As if we needed another reminder, the Today Show had a piece this morning on the dangers of payday loans. They did, however, include some interesting numbers that really drive home how bad these loans can be.
For example, they highlighted a borrower named Mary who took on a $400 loan in a pinch, opting for [...]
Archive for November 2011
Payday Loans are Still a Bad Idea
Written by Nickel - 2 Comments
Published on November 30th, 2011 - 2 Comments
Filed under: Debt Reduction
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Filed under: Debt Reduction
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You Can Only Spend Each Dollar Once
Written by Nickel - 6 Comments
Over the weekend, I sat down to talk a bit about money with our oldest son. He receives a decent monthly allowance, he got some gift money for his birthday back in October, and he also makes money from random jobs like pet sitting, etc. And yet, he was broke, and he wasn’t sure how [...]
Published on November 30th, 2011 - 6 Comments
Filed under: Miscellany
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Filed under: Miscellany
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Five Cool, Free Holiday Gifts for Your Spouse
Written by Ed Avis - 2 Comments
Face it, once you’re past Santa-believing age, Christmas gifts don’t hold quite the same thrill. The gift-giving aspects of the holidays are definitely for the kids. But that doesn’t mean your spouse doesn’t expect something — far from it!
But, especially if you’re on a tight budget that you are co-managing, your spouse may be happier [...]
Published on November 29th, 2011 - 2 Comments
Filed under: Frugality
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Filed under: Frugality
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Sticking With Our High Deductible Health Plan (and HSA)
Written by Nickel - 8 Comments
A reader named Marc recently left a comment asking how our high deductible health plan has worked out for us. Given that November is open enrollment season, this is a very timely question, so I thought I’d tackle it with a dedicated post.
In short, we’ve been thrilled with the HDHP (and the associated HSA) offered [...]
Published on November 28th, 2011 - 8 Comments
Filed under: Insurance
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Filed under: Insurance
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Holiday Shopping Without Breaking the Bank
Written by Nickel - 2 Comments
It’s Black Friday. Have you been braving the crowds in hopes of saving a few bucks? Or did you stay home (or go to work) instead? Either way, I wanted to share some tips for getting through the holiday shopping season without emptying your savings account or running up a huge credit card bill.
Make a [...]
Published on November 25th, 2011 - 2 Comments
Filed under: Frugality
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Filed under: Frugality
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MasterCard $20 Bonus for Online Shopping
Written by Nickel - Leave a Comment
As a quick followup to my post about Small Business Saturday, I also wanted to point out a $20 bonus offer from MasterCard. To qualify, simply register your card and then spend $200 online between now and December 31st. Within a week of hitting the spending threshold, you should receive an e-mail with redemption details.
The [...]
Published on November 25th, 2011 - Leave a Comment
Filed under: Credit Cards
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Filed under: Credit Cards
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More Thoughts on Mail-In Rebates
Written by Nickel - 3 Comments
As a followup to last weeks post about why I hate mail-in rebates, I wanted to highlight an article that a reader named Sun shared in the comments. It’s a few years old, but it captures the essence of why may of us hate rebates.
Due to a combination of procrastination (i.e., missing the deadlines), disorganization [...]
Published on November 23rd, 2011 - 3 Comments
Filed under: Consumer, Frugality
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Filed under: Consumer, Frugality
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Small Business Saturday 2011
Written by Nickel - 4 Comments
As you’re likely aware, this coming Friday is none other than “Black Friday.” And what happens the day after that? Small Business Saturday, of course.
Small Business Saturday is a promo that was launched last year by American Express. The goal of this promotion is to get people to shop at small, locally-owned businesses – and [...]
Published on November 22nd, 2011 - 4 Comments
Filed under: Credit Cards
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Filed under: Credit Cards
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One Sick Scam
Written by Jeffrey Steele - One Comment
It’s well established that average Americans find it difficult to save money. Come to think of it, there’s good reason for this. In a stagnant wage environment, they face high and ever increasing costs from legitimate sources, everything from supermarkets, gas stations and drug stores to car repair shops, banks, clinics, the folks who collect [...]
Published on November 22nd, 2011 - One Comment
Filed under: Identity Theft
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Filed under: Identity Theft
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Addicted to Online Billpay?
Written by Nickel - 14 Comments
If you’re anything like me, you pay the vast majority of your bills online. What’s not to love? It’s convenient, and it saves money on postage, check printing, etc.
Well, let me let you in on a little secret… Banks don’t offer these services out of the kindness of their hearts. Rather, they do it to [...]
Published on November 21st, 2011 - 14 Comments
Filed under: Banking
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Filed under: Banking
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