Credit Tips
6 Secrets to Easy Budgets
‘Piles of paper’ by Flickr user °Florian A friend once told me she didn’t budget because it was “just setting yourself up to fail.” At first I was adamant: “No way! Having a budget is the only way not to fail!” But then I started to think about it. I had made more budgets than [...]
The Lazy Man’s Guide to Money Management
Working is tough. And then there’s the chore of having to manage the money you make as you toil in the workplace. Leaves too little time to sit around in your underwear and catch pretzel bites in your mouth, right? Not necessarily. In the video below, Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson takes a look at smart ways [...]
Study: Many Americans Don’t Understand Credit Scores
It literally pays to understand how credit works, but many people just don’t get it. A good credit score can save you thousands of dollars on mortgages and other loans. Low scores can make it more difficult to rent an apartment, get a cellphone contract, or sign up for utilities. Unfortunately, a new study released by the Consumer [...]
Does Frugality Have to Hurt?
‘consumerism + desire’ by Flickr user angies Recently I wrote a post called “Beware false economies,” which included examples of frugality that could actually cost someone money, health or reputation. A reader said those examples confirmed that “people believe ‘frugal’ or living within or below one’s means equals doing without.” My immediate reply: “Good point! [...]
Today’s Deals: iPhones, Excedrin, and ‘Free’ Eye Cream
I subscribe to the promotional emails of hundreds of companies so you don’t have to. I sift through 1,000 deal-touting emails every week. Most are worthless. But some offer valuable coupons, promo codes, sales and freebies — which I collect and organize. Note: Expiration dates are in brackets and special instructions are in parentheses. Home [...]
McDonald’s Is Cutting Fat From the Menu (Not the Food)
‘McDonalds’ by Flickr user Sean MacEntee The golden arches may arch some eyebrows as McDonald’s tries to shrink its super-sized menu. Since 2007 the number of items offered at the chain has expanded 70 percent to 145, Bloomberg says. It’s slowing down food preparation and customers are complaining. The time it takes to get through [...]
Scam Scares People With Fake $900 Walmart TV Purchase
’2011 Walmart receipt’ by Flickr user dno1967b This is pretty clever as scams go: trying to steal financial information by making people think it has already been stolen. Walmart is warning customers of a new phishing email that appears to be an expensive order receipt from Walmart.com: There was a false email sent to a number of [...]
Lawyers Recovering Madoff Funds Have Collected $700M in Fees
‘Bernard Madoff, painted portrait _DDC5185′ by Flickr user Abode of Chaos Remember Bernie Madoff? He was convicted of what’s considered to be the largest Ponzi scheme in history and sentenced to 150 years in prison. Lawyers and consultants have spent the past five years cleaning up the mess he left behind, and they’re making lots of money [...]
Today’s Deals: Happy Hour, ‘Free’ Chicken, Free Lattes
I subscribe to the promotional emails of hundreds of companies so you don’t have to. I sift through 1,000 deal-touting emails every week. Most are worthless. But some offer valuable coupons, promo codes, sales and freebies — which I collect and organize. Note: Expiration dates are in brackets and special instructions are in parentheses. Buca [...]
6 Ways to Ruin Your Life, Gatsby Style
‘Glasses’ by Flickr user croarty During his lifetime, author F. Scott Fitzgerald reportedly made $8,397 in royalties from “The Great Gatsby.” (That would be about $139,600 now, converting from 1940, the year Fitzgerald died.) Gatsby probably spent more than that in the book’s first chapter. Those of us who’ve read the book (or have seen the [...]