Personal Finance

NYC Free Summer Meals-
Officials from the city as well as on the federal level met yesterday, 7/1/08, at Pace High school in Chinatown. Their mission: to make the people of New York City aware of the city's extensive Summer Meals Program. As City Council speaker Christine Quinn said, "People don't know as much as they should in our five boroughs that we have a very expansive school meals program in the summer. People think school meals stop when the school year stops or when summer school stops- that's not true." In an effort to combat the struggle with food prices and the hunger families in need might face, the city kicked off the event and let it be known the city was ready to feed all individuals 18 and under. The program even extends eligibility to individuals simply visiting the city during the summer. There are over 1,200 locations around the city offering delicious and nutritious meals, and citizens are encouraged to dial 311 in order to find a site near them.
The Danger of Losing Your Wallet - And How to Protect Yourself- Near the end of a recent long trip, my wife misplaced her wallet. She carries a traditional small pocket wallet, which contains her driver’s license, a few credit cards, a few customer reward program cards, and a few other personal items. We spent the better part of three days searching around our home for the [...]
If you think gas prices are high, drive less!-

Please bear with me, I don't mean to be facetious here. Now that oil is over $140/barrel and everyone has a theory about why the price is so high, I thought I'd join the party and throw in my two cents as well.
Is Time the Difference Between Big Spenders, Frugal Folks, and Cheapskates?- I tend to find that most people exist somewhere along what I like to call the frugal spectrum. At one end are people who spend like it’s going out of style and basically believe that any initiative that gets in the way of just doing whatever they feel like is a giant waste of [...]
Reader Mailbag #17- Each Monday, The Simple Dollar opens up the reader mailbags and answers ten to twenty simple questions offered up by the readers on personal finance topics and many other things. Got a question? Ask it in the comments. You might also enjoy the archive of earlier reader mailbags. As usual, we’ll start things off with a [...]
The Minimalist Kitchen: What You Need (and Don’t Need) to Set Up Your First Workable Home Kitchen- After Mark Bittman mentioned my post about minimalist food selections in his popular New York Times food blog, I was inundated with questions about minimalist cooking. Thoughts about kitchen setups, basic equipment, and other such questions were shared and requested, and eventually I came to realize that it’d be useful to write a follow-up [...]
The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Family Surprise Edition- Life turns out in very unexpected ways, if you give it a chance. After finishing my manuscript late last week, my wife and I celebrated by going on a short trip with our kids. We stayed with a cousin of mine who’s about eight years older than I am - in fact, she used to [...]
Grills Gone Wild-
Everyone's looking for the grill of their dreams, but its important to keep a lid on the prices...
The Net Worth Mentality: The Road Less Traveled- A recent conversation I had with an old friend started something like this. “So, now that you’re writing full time, how much money are you making?” “…. I don’t know.” “What do you mean you don’t know?” This is a line of thinking I wouldn’t have believed just a few years ago. Not knowing what my pay is? [...]
Finding Inspiration for Financial Change- A while back, I wrote in detail about the longest night of my life, the night when I realized that I needed to change my financial situation. That night, the best answer didn’t come from me. It came from my infant son. When I looked at him, I knew I had to [...]
No Time for Frugality: Cutting Financial Corners with No Time Investment- As soon as people hear the word frugality, they often respond by saying “I don’t have time for that!” The perception is out there that frugality always demands hours of doing things like cutting coupons and mixing up batches of homemade laundry detergent. While those projects save money, they’re only one avenue towards [...]
Review: The Renaissance Soul- Each Sunday, The Simple Dollar reviews a personal productivity, personal development, or business/entrepreneurship book of interest. When I was in college, I switched majors three different times, bouncing around the hard sciences and the humanities like a rubber ball and finally settling on multiple majors that balanced my interests. I started down the path of [...]
