Archive for May, 2011


I joined a book club this week. The club itself has nothing to do with personal finance, in fact, someone proposed a finance book for the reading list and it was quickly shot down. But in the days following our first book club meeting, I found out about a great site that will save book […]

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The Overzealous Stock Market Operator

Posted by Madison on May 11, 2011

This is a story that a reader Joe, shared with me a few years ago. With the stock market again gaining momentum, it’s a great reminder for everyone about what can happen when you ignore your time horizon and focus only on current market conditions. In your early 20’s, you never know when you will […]

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Best Online Discount Broker Comparison

Posted by Madison on May 10, 2011

Each time I look at a new discount broker, the first thing I do is see how it stacks up against some of the best discount brokers I already use. With the new offer from OptionsHouse, I wanted to see how they stack up. As a benchmark, I always begin my comparison with Scottrade, an […]

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New I-Bonds Rates are Attractive

Posted by Madison on May 9, 2011

I had a long discussion with my Aunt on Mother’s Day. The topic: interest rates. Specifically, the lack of interest on savings accounts right now. She was trying to figure out where to stash some of her money to get the best return, without any risk. With pitiful rates on CDs and bank accounts, it’s […]

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Here’s a great Free Money Friday offer for anyone looking to upgrade their computer or home entertainment system. OptionsHouse is offering 3 different sizes of Dell monitors for opening & funding a new account! How to Get Your Free Dell Monitor Open an OptionsHouse account. Fund your account with one of the following promo codes: […]

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Will Facebook Photos Harm Your Career?

Posted by Madison on May 5, 2011

I’m not very active on Facebook. I try, but it’s just something I don’t really get the hang of. In fact, I find it strange to look at friends’ photos, profiles, and posts without them knowing I’m in their business. Almost like I’m eavesdropping on their conversation. (I just recently found out this actually has […]

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7 Rules for Successful Pre-Buying

Posted by Jill on May 3, 2011

I do my best to maximize credit card rewards, take advantage of reward and loyalty programs and generally stretch my dollars as far as possible without spending too much time doing so. So when I read Madison’s post about Envaulted, a cash-back program that gives you 1% back on credit card purchases plus bonuses on certain […]

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Why On Earth Did We Pay Cash?

Posted by Madison on May 2, 2011

A reader Terri, who is enjoying reading about the process of buying our new vacation home had a few questions surrounding the decision to pay cash: I’d like to know why you chose to make an all cash purchase as opposed to financing. I suspect the decision was easier since you plan to hold on […]

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