Your computer is just like every car, air filter, and sock drawer you’ve ever seen: it gets dirty, bogged down, and disorganized if it’s not properly maintained. When performance starts to lag, you may find yourself replacing your computer or peripherals earlier than necessary, spending your hard earned money in the process. You probably follow [...]
The IRS hears so many of the same ridiculous arguments by people claiming they are not liable to pay income tax that it has posted a 64-page document on its website called “The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments.” It sets out the basis for each argument, and then meticulously sets the record straight, complete with [...]
Sometimes you just don’t have time to go to the grocery store, or you aren’t in the mood to deal with the crowds. Or maybe you find grocery shopping to be unpleasant no matter what–stores have gotten enormous, and they’re set up to intentionally lead you on a wild goose chase for the items on [...]
My first article is up at TheStreet.com about The Credit Score You Don’t Know About. This is a score that the credit bureaus give to lenders, but unlike your credit score, you are not able to access the information that they are using to make sure it is all correct. This brings up quite a [...]
It’s been a long, cold, rough winter in many parts of the U.S., but due to a new federal law, spring will be coming early this year. As part of the The Energy Policy Act of 2005, the U.S. will switch to Daylight Saving Time (DST) on the second Sunday in March (3/11/2007). This means [...]
I was over at a Japanese friend’s house the other night and he started to show me how to make origami with Japanese money. We were having a great time when he said, “The only problem is that there is no tipping in Japan. When I was In the US, I would fold the dollar [...]
There is yet another shady deal going around with mortgage loans these days. If you receive an offer from a lender or mortgage broker under a “Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Program” endorsed by the Federal Reserve Board, raise that red flag right away. First and foremost, the Federal Reserve does not endorse or sponsor any [...]
In theory, a cash rebate on a product is a great idea, but the reality in most cases is that getting it can be a huge hassle. At the beginning, it seems simple enough. Make a purchase online or in a store, fill out a rebate form, then send it with the original receipt and [...]
I’m in search of a couple of more contributing writers for this blog and at my website. This is a paid position on a per article basis (it’s not a huge amount, but probably more than the average personal finance blogger is currently making). I will consider anyone who has an interest in writing about [...]
At some point it’s likely that a friend or family member will ask you for a financial favor. When this happens, you may genuinely want to help or you may also feel pressured to do so. In either case, you need to take the time to look at the financial favor being asked and determine [...]
