My Money Blog

Did I Refer You To Sprint SERO or Scottrade?

Posted on July 27, 2007 // 9 Comments

Whenever I participate in a referral program, although it also benefits me, I am always thankful for the readers who let me refer them. So when I run out of referrals, I try to "spread the love" by directing future requests to those that allowed me … [Read the rest]

$50 Signup Bonus For TradeKing Brokerage With Referral

Posted on July 27, 2007 // 12 Comments

TradeKing.com has a new $50 sign-up bonus expired! for new accounts as part of celebrating National Friendship Day. If you get a referral from an existing account holder, fund it with at least $1,000, and make a trade before August 30, both people … [Read the rest]

Tip Jars Are Everywhere! Should We Fight Back Or Give In?

Posted on July 26, 2007 // 136 Comments

I was buying some snacks from a local convenience store today, and lo and behold, a tip jar! You want me to tip you for... what, taking my money and giving me change exceptionally well? Coincidentally, I just ran across this Christian Science … [Read the rest]

Vanguard Group Found To Be Leader In Client Loyalty

Posted on July 26, 2007 // 7 Comments

I know I haven't finished my 401k rollover series yet, but whenever a family friend asks where they should put their old retirement plan assets, I always say Vanguard. They certainly aren't the only good company out there, but they do have a lot of … [Read the rest]

Reader Question: Pay Off Credit Cards vs. Invest Your Money?

Posted on July 25, 2007 // 49 Comments

I've gotten a few variations of this question recently: I've only got about $5,000 in savings and about $4,000 in credit card debt. I'm not sure if I should pay off my cards first before I decide to invest or what. I'm just looking for a way to … [Read the rest]

Parental 401(k) Check-up: Do You Know All The Fees You’re Getting Hit With, Mom?

Posted on July 24, 2007 // 14 Comments

It's time to examine my mom's 401(k) plan. The first thing that I wanted to do was to get an idea of what kind of fees she was paying. There are three basic types of fees, according to the Dept. of Labor: Plan Administration Fees - Like the … [Read the rest]

Open Houses From A Buyer’s Perspective

Posted on July 23, 2007 // 29 Comments

We did an Sunday Open House run yesterday, checking out some of the the different neighborhoods available to us. Some observations: Beware of the sign-in sheets. Address? Phone number? E-mail? No way. I've since realized that Open Houses … [Read the rest]

Another Free iPod Nano Offer From KeyBank

Posted on July 23, 2007 // 66 Comments

KeyBank is once again offering a free iPod Nano for opening a checking account and making either two direct deposits or automated payments of $100 or more. Last time around, online ACH transfers from another bank worked fine as a direct deposit, … [Read the rest]

How Often Should I Rebalance My Investment Portfolio? A Brief Article Review

Posted on July 22, 2007 // 19 Comments

I feel like my last post about rebalancing wasn't as thorough as I'd have liked it to be, so here I go again, adding some quick definitions and including a review of several research articles about the subject. What is Rebalancing? Let say you … [Read the rest]

A Glimpse Into My Side Business Wanderings: Simple Websites

Posted on July 21, 2007 // 21 Comments

Sometimes I am truly amazed by the internet. I can get an idea on a Friday night while talking with friends, go home, buy a domain name, create a website, upload it to a server, and have it live to the entire world before morning. I don't need to … [Read the rest]

Note To Self: Rebalance Your Portfolio!

Posted on July 20, 2007 // 14 Comments

It's been over a year since I came up with my current asset allocation mix, and I should really rebalance my current portfolio to match those percentages again. It really should only take a few minutes of spreadsheet math and some clicking online, … [Read the rest]

401k/403b Rollovers: Should You Move Your Old Retirement Plan To Your New Employer?

Posted on July 19, 2007 // 14 Comments

Let's continue with the 401k/403b Rollover discussion. Previously, I explored some possible reasons to keep your old employer's plan. The next option to consider (if only briefly) is to transfer your 401k/403b assets into your new employer's … [Read the rest]