Opportunity Costs of High Fuel Prices – Personal Finance Review
March 31, 2008
I spent the weekend making money for the oil companies. We drove about 800 miles on the way to and from a family get together. Although we drive a rather fuel efficient Honda we still ended up paying over $100 in gas for the trip. As fuel prices continue to climb I can easily see the effect […]
Free TaxCut Online Premium Software for the Most Creative Tax Deductions
March 29, 2008
If you haven’t done your taxes yet, the clock is ticking. According to the “Countdown to Tax Day” calendar there are 17 days left until your returns have to be filed. You may actually have benefitted from procrastinating this time. I’m giving away access to H&R Block TaxCut Online Premium + efile to two readers […]
Clean Up Your Finances Four Times a Year
March 28, 2008
Did you realize that every March 31st, you’re 25% of the way towards the end of the year? By the end of June you’re half-way through the year. I’m very aware of this since I work in an industry where the end of each quarter means a lot of work for us. It seems like […]
Economic Stimulus Rebate Check Frequently Asked Questions
March 27, 2008
JKLasser, the company that puts out an annual tax guide, sent me the following information about the rebate checks that will be going out to some people. From the looks of things, we should get back $1500. It will be a nice little boost for our vacation fund but I’m sure it won’t help the […]
Watch Out for these Tax Scams, Frauds, Schemes, & Abuses
March 26, 2008
Every year the Internal Revenue Service provides a list of “tax schemes and scams” that they’re on the lookout for, the list for this year was just released two weeks ago. Here are a few of the items to watch out for. Phishing for Financial InformationMost of you probably already know that phishing is the […]
Market Questions to Ask Before Starting Your Own Business
March 25, 2008
Do you know anyone who runs their own business and is always struggling to find new customers or make enough money? Wouldn’t it have been easier if they would have done more research about the competitiveness and viability of their business before launching it? Mid Life CrisisOne of my co-workers is having a quarter life […]
Is Investing in Office Sports Pools a Waste of Time & Money?
March 24, 2008
Several years ago, I filled out my first NCAA tournament bracket. It may be hard to believe but I had never completed one before that so I had no idea what I was doing. Rather than making random picks based on mascots or team colors, I did some research. I took notes during the expert’s […]
Personal Finance Review – When’s the Next Black Monday?
March 23, 2008
This article on Black Monday caught my eye yesterday. The general idea is that although market losses are bad, they also represent a buying opportunity for long term investors. The article lists the following three things that will help you invest successfully, despite market declines. 1. The quality of the companies you buy. 2. The […]
Borrowing & Lending Money with Prosper & Lending Club
March 22, 2008
Peer to peer lending is making an impact on the way some people borrow or invest their money and the word is spreading about both Lending Club and Prosper. Within the last week and a half, person to person lending has seen coverage on the CBS Evening News, the Wall Street Journal, and Entrepreneur.com: In Credit Crunch, Lending To […]
Prediction: Housing Bubble Bursts, Bear Stearns $2 a Share, Fed Bails Out Investment Banks
March 20, 2008
If I’d have written that prediction several years ago I’d probably have received a lot of heat for making such impossible claims. Of course, it is impossible to see into the future but I think it is possible and wise to think about what the future might hold based on a little common sense. When […]
