My Money Blog

Choosing a Discount Stock Broker, Part 2

Posted on April 10, 2006 // 19 Comments

After some more research, I jotted down some thoughts on each of the six brokers I narrowed it down to last time. Again, these are all from my own admittedly-biased perspective and personal needs. TradeKing I have an account with TradeKing, and … [Read the rest]

Carnival of Personal Finance

Posted on April 9, 2006 // 21 Comments

I had a tough time deciding on how to host this week's Carnival. Honestly, I haven't read (or submitted to) one in weeks. As Carnivals get larger, the host tends to get overwhelmed and all you really get is a long list of links. If you're lucky you … [Read the rest]

WaMu Free Checking Account Opening Review

Posted on April 8, 2006 // 36 Comments

I opened a WaMu Free Checking account today at my local Washington Mutual branch today, and it was pretty easy. If I like it, I might move all my local banking there from BofA. All I needed to apply in-person was $1 (it's $100 online), driver's … [Read the rest]

Saving Money on Printer Ink with eBay and Staples

Posted on April 8, 2006 // 13 Comments

If you've been printing up a storm during tax season like me, you're probably also running low on ink. I just saw on TV that Staples is giving out $3 coupons for turning in any used ink or toner cartridge. The coupon can be used on anything in … [Read the rest]

Discover Platinum Gas Card: 0% APR + 5% Back on Gas

Posted on April 5, 2006 // 21 Comments

The Discover More Card - No Balance Transfer Fee* is currently offering no-fee 0% APR balance transfers and 0% APR on purchases for 12 months. The fine print clearly says "If you make a balance transfer with this application, there is no balance … [Read the rest]

Choosing a Discount Stock Broker

Posted on April 4, 2006 // 37 Comments

Is it weird that I'm excited to switch into my new portfolio? I just have to settle on a brokerage. Now, you are not going to find an exhaustive broker comparison here. I'm just one guy and I just want to find the best broker for me. I'm just selfish … [Read the rest]

Finding Inspiration In Others

Posted on April 4, 2006 // 9 Comments

As a follow-up to my Thinking Big post, sometimes my biggest problem is motivation. When you don't have a boss or deadlines breathing down your neck, it's easy just to sit back and slack off. As all the gurus say, you should surround yourself with … [Read the rest]

Thinking Big

Posted on April 4, 2006 // 22 Comments

Not only do I want to retire early, I want to have a great life on the way there. Duh, right? What I'm trying to say is that I don't really worry about money in the long-term anymore. My wife and I are educated, hard-working (well, I can be...), … [Read the rest]

Hosting the Carnival of Personal Finance

Posted on April 3, 2006 // Leave a Comment

I'm hosting the Carnival of Personal Finance next week. Go submit! I plan on taking a more active role in highlighting my favorite posts this time. … [Read the rest]

Presidential Bank Raises Rates to 4.37% and 4.62% APY

Posted on April 3, 2006 // 8 Comments

Presidential Bank has raised the rate on their Internet Checking Plus account (review) to 4.37% APY and their Premier Savings (review) to 4.62% APY. I still consider this my main checking account, but recently I've been considering a switch to HSBC … [Read the rest]

Final Draft Portfolio: Both ETFs and Mutual Funds

Posted on April 2, 2006 // 13 Comments

Ok, so here's my final draft for my new retirement portfolio. I've decided to go with a portfolio based closely on my Keep It Simple Portfolio. The twist is that I've decided to keep all my taxable funds in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), while … [Read the rest]