The Best Employee Gifts

The best employee gift for me would be cash but I’ve never received money for a work gift before.  Employee gift cards would be the second best; I have gotten gift cards in the past and certainly put them to good use.  What about you, what do you think are the best employee gifts?

Employee Gift Ideas

I’m sure coming up with employee gift ideas for the holidays isn’t easy because you have to get something everyone would like but stay within your gift budget.  I’ve had years where it’s been a cheesy gift that no one really wants but I’ve also gotten some pretty nice employee appreciation gifts.

When you’re giving gifts to friends and family it’s the thought that counts but when it comes to work gifts it seems like it’s often just the gift that counts. I know a lot of employees see a cheap gift as almost an insult, they’d rather the company keep the money than spend it on a knick-knack no one really wants.

Good Gifts, Bad Gifts

If a company isn’t going to do cash or a gift card then I think practical gifts like a nice insulated mug are a good way to go.  Of course of it’s in place of an expected cash gift or bonus then you’re likely to run into the same problem as Clarck Griswold and the famed “Jelly of the Month” club gift.

One thing I’m not a fan as employee gifts are gadgets. If I’m going to get a gadget, I want to pick it out myself.  On top of that, some people may have that particular gadget already or maybe just don’t want it. It seems like a lot of money to spend on electronics that you don’t know for sure if someone wants.

Employee Gift Cards

It is hard to please everyone, which is why gift cards can be such a good option.  One reason people sometimes steer clear of gift cards is that they have fees associated with them.  If you’re buying a bunch of cards for employees you may be able to get those fees waived.

You can also look for promotions where the fees are waived, especially around the holidays. For example, the American Express gift card offers deals for no fees and free shipping. 

The other benefit of gift cards is that they’re a good last minute employee gift.  If you don’t find out until the very end of the year whether money will be left in the budget for employee appreciation gifts, gift cards can come in handy.  Of course this could mean you’ll have to pay extra for expited shipping. Or, you could just put a line item in the budget to be sure the money’s there and save on shipping costs : )

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What is a Good Credit Score Worth?

What’s a good credit score worth?

A good credit score is vital for loan approval and can help you borrow at lower interest rates.  Depending on how much you borrow a good FICO credit score could be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.

What is a good credit score?

A good credit score falls in a range of 675 – 850, the strength of the score depends on which credit scoring system you’re using.

Good Credit Score Range

Before you get a handle on what is a good or high credit score, you first need a basic understanding of how the scoring goes. FICO, which is the primary credit score that lenders around the country use, starts at 300 and goes up to 850. A good FICO score starts at 675 and goes to 699. A very good credit score picks up at 700 and goes to 799. An excellent credit score ranges from 800 to 850.

Prior to the downturn in the economy and stricter lending guidelines, a good credit score could get you far. A good credit score could get you an auto loan, mortgage or credit card, with favorable terms and a fair interest rate. Since the downturn in the economy and the stricter lending guidelines, your credit score has to be higher to get approval from some lenders.

Journey to a Good Credit Score

The calculation of your credit score has of five components: payment history, balances, credit history, types of credit and new credit. Each component has a higher weight than the one that follows it, so these are in order of importance. If you want to boost your credit score into the good, very good or excellent category, then these five components play a vital role.

1. Payment history (35%)

The primary way to boost your credit score is always make your payments on time.

2. Balances (30%)

The second way to boost your credit score is to maintain manageable balances on your credit accounts. If all of your credit cards are at the limit, then pay down or pay off the balances. Maintaining a manageable debt level is another boost to your score.

3. Credit history (15%)

Time is on your side when attaining a higher credit score. When you have long and positive relationships with your creditors, this boosts your credit score. Avoid opening and closing credit accounts and loans. Instead, maintain your account and credit relationships.

4. Types of credit (10%)

You should also vary the types of credit accounts you have. Having a mixture of credit cards, auto loans, student loans, mortgages and store credit accounts can help. You can attain a good credit score more easily if you have a mix of credit account types.

5. New credit (10%)

Finally, establish new credit accounts once in awhile. If you do not have a combination of different types of accounts, this is an opportunity to open a new account using a new type of credit.

What’s a Good Credit Score Worth?

Your credit score may actually be used as a criteria for more than approval for a car loan or home loan these days. In some cases employers, rental agencies, and insurance companies may check your credit score before hiring you, renting to you, or writing an insurance policy for you.

