http://pfblogs.org/ms/ Delivering all the personal finance blogs you can handle -- and then some. contact@pfblogs.org en-us Copyright 2010 2010-07-30T11:45:02-05:00 http://pfblogs.org/ The Citi Forward Card has teamed up with Restaurant.com to offer consumers a $200 Restaurant.com gift certificate, simply for signing up, being approved and spending at least $100 on your Citi Forward Card before 9/15/2010. For those unfamiliar with what Restaurant.com is all about, you’ll find thousands of restaurants that offer gift certificates for up [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Citi Forward Card $200 Restaurant.com Gift Certificate Promotion ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/citi-forward-card-200-restaurant-com-gift-certificate-promotion/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/citi-forward-card-200-restaurant-com-gift-certificate-promotion/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-30T11:45:02-05:00 I’ve had thousands of dollars in credit card debt since 1997. I remember applying for a job in March of 2001 which I calculated would help me erase my credit card debt in about twelve months. I didn’t get that job. Nobody got that job, in fact, the entire web design sector was crashing, and [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!No More Credit Card Debt, Now We Need a New Budget ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/no-more-credit-card-debt-now-we-need-a-new-budget/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/no-more-credit-card-debt-now-we-need-a-new-budget/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-30T08:00:10-05:00 There are a lot of online personal finance tools out there that will help make your personal finance life a little more efficient. You have, of course, the headliner in Mint.com, now owned by Intuit, to help track all of your spending. You have a litany of budgeting tools, like You Need a Budget, and [...]Your Take: Do You Use Online Personal Finance Tools? from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/your-take-do-you-use-online-personal-finance-tools.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/your-take-do-you-use-online-personal-finance-tools.html Bargaineering 2010-07-30T07:41:06-05:00 I do my best to cover a variety of topics here at Get Rich Slowly. Personal finance is a v-a-s-t topic, and there’s a lot of specialized knowledge. But there’s no question I have blind spots. Because Kris and I have no kids, I don’t write much about children and money. Student loans are another blind spot for me. Still, I know a lot of GRS readers have questions about student loans. You folks e-mail me all the time with questions I can’t answer. But I finally realized that instead of ignoring your queries, I should put a few of them out for reader comment. For example, Megan recently wrote looking for advice on coping with student-loan debt. Here’s her story: I got my degree from a small private university in Wisconsin, a school that I loved, but that in the end cost me $55,000 in student loans. That total (as I just calculated) is up to $63,630(!) [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/30/ask-the-readers-what-can-i-do-about-my-student-loans/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/30/ask-the-readers-what-can-i-do-about-my-student-loans/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-30T07:00:58-05:00 Have you considered converting funds from your Traditional IRA into a Roth IRA? If you’re a regular reader, you’re like aware that the income limits for Roth IRA conversions went away this year. What I haven’t talked about as much are the tax consequences of such conversions. To make a long story short, you’ll have to [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/30/postponing-taxes-on-a-roth-ira-conversion/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/30/postponing-taxes-on-a-roth-ira-conversion/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-30T06:00:14-05:00 This article is by staff writer Adam Baker. Baker previous featured an article on his own blog entitled “How I paid off $15,000 in 9 months by selling my Stuff on Ebay“. There I was, bustling around the kitchen making lunch for my daughter when our late morning routine was interrupted:Boom! Boom! Boom! Milligan and I glanced toward the front door where the thunderous pounding had originated. “Holy cow!” I thought to myself, “There are only two groups of people who knock like that! This may not be good…” Luckily, as I slowly opened the door, there was a stocky little lady in her late forties or fifties (with no badge). “Afternoon,” she said. “I’ve some packages for you… several packages for you. I’m gonna need some help carrying these around to the door.” I started to tell her she must have the wrong house before I caught myself. “Whoa, that was fast”, I thought. Only 48 hours earlier, [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/29/save-money-on-shipping-with-free-boxes-from-usps/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/29/save-money-on-shipping-with-free-boxes-from-usps/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-29T16:00:23-05:00 I’ve written about Everbank in the past because of their high rates and their unique CDs, especially the market-safe CDs. They’ve consistently been among the best rates on any listing of high yield savings accounts and I’ve been using them for quite some time. As far as I can recall, this is the first time they’ve [...]Everbank $75 Money Market & Checking Promotion Bonus from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/everbank-75-money-market-checking-promotion-bonus.