Personal Finance Roundup

Playing the Student Loan Game to Win [Yahoo Finance] “The student loan scandal reveals why it pays to compare offers from multiple lenders when you borrow money for college.”

Six Common Myths: Adding A Baby To A Household Costs A Lot Of Money [Personal Finance Advice] “There are a lot of common myths floating around in regard to the cost of having a baby. Here are a few common ones where what people believe and what the reality can be are quite different.”

Life as a Boomerang Kid [Kiplinger’s] “Dirt-cheap housing. Home-cooked meals. A full-time housekeeper. The catch: sleeping in your old room.”

5 Money and Currency Facts Your Banker Never Told You [The Digerati Life] “Facts about money that are useful, interesting and could change how you look at money.”

How High Do Gas Prices Have to go to Justify Getting a New Car? [All Financial Matters] “Short answer: $7.55 a gallon.”

(Photo: Seawallrunner)


Fact or Fiction: Can a Rain Barrel Save You Money? [Get Rich Slowly] “For my birthday last year, I asked my parents for a rain barrel. After doing some research online, I went to our local nursery and paid $100 for a complete barrel set up. While it will mean a small savings on our future water bills, the upfront cost is really too high to justify it from a purely financial standpoint. Instead, I wanted to collect rainwater for several other reasons.”

Ability to Pull an All-Nighter Can Be as Useful as a B.A. [CareerJournal] “In addition to expertise in a variety of academic fields, college provides “soft” skills that many employers seek. “Students have the ability at 2 a.m. to write a paper while instant messaging their friends and watching a TiVoed version of ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ” says Brad Karsh, president of JobBound.com, a career consulting group based in Chicago. And that’s a skill that can come in handy at a company that values employees who can manage tight schedules effectively.”

Food Stamps [Single Ma’s Fabulous Financials] “I don’t know about the people who live in Oregon or the perception of those who have never received food stamps — but when I was getting them, that was some of the best eating we ever had! Struggle? Puhleeze! We had steak, chicken breast, turkey, fruit, fresh veggies, dairy and LOTS OF CHEESE. 🙂 I may have been poor, but I sure wasn’t hungry.”

FREE MONEY FINANCE

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.