The impact of these uses are hard translate into dollars since your credit score isn’t used in all cases and we don’t know how exactly its being used.  Just be aware that the value of a good credit score goes beyond approval and interest rates on loans.

It’s not simple to say for sure how your credit score will impact your loan application since there are different credit scoring systems and lenders use other criteria in addition to your credit.  One thing’s for certain, the more money you’re borrowing, the more you’ll pay in interest. So your credit score often has the biggest bottom line impact on a home loan.

You can get an idea of how much a good credit score can save you, or a bad credit score can cost you, from the credit score calculator on the MyFICO site.  Below is a snapshot of the estimated monthly payments for each credit score range on a 30 year fixed mortage of $300K.

FICO Credit Score Range	Monthly Payment	Monthly Savings
760-850	$1,520	$39
700-759	$1,559	$32
680-699	$1,591	$40
660-679	$1,631	$80
640-659	$1,711	$104
620-639	$1,815

As you can see the savings from one credit score tier to the next is significant. If you compare the best credit score tier to the worst credit scores you’re looking at almost $300 a month difference.

Bad Credit?
If you’re in the bottom tier of the table you’ll obviously have to pay a higher interest rate, which means thousands of dollars over the life of your loan. Not only that, lending requirements have tightened enough that you may not be able to get a loan at all. So how can you build up your credit history to improve your credit score if no one will give you a loan?

One of the best ways to rebuild your credit is to use a secured loan or a secured credit card.  Since the loan is backed by an asset, the lender is willing to take the risk of loaning you the money.  If you make sure the lender reports to the credit agencies (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) and that you send in all your payments on time this approach should help improve your credit.

How to Check Your Credit Score
If you’re not sure where your credit score stands, there are several ways that you can check your credit score.  In fact, you can get a free credit score from multiple sources online.

The FTC established a site called Annual Credit Report where you can get a free credit report several times a year.  Unfortunately it doesn’t include your credit score but there are places you can check it without paying.  Some of the sites, like Credit Karma, are free because they use a variation of the FICO score.  It may not match your FICO score exactly but can give you a rough idea of where you fall.

Of course, we’ve seen that the difference between credit tiers can add up to hundreds of dollars a year in interest expenses.  If you want to know exactly what your FICO score is then you can sign up for a free trial of several different services.  As with all free trials, if you don’t cancel after the trial is over you’ll pay a fee.

• myFICO
• Experian
• TransUnion
• Equifax

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New Mutual Fund Cost Basis Rules

Beginning January 1, 2012 new regulations set forth by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will take effect. These regulations affect the way in which mutual fund companies report cost basis and gains or losses for taxable accounts. The purpose of these changes is to verify what fund companies report on their tax documents and what the individual investor reports on theirs. The IRS wants your tax documents to match those of the mutual fund company whose shares you bought or sold during the tax year.

What is Investment Cost Basis?

Cost basis is simply the price you pay for a share or asset, including any sales charge that is paid. It is used to determine if you will be paying a capital gains tax or if you will be able to deduct the loss when that occurs. Cost basis also includes any reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions.

For example, if you bought 100 shares today in a mutual fund and the per share price was $20 and you were charged $10 to buy the shares, your cost basis would be $2,010. (You would also factor in your brokerage charge to sell the shares at some point in the future.) You would use this cost basis to determine if you made a profit or loss on your investment whenever the investment is sold in the future.

If you bought at $20 per share and the shares rise to $30 per share when you sell, you’ve made a profit. Your capital gains tax would be factored off of: $3,000 (100 shares x $30/share) – $10 (selling brokerage charge) – $2,010 (initial cost basis including purchasing charge from broker). Your profit would be $980 and capital gains tax would apply to that amount.

What is Changing to Mutual Fund Cost Basis Rules?

Mutual fund companies have, in the past, only reported the cost basis to the investor and not the IRS. This will change in January 2012 and cost basis will be reported to the IRS for all shares acquired after January 1, 2012 (to be called “covered shares”). Fund companies will report this information on Form 1099-B to both the IRS and the investor.

Traditionally the cost basis has been calculated using an average cost (the average price of all shares purchased). However, investors will now have the option to choose one of seven ways to calculate the cost basis.

