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Audio: Was Your Bank Bailed Out?
Tweet Share on Facebook June 9, 2009 Comment (1)Over the weekend, I spoke with WTOP in Washington about whether people should be concerned if their bank was among those receiving bailout funds. The bottom line is that you probably won't notice, although you should keep an eye out for any fee hikes.
Is Your Bank a Bailout Bank?
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How to Live Absolutely Debt-Free
Tweet Share on Facebook June 8, 2009 Comment (3)With so many stories out there about 20 and 30-somethings drowning in credit card and student loan debt, I set out to find someone who was entirely debt-free. I succeeded: Gregory Go, 31, cofounder of the personal finance site Wise Bread, has carried no debt whatsoever since paying off $10,000 in credit card debt in his early 20s. (That debt came from funding his college living expenses.)
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In Praise of Investing Mistakes
Tweet Share on Facebook June 5, 2009 Comment (2)Last year, I interviewed Get Rich Slowly blogger J.D. Roth, who writes candidly about paying off debt and managing his money. At the time, he also shared one of his biggest investing mistakes. He put almost all of his 2007 Roth IRA contributions into Sharper Image shortly before the company filed for bankruptcy, which meant he lost around $3,500.
I caught up with Roth to ask him what he learned from that debacle and what investment strategy he follows now. He says: -
Will the Recession Inspire a Baby Bust?
Tweet Share on Facebook June 4, 2009 Comment (3)On Slate's The Big Money, author Lauren Sandler argues that there is an overlooked line of business blossoming in the recession: The birth control industry. She reports that sales of condoms and morning-after pills are rising, along with interest in vasectomies. Since a single child born to middle-income parents costs, on average, $11,000 a year for the first couple years of his life, one can understand parents' reluctance to procreate.
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The Hidden Costs of Home-Buying
Tweet Share on Facebook June 3, 2009 Comment (3)The saga of a first-time homebuyer continues.
After visiting about a dozen homes, my husband and I found one that we liked. It has a great location, renovated kitchen, and even a screened-in porch, which was on our wish-list. So on Monday, we decided to make an offer. -
Is Your Bank a TARP Bank?
Tweet Share on Facebook June 2, 2009 CommentThere's been a lot of concern over the money that the federal government has been giving to banks. Since most big banks have received the funds, chances are your bank got a piece of the pie. (To find out for sure, check out this complete listing.) But does it matter to the average consumer who's just hoping to continue making deposits and taking withdrawals? Probably not.
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Nadya Suleman, Jon & Kate: Making Money on TV
Tweet Share on Facebook June 1, 2009 Comment (28)Over the weekend, Nadya Suleman inked a deal with a British production company to start filming a reality television show, which will focus on key milestones in her kids' lives. Outsiders have long speculated, on this blog and elsewhere, that the so-called "Octo-mom" would seek some kind of television deal in order to pay for the high cost of raising 14 children. (She gave birth to 8 babies at once earlier this year and already had 6 older children.)
