It can be tough watching CNBC and reading stock market articles without knowing the proper terms. Here are some helpful pointers: Profit-taking: All-purpose explanation for why the market went down. Correction: A major market crash made to sound … [Read the rest]
January 2007 Financial Status / Net Worth Update
January 8, 2007 By 12 Comments
About My Credit Card Debt Newer readers may be alarmed by my high levels of credit card debt. In short, I'm borrowing money for free and keeping it in safe investments while earning me interest. Along with other things, this helps me earn extra … [Read the rest]
Last updated: February 26, 2013
Dollar Cost Averaging: A Poor Way To Reduce Risk?
January 6, 2007 By 35 Comments
Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) involves investing a fixed amount at a regular interval. Lump-Sum Investing (LSI) involves putting in all the money you have available to invest at once. These are not mutually exclusive! If you are investing a portion … [Read the rest]
Last updated: October 15, 2011
Do You Have A Water Leak?
January 6, 2007 By 11 Comments
Is your water bill higher than it should be? Toilet leaks may be silent, but account for about 95% of increased water use that shows up on bills. How to tell if you have a leak in your plumbing: Turn off all the water inside and outside the … [Read the rest]
Last updated: August 9, 2018
Emigrant Direct Signup Bonus Update – November Payouts
January 5, 2007 By 2 Comments
Everyone who sent me their Form #2 in November for my Emigrant Direct Signup Bonus Promotion was paid this week. If you're interested in opening an account with Emigrant Direct's 5.05% APY with no minimums, why not get yourself an extra $20 out of … [Read the rest]
Last updated: August 19, 2012
Free 8-Week Membership At Bally’s Gym
January 5, 2007 By 13 Comments
As I sign of my psychic genius, I will predict your New Year's Resolutions. They are: 1. I will save or earn more money. 2. I will become more healthy. 3. I will be less cluttered and more organized. Hopefully I can help with the first one … [Read the rest]
Last updated: February 23, 2012
If Real Estate Prices Are Cyclic, Where Are We Now?
January 4, 2007 By 21 Comments
I'd say I'm somewhere between anxiety and denial now. If you can't tell, I'm thinking of buying a house in a large West Coast city sometime late in 2007. Hurry up despondency! :) This chart would be funnier if it didn't hit so close to home. … [Read the rest]
Last updated: January 4, 2007
Controversial Rent vs. Own Housing Calculator
January 4, 2007 By 25 Comments
The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), a non-governmental economic think-tank, is very upfront about its views on the housing bubble. For a clue as to what they are, check out this article titled "The Menace of an Unchecked Housing … [Read the rest]
Last updated: January 15, 2016
Does Your Income Vary? Get Around Roth IRA Income Limits
January 3, 2007 By 8 Comments
In my post about Roth IRA conversions, commenter JT pointed out a good way to get around the Roth IRA income limits if your income varies from year to year. Simply put contribute to a non-deductible Traditional IRA, and wait until your modified AGI … [Read the rest]
Last updated: January 3, 2007
Redeemed Savings Bond Online
January 3, 2007 By 6 Comments
As suggested by my When Should You Redeem I Savings Bonds Calculator, I redeemed a $5,000 I-Bond purchased in October 2005 on Tuesday. I ended up receiving $298 in interest over a holding period of 14 months (I bought at the very end of October). … [Read the rest]
Last updated: January 3, 2007
Taking Advantage of After Christmas Clearance Sales
January 3, 2007 By 8 Comments
We just cleaned up at the After-Christmas sale at a local drugstore chain (Longs Drugs). They had everything marked down for 10 cents each! We stocked up on enough tissue paper, holiday gift bags, and rolls of wrapping paper to last us for years … [Read the rest]
Last updated: January 3, 2007
My Traditional to Roth IRA Conversion Decision Process
January 1, 2007 By 25 Comments
For the best site that I've found to the Traditional-to-Roth IRA conversion process (and more clear than the IRS instructions), see the Fairmark guide. Reading through it, you can see there are a ton of variables to consider, including evaluating … [Read the rest]
Last updated: April 22, 2015
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