Using Automated Reminders to Save Money and Reduce Stress
Using Automated Reminders to Save Money and Reduce Stress Written by Nickel As life has gotten busier and busier, I’ve had an increasingly hard time keeping track of the many deadlines and due dates that I run across in daily life. Depending on the context, this has the potential to result in late fees, embarrassment, [...]
How to Improve Your Credit Score
How to Improve Your Credit Score Written by Nickel Like it or not, your credit score is a very important number. So what can you do if you have a low score and want to improve it? Here are five simple steps that you can take to do just that: Check your credit report. You’re [...]
Credit Card Statement Changes
Credit Card Statement Changes Written by Nickel – Have you received a credit card statement yet this month? If so, did you notice anything different about it? I ask because, as of July 1, your credit card statement has to meet specific formatting guidelines laid out by the Federal Reserve. These requirements are part of [...]
Ten Tips for a Successful Moving Sale
Ten Tips for a Successful Moving Sale Written by Nickel – 10 Comments Just over a year ago we sold our house and moved from one state to another. As part of this process, we held a huge and rather successful moving sale. What follows is a list of tips that contributed to the success [...]
Improve Cash Flow by Paying Off Long-Term Debts
Improve Cash Flow by Paying Off Long-Term Debts Written by Laura Martinez – Increasing your monthly your cash flow can be financially empowering. So many people are burdened by high interest credit card debts that represent a big chunk of their monthly expenses. Credit cards, though, aren’t the only debts you need to eliminate from [...]
The Value of a College Education: Tuition Costs, Earning Power, and Unemployment Rates
The Value of a College Education: Tuition Costs, Earning Power, and Unemployment Rates Written by Nickel Is a college degree worth the investment? We’ve talked in the past about the value of a high-end college degree. Today I want to take a step back and consider the value of a college education in general. The [...]
Financial Reform: What’s in It for Me?
Financial Reform: What’s in It for Me? Written by Nickel The House of Representative passed their Wall Street reform bill back in December, and the Senate just passed their own version last week. All that remains now is to reconcile the differences between the two bills. While this legislation seeks to put restrictions into place [...]
Two Common Mortgage and Housing Mistakes to Avoid
Two Common Mortgage and Housing Mistakes to Avoid Written by Matt Jabs Like millions of other Americans, my wife and I are upside down on our home mortgage – i.e., the amount we owe exceeds our home’s value. If I had it to do over again, rather than buy with $0 down, I would rent, [...]
How to Choose the Right Credit Card
How to Choose the Right Credit Card Written by Laura Martinez – 4 Comments Stumble It! Digg It! Tip It! del.ico.us Facebook Everyone has different views on credit cards. Some bloggers and finance gurus see them a money trap. Others view credit cards as a tool for making some extra money from rewards on purchases [...]
How to Handle Irregular Income
How to Handle Irregular Income Written by Laura Martinez It’s been a busy last couple of months, but I’m amazed at how well everything is going so far in 2010. Among other things, I just received a small windfall from my freelance and blogging business. My freelance income has otherwise been fairly steady, with some [...]
How to Choose an Online Savings Account
How to Choose an Online Savings Account Written by Nickel – 15 Comments I’m a huge fan on online banking. In fact, we opened our first online savings account with ING Direct over five years ago, and we haven’t looked back since. Sure, we still have a local brick and mortar bank for convenience, but [...]
Encouraging Family and Friends to Improve Their Finances
Encouraging Family and Friends to Improve Their Finances Written by Laura Martinez Is money a taboo subject with your friends? I’m not sure about anyone else, but I don’t think it’s taboo to talk about money. I do, however, recognize that it may be awkward and thus considered a bit wrong by someone to talk [...]
Thoughts on Lending Money
Thoughts on Lending Money By Matt Jabs of FiveCentNickel.com I’m willing to bet that most of you have either loaned money to friends and family, or have been asked to do so. How did the experience pan out for you? Were you able to maintain a sound relationship with that person, or did it suffer [...]
What is the Average Cost of Tax Preparation?
What is the Average Cost of Tax Preparation? By FiveCentNickel.com I just ran across a bit of interesting information on the cost of tax preparation from the National Society of Accountants. According to their biennial survey, the average tax prep fee for an itemized Form 1040 with Schedule A plus a state tax return is [...]
