For all the attention being paid robo-signing foreclosure mills, you’d think people would be more interested in the guys who basically invented the business of mass-production affidavits: debt collectors. [More]
money
Credit Card Lets You Choose Paying By Credit Or Rewards Points
By 10.29.10
Would you like to pay with reward points, or credit? Just press the button on your credit card and a microcomputer rewrites the information on the magnetic strip, letting you switch payment types. A tiny light lets you know which one is active. That’s a new kind of credit card, the “2G,” Citibank is testing out starting next month. [More]
Debt Collection Firm Accused Of Setting Up Phony Courtroom
By 10.29.10
Call it “theater of the real.” A debt collection firm is accused of setting up a fake courtroom, complete with a raised “bench” and judge in black and other decorations and furniture, to trick and holding bogus hearings to extract payment from debtors. [More]
SNL Teaches The Secret To Staying Debt Free
By 10.27.10
With the economy in the pooper, it’s time to repost this classic Saturday Night Live sketch which contains the most important secret to staying out of debt and living happily. Starring Steve Martin, Amy Poehler and Chris Parnell, this gem distills the one essential trick to just one single phrase… [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 10.27.10
How to Become Wealthy [Free Money Finance] “Want a guaranteed way to become wealthy? Read on.”
9 strategies for this (or any) market [MSN Money] “Even in scary economic times, investors who stick with the basics — indexing, diversifying, dollar-cost averaging and more — are usually rewarded.”
10 Things We Overpay For [Kiplinger] “You can save a lot by buying cheaper alternatives.”
5 Reasons Why You Should Give Kids Cash for the Holidays [Wise Bread] “Here’s why I’m sending cash for Christmas, and you should too.”
20 Favorite Dirt Cheap Meals [The Simple Dollar] “20 of my favorites.”
Wells Fargo Hits Girl With Secret Fee Trifecta
By 10.26.10
Christina is broke as a joke. Wells Fargo doesn’t think this is funny and decides to shut down her account for having no money in it and no activity on it. No big whoop, she’ll just open another account. She does this twice. Then, whups! Those accounts were never closed! And we’re charging you fees because they were actually fee-based savings accounts! And you’re in collections! Good times, let them roll: [More]
10 Ways To Fight International Fraud
By 10.25.10
The FTC has got 10 ways to protect yourself from international scam rings. The most important one has go to be to never deposit a check in your account with the agreement that you’re going to wire a portion of it elsewhere. [More]
Loan Mod Denied Because Family Saved Too Much, Now Heading To Foreclosure
By 10.25.10
This family sought a loan mod after the father had his hours cut at work, making it hard for them to make their regular monthly payments. They followed the advice of housing counselors, reducing expenses and saving up money. Finally, PNC Bank told them their loan was denied. The $7,160 they saved up, which included a $5,218 tax refund, meant they were too well off to qualify. Now their house heads towards foreclosure. [More]
Get Debt Free With One Manila Folder
By 10.21.10
When you’re facing a pile of debt and unpaid bills, the task before you can seem overwhelming. You’d much rather be pounding Olde English and watching old Daily Show episodes. The key is to get it all organized and in one place, and it all starts with one manila folder. [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 10.20.10
5 ways to wreck your retirement [MSN Money] “So, you think you’re prepared for retirement? You might be overlooking big traps.”
10 least stressful jobs [CNN Money] “Feeling overworked and overwhelmed? Maybe it’s time for a career change to one of these 10 fields.”
10 free sources for home repair know-how [Smart Spending] “You can overcome the fear that you’ll make a mistake that will cost thousands of dollars to fix.”
Explaining Résumé Gaps to Employers [Wall Street Journal] “It’s important to have your story ready and turn your experiences during that gap into a plus for a prospective employer.”
10 More Essential Skills You Didn’t Learn in College [The Simple Dollar] “Most of the skills that a person uses in a financially, professionally, and personally successful life are developed outside of a classroom.”
Pick A Bank That Won't Screw You
By 10.18.10
Shopping for a bank but don’t want to get dinged with fees or unfair practices, but not totally sure you know what they all are? Those banks can be darn creative, after all. Here’s a great online guide that takes you step by step through all the practices you should watch out for. Complete the worksheet and you’ll have a good idea of whether you should stash your cash there or not. [More]
Reporters Convert Toxic Assets Into Gold
By 10.15.10
Those crazy NPR Planet Money kids took the money they had left over from their failed toxic asset investment – affectionately known as “Toxie” – and put it all into the next big bubble: gold! For $419 they got one shiny gold coin. In 6 months they’ll sell it, regardless of prices, and in the meantime, report on what happens to it. [More]
Tomorrow Is Deadline To Undo A Roth Conversion For Cash
By 10.14.10
You’ve only got until tomorrow, October 15, to roll it back if you converted a traditional IRA to a Roth in 2009. Why might you want to do this? If the account lost money or you just need cash in hand, you can get back the taxes you paid on the conversion. [More]
Everything You Need To Know About Personal Finance Fits Onto 5 Business Cards
By 10.14.10
Trent has fit everything you ever needed to know about managing personal finance onto the backs of five business cards. Really! That’s it! [More]
Capital One "No Hassles" Card Actually Kind Of A Hassle
By 10.13.10
Reader Neurocat says he loves the rewards on his Capital One “No Hassles” Visa card. Cashing in points for $100 gift cards to Home Depot, Sears and the like is handy when you’ve just bought your first fixer-upper house. Then he was slightly late on two of his payments and the honeymoon was over. [More]
HER-NAN Saves Kingdom With Powers Of Castle VISAskull
By 10.13.10
VISA is blanketing Argentina with a new ad in which a shopper named Hernan is turned into “HER-NAN,” like HE-MAN, imbued with the powers of Castle Greyskull. You don’t need to know Spanish to experience the awesomeness, but we also have a translation. [More]
Fed Might Buy $500B In Treasuries
By 10.13.10
The Fed sent out signals that it could be making a major new move as soon, which experts think could take the form of buying back up to $500 billion in Treasury Bonds. They could decide as soon as their next meeting on November 2nd, which also happens to be Election Day. [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 10.13.10
10 Financial Perks of Marriage [Wise Bread] “Here are ten ways that you and your spouse are hooking each other up.”
Best Jobs in America [CNN Money] “100 best jobs based on pay, growth, and quality of life.”
How to Replace Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Personal Paperwork [Money Talks News] “Imagine that your house burns down or gets completely destroyed by fire, flood or other disaster. Would you know how to go about replacing your essential paperwork?”
How to Check the History of a Used Car [Kiplinger] “Follow these steps to make sure it hasn’t been in an accident.”
Four More FICO Score Myths, Busted [MintLife Blog] “So, in my ongoing mission to set the record straight I give you FICO Score Myths, Busted.”
