Gifts
Money Roundup: Giving Memorable Gifts, Watching Out For Holiday Money Wasters, and More
Friday, November 18th, 2011
Every week, I try to keep my finger on the pulse of the personal finance world, looking for articles that do an especially good job of informing, guiding, and helping us make better decisions with our dollars. Here are 10 articles that do just that. 80 May Be the New 65 for Retirement Age (CNN ... [Read more]
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Money Roundup: Whether to Insure Fido, Netflix Alternatives, and More
Friday, August 12th, 2011
How to Use the New Apply With LinkedIn Button (via USNews.com). A new tool for job hunters. No Joke: Walmart Coffee Tastes As Good As Starbucks (via TIME Moneyland). Hard to believe, but true: you’ll enjoy your scone every bit as much with Wal-Mart coffee as with Starbucks coffee. Overdraft Fees Remain Steep at Largest ... [Read more]
Gift Card 411
Monday, November 8th, 2010
Gift cards are this year’s most requested holiday gift, topping the wish lists of nearly 60 percent of adults, according to the National Retail Federation. The good news, as reported by Walletpop, is that recent laws have made gift cards more user-friendly than ever. For example, all cards must now be valid for five years ... [Read more]
Now Trending on Twitter: Deals and More Deals
Monday, November 8th, 2010
As you search for the best bargains on holiday gifts this year, Mainstreet.com has compiled its picks for great deal sources to follow on Twitter, including: @TweetCheap is a Twitter deal aggregator, searching Twitter to find and tell you about the best coupon codes and other deals it finds. @HeyItsFree finds, you guessed it, stuff ... [Read more]
Money and Marriage: Keeping No Financial Secrets
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
A divorce attorney once told me that when money is the issue that comes between couples, as it often is, the most common problem is that the spouses were living separate financial lives. Unbeknownst to the other, one was taking their relationship to the edge of a financial cliff, usually by racking up a lot ... [Read more]
Keeping Cupid From Overspending
Monday, February 8th, 2010
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, and since romance has a way of fogging our financial sensibilities, MSN is out with a helpful story about gift giving. According to researchers at Stanford University, gift recipients tend to appreciate inexpensive gifts as much as expensive gifts. Researchers explain that gift givers usually have a number ... [Read more]
Frugal and Creative Gift Ideas
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
Mix a tough economy with the biggest gift-buying season of the year and lots of us are looking for inexpensive yet meaningful gift ideas. Which is what makes this list of 50 gift ideas from BibleMoneyMatters.com so timely. The ideas range from the unusual, somewhat complex, and not too frugal (make your own digital picture ... [Read more]
Reconsidering the Gift Card
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
Gift cards have been among the most popular gifts in recent years. However, there are signs that they are starting to fall out of favor, and for good reason. As MSN’s Liz Pulliam Weston pointed out, any store-branded card can become worthless if the retailer goes out of business. Other problems include the fact that ... [Read more]
Gifts for Job Seekers
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
Chances are good that someone on your gift list this year is unemployed. The holidays can often make matters worse for someone without work. It’s harder to line up interviews, and all the emphasis on spending money on gifts can just compound the pain of a jobless person’s financial problems. That’s why, with the holidays ... [Read more]
Cash Back in Fashion
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Despite proclamations that the recession is over, most people are planning to keep a tight rein on their wallets this holiday season. And when they do pry their wallets open, fewer people will reach for their credit cards. Those are among the findings of surveys by the National Retail Federation and USAA. Using cash instead ... [Read more]