A Clever Trick for Automatically Finding Deals You Want at Amazon- Lately, I’ve been working on my Christmas shopping list, trying to get (way) ahead of the curve. I have a lot of great ideas in mind for the people around me, but I know that unless I’m diligent, the gifts will either wind up being too expensive or will simply slip through my fingers. [...]
What Individual Stocks Would I Invest In for the Long Haul?- In the reader mailbag yesterday, I alluded to the idea that I would only buy individual stocks from companies that I was strongly familiar with and whose products I used myself and not only trusted, but that I found enough value in that I would laud them to others. In other words, I’m a [...]
Ceiling Fan Hacks: Save Big on Energy Use- A typical central air conditioning unit uses 3,500 watts of energy when running. A typical ceiling fan uses 60 watts of energy, even when running on high. Thus, if you ran your ceiling fan all day and it managed to decrease your home air conditioner use by just thirty minutes in a twenty [...]
Starting a Natural Collection- My wife and I are both natural collectors. As a young boy, I carefully collected thousands of baseball cards, spending my allowance each week on Topps wax packs. Later, in my teen years, I collected Magic: the Gathering cards with a ferociousness. I come by this naturally - my father has been [...]
You Can’t Buy Love- About two weeks ago, I did something incredibly stupid. Without even really thinking about it, I let my wife down. I made one of those careless, thoughtless little mistakes that when you realize what you’ve done, you might want to slap yourself in the head about it, but a mistake can’t be undone. My [...]
Ten Tips to Maximize the Value of a Doctor’s Visit- I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t like going to the doctor. I had a few terrible experiences with who I still call “the world’s scariest doctor” when I was a young child (”I’m going to clean it out now” in a frigid monotone, followed by the sound of a buzzsaw starting [...]
Review: Green with Envy- Each Friday, The Simple Dollar reviews a personal finance book of interest. They’ve got vacation homes, backyard swimming pools, and three car garages. That’s what we see. What we don’t see is their secret shame: the unpaid bills, the desperate loans, and the sleepless nights. That’s the blurb on the back of Shira Boss’s Green [...]
My Book Writing Journey: From a Dream to a Deal and a Finished Manuscript- A couple of days ago, I finished my first book and turned it in to my publisher. You’ll be hearing a lot more about it in a few months, but this post is for the large number of readers who have sent me all kinds of questions about the book publishing process. It was a [...]
Giving Now Versus Giving Later: The Gospel of Wealth Versus Everyday Charity- We only have a limited amount of time on this wonderful Earth, and there are almost countless people around the globe who have far fewer opportunities for a pleasant life than we have. Thus, it’s natural for most people to eventually come to the conclusion that it’s quite important to share the wealth we’ve [...]
Review: Ready, Fire, Aim- Each Sunday, The Simple Dollar reviews a personal productivity, personal development, or business/entrepreneurship book of interest. One topic that doesn’t get nearly enough coverage on The Simple Dollar (or on other blogs as well) is entrepreneurship - the transformation of an idea and a passion into a full-fledged business. It can be a splendid way [...]
Reader Mailbag #16- Each Monday, The Simple Dollar opens up the reader mailbags and answers ten to twenty simple questions offered up by the readers on personal finance topics and many other things. Got a question? Ask it in the comments. You might also enjoy the archive of earlier reader mailbags. As usual, we’ll start things off with a [...]
The Economics of Children’s Birthday Parties- Recently, a young child that lives nearby (age six or so) had a large birthday party at his home for all the children on the block that were approximately the same age (four year olds to eight year olds, roughly). The party was in the family’s fenced-in backyard and included a magician, two horses, [...]
Easy ways to cut your energy bill- A bill recently introduced in California would ban the sale of energy-hogging incandescent light bulbs by 2012. Aside from changing your light bulbs, there are some other things you can do around the house to save you energy and money.

