I recently highlighted our mortgage refinance with Pentagon Federal Credit Union. A reader, Vic, wanted to know more about joining the credit union. Not only do they have some incredibly good mortgage rates, but they also have good balance transfer rates from time to time (which we used on our rental property), and decent car […]
ETFs Versus Index Funds
Posted byETFs versus index funds, which is better? Yesterday we determined what is an ETF? In the overview, Jill mentioned that ETFs usually have lower expense ratios and are ideal for a one-time small investment that you will hold for a long time. They’re also good for trading a large group of assets at once. However, […]
What is an ETF?
Posted byWhether you are investing through tax-advantaged retirement accounts or in other taxable accounts, you might want to consider Exchange Traded Funds, or ETFs, as part of your long-term investment strategy. ETFs are one of several ways to invest in equities. Others include individual stocks, mutual funds, or index funds. What is an ETF? An ETF […]
Sovereign Bank $100 Bonus
Posted byThis week we got a tip from a reader, Dimitar, on a great Free Money Friday offer. Dimitar found a $100 bonus to Sovereign Bank when you open a new checking account. How to Get Your Sign Up Bonus Visit Sovereign Bank or a Sovereign branch to open a new checking account with a minimum […]
Dow Breaks 10,000, Investing, and Credit
Posted byWouldn’t you know it, the day the Dow decides to cross 10,000, I have a chunk of money sitting on the sidelines. It wasn’t intentional, as I don’t believe in timing the market; it was the result of moving some money around. I was moving our solo 401k from Fidelity to Vanguard. At the same […]
Do You Need a Local Bank?
Posted byDo you need a traditional retail bank? Until recently this might have been an odd question. Bank failures, government bailouts and increased fees are causing many people to stop and think about their choice of bank. In this day of direct deposit, ubiquitous ATM’s and increased competition some people are realizing that all of their […]
Solo 401k Versus SEP-IRA
Posted bySolo 401k or a SEP-IRA, which one is the best retirement plan for the self-employed? When I told you about my struggles with my Solo 401k contribution at Fidelity, Lee suggested I look at the SEP-IRA, which made us take a step back and relook at all the available plans; the Solo 401k, the SEP-IRA, […]
Bank of America $100 Bonus
Posted byBank of America is pretty good about offering sign up bonuses for new customers and their latest one is our Free Money Friday offer this week! Bank of America is giving new customers $100 for opening a new checking account with them. How to Get Your Sign Up Bonus Open a qualifying personal checking account […]
Did you know you can get DirecTV at two houses on the same account? Crazy. I took the two little kids for a weekend visit to Michigan. My grandma used to live there; after she passed away last year, my extended family now uses it for vacations. My uncle, who was visiting from California, had […]
Today we’ll wrap up our look at various retirement plans ideal for small business owners and the self-employed with the one that inspired the series – the Solo 401k. So far, we’ve looked at the SEP-IRA and the SIMPLE IRA. Solo 401k Overview A Solo 401k combines the characteristics of a regular 401k plan with […]