing that our baby would be born this year and hopefully we’ll be able to control our spending without worrying too much about it. I figured if I budget better, then I’ll hopefully be less stressed about where our money is going. Of course, I’ve also decided I’m not going to be so darn hard on myself because I’ll have a baby and have no clue how that’s going to impact our budget. If it costs us more money than I anticipated, then it does, and I’ll adjust our budget accordingly. Here’s…

• 2012 Financial and Life Goals

  Mrs Money

  6 Jan 2012 | 5:56 am

  2012 is already here, and I’m a little behind on our financial and life goals.  I’m a little uncertain about what I should aim for, as we’re going to have a brand new baby and will have to adjust to the new expenses and life with a child.  My goals this year will be attainable (I hope!) and I am crossing my fingers for the best year ever.  It certainly will be interesting and a lot different than past years!  Here are some of the goals I’d like for us to accomplish: 1. Set up a savings account for the baby. The baby has not even been born yet and already has a…

• I’m Quitting my Job to be a Stay at Home Mom

  Mrs Money

  4 Jan 2012 | 5:18 am

  Friday, January 6 is my last day of employment with the bank.  I’ve been an employee there for over seven years, and it’s been a really tough decision, but I’ve decided that I’m going to quit and be a stay at home mom.  I’ve always wanted to do that, so this is the path I’m going to take.  I can always return to work if I have to.  When considering being a working versus stay at home mom, I considered many factors. 1. If I kept working, I’d have to pay daycare.  Full time day care is expensive, costing anywhere from $600-$800 a month!  That…

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  Money Crashers

• How to Barter for Goods & Services – Tips and Methods to Trade

  Andrea Blackwell

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:05 pm

  Have you ever had an item sitting in your home that’s just too good to discard, but you know you’ll never use it again? You can turn an old possession into something new by bartering. Bartering is the process of obtaining goods or services by direct exchange without the use of currency. In times of [...]How to Barter for Goods & Services – Tips and Methods to Trade is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

• Top 10 Female CEOs & Influential Business Women of American Companies

  Alison Storm

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:40 am

  Margaret Thatcher once famously said, “If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.” Neuroscientists have reported that there are innate differences in the way men and women think, but that doesn’t mean men make better leaders, despite the fact that more men have secured top leadership positions. [...]Top 10 Female CEOs & Influential Business Women of American Companies is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

• 5 Low-Risk Investments That Offer High Returns

  Mark Cussen

  7 Feb 2012 | 1:40 pm

  Conservative investors have been frustrated in recent years because low interest rates have left guaranteed instruments yielding virtually nothing. And while rates will undoubtedly rise again at some point, guaranteed instruments will never outpace inflation. This creates a dilemma for many investors who seek a decent return on their money, but don’t want to risk losing their [...]5 Low-Risk Investments That Offer High Returns is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

• How to Get Affordable Dental Care Without Insurance

  Kalen Smith

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:25 pm

  Can’t afford a trip to the dentist? You’re not alone. The cost of dental care has consistently risen by nearly twice the average rate of inflation over the past half-century. In addition to rising dental costs, the number of consumers with access to dental insurance decreased 5.7% from 2009 to 2010 alone, leaving only about [...]How to Get Affordable Dental Care Without Insurance is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

• What Is the Freecycle Network – Give & Get Free Stuff

  Rebecca VanderMeulen

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:45 am

  We all love saving money on items we buy – but getting stuff for free is even better. Thanks to the Freecycle Network, finding freebies is now easier than ever. Plus, using the site is a great way to get rid of clutter in your home, and it costs nothing. The concept of Freecycle is [...]What Is the Freecycle Network – Give & Get Free Stuff is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

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  Mighty Bargain Hunter

• Mr. Rebates is turning 10 … and giving away $10,000

  mbhunter

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:49 pm

  I’ve talked about Mr. Rebates before many times.  This website, which has now been around ten years, allows you to save money online through thousands of stores simply by clicking through Mr. Rebates on the way to the online store.  The rebates accumulate until you reach $10.00, and then you can request them through PayPal. After you sign up, they’ll even kick in $5.00 toward your first payout.  Got friends?  If they sign up through you, then whatever rebates they earn will trigger a 20% commission to you.  Forever.  (It doesn’t reduce their rebate at all.  This is a…

• The magic of compounding has left the building?

  mbhunter

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:56 am

  You’ve heard of the magic of compounding, right? If not, here’s a quick version.  Let’s say you have a savings account that earns 1% per month.  (Don’t laugh too hard.  My dad had one that paid this rate at one point.)  Let’s say also that you put in $1,000 at the start of 2012, and never add anything more.  According to the Rule of 72, after about 72 months, I’ll have about $2,000.  In another 72 months, I’ll have $4,000.  In another 72, $8,000.  The amount in the account doubles each 72 months it sits there.  This happens because the amount…

• How to save money on gifts for your spouse

  mbhunter

  26 Jan 2012 | 1:53 am

  Next week I’ll have been married ten years to the best woman in the world.  (Yeah, I know — I’m biased.) We’ve gotten into the habit of letting each other know before we’re about to purchase something big — something that costs in the neighborhood of $150 or more.  When I tipped my plans to get a rather expensive 10th anniversary gift, my wife thought that we had better uses for the money at this time. This leniency extends to other gift-giving occasions like Christmas, birthdays, and even Valentine’s Day. She lets me off the hook.  But…

• Reusing paper towels?! Hmmmm …

  mbhunter

  16 Jan 2012 | 1:50 am

  We don’t watch a whole lot of TV — and we only have basic cable anyway — so I’m not a regular watcher of Extreme Cheapskates on TLC.  The first time I had heard of the show was through a video on MSN.com. This particular one-minute clip features four extreme cheapskate tactics: Cutting open toothpaste tubes to get at the last bit of toothpaste Sharpening the blades from disposable razors on the striking surface of a box of matches Pulling apart two-ply toilet paper to get two one-ply rolls Hanging up paper towels to dry Life is a giant exercise in opportunity cost…

• My two cents on Suze Orman and her prepaid card

  mbhunter

  11 Jan 2012 | 2:03 am

  Suze Orman needed to upgrade her leather jacket to a flak jacket tonight in a personal finance scrap match with personal finance bloggers over her new self-branded prepaid debit card.  The Approved Card is her own personally-branded prepaid debit card with what appears to be a decent package of tools and features.  The downsides, as pointed out by PT Money, are a $36/year minimum fee and a less-than-clear path to using it for building or rebuilding credit. Some of the more outspoken posters got tweets back from Orman’s Twitter account.  20 and Engaged has a history of the…

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  Rich Credit Debt Loan

• How to Get Out of Trouble in the Real Estate Market

  Rich Leverage

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:52 am

  If you invested in the real estate market recently and are now regretting that decision, there are a few ways that you can get out of financial trouble. For awhile, the real estate market was very solid and property values were going up. Many experts advised investing heavily in real estate, seemingly forgetting to take into consideration that the ride couldn’t last for long. This means that thousands, if not millions of people, are now wondering how they can get out of the real estate market and salvage at least some of their investment. First, it is important to see if you really do need…

• WSJ Complete Personal Finance Guidebook By Jeff Opdyke

  Rich Leverage

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:49 pm

  When it comes to a trusted source for financial news and information, it’s hard to beat the Wall Street Journal. They have introduced a line of guidebooks on many financial topics, but for this review we’ll be taking a look at their Personal Finance guidebook. While it may be a little simplistic for the financial whiz, it is certainly a must-read for those that are still struggling with their personal finance issues, or just starting out in the world. It should be noted that there is a companion book to this title, called the The Wall Street Journal. Personal Finance Workbook. We highly…

• Review of Stop Sitting On Your Assets

  Rich Leverage

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:36 am

  Marian Snow’s book had a lot of promise. First, it discusses equity harvesting and how to get the maximum amount of equity out of your home without being taxed on it. Second, it discusses how to use that money to make more money. Sounds great on the surface, but this book failed to deliver and ended up being a major disappointment. The subtitle: How to Safely Leverage the Equity Trapped in Your Home and Transform It Into a Constant Flow of Wealth and Security seems a bit macabre now, in the wake of the housing crisis and one wonders how many people are regretting that they ever picked this…

• What You Need to Know Before Buying a Foreclosed Property

  Rich Leverage

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:23 pm

  As housing prices keep falling, many people are considering getting into the property market like never before. If you are looking for an investment property, now is certainly the time to strongly consider your options. However, before you get in over your head, there are a few things you need to know about foreclosed property. First, it is a good idea to figure out how you plan to use the property. Since the rental market is booming right now, we’re going to focus on that for this particular article. Most of the tips will also apply if you are planning on purchasing a property for resale.

• The Benefits of Leveraging Debt to Create Multiple Income Streams

  Rich Leverage

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:21 am

  Let’s face it, debt has managed to earn itself a pretty bad name in most circles, but in many cases, this stigma is undeserved. Debt, when used properly, can help you secure your financial future. While no one is arguing that improperly used debt is a bad thing, good debt is possible. Commonly, good debt is synonymous with leveraged debt. This refers to the process of using debt in order to create multiple streams of income. You have to spend money to make money and unless you happen to have a bunch just lying around, you’re going to need to go into debt at first in order to secure your…

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  Spilling Buckets

• It’s Halftime in America: What are your perseverance stories?

  Leslie

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:09 am

  With so much negativity spewing from the politicians and the news media, it was nice to see a Super Bowl 2012 ad that was so uplifting. One that reminded us what America is about. It was the Chrysler, “Halftime in America” ad with Clint Eastwood. “This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again, and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines. Yeah, it’s halftime America. And, our second half is about to begin. The American Spirit is one that doesn’t give up. We get knocked down sometimes, but then we regroup, rethink…

• Net Worth Update: January 2012

  Ryan

  2 Feb 2012 | 9:56 am

  January was the month of the savings reboot. At least the start of it. A little while back we wrote about a potential job loss on the horizon and some of the exciting (yes, exciting) and challenging things that will likely result from it.  It’s also forced us to do a little priority shuffle as we plan out the next 6 months or so. Here’s a few updates on the changes so far this year: We pressed pause on debt destruction. You’d think it would be easy to select that “minimum payment” button instead of the “enter the biggest number you can” input…

• Is Gardening in Small Spaces Easier than in Your Backyard?

  Leslie

  27 Jan 2012 | 10:28 am

  It’s hard to believe it with the mildness of this winter, but it’s nearly time to start preparing for spring and gardening. I love winter, and all the seasons, but I can’t wait to soak up the sunshine in the summertime. Up here in Rochester, (zone 5) we start growing the super-slow things like peppers and tomatoes from seeds in March so they are ready for the ground in late May. I’ve slowly been opening my binder of garden notes from last year, and reading new tips and tricks to help us have a higher yield than last year. We’ve got a difficult spot to garden: our…

• You Must Learn How to Fall Before You Fight

  Leslie

  26 Jan 2012 | 1:23 pm

  Thud! “Good but next time tuck your chin in more” Thud! “Almost got it, just be sure to keep your arm straight” Thud! … These were the sounds of my karate class this week. We were practicing falling, rolling, and getting back up unhurt to keep fighting another day. When you think of karate you probably think of Mr. Miyagi, or of little kids punching in unison. Kyokushin isn’t really like that; it teaches you the basics, but it also teaches you how to really fight on the street. It teaches you a tournament punch but also a…

• “My cat is more like a …” CAT

  Leslie

  23 Jan 2012 | 11:11 am

  Whenever I type something on the computer, invariably I’ll have a cat friend who decides my lap is the best place to be.  She’s on me now, kneading and asking for head-scratches. I’ve heard a lot of people refer to their cats as being “more like dogs than cats” in personality.  Usually this means the cat greets them at the door (both ours do), asks to play with them, follows them around, and generally like being with them.   This goes counter to the stereo-type of cats being aloof, distant, and generally only barely tolerating humans as a food source. For some…

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  Saving to Inve$t

• Making Money Investing in Mortgages

  andys2i

  1 Feb 2012 | 10:36 pm

  Income from mutual funds and stocks that invest in real estate backed mortgages has never been higher. With returns of 8-15% these alternative investments – when used appropriately – can substantially increase portfolio income and growth. Much of the success of these funds is due to the difficulty that Americans are having refinancing, despite low [...] Read the full article at savingtoinvest.com - Making Money Investing in Mortgages Related posts: How Do I Go About Investing in Mutual Funds Cheaply Making the Move: Vanguard Money Market to ING Direct A look at the Pros and Cons of…

• Choices for Your 401(k) Retirement Plan When You Leave or Change Your Job Including an IRA Rollover

  andys2i

  29 Jan 2012 | 9:22 pm

  For those who have money stashed away in an employer sponsored 401(k) retirement account, there are a number of options they can take with those funds when they move on from their current place of employment. However, before initiating any of these choices, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of each because what [...] Read the full article at savingtoinvest.com - Choices for Your 401(k) Retirement Plan When You Leave or Change Your Job Including an IRA Rollover Related posts: Smart Ways to Prepare For Retirement by Having a Plan A, B and C 2012 vs 2011 Savers Tax Credit To…

• How You Can Get a 14% Effective Tax Rate Like Mitt Romney and Other Super-Rich Americans

  andys2i

  26 Jan 2012 | 9:26 pm

  GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife paid a 14% effective income tax rate in 2010 on nearly $22 million of income. Given the marginal federal income tax rate for anyone making over $35,350 (single) or $70,700 (married) is higher than 15%, it is pretty clear that the Romney’s are paying way below what [...] Read the full article at savingtoinvest.com - How You Can Get a 14% Effective Tax Rate Like Mitt Romney and Other Super-Rich Americans Related posts: Taxing The American Middle Class and Rich – Fair or Not? Am I Saving Enough Money For Retirement and How Much You…

• Using Your Roth IRA as an Emergency Fund

  andys2i

  24 Jan 2012 | 5:19 pm

  Have you considered using your Roth IRA as an emergency fund? In this era of tight budgets, a lot of people are finding it difficult (if not impossible), to save for retirement and maintain an emergency fund. Because of this, it’s become trendy to recommend using your Roth IRA as a sort of de-facto emergency [...] Read the full article at savingtoinvest.com - Using Your Roth IRA as an Emergency Fund Related posts: Check For IRA and Roth IRA Excess Contributions To Avoid a 6% Tax Penalty Traditional IRA versus Roth IRA – 2011 Contribution and Phase-out Income Limits Roth IRA 2011 vs.

• 2012 Food Stamp (SNAP) Income Eligibility Levels, Deductions and Benefit Allotment Payments

  andys2i

  21 Jan 2012 | 10:25 pm

  The Federal Food Stamp Program is now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Eligibility for SNAP depends on things like the number of people in your household, income, and resources (cash, bank accounts, etc…). Income includes money earned from work. It also includes benefits like Social Security and unemployment. The following table shows [...] Read the full article at savingtoinvest.com - 2012 Food Stamp (SNAP) Income Eligibility Levels, Deductions and Benefit Allotment Payments Related posts: Food Stamp Program Now Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program…

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  PennyJobs.com

• Why Obama’s Definition Of Economic Fairness Is Fundamentally Wrong

  27 Jan 2012 | 6:24 pm

  During the state of the Union address, President Obama once again made his case for economic ‘fairness’ to argue for more taxes and a larger government. Obama believes that fairness cannot be achieved by the private sector of the economy, because people and nations are not fair to each other and they will never be without government policy to level the playing field. Obama said it this way, “We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by.  Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a…

• Obama Calls For Prolonged Detention Of Anyone That May Commit A Crime

  22 Dec 2011 | 9:51 am

  This is unbelievable; in a speech a few days ago the leader of the free world blamed the previous administration for created an adhoc legal approach to fighting terrorism to hold people indefinitely, then told the nation he was going to do the same thing.After condemning the previous Administration, in a speech which contained his signature poetic language, Obama told the world that we will hold people for 'prolonged detention' without committing a crime regardless of our laws that say otherwise. This is against the U.S. Constitution, in which we are a nation ruled by laws,…

• Federal Reserve Begins To Panic As Global Banks Ratings Are Cut

  1 Dec 2011 | 3:03 pm

  Yesterday S&P ratings services downgraded more than a dozen of the largest banks in the world, including the six biggest U.S. institutions. Fearing a major stock market meltdown, the Federal Reserve issued a statement that they are more than willing to make is easier for distressed banks to get access to dollars whenever needed. The rating cuts will make is more expensive for them to fund their day-to-day borrowing needs, by increasing the interest rates they will be expected to pay when borrowing money. The rating agencies have been criticized for underestimating the risks of debt for…

• Obama’s Job Plan; More of The Same, Bigger Government, More Spending

  6 Sep 2011 | 10:18 am

  In Obama’s Job speech on Thursday, he is likely to call for more than 1 trillion in new spending.Obama has completely ignoring the utter failure of the last few trillion in spending while he continues to boldly claiming that more government spending is the only way to create jobs. The reason Obama is unable to look at the mounting evidence against his economic policies, is because he is completely convinced of the liberal economic ideology that government can create wealth by taking money away from productive businesses and spending it on unproductive government projects. Obama believes…

• President Obama and Senate Liberals Make History Bringing Down America’s Credit

  8 Aug 2011 | 11:24 am

  The Tea Party leaders in the house, did all they could to stop the President from raising the debt limit past the GDP, triggering a credit rating downgrade. But in the end, Obama and Senate liberals refused to cut spending in anything and a bill was passed last Wednesday at the last minute before a national default would have begun. Since then, President Obama continues his rhetoric of class warfare, dividing the nation with anger rather than leading the nation into common understanding of the grave economic outlook we face. Tea Party To Save NationRory Cooper, of heritage.org, had this to…

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  Girls Just Wanna Have Funds || Personal Finance Advice Blog For Women

• Devil’s Advocate: 5 Reasons Why You Should Love Credit Cards

  Ginger

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:24 am

  Click here to check your FREE credit scores and avoid surprises later!   While credit cards are fairly ubiquitous, they are from time to time criticized for being conduits to debt and blamed for tough economic times. It’s true, you shouldn’t use a credit card if it will lead you to spend beyond your means, and a pervasive lack of transparency from credit card companies did complicate things during the recession. However, much has improved since the CARD Act – a law that improved consumer rights and transparency in the industry – took effect in February 2010, and credit cards…

• 6 Reasons Why Your Home Is A Crappy Investment

  Ginger

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:20 am

  Is your home an investment or just another place to live?  Many homeowners say that it’s an investment because it helps them sleep at night after sipping the Kool-Aid during the housing boom.   Well, I’m here to get in your face just a bit and tell you that your home is a crappy investment.  Furthermore, it’s an investment that you’ll never truly own as long as not paying property taxes means that your home can be yanked from you and sold on the court house steps.  This further makes the concept of home ownership ie the American Dream, flawed at best. Buying A Home…

• 21 Days to Rock Your Finances: Day 14 – Single Women Money Tips

  Ginger

  5 Feb 2012 | 10:19 pm

  These tips really apply to anyone but since we’re focused on women’s money issues we’ll go with “single woman money tips” today. Believe it or not your personal finance goals are very different when single.  If you’re planning on getting married in the future, now is the time to lay the foundation.  It’s OK to make mistakes now because you’ll learn the lesson and hopefully not make the same ones once you get married.  Focus on managing your money and making it work for you like a well oiled machine. Save at least 20% of your income Stash your…

• 4 Insurance Policies You Must Have If You…

  Ginger

  5 Feb 2012 | 10:01 pm

  I have a love hate relationship with insurance. It’s one of those things that you hate to have but love when you actually need it. Still you hope that you never have to use it which creates this love – hate relationship which leaves you feeling like you’re just throwing away money hoping that something doesn’t happen that requires you to use it. These are the types of insurances policies that you absolutely need if you… Own A Car: Auto Insurance Drive to <insert destination here>?  Then you need auto insurance and there’s no way to get around it…

• 5 Tips That Teach You How Forex Professionals Learn To Trade

  Ginger

  1 Feb 2012 | 10:01 pm

  Have you ever wanted to dip into the vast ocean of investing, but you didn’t know where to start? With the stock market, commodities, CFDs, indices and more, there are plenty of options to grow your savings. If you’re wondering what age is good to start investing, the answer is birth. You’re never too young or too old to start investing. So, get behind your savings, and find out how to go, “From N00B to Broker” in five easy steps! This infographic will teach you how to, 1.  Educate Yourself 2.  Get Licensed 3.  Register as a Forex Broker 4.  Start Trading 5.  Keep Learning Are…

• 

  The Finance Buff

• Tax Refunds On 1099-G: Taxable Or Not?

  TFB

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:31 am

  Among the various tax forms I have been receiving lately is a 1099-G from my state. It says it’s for the state income tax refund I received last year. I received a state income tax refund last year because I had too much withheld in the previous year. The refund was returning my own money back to me. A refund isn’t income. If I return something to a store, the store doesn’t issue a 1099 to me for the refund. Why does the state issue a 1099 to me for the tax refund? Am I going to be taxed on a return of my own money? Not Automatically Taxed Just because you get a 1099…

• Why You Can’t Upgrade Your Credit Card In the First Year

  TFB

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:21 am

  After reading my previous post on best rewards card for groceries and gas, reader Tom wanted to upgrade his American Express card to the AmEx Blue Cash Preferred card which pays 6% rewards on purchases at supermarkets and 3% rewards on gas but charges a $75 annual fee. The higher rewards make the annual fee worth it. He was super-nice to let me send him a refer-a-friend email so I can earn a referral bonus from American Express. To his surprise, American Express denied his upgrade request. No it wasn’t about his credit. A customer service representative at American Express gave this as…

• When Will Your Index Fund Buy Facebook Stock?

  TFB

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:23 am

  Facebook will have an IPO soon. If you invest through mutual funds, will those mutual funds buy Facebook stock after the IPO? If so, when will they buy it? People ask this question because either they worry their mutual funds will buy into a bubble and pay a price too high or they worry their mutual funds will miss out on Facebook for too long. In actively managed funds, it’s completely up to the discretion of the fund manager(s). When you pay a higher management fee to actively managed funds, you are paying for such discretion. Whether the fund manager’s decision to buy or not…

• Friday Reading: Low Interest Rate

  TFB

  3 Feb 2012 | 7:23 am

  It’s a bit of old news in the blogger circles but it’s a small bombshell to personal finance blog readers. J.D. Roth at Get Rich Slowly told readers he sold his blog three years ago to a publicly traded company. Although the sale price remains undisclosed, it was reported to be a few million dollars. That’s fantastic, isn’t it? Who would have thought a blog can be worth a few million dollars? I would be really happy if someday my blog would be worth 1/10th of that. Help me get there, will you? The Fed’s New Tax on Retirees by Rick Ferri at RickFerri.com The Fed…

• Best Rewards Card for Groceries and Gas: American Express Blue Cash Preferred vs PenFed Platinum Rewards

  TFB

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:26 am

  I hate credit cards with bonus rewards in rotating categories. Banks must have done studies and found it works effectively (for them). Citi, Chase, and Discover all do it. I just want a card that gives me a good rebate on known categories every day. Fortunately there are two good choices in the market: American Express Blue Preferred and PenFed Platinum Rewards. Which one is better? AmEx Blue Cash Preferred American Express Blue Cash Preferred card ("Blue Preferred") pays 6% rewards on purchases at supermarkets, 3% on gas and department stores, and 1% on everything else. Whenever…

• 

  Amateur Asset Allocator

• How To Hedge Your Portfolio Against Inflation

  Kyle

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Inflation has been pretty tame the last few years (unless you believe the conspiracy theorists, at least), but few believe that will last for long. The recession and subsequent slow recovery have put downward pressure on consumer prices but the sheer amount of money that has been, and still is being, pumped into the economy is sure to catch up with us eventually. And when it does, consumer prices could shoot through the roof. Sudden Inflation Wreaks Havoc On A Traditional Portfolio A sharp increase in inflation is bad for almost every asset class in the short term with two notable exceptions,…

• Do Single People Need Life Insurance?

  Kyle

  30 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  If you ask an insurance agent if you need life insurance even though you happen to be single, most will say “of course you do!” and then offer a litany of logical-sounding reasons why. Big surprise! It’s important to realize, though, that most (but not all) sales pitches are built around a kernel of truth. Otherwise, they probably wouldn’t be very effective. So yes, I believe there are a few valid reasons for the average single person to buy term life insurance (and only term life insurance). Since term life coverage can be so inexpensive, it’s at least worth…

• I Don’t Care What Tax Rate The Presidential Candidates Pay And Neither Should You

  Kyle

  24 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  Apparently, Mitt Romney pays “about 15% in taxes” and Newt Gingrich pays around 32%. Quelle Horreur! Apparently, this is big, important news on the campaign trail. Said Newt Gingrich (to paraphrase), “I am a superior candidate to you, Mitt Romney, because you utilized more completely legal and above-board tax planning strategies than I did last year.” Color me impressed! Why Do People Care? Newt is right, after all. Not intentionally paying more taxes than you legally owe is both immoral and stupid. All moral people, both rich and poor, always pay more taxes than they…

• Weekend Links

  Kyle

  15 Jan 2012 | 8:50 pm

  Greetings! Lots of craziness on the gridiron this week. Packers lost. Stupid crappy Saints lost. And the best football franchise in the history of the world, my beloved Falcons, were defeated last week. I suspect cheating was involved with that one. Any bets on who will end up in the Super Bowl? Could we possibly be in for a Patriots-Giants rematch? On to the links! I Was Interviewed By Credit Card Assist! First of all, I’d like to think Bill over at Credit Card Assist for interviewing me for their Best of the Blogger series. Go check it out if you’d like to hear some of my…

• Advantages Of Index Funds Over Active Funds

  Kyle

  10 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  I invest my own portfolio in index funds whenever possible and suggest most other investors do as well. That their long-term performance records dominate the average actively-managed fund is the stuff of legend at this point. The primary reason index funds make such good long-term investments, of course, is their low costs. Yeah, there are some high-cost index funds out there, but most index funds offered by reputable firms such as Vanguard, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab are dirt cheap. Costs matter, and index funds dominate in this regard. Other Advantages Of Index Funds But it’s not…

• 

  Tip'd / Published News

• » Financial Options for the Unbanked

  MMarquit

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:57 am

  It becomes necessary for many to interact with some sort of financial services provider, since many of the unbanked still have paychecks to cash. Some of the options available to the unbanked, though, are not very palatable.10 Tips (http://www.bargaineering.com)

• Are You Judging Others’ Personal Finance Choices?

  MMarquit

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:11 am

  Watch out for financial judging. After all, what you choose to spend money on may appear stupid to someone else.11 Tips (http://plantingmoneyseeds.com)

• » Kids & Money: When to Look for Scholarships

  MMarquit

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:57 pm

  While you are hopefully saving up for college with the help of a savings account or a 529 plan, it doesn’t hurt to look for other ways of paying for school.11 Tips (http://www.bargaineering.com)

• How I Ended Up With A $5000 Dollar Tax Bill This Year

  moneymatters

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:36 pm

  I just started entering my income, deductions and other information in preparation for filing taxes. Unexpectedly I realized that I will owe almost $5000 this year.14 Tips (http://www.biblemoneymatters.com)

• Affordable Tips for Valentine Romance

  financialhighway

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:44 pm

  Still catching up from Christmas and New Year’s? No problem. It’s still possible to have a special, romantic and affordable Valentine’s Day with your loved one. Here are 5 frugal and fun tips for a decadent date night on February 14th.13 Tips (http://financialhighway.com)

• 

  DollarVersity

• Make Your Money Go Further This Year

  Eric J. Nisall

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:54 pm

  I’d like to thank Money Supermarket for this guest post at what is always a “taxing” time of the year for me!  You work very hard for your money, but does the way you spend it suggest that it isn’t valuable to you as much as it should be? Whether you’re using a high interest credit card for purchases or leave all of the lights on in your house, you are literally giving your money away.  Here are a few simple ways you can make your money go further this year:   Monitor Your Spending Save all of your receipts for every little purchase and review them after…

• Advertisers View You As A Sucker

  Eric J. Nisall

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:49 am

  Advertising is big business. Nothing proves that more than the Super Bowl–the average cost of a 30 second ad during the Super Bowl is $3.5 million!  That just goes to show you the lengths that some companies will go to get their product placed in front of over a hundred million viewers’ eyes.  It also shows that consumers allow themselves to be manipulated by ad companies.  How you ask? Well, out of the more than 111+ million-plus viewers of the game, how many do you think are watching just for the commercials?  Better yet, how many people do you know that are watching just…

• Business During the Recession: How to Deal with Mistakes

  Eric J. Nisall

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:24 am

  This is a guest post from Alex Morris, who works for Office Kitten in Manchester where he writes, researches and blogs on the business world. Innovation cannot occur without some tolerance for failure.  Any company which wants to expand needs to develop a culture which fosters innovation – this means learning from failure rather than dismissing mistakes as a consequence of desperate times.  However, the recession does need to be considered when a business makes a decision.  A mistake in the current economic climate could be fatal.  For examination purposes, here are five examples of…

• Trial Offers May Be Hazardous To Your Wallet

  Eric J. Nisall

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:20 am

  Get a free credit report!  How about a free month of streaming movie service!?  Like downloading music, get 30 days free.  How about books?  You see these offers in your email, and on millions of websites.  In reality, they can be great for testing out a service and getting an idea for whether or not you would use it them enough to justify paying for them.  They are also great ways to get something you need at no cost to you (as in the case of the free credit score offers).  Be very careful though, since the drawback to these offers can often times come back to bite you in the wallet.

