Feb
28
Auto-Activation is Real
February 28, 2008 | 5 Comments
Please read this article about auto-activation at the Consumerist.com if you are in doubt about credit card activations and what can happen.
I personally re-wrote and maintained a program to auto-active card members at a major nation-wide card issuer. I can tell you that auto-activation was a standard practice at said card issuer. I [...]
Feb
28
College Savings Dilemma
February 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Confused about the difference between 529 plans versus Coverdale plans or college savings in general? So was I, so I researched and wrote this article as a way to educate myself (and hopefully you) on the topic of college savings.
My son Ben just turned one year old as I write this. He had [...]
Feb
25
Subprime Mortgage Fiasco: An Explanation
February 25, 2008 | 1 Comment
You hear it every time a new scandal erupts. People think that Wall Street is becoming more evil, corrupt, etc. Well if you’ve read Benjamin Graham’s Intelligent Investor, you know financial scandals are nothing new.
If you’ve had a hard time following the financial drama known as The Subprime Mortgage Crisis (you [...]
Feb
23
Online Savings Accounts: HSBC vs ING
February 23, 2008 | 2 Comments
Everyone should have a little cash stashed away for a rainy day. After all you never know when an emergency is going to come up. I first starting saving online many years ago with ING Direct. I really liked ING and their website is great. I liked them so much I [...]
Feb
18
Investment Advice from Google
February 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment
When Google was about to go public one of its managers realized that the financial buzzards would be circling looking for fresh meat. Google did something very few companies could or would do. They brought in the heavyweight legends of intelligent investing before they let the rest of the rabble have a go [...]
Feb
17
Death and Taxes
February 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.
-Benjamin Franklin
As I write this article it is again tax time in the United States. A time of year that strikes fear and dread in the productive and brings glee to those “in the cart*.” Those of that that produce something will have [...]
Feb
8
On Advice
February 8, 2008 | Leave a Comment
When I started this site, I wasn’t sure how to approach advice to readers. I was really tired of the way most financial advice is given either in magazines, web sites or books. Most of it comes with a large helping of ifs-ands-or buts advising readers to seek professional counsel before proceeding.
One of [...]
Feb
6
My Attempt to Add Index Funds to the Company 401(k)
February 6, 2008 | 3 Comments
We have a very good 401(k) program at work with a generous matching contribution. I should say that the matching contribution is what makes the 401(k) program so nice.
The part of the program that’s not so nice is our selection of funds. We have a decent selection of funds in terms [...]
Feb
2
Bad Investments: Baby Clothes
February 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Before you get upset and think that I clothe my son in burlap sacks, read the rest of the article. Kid’s clothes are ridiculously expensive. New parents have a tendency to go overboard on everything including toys and clothes. I believe and my wife and I have certainly proven that there is [...]
Jan
25
Maxed Out: The Movie
January 25, 2008 | 1 Comment
If you’re in the mood for a movie and you need a little more convincing to pay off your credit cards then I have just the movie for you. Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders is a documentary about both consumer and government debt in America.
The [...]