• Average Cost –  typically the default method for fund companies; the average price for all the shares you currently own is calculated and used when your shares are sold
• High Cost, First Out (HIFO) – the shares with the highest purchase price are sold first
• Low Cost, First Out (LOFO) – the shares with the lowest purchase price are sold first
• Specific Identification (SpecID) – the investor chooses which shares are to be sold, this determines the gains or losses for that particular share.
• First In, First Out (FIFO) –  the oldest shares are sold first
• Last In, First Out (LIFO) – the newest shares are sold first
• Loss Gain Utilization – shares are sold by those with losses first and then gains last

Each company will provide you with a way to choose a method for calculating the cost basis method. Typically, if you do not make a choice, the average cost method will be chosen for you. You are given additional options so you can tweak your tax strategy moving forward. It might be beneficial for you to hold onto the shares you first purchased many years ago at a lower price while selling your most recent shares that were acquired at a higher price because your capital gains would be lower.

For example if you have been investing in a mutual fund whose price was initially $10 per share and has now risen to $60 per share, you would want to sell your $55 shares first rather than your $10 shares. The difference in capital gains could be huge. However, managing your specific shares you are selling to maximize your tax benefit requires you to be very hands on with your investments.

Covered vs. Non-covered shares

The IRS is only changing the rules for a certain set of investments. For mutual funds, the covered shares (or the shares the changes will begin impacting) are those that are acquired on or after January 1, 2012. If you invested in a mutual fund earlier than that, your cost basis rules will not change on those shares.

Does the Change Only Impact Mutual Funds?

The new regulations are impacting cost basis reporting for all securities: individual equity positions (stocks), mutual fund shares, ETFs, fixed income products, and options. However, not all of the changes are impacting all of the investments at the same time. Stocks acquired anytime on or after January 1, 2011 will be considered covered securities. Mutual funds and ETFs are considered covered as of January 1, 2012, and options and fixed income securities are covered beginning January 1, 2013.

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Get a Head Start on the New You

Every year we make New Year’s resolutions with great intentions and on January 1st we try and stop our old habits cold turkey.  Why do we start trying to make major life changes smack dab in the middle of the busiest time of the year?

I don’t know about you but I always have a lot going on with family, work, and the holidays so its tough to suddenly introduce big new life changes right in the middle of it all.  This year I propose something different – this year I challenge you to get a head start! 

Start Today, December 1st

Pick one thing you desperately want to change in your life, only one thing so you can keep focus.  Something you want to change more than anything else.

Now commit to working towards that change beginning today.  Rather than waiting until January 1^st, get a head start.  When the first of the year rolls around and everyone else is starting fresh on the first day of their New Year’s Resolutions, you’ll aleady have a whole month under your belt. 

When your friend’s talking about how they’ve lost 5 lbs by the second week of January, you can just smile to yourself and think about how you’ve already lost 2–3 times that much.

Get Momentum On Your Side

When everyone else is struggling to get past that rut in the third week of January, you’ll have a huge advantage over them.  You’ll have momentum behind you! You will have been living your new habit for almost two months and will definitely be seeing some results. 

They say if you do something seven times in a row it starts to become a habit.  So by January 15^th, it’ll have been 45 days, plenty of time to make it a part of your routine.  You’ll have beaten back the cold sweats and major urges and be on a roll. 

You may even be doing well enough that you can start working on a second change.  Many people can’t even see one New Years Resolution through, you might even be able to knock out two!

Listen All Y’all, It’s a Sabotage

I’m sure the Beastie Boys weren’t singing about the month of December when they sang about “Sabotage” but if you have resolutions about losing weight or getting your finances back on track then December is definitely the month of sabotage.

With holiday shopping and cookies galore the last month of the year can be a total disaster.  It’s a time of overindulgence both financially and from a calorie perspective.  If you spend December spending way too much money and eating tons of treat, then January 1st you’ll be in the hole.

So make that change December 1st. Reign in your spending or the number of calories you’re eating and you’ll have a major head start on January 1^st – instead of being behind before you start.

I don’t know how many people I’ve known (myself included) who started a new diet January 1^st but spent the last two weeks of December stuffing their face because they know they won’t be able to in January.  Obviously the problem is you put on an extra five or ten pounds before your new diet even starts so you start out fat and discouraged.

The same goes for spending. If you go bezerk with Christmas presents you could off on January 1st with major debt – or at least some big bills to pay.

Just look at the picture at the top of this post. Who would you rather be January 15th? The guy out in front with an advantage or the guy who hasn’t left the blocks yet?