• Are You Your Own Worst Enemy?

  Eric J. Nisall

  27 Jan 2012 | 7:57 am

  Do you hate yourself?  It’s a real, honest question.  Do you want success for yourself or or do you want to fail at the tasks you take on?  I ask because it seems that  many people are the biggest obstacles to their own success.  We all know (or at least should know) that obstacles are a part of life.  Those obstacles, however should remain external in nature, not internal–you know, as in caused by you yourself.  If anything, the internal message has to be one of positivity, but the unfortunate truth is that many people fail at this leading to them being their own worst…

• 

  No More Spending.net

• Grocery Spending #1 {February 2012}

  laura @ nomorespending

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:45 am

  It's my goal to keep our grocery spending below £2,600 (£50 per week, £216.67 per month) for 2012. We are three adults and one extra during school holidays. I'm trying to eat healthily and lose weight, as well as move further towards a more local/organic diet.  Okay so this month I'm trying to keep my grocery spending under £150 as part of Carla'sFebruary Low (No) Spend Challenge.    Up until today I'd only spent £7.49 as we've been eating from our cupboards but things were starting to look very bare, especially the fridge, so I organised a food delivery for today. I spent…

• 2012 Financial Goals Progress Report #2

  laura @ nomorespending

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:45 am

  Gosh we're already into month two of 2012 and I don't know if you're all feeling the same, but to me it seems like it's flying by. As I've done in previous years I'm keeping track of the progress we're making towards our annual financial goals on a monthly basis. The key word there being progress. Because that's what I'm concentrating on this year. Progress. No beating myself up because I'm not perfect. No beating myself up because I bought something - which I still do on occasion.  Just steady moves in the right direction, with a lot a little fun along the way. 1) Reduce the…

• Menu Plan Monday (Monthly menu planning rocks!)

  laura @ nomorespending

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:35 pm

  Last week I menu planned the whole month and at the time I found it time consuming. But hopefully I'll get quicker at it because there's the added advantage of not having to plan any meals out for this week.  ;) (photo credit) Monday: Omelet + Homemade Wedges Tuesday: Mushroom Soup/ Grilled Cheese Wednesday: Stir Fry Chicken & Noodles Thursday: Jacket Potatoes & Baked Beans Friday: Chilli & Rice Saturday: Out for dinner Sunday: Haddock, Mash and Veggies For further menu planning ideas please visit I'm an Organizing Junkie ♥ Subscribe by Email | Subscribe by RSS | Follow on…

• Weekly Spending Update February 2012 #1

  laura @ nomorespending

  5 Feb 2012 | 1:23 pm

  Monday: No spend day Tuesday: No spend day Wednesday: £2.00 Grocery Thursday: £9.99 Amazon..oops Friday: No spend day Saturday: No spend day Sunday ??Grocery I received an email on Thursday letting me know that my pre-ordered copy of One Day was being sent to me. Oops! Had forgotten that order?! Anyway I was very pleased to receive the DVD on Saturday, as it gives me something to watch before the Super Bowl starts tonight. Hubby has already left for London and is picking up some grocery (treats) on the way, so I'm not sure how much he's going to spend yet. I would have gone shopping today,…

• Saturday Link Love {4th February 2012}

  laura @ nomorespending

  4 Feb 2012 | 2:40 am

  Good morning! What are your plans today? We're both working today and so tonight plan for a quiet evening watching this film - should be good! Tomorrow, Sunday, hubby has to travel to a hotel ready for an early start Monday morning, and so for the first time in many years there will be no Super Bowl party for us :(  He'll get to watch the game in his hotel room, but it won't be the same! And there's no day off Monday - which he normally would have.....he's not going to be much fun after two hours sleep. Lucky work colleagues!! :) Okay it's time for just a few of my favourite links from…

• 

  Think Money

• How to apply for a debt consolidation loan

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:20 am

  If you're thinking about applying for a debt consolidation loan, read the Think Money debt consolidation loan checklist before you apply.Full article: How to apply for a debt consolidation loanVisit: www.thinkmoney.com

• Scotland: DAS doubles in a year

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:25 am

  The number of people finding out about - and using - the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) is growing rapidly.Full article: Scotland: DAS doubles in a yearVisit: www.thinkmoney.com

• How to use a mortgage calculator

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:20 am

  Using a mortgage calculator is a good way of finding out how much different mortgage deals might cost every month.Full article: How to use a mortgage calculatorVisit: www.thinkmoney.com

• Will an IVA affect my credit rating?

  1 Feb 2012 | 9:17 am

  An IVA could be the ideal approach to repaying unsecured debts you can no longer afford at a realistic pace. But how will it affect your credit rating?Full article: Will an IVA affect my credit rating?Visit: www.thinkmoney.com

• How to apply for a debt management plan

  31 Jan 2012 | 10:46 am

  Here is a brief guide to what you'll need to do, and what you can expect, when you apply for a debt management plan with us.Full article: How to apply for a debt management planVisit: www.thinkmoney.com

• 

  MaximizingMoney.com

• Slate® from Chase Promotional Balance Transfer Offer with No Balance Transfer Fee

  MaximizingMoney.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:46 am

  The new Slate® from Chase promotional offer provides a 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers with no balance transfer fee and no annual fee. Apply for the Slate® from Chase to transfer your credit card balances to a 0% APR with no balance transfer fees. Just transfer your higher rate balances during the first 30 days that your account is open, and you will pay no balance transfer fee. Plus, you’ll get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers, so you’ll have plenty of time to pay off your credit card balance without…

• Ritz-Carlton Rewards 2 Free Nights for Stays through April 15, 2012

  MaximizingMoney.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:43 am

  The Ritz-Carlton Rewards program is offering up to 2 free nights for stays through April 15, 2012. Earn up to 2 complimentary nights at participating Ritz-Carlton destinations when you register by March 1st and stay by April 15th. To qualify, register for this Ritz-Carlton Rewards Bonus Nights Offer or enroll in The Ritz-Carlton Rewards program by March 1, 2012. You’ll receive 1 free night when you complete 2 stays with The Ritz-Carlton between February 1st and April 15, 2012. You will receive a second free night after you make 2 additional stays within the same dates. Ritz-Carlton…

• Hyatt Gold Passport up to 44,000 Bonus Points for Stays through April 30, 2012

  MaximizingMoney.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:55 am

  Hyatt Gold Passport members can earn up to 44,000 bonus points for stays through April 30, 2012. Just register for this Hyatt Gold Passport promotion by March 31st to earn up to 44,000 extra bonus points for stays through April 30th. You’ll earn additional bonus points with every 4 eligible nights that you stay at participating hotels. You’ll get 4,000 bonus points for 4 nights, 12,000 bonus points for 8 nights, 24,000 bonus points for 12 nights, and 44,000 bonus points for 16 nights. Just register for this Hyatt Promotional Offer by March 31st and stay at any participating hotel…

• Food Lion $5 Discount Shopping Coupon with $25 Gift Card Purchase

  MaximizingMoney.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:17 am

  Food Lion is currently offering a $5 shopping discount when you purchase $25 worth of gift cards through February 14, 2012. Just buy $25 in participating gift cards to receive $5 off your next shopping order at Food Lion. Check out this Food Lion Promotion for more details. Participating gift cards include iTunes, Regal Cinemas, Lowe’s, Marriott, Bass Pro Shop, and MasterCard. Take advantage of this Food Lion promotion to get an extra $5 in shopping discounts when you purchase $25 in gift cards. You may also be interested in these Coupon Clipping Services to save even more money on your…

• American Express Cash Bonus Credit Card Offers for New Applicants – 1 New Promo

  MaximizingMoney.com

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:30 am

  American Express credit cards offer many cash bonus offers for new credit card applicants. Apply for a new American Express card to get a cash reward when you make qualifying purchases. You’ll get cash bonuses from many different Amex cards, so take advantage of these new applicant bonus offers. These American Express cards offer excellent credit card features and special benefits for card members as well. AMEX also provides some of the best credit card rewards programs available from any credit card issuer. Take advantage of these American Express credit card cash bonus promotions.

• 

  Darwin's Finance

• FACEBOOK IPO: They Missed The Boat. I’ll Pass

  Darwin

  27 Jan 2012 | 3:45 pm

  Friday, news broke that Facebook was preparing to file papers for an IPO possibly as early as next Wednesday.  While just about everyone is ON Facebook, many people probably haven’t considered all the reasons this will be a bad investment for retail investors trying to jump in after the open.  Here are just a few [...]FACEBOOK IPO: They Missed The Boat. I’ll Pass is an article from Darwin's Finance Related posts:6 Alternative Investments That May Beat Stocks and Bonds Over the Next Decade

• Should Teacher Salaries Be Published for All to See?

  Darwin

  23 Dec 2011 | 1:34 pm

  The other day, a friend sat down at my wife’s table at a kids’ school function and seemed a bit sad and said, “Well, now that you all know what my husband makes…that’s how my day’s going”.  My wife and the others at the table actually didn’t know what her husband made (until she made [...]Should Teacher Salaries Be Published for All to See? is an article from Darwin's Finance Related posts:Should Americans with No Kids Be Able “Opt-Out” of School Taxes?

• Are You Prepared for 5% Annual Returns for Years to Come?

  Darwin

  30 Nov 2011 | 9:18 pm

  In yet another common refrain from the Bond King Bill Gross, he stated this week (CNBC) that anyone realizing even 5% returns on stocks or bonds should consider themselves in the upper echelon of performers in the years ahead due to the debt issues in the EU and US which are anticipated to restrict growth [...]Are You Prepared for 5% Annual Returns for Years to Come? is an article from Darwin's Finance No related posts.

• It’s That Time of Year – How to Calculate Your FSA Contribution Amount for 2012

  Darwin

  28 Oct 2011 | 9:14 pm

  For those of you who have a Flex Savings Account option at work, it’s time to set the total annual allotment for 2012 before the year starts.  I’ve always had mixed emotions about this provision of the tax code.  On one hand, you’re allowed to deduct medical expenses from your income normally subject to federal [...]It’s That Time of Year – How to Calculate Your FSA Contribution Amount for 2012 is an article from Darwin's Finance Related posts:2011 Average Raise – Will Raises Stink Like Last Year?

• Should Americans with No Kids Be Able “Opt-Out” of School Taxes?

  Darwin

  29 Sep 2011 | 10:40 pm

  I was at a family gathering this summer and the usual topic of complaining about the ineptitude of local government officials and school boards came up.  That then led to older participants questioning what their tax dollars were being used for and why they’re even paying school taxes to begin with.  It led to an [...]Should Americans with No Kids Be Able “Opt-Out” of School Taxes? is an article from Darwin's Finance Related posts:Is It Something I Said?Americans Scooping Up Doomsday Shelters – The Illogical “Recency Effect”

• 

  Do You Dave Ramsey?

• Dukan Diet Week 11

  Dave Ozment

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Week 11 – Cruise Phase In the report we add a delightful new breakfast offering and enjoy a nice steak for the first time in a while.  I also have a big day at the scales. Monday, September 26, Day 71 Breakfast – Miniature egg and sausage frittatas, theses were prepared in a muffin pan so they were pretty small.  I think I had 4 of them with a cup of coffee Lunch – A few thin slices of left over pot roast and 2 fish fillets with a yogurt Dinner – Pork chops and yogurt for dessert I exercised this morning.  Not a whole lot but some “floor exercises” and I walked about 1.5…

• Dukan Diet Week 10

  Dave Ozment

  30 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  Week 10 – Cruise Phase In this report we discuss the perils of company dinners and certain restaurant selections and about being in control even while veering from the plan.  Monday, September 19, Day 64 Breakfast – Dukan pancake and coffee Lunch – Chicken salad and yogurt Dinner – Grilled chicken and fish – a true protein platter Tuesday, September 20, Day 65 Breakfast – Dukan pancake and coffee… this one came with a little surprise.  My wife – have a shared how great she is – cooked up a couple turkey sausage patties and wrapped them in the pancake.  Now that was a nice…

• Dukan Diet Week 9

  Dave Ozment

  23 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  Week 9 – Cruise Phase In this report we skim week 9 and share about my progress being noticed.   I also discuss how hard, or easy I’m finding this plan. Monday, September 12, Day 57 Breakfast – Dukan Pancake and coffee Lunch – Grilled chicken and yogurt Dinner –Sirlion, yogurt Tuesday, September 13, Day 58 Breakfast – Dukan Pancake and coffee Lunch – Grilled chicken, yogurt Dinner – Hamburger patties Wednesday, September 14, Day 59 Breakfast – Dukan Pancake and coffee Lunch – Hamburger patty and grilled chicken, yogurt Dinner –Stuffed peppers and yogurt It happened…

• Dukan Diet Week 8

  Dave Ozment

  16 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  Week 8 – Cruise Phase In this report we discuss my loose fitting pants, another trip to the scales, and a new super low carb yogurt is discovered.  I also take a football road trip and trip up my program. Monday, September 5, Day 50 Breakfast – Protein Shake Lunch – 2 grilled turkey burgers, yogurt Dinner – Grilled chicken and grilled fish We had storms blow through the area in the afternoon so we hung out in the basement watching the weather channel.  That was a layer of boredom I’ve not had in a while and I found myself looking into the basement fridge for something to snack…

• Dukan Diet Week 7

  Dave Ozment

  9 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  Week 7 – Cruise Phase In this report we talk about the start of the college football season and the inevitable impact on my program. Monday, August 29, Day 43 Breakfast – Dukan pancake and coffee Lunch – Chicken salad Dinner – Grilled sirloin Tuesday, August 30, Day 44 Breakfast – Dukan pancake and coffee Lunch – Grilled fish Dinner – Stuffed bell peppers.  Great entre in my wife’s repertoire and Dukan friendly when she doesn’t use rice to augment the stuffing.  This is something I could eat 2-3 times a week but it’s a little more effort intensive so I’m not…

• 

  MainStreet.com

• 7 Reasons Why You’ll Always Need Cash

  Greg Emerson

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Despite the rise of online and mobile banking, there are plenty of reasons why cash will be with us forever.

• Study: In Customer Service Battle, Big Banks Win

  Matt Brownell

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  A secret shopper survey finds that big banks still do a better job of wooing new customers than smaller institutions and credit unions.

• Get It for Less: Smartphones

  Matt Brownell

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:22 pm

  Don’t be one of the chumps dropping $200 or more on a smartphone. Here’s how to get a good deal.

• Newest Job Openings Data Isn’t As Good As It Seems

  Seth Fiegerman

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:02 pm

  The ratio of job postings to unemployed job hunters dropped below 4% for the first time in nearly three years, but if you factor in workers who gave up looking for jobs, the ratio is much worse.

• The 2012 Election & Your Credit Cards

  Credit.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:30 pm

  For voters who are already in hock to banks and credit companies, they may want to be more precise with their vote in this year’s election. What if someone wants to vote with their wallet, specifically the credit cards in their wallet, in 2012?

• 

  theBKBlog

• Will Recent Use of Credit Cards for Necessities Like Food and Clothing Prevent me from Filing Bankruptcy?

  Jonathan

  16 Jan 2012 | 8:31 pm

  There is no perfect time to file for bankruptcy.  Ideally, you should wait to file at a point when you have not touched your credit cards for several months and your credit card charges over the past year have not taken a big jump.  Further there is less chance that you will face any objection if you have made at least the minimum payment over the past 6 months or longer.Section 523 of the Bankruptcy Code sets out a number of situations in which credit card debt will not be discharged.  Section 523(a)(2)( c) makes non-dischargeable consumer debt totaling more than $500 for luxury goods and…

• Student Loan Debt may be a Bigger Problem than Credit Card Debt

  Jonathan

  20 Oct 2011 | 11:08 am

  USA Today recently reported that student loan debt in the United States, which totals $850 billion, now exceeds outstanding credit card debt in the U.S., which totals $828 billion.USA Today gets its numbers from a web site publisher named Mark Kantrowitz, who publishes two scholarship matching services called FinAid.org and FastWeb.com.  I was unable to independently verify Mr. Kantrowitz’ numbers but if you Google “total credit card debt in U.S.” and “total student loan debt in the U.S.” you will get numbers in the range quoted in the USA Today article.I…

• Beware of “Emergency” or “2 Page” Bankruptcy Filings

  Jonathan

  25 Sep 2011 | 8:59 pm

  A typical Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 petition requires you to submit well over 50 pages of documentation, including:your schedules – which includes a detailed budget, a list of all creditors including addresses and account numbers, a detailed list of assets with estimated valuations, detailed information about sales, transfers, losses and recent payments to creditors, information about your and your spouse’s income over the past 3 yearsyour plan (in a Chapter 13)a credit counseling certificatepay advices documenting income for the past 6 weeksIn my experience, even the most organized…

• How do Georgia Residents Protect Joint Tax Returns in a Joint Bankruptcy Filing?

  Jonathan

  5 Sep 2011 | 5:34 pm

  As a debtor’s attorney, one of my goals is to help my client protect as many of their assets as possible when filing for bankruptcy.  The Bankruptcy Code allows us to shelter certain assets by declaring them as exempt.Interestingly Georgia law, not federal bankruptcy law, determines which assets you may exempt in a case filed in Georgia (there are some limited exceptions to this for filers who have recently moved to or from Georgia).  The Georgia exemption statute may be found at O.C.G.A. 44-13-100.An asset that frequently needs to be protected is one’s federal and/or state…

• Will You Lose Your Jewelry if You File Chapter 7?

  Jonathan

  30 Aug 2011 | 5:17 pm

  Usually, when I meet with a prospective bankruptcy client, the first question I get is “how long will it take me to recover after filing bankruptcy” and the second question I get is “will I have to give up my personal items like furniture and jewelry?”The “recover from bankruptcy” question is the subject of a different blog post, but I can tell you that in my experience of over 23 years, I rarely, if ever, see anybody lose any of their personal property when they file bankruptcy.Let’s take jewelry, for example.  In Georgia, you can protect or…

• 

  Young and Frugal

• I’m Not Dead…

  Daniel

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:45 pm

  Hi Internet, It’s been about 14 months since my last blog post, so excuse me while I shake off some rust and update you about my life. About 14 months ago I announced to the world  my immediate friends and family that Mary and I were expecting a baby. See the video below for how we made the announcement. This announcement on top of a few other things turned our lives upside down. You see as we made this announcement I changed jobs to go to accept a high risk/high reward opportunity that had me working 70 to 80 hour weeks for six months straight. Then my son was born in July, and I cut…

• The Giving Pledge

  Daniel

  9 Dec 2010 | 8:46 pm

  Today I was inspired by my good friend Corey sending me a text message related to the latest news that Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of facebook, had decided to become a part of “The Giving Pledge.” For those who are not aware of what the giving pledge is I will sum it up briefly for you: it’s a group of extremely wealthy people, formed by Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, in which everyone in the group agrees to give the majority of their wealth to charity by the end of their lives or at their death. While the concept is noble, I’d like to look at the economics of a…

• The Importance Of Sports In Business

  Daniel

  6 Dec 2010 | 10:11 pm

  When I was a child I played every sport because all of my friends were playing them; baseball, soccer, basketball, and flag football. While I was never particularly great at any of them, I was never bad. But as I grew, and sports became more competitive (and my asthma got progressively worse) I lost interest. I only played flag football for one year, basketball for 4 years, soccer for 4 years, and my true love, baseball, I gave up in the seventh grade. Truth be told, I was never really a huge sports fan, but I admit to being a bandwagon fan for most of the local sports teams. I…

• Stay On Your Toes, Or You Might Get Knocked On Your Ass

  Daniel

  28 Nov 2010 | 9:47 pm

  On Black Friday I was roped into what I knew was going to be a horrible, horrible mistake, and that was going to the mall with my wife. But what I knew was going to be awful ended up being quite nice for a few reasons. Since we went at night the mall was not that packed (as witnessed by our easy to find parking space), and since we had a mission to get in and get out, it was fairly tolerable, but the most non-awful part about it was that I got inspired. I got inspired to write this post, and the photo below is the reason why. Our sole purpose of the trip was to go to Lulu Lemon, a company…

• Co-Brand With Your Employer

  Daniel

  4 May 2010 | 9:02 pm

  I work for a company that has a great brand and a cool culture, and part of that brand and culture requires that I adhere to a strict dress code of jeans (or solid color shorts), tennis shoes, a belt, a company branded hat (optional), and an embroidered polo shirt. Some people love it, some hate it, but it’s our dress code and we stick to it. As a result we are all extensions of the brand wherever we go. After work when we all go out to happy hour we are walking advertisements and representatives for the brand, and the way that we carry ourselves reflects back on the companies brand; if…

• 

  Bible Money Matters

• How I Ended Up With A $5000 Dollar Tax Bill This Year. Oops!

  Peter Anderson

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:29 am

  This past week I started getting all of my tax forms.  I got my W2 from the company I work for at my day job, 1099s from a variety of companies that I do freelance work for, some miscellaneous tax forms from investments that we have and reporting forms showing how much we’ve donated to our church and other charities. I’ve been using TurboTax for the past few years, and I’ll be using it again this year – so I started entering all of my information into their software a couple of nights ago (check out the tax software  I recommend).   I’m still waiting on a…

• Lending Club Returns Continue Upward Trend At 11.44%. Lending Club Passes 500 Million In Loan Originations

  Peter Anderson

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:26 pm

  I‘ve been investing with Lending Club for a couple of years now, and I’ve gone from a skeptic when I first started investing with the service, to someone who is convinced that Lending Club can be an integral piece in any person’s investing strategy. I’ve seen good returns since I started, and despite warnings from a variety of sources about how the site was a flash in the pan and not something you’d probably want to put your money in, I’ve stuck with it. Over the years I’ve used the site I’ve only had one loan get charged off.  Since I was…

• Why You May Want To Get A Life Insurance Policy Even If You Don’t Have Kids

  Melissa

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:19 am

  Many say the life of responsibility begins when you walk down the aisle and say, “I do.”  Still others believe it truly begins when you have a child.  Certainly having a child can make you question your values and what you believe to be important in your life as well as make many people want to be more financially responsible.  Often, a couple finds the time immediately after the birth of a child to be a good time to buy life insurance. The thing is, you may want to consider purchasing life insurance even before your first child is born. Do You Need Life Insurance? Life insurance for a…

• Cutting The Cord And Getting Your TV On The Cheap (Without Using The Big Bad Cable And Satellite Companies)

  Peter Anderson

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:20 pm

  A couple of years ago I wrote a post on this site called Ways To Watch TV Without Paying An Arm And A Leg For Cable Or Satellite where I talked about a variety of ways that you can find free or cheap TV, movie and other entertainment content online – while not spending an obscene amount on a monthly cable or satellite TV bill. In the article I gave an inside look at the setup we have used at our house that gave us pretty much all the entertainment options that we would ever need. While our setup still works, it’s been a while since I wrote the post so today I thought I would write…

• How To File Your Federal Taxes For Free Using Free E-File Programs

  Peter Anderson

  2 Feb 2012 | 10:19 am

  Over the last few years I have considered not doing my taxes on my own and instead going to a CPA.  My tax situation has become more complicated, what with side income from the blog, taxable investments like Lending Club and Betterment, and a variety of other things that make tax day a bit more fun. The last few years, while I’ve been close to going to a CPA, the frugal spender in me keeps coming out, and I’ve gone back to the TurboTax software time and time again.   I’ve been using it for years now because I just didn’t feel like there was anything I couldn’t…

• 

  Twitter / MoneyMatters

• MoneyMatters: The Money Matters Daily is out! http://t.co/VWIK5hIF ▸ Top stories today via @moneychatlive @creditkarma

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:49 pm

  MoneyMatters: The Money Matters Daily is out! http://t.co/VWIK5hIF ▸ Top stories today via @moneychatlive @creditkarma

• MoneyMatters: RT @MattJabs: Think income tax has always been around? Think again... there was no such thing until 1913 when the infamous... http://t.c ...

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:35 pm

  MoneyMatters: RT @MattJabs: Think income tax has always been around? Think again... there was no such thing until 1913 when the infamous... http://t.c ...

• MoneyMatters: Lending Club Returns Continue Upward Trend At 11.44%. Lending Club Passes 500 Million In Loan Originations http://t.co/AnRhFQZC

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:35 pm

  MoneyMatters: Lending Club Returns Continue Upward Trend At 11.44%. Lending Club Passes 500 Million In Loan Originations http://t.co/AnRhFQZC

• MoneyMatters: @Thirtysixmonths I posted that on my facebook page, apparently that gets cross posted to Twitter. here's the site link: http://t.co/uxyIgQAw

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:06 pm

  MoneyMatters: @Thirtysixmonths I posted that on my facebook page, apparently that gets cross posted to Twitter. here's the site link: http://t.co/uxyIgQAw

• MoneyMatters: RT @MMarquit: $$$ Matters: @kidworth @CreditKarma @JoeTaxpayer @MoneyMatters @StupidCents @BoomerandEcho @EnemyofDebt http://t.co/y0JSkZC4

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:02 pm

  MoneyMatters: RT @MMarquit: $$$ Matters: @kidworth @CreditKarma @JoeTaxpayer @MoneyMatters @StupidCents @BoomerandEcho @EnemyofDebt http://t.co/y0JSkZC4

• 

  Christian Personal Finance

• 5 Retirement Questions You Might Have Right Now

  Tim

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  Have you given your retirement much thought lately?  According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, nearly 50% of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are at risk of not having enough retirement income to cover even basic expenses and uninsured health care costs.  That figure jumps to 70% when you look at the low-income households in America. The reality of retirement hits us at different stages of our life, but the questions always seem to be the same.  Will I have enough?  How should I be invested?  Will I have to pay taxes? If you’re like me, I don’t want to hear the cookie-cutter…

• Life Lessons from 6 Famous Failures

  Joe Plemon

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  Have you ever met a successful person who did not encounter some failures along the way?  I know I haven’t … it seems that failure is inextricably blended into the pathway toward success.  Fortunately for us, some very famous people have traveled this path.  What can we learn from these “famous failures”? 1. Never give up.  (Winston Churchill) Churchill failed sixth grade and was defeated in every election for public office until he became Prime Minister of England at the age of 62.  When he met with his Cabinet on May 13, 1940, as England was about to enter the war against…

• How to Pay Less for College: 6 Ways

  Carol

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  When a semester of college can cost more than a parent makes in a year, it is time to look for help. And although the mountain looks immovable, we need to remember that our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. If we know we are in His will for our future, He will provide the needed funds. With that in mind, I’d like to share 6 ways to cut that school bill down without taking out student loans. Graduate debt free! 1. Keep Your Grades Up I earned a full paid scholarship to the local junior college simply for being in the top 10% of my graduating class. My son will transfer from his…

• What is the True Cost of Purchasing a Vehicle?

  Joe Plemon

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  When shopping for a car, you should look for the lowest price for the best quality.  Right?  Well, sort of … in the back of your mind, you realize that, all other things being equal, the car which gets better gas mileage is worth more than the one which doesn’t.  But how much more? And what other factors should you consider?  Depreciation rates?  Cost of insurance?  How about maintenance and repairs?  If all of this is giving you a headache, don’t despair.  Edmunds.com has done much of the work for you, by calculating the true cost for owning any new or used car five years.

• Christian Debt Consolidation Companies: Here’s The Truth

  Guest

  2 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  In this economy, it seems like you can’t turn on the radio or TV for any extended period of time without hearing commercials for debt settlement or debt consolidation services. Same holds true while surfing the web. Now whether or not these services are even the right choice is a whole other topic (we will tackle that in a bit). Right now, let’s just discuss Christian debt settlement companies and how they compare to the other guys. Typical Christian Debt Consolidation Encounter Your typical encounter with one may go something like this… 1. You do a search Even a general search for…

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  Denise Richardson

• Beware of Spyware on Your Computer

  Denise Richardson

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:46 pm

  You will certainly be aware of the term 'spyware' as the warnings appear often both in the press and on your computer. But what is spyware? Apart from our general perception that it is a bad thing to have on...

• Scam Alert: Email Posing as BBB Laced with Malware

  Denise Richardson

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:03 pm

  I've talked about some of my own experiences with others trying to use my identity and my reputation to further their own scams.  It's not uncommon that con-artists use the names of government agencies, financial institutions or even familiar consumer...

• Watch Out for Super Bowl Scams

  Denise Richardson

  30 Jan 2012 | 1:31 pm

  With the Super Bowl just around the corner, both Giants fans and Patriots fans are looking for some way to enjoy the event and support their teams.  Unfortunately, as with most major events there are scammers lying in wait to...

• Beware of Phone Scams: 3-Digit Security Code Ruse, Computer Tech Support

  Denise Richardson

  25 Jan 2012 | 3:15 pm

  Criminals use the phone to commit many different types of fraud. They often use publicly available data, phone directories or data they obtained in a data breach --so they might know your name and other personal information when they call...

• IRS Overwhelmed with Identity Theft

  Denise Richardson

  20 Jan 2012 | 7:50 pm

  Now that the New Year is here, it's time to start thinking about W-2's and 1099's to get ready for tax season.  Though many people don't start thinking about their taxes until closer to April, the IRS actually begins processing...