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/everbank-75-money-market-checking-promotion-bonus.html Bargaineering 2010-07-29T13:22:23-05:00 If you’re a parent, you probably know who Tinky Winky is. He’s one of the infamous Teletubbies – those colorful little TV creatures who live in Teletubby Land, of course. You remember his friends Po, Dipsy and Laa-laa, don’t you? I knew it would all come back to you. Anyways… Tinky taught me a great deal [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/29/what-tinky-winky-taught-me-about-money/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/29/what-tinky-winky-taught-me-about-money/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-29T08:01:39-05:00 Somehow over the past several years, I’ve been increasingly finding myself in the position of an entrepreneur. Throughout my life, I have been a bit of a self-starter with the ability to inspire others to join my causes, whatever they may be. I’ve never considered myself an entrepreneur, however. I never thought I’d be using [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Could You Be an Entrepreneur? ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/could-you-be-an-entrepreneur/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/could-you-be-an-entrepreneur/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-29T08:00:10-05:00 ING Direct has been working hard to promote their checking accounts and their sweet $50 checking account bonus has returned once again. The promotion is very simple, just go to the Electric Orange information page and click the orange “Apply Now” button. On the next page, click on “Continue” and put in E7NSTND into the reference [...]New ING Direct Electric Orange Checking Promo Code from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/new-ing-direct-electric-orange-checking-promo-code.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/new-ing-direct-electric-orange-checking-promo-code.html Bargaineering 2010-07-29T07:29:09-05:00 This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. Travel is a gift. We get to see new places and cultures, meet new people, and expand our lives. Most of us, when we’ve put the time and money into traveling somewhere special, want to treasure the memories. There’s a large industry to support that desire. Gift and souvenir shops in the United States pull in over $17 billion a year, according to Hoovers. And gift shops are just the tip of the iceberg. Souvenirs range from cheap t-shirts with cheesy slogans to beautiful handcrafts made by local artisans. Here in Buenos Aires, I can shop at an open air market for leather goods, a national speciality. Or I can cram my bag with the country’s signature cookie, the alfajore, on sale at the airport’s duty free shop. J.D.’s note: Aflajores are amazing. A few weeks [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/29/take-only-photographs-frugal-souvenirs/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/29/take-only-photographs-frugal-souvenirs/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-29T07:00:31-05:00 Wondering why everyone is talking about mortgage rates these days? If so, then check out this graph… This is a graph of historical mortgage rates going back to 1986. As you can see, rates on 15- and 30-year fixed rate mortgages are currently really low. Back when we bought our first house in 2002, we were paying [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/28/historical-mortgage-rates/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/28/historical-mortgage-rates/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-28T13:00:10-05:00 If you take a look at our best online savings accounts page, you’ll notice EverBank resting in the #2 slot. In terms of true online banking institutions, they’re number one because EverBank offers a variety of money market, checking and CD accounts that SmartyPig does not have. To increase their appeal even more, EverBank has [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!EverBank $75 Cash Bonus for New Money Market and Online Checking Accounts ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/everbank-75-cash-bonus-for-new-money-market-and-online-checking-accounts/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/everbank-75-cash-bonus-for-new-money-market-and-online-checking-accounts/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-28T12:15:00-05:00 The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173) has gotten a lot of press lately because it represents the biggest reform of Wall Street in quite some time. While the pundits will surely be debating the strengths and weaknesses of the bill, what it went too far on and what it erroneously [...]$250,000 FDIC and NCUA Insurance Limits Permanent from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/250000-fdic-and-ncua-insurance-limits-permanent.