The vacancy sign is blazing over house divisions across the US. About 1 in 10 houses in America have no one living inside them, according to new data from the Census, CNBC reports. (Update: while technically correct, this number includes other kinds of properties like abandoned farm house. The more typically used number, the home-vacancy rate, is 2.7%, up from 2.5% the previous quarter). [More]
personal finance
Wachovia Settles "Pick-a-Payment" Mortgage Loan Class Action
By 2.1.11
If you got a “Pick-a-Payment” mortgage from Wachovia between Aug 1 2003 and Dec 31 2008, you might be up for claiming some cash in a $50 million settlement. [More]
How To Come Clean To Your Spouse About Financial Infidelity
By 2.1.11
Last month, we wrote about the Forbes survey that found that nearly one-third of of those who combined finances had admitted to lying to spouses about money. But once you’ve cheated, what’s the best way to come clean to your better half? [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 2.1.11
7 Reasons Why Bond Ladders Are Bad for Investors [Money Watch] “My case against ladders.”
3 Steps to Strengthen Your Emergency Fund [Christian Personal Finance] “There are basically three things you need to analyze about your emergency fund, and then make the appropriate changes.”
Don’t settle for less than the best in your 401(k) plan [Market Watch] “What are the best features for a 401(k) plan?”
How to Get a Free FICO Credit Score [Money Talks News] “New rules that might deliver a free look at your score started this Jan. 1.”
The Costs of End-of-Life Care [Wall Street Journal] “Whatever you think health-care costs are going to be toward the end of life, you’ve probably underestimated.”
Skimmer Uses Bank Door Swipe, Crooks Don't Even Touch ATM
By 1.31.11
In a twist to the usual ATM skimmer scam, there’s a new report from Krebs on Security about crooks who put the skimmer inside the bank door-lock. When you swipe your card to get inside, they grab your digits. A camera hidden behind a mirror above the ATM and pointed down at the keypad records your PIN code when you punch it in. [More]
Deduct The Costs Of Your Job Search
By 1.31.11
It’s hard to get a break when you’re out of work, but there are a few tax breaks you do qualify for. Did you know that you can deduct travel expenses for job interviews? The fees you pay to an outplacement firm? And the cost of printing your resume on ostrich ebony paper? A survey of 1,000 adults found that only 1% of them did. While you’re trying to snag a job, might as well catch a few tax breaks along the way. [More]
This Is Why You Need To Double Check Your Statements After Prepaying Your Mortgage
By 1.28.11
For those who try to prepay their mortgages, here’s a cautionary tale from reader RM. Basically every single time that he’s prepaid his mortgage, there’s been a big problem. The bank keeps applying it to the future interest instead of the existing principal. The future interest is calculated based on the current principal, so that means they’re having him paying extra interest that would have never accrued if they had subtracted his payment correctly! [More]
Track Your Tax Return Status With IRS2Go App
By 1.28.11
The IRS has an official app called “IRS2Go” for iOS and Android that lets you keep track of your tax return’s status after you’ve filed it. [More]
Chase Chokes Off Enrollment In Debit Rewards
By 1.28.11
After February 8th, Chase isn’t letting any more people into the debit rewards program. Citing shrinking margins due to recent legislation, Chase is closing off all new enrollment. [More]
Pretty Circles Tell You Whether To Rent Or Buy
By 1.27.11
For those who don’t like math but do like colored circles, here’s a graphic visualizing which cities it’s cheaper to buy in and which it’s cheaper to rent in. The redder the circler, the better it is to rent. The greener, the better it is to buy. [More]
Avoid The Dread Eye Of The IRS Auditor
By 1.27.11
After The Reaper, second in the line of “those to fear” is the IRS tax auditor. What with his scales and poison fangs and all. But you can dodge his fell gaze if you know the red flags he’s looking for. [More]
Build Your Own Home Gym For Cheap With Craigslist
By 1.25.11
Getting in shape this year needn’t require a gym membership. A reader over at the New York Times Bucks Blog sent in info and pictures about the home gym he built almost entirely from equipment scavenged off Craigslist. [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 1.25.11
ETFs you do (and don’t) want to own [CNN Money] “With over 1,000 to choose from, investing in ETFs can be tricky. Experts break it down with their recommendations.”
Cook More, Eat Out Less: 7 Highly Effective Habits [Money Watch] “The habits that have helped me stay committed [to saving on eating out] thus far.”
Frugal Lessons from People Who Survived the Great Depression [Frugal Confessions] “The Great Depression left a great impression on their thoughts, their styles, and their habits.”
Five Best New Cheap Cars (Under $20K) To Consider [Wallet Pop] “An iffy economy and high unemployment rate make a flock of new vehicles priced below $20,000 well timed for their 2011 debuts.”
35 Things NOT to do When Ordering Delivery [Budgets are Sexy] “The following is a list of things to consider the next time you decide to order delivery from a local restaurant.”
Buy A Stolen Debit Card For $80
By 1.21.11
Security firm Pandalabs investigated the online underworld’s menu of services and has surveyed the going rates for various kinds of fraud. Stolen credit card numbers can be had for as little as $2, but these are like buying a mystery bag. Crooks don’t know the cardholder’s info and there’s no assurance that it will actually work. So for $80 thieves will sell a debit card with a guaranteed (small) balance. To get access to a big balance of $82,000, that will run ya $700. [More]
Reasons It's Not So Great To Rent
By 1.20.11
Two weeks ago we told you about a couple of reasons it’s not necessarily super-awesome to own your own house. Well, now here’s the flip side of the coin. Renting has plenty of financial drawbacks too. [More]
You Can Now Open A Chinese Bank Account, Invest Directly In Yuan
By 1.19.11
This week, for the first time ever, the Bank of China in the US is letting American customers open up accounts and invest directly in Chinese currency. Last year the “closed” currency yuan gained 3.3% against the dollar while the highest American “high interest” accounts were delivering around 1.7%. WSJ gives 5 reasons for getting in on the hot renminbi action: [More]
8 Ways Your 1040 Is Different This Year
By 1.19.11
Once January hits it’s a good time to start getting ready for your taxes. To help you prepare, here’s 8 ways your 1040 is going to be different this year: [More]
Chase Overcharged Over 4,000 Military Families On Mortgages, Improperly Foreclosed On 14
By 1.19.11
Chase has admitted that it overcharged over 4,000 military families on their home mortgages, as well as wrongly foreclosed on 14 of them. Some of these are families of troops that are fighting in Afghanistan. [More]
