I had lunch with some old coworkers last week and it became apparent, that I live in a bubble. Of course, I still see the news, but I don’t have the day-to-day discussions with people about how the economy is impacting individuals. I’m aware of job cuts, the stock market hitting 12 year lows, and […]
My Lending Club portfolio is finally starting to take shape. If you haven’t signed up for a Lending Club account yet, here’s a step-by-step guide to becoming a lender and a sneak peak into what you’ll see once you fund some loans. For all the details on minimum investments, interest rates, and requirements, see my […]
Photography Jukebox Working on your finances each day can get pretty boring if you don’t spice it up once in awhile. Challenge yourself to think in a different way, or try something new today! Looking for a place to start? The personal finance alphabet is a fun way to work through your finances from A […]
I’m always on the lookout for free credit scores! Since it’s Free Money Friday, I thought it was the perfect time to highlight another one. Lazy recently told me about Credit Karma, which offers you free access to your credit score daily. How to Get Your Free Credit Score Enroll at Credit Karma. Verify your […]
The details for the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan were released yesterday. The new title of the program is “Making Home Affordable.” There are two components for home owners, refinancing and loan modifications. Participation is voluntary and the lender has to choose to participate. Details of both plans are below. Home Affordable Refinance Borrowers who […]
I got an email from an old business associate this week. It’s always nice to hear what people have been up to… and even more interesting when they have a personal finance idea to share. He’s a real estate investor, and it turns out he is looking to expand. I’ve been interested in real estate, […]
Last week I asked: Should We Downsize? Many of you shared things to think about, your own situations, and additional considerations. The thoughts were very helpful, so I wanted to share some of them with everyone. Market Conditions Nickel suggested that depending on the market, sometimes more expensive houses fell further in value than the […]
Cutting back isn’t always easy, even when you know you need to or you are in a situation where you are being forced to cut back. For some inspiration for all of you, I went through our budget recently to see where we’ve saved in the past. If you are looking for places to save […]
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 […]
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 […]
