My Money Blog

Will Income and Social Security Taxes Go Up Or Down In The Future? A Look Back

Posted on July 16, 2007 // 26 Comments

Everybody says up, right? While I can't predict the future, I thought it would be interesting to see what the historical tax rates were for different income groups. Here is some data taken from the Congressional Budget Office about historical … [Read the rest]

Life Updates: Moving, New Jobs, New Housing, And Clutter

Posted on July 15, 2007 // 40 Comments

Whew! I've slept in seven different beds so far in the last two weeks, not including airport lounges. How about some updates? The Big Move. Sadly, we no longer in Oregon. We are leaving a great city, great food (tachos and microbrews!) and even … [Read the rest]

Stock Picking Contests Are Stupid

Posted on July 14, 2007 // 11 Comments

Why do stock-market contests continue to exist? I even had them in my high school Economics class, as if they were a useful learning tool. The goal is always to have the most money within just a few months. Since it's always done with fake money, … [Read the rest]

Sign-up Bonus: Free $15 OboPay PrePaid Credit Card

Posted on July 13, 2007 // 32 Comments

In celebration of getting $29 million in new financing from investors, Obopay is offering a free $15 Prepaid MasterCard for signing up for their service. They seem to also be a money transfer service like PayPal mobile. Never carry cash … [Read the rest]

Suze Orman: Tips For Getting Paid What You’re Worth

Posted on July 12, 2007 // 11 Comments

While traveling today I was reading in a local newspaper an article by Suze Orman (couldn't find it online) about how to close the wage gap between men and women. The tips to getting a higher salary were equally applicable to everyone, so I took … [Read the rest]

25,000 WorldPoint Bonus For Bank Of America Credit Card

Posted on July 12, 2007 // 14 Comments

Bank of America is offering 25,000 Worldpoints for signing up for the University of Iowa WorldPoints MasterCard and spending $250. You can redeem 25,000 Worldpoints for $250 cash or a plane ticket. Via Fatwallet. ?To qualify for this offer, your new … [Read the rest]

What Happens When You Have More Money Than Time?

Posted on July 11, 2007 // 31 Comments

You go on at $50,000 trip touring the world by private jet. One of my oldest (and obviously, most successful and busy) friends is actually doing this next year, the deposits have already been sent in. Join National Geographic on an … [Read the rest]

Dad’s Retirement Plan: Learning About The TIAA-CREF Traditional Annuity

Posted on July 9, 2007 // 67 Comments

While visiting the parents, I was also asked to provide some input on their retirement savings. I don't want to invade their privacy, but I'm sure they share common concerns with others out there. My father, who is in the non-profit/education … [Read the rest]

Adding Gold To My Investment Portfolio… Kind Of

Posted on July 9, 2007 // 35 Comments

While I'm back home, my parents took the opportunity to transfer possession of some family gifts. Included in them were two one-ounce 24 karat gold bars. I don't know much about them, except one was given to me when I was born and the other when I … [Read the rest]

$100 Bonus For New Citibank Ultimate Savings Account

Posted on July 7, 2007 // 100 Comments

Here's a good promotion from Citibank if you are a brand new customer: You can get a $100 signup bonus for opening a Citibank Ultimate Savings account that pay 4.65% APY with no minimum balance requirements. To qualify for this offer you must … [Read the rest]

Overspending On Pets, Social Security, and Best Beater Cars

Posted on July 6, 2007 // 18 Comments

Think you spend too much on pet products? Read this post about pampered pets at The Digerati Life first, and then make your decision. Got neuticles? JLP at AllFinancialMatters discusses when you should start taking Social Security benefits. I … [Read the rest]

14 Free Brochures To Help People Understand Home Mortgage Loans

Posted on July 5, 2007 // 8 Comments

It seems that many people have strong opinions about the subprime mortgage fallout. One common thread was that people really do need to get better educated about the mortgage lending process. What wasn't agreed upon was who should shoulder that … [Read the rest]