Aug
19
Debit Card Security - How To Keep Your Information Private
August 19, 2008 | 1 Comment
Many people carry their debit card PIN around in their wallets or purses. Because they have so many credit cards and debit cards they have to write down the pin number of each one. That's a bad idea. Here are a few tips to manage and protect your banking information.
Don't Carry Around [...]
Jul
21
How Long Should I Keep Credit Card Statements?
July 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Have a pile of credit card statements? Find out how long you need to keep your old statements and why.
When deciding what financial records to keep and what to throw away, there are several important criteria. Do you use your credit card for business expenses? Do you have any tax deductible purchases? [...]
Jul
14
More people are using a debit card to pay for hotel rooms than ever before. There are many reasons people use debit cards. However, I recommend using credit cards instead of debit cards.
Debit cards have become much more popular. Many people pay with debit cards instead of credit cards as a way to avoid spending [...]
Jul
10
Close Old Or Unused Accounts
July 10, 2008 | 7 Comments
I hate loose ends, especially financial loose ends. If you have old accounts that you no longer use like credit cards, home equity lines or other bank accounts, you should close them. In case you need convincing, I've created a list of the reasons you should close unused accounts.
When ING kept sending me statements [...]
Jul
2
I was browsing around the IRS site looking for some information on the stimulus package and I happened across this picture. It just screamed out for some creative editing.
Alan Greenspan is the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve which according to some is the most powerful position in the world.
Some argue that his easy credit [...]
Jun
27
Searching for a Safe Short Term High Yield Investment
June 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A couple years ago, online savings accounts were paying over 5% interest. Now interest rates have dropped slightly and are just starting to recover. I have short term money that I want to keep liquid, yet I also want a decent return on investment. What do I do now?
In 2006 high interest online savings accounts [...]
Jun
5
Yahoo Music billed me for another year of their music service without my permission. They refused to refund my money so I turned to my last line of defense, my credit card company.
Credit Cards have a bad reputation. Some of it is deserved. Like alcohol and casinos, credit cards are bad for certain people. However, [...]
Apr
4
Your FICO is Worthless
April 4, 2008 | 2 Comments
FICO scores don’t matter to wealthy people. I know, that sounds like heresy but it’s true. The truly wealthy (or those that will be wealthy someday) know that their credit scores (and credit bureaus) really don’t matter in the long run.
Wealthy People Don’t Worry About Credit Scores
A FICO score or any credit score [...]
Mar
25
The Federal Reserve (the Fed), the central bank that everyone loves to hate, has lowered its target interest rate to 2.25%, down from 3%. The Fed is reducing rates in an attempt to stimulate the economy and prop up weak financial markets. What does this mean to you?
Well it’s either good or bad [...]
Mar
14
Ten reasons to use a credit card for every purchase
March 14, 2008 | 1 Comment
Many personal finance sites love to pick on credit cards. The credit card industry is an easy target. Don’t get me wrong, some of the reputation is well deserved. However, the savvy and disciplined consumer can take advantage of credit cards. Like any tool, credit cards, used responsibly, can make life [...]