1: Take an energy audit

Your home isn't very energy efficient if you have less than six inches of insulation in your attic, if your furnace is 10 years or older, or you have lots of windows on the North side and you live in a cold climate, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.

But, there are some specific calculations you can make to determine just how energy efficient your home is. Take a free energy audit online at the Department of Energy's Web site. This tool can tell you where your home is leaking energy and what you can do about it.

2: Cut the drafts

The average house loses up to 20 percent of its heat or air-conditioning leakage from air ducts alone, according to Energy Star. Make sure you repair your leaky ducts and seal drafty doors, windows and baseboards.
Saving Money on Drugs-
Fact: Generic drugs can be identical to their more expensive, name brand alternatives... so why waste the extra cash?
Paying in CASH- We'll focus on just one technique to improve your finances - paying in cash. Here's how making cash-only purchases can help you to budget, save and invest.

A Plastic Paradise

With rapid increases in the use of plastic over hard currency, some people consider carrying cash old fashioned. To be fair, plastic is much sexier than a bit of colored paper with a deceased president gazing into the great beyond. Some banks even allow you to customize the color and graphics on your credit and debit cards.
Tara Aronson-
Does Your Home Need A Summer Makeover? Nationally Recognized Lifestyle and Cleaning Expert Provides Eco-friendly Household Hints That Won't Break Your Budget Tara Aronson, Nationally Recognized Lifestyle and Cleaning Expert Looking to clean up your act this summer? Look no farther - keeping your home looking its very best doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, there are a number of quick, easy and inexpensive changes that you can do to save money and help the environment. Nationally recognized Lifestyle and Cleaning Expert Tara Aronson has great eco-friendly ideas to spruce up your home this summer. About Tara Aronson: Tara Aronson is the author of "Mrs. Clean Jeans' Housekeeping with Kids" and "Simplify Your Household', a travel and lifestyle journalist, media personality, organizing marvel and single mother of three. Tara regularly appears on nationally syndicated shows/news networks such as CNNfn, "Living it Up with Ali & Jack" and "Soap Talk'.
The FTC Act: Protection from Credit Cards-
If new rules proposed by the Fed are enacted, some of the credit card companies' favorite sleazy tactics will be taken off the table.
Making Money In Retirement-
Americans are living longer, healthier lives... and retirement "ain't" what it used to be! In fact, many so-called seniors consider retirement an exciting opportunity to launch a new career. Marika and Howard Stone of "Too Young Too Retire" offer some advice.
Finding a Retirement Community-
Finding the right spot to retire can mean the difference between golden years and bronze ones.
How I Paid Off $35,000 in Debt, and How You Can Too- Photo courtesy of Unhindered by Talent
Senator John McCain-
AIPAC Policy Conference June 2-4, 2008 Republican Candidate for President Senator John McCain addresses the conference. For more than half a century, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has worked to help make Israel more secure by ensuring that American support remains strong. From a small pro-Israel public affairs boutique in the 1950s, AIPAC has grown into a 100,000-member national grassroots movement described by The New York Times as "the most important organization affecting America 's relationship with Israel. The following shared major addresses to the AIPAC Policy Conference, June 2 -- 4, 2008, at the Washington Convention Center.
Why do people don't save for retirement- Ellen Rinaldi, who leads Vanguard's Investment Counseling & Research group, offered some observations to help investors overcome a few common myths and help achieve their long-term goals.
Myth #1: It's too late for me to start saving for retirement

This myth can lead to inaction—whereas the reality is that it's never too late to start saving.

Of course, the best strategy is to start saving early, because $10,000 saved in your 20s or 30s is going to be worth a lot more when you are 65 than $10,000 saved in your 40s or 50s. But no matter where you are in life, you'll benefit from putting your money to work for you now.
Josh Dorfman-
Money Go Green on a Shoestring Make an Impact This Earth-Day With Simple Changes and Affordable Eco-Friendly Products Josh Dorfman "The Lazy Environmentalist" www.lazyenvironmentalist.com We all know that going green is an important cause, but many of us are not doing as much as we can because we assume that going green requires a big commitment of our time and money. That couldn't be further from the truth. Being environmentally conscious is as easy as making simple changes to our everyday routines. With Earth Day being celebrated on April 22nd, people around the nation will renew their environmental efforts to help make a difference.
Foreclosure Tours-
Are you looking for a bus load of real estate bargains? Then maybe you should go on a tour where other people's losses are your gains.
Simple Foreclosure Solutions- Due to default on your payments, if your lender, bank or mortgage company is looking to take your home through foreclosure, you should be looking for solutions to prevent this from happening. Here in this article, we are going to look at two simple things you can do to stop the proceedings and save your home from foreclosure.