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/250000-fdic-and-ncua-insurance-limits-permanent.html Bargaineering 2010-07-28T12:09:59-05:00 This is a guest article by Ramit Sethi, author of the best-selling personal finance book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich. He recently launched a new program, Earn1k, to help people earn more money on the side. To get a free mini-course on earning more, sign up here. Ramit will also be our guest [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!How To Do What You Love And Get Paid – $1,000 or More a Month ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/how-to-do-what-you-love-and-get-paid-1000-or-more-a-month/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/how-to-do-what-you-love-and-get-paid-1000-or-more-a-month/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-28T08:00:11-05:00 The other day, I was explaining the Rule of 72 to my lovely wife. It’s a simple little mathematical trick that almost epitomizes the advantages and disadvantages of rules of thumb. If you want to know how long it takes to double a sum of money, divide 72 by its interest rate. At 10% a year, [...]Beware the Rules of Thumb from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/beware-the-rules-of-thumb.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/beware-the-rules-of-thumb.html Bargaineering 2010-07-28T07:14:24-05:00 This is a guest post from Jeff Yeager, author of the newly-published The Cheapskate Next Door. Yeager calls himself the Ultimate Cheapskate — and his wife agrees. Yeager is also a contributor at Wise Bread and on the Early Retirement forums. “Sure, we could afford to spend more, but why would we? It wouldn’t make us any happier.” — Those are the words I’ve spent the last two-and-a-half years traveling the country to hear. It’s a simple but rare statement, given that nearly half of all Americans say that they literally live paycheck-to-paycheck and have little if any savings. How can some people live not only within their means, but substantially below their means — even when their incomes are often less than the national average? And here’s the biggest question of all: How can some of those same people insist that they’re happier — joyous, really — because of their thrift and frugality? I traveled thousands [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/28/surprising-secrets-of-the-cheapskate-next-door/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/28/surprising-secrets-of-the-cheapskate-next-door/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-28T07:00:21-05:00 This is a guest post from Manuel Davis of BackTaxesHelp.com. If you like what you see here, please consider subscribing to their RSS feed. The first time you move into a new place, the entire process can be exciting and fun. For most people, that novelty wears off after a few more moves, with the entire [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/28/tax-deductible-moving-expenses/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/28/tax-deductible-moving-expenses/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-28T06:00:38-05:00 This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. I’ve discovered that one of the biggest benefits to being a full-time freelancer can be one of its drawbacks: setting ones own schedule. Don’t get me wrong, it’s the reason I wanted to get into freelancing in the first place, but I keep wondering if I’m working enough. Am I getting enough done in a day? How often should I take a break, and for how long? It sounds like a minor consideration, but breaks during the day can have a positive effect on productivity. Work like Leonardo In many work environments, there’s an expectation that working longer and harder equals greater productivity. Whether explicit or implicit, the employee who works through lunch, evening hours, and weekends is often perceived to be more productive than an employee who takes regular breaks and works more reasonable hours. But rewarding the nose-to-the-grindstone mentality results in bad judgment calls, mistakes in execution, less creativity, [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/27/productivity-lagging-take-a-siesta/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/27/productivity-lagging-take-a-siesta/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-27T14:00:00-05:00 As I’ve noted in the past, the credit card market has been coming back to life in recent months. As further evidence of this, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is offering a signup bonus of 25k points. This is a solid deal, as your 25k points can be redeemed for either $250 in cash, or [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/27/chase-sapphire-preferred-25k-point-signup-bonus/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/27/chase-sapphire-preferred-25k-point-signup-bonus/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-27T13:00:43-05:00 Amazon is already a great place to shop that can save you a ton of money, but there are even more ways to save. Like any store, Amazon often runs promotions, sales, and specials that can provide even bigger savings, but you have to know how to find them. Some offers are predictable while others [...]How to Save Money on Amazon.com from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-save-money-on-amazon-com.