Archive for June, 2008
Preparing to Disconnect from Work
Vacation time is a precious resource and often one that is not used because of being too busy at work or other excuses. Author of Smooth Landings (2006) and The Power of Dream Trips (2009) Michael MacNair says “Work life balance is the issue of our times. Just because we can stay connected does not [...]
The Only Thing You’ll Find is Your Tombstone
That is what Ed Schieffelin was told when he set out to prospect the mountains nearby, and thus, Tombstone received its name when he struck silver and staked his claim. It changed this desolate spot to a busy mining town in the 1870’s. Twenty years later, after prospecting in Alaska and Oregon, Ed Schieffelin [...]
Make Sense to Charge our Rent?
As it seems to be the trend just about anywhere else, landlords and property managers are beginning to follow suit b allowing their tenants to pay rent with plastic. Landlords have been teaming up largely with third party service providers to make paying rent online with a credit card a viable option. While there are [...]
Carnival of Personal Finance #159 Posted at Greener Pastures
Thanks for Greener Pastures for hosting this week’s carnival. Here are a few of the posts I liked! Mary from American Entrepreneurship highlights some key customer relations skills in Customer Service Communication Tips. Debt Freedom Fighter from Discover Debt Freedom offers some great credit score watch-outs in Credit Score Killers: 5 Things to Look Out [...]
Reduce Your Monthly Grocery Bill
The price of food is becoming a strain on most family budgets. Luckily, there are ways you can reduce the amount you spend and it isn’t as painful as you might expect! Even if you already clip coupons, you can benefit from some of these tips that you may not be doing on a regular [...]
Inexpensive Tips for Securing Your Home
There are a lot of home security companies who provide security plans and equipment as well as a sense of security to families and homeowners. However, these companies can charge quite a bit in service fees and monthly charges and families do not necessarily need to go this route to feel secure. Additionally, there are [...]
Tips to Avoid Vacation Disappointment
Regardless of vacation budget, travelers put time and effort into planning their getaways. However, with all of the information available, it is easy to get off track during vacation planning and sometimes what appears to be a great “deal” could leave travelers stranded or disappointed. The United States Tour Operators Association has created its top [...]
7 Banks Giving Cash Sign Up Bonuses for New Account Holders
Looking for a new checking or savings account? Unhappy with your bank and want to switch? Just like credit card companies compete with one another with their rewards programs, banks compete with each other for new customers by offering sign-up bonuses. Here are several institutions, banks, and online payment companies that are offering cash bonuses [...]
Top Cost-Saving Tips When Cruising
In uncertain economic times people are looking to make the most out of every penny. This is no different when traveling. Cruising naturally provides a great value, yet there are some tips to help further save money while traveling. “Because of the incredible variety of cruises, cruise ships, itineraries and destinations available, consumers can find [...]
An Effective Way to Obtain A Better Mortgage Rate
Are you looking for a way to get the best rate on a mortgage? You can possibly help yourself to have a good loan experience if you follow a few simple strategies. These tips have been used by many other people to make their total cost of the mortgage more manageable through mortgage rates that [...]
A Flying Office Becomes a Reality: 30,000 Feet & Open for Business
A flying office at 30,000 feet has now become possible with the addition of Wi-Fi service aboard select routes aboard American Airlines’ Boeing 767-200 aircraft. First flight check is on American’s New York to Los Angeles flights, with future test routes to include San Francisco and Miami Passengers. For a fee, travelers now have the [...]
How to Pick and Purchase your Produce
I have always found this a perplexing task – picking out produce that will be the freshest, the sweetest, the best. I was grateful that a handful of stores I frequent started posting little signs of what to look for near the fruit and veggie bins. However, not all stores have caught on to this [...]
Unhappy With Your Bank? Switch to a Competitor and Cash-In
Most of us do our individual banking at the large mega-banks, but they often offer the least amount of services and the lowest interest rates to their typical customers. They are far more concerned about their business customers and those who have a significant amount of wealth because they are much more profitable. The typical [...]
Your Credit History: What to Do When you Do Not Have One
Believe it or not, some people have a problem with credit – only it’s not what you think. There are consumers that have no credit history at all and that can present just as much of a problem as those consumers who have a bad credit history. Those who have no history of credit have [...]
Doing Inventory Is Not Just for Businesses
Have you ever thought about what would happen in the event of a fire at your home? What item would you take if you could only take one item with you? It is a question posed often in conversations and people are generally torn in answering such a question. But the truth is if there [...]
When a Payday Loan May Actually Help
It’s no secret that almost every payday loan company has earned a bad reputation for charging extremely high interest rates to consumers. There are instances when it may make sense to obtain a payday loan, however, and if used as intended- you may be surprised to learn that you don’t actually spend all that much in fees [...]
Carnival of Personal Finance #158 at Mrs. Micah’s
Mrs. Micah hosted the Carnival of Personal Finance #158 and very creatively linked personal finance blogs with Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Thanks Mrs. Micah for featuring our post about keeping your medical information safe. Here are a number of articles from the carnival this week: Penelope Pince from Our Fourpence Worth has come up with [...]
Debt Problems Have Warning Signs
Is debt a significant problem in your life? If your answer is yes, then you have a lot in common with many others. Too much accumulated debt and an inability to pay down on the balances are both indicative of financial problems. It is very important to be able to tell when we are headed [...]
Get the Best Interest Rates on Your Mortgage by Searching Around
If you set out to go find a mortgage to purchase a home or for a refinance mortgage, you are going to be hit with dozens of different options in lenders, interest rates, loan types, and the like. You have to choose between fixed and variable, 15 and 30 year, and find the lender that [...]
Get the Best Deal When Refinancing Or Getting an Auto Loan
Currently only 3% of Americans actually pay cash for their vehicles, everyone else gets financing of some sort, whether it be a lease, a traditional auto loan through a bank, or financing through the dealer. It’s always best to pay cash if you can afford to do so, but if you need a car right [...]
How To Shop For Your Next Cell Phone Plan
My family’s been using Alltel’s cellular phone service for about a year and a half now, and I can’t say I’m terribly pleased with the coverage area, as I’m frequently roaming despite the fact that I’m in a metropolitan area. There are a few other options in our area, such as verizon and sprint, which we’ll [...]
Tips for Low-Stress Camping with Kids
Regardless of where you’re going or the length of your trip, camping with kids can be a harried experience. But don’t get so overwhelmed by the thought, that you cancel your trip before you even start packing. The secret is planning ahead and here are some tips for Low-Stress Camping with Kids. compactly fold outfits [...]
What to Look for in a Carpet Cleaning Company
If you’re moving out of an apartment or just happen to have a lot of spills on your carpet, chances are you’re going to need to hire some sort of carpet cleaning. There are a lot of do it yourself services where you can rent a carpet cleaner at a grocery store or a cleaning [...]
Protect Your Medical Information from Theft
It’s a frightening enough thought to know that you could be the victim of a scam artist who steals your social security number and uses it maliciously. Perhaps you could be on the wrong end of a scheme that involves your stolen credit cards. Whatever ways a criminal can find to extort information or money [...]
Don’t Fall Victim to Credit Card Scam Artists
Consumers are working hard to clear up credit card debt and find ways to improve their credit scores during these tough economic times. Many consumers are trading in traditional credit cards and opting instead to use only debit cards for their purchases to finally get some real debt relief. Another way is by getting prepaid [...]
4 Tips – Keeping Your Time, Your Money, and Your Sanity While Shopping
Shopping can mean different things to different people – just ask a married couple. It can be a form of relaxation, entertainment, or just done based on necessity. For others, shopping indeed can be considered a sport. In the economically-rough times our nation is currently experiencing, it is now more important than ever to save [...]
Being Frugal Doesn’t Mean Overlooking Quality
Frugality is becoming an increasingly widespread topic of interest. Saving money where you can is important to living within your means and still having what you need. There are some things however that you need to consider when living the life of the frugal. Here are some tips for living frugally and resourcefully. Avoid Bad-Quality [...]
I agree. If a local business is the one offering the sale price I will buy it from them. ...
We are retired and live on a grocery budget of $200 a month for 2 people in the Midwest. That ...