We just got back from vacation today and I was delighted to find that our internet is down due to a dead DSL modem. I’ve been in touch with AT&T (formerly BellSouth) and they’re sending us a new one. Unfortunately, it won’t arrive until Tuesday, so…
Until then, I’ll be limping along with my Palm Centro [...]
Archive for June 2008
Weekly Roundup – The Internet is Dead Edition
Written by Nickel - One Comment
Published on June 29th, 2008 - One Comment
Filed under: Link Love
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Filed under: Link Love
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Some Stimulus Payments Diverted to Pay Outstanding Debts
Written by Nickel - 18 Comments
Yesterday morning I picked up the newspaper and was pleased to learn that some checks are being diverted to cover back child support, late federal loans, and/or outstanding tax payments. Apparently state and federal agencies can submit lists of debtors to the Treasury Department. Pending payments are then checked against the names and social security [...]
Published on June 26th, 2008 - 18 Comments
Filed under: Economy, Taxes
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Filed under: Economy, Taxes
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The Hidden Costs of Renting a Car
Written by Nickel - 20 Comments
When we picked up our rental car while this past weekend, I was reminded of the many hidden costs associated with renting a car. You can comparison shop until the cows come home, but odds are you’ll still end up paying more than you expected. Here’s a sampling:
Refueling charges
It’s no secret that rental car agencies [...]
Published on June 25th, 2008 - 20 Comments
Filed under: Automotive, Travel
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Filed under: Automotive, Travel
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Three Things You Should Know About Political Donations
Written by Nickel - 7 Comments
Now that Presidential election season is in full swing, I thought I’d highlight a recent article from CNN/Money about political donations. In case you’re not aware, your political donations are subject to a variety of limits and, thanks to post-Watergate reforms, you also can’t give anonymously. Oh, and guess what? You won’t be getting any [...]
Gas Prices, the Economy, and Vacation Plans
Written by Nickel - 14 Comments
By the time you read this, we’ll be well on our way to a lengthy family vacation. With all the news about a bad economy and ever-increasing gas prices, I can’t help but wonder what sort of impact this is all having on vacation plans this summer. For our part, we found a great deal [...]
Published on June 19th, 2008 - 14 Comments
Filed under: Energy, Travel
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Filed under: Energy, Travel
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How to Improve Your Gas Mileage (and How Not To)
Written by Nickel - 20 Comments
With gas prices on the rise, I thought I’d highlight a recent article from Consumer Reports on ways to save on gas — and ways not to. Given the results of my recent experiment on improving gas mileage, I can vouch for pretty much all of these.
1. Drive at a moderate speed. Keeping a lid [...]
Published on June 18th, 2008 - 20 Comments
Filed under: Automotive, Energy, Frugality
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Filed under: Automotive, Energy, Frugality
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Tuesday Roundup – Gearing up for Travel Edition
Written by Nickel - One Comment
Later this week, we’ll be jetting off for a much needed ten day vacation. While things will likely slow down a bit around here, I still intend to post a few articles here and there while we’re on the road. In the mean time…
Recent links of interest
Jim talked about using a leftover calendar to reduce [...]
Published on June 17th, 2008 - One Comment
Filed under: Link Love
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Filed under: Link Love
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Hack Your MPG: How to Improve Gas Mileage by 15%
Written by Nickel - 36 Comments
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I was going to experiment with my driving style to see if I could improve my mileage. With gas prices topping $4/gallon, even small improvements can save you a pretty penny.
As for the changes that I made, I didn’t do anything too extreme. Rather, I simply focused on [...]
Published on June 17th, 2008 - 36 Comments
Filed under: Automotive, Energy, Frugality
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Filed under: Automotive, Energy, Frugality
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Four Financial Tips for Recent Graduates
Written by Nickel - 7 Comments
Given that it’s now mid-June, and pretty much everyone that will be graduating from college this year has done so, I though I’d spend a bit of time putting together a short list of financial tips for the recent graduate. Here goes:
1. Spend less than you earn. This is perhaps the most worn out, overused [...]
Published on June 16th, 2008 - 7 Comments
Filed under: Miscellany
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Filed under: Miscellany
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What Goes Into the Price of Gas?
Written by Nickel - 23 Comments
With gas prices increasing daily, I though I’d share with you some numbers from the Department of Energy regarding what goes into the price of gas as of April 2008. Here’s the breakdown:
73% – Crude oil
11% – Federal and state taxes
10% – Refining costs and profits
6% – Distribution and marketing
Not surprisingly, the cost of crude [...]
Published on June 13th, 2008 - 23 Comments
Filed under: Automotive, Energy
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Filed under: Automotive, Energy
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