Simple Foreclosure Solutions You Can Live With
Successful Complaining-
Customer Service can be a nightmare, but these tips should help you come away from your complaint with a little more restitution.
Lauren Fix-
Lauren Fix, an award-winning automotive and lifestyle expert, is the host of Talk 2 DIY Automotive on the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Network. Her two syndicated segments, "The Car Coach," and "His Turn-Your Turn," make her a regular guest on numerous national television and radio programs. She is also the author of a new book Lauren Fix's Guide to Loving Your Car (St. Martin's Griffin ) in bookstores in May. TOPIC: Small Tips That Make A Big Difference in Car Maintenance With gas prices at an all time high and today's economy uncertain, Americans are looking for as many ways as possible to save money. Performing small maintenance checks on your car will not only maximize gas mileage, but also prolong the life of your vehicle. "The Car Coach" Lauren Fix is available to offer quick and easy car care tips to help listeners get their car road-ready for summer vacation travel and family outings. Lauren's tips and advice include:
Lauren Seydel-
Many stores these days have signs or information about renewable energy credits or RECs. Certain companies tout how you can help the environment by cashing in on these energy credits by buying their product or purchasing gift cards. But how these credits actually help the environment is unclear to many people. Patrick Nye wants people to understand how these energy credits work because he says they can make a difference. Our power grid pulls in energy from many different energy sources. Patrick likens the power grid to a polluted lake with streams flowing in representing the different sources. Right now many of those streams -- or power sources -- are produced by burning fossil fuels which emit fumes that are harmful to the environment. Patrick says that sustainable energy forms -- like wind and solar power -- can replace the streams as power sources and because they're cleaner forms of energy -- the lake (power grid) will slowly over time become cleaner and better for the environment.
Tom Brokaw interviews Warren Buffett
Pro-Cooking on Amateur Budgets-
Normally when you pay less, you get less. But that's not true necessarily true when it comes to food.
Tom Kraeutler-
Tom Kraeutler's Smart Picks For Spring Home Improvement Projects Protect Your Home -- Your Largest Investment -- in the Sagging Market With Smart Improvements This year, more than ever, it will be important to fix-up, rather than pick up and move. Your home is your biggest investment, so in an effort to protect that asset in the sagging market, Tom Kraeutler, co-host of syndicated radio show The Money Pit and AOL's Home Improvement Editor, has a bevy of ideas and suggestions to help guide your viewers through ideas for spring home improvement projects. Transforming a home with simple upgrades isn't hard, and Kraeutler has spent all winter culling through everything that can help improve a home inside and out.
Shawn Henderson-
As Recession Looms Consumers Look for Bargain Makeovers Design Expert Offers Tips That Won't Break the Bank As budgets tighten this year, homeowners are looking for cost-effective ways to freshen up their homes for spring and add value without investing a lot money or time. And in order to do that more and more people are looking for more creative ways to shop in order to save money. According to eBay Design Director Shawn Henderson, consumers have to get creative this year if they want to makeover a room or an entire home. "Redesigning a room doesn't have to break the bank," Shawn says, "you just have to learn to rethink how you shop," he adds. Shawn recommends avoiding department stores in favor of shopping the inexpensive mass market retailers, cruising spring yard and garage sales, flea markets and online shopping as ways of finding great home items that don't cost a fortune.
Beating Grocery Prices-
The price of food these days is enough to ruin your appetite, but don't put down your fork just yet... Save some serious green at the grocery.
Saving Big On Food-
Is your grocery bill eating you alive? Not once you've seen these tips that may shave your bill by 20 percent or more.
Green Up Your Laundry-
Save some money and the environment with tips to "green up" your laundry.
Great Jobs Without A Degree-
Do you have to get a college degree to land a high paying job? Not necessarily. Making money without a college degree...
Economic Weddings-
Recycling and thinking green certainly have their place. But is that place at your wedding?
Environmentally Friendly Hotels-
Eco-Hotels are a new breed of lodging that promise to house travelers in environmentally friendly ways.
Global Warming Hits Home (2/2)-
As the earth heats up and the ocean level rises, waterfront real estate in places like Florida and the gulf coast could be in trouble. But global warming could affect prices everywhere... and sooner than you think. (Part 2 of 2)
Do Friends Cause Debt?-
Most of us have friends who make more money then we do, and it can put you in situations that are hard to handle. In fact, sometimes it can be downright stressful trying to balance your friendship and your bank account.
This Year's Hottest Jobs!-
Want a career you can sink your teeth into? Then lets talk about the fastest growing jobs in the country.
Credit Cards for Teens?-
Want your teen to learn to use credit without risking a debt dilemma? Get a credit card with training wheels.
Green Up Your Kitchen-
Save some money and the environment with tips to "green up" your kitchen.
Turn a Hobby into a Business (2/2)-
Being your own boss, and working from home. It's a dream for many...and a reality for a few. One step toward that kind of life is to turn something you now do for fun into something you do for a living. (Part 2 of 2)
Home Energy Audits-
Free energy audits from your utility company are a popular way to save up to 30% on your energy bill... but you can always do it yourself!
Global Warming Hits Home (1/2)-
The housing market may be in for another slump, if Global Warming has it's way. The problem: Its happening much sooner than you'd think! (Part 1 of 2)
Turn a Hobby into a Business (1/2)-
In life there are things you have to do and then are things you love to do. Wouldn't it be nice to combine the two? Turning your hobby into a business... (Part 1 of 2)
Cutting Cooling Bills-
Air conditioning is an expensive way to stay cool, but there are ways to chill your house without burning up your bank account.
Stopping Identity Theft-
Identity Theft is a crime so common that if it hasn't happened to you personally, you probably know a victim. So why are so many people still being victimized?
Multi-Level Marketing? (1/2)-
If you've ever been recruited by a friend or co-worker to sell Amway, Avon or any number of other products, you've had a brush with network marketing. But is it for you? (Part 1 of 2)
Multi-Level Marketing? (2/2)-
From Amway to Avon, millions of Americans have made it with multi-level marketing. Should you be one of them? (Part 2 of 2)
House Swapping for Cheap Vacations-
One of the most expensive parts of travel is a hotel. But what if you could stay in a full-sized home for no money at all? Thousands of people do it every year. It's called house-swapping.
Shopping Car Loans-
Last month general motors announced the biggest annual loss in their history. And dark clouds for car manufacturers mean blue skies for buyers, as dealers get desperate. But if you're thinking of buying a car anytime soon, don't forget the financing.
Price Improvement on Home Improvement-
When it comes to food and fuel, prices, they're going through the roof. But what about the roof itself? There the news might be a little better.
Start Investing Now or Retire in Poverty-
Researchers at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College recently measured that more than 40% of households may be at risk for seeing their standard of living decline in retirement. They also found that people born after 1955 have an increasing risk of living in poverty.

