When I used to work in the corporate world, I spent an hour commuting each day. I didn’t especially like living across town from my office, but looking back, it was probably the most valuable hour of my day. I used to brainstorm various ways to move around money to maximize retirement planning options, tax […]
Do you own a home? If so, you can do more infrastructural changes to make your home more energy efficient. These energy savings tips are in addition to the behavioral changes I outlined yesterday in How to Make Your Apartment More Energy Efficient. These types of changes are more permanent, and may also increase the […]
When I was a child, I remember my mother armed with a hairdryer in my bedroom. She covered first my one window, and then the other one with plastic sheets, and then sealed them into place with hot air. I remember crying for hours that night and pleading with her to take it down because […]
Why I Like ING Direct
Posted byMany financially-savvy people have turned to online banks for their savings (and sometimes even checking) account needs. Online banks often provide higher interest rates and better customer service than traditional brick-and-mortar banks. Of course, the lack of a physical branch makes it harder to access your money immediately. Here’s my personal experience with one of […]
The Ohio 529 College Advantage $25 bonus is back! It’s by far the most popular Free Money Friday deal at My Dollar Plan. And this time it’s better than ever with increased payouts for referring friends and family! How to Earn Your $25 Referral Bonus Open a new Ohio 529 College Advantage account by December […]
Lending Club is Giving Away $2500
Posted byLending Club is closing in on a big milestone soon… their 25,000th investor. To celebrate, they are giving away $2500 cash to the 25,000th investor! If you haven’t signed up for a Lending Club account, you might as well do so for your chance to get the cash. Just open an account by September 30, […]
There is a saying that people throw around with an air of wisdom without truly knowing the financial consequences of following: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is easy to say this to the young intern that needs a new brake system to prevent a future accident, or to the […]
How to Save for Multiple Goals
Posted byI am more motivated to save when I know exactly what I am saving for. I’ve found that two things help me stay on track with my savings: prioritizing my goals and planning in advance how each paycheck will be split between the goals. As I mentioned in my post on my financial tracking system, […]
Is There a Cash for Clunkers Tax?
Posted byIs cash for clunkers taxable? Yes, no, maybe. Even though the Cash for Clunkers program ended, the cash for clunkers tax is generating debate. The cash for clunkers tax is confusing because people are mixing up three kinds of taxes: federal income tax, state income tax, and state sales tax. On top of that, it […]
A close friend of mine just told me that she got a position teaching personal finance at one of the local universities this semester. Not only was I excited for her, but I was really excited for the students. I just wish that all the students would be required to take the class instead of […]