Money
Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft
May 16, 2008 :: Credit and Debt :: 10 Comments
One of the hot financial topic today is identity theft. And if you think it can never happen to you, you are wrong. Here are some examples of identity theft that I have first and second-hand experience with: I had two separate incidents of account takeover where the thieves ...
Budget Mentality Versus Net Worth Mentality (GP)
May 15, 2008 :: Financial Planning :: 5 Comments
One of the mantras that we hear a lot in the world of personal finances is "budget, budget, budget." But is this type of mentality really the best way to build wealth? More and more, some in the personal finance realm are starting to switch to a net worth mentality ...
Ask The Expert with Larry Swedroe, May 2008 Issue
May 14, 2008 :: Investing :: 2 Comments
This is the 6th issue of the Ask The Expert column by Larry Swedroe. You can see Larry's full biography and important disclaimer below. If you are interested in having your question answered by Larry, please send me an email via the contact page. Now, let's get to the questions and ...
What Is An Annuity?
May 13, 2008 :: Retirement :: 7 Comments
I've heard about annuity before, but didn't really know what it is until I read a Fidelity newsletter over the weekend. I thought the information provided was very good so, I am going to share what I learned here. Annuities Annuities are insurance products designed to help you invest for retirement ...
Why Borrowers With Bad Credit Pay A Higher Interest Rates
May 12, 2008 :: Credit and Debt, Money :: 10 Comments
As of yesterday, one of my loans at Lending Club became "31-120 days late" -- this means the borrower is not making his monthly payment and I could end up losing that money. Since I have 20 active loans, this represents a 5% loss if the loan should default. ...
Roadmap To A Better Financial Health
May 9, 2008 :: Money :: 14 Comments
In the past few years, Americans average savings rate has declined precipitously -- in fact the current savings rate is practically zero. This means that as a society, we are not saving any money. Worse, we have a habit of borrowing to fuel our consumption. ...
Frugal Or Cheap? Here’s A Test
May 7, 2008 :: Frugal Living :: 45 Comments
Here's some mid-week fun for Moolanomy's readers. Have you ever wondered if you are frugal or cheap? I do. I always consider myself frugal, but my wife calls me cheap -- go figure! Here's a little test. Just answer the 10 questions below and write down your ...
Mint.com Money Management Software Review
May 6, 2008 :: Financial Planning :: 4 Comments
Money management is a tedious endeavor for many of us. It takes a significant amount of time and energy to keep track of expenses, come up with a balanced budget, and figure out ways to save money. Personally, I put my finances on autopilot and don't worry about ...
April 2008 Site and Net Worth Review (+6.22%)
May 2, 2008 :: Money :: 7 Comments
Net Worth Review We definitely saw good recovery in April, but you really have to ask how much more can the Fed cuts interest rates. The S&P 500 index went up +4.75% from 1322.70 to 1385.59. According to NetworthIQ, my net worth actually went up +1.70% and net investable ...
Practical Investing Guide For Beginners (Reprint)
May 1, 2008 :: Investing :: 20 Comments
Neither one of my parents know how to invest in the stock market, and it wasn't a part of my formal education. I had to learn everything on my own, so I know how intimidating it is for people who are new to investing. Where do I start? ...
Why I Am Glad The Economic Stimulus Check Is Coming Early
April 28, 2008 :: Money :: 29 Comments
As some of you may know the economic stimulus check is coming one week early! You might say, "Hey, that's old news." Well, I am not here to tell you about the rebate check coming week early (this week instead of next). I am here to share ...
34 Ways To Save Money On Car Expenses
April 25, 2008 :: Frugal Living :: 22 Comments
With the recent increases in gas price, everyone is feeling the pinch. What used to be a $30 fill up is now $40. And every household budget is in crisis from the rising gas price, along with everything else. So, I figure this is a good time ...
10 Ways New Parents Overspend On Their Newborns
April 23, 2008 :: Frugal Living, Life, Family, and Health :: 32 Comments
My wife and I have been new parents for nearly five months now. Lucky for us, we got some good advices early on, including those from a guest post by Paidtwice: 10 “Preparing For Baby†Tips For the Frugal-Minded. However, I understand how easy it is to overspend on ...
My Biggest Budget Busters
April 21, 2008 :: Money :: 18 Comments
Lynnae at Being Frugal tagged me and asked about my biggest budget busters. The request could've been difficult since I don't budget. Fortunately, I have been experimenting with Mint.com, and I was able to pull out some big purchases and budget busters. So, here are my top ...
Labor Capital, The Forgotten Asset Class
April 18, 2008 :: Investing :: 12 Comments
The first time I heard the term "Labor Capital" clearly explained was in our monthly column by Larry Swedroe. So what is labor capital? Basically, it's your ability to generate income by trading your labor for money. Larry advises that investors should take their labor capital into ...
