I'm not very good at keeping up with market fluctuations in general, but Bernanke cutting the Fed Funds Rate by 0.75% got my attention. I'll be honest - I was totally distracted this weekend by other things, and I barely noticed the drop in stock … [Read the rest]
Ask The Readers: What’s Going On With The Stock Market and the Economy?
Posted on January 22, 2008 // 70 Comments
Discussing Home Buyer’s Agent Commission Rebates
Posted on January 22, 2008 // 26 Comments
Up until a few years ago, the status quo was that the real estate agent who helps you buy your home get half of the 6% commission, so 3% of the sale price of your home. On an average (again, around here) $600,000 home, that's $18,000. That may be … [Read the rest]
Bought a Diamond Since 1994? Diamond Class Action Lawsuit
Posted on January 22, 2008 // 10 Comments
First. it was credit cards and their foreign transaction fee settlement. This time, it's the De Beers diamond company accused of being a naughty monopoly and artificially raising diamond prices. They have reached a tentative settlement which you … [Read the rest]
Long Weekend Links: Volatile, Intimate, Simple, and Loved!
Posted on January 22, 2008 // 3 Comments
Am I describing myself? Nah, just my selection of reading over this weekend: Jeremy of GenXFinance offers a glimpse at his personal experiences while encouraging us not to make bad decisions during this volatile stock market. My job has good … [Read the rest]
Free Sample: Schick Quattro Titanium Razor
Posted on January 18, 2008 // 41 Comments
It was in stock, then out of stock, now back in stock! Free Schick Quattro Titanium Razor sample, while supplies last. If successful, you should get the message "Thank you for signing up! Your free razor is on its way!". … [Read the rest]
Travel Gear: Save Time And Money By Packing Light
Posted on January 18, 2008 // 26 Comments
Most hardcore independent travelers will agree that you can pack for a year 'round the world in just one carry-on. Being able to fit your life into one backpack is almost a meditation exercise for me. It makes me feel free. But since this is a … [Read the rest]
Asset Allocation: Investing In Real Estate Through REITs?
Posted on January 17, 2008 // 35 Comments
When deciding on your portfolio's asset allocation, another option beyond broad stock funds in domestic or international markets is to invest in is real estate. Besides directly owning a home or office complex, an easy way to get exposure is to own … [Read the rest]
Finding A Buyer’s Agent, Part 1: The Search Begins With Ourselves
Posted on January 16, 2008 // 34 Comments
We've been slowly moving forward with the home-buying process, but I've fallen behind on the updates. We are far from experts and we might have done it all wrong, but here's how we found our buyer's agent to represent us. We started by essentially … [Read the rest]
List of File Backup Options: Free, Automated, and Online
Posted on January 14, 2008 // 25 Comments
Two, count 'em two, of my old hard drives died last week. And this web site went haywire (multiple times). I had the major files backed up, but my need for a better backup system became apparent. Ideally, it would be free, automated, and online. So … [Read the rest]
Get A Free Month of Amazon Prime Membership
Posted on January 13, 2008 // 6 Comments
Amazon Prime, in case you don't know, is a premium service where you get free 2nd-day shipping on most items with no minimum, even if you're just spending $5. Very convenient. The normal cost for turning Amazon into your impulse-buying superstore … [Read the rest]
Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires. Shhh…
Posted on January 10, 2008 // 11 Comments
Reader’s Digest has an article titled Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires. The “secrets” aren’t exactly groundbreaking: Set your sights on where you’re going Educate yourself Passion pays off Grow your money No guts, no … [Read the rest]
Brokerage Promotions: $100 Bonuses at Tradeking and OptionsXpress
Posted on January 10, 2008 // 5 Comments
TradeKing is offering a $100 bonus (expired) for new households opening an account with at least $2,500, and making one trade. You must keep $1,000 in the account for the first 6 months. I could not find a related TradeKing promotional code for this … [Read the rest]
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