• 

  PT Money

• 30 Ridiculously Cheap (and Creative) Valentine’s Day Ideas

  Emily Guy Birken

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:45 am

  As a longtime cheapskate, and a new cheapskate mom, I have often been bemused by the amount of money people spend to prove to their spouses and children just how much they love them.No time is this more true than on February 14 of each year, when love advertising goes into overdrive to convince consumers that true love is measured by wallet thickness.For a family on a budget, the prospect of children’s parties at school, gifts or mementos from parents to kids, and the all-important Valentine’s gift between spouses can make you wish that the calendar could just skip from January to…

• Finding a Valet Parking Job or Starting a Valet Parking Business of Your Own

  Philip Taylor

  7 Feb 2012 | 1:17 pm

  If you are looking for a good part-time job or business to start, you should definitely consider the valet parking industry.You’ve no doubt seen valets at nice restaurants and hotels. But did you know there are third-party valet service companies geared towards the private party (e.g. weddings) industry?When people throw a big wedding or party, one of the things they don’t want their nicely-dressed guests dealing with is finding a place to park and then walking a long distance. A third-party valet service is a nice way to impress your guest and show them you appreciate their…

• Slate from Chase 15 Month Balance Transfer with NO FEE

  Michael

  7 Feb 2012 | 1:15 pm

  Balance transfer credit cards often provide the greatest savings for consumers even though they don’t have big up front bonuses or rewards programs.  But even with the savings, one of the obvious drawbacks of applying for a balance transfer card is the balance transfer fee you’ll immediately be charged.  Generally, this fee is 3% which only adds to the amount of debt a new cardholder has but for a limited time only, the Slate® from Chase is offering a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, with NO balance transfer fee for 30 days.The 0% intro APR offered on the…

• 2011 Tax Law Changes

  Philip Taylor

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:19 am

  I wanted to take a quick moment to review some of the basic tax law changes that will be relevant for those filing a 2011 return.In the coming weeks, I might be presenting posts that break some of these important changes down even further.But for now, I’ll just give the highlights of each change affecting the 2011 tax filing season.The Bush tax cuts were essentially extended, leaving many things unchanged from last year to this year. Federal income tax brackets will remain unchanged, but the standard deduction will go up, while the child tax credit also remains unchanged.This…

• Guest Post: How I Got My Personal Finance Education and Its Role in My Life

  Guest

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:28 am

  This is a guest post from Sunil of ExtraMoneyBlog.com How did you get your financial education?There is no doubt personal finance is a critical component of our lives.But because the education of this topic is not required in schools, most of us grow up on our own in terms of how we view and manage our finances.For many, personal finance habits are derived directly from their parents, while others catch it from a variety of experiences and exposures in life.One thing is for certain that no two clouds are alike. This is my story about how I obtained my personal finance education and its…

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  RetirementRevised

• Q&A What American Airlines pension default means for average pensioners

  Mark Miller

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:32 am

  American Airlines is heading toward the largest default of a defined-benefit pension plan in U.S. history. It’s a messy story involving 130,000 covered workers, four underfunded pension plans, bankruptcy court proceedings and negotiations with unions and a government agency. That could be frightening for the more than 18 million private sector workers who still are [...] Related posts:Obama plan to bolster pension insurance fund stirs controversyReminder from SCOTUS: Don’t rely on employers for accurate pension infoWorried governmental retirees wonder: traditional pension or lump…

• What Obama should be saying about Social Security

  Mark Miller

  2 Feb 2012 | 9:38 am

  The remaining major Republican presidential contenders managed to escape their debate prior to this week’s Florida primary without being asked to answer a single question about Social Security. That’s remarkable, considering the state’s aging population and the outlandish statements the candidates have made about the program. But they aren’t the only ones getting a pass [...] Related posts:Obama backs off Social Security cutsSocial Security reform still on the agenda, Obama advisor says$250 Social Security payment resurfaces in Obama budget

• Low-cost entries shake up market for small 401(k) plans

  Mark Miller

  26 Jan 2012 | 8:19 pm

  If you own a small business, the time to comparison-shop for 401k plans has never been better. Low-cost plans are cropping up, as new federal regulations kicking in this year call for greater disclosure of fee information to plan participants and sponsors. The numbers should be a real eye-opener. Fees vary widely among retirement plans [...] Related posts:Schwab plan to cut costs, add advice points to changing 401(k) marketAutomated retirement plans can help, but watch for these pitfallsFive ways to make 401(k) plans more like pensions

• Workers fight switch to church plan pensions

  Mark Miller

  26 Jan 2012 | 8:14 pm

  Mary Rich worked for a hospital in northern New Jersey for 25 years, first as a registered nurse and later as an executive. One of the job’s benefits was a traditional pension that she expected to receive at retirement. Now that benefit seems unlikely to be around by the time she retires. Rich’s financially troubled [...] Related posts:Obama plan to bolster pension insurance fund stirs controversyWhy federal insurance for pensions needs shoring upWisconsin fight points to importance of traditional pensions

• Big penalties await if you delay Medicare filing

  Mark Miller

  20 Jan 2012 | 12:39 pm

  Most seniors on Medicare will pay $99.90 per month this year for Part B outpatient coverage. But how would you like to pay 10 percent more for that coverage, or 50 percent more? Failing to sign up for Medicare at the right time can cost you – big time. The monthly Part B premium jumps [...] Related posts:Reader mailbag: Stay on COBRA or enroll for Medicare?Reader mailbag: IRA beneficiaries and Medicare first payorsMedicare will cut into big Social Security COLA in 2012

• 

  RateNerd

• 2011 and 2012 Tax Credits For College

  Rate Nerd

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:16 am

  Slash your college bills with tax credits  Other than buying a home and automobile, a college education is one of the biggest investments Americans typically make. On average, in-state tuition and fees at a four-year public college increased by more than 8 percent to $8,244 for the 2011-2012 academic year, and room and board now [...] 2011 and 2012 Tax Credits For College is a post from: RateNerd... To read the full article, please visit http://RateNerd.com and find more unadvertised deals from banks.

• How To Max Out Your FDIC Insurance On Savings and CD’s

  Rate Nerd

  29 Jan 2012 | 3:15 pm

  With banks and the economy in the news so much lately, you may be thinking more about the safety of your money.   If a depositor’s accounts at one FDIC-insured bank or savings association total $250,000 or less, the deposits are fully insured. A depositor can have more than $250,000 at one insured bank or [...] How To Max Out Your FDIC Insurance On Savings and CD’s is a post... To read the full article, please visit http://RateNerd.com and find more unadvertised deals from banks.

• 6 Hidden Tax Law Changes That May Impact Your 2011 Tax Return

  Rate Nerd

  19 Jan 2012 | 4:31 pm

  Changes impacting your taxes and this year’s refund from Uncle Sam In the way of tax legislation, 2011 was a relatively quiet year. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t tax law changes that will affect this year’s tax returns. “The changes enacted at the end of 2010 will still impact this year’s and next year’s [...] 6 Hidden Tax Law Changes That May... To read the full article, please visit http://RateNerd.com and find more unadvertised deals from banks.

• 6 Key Tax Mistakes To Avoid

  Rate Nerd

  12 Jan 2012 | 4:29 pm

  Have you made these six tax mistakes? How to avoid them this year Tax time is a stressful time, even for the most prepared filer. And for the many people who aren’t perfectly prepared when the season rolls around, each commercial, ad or sign that mentions tax preparation can be a painful reminder that the [...] 6 Key Tax Mistakes To Avoid is a post from: RateNerd - unadvertised deals from... To read the full article, please visit http://RateNerd.com and find more unadvertised deals from banks.

• Best Checking Account Offers for 2012

  Rate Nerd

  14 Dec 2011 | 12:08 pm

  Here’s our annual list of the best checking account offers for the new year – Happy 2012!   Your checking account is the centerpiece of your financial life. You can always have a savings account elsewhere, and then link it to your checking account. Your Checking account should be easy to use, have nationwide ATM [...] Best Checking Account Offers for 2012 is a post from: RateNerd... To read the full article, please visit http://RateNerd.com and find more unadvertised deals from banks.

• 

  The Financial Blogger

• Life Changing Moments Worth Chasing After

  MD

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  At the beginning of this week, Mike wrote about life changing moments that he has experienced. It was a fun look at some of his accomplishments and defining moments. The changing moments ranged from finishing graduate school to getting married all the way to having kids. Since I’m still in my early-20s (24 is early 20s right?), I wanted to add my perspective here. I didn’t just want to share my own life changing moments. I wanted to try something different. I’m going to look at life changing moments worth chasing after in your 20s: Finishing your education. Many bloggers…

• Site Valuation What People Are Saying and What They Keep Secret

  The Financial Blogger

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  A while ago, I wrote a 4 article series on how to buy blogs: How to buy blog – intro How to assess the value of a blog part 1 How to assess the value of a blog part 2 Finalizing the transaction and integrating the community   But these articles were written back in 2010 and we are now in 2012. It’s kind of funny as not even 18 months have passed between this series and today’s post but we are already evolving in a whole different world. You don’t believe me? Here’s a few difference between 2010 and 2012:   -          I’m not the only player in the blog…

• Quitting Your Job, The BS and The Truth About It

  The Financial Blogger

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  Last Friday, our Epic Shiz of the week was about a “punch in the face” article by Sam, The Financial Samurai at Untemplater titled Quit Your Job And Die Alone. In this very well written article, Sam outlines the entire BS about the people who tell you to quit your job to pursue your dreams. He outlines 4 examples: Adam Baker Erica Myself! Himself!   I like Sam’s writing skill and there are a lot of things that he wrote that were true and was fair about quitting your job to become self-employed or to create a business. However, I think he purposely picked an angle from which to see…

• What Are Your Life Changing Moments?

  The Financial Blogger

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

    I’m writing this post right before the birth of our 3rd child; Caleb. My wife is due in a few days and we just can’t wait until we get the signal that Caleb is ready to see the world for the first time. As we can’t wait any longer until we see his face, I’m thinking about my life changing moments. How many have I had? How did they change my life? When did I realize they really meant something to me?   Here are a few of my most important life changing moments:   Seeing my parents go bankrupt at the age of 14 This was definitely my first experience with money. Since the…

• Epicness of the Week

  MD

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  The most interesting piece from this past week was Quit Your Job and Die Alone by Financial Samurai at Untemplater. What was so epic about this article? This reminded me of my harsh reality check on full-time blogging. There are too many of us falling for the dream and wanting to be “our own boss.” Do you really want to be your own boss or do you just hate your job? I find that it’s usually the latter. We hate our jobs so much that we want to quit and work for ourselves. Do you realize how tough it is to be your own boss? When you’re the boss you can’t pass the…

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  Intelligent Speculator

• Bonds – Difficult Buy These Days

  IS

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  I rarely discuss bonds here which could be seen as surprising since it is a huge market, one that every investor ends up buying in. The explosion of ETF’s has also made it much easier and affordable to invest in as well. it has even made it possible to create fully diversified retirement ETF portfolios. As many of you know I believe in the bucket approach to investing, I’ve discussed it more in the mailing list but basically, dividend investing and a diversified ETF portfolio are my most important investments. The ETF portfolio as you would expect includes bonds. A few weeks ago,…

• Zuckerberg On Top Of The World?

  IS

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Last year, I made a prediction that Mark Zuckerberg would eventually become the world’s richest man, or at least come very close to it. The past week has been heaven for those who like me have been greatly anticipating the upcoming Facebook IPO. As Facebook finally filed for its IPO, Zuckerberg confirmed what many including myself firmly believed; that he plans on leading Facebook to the very top. Zuckerberg, who is yet to turn 30 will likely officially become the 9th richest man in the world once Facebook goes public. Believe me, I will be discussing the Facebook IPO and what I think…

• New Trade: Long Travelzoo (TZOO) & Short IAC Interactive (IACI)

  IS

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  The year started off amazingly well as 3 of the 4 first trades that I opened closed out early, all making significant profits but since then, things have calmed down quite a bit. I did update the stock picks results page and hopefully I can keep seeing more early exits but these results are more “typical”. As much as I’d like for stocks that I consider undervalued to rise days after my picks, it is likely to take more time. I would also like to invite you to see how I calculate my returns for long & short tech stocks. Today I had a more difficult time finding the right…

• It’s Not Enough To Like A Company, It’s All About Valuation (AMZN, LNKD)

  IS

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  I’m sure you’ve heard such things before: “Look for companies that you know and do business, look at how well they are doing and then make stock purchases on that basis” It’s Insane To Think In Such A Simple Manner Investing is NOT easy, it really isn’t. If you are looking for a clear method to make good stock picks, then dividend investing might be the right thing for you. Again, you would not be judging the company based on how many friends you know that shop at the local store or how good of a service you get every time you visit. I’m not saying…

• Dividend Investing Will Make You Rich

  IS

  2 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Last week, I discussed dividend investing mainly to argue those that say dividend stocks are a bubble and that dividend investing was just a trend that would eventually fade away are dead wrong. My conclusion was that dividend investing will only grow bigger and more important. In my opinion, that is a good thing. It will encourage companies to be more disciplined with their cash which should be good both for the markets and for the general economy. Company executives generally have a lot of interest in how well their company’s stock performs and that is becoming even more true these…

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  Kingdom Calling

• Stock Markets Will See Continued Volatility in 2012

  Wes Bridel

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Did you know that the US stock markets ended slightly up last year?  It probably didn’t feel that way to you though.  And we don’t mean to say that they were up a lot…they were simply barely up.  But the way they ended gives a totally different picture of the ride to get there.  We’re continuing a series on predictions for the year 2012 and beyond.  Today’s prediction… 2012 will see extreme volatility in the stock markets again.  Actually, we think they’ll be even more volatile than last year, but such a thing is really in the eye of the beholder.  If you were exposed to…

• The Coming US Dollar Devaluation

  Wes Bridel

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  US Dollar Devaluation is at our doorstep.  We’re in a series of posts expanding on the predictions we’ve recently made for the US Economy in the coming year and beyond. One of our predictions was that holding USD cash would be a losing proposition in 2012 in real terms.  On Friday, we shared with you in detail Ben Bernanke’s plan if deflationary forces become too strong for him. Today we’ll share this video for some second hand evidence that this is indeed the plan. Why would the US Government and Ben Bernanke want to destroy the value of the savings of every American? It’s…

• Is Ben Bernanke Planning to Devalue the US Dollar by 40%?

  Wes Bridel

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  There seems to be clear evidence that this is Ben Bernanke’s fall back plan if his deflation fears gets strong enough.  And oh by the way, his remarks last week implied his fears are quite high.  He said that growth is still extremely sluggish and that there are no inflation fears (we don’t know where he got his tea leaves, but they ought to go in the garbage).  He implied that a stronger response could be on the way this year if things don’t improve.  So what could that look like? There’s actually a speech that several people have brought to my attention over the last couple…

• Economic Forecasts of 2012 & beyond

  Wes Bridel

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  In 2012, the Economy will…Yesterday, we began a series on predicting what will happen in the economy and markets in 2012.  We stated that in today’s post, we would give you some bullet point predictions and then follow up with a series of posts to round out the information so that you understand how firmly, or not, we believe each guess and Why. Some of these predictions will be pretty basic.  We’ll guess things like…Which direction will the stock market move over the course of 2012?  Other predictions will be of much larger things.  These are what we’re calling “Black Swan”…

• 2012: The Year of the Black Swan

  Wes Bridel

  31 Jan 2012 | 1:16 pm

  Today, we’re doing something we’ve never done before and probably won’t do again anytime soon.  We’re reprinting the monthly newsletter (sign up here if you don’t receive it) on the same day it’s going out to subscribers.  We usually don’t post them to the blog at all, or if we do post them it’s with a delay.  However, we’re starting a new series with this letter and thus need to explain it here on the blog as you’ll see below… Your February 2012 Kingdom Calling Newsletter 2012: The Year of the Black Swan Wikipedia defines…

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  Don't Quit Your Day Job...

• It’s The Spending, Stupid!

  PK

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:30 am

  In 1992, Bill Clinton was running for President of the United States against George H.W. Bush. Mr. Clinton had a tendency to go off topic when answering questions in debates and interviews.  He battled a reputation as a policy wonk, and (like many Democratic candidates of recent vintage) this reputation allowed Republicans to paint him as the second coming of one-term President Jimmy Carter.  As the United States had recently been in a recession under the leadership of Mr. Bush, Clinton’s strategist James Carville used the phrase as a gentle reminder that if Clinton was to win he…

• Sports Gambling and Live Markets

  CameronDaniels

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  Is sports gambling beatable? Casinos, over the years, have traditionally thought of sportsbooks as an amenity to offer to their customers as opposed to a real way to make money. They cap the bets made on traditional over/unders and to people who consistently win in sports gambling (known as ‘sharps’). The casinos believe that sports gambling is beatable by a select few and just hope that the losses of the masses can wash out the gains of the few. But, the obvious question is: if it is beatable, how does one stay ahead of the market/line-setters? What if sports gambling was as easy…

• The DQYDJ Weekender (Week of 1/30/12)

  PK

  4 Feb 2012 | 12:37 pm

  What sort of cognitive dissonance does it cause when you read a new post in February and the title contains a data in January?  Whatamess! Feel like helping push DQYDJ closer to the top of the world (loosely defined)?  We’re 2 followers away from 200 on Twitter and 2 likes away from 65 on Facebook. Carnivals and Featured Links Thanks to those who linked to us! The Carnival of Personal Finance The Frugal Toad Net Worth Protect Everything Finance Blog Links of the Week! “Quit Your Job and Die Alone” – it’s a catchy title, but far from being about how tough it is…

• The European Debt Crisis and You

  CameronDaniels

  1 Feb 2012 | 9:43 am

  A lot of recent financial news has focused around the spreading European sovereign debt crisis. The big question many Americans now try to answer is what this means for them on a day-to-day basis. At the same time as this is occupying financial headlines, the Fed has declared that they will endorse a policy of more transparency, opening up their forecasts to scrutiny and understanding from market observers. Due to continued slow job growth and stagnant real estate market, the Fed claimed that they will keep the federal funds rate (the rate at which banks lend to each other overnight) low…

• Predicting the S&P 500 – January 2012 Edition

  PK

  30 Jan 2012 | 10:21 am

  Don’t Quit Your Day Job is a site which varies between many types of articles – Personal Finance, Politics, Investing, Economics, Random…  One of those categories, Investing, has been given short shrift in order to make way for more articles in the other categories.  Today we plant a stake; ‘Investing’ will now have a featured article monthly, where we’ll use options to try to determine the outlook for the S&P 500 in the near future.  Since this is the first such article, let’s discuss the method we will use to predict movement. Options? …

• 

  Money Saving Tips: All - billeater.com

• Classic Tips for Saving Money at Restaurants

  Jessica Bosari

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pm

  The cost of eating out can be a budget buster. Sometimes, however, you just don't feel like cooking or you crave a dinner out with friends. Instead of worrying about spending too much money, put these money-saving tips into action while eating at your favorite restaurant. Your friends and family will be none the wiser and you'll feel good knowing you aren’t spending too much. Stick to Your BudgetRead the rest...

• Saving Money: Life is Tough - So Get Tougher

  Guest Blogger

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:10 am

  If you are like most people in the world and struggling financially it can sometimes feel like standing on the bottom of a lake looking up. Stress levels mount with each new setback or unexpected bill until you can't help but wonder if you'll ever see your way clear again. You get nailed with late fee after late fee even after trying to deal with the people you owe, but they just keep coming.  Read the rest...

• Learn How to Save Up to $1,000 Every Month On Your Car

  Guest Blogger

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  One of the most expensive items that people pay for every month, is their car. The average car payment in America is over $400. If you have two car payments every month, you could be spending as much as $1,000 every month just making your car payment.  If people were able to reduce or eliminate their car payments, they would be able to save a substantial amount of money. This article will teach you how to save a lot of money, and how to avoid some of the pitfalls of car ownership that will steal your money.Read the rest...

• Five More Tax Deductions You Won’t Want to Miss

  Jessica Bosari

  3 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  In the adult world, there are few things as confusing and potentially frustrating as income taxes. Impossible to avoid and notoriously dull, tax season strikes fear in the hearts of many. It doesn't need to be that way though. Tax software has made it easier than ever to prepare your own taxes, and you may be entitled to a larger return than you expect. When you file your taxes this year, remember to find out whether you qualify for these five deductions.  Read the rest...

• 5 Ways to Keep Your Family within a Budget

  Guest Blogger

  2 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

  With the economy still on very shaky ground, it’s more important than ever for people to learn how to live within a budget. However, there is a big problem with budgets – they’re like diets. And just like when you see that gooey jelly donut in the window of the bakery and your diet goes out the window, your budget will go out the window you see those “adorable” shoes which you simply “must have” or that new tablet computer. So how do you figure out how to actually stick with a budget?  Read the rest...

• 

  moneyStrands blogs

• Many New Features Are Coming In 2012!

  vanpelt

  3 Feb 2012 | 12:17 pm

  All of us at moneyStrands are excited and proud to have our money management solution featured in several articles focused on helping consumers manage their finances in the New Year! Thanks to all of our users and bloggers who have found the following features so useful: • Bill payment tracking and calendar • 12 month budget plans • Automatic spend tracking and reporting • Low balance alerts We are working hard to continually build new tools that help our users manage money more effectively. Stay tuned for powerful features including multiple bank account aggregation. Your feedback is…

• The New and Improved moneyStrands Has Arrived

  strandslucia

  28 Jan 2011 | 5:53 pm

  IMPORTANT UPDATE We are making changes to our automatic account aggregation capability. As a result, beginning March 19th we will be pausing all automatic account aggregation for an extended period of time. During this time, only manual account aggregation will be supported on moneyStrands. For more information click here . Today we are excited to unveil the new moneyStrands. As most of you know we’ve been working on this for the past year and we think you’ll find that it was worth the wait. To highlight all the new changes, we’ve put together a short moneyStrands Tour video. If you…

• How to pay off holiday debt

  strandslucia

  21 Jan 2011 | 7:55 pm

  I’ll admit, as much as I preach about spending less than you earn and planning your holiday budget in advanced, the holidays always seem to get me. So as the end of the month approaches and all my holiday bills begin coming in, I’ll be devising the best plan to pay it off. While my holiday debt is manageable, it’s still important to me to find the best and fastest way to pay it off. If you’re facing the same problem, here are some tips to help you pay off that holiday debt a little quicker: Find ways to cut back on expenses Having debt means you may have to make some sacrifices when…

• 4 Tips To Help You Reach Your 2011 Financial Resolutions

  strandslucia

  10 Jan 2011 | 3:50 pm

  A new year means new beginnings and the perfect opportunity to review your goals, set new goals and get organized so you can accomplish them. While many of us are great at setting goals, some (such as myself) have a hard time staying on track through the year. If you’re like me, the first week is the easiest, the second week you begin losing steam and by the third week you’re falling off track. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, so these first three weeks are the most important! To help keep you on track, here is a list of 4 tips to help keep your financial resolutions: Limit your…

• 'Tis the Season: The Do’s and Don’ts of Charitable Giving

  strandslucia

  16 Dec 2010 | 4:40 pm

  'Tis the season for giving! A survey by the American Red Cross found that 57 percent of American adults plan to donate to charity this holiday season, despite the economic downturn. The same survey showed that while 86 percent of Americans reported their personal finances are the same or worse than last year, 72 percent expect to give the same amount or more than last year to charity. If you’re one of the many Americans opening your heart and your wallet for a good cause this holiday season, its important to be smart about how you do it. Here are 10 do’s and don’ts to follow for…

• 

  Sound Money Matters

• That Makes Me Stabby: Medical Bills

  Aryn

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:15 pm

  Yesterday, I received a medical bill that is a perfect example of what is wrong with health care costs in this country. Several weeks ago I had an ultrasound as part of prenatal testing. The ultrasound was performed in a perinatologist’s office on one of their high-tech ultrasound machines. The scan took about 20 minutes, and was performed by a sonographer. The bill for that portion was $378. That part seems reasonable to me. Here’s the part that makes me stabby: after the initial ultrasound, the perinatologist came in. He put the wand back on my belly for about 30 seconds to take…

• Stupid Homeowner Tricks: When a Cheap DIY Project Requires a Pro

  Aryn

  24 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  Last week, we developed a leak near the main water line. The water pressure regulator was just replaced two years ago, so we knew it wasn’t that. After testing the water pressure with an $11 water gauge, we determined the leak was probably from a worn out Pressure Relief Valve. I went to Home Depot and bought the $10 replacement part. Then I returned home and discovered that we couldn’t fix it ourselves because the previous homeowners were idiots. Stupid Homeowner Tricks There are actually several questionable remodeling choices that have been made to our home over the years, but…

• An Update on Daily Deal Sites

  Aryn

  23 Nov 2011 | 5:00 am

  I first posted about Groupon in July, 2010. At that point I had purchased one offer. Fast forward a year and a half, and I’m up to a whopping seven deals split between two sites. I’m not exactly a Groupon addict, that’s for sure! So, first my deals, then my tips on avoiding wasting money on them. These are the deals I’ve bought: Wine Insiders – I saved over 50% on twelve decent bottles of wine. That was my first steal, but it required some finagling. Amazon – $20 for $10. I order from Amazon a lot, so of course I took this deal. Frankly, I don’t know…

• That Makes Me Stabby: Pizza Is Not a Vegetable

  Aryn

  17 Nov 2011 | 12:00 pm

  This has nothing to do with personal finance, but I was so mad when I heard this report Tuesday, that I had to say something. Congress is pushing a bill that would continue to allow school lunch programs to count the two tablespoons of tomato paste on a slice of school pizza as a vegetable. Under the recommendations set to go into effect, pizza must be accompanied by an actual vegetable in order to be served. What is wrong with Congress? This is just ridiculous. Pizza is NOT a vegetable. It may have veggies on it, and yes, the sauce is composed of tomatoes, but two tablespoons is not a…

• That Really Makes Me Stabby: Black Fridays Starts on Thanksgiving

  Aryn

  11 Nov 2011 | 5:00 am

  We might as well dispense with Thanksgiving altogether and just enjoy an extra day of shopping. It’s certainly not going to be a happy holiday for those poor souls who work at Wal-Mart or other popular Black Friday destinations. After several stores announced that their Black Fridays specials would start at midnight (which is ridiculous, but still technically Friday), Wal-Mart is upping the ante. They will now open their stores at 10 PM on Thanksgiving! So, stuff your faces, then run to your car to get in line for some cheap stuff. $5 Barbie dolls are worth giving up a holiday for,…

• 

  The Quizzle Wire

• The Elderly Are Getting Richer; The Young, Not So Much

  Benjamin Gran

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  The past few years of economic turmoil have been hard on millions of Americans, but some Americans are weathering the storm better than others. Older Americans have seen significant gains in financial well-being compared with younger generations. According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, there is a rising “Age Gap” in America’s wealth. Find out what this gap is and the lessons we can learn from it.

• Avoid Scaring Potential Home Buyers; How to Get Rid of Pet Odors

  Kristie Lorette

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Cats, dogs and other furry friends are members of our families. But when it comes to selling your home, many potential homebuyers don't want to meet these family members - and they certainly don't want to smell them as they walk through the front door. If you're in the process of getting your home ready to put on the market, you have a lot of work ahead of you. One of your primary goals is going to be to ensure that your house doesn't smell like your pets. Fortunately, you can be proactive about this and lower your risk of turning off potential home buyers.

• Rise of the Hypermiler; How to Save Money on Gas by Changing the Way You Drive

  Benjamin Gran

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  How would you like to save 30 percent on gas? In an era of rising gas prices, drivers all over America are looking for ways to save. But unfortunately, gas stations don’t usually issue coupons. So instead of hoping for a price cut or buying a hybrid car, what if you could use less gas? What if you could drive your existing car differently, saving gas to the point that getting better gas mileage became a way of life?

• What the Heck is Credit Utilization?

  Bill Rice

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Do you know what credit utilization is or how it may be negatively impacting your credit score? We give you the scoop.

• Leave It to the Pros: Q&A with Personal Finance Author Kathy Spencer

  Kate Parham

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  In round seven of our "Leave It to the Pros" series, we talk with Kathy Spencer, author of "How to Shop for Free." Kathy offers advice on how to save money, how to shop on a budget and the most important financial advice she's ever received.

• 

  How to Get Out of Debt With the Get Out of Debt Guy

• How can I operate my business and personal life without a bank account?

  Consumer

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:09 pm

  From How to Get Out of Debt Self employed developer in FL. Have paid off over $200K in debt; now down to my last $80K of unsecured debt. Don’t want to file bankruptcy and really can’t, but have run out of time with a couple creditors & the wolves are at the door. My house is underwater but I am current….both cars [...] Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here:... [To view the rest of this article go to GetOutOfDebt.org]

• Payment Protection Plans Horrible for Consumers. Banks Love Them.

