May
20
5 Ways to Save Money On Gas - Gas Prices - Part 4
May 20, 2008 | 4 Comments
Gas prices are at record highs. If you've filled up recently, you probably felt a little sick after dumping $50 or more into your gas tank. Gas prices are high, but there are a few things you can do to save yourself a few bucks.
This is the 4th article in a multi-part series on gas prices in the United States. You can read Part 3 (High Gas Prices - What Can We Do About It?) of the Gas Price …
May
9
More frequently asked questions regarding the Economic Stimulus Payment ( Rebate ): What if my spouse owes money ? What will happen to our stimulus payment ? Will the IRS keep it all even though part of that money is for me and my children?
The IRS Will Keep Your Money
The IRS can keep your stimulus money (and tax refund) if you owe money to the government. The IRS will shoot first and ask questions later. …
Comment by Chris: mahealai K. If you filed an injured spouse …
Apr
8
Lending Money on Prosper: What Are the Risks?
April 8, 2008 | 2 Comments
This is the 3rd post in a series of articles about Prosper.com. Prosper is a person to person lending site with an auction format similar to EBay. If you’re a lender you may want to consider the risks of lending money on Prosper before you start loaning money.
In my previous article on Prosper, I discussed how Prosper.com works. Refer to that article for details about …
Dec
19
Make More Money
December 19, 2007 | 3 Comments
Everyone wants to know how, at least, everyone claims they want to know how. It’s strange that so few make the effort to learn how to become wealthy, let alone actually do it. If you want to become wealthy, the logical first step is to find out how to make more money.
The secret to making money is to understand that there is no secret to making money. Becoming wealthy is the most obvious thing in the world. …
Sep
21
Why Money Market Funds Aren't Safe
September 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Many people think money market funds are as safe as bank deposits or certificates of deposit. Many people are wrong.
When you buy a CD or deposit money into a demand deposit (checking or savings) account, the government ( FDIC ) will insure your money up to a certain limit, usually no less than $100,000.
However with with money market funds that's not the case. Money market funds are mutual funds …
Jul
7
Moving My Money Away From Prosper
July 7, 2008 | Leave a Comment
I just transferred my current balance out of Prosper.com. I know they've made some changes recently but I'm not going to bid on new loans. It's just way too risky.
I've posted about my experience with Prosper.com in previous articles. Here's an index of my articles on prosper.com.
Peer to Peer Lending with Prosper Et Al.
What is Prosper and How Does it Work?
Lending …
Jun
10
6 Ways to Spend Your Stimulus Money
June 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment
By now a majority of Americans have received their stimulus payments from the IRS. If you're wondering what to do with that money, I have some suggestions.
Start an Emergency Fund.
Everybody needs an emergency fund. Dave Ramsey recommends at least $1,000 until you pay off your debts then you need 3 to 6 months of income. I recommend you put as much as you can into an emergency fund. …
Apr
21
PayPal is an Expensive Way to Transfer Money
April 21, 2008 | 5 Comments
Do you use PayPal ? If you do business on the internet, there is a good chance you do. Many web sites accept PayPal for payment. Our small business used PayPal quite extensively in the beginning, but now we are moving away from it. Why? It’s too expensive.
Most people associate PayPal with EBay. That’s because the most convenient way to pay on EBay is via PayPal. However, many smaller online …
Comment by Chris: Jan, I dont' have a good alternative right …
Apr
9
Lending Money on Prosper: My Results
April 9, 2008 | 4 Comments
This is the 4th post in a series of articles about Prosper.com. Prosper is a person to person lending site with an auction format similar to EBay. I’ve been lending money on Prosper for awhile. In this article I’ll write about my results.
In my previous articles, I’ve discussed how Prosper.com works and the risks of lending money on Prosper. Refer to those articles if you have …
Mar
21
Harvard Says Money Can Buy Happiness
March 21, 2008 | 1 Comment
Apparently, money can buy you happiness. There’s a catch of course, you have to spend the money on someone else.
According to researchers at Harvard Business School and the University of British Columbia, spending as little as $5 a day on someone else could boost your happiness.
Although much research has examined the effect of income on happiness, we suggest that how people spend their money …