Archive for August 2009

Eight Great iPhone Apps for Managing Your Money

Written by Nickel - 16 Comments

As most of you know, I got an iPhone back in July. Since it arrived, I’ve had a blast digging through the App Store looking for life-changing apps. While I’ve found some real gems, I’m sure that I’ve missed out on some great ones. What follows is a rundown of the eight money-related iPhone apps [...]

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Published on August 24th, 2009 - 16 Comments
Filed under: Miscellany
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Bank Fees Increasing

Written by Nickel - 20 Comments

Has your bank increased fees related to your checking or savings accounts? According to a recent blurb in Money Magazine, banks have turned to account maintenance fees, overdraft fees, etc. in an attempt to make up for recent losses in other areas.
“Recently, Bank of America boosted maintenance fees on certain checking accounts, Wachovia doubled its [...]

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Published on August 21st, 2009 - 20 Comments
Filed under: Banking
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Tips for Lending Club Investors

Written by Nickel - 17 Comments

Last night I listened in on an online discussion with Scott Langmack, a veteran Lending Club investor who has averaged 12.6% returns over the last couple of years. During the seminar, Langmack shared tips for “beating the average” with Lending Club. What follows is a rundown of Langmack’s four keys to maximizing returns.
1. Diversification is [...]

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Published on August 21st, 2009 - 17 Comments
Filed under: Saving & Investing
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Cash for Clunkers – Ending Soon

Written by Nickel - 7 Comments

Have you been thinking about taking advantage of the Cash for Clunkers program? If so, you’d better hurry… Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced that the program will end at 8PM on Monday due to dwindling funds.
This program has been a mixed blessing for the auto industry. The cash incentives have resulted in increased sales, [...]

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Published on August 20th, 2009 - 7 Comments
Filed under: Automotive
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How to Deal With a Bad Deal

Written by Matt Jabs - 17 Comments

Have you ever paid in advance for a service you had yet to receive, only to get screwed over in the end? Those of us who have been on the short side of this stick know that it’s never a fun experience! Fruh-strey-shun!
As some of you already know, my wife and I have been a [...]

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Published on August 20th, 2009 - 17 Comments
Filed under: Miscellany
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Preserving the Harvest

Written by Guest Contributor - 12 Comments

This is a guest post from SD Guy of StretchyDollar.com. If you like what you see here, please consider subscribing to his RSS feed.
Depending on where you live and when you planted your garden, you’ve most likely been enjoying the fruits of your labor. We’ve had a good year, though it’s been difficult to keep [...]

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Published on August 19th, 2009
Modified on November 15th, 2011 - 12 Comments
Filed under: Frugality
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Purchasing a Home: Examining the Costs

Written by Laura Martinez - 21 Comments

This past weekend my husband and I decided which townhouse we want to buy. After working the numbers, looking at different properties, and going through the options, we’ve signed a purchasing agreement on a property at a new development.
Since this is our first time buying a home, we wanted to be as thorough as possible. [...]

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Published on August 18th, 2009 - 21 Comments
Filed under: Real Estate
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Get Cheap Car Rentals From Priceline (or Hotwire)

Written by Nickel - 13 Comments

By the time most of you read this, I’ll be airborne. I’m heading out for a short work-related trip, and will be renting a car at the other end. Unfortunately, I waited until the last minute to book a car rental, and the rates were atrocious.
According to Kayak (my overall favorite travel site) the best [...]

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Published on August 17th, 2009 - 13 Comments
Filed under: Frugality, Travel
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Avoid Lifestyle Inflation: Create an Artificial Sense of Scarcity

Written by Nickel - 23 Comments

Lifestyle inflation is a huge threat to your financial well-being. Unless you’re exceptionally well-disciplined, it’s very difficult to keep your spending from increasing in lockstep with your earnings.
The primary reason for this is that gradual increases in your income/spending are, more often than not, barely perceptible from one year to the next. If you [...]

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Published on August 14th, 2009 - 23 Comments
Filed under: Frugality, Saving & Investing
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Lending Club – July 2009 Performance

Written by Nickel - 9 Comments

Time for another Lending Club performance update…
As of today, I’m enjoying a 12.50% net annualized return on my investments. In addition to my “High Risk” and “Low Risk” test portfolios, I’ve been investing additional funds in a “catchall” portfolio. This portfolio primarily contains a mix of Grade A and Grade B loans, though I have [...]

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Published on August 13th, 2009 - 9 Comments
Filed under: Saving & Investing
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