  Steve Rhode

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:10 pm

  From How to Get Out of Debt We’ve all seen them. Those offers to cover us if we are sick, laid off or injured and unable to make our credit card payments. Over the years, for every one person that has told me they have received some payment or benefit from the program, there have probably been 500 more that have not. [...] Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Payment... [To view the rest of this article go to GetOutOfDebt.org]

• AES American Education Services – Consumer Complaint – 2-8-2012

  Consumer

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:56 pm

  From How to Get Out of Debt Date You Feel You Were Scammed: February 7, 2012 State You Live in: North Carolina Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American Age Range: 21-35 Total Amount of Fee Paid: Company Name: AES American Education Services Company Address: PO Box 2461 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105 Company Telephone Number: Website of Company: aessuccess.org Consumer Statement: My loan... [To view the rest of this article go to GetOutOfDebt.org]

• Citizens’ Debt Settlement Fund Pays to Settle Debts of Citizens in UAE

  Steve Rhode

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:15 pm

  From How to Get Out of Debt President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates has just announced a national $2,722,600,000 fund for low-income debtors to use to settle their debts with a number of UAE and Dubai lenders. This fund will allow people to be able to settle their debts rather than face prosecution and [...] Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org,... [To view the rest of this article go to GetOutOfDebt.org]

• SpringCoin Rolls Out Automated Debt Advice and Debt Relief Coach System

  Steve Rhode

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:44 pm

  From How to Get Out of Debt A reader just sent in this recent press release to share with readers. At $35 a month, if this software lives up to it’s hype and promises it could radically change the debt relief landscape as we know it today. The key is going to be in the operation and how tightly it is integrated [...] Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: SpringCoin Rolls... [To view the rest of this article go to GetOutOfDebt.org]

• 

  Broke as a Spoke

• Daily Dollars – January 29 thru February 4

  Corrin

  4 Feb 2012 | 8:06 am

  These weeks are flying by! Kinda like the money is flying out of my checking account. $925 rent $77 Sprint $68 utilities $36 Time Warner $600 Chase $90 State Farm – car insurance $165 Sallie Mae $490 car payment $50 taxes $102 Costco $18 Pei Wei – lunch with coworkers $15 Bircbox Where’d you spend your money this week? Daily Dollars – January 29 thru February 4 Share and Enjoy:

• Daily Dollars – January 22 thru 28

  Corrin

  28 Jan 2012 | 2:39 pm

  I tried to spend money today. I stopped at three different stores in search of new shoes and a few spring shirts but didn’t find anything splurge-worthy. So unlike me. Anytime I have money to spend, I can’t find a single thing to buy. Whenever I’m flat broke, everything I come across is just what I was looking for. $10 Post Office $29 gas $50 grocery $3 Teux Deux iPhone app How was your week? Where did you spend your money? Daily Dollars – January 22 thru 28 Share and Enjoy:

• Growing Up Poor

  Corrin

  23 Jan 2012 | 11:54 am

  I didn’t grow up poor. At least, not to my knowledge. But I think most anyone who has ever been a college student, had an underpaying job, or just stumbled upon shitty times can relate to The Five Stupidest Habits You Develop Growing Up Poor. It doesn’t take long to acquire these habits, but it can take a lifetime to break them. You Develop a Taste for Shitty Food – Who doesn’t crave Ramen Noodles from time to time? Something from the $0.99 menu, perhaps? Extra Money Has To Be Spent Right Goddamn Now! – Extra cash burns a hole in my pocket. If the bills are paid,…

• Trop50 True Resolutions (and an update on my resolutions)

  Corrin

  22 Jan 2012 | 2:55 pm

  Can you believe it’s almost February? I have no idea where the month went but I’ve been trying to stay conscious of my new year’s resolutions and I think I’ve made some good progress, how about you? I blogged in detail about my 2012 financial goals, but here’s a quick update: 2012 Financial Goals Pay iMac in full. Double emergency fund, bringing total to $6,000. Reduce credit card debt by 25%. Progress Paid $500 towards iMac Added $500 to emergency fund I haven’t blogged about my personal goals because I feel like they are a little loftier and…

• Daily Dollars – January 15 – 21

  Corrin

  21 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am

  Good morning! Did you have a good week? Where did you spend your money? $56 grocery $5 Summermoon $100 deposit on website redesign I’m super excited to be giving my personal blog a facelift and then I’ll be making some changes over here! What would you like to see?   Daily Dollars – January 15 – 21 Share and Enjoy:

• 

  Creditshout

• Paying Taxes on Credit Card Points, Miles and Rewards?

  Clay Wyatt

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:28 am

  You’ve just earned 25,000 bonus points by spending $3,000 within 3 months after signing up for Chase Sapphire. What will you redeem your points on – a new mp3 player, a bunch of movies, taxes or some clothes? Wait, did I just say taxes?You may not have thought about paying taxes on your credit card rewards, but Uncle Sam surely has. After all, it could be another opportunity for him to reach into your pockets!So, will Uncle Sam have his hand out for a chunk of your rewards or will you keep what you’ve earned? Let’s take a look.Taxes on Purchase RewardsAlthough various reports have…

• Citi Platinum Select Card Review

  Dawn Allcot

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  Secure Application CREDITSHOUT RATING: Very Good Verdict: The Citi® Platinum Select® Visa®, currently offering 0 % APR for 18 months and no annual fee, is the perfect Citi card for big-ticket purchases you intend to pay off within the next 18 months. This is also a great card for those looking to transfer a balance – offering 0% APR on all balance transfers for 18 months.Several other benefits, including the Extra Cash Rewards program and excellent identity theft protection, make this a good card if you don’t typically carry a balance.Citi Platinum OverviewThe Citi® Platinum Select®…

• Chase Ultimate Rewards VS ShopDiscover

  Clay Wyatt

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  The Internet has revolutionized just about every aspect of modern life. Fortunately, the credit card industry has adapted to this fact of life and many related online shopping portals have sprung up. Users of such portals often qualify for enhanced rewards, typically in the form of higher points, miles or cash back than is offered through traditional shopping outlets.So, without further ado, let’s compare two of these online shopping portals. We’ll take a look at the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall and ShopDiscover. Each offers unique benefits to Chase or Discover customers, respectively.

• Capital One Venture VS Chase Sapphire Preferred

  Clay Wyatt

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Secure Application CREDITSHOUT RATING: ExcellentVS Secure Application CREDITSHOUT RATING: Very GoodIf you are in the market for a rewards credit card, you’ve probably heard of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card and the Chase Sapphire® Preferred Card. Each has plenty of strong benefits to offer. However, as you probably don’t want to overload your wallet with plastic, you probably want to know which is better? Let’s find out!Bonus PointsThe Chase Sapphire Preferred card comes with double the amount of bonus points that Capital One offers. With the Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll…

• How to Increase Your Credit Limit with Citi and Capital One

  Clay Wyatt

  30 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am

  So, you want to increase your credit limit and have no idea how.This is a familiar problem among credit card users. Just ask any Capital One cardholder who has tried to do so and you’ll get the idea. They feel responsible enough to get a credit limit increase and the issuer balks at their demands. What can be done?You may be surprised, but you won’t have to walk over hot coals with bare feet to get your credit limit increased. You won’t have to plant the issuer’s flag at the top of Mount Everest, either.Getting your credit limit increased can be as simple as a phone call. It can also…

• 

  Ways to Make Money Online

• MySurvey Review – Scam or Legitimate Paid Survey Site

  satrap

  3 Feb 2012 | 11:19 pm

  MySurvey is on of those paid surveys sites that almost everybody who has been involved with paid surveys in one way or another, has heard of. But,what is the truth here? Is MySurvey actually a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• How to Make Money With eHow

  satrap

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  How to make money with eHow?… Making money on eHow is becoming a popular way of earning money online. The reason for increasingly popularity of make money eHow related methods is that it really... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• How to Make Money With Blogger?

  satrap

  26 Jan 2012 | 9:47 pm

  How to make money with blogger? This is a popular question these days amongst people who are wondering about the possibility of making money with blogger blogs and indeed anyone how wants to learn... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• 3 Big Small Home Business Tips!

  satrap

  23 Jan 2012 | 6:20 pm

  Looking for some small home business tips that can help you choose the right home business?… You are in the right place. These days there are hunderds of small business ideas and opportunities... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• Home Based Business Ideas- Start an Online Used Book Store for Less than $100

  satrap

  11 Jan 2012 | 9:05 pm

  Looking for small business ideas? How about an online used book store?… Used book stores are popping everywhere these days. Wherever you look, offline or online, there are new used book stores... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

• 

  Baddest Credit Fixed

• Credit Repair Magic

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:32 am

  Make your Credit Problems Disappear with Credit Repair Magic Millions of people around the country have horrible credit reports. These hinder them from being able to make loans or use their credit cards properly. There are

• Debt-Free

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:32 am

  Credit Crunch Slayer – Your Path to Debt-Free Living Do you find yourself in over your head in debt? Have you been seeing the “Past Due” marks on your billing statements each and every time you

• 37 Days to Clean Credit System

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:32 am

  The 37 Days to Clean Credit System Millions of people around the world suffer from Learn how to repair your credit and improve your credit points in just 37 days. This step-by-step system, created by a

• 37 Days to Clean Credit System

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:32 am

  The 37 Days to Clean Credit System Millions of people around the world suffer from Learn how to repair your credit and improve your credit points in just 37 days. This step-by-step system, created by a

• Debt-Free

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:32 am

  Credit Crunch Slayer – Your Path to Debt-Free Living Do you find yourself in over your head in debt? Have you been seeing the “Past Due” marks on your billing statements each and every time you

• 

  Getdebthelp.org - by American Debt Counseling, Inc

• Can a Debt Be Collected Forever?

  American Debt Counseling

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:01 pm

  Can a Debt Be Collected Forever? You probably know that if you owe money, the company you owe can do lots of things to try to collect it – like damaging your credit score, sending a collection agency after you, and suing you in court. But can they come after you for the rest of your life? Nothing lasts forever. Nearly all transgressions in our society have a limit beyond which those doing the pursuing have to give it up. It’s called the “statute of limitations.” While there are a few crimes that don’t have one – murder comes to mind – debt does. Here’s today’s question… I…

• Key Points to Reading a Credit Report

  American Debt Counseling

  27 Jan 2012 | 7:14 pm

  Key Points to Reading a Credit Report Reading and understanding a credit report can be a difficult mission for many people.  There are often things included that we simply don’t understand.  We have learned what contributes to our credit and how to improve our score, but people sit staring blankly at their credit report trying to make sense of the words and numbers.  If this is the situation that you have been in, please read below to get a better grasp on the red lights you should be looking for on your credit history. Identifying Factors: This part of your credit report will have…

• Rebuilding Credit!

  American Debt Counseling

  20 Jan 2012 | 12:02 pm

  As most of the nation, Americans have felt the downturn in the economy recently.  Its effects nationally are unspeakable.  Unemployment rates, foreclosures are just among a few of them.  Credit scores have been sacrificed for numerous people due to financial issues.  People who used to be on sound financial footing are now slipping uncontrollably.  Credit scores that used to be high are now mediocre to bad.  Citizens who at one time were a good credit risk suddenly realize that their scores indicate that they are a bad risk.  It is a frustrating scenario, especially for Americans who…

• Start the New Year off Credit Savvy!

  American Debt Counseling

  7 Jan 2012 | 12:32 am

  Start the New Year off Credit Savvy! One of your top resolutions this year should be to stay on top of your credit score.  We are all aware that our credit scores are important in securing our chances of getting approved for loans, insurance and employment.  However, too many people don’t check their credit report for months or even years.  You are entitled to one free credit report each year from all 3 bureaus, so start 2012 by accessing your credit history by going to www.annualcreditreport.com.  Those people that do pull their reports often have no idea how the credit bureau comes up…

• Wrapping up the Financial Year

  American Debt Counseling

  17 Dec 2011 | 3:10 pm

  Wrapping up the Financial Year As we head into a new year it is a great time to look back over the year financially.  Analyze what decisions you made in 2011 that you regretted or were pleased with.  Don’t get discouraged over past financial mistakes.  The great thing about going into a new year is you can learn from the past.  2012 gives you the opportunity to keep your good habits and drop the bad ones. Last month we talked about saving money during the holidays, however most of us need to save money all year around on everyday expenses.  Let’s review some slight changes in our…

• 

  About.com Financial Software

• Early Filers Get Late Tax Refunds

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:04 pm

  Waiting on your tax refund? So are a lot of other early filers.  The reason for the hold up is probably the IRS itself.  A recent bulletin released to tax professionals says that the IRS systems are processing e-filed returns a little slower this year, primarily due to additional security screening. Tax refunds are back up by about a week, and while many tax refunds are deposited within 10 days, I was surprised to learn that 90 percent of refunds don't hit the bank balance for nearly three weeks after the return is filed....Read Full Post

• Free Tax Filing: IRS Free File

  4 Feb 2012 | 12:51 pm

  IRS Free File is a way to file your federal, and sometimes state, tax return for free by using online tax software. The IRS introduced Free File back in 2003 and more than 33 million returns have been filed through the program....Read Full Post

• TurboTax Freedom Edition, Where Art Thou?

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:14 am

  A reader just informed me in the comments for this post that TurboTaxFreedom Edition does, in fact, exist (I initially reported that it had been renamed to TurboTax Free Edition).  So, I did a little more poking around and found it available from the IRS Free File program. To use TurboTax Freedom Edition, your AGI must be $31,000 or less or be in the active military and earning $57,000 or less, or be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit.  You can file free state returns with this version as well, but not for all states that have income tax....Read Full Post

• Free Debt Reduction Spreadsheets

  29 Jan 2012 | 5:22 am

  Looking for an easier way to plan for paying down some debt? While debt reduction software is a great solution, a lot of people are looking for something a little simpler. Try one of these debt reduction spreadsheets, which can be used with Microsoft Excel, Open Office Calc and Google Docs....Read Full Post

• Microsoft Money Accounts and Registers

  27 Jan 2012 | 9:04 am

  As I mentioned earlier this month, a lot of my readers are still using Microsoft Money, even though it's not fully functional. If you are looking for basic money management software for Windows, then Microsoft Money Sunset Deluxe is definitely an option - and it's free.  If you're just setting up Microsoft Money, you need to check out my collection of short tutorials which I've gathered together in Working with Accounts and Registers in Microsoft Money....Read Full Post

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  Credit Card Chaser

• Are there any credit cards for people with no credit history?

  Michelle

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:30 pm

  Fortunately, there are some available credit cards for people with no credit history. To protect them, many credit card companies deny applications of individuals who have bad or no credit. The good news is that some companies will give you a chance, and even if they don’t, there are other options for building up your credit. Use the FREE credit card chaser tool on this page to help you find the best credit card for your needs! Although it may seem harsh, having your credit card application denied may be a good thing for you. If you are new to credit cards, the terms and fees can be…

• Mitsuwa JCB Credit Card

  Michelle

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:23 pm

  For a credit card with a number of benefits in Japan, you should look into the Mitsuwa JCB Credit Card. JCB is the leading card issuer in Japan and it has teamed up with a Japanese grocery store called Mitsuwa Marketplace. It has a number of benefits of which that you can take advantage. Use the FREE card finder on this page to compare online credit cards right now! Mitsuwa JCB Discounts One of the benefits of using the credit card from Mitsuwa JCB is that you receive money off at Mitsuwa Marketplace.Monday through Thursday in the months of February and May, as well as in August and November,…

• Marukai JCB Credit Card (Hawaii)

  Michelle

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:16 pm

  The Marukai JCB credit card in Hawaii is both a membership card to any Marukai Wholesale Mart and a JCB rewards program credit card. Only Marukai members who live in Hawaii are eligible for the card. Use the FREE tool at the bottom of the page to get a list of great online credit cards! These warehouse type stores sell imported items at a discount but are only open to members. However, membership is only $10 a year. The membership is also good at the California stores, but can only be renewed in Hawaii. Marukai and JCB Combined This one credit card serves dual purposes. First it is a…

• Marukai JCB Credit Card (California)

  Michelle

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:12 pm

  The Marukai JCB credit card in California is a combination credit card and membership card to the Marukai Japanese stores. The credit card is accepted worldwide, and not just at this retail chain. Get the FREE credit card chaser to find credit card information from several companies now! Marukai Corporation owns a series of both membership and non-membership grocery stores in California. These stores specialize in importing Japanese foods, electronics, and household items. The membership fee is normally $10 per year. Marukai JCB Credit Card Convenience Marukai has entered into a partnership…

• Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union Platinum Visa Credit Card

  Michelle

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:06 pm

  The Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union Platinum Visa card offers a rewards program for cardholders. You can choose whether to receive points based on your purchases or a cash back percentage. Search for online credit cards by using the FREE tool at the bottom of the page! In order to receive this credit card, you must first apply for membership in the Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union. All people who reside, work, volunteer, worship, or attend school in the Massachusetts counties of Essex or Middlesex, the New Hampshire counties of Hillsborough or Rockingham, or the towns of Leominster, Fitchburg,…

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  Mogo Lounge | Mogo Blog

• 2011 Canadian Census data is out – see some great infographics

  Alan

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:10 pm

  The data from the 2011 Canadian Census came out yesterday, and the NationalPost has released some very easily digestible infographics that capture our national growth, trends and where we might be headed. We are growing faster than any other G8 nation, and we’re sitting at around 33.5 million Canadians — that’s a lot of hockey jerseys. NP has highlighted some pretty interesting pieces from the data, so we don’t need to dig through every inch of it ourselves. I encourage you to check out the highlights: Canada’s population as of May 2011 was 33,476,688. Our population…

• ATTN: Calgary, check out your local food blogger’s bakesale!

  Alan

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Are you ready for some cupcakes, Calgary? Casel Marché is the scene of some great work by Calgary’s food blogging community. Join them on February 11 and 12 as they raise cash for the Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids Society. Show up between 10am – 5:30pm for treats from 20+ of Calgary’s top food blogs. There will also be wine tastings, food trucks and more great ways to fill your mouths while giving back to charity. They have previously raised over $1200 for Meals on Wheels, so you know they’re going to be bringing it this time out. Get some treats and support…

• 1 more day to vote in the Georgia Straight’s Golden Plates

  Alan

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:22 pm

  It’s time to step up, Vancouverites – let your voices be heard! Vancouver’s most ubiquitous free newspaper’s annual Golden Plate awards are coming, and you only have until tomorrow (February 8th) to submit your votes on the best food and places to eat in the city. VOTE HERE. Vote on Gastronomy, Entertainment, Neighbourhoods, Specialities, and Drinks. Then let the organizers know what’s on your mind, in case they missed anything. Keep your eyes peeled for the best in Vancouver restaurants, pubs, bars and shops. Have something Mogo readers need to hear about? Let…

• In case you wanted a duvet that looks like garbage…

  Alan

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Designers Pegga Van Neer and Erik van Lo have rolled out a shocking new duvet cover, that leaves me pretty… confused. If you want the chic-street-cred look of cardboard, but the comfort of your high thread count, pillow top mattress, you definitely need to see the Snurk Home Duvet. That’s right – it looks like an unfolded cardboard box, giving you the air of someone sleeping on the street, from the comfort of your own bed. The Dutch designers are selling the pieces for $89.95 USD, so either shell or, or make your own with some cardboard from behind the grocery store. What do…

• Toronto Tech Report – February edition

  Nikki

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:11 am

  February holds a wealth of gadgets and geekery for the nerd in all of us. Beat the February winter blues while expanding your brain and improving your chances for world domination. Several events take place around the city in February and there is much to look forward to. Be there or… well, you know the rest. The Winter Social Learning Event sees speaker and president of Writers UA, Joe Wilinske, discussing how to make the most of your social media efforts. This is an especially useful workshop for technical writers and will be held on Tuesday, February 7th from 6.30 pm to 8.30pm at the…

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  PR Newswire: Financial Services

• Cross Border Resources Announces Strategic Alternative Review

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:45 am

  SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cross Border Resources, Inc. (OTCQX: XBOR) ("Cross Border" or "the Company"), a San Antonio-based oil and gas exploration and production company, today announced that its board of directors has decided to conduct a broad review of strategic...

• Global NuTech Announces Acquisition of Petrochemical Services Company Fishbone Solutions, Ltd.

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:45 am

  HOUSTON, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Global NuTech, Inc. (OTCQX: BOCL)  dba Texas Gulf Energy Inc. www.tgnrg.com, announced today that the company has acquired 100% of the equity interests of Texas based Fishbone Solutions, Ltd. (Fishbone).  Founded in 1999,...

• Bunge Reports Fourth Quarter Results

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 am

  WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bunge Limited (NYSE:BG) Strong full-year results in agribusiness and food & ingredients Cash provided by operations was $2.6 billion for 20112010 full year total segment EBIT includes $2.4 billion gain on sale of fertilizer nutrients...

• Pharmacyclics Reports Fiscal 2012 Second Quarter Financial Results

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 am

  SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pharmacyclics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCYC) today reported financial results and recent developments for its fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2011. Financial Results for Second Quarter Ended December 31, 2011 The non-GAAP (Generally Accepted...

• Delcath to Present at the 14th Annual BIO CEO & Investor Conference on February 14

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 am

  NEW YORK, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Delcath Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCTH) announced today that Graham G. Miao, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will present at the 14th Annual BIO CEO & Investor Conference on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 8:30 A.M....

• 

  Ready To Be Rich

• The One Critical Investing Mistake You Don’t Know You’re Making

  Fitz

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:28 am

  Learning how to invest is an important part of becoming financially free. Good thing that it’s not that hard to start investing today. However, many fail to understand how investments work, particularly, in terms of how it makes money. At the most basic level, your investment income comes in three forms. First, as capital gains; [...]Note:This preview is to inform you that there's a new post over at Ready To Be Rich. Thank you for subscribing to my blog. You may now read the full article here:The One Critical Investing Mistake You Don’t Know You’re MakingAdvertisement:Reach…

• Be Extraordinary: 8 Steps To Living The Life You’ve Always Wanted

  Fitz

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:21 am

  Are you bored with your daily routine? Tired of doing the same things, day in and day out? Are you unhappy with how life is treating for you? And wish that everything could be different? If your answer is yes, then you have a bad case of being ordinary. There is nothing wrong with you, [...]Note:This preview is to inform you that there's a new post over at Ready To Be Rich. Thank you for subscribing to my blog. You may now read the full article here:Be Extraordinary: 8 Steps To Living The Life You’ve Always WantedAdvertisement:Reach out to the almost 5,000 subscribers of this blog.

• How I Started My Journey, As Shared To The Lenddo Community

  Fitz

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:10 pm

  Last week, January 26th, I attended the 2nd Lenddo meetup over at Jack’s Loft in Eastwood, Libis. It was my first time to meet the people of the Lenddo community, and I’m glad that I did. I’ve never been with a group before who are as hungry for financial knowledge as those I’ve met that [...]Note:This preview is to inform you that there's a new post over at Ready To Be Rich. Thank you for subscribing to my blog. You may now read the full article here:How I Started My Journey, As Shared To The Lenddo CommunityAdvertisement:Reach out to the almost 5,000 subscribers of…

• Ask Community #1: On Jobs, Extra Cash, MLM and Couples

  Fitz

  28 Jan 2012 | 1:43 am

  It’s been a few months now since I started, and a few weeks since I officially launched ASK – our community’s question and answer portal. For today, I’m starting a new feature series here that will highlight select questions that was asked and answered by the community. Much like the Reader Mail series, I hope [...]Note:This preview is to inform you that there's a new post over at Ready To Be Rich. Thank you for subscribing to my blog. You may now read the full article here:Ask Community #1: On Jobs, Extra Cash, MLM and CouplesAdvertisement:Reach out to the almost…

• Control Your Cellphone Expenses Through Globe’s Load Tipid Combo

  Fitz

  26 Jan 2012 | 1:02 am

  A lot of my friends are on mobile prepaid plans and their primary reason is because it allows them to properly budget their cellphone expenses. While I think that’s a generally good idea, I can’t help but notice how some of them don’t really get to save much. Why? Well because first, when they run [...]Note:This preview is to inform you that there's a new post over at Ready To Be Rich. Thank you for subscribing to my blog. You may now read the full article here:Control Your Cellphone Expenses Through Globe’s Load Tipid ComboAdvertisement:Reach out to the almost 5,000…

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  Cash Flow Planning for Life

• 4: What You Need to Know About Mortgage Interest

  Mark

  18 Jan 2012 | 5:30 pm

  This is the fourth installment of Tax Deductions & You: What You Need to Know which can also be downloaded from our free eBook library. Although most people understand that mortgage interest is deductible, many people may not be aware that there are certain situations in which it actually creates a greater savings not to claim a deduction as mortgage interest. Under Treasury Regulation 1.163-10T(o) a taxpayer may elect to treat mortgage debt as not secured by a qualified residence. Once this election is made, it is effective for all subsequent years and can only be revoked with IRS…

• The New IRS Form 1099-K

  Mark

  28 Dec 2011 | 7:00 pm

  Starting in 2011, credit and debit card companies will begin reporting payments made to merchants on a new IRS form 1099-K to payees with over 200 sales transactions and over $20,000 in annual sales.  This amount will be reported on a separate line on a taxpayer’s applicable tax return, this will leave cash and check sales reported net of credit card sales on a separate line. This change is an attempt to reduce underreporting of gross receipts by sellers of goods and services.  If a taxpayer takes cash sales out of the drawer to purchase merchandise and does not record the purchase and…

• Time To Celebrate! Makara & Associates Turns 5 Years Old This Month!

  Mark

  20 Dec 2011 | 4:30 pm

  I would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to our clients and our web followers of Makara & Associates. This month marks our company’s 5th Year Anniversary. We could not have achieved this continued success without the support of our clients and people like you. Due to this continued growth, I am happy to announce that we have welcomed two new staff members to our team at Makara & Associates. We would like to introduce you to Stan English and Theresa Cosey. Please feel free to contact them at any time with questions regarding your tax returns or other accounting…

• 3: What Do You Need to Know About Student Loan Interest?

  Mark

  30 Nov 2011 | 5:30 pm

  This is the third installment of Tax Deductions & You: What You Need to Know which can also be downloaded from our free eBook library. A student loan is designed to help students pay for university or college. It is a calculated amount that should assist with the cost of tuition, books, and living expenses. This loan may differ from other types of loans in that the interest rate may be substantially lower. In addition, the repayment schedule may be deferred while the student is still in education. Student loan interest is another form of interest that is deductible, but with limitations.

• 2: What You Should Know About Home Equity Loan Interest

  Mark

  9 Nov 2011 | 4:50 pm

  This is the second installment of Tax Deductions & You: What You Need to Know which can also be downloaded from our free eBook library. Any loans that fall under the nondeductible category need to be reviewed along with your cash or equity availability. If possible, they also need to be re-characterized to a deductible form of interest. An example of this would be having availability on a home equity loan (balance after transfer must be below $100,000) and paying off an auto loan or credit card. This will increase cash flow two fold: The interest rate charged on a home equity loan will,…

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  JoeTaxpayer

• A Superbowl Roundup

  JOE

  5 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  Today is Superbowl Sunday, which I suppose means little outside the US, but it’s especially exciting for those in the Northeast as the N.Y. Giants (who play in New Jersey) meet the New England Patriots, a rematch of the 2008 teams. As someone who grew up in NY, I’m a bit torn between rooting for my old home team and my current home’s team. So much for the sport talk, time for another recap. First, an update. Just a few days ago, I asked if you were getting 401 K-O’ed, overcharged by your plan. In that article, I mentioned that rules regarding full disclosure of the…

• Mitt’s Charitable Mood

  JOE

  4 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  If Romney is to stand a chance, he needs to start using a teleprompter or at least prepare a bit better. To be fair, the line “I like firing people” was taken out of context, the full speech discussed not being stuck with one particular health care provider, “firing” those who don’t offer good service. Fair enough? Mitt’s “I’m not concerned about the very poor” will be tough to recover from. Unfortunately, it leads to the conclusion that he is far from being in touch with the common man. He says the poor have a safety net. That safety net…

• Are you 401(k)o’ed?

  JOE

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  Are you depositing money each paycheck to your 401(k) account? Up to the match or even beyond that? Each year, I deposit as much as I can, because even after the match, my plan’s S&P fund charges .05%. Let me spell that out, on $100,000, 1% would be $1000, .05% is $50. The account itself also has an $80 per year fee, so on that same $100,000, the total cost is about .13%. My balance is higher than this, so my cost is lower as an overall percentage. Recently, I became aware of the 12th edition of the 401(k) averages book. I hate when someone ruins a book or movie’s ending for…

• A Quiet Sunday Round Up

  JOE

  29 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am

  Another week of Personal Finance blog reading, so with Super Bowl a week away there’s lots of time for another roundup. First, let’s start with The Car Negotiation Coach’s Auto Industry Trends: 2015 and Beyond Will Be Great for Car Buyers. I like forecasts. Not because I believe the experts all the time, I’m still waiting for my food replicator, after all, but because those who study an industry can often see the trends. In this case, the Coach offers 12 long term trends he sees. I like his prognostication that we’ll be buying cars without having to even go to…

• Will He Run?

  JOE

  28 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am

  Mitch may make a good candidate after the current crop of hopefuls destroy themselves.

