Consumerist
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stocks
The Best Way to Maximize Your Investment Return
There are three variables that impact the total return investors receive from an investment: the amount saved, the return rate, and the amount of time invested. Most investors spend a good amount of time and effort trying to increase all three. But what if we can't do all three, if we're inhibited by time, skill, knowledge, or ability (after all, many fund managers spend a lifetime trying to eek out an additional 1% return with limited success.) If we could only focus on one of the factors to impact, which is the best option? What is the best way to maximize investment returns? More » -
money
Personal Finance Roundup
6 money mistakes newlyweds make [MSN Money] "Remember the 'for richer' part of your wedding vows? These financial pitfalls can keep you from fulfilling that pledge."
Want a vacation? Deals are everywhere [Bankrate] "Here are six steps you can take to make sure you reap the benefits."
Moving on the Cheap: 6 Tips for Cutting Costs [Smart Money] "Here are six ways to cut moving costs and protect yourself and your belongings."
107 Things That Make Good Financial Cents [Good Financial Cents] "Most everything here can be applied to anybody and at any point in their lives."
Times Are Tough; Would You Consider A DIY Funeral [Wise Bread] "Even if you get the cheapest casket, forget the flowers and buy a fiberglass headstone, you're still looking at $5000. But there are alternatives."
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: eleon) -
money
Personal Finance Roundup
Where to Find the Best Savings Rates [Smart Money] "SmartMoney searched for some of the best rates around. Here's a sampling of what we found."
Are You Being Ripped off at the Gas Station? [Wise Bread] "Here is a simple test to help you ensure you are getting your money's worth at the pump."
To fly or drive: Which is cheaper? [MSN Money] "Your costs and choice of travel mode depend on your tastes and a slew of variables."
10 Ways to Beat the Rising Cost of Health Care [Yahoo Finance] "These 10 smart moves can lower your expenses - but not the quality of the care you get."
How much is that gold jewelry worth? [Mighty Bargain Hunter] "Short answer: Probably less than you think, but more than you'll get from a gold-to-cash place."— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: Newton Free Library)
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investing
10 Things Financial Planners Won't Tell You
Right after politicians and lawyers, financial planners have to be the most mistrusted, suspected, and questioned profession these days. And with good reason. With the Bernie Madoff's of the world running rampant, fewer and fewer people are willing to turn their life savings over to someone else. (Yes, we realize Madoff was an investment advisor, not a financial planner per se, but you get the meaning.) Well, after reading this, you'll probably be even less likely to hire a financial planner. financial planners won't tell you as follows: More » -
saving money
How To Save At An Amusement Park
For those of us thinking about hitting an amusement park this year, Smart Money has some suggestions for how to save some money including:
More »
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saving money
Personal Finance Roundup
The Best Online Tools for Personal Finance [The Wall Street Journal] "Here's a look at some of the best sites we turned up, in a range of categories."
13 Awesome Money Saving Sites We Love at Wise Bread [Wise Bread] "Here are 13 of the best of the best money saving sites on the web."
Car Shoppers: Should You Buy or Lease? [Smart Money] "Here's our guide to help you determine which move is best for you."
Work at Home and Make Big Money? Let the Wise Be Wary [New York Times] "The Federal Trade Commission, which gives tips to consumers about spotting and avoiding work-at-home schemes on its Web site, notes that such schemes generally fall into these three categories."
55 Best Ways To Save Money: Frugal Ideas From Our Readers! [The Digerati Life] "What is your favorite money saving tip?"
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: frankieleon) -
quizes
Is It Worth It?
Kiplinger has a fun, albeit relatively easy, quiz that asks if various financial transactions are worth the cost — if you should you pay a little extra upfront in hopes of saving money — or hassle — in the future. In it they offer the following situations: More » -
money
Personal Finance Roundup
How To Tell If You Should Buy an American Car [MSN Money] "Here's how to decide whether to go domestic."
Oops, I Screwed Up! How to File an Amended Return [Smart Money] "Here's what you need to know [to amend a tax return.]"
Amazon's 25 Software Bestsellers - And Their Free Equivalents [The Simple Dollar] "For most of these pieces of software, there are free equivalents that do almost the same task."
Face the numbers with personal financial "stress test" [Dallas Morning News] "Consumers should put themselves through a stress test to determine if their personal finances could withstand a job loss, a serious illness or any other unexpected event that would challenge their finances."
America's Most Surprising Six-Figure Jobs [Yahoo Finance] "Our list of surprising six-figure jobs."
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: frankieleon) -
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money
Personal Finance Roundup
Why you're not beating the market [MSN Money] "As if mutual funds' plummeting returns last year weren't bad enough, paying large fees to watch your money disappear just made it worse."
Don't get suckered by supersales [Bankrate] "Retailers run sales for one reason — and it isn't what you think. More often than not, sales merely get you in the door, where stores easily trick you into buying more. That's the goal."
The Barter Economy: 14 Great Places to Trade Stuff Online [The Simple Dollar] "Here are fourteen great services for bartering, most of them operating by mail and from the convenience of home."
Get your spouse to stop overspending [CNN Money] "If you're careful with money, being married to someone who loves to fling open a wallet can be trying in the best of times."
Failed Frugality: 5 Clues You've Gone Too Far [Wise Bread] "Here are five tell-tale signs that you've done yourself no favors in your quest to cut costs."