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-save-money-on-amazon-com.html Bargaineering 2010-07-27T12:46:10-05:00 The 2009 economic stimulus, usually called the Making Work Pay tax credit, provided slightly bigger paychecks for the middle class throughout part of 2009 and all of 2010. This benefit is in danger of expiring if Congress does not act to extend or renew the credit. This stimulus took a different form than those previous. [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Making Work Pay Tax Credit Extension ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/making-work-pay-tax-credit-extension/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/making-work-pay-tax-credit-extension/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-27T11:12:01-05:00 You’ve probably seen this sign hanging up in a shop or office: Rule 1: The customer is always right. Rule 2: If the customer is wrong, see Rule 1. This is not always right. I’ve had a lot of jobs I’ve been out of school and in the working world for thirteen years. That’s not [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Sometimes the Customer Isn’t Right ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/sometimes-the-customer-isnt-right/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/sometimes-the-customer-isnt-right/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-27T08:02:39-05:00 The US Mint’s $1 Direct Ship program is back with several options (Native American, Golden Dollars with Sacagawea, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Washington and Andrew Jackson), meaning you can bust through some of those cash back tiers by purchasing money. These are regular circulation coins available in increments of $250. In addition to [...]Where to Spend $1 Coins from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/where-to-spend-1-coins.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/where-to-spend-1-coins.html Bargaineering 2010-07-27T07:06:36-05:00 Whenever I write about personal-finance programs, there’s always a large contingent of GRS readers who chime in to say they prefer the do-it-yourself method. Rather than go with pre-packaged money-management software like Quicken or Mint, they prefer to track their accounts with a home-brewed spreadsheet. (In fact, my wife is one of these folks, too.) I’ve shared a variety of personal-finance spreadsheets in the past. Some of my favorites are produced by Jon Wittwer of Vertex42.com, a website that specializes in Excel templates, calendars, calculators, and spreadsheets. The Vertex42 debt snowball calculator, for example, is an outstanding tool for those who are working to pay off their debt. I’ve been singing the praises of this spreadsheet for almost two years now. Wittwer dropped a line the other day to let me know he’s just released another spreadsheet on Vertex42 that might be of interest to Get Rich Slowly readers. Here’s how he describes his free money-management template: Are [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/27/free-money-management-spreadsheet/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/27/free-money-management-spreadsheet/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-27T07:00:08-05:00 We’re chugging along through 2010, trying to meet our goals for the year. Since we’ve automated much of our finances, we’ve had some extra time to pursue other goals. Something that I’m particularly proud of is our small garden out front. We have a kitchen garden, meaning everything that we’re growing is meant to be [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/27/starting-a-kitchen-garden/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/27/starting-a-kitchen-garden/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-27T06:00:16-05:00 Chase has been offering $100 bonuses for new checking accounts every month like clockwork. If you need a Chase checking account, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t take advantage of free money. A bank deal doesn’t get any easier than this one! As usual, the requirements for this offer are the same – open a Chase [...]Chase Checking $100 Cash Bonus Coupon from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/chase-checking-100-cash-bonus-coupon.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/chase-checking-100-cash-bonus-coupon.html Bargaineering 2010-07-26T12:11:25-05:00 This is a guest post from Evan of My Journey to Millions. Evan is a fellow personal finance blogger, who is also an Attorney and works as a Director with a New York Financial and Estate Planning Firm. If you like what you see here, please consider subscribing to his RSS feed or following him [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/26/why-you-should-keep-your-financial-advisor/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/26/why-you-should-keep-your-financial-advisor/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-26T08:36:27-05:00 How often do you visit the dentist for preventive care? Since graduating college, I’ve been getting regular check-ups and cleanings twice each year. I’ve seen the results of neglect, and I have no desire to lose my teeth any time soon. I’ve also seen results of bad dental work, so it’s imperative not only to [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Reducing the Cost of Dentist Care ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/reducing-the-cost-of-dentist-care/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/reducing-the-cost-of-dentist-care/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-26T08:00:21-05:00 Having your identity stolen is one of the most jarring things that can happen to you and your financial life. It’s difficult in part because of the uncertainty – how it was stolen, where it was stolen, how much of your financial life has been compromised, and the unknown of what the thief could be [...]How to Recover A Stolen Identity from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-recover-a-stolen-identity.