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  Simplified Saving

• Bridal Guide $3.65 Per Year

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:24 am

  Today’s Best Deal Magazines Deal of the Day is Bridal Guide Magazine.  You can get a 1 year subscription to Bridal Guide Magazine for only $4.29.  Plus you can save an extra 15% on most titles when you use promo code PXSS0212 at checkout.  That would make this magazine only $3.65. Click here to check it out! Share This

• Two Packs of Decorative Cupcake Sleeves from Roundabouts for $9

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:10 pm

  Today Eversave is offering two packs of decorative cupcake sleeves from Roundabouts for $9.  I love Roundabouts and made some super fun nutcracker cupcakes last Christmas thanks to their cupcake sleeves. Eversave is one of my favorite deal sites and features 50% – 90%  off on restaurants, spas, local activities and online deals.  It’s free to join and first time buyers get a FREE $2 credit to use towards their first purchase. Click here to check out this deal! Share This

• 50% Off Personal Accesories Kits from PAK

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:02 pm

  Do you have a PAK? I have 2 and they are serious life savers…ok maybe they’re just sanity savers, but either way, I love mine! Not sure what a PAK is?  It’s a Personal Accessories Kit and they are completely awesome.  Today you can get 50% off a PAK (Personal Accessories Kit). Simplify and organize for the new year with your very own Personal Accessories Kit. Each PAK is fully loaded with all the practical, pretty essentials you need to tackle the day (and night). Available in three versatile sizes, these sleek and stylish kits tuck neatly into a purse, suitcase, glove…

• Parents Magazine: 2 Years for $7 ($3.50 Per Year)

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:54 pm

  Here’s a steal on a great magazine!  Right now you can get a 2 year subscription to Parents Magazine for $7.  That’s only $3.50 per year.  This would also make a great gift! Click here to check it out! Share This

• Free 8×10 Canvas from Canvas People or $35 Off Larger Canvas

  Lisa @ Simplified Saving

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:04 pm

  One of my favorite deals of all time is this FREE Canvas offer from Canvas People. You can get either a FREE 8×10 Canvas or get $35 off any size canvas. You’ll have to pay shipping and handling, but at $14.95, it’s a steal! During July, my husband and I celebrated our birthdays with my side of the family and I had a stranger snap a picture of all of us with my iPhone. I thought it turned out so great that had Canvas People turn it into a canvas. Now I’ll always remember the day my hubby turned 40. Doesn't this look great hanging on our wall?!? I’m planning on…

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  Money Is Not Important

• [buy]

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:51 pm

  [buy]

• States consider alternative currencies of gold and silver | CNN Money

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:21 pm

  States consider alternative currencies of gold and silver | CNN Money: Worried that the Federal Reserve and the U.S. dollar are on the brink of collapse, lawmakers from 13 states, including Minnesota, Tennessee, Iowa, South Carolina and Georgia, are seeking approval from their state governments to either issue their own alternative currency or explore it as an option. Can you imagine if you had to exchange your currency every time you crossed the state line?

• cnbc: What the New 401(k) Rules Mean for You Many 401(k) plans...

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  cnbc: What the New 401(k) Rules Mean for You Many 401(k) plans have poor investment choices and very high fees, but new rules from the U.S. Department of Labor will now require disclosure of 401(k) fees. Full Story Photo: Getty Images I know, I know, 401(k)s are boring to think about.  But, a lot of people make a ton of money off the fact that you don’t pay attention to it.  Take the time to learn the ins and outs of your plan so you know if it’s worth it to contribute beyond the company match, or if those funds should go into a self-directed IRA instead.

• “Your present circumstances don’t determine where...

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:34 am

  “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.” -Nido Qubein

• "There wasn’t anything noble about it. I had a lousy year. I didn’t deserve the money."

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:49 pm

  ““There wasn’t anything noble about it. I had a lousy year. I didn’t deserve the money.”” - Stan Musial, one of the greatest players in the history of baseball, explaining why he requested a 20% paycut after he had the worst season of his professional career. [via]

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  Move To Portugal

• My Minimalist Wardrobe (Update)

  movetoportugal

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:20 am

  One of my 2012 ‘to-do’s’ is to make a clothing wish list and the best way to do this was to assess the clothes that I already have – I’m really strict with myself about clothes buying and for the most part (one pair of jeans being the exception), will only buy (and keep) clothes in my wardrobe that I wear. Notice a trend ^ – Since going a little more minimalist with my clothing I’ve noticed a definite move towards a ‘uniform look’, and nearly everything I own is either grey or black…..this works out brilliantly for mixing and…

• The call of the city

  movetoportugal

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:47 am

  I don’t know if I’m making an assumption here (and please tell me if I am) but I think a lot of you, lovely readers, prefer the country to the city.  And yet here I am a country born person who has only ever lived in the country or very small towns, craving city life. Let me just say from the outset though, that my husband doesn’t!  He works in London and for him, that is enough. Perhaps if I had had the opportunity to work there then I would feel the same. Who knows?! Anyway for now I suppress my craving with the occasional day trip and holiday, all the while focusing on…

• Mortgage Freedom: February 2012 Report

  movetoportugal

  1 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  Our goal is to achieve Financial Freedom by December 2020; being mortgage free (as soon as possible) is part of that goal and every month I track our progress. February 1st 2012 Mortgage Stats: Original Mortgage: £138,485 (April 2006) Original term: 300 months (March 2031) Outstanding Balance: £102,283.32 Reduction from last month: 2,128.42 Paid off to date: £36,201.68 Monthly payment: £542.34 February over payment £1,673.87 Actual payments left: 221 Months until goal date: 70 (31st Dec 2020 2017) Months until stretch goal date: 46 (31st Dec 2015) Original term reduced by: 8 months Us…

• February 2012 Mini Goals

  movetoportugal

  31 Jan 2012 | 1:35 am

  As we focus on reducing the mortgage as much as possible before we move to Portugal, I keep myself motivated and moving forward by setting monthly mini goals……some months I’ll set just a few, other months, a lot. February Mini Goals: Financial: Make extra payments to reduce our mortgage to five figures Make at least £300 above and beyond our normal income Contribute £500 to our travel fund Contribute at least £250 to our long term savings Keep our grocery spending to £150 by using up the food we have and sticking to our menu plan Personal: Lose at least 5lbs (0/5) Watch at least 4…

• 2012 Goals: Losing weight (Update #1)

  movetoportugal

  29 Jan 2012 | 2:01 am

  As we continue to live frugally, pay down the mortgage and keep working towards our move to Portugal, I’m using the time to focus on getting healthier. In 2012 I’m hoping to lose another 42lbs and I’m updating my progress every month. January Mini Goal: To lose 5lbs Now depending on how you look at it I’ve lost either 6.5lbs, or 3.5lbs this month!  On January 1st my total weight loss was 32lbs but, I’m assuming due to Christmas eating, my weight fluctuated at lot in early January and at one stage I was 3lbs heavier (weigh loss 29lbs). Anyway following a couple…

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  Personal Dividends - Money+Lifestyle

• Super Bowl: Family Cultural Traditions

  Miranda

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  In many countries, sporting competitions are part of the culture. When we think of Canada, we think of hockey. And, when many people think of the premier sport in the United States, they think of American-style football (sorry, baseball). The biggest event in football takes place every February in the form of the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl has seen a number of cultural traditions grow up around it. Some of the cultural “traditions” that accompany the Super Bowl include: Unveiling new (hopefully clever) commercials. Expectations for a huge (hopefully entertaining) halftime show.

• A Cautionary Tale for Landlords

  Guest

  4 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Most landlords probably like to think they are a good judge of character, and will hope that the tenants they allow to live in their homes will treat the properties with respect and leave it in the same condition as they found it. While by and large this is usually the case, there have been many incidents over the years that have proven the value not only of checking all references thoroughly, but also the importance of preparing yourself with simple landlord’s home insurancein case the worst should happen. One particular case in point was recently highlighted in a post on…

• Money + Lifestyle Roundup

  Tom Drake

  3 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Raising kids can be tough but thankfully Gail Vaz-Oxlade shared a little snippet of advice when it comes to Selling It To Your Kids: Empathizing. This week the Wealthy Boomer broke down some of the big ideas we have about retirement in his post, 5 Myths About Retirement. If you have a small business and aren’t sending out newsletters because you don’t know which mail provider to chose, you’ll want to read this guest post on Create Hype that shows you How to Choose the Right Mailing List Provider for Your Business. It’s almost time for Valentine’s Day and if…

• Tax Time Traps: Tax Refund Anticipation Loans

  Miranda

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  There are a number of tax time traps you need to be on the watch for during tax season. From fraudulent communications purporting to be from official sources to scams that aim to get access to your tax refund, there are a number of traps that you can fall into this time of year. However, one of the most devastating traps — and one of the most tempting — is the refund anticipation loan. What is a Tax Refund Anticipation Loan? You might see ads that insist that you can get your tax refund “early.” These ads don’t actually give you a way to get your tax refund…

• 5 Health Practices to Include in Your Routine

  Briana Myricks

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  We’re officially a month into the new year, and I’m sure thousands of people who made New Year’s resolutions to get healthier have probably abandoned their goal already. If you’ve slacked off, here’s your chance to get back on track. Maybe you’ve realized your goals were too ambitious. Maybe you burned out early because you went so hard in the beginning. It’s been proven that slower, more gradual changes will increase your chances of being successful in the long run. So what kind of changes can you make in your routine to improve your health? Drink…

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  Benzinga Feeds

• No Greek Deal; Now What?

  Michael R Foster

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:43 am

  Despite earlier hopes that a deal would be made with the debt-laden Mediterranean state, Greek leaders have failed to agree on an austerity plan that creditors need to agree to a bailout.

• Top 4 Small-Cap Stocks In The Regional-Southeast Banks Industry With The Highest Dividend Yield

  Monica Gerson

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  Below are the top small-cap regional-southeast banks stocks on the NYSE and the NASDAQ in terms of dividend yield. Renasant Corporation (NASDAQ: RNST) has a dividend yield of 4.30%. RNST's shares closed at $15.71 yesterday. F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB) has a dividend yield of 4.00%.

• Top 4 Small-Cap Stocks In The Broadcasting-Radio Industry With The Highest Cash

  Monica Gerson

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:27 am

  Below are the top small-cap broadcasting-radio stocks on the NYSE, the NASDAQ and the AMEX in terms of cash. Cumulus Media Inc (NASDAQ: CMLS) had $47.08 million in total cash and $2.90 billion in total debt for the latest quarter. Grupo Radio Centro, S.A.B de C.V.

• Top 4 Stocks In The Textile Industrial Industry With The Lowest PEG Ratio

  Monica Gerson

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:15 am

  Below are the top textile industrial stocks on the NYSE and the NASDAQ in terms of PEG ratio. Culp Inc (NYSE: CFI) has a PEG ratio of 0.49. CFI's trailing-twelve-month revenue is $230.30 million. Interface Inc (NASDAQ: IFSIA) has a PEG ratio of 0.89.

• Top 4 Stocks In The Cleaning Products Industry With The Highest Operating Margin

  Monica Gerson

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:02 am

  Below are the top cleaning products stocks on the NYSE and the NASDAQ in terms of operating margin. The trailing-twelve-month operating margin at Church & Dwight Company Inc (NYSE: CHD) is 17.25%.

• 

  Much more than debt, IVA and personal finance from ClearDebt.

• DRF and MIND Mental Health Training Comes to ClearDebt

  Jacqueline Cohen

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:10 am

  DRF and MIND Mental Health Training Comes to ClearDebt is a blog post from: ClearDebt a leading UK IVA licensed insolvency services company. ©2011, All Rights Reserved. Did you know that when out for dinner in a party of four, it’s highly likely one of you will have a mental health condition. Recent stats from Royal College of Psychiatry tell us: One in four people has a mental health problem One in four people with a mental health problem is also in debt Debt may be a cause and consequence of mental health problems One in two adults with debts has a mental health problem Since working…

• Individual Voluntary Arrangements Plateau While Bankruptcies Plummet

  Marketing

  3 Feb 2012 | 3:58 am

  Individual Voluntary Arrangements Plateau While Bankruptcies Plummet is a blog post from: ClearDebt a leading UK IVA licensed insolvency services company. ©2011, All Rights Reserved. Today’s personal insolvency figures, released by the Insolvency Service, show that bankruptcies fell, year on year, by nearly a third (28%) whilst Individual Voluntary Arrangements remained stable, growing by 4.5% between Q4 2010 and Q4 2011. Commenting, Andrew Smith, director of external affairs at debt resolution company, ClearDebt, said: People are reducing debt at the moment and many are unable to…

• The Creditor Climate for 2012 – time for a change?

  Chris Brown

  23 Jan 2012 | 4:02 am

  The Creditor Climate for 2012 – time for a change? is a blog post from: ClearDebt a leading UK IVA licensed insolvency services company. ©2011, All Rights Reserved. Further to the success of his blog on Lloyds, Creditor Liaison Team Leader, Chris Brown, takes a moment to put fingers to keyboard and finally, tell us how it is. Starting a Debt Management Plan Photo credit to Pat Pilon It’s a common experience for many of our debt management clients, that the first few weeks of a plan can be the most difficult. Contact from creditors does not stop overnight and it is during this…

• Blue Monday 2012- the most depressing day of the year?

  Sally Hardiman

  12 Jan 2012 | 8:42 am

  Blue Monday 2012- the most depressing day of the year? is a blog post from: ClearDebt a leading UK IVA licensed insolvency services company. ©2011, All Rights Reserved. As the date of ‘Blue Monday’ is calculated, we offer you some simple steps you can take to lessen the blues. The January blues have suddenly become a lot more specific, being at their most vivid on 16th January according to a formula used to calculate the most depressing day of the year. This takes into account the weather, the distance from Christmas, the level of individual debt and failure of New Year’s…

• Fresh year, fresh start with ClearDebt

  Jacqueline Cohen

  9 Jan 2012 | 7:28 am

  Fresh year, fresh start with ClearDebt is a blog post from: ClearDebt a leading UK IVA licensed insolvency services company. ©2011, All Rights Reserved. New year, new start! That’s how you might think many people across the UK have started 2012. But it appears, if you think this, you could be wrong. According to a poll by First Direct, the biggest financial worries of the year in 2011 were not saving enough and not paying off enough debt – that sounds like a catch 22 to me. Other worries are quoted as spending too much on a partner, lending or borrowing money from family, or, paying…

• 

  Money Watch

• Google Scraps Mortgage Comparisons

  Rob Lewis

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:59 pm

  According to a report in the Telegraph, Google has decided to scrap its mortgage comparison service. The service, UK Compare Mortgages, launched last summer, and was shown to visitors when they used certain keywords in their Google searches. A couple of months after its launch, it was suspended, and has now apparently been scrapped. This follows a similar move in the US, where mortgage comparisons have been removed from Google  Advisor, its financial comparison tool. So what does this mean for Google’s other financial comparison tools? Well, considering they bought price comparison…

• Join The Which? Big Switch For Cheaper Energy Bills

  Rob Lewis

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:10 pm

  Consumer campaigner Which? has launched a new initiative to get cheaper gas and electricity bills for households looking to save money on energy. They’re hoping that should enough people sign up, the collective bargaining power that they offer should be able to demand a cheaper price from the energy companies. Which? will use a reverse auction to get their best prices. The campaign is being run in conjunction with campaigning website 38 Degrees, and as of writing, over 35,000 people have signed up. Here’s how it works: Register for the Big Switch before 31st March 2012. Which?

• BBC Click: Hackers Outwit Bank Security

  Rob Lewis

  2 Feb 2012 | 5:09 pm

  BBC Click has done a report on hackers’ latest successes in bypassing the latest bank security measures in order to extract money from online bank accounts, to be shown on February 4th and 5th on the News channel (or on iPlayer). According to the BBC, these new hacking methods even manage to bypass the much loved* two-factor authentication methods in use by some banks (such as HSBC’s SecureKey or Barclays PINSentry). The techniques do not affect just one bank, but potentially all online banking. The new types of threat also bypass other security software, such as anti-virus and…

• Google Finance Adds Realtime Share Prices

  Rob Lewis

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:53 pm

  Google has upgraded its Finance website to include realtime share prices, removing the previous 15 minute delay on updates. The Google Finance blog introduced the change: Since we launched Google Finance in 2006, we’ve been excited about providing our users with the tools to monitor market changes, manage their portfolios, and make better investment decisions. And today, we’re excited to bring you real time quotes from the London Stock Exchange (LON), Deutsche Börse (FRA), and Borsa Italiana (BIT) to better track economic and financial developments in Europe. We first introduced real…

• Infographic: How Google Made Money In 2011

  Rob Lewis

  25 Jan 2012 | 5:16 pm

  Last week Google announced its earnings for 2011, coming in at a rather impressive $39.7bn (£25bn). What was once a research project started in a garage has become an enormous company, but how do they earn all their money? This infographic from Wordstream shows Google’s sources of revenue. In particular, take a look at the top industries which spend the most on Google ads. At no.1 it’s Finance & Insurance. Click for a larger version: One interesting aspect of finance and insurance being top of the advertising spenders is that this is a market that Google appears to want to…

• 

  Yes, I Am Cheap

• Get Out of Debt in 2012: Budget Time

  Sandy

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:21 am

  Last week was the introduction to my Get Out of Debt in 2012 course. We all resolved, together, to get on the path to debt freedom this year. I’m happy to report that many of you are already reducing your debt nicely. Some people are down to $400, some to $20,000 and some just have the lone house payment left. That’s awesome! But we had homework, and like any good lesson, it’s time to hand that homework in. Your homework last week was to gather together all of your debts and write it down. As I mentioned, it can be hard to get a real perspective when you think of your debt in its parts…

• Keys To A Good Credit Score

  Guest Blogger

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:22 am

  Establishing a good credit score is sometimes depicted as something mysterious or undefinable. The reality is, there are objective factors that influence your credit score and you have the ability to alter them. Anyone who’s ever received free insurance quotes knows that your credit standing affects your ability to take out loans, refinance your home, or just open a bank account. Here’s the skinny on how to maintain a good credit score: Live within your means. This is an overarching rule that will protect you from a number of financial pitfalls. Shopping on a budget, balancing…

• Giveaway Winners and Super Bowl Eating

  Sandy

  5 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  Today is the big game day, the Super Bowl.  As a New Yorker, I guess that I’m supposed to be excited that the Giants made it, but honestly, I’m not really a football fan.  While half of the country will be tuned into the game, I plan on being busy with a nice lasagna that will be dinner on both Sunday and Monday, and putting together the building blocks for Tuesday’s dinner. I’ve been watching a bunch of television programs on Super Bowl foods and tailgating.  I think that I’m in the wrong business. I should be running a pizza or wings place because American…

• February 1 Debt Check In

  Sandy

  2 Feb 2012 | 9:54 am

  This is my first monthly review in 2012.  There are 100 new subscribers since the last time that I did this one month ago, so this is new for you.  What I do is recap my debt and what affected it every single month.  I also share with you how I am making extra money (usually online) in my laughable spare time.  My goal in doing this is three fold: Demonstrate that you can, through consistently paying your bills, work a large debt down towards zero. Show that you don’t have to be Mark Zuckerberg to make money online. Hold myself accountable to my own debt reduction plan. I’ll be the…

• Zero Percent Balance Transfer Cards Save You Money

  Sandy

  31 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am

  Whether we like to admit it or not, credit cards have become a necessity.  But all credit cards are not created equally, at least, mine aren’t.  Credit cards carrying a high interest rate can drain your pockets and cost you more than you may bargain for, but a zero interest credit card, even if the rate is valid for a short period, can save you hundreds of dollars in interest every single year. During the whole Great Recession fiasco, interest rates for credit cards shot up.  We had become so used to cheap and readily available credit that we were shocked when credit card companies…

• 

  Money Reasons

• Does Sampling A Vacation Make Financial Sense?

  Money Reasons

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:40 am

  Have you ever paid big buck for a vacation, only to get to the location and realize that it was terribly overrated and overpriced?  The vacation would end up being a horribly expensive experience because you packed up the entire family and flew them to the location, only to be disappointed and much poorer? Sampling [...]

• Credit Card Fraud Examples

  Money Reasons

  5 Feb 2012 | 11:43 pm

  Credit Card Fraud Credit cards have become more commonly and frequently utilized than paper dollar bills in most places. As you might expect, with the rise of credit cards as the primary medium of exchange has come an enormous increase in the amount and instances of credit card fraud. Five particular cases in particular stand [...]

• Best Super Bowl 2012 Commercials And Game Thoughts

  Money Reasons

  5 Feb 2012 | 9:38 pm

  The Super Bowl XLVI was a close game as expect, and the Giants won again. In fact, in many ways it was very similar to their previous Super Bowl match-up. While it was a fairly entertaining game to watch, I’m still glad I’m at home instead of paying the face value of Super Bowl  XLVI [...]

• Blogging Tip 1 – Comment Strategies

  Money Reasons

  4 Feb 2012 | 11:37 am

  Today I decided to break out of the usually finance related topics and mention a new find that I just realized while trying to post a comment on a site that had the comment box a bit too small. You see, I ended up writing a comment that was almost as long as the original [...]

• Wealth Myth – Stay Married to Become Wealthy

  Money Reasons

  2 Feb 2012 | 12:44 am

  Like everything in life, the “Stay Married to Become Wealthy” saying really depends on the situation! I have two different friends that have financial inept spouses from Hell.  One got a divorce and is doing fine, while the other is living in a continually tortured life with constant battles with debt. Friend #1 (this is [...]

• 

  LifeQuote Blog

• Life Insurance Can Have Many Uses

  Josh Harris

  31 Jan 2012 | 12:31 pm

  For most of us life insurance offers two main services… replace the lost income should a loved one die and to set up an estate for our loved ones left behind after we die. These are great reasons to pick … Continue reading →Life Insurance Can Have Many Uses is a post from: LifeQuote Blog Related posts: What You Don’t Know About Life Insurance Might Hurt You Buying Life Insurance in Tough Economic Times Protect Your Life, Liberty, and Future This 4th of July

• The Man Behind the Curtain: How Underwriters Decide the Fate of Your Insurance Rate

  Guest Author

  25 Jan 2012 | 9:37 am

  Thinking about how life insurers decide on policy terms and coverage it is not hard to imagine “the great and powerful Oz” spinning wheels and cranking levers behind a magnificent emerald curtain. What criteria do insurance underwriters use to determine … Continue reading →The Man Behind the Curtain: How Underwriters Decide the Fate of Your Insurance Rate is a post from: LifeQuote Blog Related posts: What You Don’t Know About Life Insurance Might Hurt You Buying Life Insurance in Tough Economic Times Protect Your Life, Liberty, and Future This 4th of July

• Insure Your Love: What Fruit Flies Can Teach us About Life and Love

  Ileana Bravo

  25 Jan 2012 | 8:27 am

  It’s that time of year again; that time leading up to February when we profess our love to the person in our life we call our “Valentine.” From gifts to special dinners, we strive to prove our love for that … Continue reading →Insure Your Love: What Fruit Flies Can Teach us About Life and Love is a post from: LifeQuote Blog Related posts: What You Don’t Know About Life Insurance Might Hurt You Buying Life Insurance in Tough Economic Times Protect Your Life, Liberty, and Future This 4th of July

• Top 5 Life Insurance Commercials

  Josh Harris

  20 Jan 2012 | 10:01 am

  Over the past few years insurance companies have been responsible for some of the funniest commercials on tv. With the super bowl approaching at the end of the month, which has become not only the big game for the NFL … Continue reading →Top 5 Life Insurance Commercials is a post from: LifeQuote Blog Related posts: What You Don’t Know About Life Insurance Might Hurt You Buying Life Insurance in Tough Economic Times Protect Your Life, Liberty, and Future This 4th of July

• Why You Shouldn’t Cancel Life Insurance When the Economy is Down

  Lauren Bailey

  17 Jan 2012 | 9:48 am

  During these hard economic times, everyone is looking for ways to scale back and save money. People will drop their gym memberships, cut cable services, lose Netflix, and other similar subscriptions when times get tough, and will start making more … Continue reading →Why You Shouldn’t Cancel Life Insurance When the Economy is Down is a post from: LifeQuote Blog Related posts: What You Don’t Know About Life Insurance Might Hurt You Buying Life Insurance in Tough Economic Times Protect Your Life, Liberty, and Future This 4th of July

• 

  Reuters: Money

• More U.S. workers put 401(k) investments on autopilot

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:24 pm

  BOSTON (Reuters) - More U.S. workers with 401(k) plans are selecting or defaulting to simple target-date mutual funds, an investment strategy that took its lumps during the credit crisis, but have...

• Tax tips for the sandwich generation

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:42 pm

  (Reuters) - When Barbara McCabe's 28-year-old daughter and two grandchildren were evicted from their home two weeks before Christmas 2008, she emptied her 401(k) account to buy them a house in...

• Tax headaches? Where to find help for free

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:12 pm

  (Reuters) - Even if your financial situation isn't complex, your taxes might be. That's why the Internal Revenue Service and some private nonprofits offer free tax preparation and counseling for...

• Who pays the highest taxes?

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:11 pm

  (Reuters) - Paying taxes is bad enough. Finding out you pay a larger percentage of your income than presidential candidate Mitt Romney or billionaire Warren Buffet makes it even worse.

• How normal are your tax deductions?

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:11 pm

  (Reuters) - One of the many tools in the Internal Revenue Service's audit box is a mountain of data, including all of the deductions taken by all of the taxpayers in the U.S.

• 

  broganfinancial.wordpress.com

• Long-Term Managed Money Investments: Do’s and Don’ts

  broganfinancial

  30 Jan 2012 | 2:41 pm

• Think you should have $1 million to need an estate plan? You’re wrong and here’s why

  broganfinancial

  12 Jan 2012 | 2:15 pm

• Newstalk 98.7 Congratulates Jim Brogan

  broganfinancial

  9 Jan 2012 | 3:46 pm

  If you’re on Lovell Road, be sure to look up! Newstalk 98.7 congratulates Jim Brogan on being named Advisor of the Year by Senior Market Advisor Magazine.

• Is There a Perfect Investment in Retirement?

  broganfinancial

  3 Jan 2012 | 8:12 am

  Is retirement planning on your resolutions list this year? Check out our December 17th Dollars & Sense segment on investments!

• How to calculate required minimum distributions at age 70 1/2

  broganfinancial

  24 Oct 2011 | 2:45 pm

• 

  Financial Woman

• Wednesday Wealth Art

  camille

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:37 am

  Sometimes it can seem as though your money is someone else’s responsibility, especially if you outsource your wealth management, or another family member oversees your investment plan. While you may be hiring someone with expertise that can help you make smarter investment decisions, it’s your job to evaluate the results you are getting; be sure to become familiar with some simple tools that will enable you to easily monitor and evaluate your investments, just as you would in other areas of your life. What happens if an investment is made that looses money? You are the one that…

• This Is One Money Tool You Have to Use!

  camille

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:40 am

  The S&P is up 7% thus far for the year as I type this post for Financial Woman. If it were December, that return may seem pretty boring, but in early February, that number sounds rather remarkable. However, shorter term monthly returns are not the point that I want to make in this article, especially since that number will probably change by the time you read this. Instead, I want to focus on the more important notion of what the S&P being up 7% really means; this is a super important concept for anyone wishing to grow their money and reach their financial goals. The S&P, one of…

• Friday Financial Woman Money Solutions

  camille

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  Enjoy my Friday money solution and enhance your financial savvy one simple step at a time. It can be empowering to see the future value of your wealth compounded over time, and even more empowering to follow your money plan. Investing is simpler than you think!

• Want a Crystal Ball for Your Money?

  camille

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:12 am

  The term financial goals can seem vague and in the distant future, but in reality, your financial goals are a result of the choices you are making today about: The level of attention you give to your money Your daily spending habits Your daily earning habits (Days turn into weeks, then months, then years, right?) This paradigm can easily be seen when you look to see how much your money will be worth at a certain future date, based on the amount of money you put away to grow, and the earnings you achieve from investing that money. The importance of this concept led me to create a calculator…

• This Really Got My Attention

  camille

  31 Jan 2012 | 1:08 pm

  The old saying “the way you do one thing, is the way you do everything” keeps surfacing in my life. When something appears three times or more, it definitely gets my attention. I have thought about this statement quite a lot lately; I believe it’s really true, and have even decided to put it to the test. This year I have decided to choose a focus area for personal growth, and now plan to do this each new year; I think that business growth and personal growth are really one in the same; when we increase our skills or lifestyle, we grow personally as a result of that enhancement. Growth…

• 

  Control Your Cash: Making Money Make Sense

• Trent Hamm’s Funniest Post

  admin

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:57 am

  That's the scalp of a man who mixes 2 parts vinegar to 5 parts bar soap residue to create his own shampoo.   We’re running out of adjectives to describe this halfwit. Or synonyms for halfwit, at any rate. Maybe Trent Hamm of The Simple Dollar fancies himself as the self-help guru for our generation and generations to come. Or, judging by his cornpone naivete, for previous generations. But even Napoleon Hill never wrote like this a century ago. He would have found Trent Hamm’s style of writing a little too expository and vacuous. Yet Trent Hamm remains convinced that he’s giving…

• Carnival of Wealth, Ronald Reagan’s 101st Birthday Edition

  admin

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:03 am

    His left hand is strangling a Communist   Monday and another Carnival of Wealth, this one saluting Tampico, Illinois’s favorite son. The Carnival of Wealth, if you’re wondering, is our weekly recap of the least average personal finance blog posts of the week. Some are awesome, some are horrible, none are boring. If you have a blog and want to submit, knock yourself out. If you’re just here to read, even better. LESH GO: Again in the leadoff position, the staggeringly off-topic Erika at Newlyweds on a Budget gets points for relentlessness. She asks, “How Do…

• A Whole New Way To Diversify

  admin

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:14 am

  You can't have corporate fraud without a corporation   Every company you can invest in has to be a corporation by definition, right? The corner barbershop that operates as a sole proprietorship can’t trade publicly, nor can any partnership. Not quite. One of the least publicized securities available to you, the private investor, is the master limited partnership. People buy these when they want income, rather than capital gains. And despite their obscurity, MLPs are easy to buy. You already know what a partnership is – multiple people create a business; and for tax, credit and…

• Welcome ProBlogger Readers (reprise)

  admin

  2 Feb 2012 | 10:35 am

  Note 1: Yes, we posted this a couple of weeks ago. It still applies. Note 2: If you don’t read ProBlogger and are wondering what we’re talking about, this. And you should read ProBlogger, because it kicks. Welcome to the only personal finance site that’s committed to helping you build wealth, if you’re willing to meet us halfway. Therefore, one of this site’s design features is that it’s the only site of its kind that speaks directly and without compromise. Personal finance? Yawn. That stuff is boring and it doesn’t apply to me, anyway.

