money

Congrats to the Class of 2012

posted in Investing

Congratulations to the Class of 2012. Even though you are just starting out on your working life, now is the perfect time to begin planning your financial future. Making wise decisions in the first few years of your career can result in hundreds of thousands of additional dollars in your retirement funds. There is nothing more powerful in the investment world than compounding returns. In order to take full advantage of compounding returns, you need lots of time for your regular investment contributions to mature into the coveted seven figure financial portfolio. The following three scenarios illustrate the power of ...

facebook

Invest in Facebook IPO?

posted in Investing

Should you invest in the Facebook IPO?   Very soon, some say as early as May 18, Facebook will be filing for its Initial Public Offering. Last Thursday, it was learned that the share price will be in the $28-$35 per share range. This could amount to the largest IPO in history and value the company at nearly $100 billion. So what does it mean to say Facebook could be a $100 billion dollar company? It seems like a lot, so to help put it in perspective I looked at the value (Market Cap) of the 30 stocks that make ...

social security and medicare

Social Security Retirement Program Broke by 2033

posted in Misc

The Social Security and Medicare retirement programs are burning through cash like never before, says a government report released today, and will go broke sooner than expected. Every year the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds report on the current and projected financial status of the two programs, and the actuarial deficits for both programs worsened in 2012. Social Security expenditures exceeded non-interest income in 2010 and 2011, and the trustees estimate that expenditures will remain greater than non-interest income for at least the next 75 years! Social Security – Put a dollar in get 75 cents ...

earth

How a Frugal Lifestyle and Earth Day are Interconnected

posted in Misc

How a Frugal Lifestyle and Earth Day are Interconnected Earth Day is an annual event where one day each spring activities are planned around the world to bring attention and appreciate our Planet’s natural environment. The first Earth Day was observed on March 21, 1970 and is now celebrated in many countries each year. Thousands of school kids and volunteers will plant trees and pick up litter, and for at least one day, make the world a little more clean and healthy. In a world that idolizes possessions, status symbols, and everything shiny, frugalists take the contrarian view, and in ...

how to not spend money

How To Not Spend Money

Photo by:stevendepolo How To Not Spend Money Is that money burning a hole in your wallet? Spend every dollar you make? Always broke? Can’t seem to save up for anything? Or maybe you find yourself earning thousands more than you did before, but there is not a dime more in your savings account. Then it’s time to plug up that leak in your wallet with our 9 water-tight tips on how to not spend money. Auto save. This is a super simple and extremely effective method of saving money by not having the money to spend to begin with. Every ...

how much should i save

How Much Should I Save

Photo by:401k How Much Should I Save   How much should I save? Answer: As much as you can so you don’t become a statistic like the ones below! Considering the numbers reported from a few recent survey’s, I would say most Americans are not saving nearly enough as they should. If you want to know what the average American is doing, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Personal Savings Rate from 1960 through the early eighties was around 8-10%. The rate then dramatically declined, bottoming out at less than 2% in 2006, then rebounding to the ...

hospital bill

Medical Bills

posted in Insurance

Photo by:tsaiproject Medical Bills Medical bills can be some of the largest that exist. A simple Emergency Room visit can cost you thousands, a few days in the hospital and your medical bill may be in the five figures, and an extended hospital stay can produce a hospital bill of $100,000+! An August 2009 article published in the American Journal of Medicine cited that over 60% of all bankruptcies were caused by medical debt. This should come as no surprise because medical problems can be the most devastating that exist, not only do you get sick or hurt, but your ...

Credit Union vs Bank

Credit Union vs Bank A battle of the financial institutions… Many people wonder what is the difference between a credit union vs a bank? In essence they both exist to accept deposits and then use those deposits for lending activities. Both banks and credit unions offer similar financial services, however, there are some important differences that you want to be aware of so that you can make an educated and informed decision. Keep reading to explore the characteristics of a credit union versus a bank so that you may determine which is the most appropriate for you. What is a ...

flexible spending account can save you money on braces

Flexible Spending Account

posted in Save Money

  3 ways my Flexible Spending Account saved me $1K for braces! So I’m writing this blog post from the orthodontist office waiting area having just dropped $4,009 for braces for one of my kids. And that amount was after the $1,000 insurance adjustment and a $361 discount for paying in full in advance. Luckily I knew this was coming and maxed out my flexible savings account (FSA)or section 125 account ($3,500 for my employer). So the total amount of up front cash I really had to shell out was $509. That’s a much more tolerable amount than the full ...

green grass

Green Grass for 70% Less Green

Want Green Grass like this? Spring has sprung! The trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and your lawn is waking up from its long winter nap. Now is the best time to weed and feed your lawn to ensure it gets off to a healthy start. Having a professional lawn care service apply lawn treatments is outrageously expensive. With a $25 fertilizer spreader and a little know-how, you can have a picture-perfect, green-grass lawn at a fraction of the price. Now is the time to get the first lawn application applied, so I searched online and through the Sunday ...