Change is Hard

Another problem we run into is that we begin January 1st and expect everything to go perfectly.  Often a major life shift requires significant changes and if we haven’t thought these through we can run into some serious resistance when we implement our new self.

By starting a month early you’re actually able to work through those issues and address them now so when the New Year does roll around you’ll have already figured out how to incorporate those changes into your life. 

So, my challenge to you is to get a head start this year along with me.

My Sugar Embargo

For all of December and January, I won’t eat any sweets.  No cake, cookies, candy, ice cream, pie, or anything sweet.  I’m going on a sugar embargo during the holidays and beyond. 

Just like the basics of personal finance are simple (spend less than you earn) the essence of losing weight is also simple (burn more calories than you eat).  So the second part of my change is that I’m starting to exercise twice a week (I know it doesn’t sound like much but it will be twice as much as I’m exercising now).

That’s my head start.  What’s yours?

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Afford Anything with Paula Pant

“It’s not the balance in a person’s bank account that makes them happy; it’s the ‘spread’ between their bank balance and their bills. If there’s a wide spread, people have more flexibility, more options. If there’s a narrow spread, people perceive themselves as stuck, and their happiness levels plummet.” – Paula Pant

Having options and the freedom to do what you want in life is what Paula calls the freedom to “afford anything”.  I had the pleasure of sharing a seat and some interesting conversation with Paula on the bus to a Love Drop event this fall in Chicago. 

Her story is an interesting one.  She left her job in journalism to travel the world for two years and now she’s sharing what she’s learned and how she was able to afford the trip on her site Afford Anything.  One of my favorite things about the site are her answers to reader questions.  People write in wanting to know more about her travels and she shares the nitty-gritty details.

Many of us would like to be able to drop everything and travel but we all have fears and concerns about how it would work and the financial implications of such a big move.  Many of the questions Paula gets center around these fears and she goes into detail and explains how people can overcome their specifc concerns.  For example, she talks about location independent jobs , how to quit your job and travel, and how you can afford to travel the world.

Before the FinCon conference in Chicago, I sent Paula two questions about financial bullies and she was kind of enough to send me some interesting answers. I’m just now getting around to publishing her answers, check them out below.

1) Describe a time that a person or company tried to take advantage of you financially and what you did to stop them.

At a restaurant in Luxor, Egypt, my boyfriend and I asked the waiter how much a falafel sandwich costs.

“3 pounds” he said. (Prices are given in Egyptian pounds).

“And what about a plate of ful (beans)?,” we asked.

“10 pounds,” he said.

We ordered the falafel and asked to see a menu. The menu was written in Arabic, which my boyfriend learned how to read in college. The first two items on the menu? Falafel sandwich, 75 cents, and a plate of ful, 75 cents.

We called the waiter over. “This says “ful”, 75 cents,” my boy friend told him, pointing to the word “ful” and sounding out the letters. “And this below it says fa-la-fel,” he pointed.

“Oh yeah, well what does this say?,” asked the waiter, pointing to a different item.

My boyfriend sounded out the word.

“But what does it mean?” the waiter asked.

“I don’t know,” my boyfriend said.

“See, you can’t read Arabic then!” the waiter said.

“I don’t need to know what every food on this menu is. This says ful, 75 cents, and falafel, 75 cents! That’s all I need to know!” my friend replied.

The waiter wouldn’t budge, so we called over the manager.

“Those aren’t the prices on the menu,” the manager said, pointing to the prices on the menu. “Those, um, those are the barcodes. The scanner PLU codes.”

“Why would you print the barcodes on the menu — and why are they the same number for both dishes?” we asked.

“We have a different menu that we’ll release tomorrow that shows that its 3 pounds for falafel,” the manager replied.

“But this is today, and this is the menu you are handing out right now,” we retorted.

“What’s the big deal?” the manager replied. “Why do you care so much about money?”

We eventually wrangled the fair price from the manager, but it cost 2 hours of our time. 
 

2) Describe a time you were bullied into a financial decision (by a person or a company).  How did it end up impacting you and if you could go back in time how would you handle it differently?

My mom has had a lot of little fender-benders that have resulted in dings and scrapes to her bumper. There’s no major damage; her car only sustains some cosmetic blemishes. But we only care that our car is safe and reliable car — we’re not bothered about its appearance.

But people are constantly approaching us in parking lots — at the grocery store, at the flea market, where ever we go — offering to fix the bumper. The soliciting is incessant.