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-recover-a-stolen-identity.html Bargaineering 2010-07-26T07:20:25-05:00 July 21st was the fifteenth anniversary of my father’s death. He died of cancer at age 49, just ten days shy of his fiftieth birthday. When Dad died, he left behind a meager estate. Aside from the custom box business (which, admittedly, was not “meager”), he managed to leave each family member with $5,000 in life insurance proceeds, and that’s about it. His personal finance skills had never been great, and that included estate planning. More than ten years after his death, however, I was contacted by a company out of Florida. “We have your annuity,” they told me. “What annuity?” I asked. And they explained that my father had opened an account for me in 1977, when I was just eight years old. He had made a single payment into the account, and then forgotten about it. For the past 30+ years, the account has simply been earning interest. The balance is now $438.79. Now that I [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/26/how-to-find-unclaimed-money-and-unclaimed-property-online/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/26/how-to-find-unclaimed-money-and-unclaimed-property-online/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-26T07:00:03-05:00 On today’s episode of the Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek talks to Richard Rosso, CFP and financial consultant at Charles Schwab. Richard discusses his advice on how to prevent a natural disaster from becoming a financial disaster and offers up many tips, including how to make sure you have the proper insurance coverage, taking inventory [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Podcast 66: Keeping a Natural Disaster From Becoming a Financial Disaster, Richard Rosso ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/podcast-66-keeping-a-natural-disaster-from-becoming-a-financial-disaster-richard-rosso/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/podcast-66-keeping-a-natural-disaster-from-becoming-a-financial-disaster-richard-rosso/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-25T14:00:24-05:00 This guest post from Kristen Swensson is part of the “reader stories” feature at Get Rich Slowly. It’s also the funniest post I’ve published since Robert Brokamp’s last appearance. Swensson is the proprietor of Cheap Healthy Good, a great blog about food and frugality. She likes nothing more than good feedback and bacon, preferably combined in a delicious slurry. A long, long time ago (2009) in a galaxy far, far away (New York City), I wrote about Jennifer Lopez’s butt for a living. And I made good money doing it. Working in TV can be a stellar gig. Your co-workers are young, talented, and motivated. After a few years, it pays well. Projects are at least marginally interesting, and you always walk away with good stories. During my ten years at a certain music channel, I penned scripts for famous comedians, rubbed elbows with rock stars, and discovered I am exactly the same size as Motley [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/25/reader-story-i-was-a-tv-freelancer-or-financial-planning-and-job-instability/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/25/reader-story-i-was-a-tv-freelancer-or-financial-planning-and-job-instability/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-25T07:00:18-05:00 This is a guest post from my wife. It’s been a long time since she chimed in around here. Have no fears: She’s the frugal heart of homestead, and she’s always looking for ways to grow and preserve our food. As Get Rich Slowly readers know, J.D. and I have a thriving garden with maturing fruit trees, monstrous berry plants, and an annual vegetable garden. Much of the time, I turn the garden bounty into: Jams and jellies Applesauce Fruit syrups Salsa Pickles Pasta sauces These foods are canned in glass jars for future use. This allows me to take advantage of large quantities of fresh, organic produce to make food we’ll enjoy later. But another tool in my kit is the food dehydrator. The food dehydrator has quite a few advantages over preserving food by canning, and is sure to be in use at our house as the summer crops ripen. The Food Dehydrator Dehydrating food means that low heat is used to remove [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/24/how-to-use-a-food-dehydrator-to-preserve-your-harvest/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/24/how-to-use-a-food-dehydrator-to-preserve-your-harvest/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-24T09:00:46-05:00 Just two years ago, gas prices of more than $4 per gallon were commonplace and consumers were wondering just how high they would go. Then, as the economy began to take a tumble, so too did the price of oil, dropping gasoline prices to well under $3 a gallon. As things have stabilized just a [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!The Best Gas Credit Cards ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/the-best-gas-credit-cards/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/the-best-gas-credit-cards/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-23T16:15:11-05:00 I used to answer customer service calls for Bank of America, one of the nation’s biggest banks. Granted, I was near the bottom of the totem pole, but they generally treated everybody with respect there (I was in Washington State, your mileage may vary), and they wanted us to be