• The Sexy World of Dividend Yield Stocks

  admin

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:08 am

    Fine, but who's the woman in the back? Is she the Belgian au pair whom Dad will eventually have an affair with?   Time to debate the merits of another 2012 investing buzzword. It seems half our personal finance blogger contemporaries are incorporating stocks with high dividend yields into their portfolios. So what’s a dividend yield stock and should I care? Should I be interested? Should I take my money out of T-bills and start investing in dividend yield stocks immediately? Most blue-chip stocks pay dividends. Yes, you get money just for doing the company the favor of…

• 

  Planting Dollars

• Average House Size in America Decreasing

  Ryan

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:39 am

  According to the U.S. census, the average size home in America is actually starting to decrease. Since the market peak in 2007 homes in the US have shrunk approximately 108 on average from 2,277 in 2007 to 2,169 in 2010. This data, of course, is for new construction, which over the past few years has pretty much fallen off a cliff. Check out the data below (click for a large view) How does this compare with the rest of the world? The rest of the world still lives in much smaller houses than the U.S. Take a look at the chart below, which brilliantly illustrates this point. -Source- Looking at…

• Free Financial Resources

  Ryan

  31 Jan 2012 | 9:18 pm

  This page is simply a collection of things I’ve found while browsing the internet that are free! Personal finance advice is cheap, but these things are even cheaper. Enjoy. Free Financial Books J.D. Roth’s Get Rich Slowly Guide to IRA’s – Free ebook (PDF link) Richest Man in Babylon – George Clason’s 1928 Classic, free to download. Free Worksheets Free Net Worth Worksheets Free Personal Finance Software Mint.com – Free software that lets you track your finances.

• 101 Ways to Make Extra Money

  Ryan

  28 Jan 2012 | 5:39 pm

  Strapped for cash and wondering about ways to make extra money? I’ve created a list of over 101 ways you can make extra money easily, and within the next week if you really are motivated. If you can’t find something on this list that fits you, you might just be a little too picky, or if you know of another great way to earn some extra revenue, please share it in the comments below. If you’re willing to hustle, try new things, and get out of your comfort zone there are plenty of ideas here for you. No matter the status of the economy there are always opportunities and ways to…

• Don’t Buy Stuff You Can’t Afford SNL Skit

  Ryan

  21 Jan 2012 | 6:21 pm

  Personal finnace is pretty darn simple. Spend less than you make, save, and don’t buy stuff you can’t afford. For some reason people can’t follow one of the most simple to follow concepts out there, which is why it’s perfect for a Saturday Night Live Skit! Watch the video to learn all you need to know about saving your money.

• Warren Buffett on Buying Gold

  Ryan

  20 Jan 2012 | 8:49 pm

  Gold has been a popular investment option over the past few years. Although it’s had a great run-up value over the past decade, one wonders, how far will it go and why isn’t Warren Buffett jumping on the train? I’m not an expert on this, but at face value, the run up on gold seems to be based on fear and emotion, not intrinsic value. Warren doesn’t invest in Gold and doesn’t see the value since it doesn’t produce anything, unlike farmland or oil companies. Gold won’t put a roof over your head, feed you, clothe you, or do anything other than look…

• 

  Credit Card Processing Blog

• Citi Goes to China, Will Issue Credit Cards

  UniBul

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:25 am

  Citigroup is now allowed to issue credit cards in China, we learn from Bloomberg. The move is seen as a sign that the Chinese government is caving in to U.S. pressure to ease its restrictions on the ability of foreign banks to operate on its territory. The announcement came as the World Trade Organization (WTO), [...]

• Did Zappos Get a Lucky Break in Its Data Breach?

  UniBul

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:30 am

  We have been greatly impressed by the way Zappos has managed its data breach so far. The retailer did a great job of communicating what happened to the public and of providing clear instructions to its customers on what they needed to do to help get things back to normal. And by all appearances, things [...]

• How Criminals Can Steal Your Credit Card without Ever Touching It

  UniBul

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:47 am

  Forbes’ Andy Greenberg has a very nice piece on the vulnerability of contactless bank cards to a new form of skimming, which has traditionally been defined as the illegal copying of the information stored in a payment card’s magnetic stripe. The radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology has made it possible for this information to be wirelessly [...]

• How to Manage Transaction Retrieval Requests

  UniBul

  4 Feb 2012 | 12:28 pm

  When a card issuer needs to obtain information about a transaction charged to one of its cardholders, it can contact directly the merchant that deposited the payment or, which is typically the case, the bank that processed it. These information requests are known as “retrieval requests” (or “copy requests”). If the processor stores its merchant’s [...]

• Square, Mobile Payments, Customer Service, Phone Numbers and Money Holds

  UniBul

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:22 am

  Yesterday I read a review of Square, Jack Dorsey’s fast-growing, extremely well-funded and hugely publicized mobile payments venture, on CardPaymentOptions.com. The review was, I think, a good and fair one. The author, Phillip Parker, does give Square credit for its innovative and affordable service that makes it easy for everyone, not just businesses, to accept [...]

• 

  Cheap Credit Cards - Serving All Your Credit Needs!

• How Your Bank Account Statement Can Save You Money

  Susan Mitchell

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:04 pm

  Consumers typically scan their online checking and credit-card-account statements just to see what they’ve spent. But these days a closer look may turn up some great opportunities to save — or more enticements to shop. Banks have long arranged special deals and discounts for cardholders, delivered through emails, brochures and special online promo pages. But [...]

• FIVE Advantages Of Credit Over Debit Cards

  Susan Mitchell

  2 Feb 2012 | 5:19 pm

  With all of the recent hype over Suze Orman’s new debit card, it’s no wonder why many folks think it’s better to use a debt card versus a credit card. But for many folks that would be a mistake. The obvious reason many folks do this is to avoid getting into debt on a credit [...]

• UK Banks Rake in £11bn More Than They Lend

  Susan Mitchell

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:30 pm

  Banks received nearly £11billion more than they lent to firms last year – and imposed the highest interest rates for nearly three years. The figures from the Bank of England make a mockery of the Government’s attempts to get banks to lend to businesses, particularly  small firms. Net lending, which is the amount handed out [...]

• 5 Ways The Rich Get Richer

  Susan Mitchell

  31 Jan 2012 | 4:20 pm

  When it comes to tax deductions, it is good to be rich — the richer, the better. Middle-class America enjoys some of the same tax breaks as the wealthy on things like the mortgage interest on home loans, capital gains on retirement investments and donations made to charity. However, the rich enjoy these deductions and [...]

• Retirement in America Is ‘Endangered’

  Susan Mitchell

  29 Jan 2012 | 5:08 pm

  President Barack Obama, in his State of the Union speech, didn’t really touch on the subject near and dear to the hearts of millions of Americans — the State of Retirement in the U.S. No doubt he had other pressing matters to address. So allow us the pleasure of issuing — thanks in large part [...]

• 

  Savings Scoop

• Tip of the Day, Phantom Power Sucks Money Out of Your Pocket

  Andrea

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:00 pm

  Did you know that even though you computer and certain household appliances are turned off you still pay more money on your energy bill?     These items still draw power even when turned off because they are still plugged into an electrical socket, which creates the extra energy that sucks money out of your pocket.   An example of this is when you turn off your computer, you still see the lights on your monitor or other devices attached to the computer.   To combat phantom power, unplug all electronics and appliances when you are not using them, it might be a pain to…

• Discount Printable Coupons of the Week 2/7/12

  Andrea

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pm

  Here are your printable discount coupons for 2/7/12, just click, print, and save today. Free Samples:   Free sample of Olay® 2-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths   Free Signature Collection Travel-Size item from Bath & Body Works®   Free Gerber® Generation Backpack   Free sample of Quaker® Oatmeal Squares   Free sample of Purex® Triple Action Detergent       Baby   $2.00 off one package of GOODNITES Underwear $1.50 off DESITIN™ Soothing Rash Bath Treatment $1.50 off when you buy any ONE AVENT BPA-Free Toddler Cup $1.50 off when you buy any ONE…

• Tip of the Day, Say Goodbye to your Landline to Save Money

  Andrea

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:30 am

    If you have a cell phone and a landline you are spending twice the amount of money for both services, consider giving up your landline so you can save anywhere from $30 to $50 dollars or more a month so, say goodbye to your landline to save money on your utility bills.   Feel free to pass theses tips on to friends and family.   If you like this information, feel free to follow me on : Twitter, and Facebook Stay connected to Savings Scoop for more tips of the day.         Related PostsTip of the Day, Give Up a Habit to Save More Money   You kn...8…

• Tip of the Day, Give Up a Habit to Save More Money

  Andrea

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:00 pm

    You know that daily run to your favorite coffee shop for a large latte? or you going to the drive thru, every time you get hungry two or three times a day, well consider making your own latte at home and bringing lunch to work because these daily stops to buy what you can make at home adds up.   Think about how much money you can save if you give up these daily habits.   If you feel the urge to spend money on your habits, just put the amount you would spend in a jar and see how much you can save every day, each week, and annually on your costly habits.   Stay connected…

• Motivational Monday Quotes for the Day

  Andrea

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

      It’s motivational Monday, so here your motivational quotes for the day.     Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant. There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks. Johann Gottfried Von Herder         Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking. William B. Sprague Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. Booker T. Washington       I can, therefore I am. Simone Weil ******* If you…

• 

  DaleSiegel.com Feed

• More on the Mortgage Crisis

  5 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Mortgage Monday Obama wants to further enhance government assistance for homeowners in order to refinance their mortgages with lower rates. Mortgage rates are at an all-time low and all homeowners should be able to benefit! The Administration wants every homeowner to be able to lower their mortgage rate and suggests that it be funded by a tax on the largest banks. This is a two headed tiger in that if the banks are taxed to chip in for the lower payments charged to consumers; they will inevitably increase other fees to cover their outlay. Read more...

• Pros & Cons of Credit Unions

  1 Feb 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Special Report Thursday A record number of Americans switched their accounts from banks to credit unions recently. Credit unions offer a number of benefits that may not be offered by banks, such as lower usage fees and improved customer relations. While there may be a number of advantages of removing your money from the big banks, credit unions also have their own set of disadvantages. It is important to assess the pros and cons in order to determine the best choice for your banking needs. Read more...

• Downsizing Options and Storage Solutions

  31 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm

  You might have thought that storage rental was just for people who had too much stuff and didn’t know how to part it with it, but in fact there is actually a wide range of reasons why you should consider renting a storage unit. Living in a smaller home will almost always save you money, and many people say that it also saves them time in maintenance and general upkeep. Self-storage companies let people live in smaller spaces while still being able to store their larger possessions. Here are some other reasons that illustrate the value, convenience, and advantages of storage rental: Read…

• Mortgage Forbearance Will Be Offered To Unemployed

  30 Jan 2012 | 5:45 am

  Mortgage Monday Fannie and Freddie will allow qualified homeowners to negotiate a “timeout” from making mortgage payments early 2012. The borrower will be allowed to create a forbearance agreement with the servicer and not make their mortgage payments for up to twelve months. Read more...

• Are You Thinking of Living in North Attleboro

  25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm

  Realtor Thursday A conversation with Tiffany Chapdelaine Wetherbee, Realtor® with Kensington Real Estate Brokerage in Attleboro, Massachusetts North Attleboro is a very nice town to work and raise a family in, I have lived here all of my life and have no intention of ever leaving. My hometown is rich in history. North Attleborough is the birthplace of the jewelry industry and celebrated its centennial in 1987. The North Attleborough Historical Commission and society help to preserve the past for the benefit of current and future residents. Read more...

• 

  Smart Balance Transfers

• Discover No Fee Balance Transfer Offer Extended until February 29th

  Jeffrey Weber

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:31 am

  Consumers looking to save money with 0% interest balance transfers who also want to avoid pesky balance transfer fees have at least one more month to do so as Discover has extended their no fee balance transfer promotion until the end of February. Due to the recent expiration of a similar no balance transfer fee [...]

• February’s Top 0% APR Balance Transfer Offers

  Jeffrey Weber

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:33 am

  February is the first month since late 2010 when the overall quality of 0% APR balance transfer offers has declined. While Discover continues to run a 0% no fee balance transfer promotion, a similar offer from Chase has been removed from the market. Meanwhile, the longest balance transfer offer length has dropped from 21 months [...]

• Are Credit Card Rewards and Frequent Flyer Miles Taxable?

  Jeffrey Weber

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:16 am

  Credit card rewards are very valuable, but does that mean you have to pay taxes on them? If you did, how would each mile or point be valued? These are the questions that some people have every year when it comes time to submit their income to the IRS. Interest is also peaked by stories [...]

• What is the Best Credit Card for Earning United Airlines Miles?

  Jeffrey Weber

  31 Jan 2012 | 7:46 am

  Since its merger with Continental, United Airlines has become one of the largest carriers in the world. In addition to the services it operates under its own brand, customers can easily connect to flights on one of the 27 other airline partners within the Star Alliance. The result is an airline alliance with a truly [...]

• Choosing the Best Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express

  Jeffrey Weber

  29 Jan 2012 | 7:02 am

  Choosing a credit card affiliated with an airline used to be a simple matter. Banks offered a product that earned frequent flier miles, and perhaps a slightly more expensive version that offered additional  perks. Today, Delta and American Express have taken airline affiliated credit cards to their logical extreme, offering five different versions to consumers, [...]

• 

  Mogo Lounge | Mogo Blog

• 2011 Canadian Census data is out – see some great infographics

  Alan

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:10 pm

  The data from the 2011 Canadian Census came out yesterday, and the NationalPost has released some very easily digestible infographics that capture our national growth, trends and where we might be headed. We are growing faster than any other G8 nation, and we’re sitting at around 33.5 million Canadians — that’s a lot of hockey jerseys. NP has highlighted some pretty interesting pieces from the data, so we don’t need to dig through every inch of it ourselves. I encourage you to check out the highlights: Canada’s population as of May 2011 was 33,476,688. Our population…

• ATTN: Calgary, check out your local food blogger’s bakesale!

  Alan

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Are you ready for some cupcakes, Calgary? Casel Marché is the scene of some great work by Calgary’s food blogging community. Join them on February 11 and 12 as they raise cash for the Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids Society. Show up between 10am – 5:30pm for treats from 20+ of Calgary’s top food blogs. There will also be wine tastings, food trucks and more great ways to fill your mouths while giving back to charity. They have previously raised over $1200 for Meals on Wheels, so you know they’re going to be bringing it this time out. Get some treats and support…

• 1 more day to vote in the Georgia Straight’s Golden Plates

  Alan

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:22 pm

  It’s time to step up, Vancouverites – let your voices be heard! Vancouver’s most ubiquitous free newspaper’s annual Golden Plate awards are coming, and you only have until tomorrow (February 8th) to submit your votes on the best food and places to eat in the city. VOTE HERE. Vote on Gastronomy, Entertainment, Neighbourhoods, Specialities, and Drinks. Then let the organizers know what’s on your mind, in case they missed anything. Keep your eyes peeled for the best in Vancouver restaurants, pubs, bars and shops. Have something Mogo readers need to hear about? Let…

• In case you wanted a duvet that looks like garbage…

  Alan

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Designers Pegga Van Neer and Erik van Lo have rolled out a shocking new duvet cover, that leaves me pretty… confused. If you want the chic-street-cred look of cardboard, but the comfort of your high thread count, pillow top mattress, you definitely need to see the Snurk Home Duvet. That’s right – it looks like an unfolded cardboard box, giving you the air of someone sleeping on the street, from the comfort of your own bed. The Dutch designers are selling the pieces for $89.95 USD, so either shell or, or make your own with some cardboard from behind the grocery store. What do…

• Toronto Tech Report – February edition

  Nikki

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:11 am

  February holds a wealth of gadgets and geekery for the nerd in all of us. Beat the February winter blues while expanding your brain and improving your chances for world domination. Several events take place around the city in February and there is much to look forward to. Be there or… well, you know the rest. The Winter Social Learning Event sees speaker and president of Writers UA, Joe Wilinske, discussing how to make the most of your social media efforts. This is an especially useful workshop for technical writers and will be held on Tuesday, February 7th from 6.30 pm to 8.30pm at the…

• 

  Credit.com News + Advice

• Consumer Credit Surged Once Again in December

  Credit.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:30 pm

  The holiday season and improving economy convened to create a significant increase in the amount being borrowed by Americans across a number of different loan types during the month of December. Overall, the amount being borrowed by consumers jumped 9.3 percent in December 2011, which is notable because that came after November’s month-over-month increase of 9.9 percent, according to the latest monthly statistics from the Federal Reserve Board. Those two increases are in contrast with the significantly smaller rise seen in October of just 3.3 percent. [Related Article: Consumer Credit…

• Eastwood Meets the West Wing

  Adam Levin

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  I am a New Yorker. I am a Giants fan. They made my day last Sunday. Sorry, Gisele. Like over 100 million of you, I saw the Chrysler commercial and, for the record, Clint Eastwood made my day. Now, in the interest of full disclosure—my college flame was the granddaughter of a famous Chrysler design engineer—so I confess that I have a warm spot in my heart for those guys, but that said, how can you not appreciate the concept of “This is not a country that can be knocked out with one punch?” Isn’t that what we Americans are all about? [Free Credit Calculator: Use…

• Debt Paydown: Time for an Attitude Adjustment

  Chris Geoffrey

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:30 am

  I have been lazy and sliding backwards on more than one front. I did not track my spending or food intake for a couple of weeks.  I spent more than I should have and I gained a couple of pounds instead of losing weight. Blame it on the rain, the snow, the cold—how do I blame it on the warm sunshine and 65 degree temperatures in Iowa in the middle of winter? Today is a new day.  I caught up with my backlog over the weekend and I am back on track with my spending and my food tracking.  If I write it down, I don’t spend it or eat it.  It holds me accountable. To…

• Big Hospital Bill? Negotiate!

  Gerri Detweiler

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:09 am

  Brett Goldstein is used to dealing with big numbers. After all, he runs a pension service company. But nothing quite prepared him for the shock of the medical bills he received after his daughter broke her leg and spent less than 24 hours in the ER. The total tab? Around $30,000. Although Goldstein had health insurance, his daughter had broken her leg in a fall on someone else’s property, and their insurance would pay the bills. All he had to do was forward them to the property owner’s insurance company. That twist, though, led Goldstein deep into the complicated world of medical…

• Foreclosure Mediation Can Help Homeowners

  Credit.com

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:30 pm

  While critics have said that foreclosure mediation mandates will only serve to slow down the process and create considerable issues for borrowers and financial institutions, a recent study found this is not the case. Currently, there are 19 states that mandate homeowners go through a mediation program before their property can be foreclosed upon, and data collected from those programs suggest that not only do they not prolong the process, but they also save money, according to a report from the National Consumer Law Center. In particular, the fees associated with these mediation programs…

• 

  moneyStrands blogs

• Many New Features Are Coming In 2012!

  vanpelt

  3 Feb 2012 | 12:17 pm

  All of us at moneyStrands are excited and proud to have our money management solution featured in several articles focused on helping consumers manage their finances in the New Year! Thanks to all of our users and bloggers who have found the following features so useful: • Bill payment tracking and calendar • 12 month budget plans • Automatic spend tracking and reporting • Low balance alerts We are working hard to continually build new tools that help our users manage money more effectively. Stay tuned for powerful features including multiple bank account aggregation. Your feedback is…

• The New and Improved moneyStrands Has Arrived

  strandslucia

  28 Jan 2011 | 5:53 pm

  IMPORTANT UPDATE We are making changes to our automatic account aggregation capability. As a result, beginning March 19th we will be pausing all automatic account aggregation for an extended period of time. During this time, only manual account aggregation will be supported on moneyStrands. For more information click here . Today we are excited to unveil the new moneyStrands. As most of you know we’ve been working on this for the past year and we think you’ll find that it was worth the wait. To highlight all the new changes, we’ve put together a short moneyStrands Tour video. If you…

• How to pay off holiday debt

  strandslucia

  21 Jan 2011 | 7:55 pm

  I’ll admit, as much as I preach about spending less than you earn and planning your holiday budget in advanced, the holidays always seem to get me. So as the end of the month approaches and all my holiday bills begin coming in, I’ll be devising the best plan to pay it off. While my holiday debt is manageable, it’s still important to me to find the best and fastest way to pay it off. If you’re facing the same problem, here are some tips to help you pay off that holiday debt a little quicker: Find ways to cut back on expenses Having debt means you may have to make some sacrifices when…

• 4 Tips To Help You Reach Your 2011 Financial Resolutions

  strandslucia

  10 Jan 2011 | 3:50 pm

  A new year means new beginnings and the perfect opportunity to review your goals, set new goals and get organized so you can accomplish them. While many of us are great at setting goals, some (such as myself) have a hard time staying on track through the year. If you’re like me, the first week is the easiest, the second week you begin losing steam and by the third week you’re falling off track. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, so these first three weeks are the most important! To help keep you on track, here is a list of 4 tips to help keep your financial resolutions: Limit your…

• 'Tis the Season: The Do’s and Don’ts of Charitable Giving

  strandslucia

  16 Dec 2010 | 4:40 pm

  'Tis the season for giving! A survey by the American Red Cross found that 57 percent of American adults plan to donate to charity this holiday season, despite the economic downturn. The same survey showed that while 86 percent of Americans reported their personal finances are the same or worse than last year, 72 percent expect to give the same amount or more than last year to charity. If you’re one of the many Americans opening your heart and your wallet for a good cause this holiday season, its important to be smart about how you do it. Here are 10 do’s and don’ts to follow for…

• 

  Money Help For Christians

• Learning Personal Finance: A Guide to Successful Financial Health (Part I)

  Craig Ford

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  Today I’ll be reflecting on what our family has done over the last 12 years to help us enjoy stress free personal finances. This is not a brag fest, but rather a step-by-step story of what has worked for us. 1. Start Working Young and Saving Young When I was in grade 7 or 8, I got a job delivering newspapers. By the time I was in grade 9, I was working at a chicken hatchery. All through high school I worked Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. I probably averaged 10 hours a week during the school year and 30-40 during the summer. There have been stages of my life when I thought…

• The Audience Matters: Introducing You to the Ideal MH4C Reader (New Series)

  Craig Ford

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  It’s time once again for a series of posts. Most blogs (including this one) are composed of a series of ‘thoughts of the day’. The disadvantage to you, the reader, is that you miss out on the opportunity to fully grasp the author’s full overview of money in a succinct and connected fashion. That’s why I’ve focused on writing books. A newbie can read one of my books and get a better idea of what I think about money than a person who reads my blog for a month. In order to help all of you get a solid idea of what MH4C teaches about money, I’m going to be…

• Monthly Roundup : Activities, Books, and Articles

  Craig Ford

  3 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  This last month included one of the most unproductive weeks in my entire life. It was primarily the result of a massively infected boil on my back that resulted in 3 days in bed and another 4 really slow days of recovery.  Sorry if that’s too much information.  (I decided against including pictures.)   I returned to a village called Lavora with my family, and by that evening, my fears were confirmed: I had a boil.  Since we were in the village, it was impossible for me to properly treat it.  From Monday to Thursday the monster grew. I spent Thursday afternoon, Friday, and Saturday…

• When a Pumpkin Is More Valuable than a $1,000

  Craig Ford

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  We don’t do it intentionally, but we do it. We mislabel and falsely recognize acts of giving as generous. I made a contribution to something recently, and the person responded back by saying thanks for the ‘generous gift’. While I appreciate the effort to honor my gift, it made me realize that we misunderstand generosity. Here’s how I think we typically define generous. The larger the contribution = the more generous the gift. Travel back in time to Mark 12:41-44 where Jesus is sticking his nose in other people’s business – watching people put money into the…

• How Much of My Income is Mine to Spend On Me?

  Craig Ford

  30 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  The post title is a summary of a question I received. It’s an extremely difficult question to answer. The question goes on to ask about how one can purchase luxury items when there are people just down the street who are starving. How Much of My Income is Mine to Spend on Me? In an effort to address this reader question, I decided to highlight a few of the points I think are worthy of consideration. 1. Embrace the tension Forbid it, Lord, that we should feel as though we’ve found a balance. I find that the more content we are with our current situation, the more quickly we melt…

• 

  Get Penny Wise

• Penny's Pick - Lost on Slickdeals....

  21 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am

  So, life has been a bit hectic and I've not been in the deal posting mode - I apologize! I appreciate those of you who have encouraged me to post more deals so without further adI've discovered a great site - slickdeals.net - it wasn't exactly new to me but I never really, fully discovered all the great content that shows up there. It's great to peruse the front page deals (and I scored a great

• Penny's Deal of the Day $9 for TWO Movie Tickets!

  10 Jun 2011 | 1:48 pm

  This is a great deal throug Living Social - $9 for two movie tickets using Fandango. What do you want to see this summer? https://livingsocial.com/deals/57725?ref=personalized-link-box-15064119&rpi=15064119

• Back for More - evreward.com

  1 Jul 2010 | 12:54 pm

  After a long hiatus Penny is back with more deals. It's been a little while but we've still got more deals up our sleeves here at Get Penny Wise. One of the best resources we've found is at Ev'reward (evreward.com). This site features a deal blog, hot deals and coupon codes. The best feature, in our opinion, is the cashback aggregator. All you need to do to search for your shopping site of

• Penny's Pick of the Day - Free Coffee at Peet's

  7 Aug 2009 | 12:44 pm

  Those of you on the East Coast will have to scurry to catch this one - but Peet's is serving up free Freddos today between 2 and 3 pm.   Limit one per person.This sounds perfect for the Friday afternoon pick-me-up!  Go out and grab yours!

• Penny for your Thoughts - Caveat Emptor

  6 Aug 2009 | 3:25 pm

  I highly doubt that my High School Latin teacher, Mrs. Doll, is reading but if she were she might be proud that she taught me Caveat Emptor - let the buyer beware! Well, today I'm hoping to teach you to beware of the promises of online dealmakers!Case in point, I recently tried to take advantage of a deal through Shop Discover - they offer 5% cash back on purchases from Hotels.com. They also

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  Money-Rates.com Savings Investor

• Now available from Amazon: Economic disappointment?

  3 Feb 2012 | 3:11 pm

  Soon after an advance GDP report indicated strengthening growth, an earnings disappointment from Amazon cast doubt over the economic recovery.

• State of the Union: Good or bad for savers?

  25 Jan 2012 | 12:57 pm

  The President proposed several things in his fourth State of the Union address. Find out what they could mean for deposit accounts.

• Is recent mortgage activity a win for the Fed?

  24 Jan 2012 | 1:51 pm

  Mortgage applications surged recently, but this demand may be overly dependent on record low mortgage rates.

• What the improving health of banks means to you

  17 Jan 2012 | 6:36 pm

  Bank failures slowed last year, and if this trend continues it could be good for bank customers in a number of ways.

• New Fed forecasts: Transparency or distraction?

  11 Jan 2012 | 2:43 pm

  A new Fed policy is designed to increase transparency, but the forecasts involved could also misguide investors and undermine policy.

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  Moneyhacker

• Your Investment Property: Compulsory Contacts

  Sherin Dev

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:57 pm

  A guest post by SachinYour investment property is a valuable source of income – read on for contacts who will ensure it always brings in the big bucks.This year my partner and I bought our first home. Six months later, we were transferred overseas for his job, meaning our brand new home quickly became an investment property, and the home of someone else – namely our tenants. To say we were ill-prepared is an understatement. We had a vague idea about what we had to do and basically figured ‘we’ve rented, how hard can it be to be on the other side of the fence!’. Well, if you’re not…

• Great Valentine’s Day Gifts that Don’t Cost a Fortune

  Sherin Dev

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:30 pm

  A guest article by Evan FischerThis holiday devoted to the heart can quickly get out of hand in terms of expenditure when you’re buying roses and making reservations at fancy restaurants. But your honey doesn’t need all that to feel the romance. So why not save your dough and go for a few gifts that are sentimental (rather than cent-mental)? Here are just a few that will delight your loved one without costing a fortune.1. Valentine’s card - If this is your only gift it had better be good. So pull out all the stops with colored craft paper, ribbons, glitter, and glue and create a card…

• 5 Ways to Diversify Your Portfolio

  Sherin Dev

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:38 am

  A guest article from Evan FischerYou want your portfolio to be as resilient as possible, right? The easiest way to strengthen your finances is to diversify when you begin to construct your financial plan. When the market becomes volatile or unstable, a well-diversified portfolio will protect you and also make sure that your returns improve for a longer duration of time. Here are five ways you can help yourself and your financial situation through diversifying:Stocks and bonds This is one of the most basic strategies for diversifying that many investors ignore. You may think that bonds will…

• How To Sue your Spouse After a Car Accident - A Step By Step Explanation

  Sherin Dev

  5 Feb 2012 | 10:22 pm

  A guest post from Shannen DohertyCar accidents occur frequently on roads throughout the UK, claiming more than 2,000 lives and seriously injuring thousands of drivers, passengers and pedestrians every year. Most people are aware that claims for compensation can be brought against negligent road users by contacting specialist law firms such as Accidents Direct, but what not everybody realises is that the capacity to bring legal action against a third party extends even to passengers who are related to the defendant.Why Should Spouses Sue?The idea of suing a spouse following a car accident…

• Is Credit Insurance Worth the Cost?