It is a depressing statistic that should scare you. Four out of ten “retirees” will probably not be enjoying their golden years and may have to continue working just to get by. If you have not thought about or prepared for your later years, there is no better time than the present to start saving and investing.

Since I am not a professional financial advisor or money manager, I cannot give personal investment advice; however, I can give you a starting point on saving and investing so you do not end up being a statistic.

There are many common sense “sayings” about investing and here are some favorites:
The Six Key Steps to Healthy Finances in Your Relationship-
If you’ve ever been in a relationship for very long, especially if you were married or living together, I can almost guarantee that you’ve had a money fight.

One of the biggest causes of problems in relationships is differences in values and goals and habits when it comes to money, and especially communication about money issues.

Money can’t buy you love, but it sure can tear it apart.

And while I can’t claim that my wife and I are perfect when it comes to money and relationships, I can say that we’ve come a long way, and we rarely ever have money disagreements anymore. It wasn’t always that way, and we’ve had our share of fights along the way, but we’re in a much more solid relationship these days because we learned how to talk about money, and how to align our financial goals.

That’s the crux of this post, in two simple steps: learn how to talk about money, and learn to align your financial goals. If you can do those two things, you’ve done more than most couples, and you’ve done a lot to keep your relationship on solid ground.
8 Frugal Tips for Legal Matters-
“The good lawyer is not the man who has an eye to every side and angle of contingency, and qualifies all his qualifications, but who throws himself on your part so heartily, that he can get you out of a scrape.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I recently was asked some questions from readers about legal matters, especially when it comes to trying to deal with legal matters while living on a budget. As these things are a bit beyond my level of expertise, I turned to a friend, Andrew Flusche, a lawyer in Virginia who has done some excellent work for me in some of my online ventures. In addition to being a good lawyer, he’s a great guy, and someone I trust, and intelligent to boot.

I asked him for some frugal tips for people dealing with legal matters, and what follows are some of his suggestions and thoughts, in his words.

1. Do you need a lawyer?
Who makes the Tough Money Decisions ?- The people, who make decisions in accounting, make it based on three categories. First, people who manage a business, second, the external people of a business who have a direct financial interest to a business, and third the people and organizations that have an indirect effect on a business. This applies to non profit organizations as well. Management refers to the group of people who are in charge for operating a business and for measuring up to the profitability and liquidity goals. If a business is extremely large, then the management will most often require more than one person, and the people are hired to perform their job. Managers need to answer important questions such as what was the company’s net income, and if they have a substantial rate of return.
Long Term Investing-
Buying stocks you can hold in your portfolio for years is quite a different process than buying a stock you expect to sell next week. Of course, there is no guarantee that once you buy a stock with an eye to the long-term you'll never have to sell it. But identifying companies that are more likely to turn in a solid performance over the next five to ten years isn't that difficult if you focus on three key areas: Growth, Quality, and Value.
Self-Directed IRAs, More Choices and Options for your Individual Retirement Accounts-
Traditional individual retirement accounts and Roth IRAs are both good ways to save for your retirement while enjoying either a tax deferral or tax free benefits. In a traditional IRA, you invest pre-tax dollars and pay taxes when you withdraw the money. A Roth IRA on the other hand, you pay taxes on what you invest and are tax free when you withdraw.

