I recently received an e-mail that went like this: "It's not expenses that matter, it's total return after expenses. You could charge 1% but if I make you 30% who cares? Why don't people understand this? I offer my clients superior performance … [Read the rest]
Are 0% APR Balance Transfer Offers Coming To An End?
Posted on May 14, 2007 // 23 Comments
If you are making money off of balance transfers or have been considering it, the following observations might be of interest to you. Otherwise, it probably won't ;) The Bad News A few months ago, Citibank started saying "Balance transfer fees … [Read the rest]
Surprising Truths (and Half-Truths) About Credit Card Debt
Posted on May 12, 2007 // 20 Comments
You've probably heard that the average American has over $8,000 of credit card debt. It's been quoted all over the place. But does that single stat accurately explain the whole picture? A popular source of this data is CardWeb Inc., which tracks … [Read the rest]
Zecco Speeds Up Account Opening Process?
Posted on May 11, 2007 // 25 Comments
A mere two days after I ranted about Zecco's slow opening procedure in the second part of my Zecco Free Trades Brokerage Review, reader Richard alerts me that they have removed the mail-in paperwork requirement for many new applicants. After … [Read the rest]
Kiva Review: Giving a Virtual Hand Up, Not a Handout
Posted on May 10, 2007 // 68 Comments
I've written about Kiva before, but since I loaned some more money out today I thought I'd bring it up again. Kiva.org allows individuals to make loans starting at $25 to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world, also known as microcredit. … [Read the rest]
Emigrant Direct Signup Bonus Update – March Payouts
Posted on May 10, 2007 // 6 Comments
Payout instructions for my Emigrant Direct Referral Bonus went out over the last two weeks for those that either sent me their Form #2's or Claim Form A's in March. Please let me know if there are any questions. Emigrant Direct offers an online … [Read the rest]
What If Vanguard or Fidelity Went Bankrupt?
Posted on May 10, 2007 // 31 Comments
Continuing on the line of thinking started by my post on What if my bank fails?, the next question might be what if my mutual fund company went bankrupt? I mean, I have a lot of money in Vanguard and Fidelity right now. What happens if one of them … [Read the rest]
Zecco Free Trades Broker Review, Part 2: Corrections, Funds Transfers, and Trading Experiences
Posted on May 9, 2007 // 132 Comments
This is the second part of my review of the Zecco brokerage account. If you haven't already, please read the first part of this review, where I went over the main draws of Zecco and the account opening process. Here, I will finish up my review of the … [Read the rest]
Comparing the Performance and Tax Advantages of Index Mutual Funds vs. Index ETFs
Posted on May 7, 2007 // 10 Comments
A reader e-mailed me an interesting article about index funds from today's Wall Street Journal entitled A Close Race, a Surprising Finish. It's only available for 7 days, after that a subscription is required. The basic idea was to try and … [Read the rest]
May 2007 Financial Status / Net Worth Update
Posted on May 6, 2007 // 24 Comments
About My Credit Card Debt Newer readers may be alarmed by my high levels of credit card debt. In short, I'm borrowing money for free and keeping it in safe investments while earning me 5-6% interest. Along with other things, this helps me earn extra … [Read the rest]
Trying To Avoid Lifestyle Inflation
Posted on May 6, 2007 // 32 Comments
Most of this post was originally published last year when I was a guest writer at the Get Rich Slowly blog. I have since made some revisions and added some more material below. One common thread through my How much house should I buy? post is … [Read the rest]
FNBO Direct 6% APY Savings Account Review: Opening Process, Features, and Transfer Schedule
Posted on May 4, 2007 // 255 Comments
I opened up a savings account at FNBO Direct originally for their high interest rate and no monthly fees. They are currently offering 0.85% APY as of January 2013, still competitive in this current rate environment. Here are my experiences so far as … [Read the rest]
The Best Credit Card Bonus Offers – 2026
Big List of Free Stocks from Brokerage Apps
Best Interest Rates on Cash - 2026
Free Credit Scores x 3 + Free Credit Monitoring
Best No Fee 0% APR Balance Transfer Offers
Little-Known Cellular Data Plans That Can Save Big Money
How To Haggle Your Cable or Direct TV Bill
Big List of Free Consumer Data Reports (Credit, Rent, Work)