  Sherin Dev

  5 Feb 2012 | 9:57 pm

  A guest post from Noreen RuthConsumers are being solicited by credit card companies not only to apply for an account but for add-ons like credit monitoring and credit insurance. At first glance, the idea sounds great; for mere pennies credit card debt will be paid, in the case of an emergency. The lure for consumers is that these services are an important security necessity. It is implied that hackers and credit card thieves are around every corner. But is credit card insurance worth the price? Here we’ll show you the pros and cons to help you decide.Four Types of Credit InsuranceCredit…

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  Centsible Life

• Donors Choose Giveaway Vote!

  Kelly

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:55 am

  I shared a post earlier this week about an awesome opportunity I have to give back thanks to Savings.com and Donors Choose. I was overwhelmed with the choices on Donors Choose, so I asked for readers to share their favorite projects. Now you get to help choose which project will get funded. Simply read the choices below and leave a comment. Thank you for helping me choose a project, I couldn’t do this without you! Reminder: If you donate between now and February 24th, use this special link and code  “SAVINGS”  and Donors Choose will match your donation up to $100! Entries: 1a.

• Super Saver: Wordless Wednesday

  Kelly

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:10 am

  For the 100th day of school the kids did all kinds of fun activities. Check out Aidan’s adorable 100 glasses and 100th day crown. He also brought home a worksheet that shared what he would do with $100. Looks like mom is rubbing off on him. For more inspiring photos, check out: The Bonafide Life, Better in Bulk, Shanamama, From Dates to Diapers, Not Your Momblog, The Divine Miss Mommy, Colorado Moms, Rajean Blomquist, Brain Foggles, Lil Kid Things, Rachel Ferruci, Resourceful Mommy and Zensible Mama. Kelly © 2012, Whalen Media LLC. All rights reserved. To repost or publish, please…

• How to avoid getting hacked

  Kelly

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:44 am

  As I mentioned last week my site had major issues in the past week. I experienced an unusual amount of downtime from my host at the same time I found out my site had malware. To say Monday (and the rest of the week) was stressful is an understatement. In layman’s terms the downtime means if you tried to visit the site it wouldn’t load. You’d get a message from your browser saying the site couldn’t load. That was for about 12 hours on Monday, and thankfully my host is back up and offered me free days of hosting for every hour my site was down. Malware is worse. It means…

• Donors Choose and Savings.com partner to match donations & $50 Giveaway

  Kelly

  6 Feb 2012 | 3:01 pm

  Donors Choose is a wonderful organization that allows schools to ask for what they need, and you to donate to all kinds of school projects based on whatever criteria you see fit. Want to fund the arts? No problem. Want to donate money to increasing technology in schools? They have you covered. Even better now one of my favorite companies, Savings.com, is partnering up with Donors Choose to further your donation! Simply use the code “SAVINGS” any time between January 27th and February 24th on www.donorschoose.org/savings, and Donors Choose will match your donation up to $100! More…

• 365 Day Meal Plan:Week One Remix

  Kelly

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:05 pm

  We’re back to Week One with our 365 day meal plan this week. The first four weeks have been fairly simple in terms of shopping and cooking meals, though we have had to make some accomadations over those weeks as well. Overall though we’re seeing a huge savings over the previous month in groceries and eating out, and of course a slight increase in water bills due to doing more dishes. Time will tell if we can stick it out, and if it will save us money beyond the very spendy month of December. Let’s start (as usual) with last week’s recap. Week Four Menu: Week of January…

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  The Daily Reckoning

• The Value of a Thief

  Chris Mayer

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:54 pm

  “Every human problem is an investment opportunity if you can anticipate the solution,” the old gentleman told me. “If not for thieves, who would buy locks?” I just met this remarkable fellow, full of wisdom on investing, yet hardly known beyond a small group of fans. His name is Thomas Phelps, and he’s had quite a career. He was The Wall Street Journal’s Washington bureau chief, a former editor of Barron’s, a partner at a brokerage firm, the head of the research department at a Fortune 500 company and, finally, a partner at Scudder, Stevens & Clark (since bought out by…

• Fed to Devalue Dollar by 33%?

  Chuck Butler

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:41 am

  The currencies began to get some wind in their sails yesterday midmorning, and soon an all-out rally was taking place. The currency rally was led by the euro (EUR), just like in the old days, and the euro was getting bought like dealers were giving them away for free! Rumors of the European Central Bank backing off its previous stand got the euro on the rally tracks, and then the real strong push higher came when those rumors were proved to be true. Here’s the skinny. The European Central Bank has made key concessions over its holdings of Greek government bonds that will contribute to a…

• Why Gold is Money Despite Changing Conditions

  Bill Bonner

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:26 am

  The price of gold shot up yesterday. Reports said investors were betting on another round of “quantitative easing,” aka money printing. But are gold buyers making a big mistake? Is history repeating itself? The New York Times suggests it is: As it was in 1980, could it be again in 2012? The 1980 presidential election was fought by a Democratic incumbent weakened by a poor economy amid worries that the United States had lost its ability to compete in the world. Gold prices had risen to unprecedented levels as the election approached, and the Republican nominee hinted he might propose a…

• When Emerging Markets Shape the Developed World

  Bill Bonner

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pm

  “America is back,” said the President of all the Americans, “Anyone who tells you America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking about.” Well, Dear Reader, we’re here to tell you: America is in decline. We can give it to you straight because we’re not running for public office. And if we were elected, we would immediately demand a recount. Anyone who tells you America is not in decline is either running for office…or not paying attention. In 1969, more than one out of every three dollars of income in the entire globe was earned…

• The Federal Reserve and Other Crimes Against Capitalism

  Eric Fry

  7 Feb 2012 | 3:15 pm

  New York Times writer, Steven M. Davidoff, recently dubbed the Federal Reserve, “the most successful hedge fund around.” After reading the article, we concluded that Mr. Davidoff is the most creative financial writer around. As such, Mr. Davidoff may be the perfect apologist for today’s dysfunctional monetary “system.” Certainly, he possesses the cerebral alacrity to dodge whatever cold, hard facts may be standing in the way of a good story. “I call the Fed a hedge fund,” Davidoff cheerily explains, “because it is operating like one, leveraging its balance sheet to earn huge…

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  Canadian Finance Blog

• How Many Of Your Needs Are Actual Needs?

  Nelson Smith

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  As I type this post, the show Doomsday Preppers is playing in the background of my hotel room. As far as I can tell, the show isn’t available yet in Canada, so let me fill you in on what you’re missing. The program profiles families that are preparing for certain doomsday scenarios. One family is prepping for an economic catastrophe, one that will see hyperinflation render their savings useless. Another family is preparing for a significant natural disaster, like a super volcano. Their preparation methods are all pretty standard. They’re all stockpiling food, water,…

• Personal Finance Basics: Become Debt Free

  Alan Schram

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  Personal finance can appear to be impossible. If you have a lot of debt, a modest income, and seem to not be making any progress towards rectifying either problem, then your financial problems may seem overwhelming. They don’t have to be. Personal finance really doesn’t need to be that difficult, regardless of your financial situation. If you’ve already started to spend less than you make, and if you have an emergency fund in place, then it’s time to become debt free. While not everyone has tons of debt pilled up, almost everyone is in debt to a certain amount. It may…

• The History of OAS

  Jim Yih

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  One of the big concerns in Canada is the number of baby boomers that are going to retire and put pressure on the retirement income system.  The two key components of the retirement income system in Canada is the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and the Old Age Security (OAS). The CPP program was reviewed in 2009 and it was determined at that time, CPP was well funded and on solid financial ground.  CPP will be there for Canadians. Last week, OAS was the hot topic when Harper made some comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland about making some significant changes to those elements…

• Perks or Pay? What Makes a Job Worth It?

  Tom Drake

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  When times are tough, many people express gratitude just to have a job. However, when you have time to think about your job, and when times are a little less tense, you have a little more leeway in terms of your ability to do the job you want. And, as a result, you can decide what is more important to you: Perks or pay. Pay vs. Perks For some workers, money isn’t everything. You might have, in the past, done a job that, no matter how much you were paid, it didn’t seem worth it to do the job. Additionally, there are times when non-salary perks are better than having extra pay.

• Canadian Finance Carnival #74

  Tom Drake

  5 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  Budgeting N.W. Journey at Net Worth Journey presents Stay Within the Boundaries, saying “Learn how staying in the boundaries reaps massive rewards.” Craig Ford at Christian Debt Coach presents Little Changes Make Big Differences: $100 Spending Cut Challenge, saying “Cutting a $100 spending per month can make a big difference.” Glen at Parenting Family Money presents 5 Kids Expenses to Budget For – Apart from College , saying “There are other expenses for kids-not on the magnitude of college-that are also worthy of budgets all there own. Make sure you budget for…

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  Credit.com News + Advice

• Consumer Credit Surged Once Again in December

  Credit.com

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:30 pm

  The holiday season and improving economy convened to create a significant increase in the amount being borrowed by Americans across a number of different loan types during the month of December. Overall, the amount being borrowed by consumers jumped 9.3 percent in December 2011, which is notable because that came after November’s month-over-month increase of 9.9 percent, according to the latest monthly statistics from the Federal Reserve Board. Those two increases are in contrast with the significantly smaller rise seen in October of just 3.3 percent. [Related Article: Consumer Credit…

• Eastwood Meets the West Wing

  Adam Levin

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  I am a New Yorker. I am a Giants fan. They made my day last Sunday. Sorry, Gisele. Like over 100 million of you, I saw the Chrysler commercial and, for the record, Clint Eastwood made my day. Now, in the interest of full disclosure—my college flame was the granddaughter of a famous Chrysler design engineer—so I confess that I have a warm spot in my heart for those guys, but that said, how can you not appreciate the concept of “This is not a country that can be knocked out with one punch?” Isn’t that what we Americans are all about? [Free Credit Calculator: Use…

• Debt Paydown: Time for an Attitude Adjustment

  Chris Geoffrey

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:30 am

  I have been lazy and sliding backwards on more than one front. I did not track my spending or food intake for a couple of weeks.  I spent more than I should have and I gained a couple of pounds instead of losing weight. Blame it on the rain, the snow, the cold—how do I blame it on the warm sunshine and 65 degree temperatures in Iowa in the middle of winter? Today is a new day.  I caught up with my backlog over the weekend and I am back on track with my spending and my food tracking.  If I write it down, I don’t spend it or eat it.  It holds me accountable. To…

• Big Hospital Bill? Negotiate!

  Gerri Detweiler

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:09 am

  Brett Goldstein is used to dealing with big numbers. After all, he runs a pension service company. But nothing quite prepared him for the shock of the medical bills he received after his daughter broke her leg and spent less than 24 hours in the ER. The total tab? Around $30,000. Although Goldstein had health insurance, his daughter had broken her leg in a fall on someone else’s property, and their insurance would pay the bills. All he had to do was forward them to the property owner’s insurance company. That twist, though, led Goldstein deep into the complicated world of medical…

• Foreclosure Mediation Can Help Homeowners

  Credit.com

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:30 pm

  While critics have said that foreclosure mediation mandates will only serve to slow down the process and create considerable issues for borrowers and financial institutions, a recent study found this is not the case. Currently, there are 19 states that mandate homeowners go through a mediation program before their property can be foreclosed upon, and data collected from those programs suggest that not only do they not prolong the process, but they also save money, according to a report from the National Consumer Law Center. In particular, the fees associated with these mediation programs…

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  Wealth Virtues Journal

• How to Become Wealthy in 2012 and Win a Valuable Portrait of Ben Franklin!

  James Ward

  22 Jan 2012 | 2:52 pm

  The first fifty people in 2012 who purchase Wealth Virtues (paperback or Kindle) and send a qualified entry submission are eligible for a chance to win a crisp $100 bill displaying the image of the great man, or they can opt instead for a $100 Amazon gift certificate. Non-$100 winners and entries 51 through 100 will be entered to win a Kindle Fire.

• The Better Road or the Better Mousetrap?

  James Ward

  20 Jan 2012 | 6:51 pm

  The Internet is the highway (duh). What the movie industry will have to realize and deal with is distribution is now in the hands of many. The Internet is the 50-lane Interstate with many on-ramps. The SOPA and PIPA bills before Congress would have figuratively blown up huge parts of the highway to make sure people wouldn’t be able to visit a flea market with pirated stuff.

• Ten Free Things to do now to Gain Control of your Finances and Save Money

  James Ward

  19 Jan 2012 | 1:56 pm

  It costs little to nothing to find out more about your finances, how to control them, and create wealth.

• How to Suck it up and Eliminate Credit Card Debt (Unless You Want to Retire Broke)

  James Ward

  11 Jan 2012 | 6:30 pm

  The key is to change the way you think and your behavior. Start with practicing the virtues of Benjamin Franklin and apply them to your finances. Wealth Virtues will help you do this.

• The Constitution of the Democratic Party and Occupy Movement

  James Ward

  6 Jan 2012 | 9:41 am

  The Occupy movement philosophy of "give me all, and I don't want to pay for it", closely mirrors the actions of the Democratic Party to cater to that philosophy. Here are some wonderful "rights" that meets this philosopy. You will be suprised where they really come from!

• 

  QROPS Advice & Information from the Global Leaders in QROPS

• Oil supply switch may be a crude effort to lower prices

  QROPS.net

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:03 am

  China, India and other emerging eastern economies have made a slick move to prop up their insatiable appetite for oil imports following the embargo on supplies from Iran. Oil buyers are snapping up extra supplies from African oil nations in a bid to keep fuel flowing for their industries. Refineries from the US, Europe and Far East are now locked in a bidding war for oil supplies from West Africa. The switch away from buying Iran’s oil follows the unilateral embargo on trading for oil until Teheran stops developing nuclear weapons. The Iran government claims they are researching nuclear…

• Guernsey QROPS safe after moves to meet new tax rules

  QROPS.net

  30 Jan 2012 | 10:57 am

  Guernsey is the first QROPS jurisdiction to upgrade pension laws in line with proposed new rules from the UK tax man. HM Revenue & Customs is imposing a tough tax regime on some QROPS providers who have abused tax rules – but other more reputable offshore centres like Guernsey have been caught in the crossfire. Now, Guernsey politicians are ready to agree a new pensions framework that focuses on meeting all HMRC’s guidelines without jeopardising the retirement savings of any investor. The new Guernsey QROPS rules cover third party investors who keep their pensions on the island…

• US economy grows – but the figures are disappointing

  QROPS.net

  30 Jan 2012 | 2:32 am

  The US economy grew at just 1.7% last year despite signs of revival in the last three months – the worst figures since the recession and half of that in the year before. More dollars were spent on cars and trucks while companies replenished their stocks at the fastest rate for the last two years, but massive government spending cuts weighed heavily on confidence and growth. Growth flickered in to life in the final quarter as the rate surged to 2.8%. The US government’s commerce department played down talk of an economic recovery by explaining spending is expected to remain flat over…

• Bad timing adds to financial losses for European funds

  QROPS.net

  27 Jan 2012 | 8:49 am

  Bad timing by investors switching their money added to losses in a disastrous year for European funds. Missing opportunities by selling near the bottom or buying as prices were rising added to the financial woe of investors experiencing an awful year, says a research report from fund managers Morningstar. Key findings from the survey showed: Fund outflows were €114 billion – €70 billion from equity funds and €44 billion out of fixed income Money market funds saw the strongest inflow in December, with €4.4 billion, but flows to short-term funds were in the red for the year…

• The Spanish are still in trouble

  QROPS.net

  26 Jan 2012 | 8:50 am

  If you are dreading going back to work in the New Year, take heart from the fact that your to do list is not as impossible as the one on the desk of the Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy. His predecessor had agreed a deficit target for 2012 of 4.4 per cent of GDP with the other leaders of the eurozone. This was on the understanding that the deficit at that time was between 6 and 7 per cent. On the basis of those supposed figures, this was optimistic. However, economists recently revealed that the current figure is 8 per cent. When the new government took up the country’s reigns and…

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  The Dividend Guy Blog

• Your Take: As Investors, What Annoys You The Most?

  Mike

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

    I’m asking you this question today because I’m annoyed by a lot of things that happen in the financial world. In my quest to improve my investing strategy and knowledge, I often find that we are bogged down by messy information and it becomes hard to find our way around it. So let me rant first J   Fees & Taxes The problem I have with fees and taxes are the same: I don’t mind paying a fee (we all need to pay our bills, right?) and I don’t mind paying some taxes (we all need to support our community, right?). However, the problem is that most investing fees and taxes…

• 18 Stock Picks for 2012 Using My Crystal Ball

  Mike

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Back in February 2011, I posted an article about 9 dividend stocks that would do well in 2011. Since I like to be held accountable, I thought of coming back to those stock picks to see how they performed (just to validate my crystal ball before I use it again for 2012!).   I calculated the yield between Jan 7th 2011 and Jan 6th 2012 and here’s what we have:   TickerMarket2011 ReturnDividend Yield NUENYSE-6.05%3.38% TNYSE1.02%5.85% DRINYSE-4.51%3.73% JNJNYSE4.82%3.51% HSETSE-8.63%4.93% NATSE5.41%3.88% MMMNYSE-3.39%2.56% INTCNASDAQ20.07%3.12% WECNYSE17.19%3.54% Average2.88%3.83%…

• Top Links From Around

  MD

  3 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  Let’s see the links worth checking out from around… 1. Monthly Dividend Stocks @ DGI. 2. Dividend Investing Will Make You Rich @ IS. 3. Demystifying Advantages @ Barel Karsan. 4. Should You Invest in the Stock Market in Your 20s? @ Studenomics. 5. Taking Out Life Insurance @ Buy Like Buffett. 6. Freedom Fund Update – February 2012 @ Dividend Mantra. 7. Will Actively Managed Mutual Funds Ever Go Away? @ Canadian Finance Blog. 8. Dividend Stocks Worth the Risk @ D4L. 9. 10 High-Yield S&P 500 Dividend Stocks With Growing Dividends @ DGS. 10. Why Does…

• TSX Dividend Yield And Ex-Dividend Date

  Mike

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:47 am

      We are starting the month of February with our traditional TSX 60 Dividend Yield and Ex-Dividend Date publication.   A few notes about the TSX60 and its dividends   Only 11 stocks from the TSX60 made the cut to my Best Canadian Stocks for Only 31 stocks from the TSX60 pay higher than 2% dividend Only 23 stocks pay higher than 3% dividend (and you are going to tell me that size matters?) We have covered 19 stocks from the TSX60 on Canadian Dividend Stock We have selected 6 member of the TSX60 in our Dividend Growth Index We have covered 5 stocks from the TSX60 in our…

• Dividend Bubble? Think Again!

  Mike

  30 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

    I’m sure you have heard of the Wall Street Journal claiming that the Dividend Bubble is going to burst soon. If you haven’t, trust me, you are not missing much! The rationale behind a growing dividend bubble is that most investors are leaving the equity market for bonds while the most courageous are putting their “risk” within dividend paying stocks.   Do I have to tell you that 43% of the S&P500′s annualized return comes from Dividend stocks?   That dividend stocks provide a great buffer from capital losses with their regular dividend payouts?   That…

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  Money Hacker

• How Travel Insurance Kicks In For Lost or Stolen Credit Cards

  David Boyd

  31 Jan 2012 | 3:20 pm

  If your credit cards are stolen while you’re travelling, there are some important steps to be aware of if you wish to make a claim – not only what you’re entitled to expect, but also what steps you’re expected to take. Step 1: Keep Calm There’s a very real tendency to panic when you realise [...]Money Hacker is a fresh Australian money and lifestyle blog dedicated to sharing great personal finance tips along with some oddities & curiosities from the financial world.

• Timing the Property Market: Is it a Good Time to Buy a House?

  David Boyd

  17 Jan 2012 | 7:02 pm

  As in many other areas of the world, the housing market in Australia recently has been subject to close scrutiny. Multiple factors have contributed to Australia’s high property prices namely decades of the flowing credit with home loans requiring only 5% down (or less). Other factors include the strong economic conditions, homeowners desiring bigger residences, [...]Money Hacker is a fresh Australian money and lifestyle blog dedicated to sharing great personal finance tips along with some oddities & curiosities from the financial world.

• 10 Ways to Cut Costs

  Gareth Boyd

  11 Jan 2012 | 6:30 am

  Like many people you will be looking to cut your spending and save your money after the Christmas spending splurge, so you may need some help to learn how not to spend as much money when out and about shopping. After Christmas your credit cards are probably overloaded and you may be wondering how on [...]Money Hacker is a fresh Australian money and lifestyle blog dedicated to sharing great personal finance tips along with some oddities & curiosities from the financial world.

• The Game of Life Infographic

  David Boyd

  21 Nov 2011 | 3:28 am

  According to LifeBroker, Australian’s worry about burglary as much as death, only 54% of Australians have life insurance and surprise, surprise the major factor for people to under insure is cost.Money Hacker is a fresh Australian money and lifestyle blog dedicated to sharing great personal finance tips along with some oddities & curiosities from the financial world.

• 11 Websites of the World’s Biggest Banks

  Mark Brown

  10 Oct 2011 | 12:12 am

  Over the past few years the banking world has undergone a lot of scrutiny, and rightly so. In the world of web design, whoever wins the web design contract for these financial giants will usually not have much room for innovation. All the innovation is mostly unseen and behind the multi-step login screens for internet [...]Money Hacker is a fresh Australian money and lifestyle blog dedicated to sharing great personal finance tips along with some oddities & curiosities from the financial world.

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  Debt Free Adventure

• 15 Ways to Reduce Core Expenses and Debt

  Guest Author

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  When struggling to emerge from debt it's a good strategy to focus on ways to reduce core expenses so you can use the savings to pay off debt faster.Related Articles: Cool Ways to Cover Summer Expenses Non-Monthly Expenses – How to Budget for Lump Sum Payments 11 Ways We Dove into Debt and How We’re Digging Out

• We Did A Short Sale Of Our Home

  Matt Jabs

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:17 pm

  Recently we performed a short sale of our home and lived to tell about it. Read this to learn from our experience and pick up a few tips for your sale.Related Articles: Walking Away From Your Mortgage A Home Mortgage Means You Pay Double – Limited Income and Wise Spending Renting vs. Mortgage and A Solution for Mortgage Free Home Ownership

• Start Living on One Income!

  Matt Jabs

  3 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  Whether you are a two income family with no kids or a one income family with children, living on one income just plain makes sense. Do you (or can you) live on one income?Related Articles: A Home Mortgage Means You Pay Double – Limited Income and Wise Spending Weekly Wisdom – Scripture, Income, Priorities & More – 4/17/2009 DFA Link Rally: Living in America Still Ain’t Half Bad Folks

• My Testimony to the Tithe

  Matt Jabs

  25 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am

  God promises that if we give He will bless us. While we should never give to receive a blessing, God is still faithful... here's my story of His faithfulness.Related Articles: Tithe to Prosper – DFA Tip of the Week – 2/9/2009 DebtFreeAdventure::Category List Tithing Our Time?

• Cash Envelopes For Couples

  Matt Jabs

  23 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am

  Cash envelopes work for singles AND couples. Use our proven tips to save time, save money, and reduce financial stress. I dare you to prove me wrong.Related Articles: Understanding and Improving Cash Flow Using Cash [It's the Only Way to Go] PerkStreet Cash Back Debit Card

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  Gen Y Wealth

• Three Technology Stocks For 2012

  Matt

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:51 am

  Investing in stocks is the best option you have to grow your wealth.  The best way to grow your wealth from stocks is picking a sector that is not going anywhere but up.  Technology is a sector of business that we will always have.  It is one of the largest and most popular sectors around and it will only continue to innovate and create new ways to make our way of life easier.  That is why there is certainly money to be made in the technology sector for the very long term.  However, lets focus on how to play technology is the coming new year. The best way to deciding what and where to…

• 5 Ways to Ask for a Raise

  Matt

  21 Jan 2012 | 9:59 am

  In life, you sometimes need to make sacrifices to get what you need or want.  Maybe you are running low on cash to make your payments or fund a vacation, etc, so you decide to ask for a raise.  Approaching your boss to ask for a raise can be pretty intimidating but worth it if you have the right tactics.  Make sure that if you do go ahead and try to get a raise that you are ready for “no”.  Keeping your head up high after a “no” will always earn you respect.  Here are five steps you can take to better your chances at getting a raise.  Ask for it.  If you haven’t had a raise…

• 5 Ways to NOT Get a Raise

  Matt

  16 Jan 2012 | 10:08 am

  When you go to ask for a raise from your boss, it is just as important to know what to say as what not to say.  If you say something that is not ideal when asking for a raise you will not get it and you could have dug yourself a hole for getting a raise in the future.  If you go into the meeting with a chip on your shoulder you will most likely not be seeing an extra penny for awhile so do yourself a favor and avoid these common pitfalls when asking for a raise. “I need the money”.  Here is the harsh reality of what your boss thinks about your finances: they do not care in the…

• Top Financial Newspaper For Education and Actionable Ideas

  Matt

  7 Jan 2012 | 7:58 pm

  When you go to the news stand you can find a wide variety of financial newspapers and it can be hard to determine which one is the right one for you.  Some offer more commentary while others offer more trade ideas.  However, the ideal newspaper has a healthy balance of both commentary and trade ideas.  The ideal newspaper need both aspects because you need to stay informed on big news in the market, as well as explain why they chose the trades they did.  As for the trade aspect, it is always nice to see where the paper believes there are going to be significant moves in the market.

• Despite Uncertainty, Stocks Remain Long Term Winners

  Matt

  30 Nov 2011 | 8:35 pm

  It is no secret that the stock market has been failing investors the past few years.  The global economic crisis began in 2008 and has taken many years to finally see some potential for recovery.  Despite what you read and hear on tv, the US economy is strongly improving but still lags recovery in housing.  Europe is still in a rough spot but signs of recovery show as well. Unemployment is finally starting to go down as businesses start hiring again, GDP is at 2%, banks are lending slowly again, the list goes on.  However, there are two main issues that may derail the US if steps are not…

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  Matt About Money

• Common Questions About Biblical Generosity

  Matt Bell

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:57 am

  In a recent post, I described generosity as An Irrational Financial Act, going on to explain why it’s actually essential for anyone who wants to experience simple, meaningful financial success. With this post, I’d like to answer two very common questions about generosity. How Much to Give I believe the first principle to follow when deciding how much to give is one that cannot be measured in dollars and cents.  I call it The Principle of the Choice Gift, which is very much a matter of the heart. It comes from the experience of Adam and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel.  As described in…

• Money Roundup: How to Avoid an Audit, When to Close a Credit Card Account, and More

  Matt Bell

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:33 am

  Of all the great (and crazy!) financial advice floating around out there, here are 10 articles that are worth reading. Don’t Get Audited: The IRS’s Dirty Dozen Red Flags (AOL DailyFinance).  I recently described generosity as An Irrational Financial Act.  Unfortunately, the IRS seems to agree. Claiming an Adult Child as a Dependent on Your Taxes (USA TODAY).  Got an unemployed adult child living in your basement?  Here’s what you need to know about the tax implications. Ensure Those References Help You Land a Job (MSNBC).  They’ve agreed to serve as a reference for you, but do…

• An Irrational Financial Act

  Matt Bell

  1 Feb 2012 | 9:37 am

  Forbes magazine may seem an unlikely place for an article about charitable giving. After all, Forbes is all about business and making money. But there it was. Under the headline, “Irrational Act,” publisher Rich Karlgaard wrote not just about giving, but about tithing, the biblical principle of giving 10 percent of one’s income. He told about a friend—“educated and rational,” who earned a high income, but couldnever save any of it. Raised in a strict church that required payment of the tithe with the same level of humor and grace the IRS uses in requiring payment of our taxes, not…

• Money Roundup: Mastering the Art of Negotiation, Important Financial Goals That Are Easy to Accomplish, and More

  Matt Bell

  27 Jan 2012 | 4:05 pm

  Here’s what I found in my latest journey through the personal finance cyberspace – 10 articles that will help you win with money. Open Low Minimum Roth IRAs for Kids (Kiplinger’s).  Kids who contribute to a Roth IRA will head into adulthood with a great financial advantage.  Here are three companies with kid-friendly requirements. How to Master the Art of Negotiation (US News).  It’s amazing what you can get if you just speak up.  We recently had a not-so-great hotel experience, so I brought it to the attention of the chain’s customer service department.  I didn’t even make a…

• How to Truly MANAGE Money With Mint.com

  Matt Bell

  26 Jan 2012 | 11:18 am

  If you’ve been following this series of instructional videos on how to use Mint.com, the hard work is now done.  You’ve opened an account, connected it with your bank or credit union and credit cards, and set up a budget. As you’ll see in the following video, now you’re ready to start truly managing money with Mint. If you have any questions about Mint.com, meet me in the comments section. Related Posts: The Key to Getting the Most from Mint.com Getting Started With Mint.com How Does Mint.com Keep User Information Safe? Who else would benefit from this post?  Why not forward a…

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  Steadfast Finances

• The Case for Getting Two Bachelors Degrees in Two Different Fields

  Corey

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  The statistics tell me that having an undergraduate degree in economics increases my chances of becoming part of the wealthiest 1%. I always knew that graduating in economics would be my ticket to the big bucks. There is just one conundrum that I’ve never solved. If having an economics degree will make me wealthy, why couldn’t I find a job in economics after graduating college? Most children go to college thinking that they are going into a no-lose situation. Impressive government statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reinforce the belief that at the end of the commencement stage…

• Saving Money on Car Insurance

  Corey

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  If there is anything that I have learned over time about running a business, it is too keep your customers happy. If you can keep your customers satisfied, then odds are that they will return to you. This is often achieved by offering promotional discounts or long-term customer discounts. According to this logic, you would assume that most businesses would offer you a discount after many years of being a loyal customer. Yet, my recent experience with switching car insurance companies tells me that this isn’t always the case. If you are ever looking to save money, one of the easiest ways…

• Losing Interest in Buying Gold?