Both types however lack choices and options in terms of the type of investments that you can participate in. Usually, you are limited to a portfolio of stocks, mutual funds, money market funds and CDs. The majority of the banks, insurance companies and stock brokers that are the custodians and plan administrators of these IRAs do not offer any other investment choices.

If you want more options and better control of your investments in an IRA, you will have to find a plan administrator that specializes in self-directed IRAs. Self-directed IRAs gives you all the tax benefits of the traditional or Roth IRA, but more freedom to invest in different types of assets.
The Truth About Being Your Own Boss-
Many movies often include a major character beginning their own business after years of frustration with their boss or company, and many Americans fantasize with the life they could lead if they only were their own bosses.

If becoming your own boss is your goal, or even the next step in your life, here are some tips that’ll help you both get off the ground and to keep in mind, given by a small business owner:

A. Don’t have a business partner

It’s easy to think that having a partner can minimize risk and bring a variety of ideas, but it can also bring headaches, failure and lawsuits. Ownership is a tricky issue, parents often butt heads about how to raise kids, and they’re in love. Imagine owning a store with someone you violently disagree with?
Five Ways to Cope When Your Child Returns to the Nest-
Final exams at Kansas University are only a few weeks away. My daughter, Caitlin, has been working very hard and will successfully complete her freshmen year in very good academic standing. Caitlin has learned a lot about being on her own and other important life skills, too.

However, she has already informed her mother and me her car will be packed and she will be ready to pull out of Lawrence, Kansas and head back home as soon as she completes her last exam.

While Mary Beth and I are looking forward to spending the summer with our daughter, we just hope her return to the nest will be equally successful.

In anticipation of her return home, my wife and I have been discussing how to embrace this change to our routine. We want the next few months to be happy and productive ones for the sake of the entire family. We have settled on these five ways to cope when our daughter comes home, again. I hope you will find these useful too:
5 Steps to Organize your Work Day Effeciently- It’s 10:38am and you are on a roll. You are so deeply involved in your work, that you barely notice the world around you. You are in the zone. You just need to verify the date on that invoice…but where is that invoice? It was right there a second ago. Nothing throws off your concentration faster that disorganization. You may have to spend the next 10 minutes looking through drawers, the piles on your desk and maybe even the recycling bin to see if it accidentally ended up there.
Starting a Business: Top 10 Do's and Don'ts-

TOP TEN DO'S

1. Live frugally and begin saving up money for operating your business.
2. Learn your business by working for someone else in the same business first.
3. Consider the benefits of starting a moonlight business.
4. Consider the advantages of operating a family business.
5. Objectively measure your skills and training against potential competition.
6. Consider subcontracting to low cost suppliers if you're manufacturing a product.
7. Test market your product or service before starting or expanding.
8. Make "for" and "against" list describing the business you are in or considering.
Best Kept secrets of financial planning-
Some nice points made by a columnist at Yahoo Finance. I extracted the 6 points that she has mentioned and put it in here. Hope you find them useful.

The Six Best-Kept Money Secrets
by Laura Rowley

1. Understand what you can control, and what you can't.
2 Steps to eliminating Credit Card Debt- So you have decided to go for credit card debt elimination and are wondering on what the methods for credit card debt elimination are. As they say, let’s take the bull by its horns and lay it all flat on the ground. There are generally 2 recommendations that are most common for credit card debt elimination: controlling the expenditures and consolidating debt. Let’s check both of these credit card debt elimination recommendations and check the list of things that you can do for achieving credit card debt elimination using these recommendations:
What You Should Know About Credit — Protect Yourself!-
A clean credit report is essential to your financial livelihood. Whether you’re buying a house or you’re simply looking for a credit card with better interest rates, you’ll want to make sure your credit report makes you look good.