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: me and the sysop) -
personal finance
Get Ahead By Working For Yourself One Hour Each Day
For most people, their career is their most valuable financial asset. But for those willing to make the effort, even a small one, there might be something even more valuable—a side business that could potentially turn into a very large source of income. More » -
gm
Chrysler/GM Car Glut: Savings Opp Or Nightmare?
To add insult to injury, Chrysler and GM will NOT be buying back vehicle inventory from dealerships that recently received closing notices. Maybe we have two new candidates for Worst Company in America next year! On the other hand, maybe this is good news for consumers. Large inventories + need for quick cash = SALE! More » -
money
Personal Finance Roundup
Even to Save Cash, Don't Try This Stuff at Home [New York Times] "Being thrifty sometimes comes at a high price and can bring along with it a new scourge of the times: saver's remorse."
40 Most Useful Travel Websites That Can Save You a Fortune [Wise Bread] "Traveling doesn't have to break the bank (in fact, you can travel for free), and there are plenty of places that'll help you find the best vacation for your budget."
Want Customer Service? Post Complaints on Twitter [Smart Money] "Want to complain about a faulty product or shabby service? If you can do so in 140-characters or less, then your odds of getting a response are pretty high."
Brain fitness industry set to boom [MSN Money] "Growing interest in brain health, combined with efforts by employers and insurers to keep down health care costs, has the fledgling discipline poised for takeoff."
Travel full-time for less than $14,000 per year [I Will Teach You to Be Rich] "Here are my secrets [for saving on travel.]"— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: frankieleon)
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money
Personal Finance Roundup
9 cash-saving strategies that pay big bucks [Bankrate] "Saving a few dollars here and there can add up."
What It Means to Be Self-Insured [Free Money Finance] "A series of bulletpoints designed to give a quick but meaningful view of [what it means to be self-insured.]"
How to Land the Best Deals on Airline Tickets [Wall Street Journal] "Here are some tips to land great deals."
Guide To Commuter Bikes: Bicycle Commuting Saves Money and The Environment [The Digerati Life] "Sometimes it's the tried-and-true that produces the best "green" results. In that vein, we give you the bicycle."
6 Key Steps in Job Interview Prep [US News] "Here are key steps to preparing for a job interview."
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: frankieleon) -
money
Personal Finance Roundup
Great Deals on Used Cars [Kiplinger] "Snap one up before demand pushes prices higher."
Five Money Lessons for New College Grads [Wall Street Journal] "Here are five broad financial lessons that can pay dividends for a lifetime."
Top 10 Investing Rules of Thumb [ETF Database] "Here are 10 investing rules of thumb that can help you make the most of your long-term portfolio."
10 Common Mistakes Home Sellers Make [Smart Money] "To get the best deal when selling your home, try to avoid these all-too common mistakes."
25 Ways to Eat For Free (Really): Get Free Food! [Military Finance Network] "If you are looking to get free food, here are 25 ways that you can eat for free."
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: frankieleon) -
ask the consumerists
If You Do What You Love, Will The Money Follow?
"Never buy the most expensive home in a neighborhood." "Your age is the percent of your portfolio you should have invested in bonds." "You can withdraw 4% of your retirement savings every year." Many of these sort of short, quick personal finance rules-of-thumb have become so generally accepted that most people don't even question their validity. In many cases, the guidance these sayings offer are quite good. Yet some of them have morphed from solid money advice to almost zen-like statements that are just as likely to be untrue as true. For example, here's one that sparks a lot of debate: More » -
recession
Not Everyone Is Having a Financial Meltdown
For all the financial news of doom and gloom, the Money Crashers blog reminds us that not everyone is hit hard. In fact, they say that for every person struggling right now, there are a majority of people who are doing just fine in this economic climate (note: no data is presented for this claim, but it does sound at least directionally correct). As such, they list five money-related tips for those out there who are not struggling in this recession as follows: More » -
money
Personal Finance Roundup
Hotel Deals Abound, but So Do Sneaky Fees [Smart Money] "Here's what you need to know before booking your next trip."
5 Tips For Investing in TIPS: Treasury Inflation Protected Securities [US News] "TIPS-short for Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities-offer investors the closest thing Uncle Sam has to a sure bet these days."
Five Frugal Food Tactics from Trent's Kitchen [The Simple Dollar] "Several useful frugal cooking tactics."
Lots of Tax Hikes Coming in 2011 [Kiplinger] "Tax increases will hit businesses and individuals, and don't think for a minute that only the wealthy will feel the pain."
An emergency fund out of thin air [MSN Money] "Can't spare hundreds of dollars a month? You can nickel-and-dime your way into a comfortable cash cushion."
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: frankieleon) -
money
Personal Finance Roundup
Five Ways to Use Plastic Wisely [Wall Street Journal] "Here are five instances when it's wise to use plastic."
Best places to find a job [CNN Money] "These six metro areas have unemployment rates below the national average and a high proportion of professional jobs."
Simplicity Can Add Hours to Your Day [Crosswalk] "When our lives get chaotic, we pay dearly in stress and money. There are hundreds of things you can do to simplify your life. Here are six ideas to help you get started."
10 Sources of Retirement Income [US News] "Here's a look at ten potential sources of retirement income and how many Americans expect to rely on each one."
Dollar stores: Where the deals are [MSN Money] "When it comes to stretching your money, these discounters deliver. But be careful: Some of the stores' products are no bargains."
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: donbuciak)
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New York, 1:45 AM
Wed Nov 11
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