My Money Blog

Get Your Free Credit and Insurance Reports Before Year’s End

Posted on December 15, 2006 // 16 Comments

Before we get really close to the end of the year and things start getting frantic, I just wanted to remind everyone to get all the free stuff that the government promised you via the FACT Act: Free Credit Reports from all three bureaus at … [Read the rest]

Death and Taxes: A Visual Guide to the Federal Budget

Posted on December 14, 2006 // 5 Comments

Ever wondered where your taxes went? Who has the time to actually read our $2.8 trillion budget? Well, now there's an easier way: the incredibly high-res Visual Guide to the Federal Budget. From the site: Knowledge of how your taxes are spent … [Read the rest]

A Better Way To View Stock Market Risk

Posted on December 13, 2006 // 48 Comments

(alternate title: Don't Put Your Roth IRA into CDs or Cash!) The prospect of losing your hard-earned money is scary. You know that if you invest with $1000 in stocks, in a year you could be left with either a huge gain or a huge loss. People … [Read the rest]

Understanding My Local Real Estate Market – Portland, OR

Posted on December 13, 2006 // 29 Comments

Although I try to keep this blog pretty geographically neutral, many of you know that I currently reside in the Portland, Oregon area. Although we aren't planning to stay here that much longer, it's a great place to live and we almost hate to leave. … [Read the rest]

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) Is Tax-Deductible In 2007

Posted on December 12, 2006 // 14 Comments

Traditionally, if you couldn't afford a 20% down payment on a house, you had to pay private mortgage insurance, or PMI. To avoid this, many people now take out "piggyback" or second mortgages, which carry higher (but tax-deductible) interest … [Read the rest]

The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner: Book Review

Posted on December 12, 2006 // 17 Comments

David Bach has sold a lot of books under his "Finish Rich" and "Automatic" titles. Most of his books seem to be heavy on the inspirational talk and light on the specifics, but I think that's actually what has helped them sell so well - they are … [Read the rest]

New Costco ShareBuilder $90 Bonus Promotion

Posted on December 10, 2006 // 32 Comments

Sharebuilder is Costco's "Service of the Month" for December, and they are running a promotion offering $90 Costco Cash for Executive Members ($70 for Gold or Business Members). There's no reason not to go for the $90, since you can't lose with … [Read the rest]

Five Things You May Not Know About Me

Posted on December 10, 2006 // 7 Comments

Okay, this isn't financially related so feel free to tune out. I was tagged by Steve at AdventureMoney to reveal five things you might not know about me. In response, I submit to you these five tidbits: … [Read the rest]

In School And Working? Funnel Your Expenses Through A 529

Posted on December 9, 2006 // 16 Comments

29 states and the District of Columbia offer a tax deduction or credit for residents who contribute to their state's 529 plan. Here is a list of them all. If you're working your way through school, you should definitely try to take advantage and … [Read the rest]

Weekend Project: List One Thing On eBay

Posted on December 9, 2006 // 15 Comments

While digging through the garage to find our (three) Christmas decorations, boy did I find a lot of junk. I'm pretty sure that everyone reading this has a least one thing that they feel has some value and also don't want. Old cell phones, DVDs, … [Read the rest]

Modest Needs and Kiva: See Where Your Money Goes

Posted on December 8, 2006 // 16 Comments

One of the things I don't like about some charities is the lack of specific impact. Where is the money really going? Here are two charities that use the internet to add transparency and interaction to your charitable giving. In addition, they … [Read the rest]

Citi Credit Protector $100 Gas Rebate Update

Posted on December 7, 2006 // 19 Comments

As promised, this is a quick update to the Citi Credit Protector $100 Gas Rebate offer. If you signed up, don't forget to cancel your 30-day trial. The number again is 1-888-592-7344. If you haven't, the offer is still available. Here is a scan … [Read the rest]