Sometimes we’ll be cruising through a parking lot and we’ll see another driver enthusiastically flagging us down, telling us to roll down our window. We roll it down, expecting him to tell us vital information, such as “your headlights are off.” Instead, he offers to fix the bumper.

Once, when my mom was alone, she was appraoched in a farmer’s market parking lot for the umpteenth time by a man using high-pressure tactics to convince her to let him fix the bumper. Here’s what you need to understand about my mom: She was alone, she’s 70, she’s quiet and peaceful, she hates confrontation, and she’d rather give in than cause a scene.

So she handed him $300 and let him fix her bumper. He took the car for a few hours and handed it back to her in identical condition, with no repairs. Then he drove off in his own car, leaving her $300 poorer.

In hindsight? My mom’s learned to try to be stronger and not cave to high-pressure tactics. And we learned to tell my mom that if she’s ever feeling bullied into a buying decision, she should call one of us for approval first.

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Thanks so much to Paula for sharing her experiences and for sharing so much of her life and insight over at Afford Anything.  Check out her latest post on how to be happier and be sure to follow Paula on twitter – @affordanything

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Do You Eat When You’re Upset?

We all make emotional decisions (like eating when we’re upset) but you can’t let your emotions rule your brain and expect positives results.

You may call it comfort food but your body doesn’t know the difference, it just sees that ice cream as calories and fat.

The same thing happens when you spend money because “you deserve it” or “it’s a low monthly payment”. You can tell yourself whatever makes you feel better when you swipe that card – your bank account just sees it as another expense eating into your balance.

I can’t tell you not to make money decisions based on emotion. We’re all human, we all do it. Just don’t expect good things to come of it and don’t be surprised when it ends badly.

I’m not exaggerating, we have friends that got divorced because of an emotional money decision. Whether you know it or not, I’m sure there are people you know that have lost more than money as a result of letting their emotions control their money…. maybe it’s even happened to you.

So what can you do? How can you beat those gremlins inside of you that pressure you to buy based on emotion?

What’s worked best for me is to simply explain my situation to a person I trust and ask what they would do. Make sure you pick someone who’s outside the situation, who can be objective.

Tell them all the details and ask what they would do. Your trusted confidant doesn’t have those same gremlins tainting their perspective. Ask them to be honest – give them permission to not hold back.

If they tell you it’s a bad idea, listen to them! They took the time to listen and give you their opinion, show them some respect and take their suggestions to heart.

So how do you find a person like this? Close friends and family can be perfect (as long as they’re removed from the situation and can give objective advice).

I’ve served this role for several of my readers, so if you’re ever looking for someone to be the voice of reason shoot me an email. We can do it via email or over the phone, whichever would be the most effective for you.

Whether you talk to me or your best friend, the point is – don’t make money decisions based on emotion and expect them to end well.

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What Were We Thinking?

Do you ever have one of those moments in life where you stop dead in your tracks, smack yourself in the forehead, and say “what was I thinking!”

I’m sure we’ve all had moments like that, I think it’s just part of being human. I’ve actually been having that thought more often lately, and it’s all because of a decision my lovely wife made 20 years ago.

Three’s Company

My wife is from a family of three kids and ever since she was a teenager, she’s known that someday she wanted three kids of her own.  I knew this when I married her but I always said we shouldn’t rush into anything. I wanted to take it one kid at a time and see how things went – why commit to three kids when you don’t know if you can handle one, right?

So after having our second kid several years ago, it was decision time.  Could we handle another one?  Did it make sense for us?

After a lot of discussion, debate, and spreadsheets we finally decided that we were cut out to be a three kid family. 

Kids are Sooooo Expensive

Deciding to have that third kid was a big financial decision for us because it really pushed our boundaries in a number of ways. In addition to adding the standard costs of raising a kid (and even more kids costs), we’d also need to get a bigger house and a bigger car to fit our clan.

It would be an understatement to say that we put a lot of time into planning and preparing to grow our family. We’ve basically spent the last two years getting ready – saving money for a new car, selling our house, buying a bigger house, buying a bigger car…..  and now the big day is only a few months away.

Although we’re really excited to meet our little girl, there are times (when our two kids are acting like little heathens) that we look at each other and ask “what were we thinking”? 

Beating Cold Feet

So like any major life decision that’s already been made, we’re occasionally a little apprehensive about the hand we’re holding and how it will play out.  At times like those it’s nice to be able to look back at the reasons why you made your decision (write them down) and the plan you made for making it work (write this down too).

