When it comes to planning your brand's content strategy, pay special attention to the micro-copy -- wording on a website's interface such as "submit" or call-to-action links, according to Amy Thibodeau, a content strategist for Facebook. Thibodeau explains the social site's reasoning for choosing the "Like" button and breaks down three steps that other strategists can use to ensure that their copy works in harmony with the rest of the website. Full story at SmartBlog on Social Media by SmartBrief. More SmartBrief stories. Permalink | Leave a comment »
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Most Topular Stories
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Understanding the role of micro-copy in a brand's content strategy
Holy Kaw!9 Feb 2012 | 9:58 am -
Rebalance your Couch Potato Portfolio with these free tools
Squawkfox7 Feb 2012 | 11:06 amUse the Couch Potato strategy to build a low-cost and well diversified portfolio, and then download these free tools to rebalance your stock and bond holdings back to the perfect mix. At the beginning of every month I contribute some saved cash to my Couch Potato and rebalance my mix of stocks, bonds, cash, and other assets. It’s a habit I’ve stuck to over the years to build my savings. What the heck is a Couch Potato? No, I’m not stuffing spuds into my Ikea sofa. Simply, the Couch Potato is an investment strategy that’s keen on keeping costs low by building a… -
Green Up Your Lighting & Save on Your Utility Bill
Northern Cheapskate9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amSome say pictures are worth a thousand words and since I don’t want to type out a thousand words (I’ll still type out some), I am going to provide you with a handful of pictures from my home to help you learn some ways you can green up your lighting by using less electricity and ultimately save money on your electric bill. Replace Incandescent Lights with CFL Lights The give off the same amount of light, but at a lower wattage. A lower wattage means less electricity is being used. Many utility companies are still giving rebates for the purchase of CFLs or they may provide them to… -
Mr. Rebates is turning 10 … and giving away $10,000
Mighty Bargain Hunter7 Feb 2012 | 9:49 pmI’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… -
How One Decision Can Help You Retire Faster
Get Rich Slowly - Personal Finance That Makes Sense.9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amThis is a guest post by Dee Bauer from SmallHouseLife.com, where she shares information about abundant living in small spaces. Do you sometimes wonder if you’ll ever be financially stable enough to retire? Or maybe it’s not so much about retirement as it is about financial independence. Personally, I don’t want to wait until I’m in my 60s to enjoy financial freedom and extended leisure time! As a result of one decision, my husband and I took a giant leap toward our “independence day,” as we like to call it. In sharing our story, maybe you, too, will feel…
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Holy Kaw!
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Understanding the role of micro-copy in a brand's content strategy
9 Feb 2012 | 9:58 amWhen it comes to planning your brand's content strategy, pay special attention to the micro-copy -- wording on a website's interface such as "submit" or call-to-action links, according to Amy Thibodeau, a content strategist for Facebook. Thibodeau explains the social site's reasoning for choosing the "Like" button and breaks down three steps that other strategists can use to ensure that their copy works in harmony with the rest of the website. Full story at SmartBlog on Social Media by SmartBrief. More SmartBrief stories. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Pizza Hut's proposal package
9 Feb 2012 | 9:36 amLove and pepperoni: the perfect delicious match. Pizza Hut wants to help you pop the question to your main squeeze with the $10,010 Ultimate Valentine’s Day Proposal in a Box. The package includes limo service to a local Pizza Hut location, a professional photographer and videographer, fireworks display, flowers, ruby engagement ring, and, most deliciously, a Pizza Hut $10 Dinner Box. Domino's, your move. Full story at Eater. Love is pizza. Permalink | Leave a comment » -
Uncertain choices light up ‘explorer’ brains
9 Feb 2012 | 9:19 amPeople who consistently select for uncertainty may harness the computational power of a specific brain region. Some people—”explorers”—choose to grapple with uncertainty head on. It’s a strategy of maximizing rewards by discovering whether as yet unexplored options might yield better returns. While some might stick with the usual, “explorers” might order the special in a restaurant because they aren’t sure they’ll like it. Prior to the Brown University study, there was no consensus that a precise area of the prefrontal cortex, in this case… -
