Banks/Credit Unions
Money Roundup: Job Hunting With Uncle Sam, the True Cost of Refinancing, and More
Friday, November 4th, 2011
Every week I search the web for the best of the best personal finance articles – the ones that can help you spend smarter, invest more successfully, and win with money. Here are my picks for this week. 5 Pitfalls to Avoid During Open Enrollment Season (Main Street). Are your benefit selections on autopilot? Take ... [Read more]
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Money Roundup: The Truth About Credit Scores, A Letter From Warren Buffett’s Grandfather, and More
Friday, October 21st, 2011
Every week, I read lots of personal finance articles so you don’t have to! Here are 10 that I think you should read. Myths, Misperceptions About Credit Scores Rampant (USA TODAY). Does your income impact your credit score? What about your age? Read on to find out. Six Networking Tips for Your Job Search (U.S. ... [Read more]
Money Roundup: How Materialism Messes With Marital Bliss, Great DIY Halloween Costume Ideas, and More
Friday, October 14th, 2011
Every week, I wade through lots of personal finance articles so you don’t have to! Here are 10 that are worth a look. Headhunters’ Job Search Tips and Interview Advice (Bloomberg Businessweek). Words of wisdom from those who know how to get a job. Report Shows Unbelievable Child ID Thefts (Main Street). Good for you ... [Read more]
When Financial Protection May Cause Harm
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010
I had to reread the first couple of paragraphs of the story to make sure I had read them correctly. Sure enough, the Wall Street Journal article said that a surprisingly high 75 percent of people have opted in for overdraft protection coverage from their bank or credit union. In effect, such people have chosen ... [Read more]
Best of Money Carnival #67
Sunday, September 5th, 2010
It’s my pleasure to serve as host of this week’s Best of Money Carnival, a weekly listing of the top ten personal finance blog posts. As always, there were many great submissions. Here are my picks for this week’s top ten in countdown order. 10. The New Frugality posted at Reasonably Rich: Lauren writes about ... [Read more]
Why You Need Two Savings Accounts
Monday, January 4th, 2010
A very common New Year’s resolution is to save more money. That’s a worthy goal, but I recommend that you maintain two savings accounts—an “If” savings account and a near-term “When” savings account. “If” savings is your emergency fund. It’s for all of life’s if’s—if you incur significant medical or house repair expenses that are ... [Read more]
The Credit Card Game is Changing
Monday, December 21st, 2009
Sweeping changes are coming to the credit card world, with issuers facing many new rules and regulations starting February 22nd. The Credit CARD Act will restrict issuers’ ability to raise interest rates, prohibit them from charging various fees, and more. As a result, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal, issuers are quick ... [Read more]
Becoming a Nation of Savers
Monday, December 21st, 2009
After many years of declines in our household savings rate, the recession seems to have sparked a savings revival. The rate even hit a high of 6.4 percent of disposable income in May, the highest since 1993. It was 4.4 percent in the most recently reported month of October, whereas it had been hovering around ... [Read more]
Money Market Funds Lose Insurance Protection
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
A temporary program insuring money market funds has expired. However, according to an article in on Kiplinger.com, there’s not much reason to worry about the safety of money invested in such funds. The insurance program was put in place last fall after the Reserve Primary Fund “broke the buck” – that is, the fund’s investment ... [Read more]
Don’t Get Taken for a Fee Ride
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
It wasn’t long ago that banks would not allow debit card transactions to go through if you didn’t have enough money in your checking account. But then they discovered how profitable it could be to allow such transactions and then hit you with an overdraft fee. Such fees will total an estimated $38.5 billion this ... [Read more]