We spent enough time debating our decision and planning out our options that we know exactly why we chose to have another kid and that we can handle it. 

Giving Thanks for Family

This Thanksgiving we’re very thankful for the opportunity to be able to grow our family and that our little bun in the oven is cooking along just like she should!

We’ve started a tradition with our kids called the “Thankful Tree” where we tape a brown paper tree trunk to the side of our fridge at this time of year.  Every night we each write one thing we’re thankful for on a construction paper leaf and tape it to the trunk. 

Watching our kids learn to appreciate life and put their favorite things into words is a great reminder for me of why it’s so awesome to be a parent and makes me very thankful to have kids and to be a part of a family.

I hope that you have a chance to spend time with your family over the holiday (unless they drive you crazy, in which case I hope you get to spend it relaxing in the peace and quiet of your own home).

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Small Business Saturday – $25 Promotion

Yesterday we covered Christmas shopping deals sites, many of which will have big sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but there’s also a chance to save some money in shops that don’t typically have people camped out overnight for deals during the holiday weekend.

Typically Black Friday tends to center around bigger chain stores that advertise huge doorbuster sales and major discounts.  This year, there’s an effort to remind people to shop at their smaller, local stores as well.  This weekend, area stores around the country are participating in something known as Small Business Saturday.

The way it works is that you register your American Express card ahead of time and if you use your AmEx card at a local shop this Saturday to buy more than $25 worth of goods you’ll get a $25 statement credit on your card

I think it’s a cool idea but of course the first question I had after hearing about the promotion was how to know which stores qualify for the credit. We’ll be in a pretty small town over Thanksgiving and I wanted to know if there were any nearby stores where I could use my blue cash card on Saturday. I know some small businesses won’t take any kind of credit cards because they don’t want to pay the fees, they’re cash or check only.

Turns out you can go search in your area on their Facebook page to see a list of all the small businesses that are participating. Until recently I’ve stayed away from Facebook but I created a Money Smart Life fan page not long ago and I’m beginning to see the value of being connected and picking up some good money tips from my fans.

Here’s a screen shot of how the small business search works, just enter your zip code and choose the category of business (Dining, Entertainment, Shopping, Travel,etc) and you’ll get a list of participating local businesses.

In an effort to connect with and help spread the word about these local companies, you can also search by zip to find their Facebook pages. If you become a fan of any of these businesses by clicking the “Like” button then you’ll see any upcoming events or promotions in your Facebook feed.

Of course if you never really use Facebook then it doesn’t do much for you, but if you check it regularly you might be able to score some deals or specials at your local shops.

The more I use Facebook, the more I see why some local companies like using it to stay connected with their customers. It’s not like a Groupon where you get offers from random companies you’ve never heard of. Instead, you become a fan of businesses that you frequent or visit occasionally and you get updates on what they’re up to and any promotions they’re offering.

I think it’s a neat way to support local businesses and who can argue with a $25 cashback promotion on the biggest shopping weekend of the year?

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Christmas Shopping Deals Sites

Christmas shopping deals sites could save you some money as you work your way through the gift list this holiday season.  As you make your holiday shopping budget remember it’s a great time of year to find some bargains. And, as you might imagine, many of the best deals can be found online. Here are some great places to look for Christmas deals:

Amazon.com: My husband loves Christmas shopping on Amazon. There is a great Black Friday section where you can snag amazing prices on different items, and there are hourly specials. We save a ton on movies and electronics last year.

Slickdeals.net: Find great deals on a variety of items at a number of different online retailers. There is also a Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) section that can help you identify some of the best deals and ads from major retailers.

Black-Friday.net: Just what it sounds like, you can find great deals on Black Friday sales and recently released ads. Plan your shopping, online or off.

DealCatcher: You can find great deals all through the holiday season (and throughout the year) with help from DealCatcher. And, as so many deal sites have, there is a Black Friday page. Print coupons, compare prices, and find the best deals in Sunday ads.

BlackFriday.fm: Find great deals and get updated email alerts on sales and more. You can also get a sneak peek at the pre-Black Friday specials that many retailers are offering this year.

FatWallet: This deal site offers you the chance to find the best deals, get coupons, and identify cash back offers. You can also take advantage of the Black Friday section to determine what specials are on their way this year.