  Corey

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  If you have been paying attention to the market lately, months ago there was a flood of interest in buying gold. Investors were seeking to diversify their portfolios in something that was showing a promising growth while the rest of the market struggled. With interest rates at an all time low and the price of gold soaring, who can blame them? Yet, in case you haven’t already noticed, the market has been doing well in 2012. It begs the question of whether the interest in buying gold has already faded? Or if it will… Why People Will Lose Interest in Gold People naturally stick to…

• Why Online Marketing is Changing Economy

  Corey

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 am

  Trends in consumer spending have recently changed. While it used to be that local purchases or spending was a requirement (unless when traveling), the growth of the internet has changed everything. The announcement of Facebook IPO is only an indicator of the major changes that have happened to U.S. society over the past 20 years. Because of the structure of the internet and the ability to effectively scale online businesses through internet marketing, the economy is continuously changing. Increased Consumer Purchases Recent years have seen consumers spending more money online than ever…

• Yakezie Carnival – The Superbowl Clones Game

  Calvin

  5 Feb 2012 | 10:23 am

  Surprise, my favorite football team didn’t make it to the Superbowl, but both the “New York Giants” and the “New England Patriots” did. Luckily for me, I respect and enjoy watching both teams!  In honor of such hard working teams with superstar quarterbacks, I’m going to scatter a few pictures throughout the carnival today! I chose the title “Superbowl Clones Game” because in many ways the teams have much in common, even the the first part of their names “New”.  Plus they have played each other in the Superbowl before (2008…

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  Fiscal Fizzle

• The Complete Guide to Warehouse Club Shopping

  Wojciech Kulicki

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  Shopping at warehouse clubs is something that comes up a lot in the personal finance community. Readers pose questions like these often:Are the items actually cheaper?Is the membership cost worth it?What do I buy and what do I avoid?Which is better–Sam’s, Costco, BJ’s or (insert yours here)?I’d like to share some of my own experiences and lessons learned about warehouse clubs, in the hopes that you’ll be able to draw your own conclusions about the worth of these stores.A Brief Note About My HistoryJust so you know where I’m coming from, here’s a brief history of my shopping…

• 5 New Tax Lessons for 2012

  Wojciech Kulicki

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  It’s February 1st and while for most Americans, taxes are still a distant thought, my business taxes were filed last weekend and my personal taxes are “in the envelope,” so to speak.I’m not trying to be an A+ student, I simply want my money back. While I strive for the $0 refund every year, I inevitably make some unexpected tax moves throughout the year. The good thing is that they usually bring down the amount of taxes I have to pay.HistoryI personally do my taxes every year, relying on products like TurboTax for the necessary advice and paperwork. Every year, I…

• 9 Shortcuts for Money Management in Record Time

  Wojciech Kulicki

  30 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am

  Time.It’s a universal constant and a universal complaint. We all get the same amount, and most of us treat it as a precious commodity.We also complain about how little of it we have. We read books and blog posts about how to get more time, which really means using the time we already have more wisely.When it comes to managing money, are you finding yourself out of time? You’ll “get to it later.”Budgeting “takes too long.”You mindlessly pay for things because you “need to run.”A Life TruthThe things that get the most time and attention in your…

• Frequently Asked Questions About Baby Expenses

  Wojciech Kulicki

  27 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am

  We have two plus years of baby care and the expenses that come with it now under our belt. At the same time, a lot of our friends and family are now having babies for the very first time, as are many of you, my dear readers.As a result, I’m constantly encountering questions about how much things cost, what I recommend, how to do X, Y and Z, and everything in between.If that inquisitive soul sounds like you, this post is a treat because I hope to tackle many of the most common questions I’ve heard to date.Without further ado, here are the FAQs of baby costs:(1) How much does it cost to…

• How Safe are Your Plans from Unexpected Expenses?

  Wojciech Kulicki

  23 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am

  This post is super-important.If you can embrace the concept of financial readiness, I believe you can achieve any reasonable financial goal that you set.The problem is that we’re lying to ourselves.We design our budgets, set up our goals and live out our financial lives with the expectations that the world is at our mercy.Sooner or later, odds catch up with us and we realize that things will never go as planned. In one area or another, things happen that put a huge strain on our money.Where We StrayWith practice, I’ve learned to laser-point these unexpected areas in my own life.

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  The SpendLessTV.com Money-Saving Blog

• Ways to Save Money on Health Insurance

  SpendLessTV.com

  22 Jan 2012 | 7:22 pm

  Urrg! The rising cost of health care and health insurance is distressing and aggravating, to put it mildly. In November, I received notice that my health insurance premiums are going up. As of January 1  they are increasing a whopping 24% – that’s an increase of $198.44 per month!  Yes, per month, bringing my yearly premium total to $12,279.72. I guess this was an early “Happy New Year” greeting. I am not currently employed, do not seem to qualify to join a “group” for group rates, and I do not yet qualify for Medicare (and I’m not sure if I…

• Ways to Cut Everyday Health Care Costs

  SpendLessTV.com

  16 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am

  I know I am not alone in feeling a little panic when facing the skyrocketing costs of health care in the U.S. on everything from an aspirin to surgery to insurance premiums. It seems everyone is looking for ways to combat the rising cost of medical care. Here are a few pointers and resources with tips that may help reduce your everyday health care costs, without compromising quality: Always ask. Ask your doctor, hospital, lab, pharmacy, etc. if there is anything they might suggest that would lower the cost of treatment. You’d be surprised at what they might be able to do for you. Ask if…

• How to Host a Golden Globe Awards Party on a Budget

  SpendLessTV.com

  11 Jan 2012 | 2:33 pm

  Yes, you can enjoy entertaining with Hollywood and Broadway style, right in your own home.  Here are 5 videos from entertaining and trend-spotting experts giving ideas on food, fashion and decorating so you can host a fabulous party that won’t leave you empty handed. Party Great on a Budget - Make your special event the best! You can host a great party, and on a budget, too! The Party Goddess, Marley Majcher, shows how easy it can be. Red Carpet Look-A-Likes, Golden Globes ’10 - You can look like a Hollywood star and do it on a budget. Nextpert.com’s fashion trend…

• Shop and Save Money! Receive Cash Back, Exclusive Discounts and Coupons

  SpendLessTV.com

  8 Jan 2012 | 3:13 pm

  This is just a very small sampling of the deals, coupons, and cash back offers in effect right now, from our affiliate partner, ShopAtHome.  If you haven’t joined ShopAtHome yet, you’re missing out on what thousands of thrilled money-saving ShopAtHome members know:  ShopAtHome is the easiest way to receive exclusive deals, cash back offers up to 25%, and save money, both in-store and online, for just about everything and anything. Don’t wait! Start enjoying instant savings with ShopAtHome now! It’s quick, safe and free to join. ShopAtHome Link to this article:…

• Is a Debt Relief Service For You?

  SpendLessTV.com

  4 Jan 2012 | 10:09 am

  More than ever, people are feeling money-crunched.The holiday season brings additional challenges and stress, and the new year traditionally is a time to re-examine one’s financial situation and debts. Many people are, for the first time, facing difficulties in critical areas such as managing loan payments and dealing with home foreclosures and bankruptcy. A growing number of people are seeking professional help in navigating the management of their credit and debt. The decision to enter into a debt relief program can be a stressful one in itself. How do you decide if a debt relief…

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  JoeTaxpayer

• A Superbowl Roundup

  JOE

  5 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  Today is Superbowl Sunday, which I suppose means little outside the US, but it’s especially exciting for those in the Northeast as the N.Y. Giants (who play in New Jersey) meet the New England Patriots, a rematch of the 2008 teams. As someone who grew up in NY, I’m a bit torn between rooting for my old home team and my current home’s team. So much for the sport talk, time for another recap. First, an update. Just a few days ago, I asked if you were getting 401 K-O’ed, overcharged by your plan. In that article, I mentioned that rules regarding full disclosure of the…

• Mitt’s Charitable Mood

  JOE

  4 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  If Romney is to stand a chance, he needs to start using a teleprompter or at least prepare a bit better. To be fair, the line “I like firing people” was taken out of context, the full speech discussed not being stuck with one particular health care provider, “firing” those who don’t offer good service. Fair enough? Mitt’s “I’m not concerned about the very poor” will be tough to recover from. Unfortunately, it leads to the conclusion that he is far from being in touch with the common man. He says the poor have a safety net. That safety net…

• Are you 401(k)o’ed?

  JOE

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  Are you depositing money each paycheck to your 401(k) account? Up to the match or even beyond that? Each year, I deposit as much as I can, because even after the match, my plan’s S&P fund charges .05%. Let me spell that out, on $100,000, 1% would be $1000, .05% is $50. The account itself also has an $80 per year fee, so on that same $100,000, the total cost is about .13%. My balance is higher than this, so my cost is lower as an overall percentage. Recently, I became aware of the 12th edition of the 401(k) averages book. I hate when someone ruins a book or movie’s ending for…

• A Quiet Sunday Round Up

  JOE

  29 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am

  Another week of Personal Finance blog reading, so with Super Bowl a week away there’s lots of time for another roundup. First, let’s start with The Car Negotiation Coach’s Auto Industry Trends: 2015 and Beyond Will Be Great for Car Buyers. I like forecasts. Not because I believe the experts all the time, I’m still waiting for my food replicator, after all, but because those who study an industry can often see the trends. In this case, the Coach offers 12 long term trends he sees. I like his prognostication that we’ll be buying cars without having to even go to…

• Will He Run?

  JOE

  28 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am

  Mitch may make a good candidate after the current crop of hopefuls destroy themselves.

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  Financial Samurai

• Should I Get Long-Term Care Insurance?

  Financial Samurai

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:28 am

  I spoke to my father yesterday and curiously asked him about his thoughts on assisted living facilities.  “Absolutely depressing!“, he said.  I couldn’t agree more that assisted living programs are depressing given it reminds us everyday about our mortality. Who wouldn’t want to stay put in a home they’ve lived in for years instead?  I know I would.  Home is a special place that makes us feel comfortable and warm.  Ideally, you own your home outright in retirement and no longer have payments.  However, this is a topic for another post. We can only hope that…

• Don’t Get Fired Or Quit, Get Laid Off Instead

  Financial Samurai

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:38 am

  There’s a big difference between getting fired and getting laid off.  Most of what you read in the papers is about people getting laid off due to a “reduction in force”, or RIF as many companies call it nowadays.  Getting fired is almost always due to cause. You may have sent out a blast e-mail with company secrets by mistake.  Or perhaps you said some sexist joke about women when the female HR manager so happened to walk by.  Whatever the case, you don’t want to get fired, nor should you quit if you don’t have to. If you are fired or quit, a number of things…

• Stay At Home Men Of The World, UNITE!

  Financial Samurai

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:38 am

  Are you a man if you cannot take care of your family?  Are you noble, if you do not have a job and let your wife slave away at the office, so you can latch onto her healthcare insurance, and eat the bacon she brings home?  Hell yeah brothers!  Stay at home men of the world, unite! The beauty of equality is that we men don’t have to work the majority of our lives away anymore.  We can be the homemakers, and be proud of it too!  With our big muscles, we can re-arrange the living room furniture with ease.  Being relatively taller, we can change fire alarm batteries every year without…

• The Economy Is Back, Baby!

  Financial Samurai

  1 Feb 2012 | 6:38 am

  Back in July of 2010, I wrote a post entitled, “Am I Living In A Parallel Universe?” discussing the disconnect between the robustness on the ground in San Francisco and the incredibly negative mood by the mass media.  Even my online friends were making fun of my bullishness.  You guys know who you are! Hopefully you guys not only increased your asset allocation towards equities, you also took advantage of the amazingly bubbliscious bond market and refinanced your debt. At the end of 2010, Twitter was valued at some $3 billion bucks.  Prince Alwaleed’s 3% stake for $300…

• Don’t Confuse Revenue With Profits

  Financial Samurai

  30 Jan 2012 | 6:38 am

  “I generated $100,000 from home in my underwear!” reads the headline. Immediately, you go ahead and click to see how, hopefully for free. But if not, maybe there’s some type of infoproduct you can buy for $99. Revenue is sexy no doubt. Large headline numbers are used to suck you in. They trigger a “Me too wow!” emotion, and most of us fall for it. For growth companies, top line revenue is important to show the investor the company is heading in the right direction. However, for the consumer, revenue is a gimmick if you don’t highlight the net profit. One of the greatest tricks in…

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  Saving Money Today

• Stopping Phantom Energy Loss Dead In Its Tracks

  Mike

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:10 am

  Run an Energy Audit on Your Home and You’ll Be Shocked at How Much Power You’re Wasting I don’t want to alarm you, but right now as you read this…there are vampires in your home. No, I don’t mean 400-year old Transylvanian men with a cape fetish.  The vampires I am talking about are much more discreet. You may be sitting right next to one as it sucks power from your home and money from your pocket. The vampires I’m referring to are the everyday appliances, gadgets, and electronic equipment right in your own home that quietly suck energy even when…

• 5 Easy Ways to Make Your Business Green

  Mike

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:41 am

  The following post is from Marissa over at Thirty Six Months. She talks about learning to invest, saving and paying off her student loans. What does “Green” mean to you? How do you define it?  There is a fantastic movement towards sustainable development, and eco-friendly, Green, businesses are the new trend. Not only is this refreshing to see, but it also motivates the older establishments to get their act together and stop wasting resources. Even though there are many easy fixes, many established businesses still don’t pay attention to wasted energy. No one is intrinsically bad at…

• Frugal Ways to Hire a Babysitter

  Melissa

  2 Feb 2012 | 8:48 pm

  Are you and your significant other in need of a night out on the town?  Do you need to go to an appointment and can’t bring the kids?  If you are a parent, especially if you don’t live near family, you will inevitably find that you need a babysitter, at least every once in awhile.  However, babysitters are expensive; in our area they can run $15 an hour.  At that price, enjoying a night out is hard to do.  Yet with a little creativity, you can find ways to save on the cost of having a babysitter. Swap with another parent.  If you have a friend with kids close in age, you may want to…

• Organizing a Baby Pool

  Mike

  31 Jan 2012 | 8:10 am

  Baby pools are a fun way to get your friends and family more involved and excited about your new baby’s birth.  They’re pretty easy to run and you can even outsource the details if you don’t feel like running the pool yourself.  Here’s how to get your baby pool, also known as a pregnancy pool, up and running. The exact rules of the baby pool are up to you to decide, but typically you allow your friends, family, and co-workers to guess on the date and time when your baby will be born.  For each guess they make, they have to chip in a dollar or two for the pot.  When your baby…

• Book Review: Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel

  briana

  27 Jan 2012 | 11:25 am

  Have you ever thought that you know all there is to know about saving money and being frugal? You probably clip coupons, buy your clothes from thrift stores, and reuse before you buy new. You may not take it to the next level, as the people do on Extreme Cheapskate, but you save a lot more than you spend. However, I can guarantee you can learn a thing or two from a stingy scoundrel like Phil Villareal. Author of Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel: 100 Dirty Little Money-Grubbing Secrets, Villareal takes us into a new realm of saving money, one that may or may not cross your ethical lines. The…

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  Personal Finance Stories

• Managing Debt

  Guest

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:15 pm

  How proper budgeting can help you contain debts? Keeping a proper budget is very important in personal finance. It can help you prosper financially and achieve financial goals. Importantly, through maintaining a proper budget, you can get relief from debt. Here we discuss about some budgeting tips, by following these tips you can reach your financial goals. Use credit cards wisely One of the prime causes of personal debt woes is of course the unwise and imprudent use of credit cards. It is a very common trend in the country that many of you take out multiple credit cards and use those cards…

• 5 Essential Tips For Small Business Startups

  Twila VanLeer

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:01 pm

  Any small business starts with a good idea. But pampering it along until the good idea bears fruit is tricky. Paul Wheeler of Manchester, Vt., who with a partner made Life Is Crap a successful business that markets millions of dollars worth of merchandise, shares some pointers on how to negotiate the rapids of getting started until you come to more peaceful waters. Tip #1 – Ask Experts For Assistance Before you launch your small business, be absolutely certain you have your idea firmly in your grasp. False starts make expensive lessons. Focus on what it is you want to do. Research to…

• Higher Education One Of Victims of Bad Economy

  Twila VanLeer

  10 Jan 2012 | 7:33 am

  It has long been apparent that higher education has a direct correlation with what a person can expect to earn during his or her lifetime. But there is growing concern that the high cost of higher education may be nudging some young people out of the matrix. With the amount of their tuition checks constantly rising, the number of students borrowing to pay their college costs has doubled in the past decade, the College Board reports. The average cost of one-year tuition at a public four-year college is now $20,000, and at private non-profit schools, the average jumps to $35,000. Those numbers…

• Web Tools To Help You Manage Money

  Sherry Tingley

  6 Jan 2012 | 7:08 pm

  Fox Television financial expert John R. Quain has specific advice on some of these individual components of a good overall plan to get control of your finances. Eliminate Debt: To go straight to the heart of the problem, there is a free website, ReadyForZero.com. It links to your credit cards, loans and bank accounts, totals what you owe and estimates how long it will take to pay off your debts, depending on the interest rate of each account. A sliding bar of what you can pay each month shows dynamically how you can shorten the time to pay off everything, and save money in the process. Even a…

• 10 New Years’ Financial Resolutions

  Sherry Tingley

  3 Jan 2012 | 6:45 pm

  Losing weight and stopping smoking are the two most common New Years’ resolutions Americans make. But harder than either of these may be the determination to get your finances into shape. In fact, if you’re in shape and your finances are not, life can be miserable. Here are 10 New Years’ Resolutions that will help you get your finances back on track. 1. Know What You Want Write down what you want this year. Knowing what you want will give you goals to shoot for and reasons to save for those goals. Keep a list of the things you want the most and target them by not overspending on…

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  Control Your Cash: Making Money Make Sense

• Trent Hamm’s Funniest Post

  admin

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:57 am

  That's the scalp of a man who mixes 2 parts vinegar to 5 parts bar soap residue to create his own shampoo.   We’re running out of adjectives to describe this halfwit. Or synonyms for halfwit, at any rate. Maybe Trent Hamm of The Simple Dollar fancies himself as the self-help guru for our generation and generations to come. Or, judging by his cornpone naivete, for previous generations. But even Napoleon Hill never wrote like this a century ago. He would have found Trent Hamm’s style of writing a little too expository and vacuous. Yet Trent Hamm remains convinced that he’s giving…

• Carnival of Wealth, Ronald Reagan’s 101st Birthday Edition

  admin

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:03 am

    His left hand is strangling a Communist   Monday and another Carnival of Wealth, this one saluting Tampico, Illinois’s favorite son. The Carnival of Wealth, if you’re wondering, is our weekly recap of the least average personal finance blog posts of the week. Some are awesome, some are horrible, none are boring. If you have a blog and want to submit, knock yourself out. If you’re just here to read, even better. LESH GO: Again in the leadoff position, the staggeringly off-topic Erika at Newlyweds on a Budget gets points for relentlessness. She asks, “How Do…

• A Whole New Way To Diversify

  admin

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:14 am

  You can't have corporate fraud without a corporation   Every company you can invest in has to be a corporation by definition, right? The corner barbershop that operates as a sole proprietorship can’t trade publicly, nor can any partnership. Not quite. One of the least publicized securities available to you, the private investor, is the master limited partnership. People buy these when they want income, rather than capital gains. And despite their obscurity, MLPs are easy to buy. You already know what a partnership is – multiple people create a business; and for tax, credit and…

• Welcome ProBlogger Readers (reprise)

  admin

  2 Feb 2012 | 10:35 am

  Note 1: Yes, we posted this a couple of weeks ago. It still applies. Note 2: If you don’t read ProBlogger and are wondering what we’re talking about, this. And you should read ProBlogger, because it kicks. Welcome to the only personal finance site that’s committed to helping you build wealth, if you’re willing to meet us halfway. Therefore, one of this site’s design features is that it’s the only site of its kind that speaks directly and without compromise. Personal finance? Yawn. That stuff is boring and it doesn’t apply to me, anyway.

• The Sexy World of Dividend Yield Stocks

  admin

  1 Feb 2012 | 8:08 am

    Fine, but who's the woman in the back? Is she the Belgian au pair whom Dad will eventually have an affair with?   Time to debate the merits of another 2012 investing buzzword. It seems half our personal finance blogger contemporaries are incorporating stocks with high dividend yields into their portfolios. So what’s a dividend yield stock and should I care? Should I be interested? Should I take my money out of T-bills and start investing in dividend yield stocks immediately? Most blue-chip stocks pay dividends. Yes, you get money just for doing the company the favor of…

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  FiGuide - A Retirement Plan That Works!

• It’s Not the Economy: Here’s Why Your Investments Are Failing

  Bob Burger, CFP®, CDFA™

  1 Feb 2012 | 11:21 pm

  When the financial markets experience volatility and the economy tightens, as it is today, many people point to these circumstances as the reasons their investment plans are failing. But the reality is that volatility is a natural occurrence. History has shown that financial markets and the economy move in cycles.

• Here’s How Much Your Net Worth Should Really Be

  David John Marotta, CFP®, AIF®

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:47 pm

  Everyone knows the term "net worth", but what exactly should your net worth be? By analyzing your age and spending, we've devised simple way to check your net worth against what your net worth should be. Continue reading to see how...

• When Should You File For Social Security Benefits?

  Jim Blankenship, CFP®, EA

  28 Jan 2012 | 1:36 pm

  When you apply for your social security benefits can have a big impact on the total social security you receive in your retirement. Apply too early and you risk receiving a lower monthly payment. Apply too late and you risk missing out on getting Social Security earlier in your retirement. We analyze when the perfect time to apply for social security is.

• The 4 Questions You Need to Ask Yourself in Today’s Economy

  Bert Whitehead

  28 Jan 2012 | 1:08 pm

  The ups and downs of today's economy have left just about every investor wondering, what if? What if I don't have enough for retirement? What if I don't get my social security? The following 4 questions are something every investor needs to ask themselves, especially in today's unpredictable environment.

• Why You Shouldn’t Invest Your Self-directed IRA in Real Estate

  Russell D. Francis, CPA, CFP®

  26 Jan 2012 | 12:17 pm

  You might ask yourself, “With housing prices and interest rates so low, isn’t it a good time to invest my IRA in real estate?” Think twice before you do. There are a lot of disadvantages when purchasing real estate with your IRA funds even if you think property prices have bottomed out and you feel [...]

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  Budgets Are Sexy

• A Magazine Addict Wrote This Post

  J. Money

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:52 am

  You know those people who read like 10 books a month?  Well, that’s me, except I read magazines instead.  In fact, I devour the hell out of them. I literally just signed up to 6 new subscriptions and I’m on a high, baby! It’s the best thing to happen to A.D.D. people since coffee ;) And just like with books, once you’re done reading them, you need another.  And another, and another. And for someone who used to not enjoy reading AT ALL – like, I’d maybe go through 1 book ever 5 years – this revelation has been a God send.  Especially when I found…

• Net Worth Update: $298,449.90 (Up $13k!)

  J. Money

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:58 am

  Getting soooooooo close to $300k, I can taste it! Just a little way to go and we’ll hit it in no time – I’m pretty psyched. You multiply that by 3 and we’ve hit $1 Million dollars son! :) Something I never would have guessed was possible 4-5 years ago when we were pretty much breaking even every month. (That was one of the first lessons I learned with money – it’s hard to grow it if you don’t have anything *extra* to add up at the end of every month!) And while it looked like we slacked on the cash front this month, we actually did pretty well over…

• Are You Happy w/ The Low Interest Rates Right Now?

  J. Money

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:12 am

  It just occurred to me that I haven’t made much money at ALL on any of my savings or money market accounts I have… Or even checking accts for that matter, though that one is *always* in the $hitter. In fact, I haven’t really blogged about the Fed or its affects on the interest rates since June of ’08!  When we were deciding on whether or not to lock in a fixed rate for our mortgage (thank goodness we didn’t!), and the economy was in full melt down mode… jeesh… But here we are, 3 and 1/2 years later, and our rates are still frozen at the incredibly…

• Have You Ever Lied About Money to a Loved One? ;)

  J. Money

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:25 am

  I came across this “financial cheating” poll this morning and naturally had to make it our “5 For Friday” today ;)  Though we’re only gonna do 6 of the 10 questions posed cuz the others are kinda boring and/or too long to put in here (the whole poll can be found at MSNBC: Do you financially cheat on your spouse? -  and it’s all multiple choice). I tip my hats to Today.com and SELF Magazine for putting it all together and looking forward to the results! But first, let’s find out if YOU’ve been a truthful little lover over there or not ;)…

• Weekly Roundup: Comics, Coins and Clothing Swaps

  J. Money

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:25 am

  Happy Friday homies!  Here’s a bunch of articles I liked from around the web this week – hope you learn something good! (Or at least entertain yourself enough to not go out and spend any money :)) A Comic That Got it Right @ PF Firewall Make a Million With $225 a Month @ MSN Money $30k Blogging Challenge @ Online Money Bloggers Host a Budget-Friendly Clothing Swap @ Savvy Sugar My $1,000 Lottery Experiment @ Big Lottery Winners From $80 Million to Broke: Update on T.O. @ The Post Game Personal Finance FREE eBook library @ Life Insurance Finder Indiana Man Pays for $25,000 Pickup…

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  Justmeans

• Death by Disease, Blamed on the Recession

  Reynard Loki

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  "It is deeply worrisome that inadvertently, the millions of people fighting with deadly diseases are in danger of paying the price for the global financial crisis." -- Michel Kazatchkine, executive director, The Global Fund[1]In 2010, 1.8 million people died from AIDS, 1.4 million from tuberculosis and 655,000 from malaria. The malaria deaths are mostly of African children, although there is a current debate about the total number, which could be actually 1.2 million according to a study in the Lancet that says the smaller figure, an estimate of the World Health Organization, is…

• Leave the Corn, Take the Algae: Time to Say Buona Notte to Food-Based Biofuels

  Reynard Loki

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:00 am

  You have a bushel of corn. You can either produce 2.7 gallons of ethanol or feed 50 people. Which would you choose?On December 31, 2011, America's three-decade-old federal tax credit for ethanol expired, ending a government subsidy that poured more than USD 20 billion into an industry that the New York Times called one of Congress's "most resilient boondogles." Oil companies received a 45-cent-per-gallon tax credit to blend ethanol into gasoline, costing American taxpayers between USD 5-6 billion a year.[1]THE PROS AND CONS OF BIOFUELSOf course, there are many environmental benefits of…

• Chase Bank: Abusing the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Reynard Loki

  6 Feb 2012 | 10:15 am

  In terms of economic justice, we haven't come very far since Dr. King's famous marches from Selma to Montgomery. Hypocrisy and deception, on the other hand, are as strong as ever.Just a few days before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the financial services giant JPMorgan Chase launched a webpage to promote the bank's involvement with the King Center in creating a website preserving King's legacy through "a comprehensive collection of documents, photographs, and audiovisual materials." The initiative is part of JPMorgan Chase's "Technology for Social Good Program."[1]Visitors to the webpage are…

• Is It Ethical to Invest in Nuclear Power?

  Reynard Loki

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  "I wish we had found the courage to speak out earlier against nuclear power. -- Masahito Hirose, an 81-year-old survivor of the bombing of Nagasaki, speaking after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster[1]After the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March of last year, the nuclear energy industry took a big hit. By June, the stock price of plant operator TEPCO plunged 91 percent, losing 3.2 trillion yen (USD 40 billion) in market value. Germany and Switzerland both announced plans to phase out nuclear energy.[2]There will be no similar decision made in the United States, where nuclear power supplies…

• Public-private Partnerships Must Drive Global Green Growth

  Reynard Loki

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:00 am

  "If sustainable development is to become a reality, we need to unleash a wave of public-private partnership on a much bigger scale." -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon[1]The United Nations has been sounding the clarion call for private sector investment to combat climate change. The 2011 UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report "REDDy, SET, GROW, Part 2" calls for private funding to finance international efforts to prevent a global surface temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius, the agreed-upon target of the majority of the world's nations. One of UNEP's main efforts is the forest…