Simple (and complex) investment strategies [Bankrate] “What’s the best way to invest? The jury is still out on the best strategy, but here we present several approaches used by professionals.”
money
FDIC Criticizes Banks' Overdraft Fees
By 12.4.08
It took 18 months for the FDIC to figure out that banks’ practice of clearing checks largest to smallest makes banks a lot of money.
What You Should Tip
By 12.3.08
Ever wonder what the “right” tip was to give a service provider? Well, wonder no longer as Yahoo Hotjobs offers the following tip suggestions for a variety of workers:
2008 Bailout Costs As Much As Several Large And Famous Government Projects Combined
By 12.3.08
This graphic demonstrates how the 2008 bailout, so far, costs as much as several large and famous government projects added up together. Yes, these numbers are inflation adjusted.
US In Recession Since Dec '07, Says Official Stat Group
By 12.1.08
We’ve been in a recession since December 2007, according to a fancypants stat group. WSJ reports, “In a statement, the National Bureau of Economic Research said its Business Cycle Dating Committee determined that the U.S. entered recession in December 2007, marking the end of the economic expansion that began in November 2001.” I don’t think Americans need a committee to tell them the economy has been on the express the train to Suck City for over a year…
End Of Month Is Best Time For Gadget Haggling
By 12.1.08
A salesman at a major electronics retailer told FreeMoneyFinance a bevy of tips you can use to bargain down the prices in-store on big-ticket items, like:
Personal Finance Roundup
By 11.27.08
11 ways to strike gold on Black Friday [Consumer Reports] “We’ve compiled the following savvy-shopper’s guide.”
Video: How Credit Cards Become Bonds
By 11.26.08
We’ve heard lots about how mortgages get turned into tradeable securities, but they’re not the only thing. No no no, there was far too much Chinese money not able to earn anything on T-bonds for us to let them lie. Credit cards can become asset-backed bonds too. Marketplace’s Paddy Hirsch is back with his whiteboard and dry-erase markers to explain how it works. Video inside.
ReFi Time: Mortgage Rates Drop On New $800 Billion Intervention
By 11.26.08
If you’re looking to refinance a home and have cash and good credit, now is a good time to pull the trigger. Yesterday the government announced the latest Federal golden bandaid: a pledge to inject $800 billion directly into the credit markets, news which pushed national average mortgage rates for a 30 year fixed to 5.81%, down from 6.07%, according to bankrate. Bankrate also suggest that if you’re trying to refi to act quickly, before rates rise or home values drop.
Don't Worry About AMEX's Bank Yank Clause
By 11.26.08
CreditMattersBlog explains why that new AMEX contract language we wrung our hands over this morning is nothing to fret about.
Play Black Friday Bingo
By 11.24.08
Here’s your official Consumerist Black Friday Bingo Card, inspired by “28 Bad Things That Will Happen On Black Friday.” I added a few of my own as well. Full-size inside. I made it using the free bingo card maker at teach-nology.com.
US Bails Out Citigroup
By 11.24.08
Federal regulators took extreme steps to prop up Citigroup, backing $306 billion of mainly real estate loans and securities and directly injecting money by buying $20 billion of preferred stock. The $20 billion of stock will pay an 8% dividend. Regulators will also get an additional $7 billion of preferred stock. Citigroup will basically halt dividend payments for 3 years and limit some executive pay. It will also implement the FDIC’s loan modification plan, which is close to the one it had already announced for itself.
Even Debt Collectors Are Having Trouble Paying Their Bills
By 11.24.08
You would think tough times would be boom times for debt collectors, but debt collection company First American Recovery Services is filing for bankruptcy. “The amount of debt out there is 10 times what it had been, but the ability to pay is less,” Tim Smith, FirstSource Advantage collections vice president told The Buffalo News. Don’t dance on their grave quite yet. The debts will just get sold to someone else, and usually each generation of debt owners has successively less scruples. But you have to wonder, how long before there is just too much debt that’s just too hard to collect in time before the statute of limitations expires?
How Uncle Sam Killed The Liberty Dollar
By 11.21.08
There’s a new story in Triple Canopy about The Liberty Dollar, an alternative American currency started by Bernard von NotHaus that experienced a grassroots backing among some shoppers and merchants, until the Feds shut it down. Unlike the “real” dollar, Liberty Dollars are in fact…
Your PS3s Are Stuck In The UK And You Have To Buy Four More
By 11.21.08
Mea culpa. It sounded like a good idea, but the “people-powered” comparison shopping site we wrote about, beatmyprice.com, got one of our readers scammed when she used it in a non-savvy fashion. Rebecca ordered a PS3 from the sketchy-as-hell looking “omexelectronics.biz” for $260. After she ordered it with her Discover Card, she got an email telling her to complete the transaction via Western Union instead. She did so. Big mistake.
Kiss Courtesy Overdraft Fees Goodbye With WaMu Debit-Only Card?
By 11.21.08
Whoever came up with the name “courtesy overdraft fee” is one smart cookie. They figured out a way to let you do something you don’t want to do, charge you a fee, and make it sound like they’re doing you a favor. WaMu is one of the few banks that let you…
Personal Finance Roundup
By 11.20.08
4 Common Resume Blunders [Yahoo Hotjobs] “Keep yourself in the running by avoiding these resume mistakes.”
