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5 Ways to Save $1,000 a Year
Tweet Share on Facebook August 12, 2010 Comment (4)Is your wallet feeling empty because of the economic downturn? Having trouble finding the extra money to make ends meet? Try these tips to stash some extra cash without losing a limb or getting a second job. Some tips will pay off instantly, while others may take a few months to bring home the savings, so pick and choose the ones that work best for your lifestyle. Here are 5 ways to save $1,000 per year:
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Say ‘No’ to Credit Card Annual Fees?
Tweet Share on Facebook August 11, 2010 CommentConsumers have been cutting back on credit spending and cutting down on the amount of credit cards they keep active in an effort to stay on track with a budget. This is an essential part of personal financial stability and for the most part it is good to remain frugal-minded.
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The Myth of Good Debt
Tweet Share on Facebook August 11, 2010 Comment (1)Think your low-interest mortgage is good debt? Think again.
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5 Reasons to Skip the Diamond Engagement Ring
Tweet Share on Facebook August 10, 2010 Comment (15)You’re ready. You have the entire scene planned out in your head, every detail plotted and mapped until it’s perfect. At the climax of this mini-drama, he will bend on one knee and present to you a beautiful diamond ring — or, if you’re the one proposing, you will watch as her expression changes from surprise to utter delight when she sees the ring. And that’s when you’ll know: Yes, you’re getting married.
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How to Sink Your Credit Score
Tweet Share on Facebook August 9, 2010 Comment (3)The suits at Fair Isaac Corporation sure are good at what they do. How else can you explain the meteoric rise in importance of the lowly credit score? It's not just any credit score, either. The FICO credit score stands head and shoulders above the competition by a wide margin. In fact, all non-FICO scores are pejoratively referred to as FAKO scores since, while "valid," carry little weight with creditors.
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Declutter (and De-Stress) Your Financial Life
Tweet Share on Facebook August 6, 2010 Comment (10)Back in the day you could manage your money with a passbook savings account, checkbook, and notepad. When I was growing up, most families didn’t have credit cards to keep track of, let alone a half-dozen of them. Families didn’t manage investments in 401(k) and IRA accounts either, instead relying on company pensions to secure retirement. Without cable, the Internet, and cell phones, there were fewer monthly bills to manage. We weren’t bombarded with e-mail offers and Internet specials. We didn’t have to contend with flexible spending accounts, multiple vehicles to maintain and insure, or home equity lines of credit to tempt us to spend more than we have.
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5 Ways Spending Money Makes You Fat
Tweet Share on Facebook August 5, 2010 Comment (13)Is reaching for your wallet making you fat? It's possible that your slim wallet is to blame for your thickening waistline. If you're saddled with debt and a few extra pounds, then update your budget spreadsheet and download this workout log to get a grip on these five spending habits that cost calories and can make you fat.
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8 Ways to Create Your Own Stimulus Check
Tweet Share on Facebook August 4, 2010 Comment (2)When it comes to government hand-outs designed to stimulate the economy, would you rather receive a check like the economic stimulus in 2008 or slightly increased pay checks over a long period of time, like the economic stimulus in 2009 and 2010 (the Making Work Pay credit)? While small increases might end up incorporated into typical spending and saving without much additional thought, a lump sum usually inspires the question: Should I deposit the money into a savings account, pay off debt, or spend it?
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5 Financial Tasks to Do Today
Tweet Share on Facebook August 4, 2010 Comment (1)Optimizing your finances is a constant game of tax planning, fee-avoidance and risk mitigation -- not to mention coming up with ways to increase your income and reduce your spending. Mid-year is a good time to take a look at what you have done so far and what you need to do before the end of the year. Here are five tasks that will only take you a few minutes each. If you can’t get them all done today, think about doing one each day from Monday to Friday of next week. When you’re finished, you, your wallet, and your loved ones will all be in better financial shape.
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Are You Built To Be An Entrepreneur?
Tweet Share on Facebook August 3, 2010 CommentWith so many job losses and a great deal of uncertainty over the future, it seems like more and more people are considering starting their own small business or freelancing, instead of working for someone else.
