-
How to Spend Less on Lawn Maintenance
Tweet Share on Facebook March 29, 2011 Comment (2)With winter officially over, many of us are eying our dead, brown lawns, hoping to revive them back to their green and lush state. But if your first step in lawn care is to stop by your local hardware store for an expensive fertilizer and a weed control mixture, think again.
-
10 Signs It’s Time To Quit Your Job
Tweet Share on Facebook March 28, 2011 Comment (27)Chances are if you are lucky enough to have a job, the thought of quitting sounds ridiculous. With the unemployment rate at an all time high, most people are thanking their lucky stars to be employed.
-
Standard Deduction: What You Need to Know
Tweet Share on Facebook March 24, 2011 Comment (1)As you might expect, the IRS website provides a wealth of information about personal income tax. From help with tax forms to even ways to get free tax assistance, the IRS can be a great resource during tax season. As part of its effort to educate taxpayers, the IRS recently published 6 facts about the standard deduction versus itemized deductions. With the tax-filing deadline right around the corner, a review of these differences and some important changes in 2010 is in order.
-
5 Reasons to Buy a Hybrid Car
Tweet Share on Facebook March 24, 2011 Comment (2)A decade ago, hybrid cars were few and far between, but today, shopping for hybrids consists of much more than choosing which color Toyota Prius to buy. In fact, the hybrid car market is one of the fastest growing segments of the automotive industry with an enviable annual growth rate.
-
Identity Theft: Your Chances of Being a Victim
Tweet Share on Facebook March 23, 2011 CommentLast week, the Federal Trade Commission came out with its annual report on consumer fraud, and for the 11th year in a row, identity theft has topped the list of complaints, with 250,854 Americans checking in on the matter. In total, some 9 million Americans fall prey to identity theft every year, with credit card fraud being the second highest category on that list, right after fraudulent government documents.
[In Pictures: 10 Smart Ways to Improve Your Budget.]
But, according to some experts, financial identity theft isn’t all we have to worry about. In addition, there’s medical identity theft, criminal record identity theft, and the possibility of someone completely assuming your name and creating a new life by buying a home, getting a job and even taking over your social security payments.
-
New Credit Rules Could Hurt Stay-at-Home Moms
Tweet Share on Facebook March 23, 2011 Comment (2)Continuing a post-CARD Act trend of proactive regulation, the Federal Reserve recently proposed rules that, if adopted, would significantly improve the credit card application process. These rules would require banks to judge applicants for credit card offers based on their personal income rather than that of their household, as is currently the case, thereby making it far easier for issuers to judge who merits credit approval and, in turn, significantly decrease the likelihood of overleveraging.
-
17 Ways to Win a Scholarship
Tweet Share on Facebook March 22, 2011 CommentWith the cost of education spiraling out of control, the scholarship game has become more competitive than ever. "You need to make sure you do everything—and I mean everything—to keep the cost of college down," said scholarship expert and bestselling author Mark Kantrowitz. Here are 17 great ways to increase your chances of winning a scholarship, according to Kantrowitz's new book, Secrets to Winning a Scholarship:
-
How to Prepare Your Home for Emergencies
Tweet Share on Facebook March 22, 2011 CommentThe worsening crisis in Japan has caused many people around the world to pause and consider their own preparedness plans. For instance, if Japan's crisis was happening close to your home, would you be able to cope? Do you have enough supplies on hand to keep your family safe and fed through a disaster?
-
Back to School: Money Tips for Adults
Tweet Share on Facebook March 22, 2011 Comment (2)For a kid fresh out of high school, going to college represents freedom, a chance to shake off old responsibilities. For an adult headed back to college, however, it joins family, work, home maintenance and the ever-elusive personal time as one of many, many responsibilities. Struggling with the pressures of being a non-traditional student? In the words of Steve Winwood, here’s a short list of strategies to roll with it, baby.
-
Save Money with Store Price Match Policies
Tweet Share on Facebook March 21, 2011 Comment (2)A great way to save money, especially on higher priced items, is to take advantage of a store’s price match policy. Lots of stores have price match policies but not that many people use them either because they don’t know about them or think it is too much work to price match. Taking the time to price match can be well worth the effort.