GottaDeal.com: Find some of the best deals of the season with help from GottaDeal.com. You can easily search different product categories, and even find free shipping deals. And, of course, a good deal site wouldn’t be complete without a Black Friday section.

Cyber Monday: The Monday following Thanksgiving weekend is a huge day for online sales, and is called Cyber Monday. One web site just took the name and now offers access to amazing deals. And you don’t even have to wait until Cyber Monday to take advantage of them.

dealnews.com: You can find great deals here, all year round. Gear up for holiday shopping with great prices on a number of items. Easy to find coupons and the latest savings.

Dealighted: Find coupons, deals and more. A great place to find Black Friday deals as well, since there is a section aimed at helping you find the best Black Friday savings at a number of major retailers.

DealsPlus: Get access to the latest deals from around the web. If you are looking to do your Christmas shopping entirely online, this can be a great help.

These are great places to get started looking for the best Christmas shopping deals. You can also make use of sites like FreeShipping.org and Free Shipping Day to find deals on shipping so that you can save even more. And, if you like Twitter, you can get regular updates on great deals by following @blackfriday.

So there’s a pretty big list of places you can spend your money as the holiday shopping season kicks off this week. I’m not a fan of shopping just because there’s a deal but if there are gifts you know you’re going to buy it doesn’t hurt to check out the deals and see if you can save some money. What deal sites did I miss? Which ones have saved you money?

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7 Signs of a Bad Investment

Finding a good place to invest your money isn’t always easy but a good way to start is to weed out the bad investments.  Obviously this won’t end up with a list of the best places to put your money, but narrowing down your choices to help avoid the worst is a good place to start.  Here are 7 warning signs to look for that will help you recognize and avoid bad investments.

1. Balance Sheet Problems
One of the first courses I took when I got my Masters Degree years ago was Financial Accounting, it turned out to be one of the best classes I’d ever taken.  Not that the instructor was that great but I loved learning about how to read financial statements (balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements) and all the ratios you could use to analyze the financial health of a company.

Here’s a good overview of how to read a balance sheet. While nearly every company is going to do a certain amount of borrowing, it is important to make sure that the growth of debt isn’t outpacing the growth of assets. Also, look for evidence that cash is getting rather scarce. Also, keep in mind not to put your full faith in a company’s financial statements.  Just use this as one measure of researching an investment.

2. Bungling Management
While the company might be doing okay, does managerial incompetence pose a major risk? Look at how management runs the company, especially if there has been a shake up. If you think that the change is for the better, then consider investing. However, if the change appears for the worse, pass on it. And, of course, if things have been getting steadily worse, even without a shake up, it could be a sign that management is ill-equipped to deal what’s going on right now.

3. Lagging Behind in the Industry
Another consideration is where the company stands with regard to other companies in its industry. Find out why the company is lagging. If management, research, product, or some other item appears to be responsible for industry lag, you might be in trouble if you invest in that company.

4. High P/E Ratio
When a company has a high price to earnings ratio (P/E), it means that investors are paying more in relation to each unit of net income. If a company has a high P/E ratio, especially compared to its peers, it could be a sign that it is overvalued, and that you might consider staying away.

5. It’s “Hot” Right Now
It may seem strange to think that a “hot” stock (or other investment) might be a bad idea. However, the fact of the matter is this: If something is “hot” right now, you are likely too late to get it at a good price. In fact, the fact that something is exploding right now could be a sign of a bubble, and that it could be on the edge of bursting. You don’t want to get stuck with a burst investment bubble just as you buy something at a peak price.

6. You’re Getting an “Inside Tip”
Whether the “inside tip” comes from an email, from your brother, or from a co-worker, anytime you are offered the “inside track” on some investment, it is usually a red flag. Sometimes “insider” tips are used to help pump up a stock price so that someone else can dump it when it gets to a higher price. The worst part is that, if you are getting your “tip” from a family member or friend, they are probably being duped as well. Be wary of such “inside” information.

7. You Only Have a Limited Time to Get In
Good, solid investment choices are usually going to be around next week. Beware the amazing investment opportunity that your buddy has brought up that requires you to come up with a large amount of capital within a day or two.

A good investment should be a good investment next month, and you can generally buy partial shares through a low-cost, online brokerage. Anytime someone is pressuring you to go in, with a great deal of capital, right now, that’s a sign to run the other way.

What are some of the signs you look for help you know not to invest your money?

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