Archive for February, 2009


Discover $50 – $100 Bonus

Posted by Madison on February 27, 2009

Also be sure to check out the Chase $100 Sign Up Bonus and the Discover $50 bonus! I spent some time last week chatting with a Discover rep about the Discover 25,000 Bonus Miles offer to clarify the math. When I explained to him what I was doing, he suggested an even better card for […]

Continue reading…





Should We Downsize?

Posted by Madison on February 26, 2009

Downsizing seems to be the hot topic at our house lately. My husband and I had a long discussion last week. It revolved around finances, lifestyle, goals and happiness. Since I quit my job 5 months ago, I’ve never been happier! Downsizing I took interest in the CNN story about a couple selling their home […]

Continue reading…





Housing, Housing, Housing… Recession

Posted by Madison on February 25, 2009

I’m very intrigued by everything going on with the housing market right now. We were out of town visiting friends this past weekend and had a lengthy discussion about the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, downsizing houses, and foreclosures. We’ve been fortunate to be in an area that is not seeing plummeting house prices, but […]

Continue reading…





Get Out of Emotional Debt

Posted by Madison on February 24, 2009

Finding creative and inspirational ways to help you repay your debt can keep you motivated and moving the the right direction. One of the sad things I found when helping my brother-in-law get out of debt, was that he couldn’t even remember where he spent most of the money. Without knowing where the money went, […]

Continue reading…





How I Make Money Blogging

Posted by Madison on February 23, 2009

In general, I don’t usually write about writing or blogging. I assumed that most of you weren’t very interested. However, I’ve received plenty of emails and questions lately about it, so I thought I would address how the blogging business model works as a way of bringing in income. And I know many of you […]

Continue reading…





Ohio 529 College Advantage $25 Sign Up Bonus

Posted by Madison on February 20, 2009

It’s back! The extremely popular $25 sign up bonuses for the Ohio 529 College Advantage plan have returned. When they ran the program last fall, it was one of the most popular Free Money Friday offers. For those of you that missed out, here’s your chance! How to Earn Your $25 Referral Bonus Open a […]

Continue reading…





$8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

Posted by Madison on February 19, 2009

Update: The $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended the deadline until June 30, 2010. In addition, it will now include a $6,500 Home Buyer Tax Credit for Existing Homeowners. We finally have an enhanced first time home buyer tax credit! The President signed the Economic Stimulus Bill Tuesday, which includes a $8,000 tax […]

Continue reading…





What’s Your Exit Strategy?

Posted by Madison on February 18, 2009

My dad has been sick this week, and I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time with him at the hospital. Since he’s a successful small business owner for 30 years, we’ve spent some time discussing his plans for the future. It reminded me of many of the self-employed readers that I have. What’s Your […]

Continue reading…





Ask Madison: Reader Mail Volume 3

Posted by Madison on February 17, 2009

It’s time for another round of reader questions! I often get similar questions from readers, so it helps to share the answers with everyone. If you want to check out previous questions, see: Reader Mail Volume 1 Reader Mail Volume 2   How do you open an ING account for children? I would like to […]

Continue reading…





The Ultimate Tax Resource Guide

Posted by Madison on February 16, 2009

It’s tax time! It’s hard to remember everything about taxes, so here is a comprehensive tax guide to get you through tax season! From important tax dates to planning for next year, and just about everything in between, we’ve got you covered! Tax Numbers 2008 Tax Information. Reference sheet for 2008 tax limits, credits, exemptions, […]

Continue reading…