But what happens if you find errors on your credit report? What if a bill you paid off three years ago is still listed as past due? What if there are reports of accounts you’ve never opened? Do you need to hire an attorney or credit repair service at a time like this? Not just yet.
How to become debt-free!- Debt – does the mention of the word send a shiver down your spine? Are your monthly debt repayments an ordeal for you?
10 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding without Being Tacky- This is a guest post by Heather Johnson

1. Wear someone else’s gown: Ask your mother, grandmother or other family member if she’ll let you wear her dress. She will most likely be honored that you asked, and you will save valuable time and money spent looking for a gown. Though you might have to get it altered or updated a bit, it will only be a fraction of the cost of buying a new dress.

2. Wear family jewelry: You don’t need to spend lots of money on wedding jewelry when someone in your family probably has something nice for you to wear on your big day. This saves you money buying jewelry just for your special day and eliminates “something borrowed” from your to-do list.

3. Shop at internet wholesale florists: Take your comparison shopping outside your local area by checking out prices from internet wholesale florists who often stock more varieties of flowers in greater supply.
9 Ways to Save Energy, Go green and Save money-

Step 1

Put a sweater on your house. One of the most important energy-saving elements of your home is insulation. Insulating your ceiling and walls will cut your energy bills and make your house more comfortable throughout the year.

Step 2
The 10 Key Actions That Finally Got Me Out of Debt-
This month, I paid off the loans for both my vehicles! I am debt free!

After focusing on getting out of debt for so long (a few years now), becoming debt free is a wonderful and amazing feeling.

It wasn’t easy — my wife and children and I all made sacrifices. It took perseverance. It took some creativity.

And unlike the common misconception about getting out of debt, it took more than frugality.

Background
Let’s take a little trip back in time and see how I got into debt to start with. For a large part of my early adulthood, I was very careful to have a small credit limit and to pay off any purchases on my credit card immediately. I had an auto loan that I paid off religiously, and later a mortgage that I also paid very conscientiously.

After a divorce, I came out debt free. We had paid off our car loan and credit card, and the mortgage was no longer my responsibility.
Keep Business and Personal Finances Separate (Bank of America Coupons inside)-
Small scale business people may often have problems managing finances. While most of the money they used to kick off came from their savings, most of their personal funds now come from their businesses.

Financial management is really a tough thing to do. But although it’s a given that business and personal money are often be intertwined (especially in the case of a home-based business), it is necessary to keep them separate.

The best thing to do is look at business as one entity and home as another. This works better, not just on the personal standpoint, but also on the financial one.

There are top 5 reasons why:
6 Steps to a Successful Small Business- A few days ago, I finally followed through on what I have been meaning to do for a very long time....form an LLC to expand my business of websites/blogs. I have called it ATA Consulting LLC. The reason I have given this name is because 'Consulting' is a very broad category and thats why I'm not limited to just websites and blogs.

Below is a 6 step process to building a successful business.
1. Start Smart
2. Plan Ahead
3. Set up Systems
4. Seek out Sales
5. Aim for Growth
6. Leverage Opportunities

1. Start Smart.
Thinking about Refinancing ? Read This...- If you're a homeowner, you may have refinanced your mortgage, or perhaps the recent declines in mortgage interest rates have you thinking about it.

For the first time since 2005, mortgage interest rates have dipped below 6%, triggering a small boom in refinancing. Applications to refinance loans jumped 135% between November 2, 2007, and January 25, 2008, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
25 Ways to Simplify Your Life with Kids-
“Babies are always more trouble than you thought - and more wonderful.” - Charles Osgood

Anyone who has kids knows that any life with kids is going to be complicated, at least to some degree. From extra laundry to bathing and cooking and shopping and driving and school and chores and crises and sports and dance and toys and tantrums, there is no shortage of complications.

You won’t get to ultra-simple if your life includes children … but you can find ways to simplify, no matter how many kids you have.

Take my life, for example: I have a house full of kids, and yet I’ve found ways to streamline my life, to find peace and happiness among the chaos. How is this magic trick accomplished? Nothing magical, actually, but just little things that have simplified my life over the years.
How to track business expenses during Start-Up phase- Small businesses in the start up phase have a lot of important decisions to make as they develop their business plans and concentrate on the initial steps that will put their business on track, building from the ground up. One of the most important aspects of the start up phase is putting together a sound financial plan to incorporate the start up costs that will continue to be relevant not only during the startup phase but also will grow with the company down the line.
8 Steps to setup a Business Paypal Account- After reading the book How Come That Idiot’s Rich and I’m Not? I'm totally committed to setting up my own business. One of the requirements for that is to have a business account with someone like Paypal, because its very easy to handle all your online invoicing and payments.
Paypal is secure, reliable and most important of all - easy to use.