Valentine's Day rebooted as Generosity Day [video]
9 Feb 2012 | 9:05 amOut with the chocolate, roses, and edible underwear, in with spreading kindness. The big hearts at Causes.com have set out on a mission to rebrand Valentine's Day as Generosity Day and it starts with you pledging to share the love on February 14th. The Generosity Day pledge: Just say YES. This February 14th, let's reboot Valentine's Day as Generosity Day. Practice saying YES to every request for help and by being generous. I pledge to spend February 14th saying YES to all requests for help. Say "yes" to generosity at Causes.com. Spread the love by doing something good. Permalink | Leave a… -
How coffee changed America [infographic]
9 Feb 2012 | 8:57 amFull-size version at Lumin Consulting. Delicious coffee. Permalink | Leave a comment »
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Squawkfox
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Rebalance your Couch Potato Portfolio with these free tools
7 Feb 2012 | 11:06 amUse the Couch Potato strategy to build a low-cost and well diversified portfolio, and then download these free tools to rebalance your stock and bond holdings back to the perfect mix. At the beginning of every month I contribute some saved cash to my Couch Potato and rebalance my mix of stocks, bonds, cash, and other assets. It’s a habit I’ve stuck to over the years to build my savings. What the heck is a Couch Potato? No, I’m not stuffing spuds into my Ikea sofa. Simply, the Couch Potato is an investment strategy that’s keen on keeping costs low by building a… -
Squawkfox on Reality TV: Million Dollar Neighbourhood
25 Jan 2012 | 10:59 amIt was a hot summer’s day when I was invited to be a ‘Money Saving Expert’ on the new reality TV series, Million Dollar Neighbourhood. Set in Aldergrove B.C., Million Dollar Neighbourhood challenges 100 families and encourages the community to come together to raise their collective net worth by a stunning one million dollars. The show shares the real life struggles we all face when it comes to finances and family. The first episode called ‘Hidden Money’, aired January 22 on OWN Canada, and I was in it! You can catch all of Episode 1 online at OWN Canada |… -
Millionaire Teacher by Andrew Hallam
23 Jan 2012 | 3:29 pmThis is a review of Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School by Andrew Hallam. I met Andrew Hallam by accident in my email’s spam folder. It’s a bad day when a notable financial writer (and a super nice guy) gets banned from my inbox along with thousands of cheap Viagra offerings. I have nothing against Viagra ads. Every month I spend a whack of time sifting through dubious drug company prices in the hopes I’ll find the golden email that got away. In Hallam’s case, I found three. THREE REAL EMAILS! That’s like a million… -
Beware of shrinking products with increasing price tags
12 Jan 2012 | 8:50 amBack in the 80s I had a strange fascination with Shrinky Dinks — the toy, not ‘the deflating disappointment’. Sigh. If you were a kid during the late 70s and early 80s, you too probably couldn’t avoid these plastic pieces shaped like Smurfs or superheros hiding in your cereal boxes and under your peanut butter jar lids. If you have no idea what I’m squawking about, I’ll briefly bring back the magic. Basically, you take your Shrinky Dink character, color it with a marker, and then oven bake it for like two minutes. The magic happens when that Dink shrinks to… -
Best of 2011: Top 10 Squawks of the Year
28 Dec 2011 | 6:36 amIt’s nearly time to close the books on another year of saving, spending, and money mumbling. Over the past 12 months I’ve squawked some serious (and silly) financial stuff, shared several sensible money saving ideas, and done my bestest to post things you’d (hopefully) like to read. It worked. After four years of blogging about money, Squawkfox.com has grown to over 31,000 readers and is now one of the bigger personal finance blogs on the internet. This is kinda scary, but mostly cool. Scary ’cause it’s just me over here writing, and cool ’cause so many…
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Northern Cheapskate
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Green Up Your Lighting & Save on Your Utility Bill