able to give customers informed [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Weep Not for Interchange Fee Revenue ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/weep-not-for-interchange-fee-revenue/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/weep-not-for-interchange-fee-revenue/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-23T12:00:30-05:00 Several years ago, I decided to take advantage of an opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in business. I had been working in finance for a while, and as someone who believes in lifelong education, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to obtain an MBA. I took the relatively unpopular route of pursuing a degree where [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Is a Graduate Degree Worthwhile or Worthless? ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/is-a-graduate-degree-worthwhile-or-worthless/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/is-a-graduate-degree-worthwhile-or-worthless/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-23T08:00:55-05:00 My parents came to the United States because it was the land of opportunity. It was a place where you could, on the basis of your abilities and hard work, make a good life for yourself and your family. It isn’t a utopia, it’s far from it, but it’s a lot better than a lot [...]Your Take: Is Homeownership the American Dream? from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/your-take-is-homeownership-the-american-dream.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/your-take-is-homeownership-the-american-dream.html Bargaineering 2010-07-23T07:58:23-05:00 Two can live as cheaply as one. We’ve heard this for years, but is it really true? Perhaps not, but there are definitely cost savings to be found when combining two households into one. With that in mind, I wanted to talk a bit about an article on the costs associated with being single that I [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/23/the-high-cost-of-being-single/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/23/the-high-cost-of-being-single/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-23T07:51:06-05:00 Ah, relationships. Without other people, money management would be easy! Easy-er, anyhow. But love, family, and business relationships tend to make people do things they know they really oughtn’t. Take Patrick, for example. He fell in love, and it led him to commit a financial faux pas. Here’s Patrick’s l-o-n-g story and his questions: A couple years back, I met a girl, fell in love, and we moved in together. A few months into our cohabitation, her car died. Since we needed to separate cars for work, we went to a dealer to see what she could find in the way of a used vehicle. After a long time sitting in an office, test driving a car, and running her credit (which was not very good), the dealer came back with an offer sheet for a high-interest, short-term loan with a payment of $750 a month, an impossible figure to work into her budget. She asked for [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/23/ask-the-readers-help-i-co-signed-on-a-loan-and-now-i-wish-i-hadnt/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/23/ask-the-readers-help-i-co-signed-on-a-loan-and-now-i-wish-i-hadnt/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-23T07:00:36-05:00 After some false starts, Congress has passed a bill to renew the extension to federal unemployment benefits. Federal benefits begin when state benefits end. With the extension in effect, jobless individuals qualify for benefits for a total of 99 weeks. The most recent extension expired on June 2, and this new bill extends the deadline [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Unemployment Benefits Extended ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/unemployment-benefits-extended/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/unemployment-benefits-extended/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-22T08:00:35-05:00 Last week, I wrote about how to dry fresh herbs in preparation for when our garden shuts down for the season. Today, I’m going to explain what we do to harvest our growing herbs so we are able to get maximum herbage out of each one (yes, herbage is a real word but when I [...]How to Harvest Growing Herbs from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-harvest-growing-herbs.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-harvest-growing-herbs.html Bargaineering 2010-07-22T07:05:12-05:00 This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. (It’s also her birthday today.) Who doesn’t dream of quitting their day job? Every day, countless hours are spent in corporate cubicles daydreaming about lives of adventure, creativity, and play — lives spent doing what you love. Last month, I took the leap. I quit my day job to write full time. Now I’m sitting in Buenos Aires writing while my kids play with their grandparents nearby. And I’m getting paid for it. To say this is the achievement of a dream would be a vast understatement; I’ve wanted to be “a writer” since kindergarten. But I didn’t just want to be a writer — I worked hard and planned for it. Should You Quit Your Day Job? Chasing a dream isn’t for everyone. There are plenty of people who prefer the stability and security of [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/22/is-it-time-to-quit-your-day-job/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/22/is-it-time-to-quit-your-day-job/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-22T07:00:49-05:00 