Yesterday I grabbed a notebook app for my smartphone and spent a couple of hours organizing the various content folders—ideas for Consumerist, gift lists for Christmas, things to look up later on a computer—so that I could capture information more efficiently. Wait, why s ths n Cnsmrst? Because The Simple Dollar argues that by keeping a notebook and using it all the time (Lifehacker calls it “ubiquitous capture”), you can end up saving money.
advice
When To Buy A Home And How To Avoid Screwing It Up
By 11.2.09
Are you hitting that stage in life where you’re thinking of becoming a homeowner? Morningstar has published two home buying articles that together offer some good, concise advice to the prospective buyer, especially if you’re a first-timer.
How To Choose The Best Tires
By 10.22.09
The Consumer Reports Cars blog has posted a video on how to choose the best tires for your car. Here’s one interesting trick we learned from the clip: how to measure tire tread depth using coins.
Here's Your Post-ID Theft Checklist
By 10.22.09
Personal finance blogger Carrie… On the Cheap put together a checklist of things you should do once you’ve found out your identity has been stolen.
Sparkling Wine Is Just As Good As Champagne (When It's Well Made)
By 10.21.09
The Champagne Bureau, a trade organization representing “the grape growers and houses of Champagne, France,” just sent us a nonsensical press release warning consumers to be on the lookout for imposter champagne. WATCH OUT! You’re pouring sparkling wine into your mouth, you jerk! The thing is, the only real reason “champagne” is unique is because wine houses in that region of France managed to get laws passed to prevent anyone else from using the word on their own sparkling wines. They’re all sparkling wines; how they’re made is what determines quality.
Swine Flu Self-Assessment Saves You Worrying
By 10.9.09
Do you have H1N1 flu? Probably! Aaaugghh! But before you haul your feverish butt to a clinic or a doctor, consider taking this free online flu self-assessment test from Emory University. It probably could have been combined into a one-page flowchart, but that’s not as much fun as pressing YES/NO buttons.
"So Sue Me, Jackass!" Provides Random Legal Advice In Humor Book Format
By 10.1.09
Here’s a new book that focuses on those random questions people always have about how the law pertains to everyday activities. You know, things like starting your own online porn site, burying a pet, or selling your ex-boyfriend’s things on eBay.
How To Prepare Your iPhone For International Travel
By 9.29.09
If you think your standard monthly iPhone bill is rough, just get a load of it after you’ve been traveling abroad. A la carte data charges could run your bill up into six figures, according to an AP story.
Get Your Data Out Of Google
By 9.24.09
If you’re like the average Google user, you’ve now got a lot of personal data—emails, addresses, calendars, documents, photos and videos, maybe even health records—in their system. This is fine with them, because the Google Hive Mind needs all of this data to eventually become self aware and enslave us. However, if you ever want to get that information out of Google, the company has created something they call the Data Liberation Front to make it easier for you.
23 Tips On How To Pay Down Your Debt
By 9.21.09
If you’re still floundering when it comes to paying off debt, here’s a great starting place for you. The blog DoughRoller has listed 23 ways to get started on freeing yourself from debt, along with lots of links to tools and other articles or websites that can help.
How To Financially Benefit From The Mistakes Of Others
By 9.21.09
Monevator dishes out some general advice on stock investing to keep in mind as the economy (hopefully) starts to turn around and investing no longer becomes a bottomless money pit.
Buying Your First Home? Here Are 7 Good Tips
By 9.18.09
Ron Lieber at the New York Times has put together seven sensible tips that can help you find a first time home that you can both afford and enjoy living in.
Bank Of America Has High Money Order Fees, Teller Recommends You Go Elsewhere
By 9.18.09
Christian writes in telling us he went into Bank of America looking for a cashier’s check or money order, and the teller was so embarrassed of his bank’s high fees — for customers, mind you — he recommended Christian look elsewhere. He writes:
How To Win Your Local Job Fair
By 9.17.09
The anonymous, newly unemployed personal finance blogger behind Well-Heeled with a Mission put together a timely, helpful guide on how to avoid wasting your time at job fairs and actually come away with the experience with some positives rather than feel as though you’ve wasted your time in a cattle call.
Finally, A Personal Finance Podcast For People Who Don't Want To Listen
By 9.16.09
The blog Personal Finance Hour is the home to a weekly live audio show with personal finance bloggers over whatever topics they like. Sometimes the conversation turns inward and focuses on trying to blog for profit, or blogging as a part time job. Sometimes the conversation is about things like remodeling your home or planning for a vacation.
Video: Ditch Your Cell Phone Contract For Free
By 9.16.09
In this video, a blonde dame in glasses shows you how to escape your cellphone contract for free with several tried and true tips for defeating those $175 early termination fees.
Free 2009 Consumer Action Handbook Out Now
By 9.15.09
As a reader of this fine site, you probably know something about airing consumer complaints. But say you’re going on a ten-hour flight and need consumer guidance IMMEDIATELY. Or have a friend who only reads in the bathroom. You’re in luck, because a handy new guide with all the basics is now available free. The 2009 Consumer Action Handbook, courtesy of Uncle Sam, can be ordered here.
Common 401(k) Mistakes To Avoid
By 9.15.09
Christian personanl finance blog Redeeming Riches offers four revelations on how you may be mistreating your 401(k).
