I’ve lived in DC for a total of eight years, four in college and four since. At the end of each of those post-college years I have contemplated my next steps – do I stay where I’m at, move to a new local apartment, or make an even bigger move back to my home state […]
Our asset allocation in the past was based strictly on our retirement funds that I can control at a 88/12 stock/bond asset allocation. Then I worked on adding phantom bond allocations to incorporate the net present value of our pension plans and analyzed the impact of including the same for possible social security benefits. The […]
The English language is constantly changing. New products are invented, new situations arise, and new ways come about that people interact with their world. The English language morphs to accommodate these new situations. However, not every new word is included into the Merriam-Webster or Oxford English Dictionary. In fact, very few words are actually added […]
I am sure you have been to the grocery store lately (unless you shop for groceries online). We shop for groceries every other week, and my husband was the last person to go so I hadn’t been to a store for a month until last weekend; boy was I surprised! Our grocery bill has increased […]
I’m taking part in a garage sale this week. However, I don’t really know what I’m doing. I’ve never participated in a garage sale before. Partially, because I have trouble parting with stuff, but also because I’ve never had enough stuff to sell to fill an entire garage. In the past, I’ve opted to sell […]
The adjustable rate mortgage craze was part of what led to the housing and financial crisis that we are still recovering from. Adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) usually have lower interest rates than traditional mortgages when they are first disbursed. This leads to lower payments, which makes it easier for people to take on large mortgages that […]
ShareBuilder $50 Sign Up Bonus
Posted bySince we’ve been talking brokers lately, this week’s Free Money Friday from Sharebuilder is especially timely! Update: The account sign up bonus deadline is extended to December 31, 2011. How to Get Your Sign Up Bonus Open a new Sharebuilder account using promo code 50WS10. Deposit $50 or more by June 30, 2011 December 31, […]
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 […]
The Overzealous Stock Market Operator
Posted byThis 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 […]
Best Online Discount Broker Comparison
Posted byEach 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 […]