If you want to do your spouse a favor, you should pretend you don’t exist… At least for a few hours. If you’re the one who manages the finances – and possibly earns most of the money – you’ll do your spouse a solid by simply going through this exercise. Ask your spouse how they’d pay the [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/22/planning-for-your-demise/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/22/planning-for-your-demise/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-22T06:00:47-05:00 As part of my downshifting project, I’ve spent the past couple of days replying to several hundred stale messages in my inbox. There were plenty of great reader stories, guest posts, and “ask the readers” questions in my stack of stuff, but there were also some good article ideas, too. For example, I had three different e-mails about bank-related stories. Each of these is pretty small for its own post, but they share a similar theme, so I decided to put them together in one piece. Not Quite a Bank First up, the always-awesome Ron Lieber at The New York Times recently profiled bank accounts that aren’t quite bank accounts. These tools are designed to give consumers better tools than they can get at traditional banks. The catch? Well, the tools make use of traditional banks. Lieber lists some accounts that GRS readers are probably familiar with, including SmartyPig. SmartyPig is a free online, goal-oriented savings account that many [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/21/three-stories-about-banking/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/21/three-stories-about-banking/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-21T16:36:45-05:00 As a followup to this morning’s post on the future of Social Security, I wanted to update you guys on the Social Security cap for 2010. As you may or may not be aware, Social Security taxes are capped such that you only have to pay this tax (denoted FICA-OASDI on your paycheck) on your earned [...] ... http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/21/social-security-taxes-in-2010/ http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2010/07/21/social-security-taxes-in-2010/ Five Cent Nickel 2010-07-21T13:00:58-05:00 Reward checking accounts have grown in popularity as everyone is looking for a way to earn a little extra cash as safely as possible. Here’s a refresher on how they work – You earn a higher rate of interest if you make a minimum number of debit cards per statement period (usually 10+) and opt [...]South Shore Savings Bank – 3.69% APY Rewards Checking, $200 Bonus from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/south-shore-savings-bank-3-69-apy-rewards-checking-200-bonus.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/south-shore-savings-bank-3-69-apy-rewards-checking-200-bonus.html Bargaineering 2010-07-21T12:26:10-05:00 One of the best cash back credit cards available today, the True® Earnings Card from Costco and American Express can earn cardholders an immense amount of rewards, just for everyday purchases. Now, with a $25 cash back bonus opportunity, just for being approved and making your first purchase, the card is even more attractive. Granted, [...]The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!True Earnings® Card from Costco and American Express $25 Cash Back Bonus ... http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/true-earnings-card-from-costco-and-american-express-30-cash-back-bonus/ http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/true-earnings-card-from-costco-and-american-express-30-cash-back-bonus/ Consumerism Commentary 2010-07-21T09:00:57-05:00 There’s an old adage in investing that doesn’t get enough appreciation or attention – “If you don’t understand the thesis underlying an investment in five minutes or less, take a pass.” I only recently read it in a summary of a talk given by Vanguard CEO Bill McNabb at the Morningstar Investment Conference in June [...]The Five Minute Rule from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com. ... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/the-five-minute-rule.html http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/the-five-minute-rule.html Bargaineering 2010-07-21T07:23:47-05:00 This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the adviser for The Motley Fool’s Rule Your Retirement service. He contributes one new article to Get Rich Slowly every two weeks. Stocks stink. That’s something you hear a lot these days, and with good reason. The Standard & Poor’s 500 sits at around 1060, a threshold it first crossed in the beginning of 1998. In other words, that index of stocks in 500 industry-leading American companies — companies like ExxonMobil, Johnson & Johnson, Coke, and McDonald’s — has gone up and down a lot over the past 12 or so years, but has ended up in the same place where it started. So you might think that if you invested $10,000 in the S&P 500 through something like the Vanguard 500 index fund back in the spring of 1998, you might still have just $10,000. But [...] ... http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/21/investing-in-stocks-it%E2%80%99s-not-as-bad-as-you-think/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2010/07/21/investing-in-stocks-it%E2%80%99s-not-as-bad-as-you-think/ Get Rich Slowly 2010-07-21T07:00:23-05:00