9 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amSome say pictures are worth a thousand words and since I don’t want to type out a thousand words (I’ll still type out some), I am going to provide you with a handful of pictures from my home to help you learn some ways you can green up your lighting by using less electricity and ultimately save money on your electric bill. Replace Incandescent Lights with CFL Lights The give off the same amount of light, but at a lower wattage. A lower wattage means less electricity is being used. Many utility companies are still giving rebates for the purchase of CFLs or they may provide them to… -
Track Your Spending, Cut Your Costs
8 Feb 2012 | 5:30 amIt seems like such a simple thing: Track what you spend your money on, and then you’ll figure out how to set a budget. But if you don’t have a good system for tracking your expenses, it will be hard for you to come up with meaningful data from which you can make better decisions on how to spend your money. I’ve found a few simple ways to track my expenses over the years. Here are a few: Paper and pencil. In college I jotted down everything I spent money on in a little notebook and then tallied it up at the end of each month. This was easy because I could carry the… -
Free Ioda SXSW 2012 Music Sampler
7 Feb 2012 | 11:25 amLooking for some new music? Get a FREE download of Ioda SXSW Opening Day Bash Sampler 2012. The MP3 collection contains 13 songs from the opening day of one of Austin’s biggest music events of the year. Amazon is one of my favorite sources for free music – and I love that the downloads can be played on your computer or any MP3 player. Note: This post contains affiliate links that helps support this site at no cost to you. Please see our full disclosure policy for more information. You May Also Like: A Look Ahead: My 2012 New Year’s Resolutions Libraries: More than Free Books! -
5 Valentine’s Day Date Ideas on the Cheap
7 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amphoto credit: Will Merydith The following is a guest post by Angelita Williams. It’s only a week away—that one day that we all love to hate, the day in which we are all reminded how inadequate we are romantically, regardless of whether we are single or taken—Valentine’s Day. Most Valentine’s Day dates are remarkably unmemorable, and the sad part is that you usually end up spending oodles of money in the process. Instead of doing your typical date night—fancy restaurant, post-meal event, etc., why not spend more time thinking of creative, cheaper ideas, and less money… -
Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic: Valentine Card Creator
7 Feb 2012 | 4:30 amGet ready for Valentine’s Day with this weekend’s project at Lowe’s. Your child can make Valentine Card Creator for free at the Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic on Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 10 a.m. at participating Lowe’s stores. You should sign up in advance for these free workshops, and a parent must be present at the workshop with the child. Each workshop runs about an hour and is geared toward kids in first through fifth grade. Many of the projects are completed in much less than an hour. My boys have gone since they’ve were four and they do fine with…
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Mighty Bargain Hunter
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Mr. Rebates is turning 10 … and giving away $10,000
7 Feb 2012 | 9:49 pmI’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?
2 Feb 2012 | 11:56 pmYou’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
25 Jan 2012 | 11:53 pmNext 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 …
15 Jan 2012 | 11:50 pmWe 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
11 Jan 2012 | 12:03 amSuze 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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Get Rich Slowly - Personal Finance That Makes Sense.
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How One Decision Can Help You Retire Faster
9 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amThis is a guest post by Dee Bauer from SmallHouseLife.com, where she shares information about abundant living in small spaces. Do you sometimes wonder if you’ll ever be financially stable enough to retire? Or maybe it’s not so much about retirement as it is about financial independence. Personally, I don’t want to wait until I’m in my 60s to enjoy financial freedom and extended leisure time! As a result of one decision, my husband and I took a giant leap toward our “independence day,” as we like to call it. In sharing our story, maybe you, too, will feel… -
Is Retirement Just Too Dang Risky?
8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amThis 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
7 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amThis 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?
