The White House could be planning to start charging banks new fees as a way to trim the deficit, get paid back for the bailout, and teach bankers a lesson they hasn’t sunk in yet. What?! A fee on banks? You’re crazy. Only banks are allowed to make up fees. [More]
personal finance
Company Introduces Bridal-Style Registry For Paying Off Bills
By 1.8.10
BillPayRegistry is a new website where customers can create a list of bills they need paid off, and then have friends and family members make “gift” payments via the website to be applied to said bills. The site takes 5.9% off the gift amount and sets aside the rest in a fund that the registrant can only apply to the accounts listed–there’s no way to cash out the funds, in other words. [More]
Save Money By Using Up Old Groceries
By 1.6.10
Chances are you’ve got forgotten food supplies in your pantry, writes Herb Weisbaum, so why not feed your family some old food for a week and ban yourself from the grocery store? The woman in Weisbaum’s article tried it out, and found that there were enough unused items that when she was forced to make do, she figured out a way. [More]
How To Make Sure Your Marriage Isn't Costing You Money
By 1.6.10
Liz Davidson at Forbes has an article about ways you and your spouse can fine-tune spending and investment patterns so that your marriage isn’t a financial drain. It’s easy enough to compare financial health before marriage (although lots of couples don’t do it, she notes), but even if your net income increases, your net worth could flatline or drop: [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 1.6.10
10 Steps to Financial Success in 2010 [Get Rich Slowly] “Here are ten simple but effective steps you can take to build a better financial future.”
The Best and Worst Jobs for 2010 [The Wall Street Journal] “The findings were based on five criteria: environment, income, employment outlook, physical demands and stress.”
Money 70: Best mutual funds and ETFs [CNN Money] “Our recommended list of mutual funds and ETFs will help you buy and hold your way to your long-term goals.”
6 Ways to Cut Gym Membership Costs [Smart Money] “Many new members can cut their costs by as much as 50%. Here’s how.”
Should you ‘Buy This Now!’? [Consumer Reports] “Usually not, based on our tests of 15 infomercial products.”
BoA Explains Fees With Pretty Lady On Talking Website
By 1.4.10
Bank of America launched a new sub-site to help explain their banking penalties to fee-curious customers. I always feel safer when my website talks to me and pretends to be alive so Bank of America has also included “Janet,” a walking talking video actor to help guide me through the process. I appreciate that she is wearing no belt. It sends the signal, “hey, we’re keeping it cas.” [More]
Move Your Money From Big Banks To Small Ones
By 1.4.10
The canaille likes to bitch that big banks haven’t been punished enough, so why not put your money where your mouth is? That’s the premise behind “Move Your Money” which encourages everyone to withdraw their savings from the pockets of the pimps of Wall Street and redeposit with well-rated community banks. [More]
Thank You, Consumerist, For Easing Chase's Credit Strangehold On Me
By 1.1.10
Is reducing your credit card debt one of your goals for 2010? You’re in the right place. Josh used information that he found on Consumerist to significantly reduce his credit card interest rates and help him and his wife on their way to freedom from debt. [More]
83 Ways To Be Smarter With Money While You're Still Young
By 12.31.09
Hank from Own the Dollar has put together a common-sense guide of 83 money moves to make while you’re in your 20s. [More]
Program Yourself To Be A Better Consumer With SaveEveryWay's Free Money-Saving Reminders
By 12.30.09
Research has shown that signing up for text message reminders to save money can increase your savings balance by 16%. SaveEveryWay makes the experimental a reality. You can sign up there for free to get reminders sent to you via text message, email, RSS, or Twitter that encourage better consumer behaviors. Some samples: [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 12.30.09
It’s More Important to Be Happy Than to Be Rich [Get Rich Slowly] “While it’s certainly true that money can help you achieve your goals, provide for your future, and make life more enjoyable, merely having money doesn’t guarantee happiness.”
Nine Simple Things to Do to Get Ready for Tax Season Right Now! [The Simple Dollar] “There are many things we can do – starting right now – to make things easier for us when we actually file.”
10 lessons from a dismal decade [MSN Money] “Before we put the pain behind us, consider what we’ve learned.”
10 Best Financial Books of the Year [Smart Money] “Here are choices from our editors and writers for top books of the year.”
What You Need to Know About Roth IRAs in 2010 [Wise Bread] “A crash course in what exactly has changed in 2010 regarding the Roth IRA conversion opportunity and why it matters to you.”
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: Lisa Brewster)
How To Save Money Using A "Clean" Credit Card
By 12.29.09
If you’re the type of person who carries debt on your credit card from month to month, you should always have one “clean” credit card in your wallet, says Bob Sullivan of Red Tape Chronicles in his new book, Stop Getting Ripped Off: Why Consumers Get Screwed, and How You Can Always Get a Fair Deal. A “clean” credit card is one that you know can always get paid off in full if you use it, and you only whip it out for emergencies. For some consumers, this results in paying less interest and fewer penalties. In an excerpt he’s sharing with Consumerist readers, Bob explains how it works: [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 12.23.09
A Habit of Generosity [Wall Street Journal]“Turning generosity into a daily habit can be good for your career.”
3 ways to outsmart the market [CNN Money] “At times the market acts like the fool. Protecting yourself from its folly is simpler than you might think.”
The 19 most-overlooked tax deductions [MSN Money] “Don’t throw money away by missing these easy tax breaks.”
5 Alternatives to CDs [Kiplinger] “There are better things to do with your money than invest in another certificate of deposit if the one you have is maturing.”
7 Ways to Empty Flexible-Spending Accounts Now [Smart Money] “Assuming a last-minute doctor’s visit is out of the question, try these seven tactics to spend down your FSA.”
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: This Year’s Love)
Buy A New Car Without Getting Ripped Off
By 12.18.09
There is a rare breed of individual who enjoys shopping for a new car. Likening it to one of our last remaining instances of socially acceptable bare-knuckle-boxing, Rob Gruhl is one such person. He shares his tips for not getting screwed at the dealership in this fun and lively and short presentation. [More]
Personal Finance Roundup
By 12.16.09
Putting Santa on a Budget [Kiplinger]“Six ways to keep holiday spending on your kids under control.”
Lies that could kill your life insurance [MSN Money] “Insurance applicants often fudge on issues ranging from DUIs to drug use. But it’s hard to hide baldfaced lies — even though some folks go so far as shaving their heads.”
5 Beloved Tax Perks With Ugly Downsides [Smart Money] “[Here] are the five largest of our 165 tax expenditures, along with their projected cost to taxpayers over the next five years. All are beloved programs, but none are beyond criticism.”
Why It May Pay To Convert to a Roth IRA [The Wall Street Journal] “Some financial advisers say growing numbers of their clients are leaning toward a Roth conversion, even if they have to tap their traditional IRAs to pay the taxes.”
7 Ways to Help Unemployed Friends and Family [NY Times] “Most of us who are still lucky enough to have jobs know someone in a similar spot and want to find a way to help. So what’s the right way to do it?”
— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: FastFords)
Reach Chase Executive Customer Service
By 12.16.09
Here’s another Chase Executive Customer Service contact to add to our collection: [More]
New Jersey Considers "Do Not Solicit" Registry To Block Credit Card Offers
By 12.15.09
New Jersey politicians appear to be engaged in some sort of contest to see who can get the most stringent anti-junk mail law passed. First an Assembleyman introduced a bill a few weeks back that would ban companies from mailing unsolocited checks to consumers. Now the Assembley’s Consumer Affairs committee has proposed starting a “Do Not Solicit” list, which would block credit card companies from offering new cards to consumers who aren’t interested. [More]
