Consumerist
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extortion
Royal Caribbean: Give Us $800 Or Find Another Ship
Royal Caribbean told Mary Hoefs at check-in that her family wouldn't be allowed to board unless they paid $800 on the spot, even though Mary had paid for the cruise in full four months earlier. Royal Caribbean later refunded $400, but why did they choose to kick off Mary's cruise with extortion? The answer, inside... More » -
tax
Radio Shack Is Levying The Wrong Sales Tax In New York City
Radio Shack is charging New York City consumers an extra half-percent of sales tax, even though the State hasn't approved a new tax rate. Before descending into a chaotic mess of embarrassing inaction, the New York State Senate was widely expected to hike the sales tax New York City's local sales from 8.375% to 8.875%. That never happened, a minor detail that isn't stopping Radio Shack from collecting more tax, as reader Jeff discovered... More » -
travel
15 Ways To Protect Your Money While Traveling
Bankrate shares 15 tips to protect your stash of cash while traveling abroad. Before leaving, strip down your wallet to the bare essentials, including a backup credit card, and make copies of all financial documents. While abroad, stash the copies and the backup card in your hotel safe, and take common-sense precautions like sticking to legitimate bank ATMs, and avoiding crowds. Hit the link for the rundown of all 15 tips.
15 ways to protect your money on vacation [Bankrate]
(Photo: isfullofcrap) -
money
Personal Finance Roundup
Michael Jackson's Death and Your Estate Plan [Smart Money] "For those who already have an existing estate plan, here's how the larger 2009 exemption could affect you - along with some advice on how to avoid potential danger zones."
How to Make the Most of a College Degree [Free Money Finance] "What can/should potential graduates do to make the most of their college degree financially?"
Keeping Finances Afloat During a Divorce [Wall Street Journal] "Here are some ways to salvage finances during a divorce."
Is 'Cash for clunkers' right for you? [Bankrate] "Before taking up Obama on 'Cash for clunkers,' decide if selling your car would bring in more money."
The 10 Most Dollar-Discounted Housing Markets [US News] "Listing prices in these cities have been slashed by millions of dollars over the past year."— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: frankieleon)
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your health
100% All Natural Plumped Chickens Are Stuffed With Water And Salt
Do you like overpaying for salt and water? Then "100% All Natural" chicken breasts might be for you! Just look for the labels that boast "enhanced with up to 15% chicken broth," and you can be sure you're overpaying for the saltiest, most water-logged chicken that industrial food processors can design. So how does all that chicken water get into the chickens, you ask? Hit the jump for the delightfully graphic description... More » -
economy
Daddy, Is The Recession Over Yet? Handy Chart Holds The Answer
When are we going to pull out of the recession? The Kiplinger Recovery Index thinks it can tell you, using a sophisticated system of red and green colored boxes and checkmarks and X's. More » -
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) -
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cell phones
DealTree Sends Phone Trade In Money To Imaginary PayPal Account
What's going on with DealTree? They handle Nokia's "Trade-up" program, which reimburses you cash for your old phones. It says clearly on the "how it works" page as well as in their terms and conditions that they'll mail a paper check to you after confirming your phone's value. In Paul's case, they say dumped his money into a PayPal account—and Paul says there's nothing in his account and PayPal has no record of a transaction. More » -
Here are 5 personal finance podcasts to subscribe to, download, and argue with during your commute or workout. [Automatic Finances] (Photo: uhuru1701)
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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 » -
follow ups
Best Buy Accepts 12 Year Old Gift Certificate Without Complaint
Jon wrote back with the results of his attempt to redeem a gift certificate that's over a decade old. More » -
debt
Credit Card Companies Are Warming Up To Reduced Payoff Deals
If you've fallen into a debt pit and can't make your credit card payments, and now you're watching them steadily mount with penalties, fees, and steep interest rates, consider negotiating a lower payment. The New York Times reports that while most card companies won't admit it officially, they know when they've got a customer who can't pay, and they're much more willing to settle for a lower amount than they were a year ago. More » -
credit scores
Take Your Score From 650 To 800 With The Credit Karma Report Card
Credit Karma recently launched the free Credit Report Card service that assigns letter grades to each component of your credit score. If you want to improve your credit score, try to bring up your performance in areas where you have low or failing grades. Not every component has the same bearing on your score, so underneath each section Credit Karma tells you how much weight it has. For those who look at their reports and scratch their head, the Credit Karma report card, which is drawn from your TransUnion report, makes understanding why your credit score is the way it is a snap. Full screen shot inside. More » -
furlough
Furloughs: Welcome Or Lousy?
Rather than layoffs, a number of employers are turning to furloughs - forced unpaid time off - to meet their budgets. According to a NYT article, employees are handling them in different ways. Some use it as chill time. Others keep working anyway without pay, either out of guilt, routine, or fear of an actual layoff. Has your company been hit with furloughs? How are you dealing? Take our poll inside. More » -
recession
How The Recession Destroys Friends
Like a tornado, the recession hits unevenly. One house might get turned into splinters, while another is left untouched. Similarily, one friend can still be afford salads and Starbucks for lunch every day while the other has to brown-bag it. The Double-X blog asks its readers, "how do friends in newly different socioeconomic strata adjust?" Answer: most of the time, they don't.
The Recession Wrecks Friendships [Double x] (Photo: jessicajbeck)
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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:
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money
New York, 8:16 PM
Sun Jul 5
6 posts in the last 24 hours
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