6 Feb 2012 | 3:00 amOn 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
5 Feb 2012 | 3:00 amThis 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…
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The Simple Dollar
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Reader Mailbag: Time Conflict
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amWhat’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to five word summaries. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question. 1. Using wedding money wisely 2. Percentage of savings for retirement 3. Asking for wedding money tactfully 4. What to do with savings? 5. Self-employment advice 6. Retirement Roth versus 529 7. Repayment troubles 8. Windfall options 9. Debt snowball or not? 10. Prioritizing reading What do you do when you have a family commitment on the same day as something you’ve been planning to do with a friend for… -
Use Public Transportation (38/365)
8 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmWhen 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
8 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amIf 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)
7 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pmOne 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
7 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amIn 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…
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Bargaineering
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Current Stamp Price – 45 Cents
9 Feb 2012 | 9:37 amWith the United States Postal Service hemorrhaging money, it’s easy to get confused as to the current price of a postage stamp. The current price is 45 cents. This is the price of a first-class letter weighing no more than 1 ounce. If the weight is no more than 2 ounces, the price is 65 cents. No more than 3 ounces and we’re talking eight five cents. Postcards cost 32 cents. If you purchased a First Class Forever stamp, you don’t have to worry about the current stamp price because that will always cover letters weighing no more than 1 ounce. The last postage rate increase… -
What Can Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney Teach You About Taxes?
9 Feb 2012 | 7:16 amYou don’t have to be rich, like many of the presidential candidates seem to be, in order to find some great tax benefits. Indeed, some of the very ways that candidates like Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney reduce their tax liability are available to the rest of us “ordinary” folks. Kiplinger recently offered some interesting tips about what you can do to improve your situation in terms of taxes by taking cues from Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. Some of the suggestions include: Invest in muni bonds: There are tax advantages associated with municipal bonds, including tax-free… -
Rent Redbox Movies for Free: Referral Programs, Promotion Codes
9 Feb 2012 | 4:03 amEver since I signed up Netflix, the number of movies I’ve rented has gone down significantly. When I do, it’s usually from a Redbox kiosk. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I rented a movie that wasn’t from a Redbox (it was probably in high school, when Blockbuster still existed and was charging $4.99 a night!). More recently, I’ve been looking into Redbox again since Netflix changed their pricing structure and we opted to get only the Instant offerings, which usually don’t include new release DVDs. We used Redbox a lot because we knew it was easy to… -
Basic Rules to Make Your Portfolio More Tax Efficient
8 Feb 2012 | 11:18 amIf 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
8 Feb 2012 | 9:15 amOne 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…
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No Credit Needed
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Mortgage Payoff Progress for January 2012 with Chart
13 Jan 2012 | 8:52 pmTwo 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
13 Jan 2012 | 3:30 amWhen 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
12 Jan 2012 | 3:45 amAccording 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
10 Jan 2012 | 2:17 pmWith 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
10 Jan 2012 | 2:35 amSavings. 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…
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Generation X Finance
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How to Have a Memorable Valentine’s Day Without Spending Any Money
7 Feb 2012 | 9:37 amWith 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
2 Feb 2012 | 8:06 amOnce 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
31 Jan 2012 | 7:36 amDid 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?
30 Jan 2012 | 6:40 amThere’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
27 Jan 2012 | 6:38 amThe 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…
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The Digerati Life
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How To Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rates
7 Feb 2012 | 2:40 amMany 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
6 Feb 2012 | 7:15 amAre 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
3 Feb 2012 | 4:00 pmProtect 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
2 Feb 2012 | 9:35 pmIt’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
1 Feb 2012 | 3:30 pmIf 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.
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Lazy Man and Money
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LifeVantage’s Lawyers Want to Whitewash My ProtandimScams.com Site
7 Feb 2012 | 5:56 pmI 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
5 Feb 2012 | 5:45 amWith 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?
2 Feb 2012 | 12:09 pmAn 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
31 Jan 2012 | 12:07 pmReady 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?
30 Jan 2012 | 10:23 amOver 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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Clever Dude Personal Finance & Money
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How Vonage saved me money overseas
15 Jan 2012 | 2:48 pmCopyright 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…
3 Jan 2012 | 8:11 pmCopyright 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
30 Dec 2011 | 5:00 amCopyright 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)
29 Dec 2011 | 7:41 amCopyright 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”
21 Dec 2011 | 7:57 amCopyright 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…
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I've Paid For This Twice Already...
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Increase Your Tax Return through Deductibles
7 Feb 2012 | 10:29 amNow 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
2 Feb 2012 | 1:55 pmIf 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
27 Jan 2012 | 9:45 amWinter 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
26 Jan 2012 | 11:18 amA 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
25 Jan 2012 | 12:23 pmWe’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…
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Money Smart Life
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Tax Return Organizer Kit Giveaway
8 Feb 2012 | 9:22 amFiling 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
31 Jan 2012 | 12:30 amOne 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
24 Jan 2012 | 6:04 amI 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
10 Jan 2012 | 6:47 amDid 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
8 Jan 2012 | 6:52 amGym 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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My Two Dollars
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The 13 Most Commonly Overlooked Tax Deductions
3 Feb 2012 | 5:15 amWith 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?
25 Jan 2012 | 11:46 pmThe 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
28 Dec 2011 | 12:57 pmThink 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
5 Dec 2011 | 1:33 pmI 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
8 Aug 2011 | 6:24 amJust 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
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Gather Little by Little - Personal Finance with a Christian Perspective
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3 notes about your IRS tax refund
8 Feb 2012 | 9:19 amNearly 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
14 Dec 2011 | 9:00 amThe 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
5 Dec 2011 | 2:34 pmThis 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
16 Nov 2011 | 8:10 amOur 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
26 Oct 2011 | 9:26 amKMart 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 [...]
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Moolanomy Personal Finance
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Important Tax and Filing Dates for Individuals and Small Businesses
7 Feb 2012 | 7:09 pmFor 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?
6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amThe 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?
5 Feb 2012 | 4:23 pmWhy 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
4 Feb 2012 | 6:30 pmOne 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
2 Feb 2012 | 6:00 pmThe 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.
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Cash Money Life
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10 Unusual Ways to Get Money Fast
5 Feb 2012 | 10:07 pmThis 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
31 Jan 2012 | 3:32 amThis 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?
30 Jan 2012 | 5:23 amThis 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
27 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amThis 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?
24 Jan 2012 | 8:55 amThis 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…
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brip blap
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the whole life sabbatical (part 1 of 3)
9 Feb 2012 | 3:00 amphoto 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?
1 Feb 2012 | 6:35 pmIn 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
30 Jan 2012 | 6:07 pmphoto 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
26 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amThese 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
25 Jan 2012 | 3:00 amWe’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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The Wisdom Journal
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Q & A on Tax Exemptions, Dependents, and Charitable Giving
8 Feb 2012 | 5:45 amSince 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
7 Feb 2012 | 6:51 amEmployers 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?
6 Feb 2012 | 6:43 amNot 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
1 Feb 2012 | 11:30 amThough 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?
31 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amGood 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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My Dollar Plan
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The Ins and Outs of Social Buying Websites
9 Feb 2012 | 6:29 amSocial buying sites are no longer a new experiment for frugal people. These sites are established, have commercials, and have managed to raise considerable funds in the few years they have been around. Groupon’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) raked in an impressive $700 million which made it the largest IPO since Google in 2004. LivingSocial, another social buying website powerhouse, has raised significant amounts of funds as well. Needless to say, it appears that these sites are here to stay for a long time (at least in internet years). I have purchased and enjoyed many great experiences… -
Free Money You Might Forget to Report on Your Taxes
8 Feb 2012 | 7:23 amTax 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?
7 Feb 2012 | 6:29 amIs 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
6 Feb 2012 | 6:29 amWhat 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
3 Feb 2012 | 6:29 amChase 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…
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Million Dollar Journey
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Scams of the Modern World – I
8 Feb 2012 | 4:30 amAs 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?
6 Feb 2012 | 4:30 amIf 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?
1 Feb 2012 | 4:30 amAs 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!
30 Jan 2012 | 4:30 amWelcome 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
27 Jan 2012 | 4:30 amRemember 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…
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Bible Money Matters
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How I Ended Up With A $5000 Dollar Tax Bill This Year. Oops!
8 Feb 2012 | 9:29 amThis 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
7 Feb 2012 | 12:26 pmI‘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
6 Feb 2012 | 7:19 amMany 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)
3 Feb 2012 | 11:20 amA 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
2 Feb 2012 | 8:19 amOver 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…