Here's how to set up a Paypal account for your business.
Financial freedom, no matter how much money you make!- You do not need to be rich to achieve financial freedom. Financial freedom is simply living debt free and organizing your money so that when the bills are due, you have the money set aside to pay them.

Most people believe that a budget is for people who don’t have much money, and it also tends to make people feel restricted in their spending. Nothing could be further from the truth!

A budget is simply a spending plan. Most people like to spend money, so let’s use the word “spending plan” and leave the word “budget” behind us.

A properly used spending plan will provide a person or family (with even a modest income) a true sense of financial freedom. I am experiencing an awesome sense of freedom myself since I have put my own spending plan into place about two years ago.

What I am talking about is this sense of freedom that you get when the mortgage comes due and you have the money already set aside; when the kids have to go back to school shopping and the money is there waiting; when you go grocery shopping each week and you know exactly how much money you can afford to spend because the money is already set aside!
You must have Life Insurance!!- One thing none of us want to think about is our own deaths. Beyond the fact that we’d no longer be able to experience life, we can also leave our families with huge obligations. From loans, mortgages to more complex expenses that our passing would force our families and loved ones to cope with; doesn’t it make sense to have protection?
For most people life insurance makes a lot of sense that said the most important question after that is how much does a person need. In order to establish this you would need to first work out the total impact financially of a person dying would actually have on the family or business relationships that they may have.

Other than the need to cover funeral expenses most people do contribute greatly to the overall family expenses whether it is a bread winner providing the money to buy the food and heat the house or the person that stays at home providing the labor for the housework and looking after the family such as cooking etc. All this needs to be replaced in one way or another such as employing a nanny or a housekeeper. All this has an impact on the families’ budget in the event of death.
20 Money Hacks: Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Finances-
“Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.” - Woody Allen

We had the Parent Hacks earlier this week, and I was thinking it would be fun to do the same with finances — ways to trick yourself, to get around obstacles, to boost your accounts, without it hurting.

Improving your finances improves your happiness, in general, so I thought it would be important to share stuff that’s worked for me.

I’m in the best financial shape in my life, despite quitting my job and my wife recently quitting hers too. A lot of that is thanks to you guys, the readers, but it’s also thanks to frugality, to eliminating debt, to saving as much as I can. To these hacks.

Here’s what works for me — please avoid flaming me, as I’m not saying they’ll work for everybody. Share your tips and tricks in the comments!
How Come That Idiot’s Rich and I’m Not?- When I started reading the book, my first impression was: So here's another book that will tell me that I can buy real estate for "no money down", how I
Which Banks are Buys Now ?- On Wednesday, January 23rd ,U.S. stocks rallied the most in two months on speculation lower borrowing costs and a plan to bail out bond insurers will restore confidence in the financial system. Be cautious but the banks are the third group ( see yesterdays letter in the archives as to gold and oil ) that will profit from the lower rates. Simply stated ,they will pay less for deposits - compared to the rates they charge on loans they make. Free Money
Other Factors of Retirement Planning-
There is more to retirement planning than just the part where you save money for retirement. Indeed, there are other factors that will affect how your money will be spent — and how long it will have to last. This guest post addresses some of the other factors to consider in retirement planning.

Focus on Your Goals to Achieve Retirement Readiness
Tips on How to Save Money on Transportation- Prices go higher every year, especially the cost of gas.
Credit Unions are a good option- Credit unions can be a very good alternative to banks as long as you meet certain conditions.
Review: Online Gaming (Onlinecasinosuite.com)- There a lot of great reasons to choose online or land-based Casinos anywhere. However, there are a few points you should consider before deciding which one to choose.
Why Should I Make a Budget?- You say you know where your money goes and you don’t need it all written down to keep up with it?
Charity Scams-
I’m a big fan of giving to charity. It’s an important part of healthy personal finances. However, this time of year the scams come out, along with the reputable charities. This guest post on charity scams can help you ensure that your money actually goes to charity: