Archive for March, 2010
Health Care Reform Legislation Passes: What it Means For Your Wallet
The House of Representatives passed the largest and most wide-reaching piece of social legislation passed in more than four decades. Some of the first changes that Democrats say will go into effect before 2011 include that people that are diagnosed with serious illnesses will no longer face annual spending caps. If you buy a health [...]
Wells Fargo Falling Behind In Make Home Affordable Program (NYSE: WFC)
As a result of the recession and a slowly recovering economy, the Make Home Affordable Program was initiated by the Obama administration. Mortgage lenders who participate in the program offer an alternative to foreclosure for homeowners who qualify for a loan modification. Despite the original intention of helping homeowners stay in their primary residence, many [...]
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) On the Fast-Track for Growth
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) is focusing on its better business strategies moving forward after getting back on track after big mistakes in the recent path. The CEO of Bank of America, Brian Moynihan, has announced a plan outlined for pursuing new business in growing markets. The company hopes to solidify better relationships with its [...]
Citigroup (NYSE: C) Ready to Grow Hedge Fund Group
Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C) is preparing to double up on the members of their consulting team that help consumers manage direct hedge fund investments from pension and government-backed funds. The plan is to have the team developed within the next 2 years in order to accommodate the change of direction the hedge fund industry has [...]
How to Find Your Credit Score
Many people know that their credit score can affect their lives in many ways, but a lot of the people are unaware of what their credit score is. A personal credit score is something that people see on a regular basis, so it is difficult for many people to determine what credit category they fall [...]
Bank Of America Blames Title Insurer For Losses (NYSE: BAC, FAF)
Bank of America, the largest mortgage lender in the United States, has recently filed a suit against First American Corp, the second largest title insurer in the country. This comes on the heels of another multi-million dollar law suit filed against MGIC Investment Corp., a mortgage insurer that allegedly denied millions of dollars in claims. [...]
Apple iPad Orders Averaging 10,000 Per Day (NASDAQ: AAPL)
Apple (NASDASQ: AAPL) is averaging 10,000 pre-orders per day according to Daniel Tello, a Venezuelan blogger-analyst that writes about Apple. Tello has been tracking order numbers submitted by volunteers since March 12th when apple began accepting pre-orders for the iPad. By tracking order numbers and, Tello was able to estimate how many iPad pre-orders have [...]
Peer-to-Peer Lending Company, Lending Club, Passes $1 Billion in Loan Demand
Lending Club, the a peer-to-peer lending company in the United States, has surpassed $1 billion in loan demand from borrowers and has hit a new monthly record for loan demand during the truncated month of February. The California-based peer-to-peer lending company recently issued their 10,000th loan and has now originated more than $95 million in [...]
Avoid Paying Too Much on Auto Repairs
If you drive a vehicle you can expect to run into occassional problems that require repairs. We have all heard horror stories from friends and family members about getting taken for a ride from an automobile shop. To avoid paying for unnecessary or overpriced repairs you need to have a basic understanding of car maintenance [...]
Did You Buy an Apple iPad? Your Accessories May Come Late (NASDASQ: AAPL)
Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) unveiled its long rumored iPad in January. The device is now available for pre-order and is slated to ship on April 3rd, but customers that ordered accessories along with their iPad may be disappointed to find out that their iPad add-ons may not arrive until May. Currently Apple is allowing customers [...]
Bank of America Customer? Here’s How to Handle BofA’s New Overdraft Policies (NYSE: BAC)
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) recently announced that they would be halting the practice of automatically enrolling in programs which previously allowed customers to overdraft their checking accounts via use of their debit card. Bank of America’s new policy will deny debit card transactions unless customers pre-agree to pay overdraft fees if they charge more [...]
Citi To Help Rebuild New York City Public Housing (NYSE: C)
There are 21 public housing projects that have been on hold in New York City due to lack of funding through the New York City Housing Authority. City officials claim that the housing authority “has been ‘hemorrhaging’ about $1 billion over ten years” making it difficult to keep up with much needed renovations. To get [...]
Walmart To Help Local Economies (NYSE: WMT)
When one of the world’s largest public corporations makes a move toward supporting the local economy, it is only natural to wonder what is the motive is behind this grand gesture. It appears most Americans have a strong feeling one way or the other about this discount retailer. Many people swear by the deals and [...]
Ford and Chrysler Vehicles Causes More Acceleration Related Car Accidents than Toyota (F, TM)
There have been more deaths in vehicles made by Ford Motor (NYSE: F), Chrysler and other brands from unintended acceleration-related accidents, often blamed on human error, than from Toyota (NYSE: TM) during the last three decades, according to data compiled for Bloomberg News by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Out of the 110 fatalities [...]
How Many Chickens Does it Take to Make McDonalds Breakfast? 1.1 Million (NYSE: MCD)
McDonalds (NYSE: MCD) serves untold numbers of Egg McMuffins, McGriddles and other popular breakfast items each morning to commuters and other customers. The bread, sausage, ham, bacon, cheese and eggs that make up the company’s delicious breakfast products don’t appear from thin air, and it turns out that it takes more than 1.1 million hens [...]
USA Today Available At Starbucks (NYSE: SBUX)
It was a good run while it lasted, however after ten years of running the show at most Starbucks locations, the New York Times has competition from a national paper once again. In the past decade, most of the company operated stores outside of airports and malls have sold only the New York Times in [...]
Wal-Mart Fires Employee for Using Medical Marijuana (NYSE: WMT)
Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT) fired one of its Michigan employees after failing a drug test given by his employer of the last five years, despite medical marijuana being legal in his state of residence and having a prescription. The employee, Joseph Casias, has a brain tumor and has gotten a medical prescription to use marijuana [...]
Wal-Mart Reacting to Declines in Same Store Sales (NYSE: WMT)
Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE: WMT) is reacting to data from its earnings report indicating that fourth quarter same-store sales from 2009 were down by more than 2% compared to the same quarter in 2008. One of the first moves that the company is returning about 300 items to shelves that were removed during last year [...]
Pepsi (NYSE: PEP) Sponsorship Bubbles Over At Yale
Yale University critics are confused about a recent donation from Pepsi (NYSE: PEP). A $250,000 gift was handed to the University in support of a research fellowship at the Yale School of Medicine on the subject of obesity. The sponsorship is not sitting well with many because of the company’s possible influence on the research [...]
What is an Annuity?
Generally speaking, annuities can be used to refer to the contracts in which there may be a series of premiums that are paid by investors in order to earn a series of payments for income from the insurer. Annuities are usually meant to secure income when the investors have to retire later in their life. [...]
The Fat Tax -A Way to a Healthier America or a Poorer One?
The idea of the ‘fat tax’ has been batted around quite a bit in the last decade. Rising obesity rates, a continuing prevalence of lifestyle diseases and since roughly the beginning of 2009, recessionary conditions, have all come together to bring a new round of talks on the possibility of a ‘fat tax’. The state [...]
Debit Card Overdrafts Thing of the Past at Bank of America
Bank of America ((NYSE: BAC) has brought to an end the overdraft fees associated with debit card purchases. This decision can end up costing the bank tens of millions in revenue each year but it would also force the hand of other banks to do the same, which is good news for consumers. In the [...]
Bank of America Hijacks Parrot, Forecloses Wrong House
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) has a lot of explaining to do. According to a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania woman, the bank took not only her home but also hung on to her parrot even after proof was offered Bank of America had the wrong house. The woman filed a lawsuit today against Bank of America. Bank [...]
US Airways Fined for Price Advertising Discrepancies… Again
Three cheers for the US Department of Transportation (DOT)! US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is quoted as saying “When consumers shop for air travel, they have a right to know how much they will have to pay. We will continue to ensure that airlines comply with our price advertising rules.” The airline, which is based [...]
Is The Time Right To Take Out A Personal Loan?
Choosing the right time to take out a personal loan can be a difficult decision for many people. Sometimes, there are financial reasons that make it a good idea to take out a personal loan while in other cases, a new personal loan will end up causing a financial hardship for the person. There are [...]
Travel Scams Target Spring Travelers
This winter has brought record breaking snowfall amounts to much of the United States. With spring just around the corner, many people including students enjoying spring break will be on the move to sunny destinations. Consumers are urged to use caution when making travel arrangements this spring as the change in weather will undoubtedly prompt [...]
How to Get a Free Best Selling Business Audio Book from Audible
If you are going to stay ahead in the business world, you must keep up your education, your skill set and your people skills. Charlie Tremendous Jones once said “You are the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things, the books you read and the people you meet.” Reading is [...]
This was a great article. I was just trying to figure out how my family could set up a budget ...
I find that I can nickle and dime myself to death! 
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