For some reason, there’s little more difficult money-wise than talking to our loved ones about money. We’re not so sure why this is the case, but for some reason the financial conversations aren’t that easy between one generation and the next. The Wall Street Journal brings up the issues associated with family money discussions in a couple of recent articles…
money
Stop Hungry Hungry Hippo Banks From Gobbling Your Bucks
By 3.25.09
Oh noes! The Hungry Hungry Hippo Banks are trying to gobble up your happy money fish! You only have 5 days left to get them to stop by writing the Fed and saying NO to banks default stuffing you into an overdraft fee programs. Send an email to regs.comments@federalreserve.gov with “Docket No. R-1343” in the subject line. Or you can use this online form.
Best Buy Forgets It Sold Laptop, Won't Take Customer's Money
By 3.24.09
The Best Buy where Toni bought a laptop earlier this month has no record of the sale, and it won’t collect the funds that have already been released from her account. This sounds like a fun problem to have—$1500 extra dollars, free laptop, woo hoo!—but it’s actually pretty annoying. Toni doesn’t want this phantom $1500 messing up her balance indefinitely, and she doesn’t want to feel like she’s stolen a laptop.
Share Your Money-Saving Secrets
By 3.23.09
What are your money-saving secrets? One Consumer Reports staffer recommends cutting open tubes of toothpaste to get at the last bit. I’ve heard that one before, but another new one was to “step on your toilet paper rolls.” That way it doesn’t dispense as fast thanks to its ovular shape and you save on sheets. I think you guys can top that and so does Consumer Reports, so submit your money-saving secrets in the comments or to tips@consumerist.com, subject line: “shhmoney.” Besides getting featured here, the best ones might end up in a future Consumer Reports magazine article! “No idea is too small, wacko, or miserly,” says the Consumer Reports editor-in-chief.
Negotiate A Better CD Rate
By 3.23.09
Did you know that you might be able to negotiate CD rates with your bank? I didn’t, until I read a recent Bankrate post about it!
Blog Gets Some Stupid Capcom Credit Card Fees Removed
By 3.20.09
It turns out that Chun-Li, of Street Fighter fame, does not want to charge you so many onerous fees on your Capcom credit card that attack over and over on your neck like that stupid bitch, Blanka. Just some of them.
Ben Popken On "To The Point" Today At 3
By 3.20.09
American capitalism’s in crisis, and the public has lost confidence in banks, money managers and business reporters – even the Treasury Department. Friday, on To the Point, If the smartest guys in the room aren’t reliable, who do you trust with your money? Will the US become a nation of online traders?
10 Self-Lies That Screw You Into Debt
By 3.19.09
10 lies we tell ourselves that get us into and keep us stuck in credit card debt:
Personal Finance Roundup
By 3.19.09
What to do if you lose your 401(k) match [Bankrate] “With a little financial planning a loss of employer contributions to your 401(k) need not derail your retirement plan.”
Suze Orman Says Build Up Emergency Cash As Much As Possible
By 3.19.09
In Suze Orman‘s most recent book, “2009 Action Plan,” she urges people with credit card debt to pay off their balances as quickly as possible using the high interest first method. “The fact that you pay just the minimum is a huge warning signal to your credit card company,” she writes, “that you may already be on shaky ground.” Now she’s changed her mind and says you should just pay the monthly minimum and put the rest of your money toward building an emergency cash stash. Based on the way credit card companies have been behaving, we think she has a point.
Stocks Surge As Fed Prints More Money (Effectively)
By 3.18.09
Stocks surged today after the Fed said it would buy $300 billion in longterm Treasurys and hundreds of billions of mortgage-backed securities. Effectively, it’s like an interest rate cut, or printing more money. By increasing the amount of money in the system, banks will be able to borrow more cheaply and could prompt lower mortgage rates and more lending. Remember when we told you what “quantitative easing” was? This is it, folks, and it’s big.
Get The Best Cash Back Credit Card
By 3.18.09
Tired of using a two credit card system to maximize his cash back returns, I did an analysis to determine the single best cash back credit card. Here’s what I found:
Stock Market Rally Continues For 5 Out Of 6 Days
By 3.17.09
The market has continued to rally for the past five out of 6 days (it took a break on Monday). Yippie! [WSJ]
How To Be A Sexy Borrower
By 3.17.09
and a plunging debt-to-income ratio that reveals a nice plump credit score. Here’s the new rules of credit-worthiness game:
Recession Best Thing Ever For Non-Graybeards
By 3.17.09
Ever notice how most of the people bitching the hardest about the recession are old people? Here’s an alternative view, and how the economic meltdown might just be the best thing ever if you’re under 35, have a job, and aren’t strapped with debt. [MSN] (Photo: hanapbuhay)
Canceling Cards, Raising Interest Rates, Actually Part Of Same Horrible Party
By 3.16.09
That’s why credit-card companies have had to rein in their lending and shed accounts. Since that risks shrinking profits, they’re also trying to get as much as they can out of their existing customers, by doing things like sharply increasing their interest rates.
Tell The Feds You Want A Choice On Overdraft Fees
By 3.16.09
Tell the Feds that you don’t want your bank levying overdraft fees on you until you say, yes Mr Banky, I want to end up paying $28 for a Coke. The Feds are considering Regulation E: R-1343 and of critical concern is whether overdraft fees will be opt-out or opt-in. Obviously people shouldn’t overdraft, but what started out as a service for customers has, in some cases, turned into kicking a guy in the nuts while he’s down and taking his wallet.
