Skip the 20% Down Payment

This article says that savings for a down payment could prevent you from doing other things that could be better for you financially. It is a good article, but keep in mind that instance gratification is most peoples largest financial problem. This article is not telling you to buy a home without a down payment. It is telling you to consider some of the other things you can be doing with your money. (Skip the 20% Down Payment)

6 Money Dilemmas

Here is a good quick article with advice on six common questions in the personal finance world.

1. Pay off a credit card OR fund your 401(k)
2. Save in a Roth 401(k) OR a regular 401(k)
3. Lease a car OR buy a car
4. Prepay your mortgage OR invest
5. Buy a home OR rent a home
6. Take Social Security early OR late

(6 money dilemmas)

Roth IRA or Not?

This is the best article I have found to date that address the debate over using Roth accounts as opposed to traditional tax differed accounts. The last section of the article is what makes the biggest statements to me. It said that an economist ran several senerios with both a Roth and regular retirement accounts. The results were more wins for one then the other, but the differences being rather insignificant. Remember in the end not stating to save to wait for the answer to this debate is your worst choice. Waiting a month, year, or decade is going to have a far worst result on your retirement savings that putting your money in a Traditional or Roth IRA. (Roth IRAs: Good for You or Not?)

No Free Ride For Subprime Borrowers?

This article attempts to explain to a reader that there is no free ride for a subprime borrower. The point the article makes is that the intro rate for an ARM for a subprime borrower is higher than what a responsible person getting a 30-year fix mortgage at prime would be. I understand this point, but by not letting the rate reset an additional 2 or 3 percent higher they are giving these borrowers something they don't deserve. You are putting hundreds of dollars a month into their pocket. They planned poorly. Why do they deserve to get money in their pocket? Their credit was poor. They earned the original rate and the reset rate. A responsible person earned their prime rate and a subprime borrower earned their higher payment after 2 or so years. Interest rates went up and the market went south. They took a gamble on paying the maximum amount they could afford for a house and it didn't pay off. They took a risk. They lost. Put that house they shouldn't be able to afford back on the market and let the market adjust and jump and fall and do its thing. I would love some feed back with another view. I can't understand why they deserve this? (No free ride for subprime borrowers)

A 401K Where The Company Invests For You

I found this article that seems to address an interesting point with retirement plans. It is a 401K plan that the employee allows the company to invest as it sees fit. This situation gives the benefit of a defined benefit plan where you don't have to worry about where to invest your savings. This seems like an interesting solution for the average person that does not have the time or desire to research investments. It lets someone that should have more information and resources invest your money for you. The idea seems great, but at the end of the day it could make a huge difference who is investing for you. If there is a well qualified team as there is com trolling pension funds, then this could turn out to be a great thing. If companies start to throw departments together with unqualified people this type of system could turn into a huge mess. Tell me what you think about this type of plan. (Redrawing the Route to Retirement)

Subprime Mess Winners and Losers for Rate Lock Solution

The number one solution for intervention is the rate lock solution for this subprime mess. The idea is that all the people with adjustable mortgages will have their initial lower interest rate locked in for the entire length of the loan. I hate that a responsible person who took on a loan they could afford and took the extra interest up front to protect themselves down the line gets screwed. That is the person that deserve help. The person that has proved they can take care of money. Why give it to people that took a risk that didn't work in their favor? They didn't plan ahead for when the worst might happen. Why do these people deserve the help? We have a market for a reason. Let it learn its lesson and figure itself out. (Proposed rate freeze to reduce foreclosures)

101 Ways To Save Around The Holidays

Here is a good list of 101 things to do to save money around the holidays. I hope you enjoy the article. (Trim Expenses While You Trim the Tree)

A Guide For Your December Spending

Here is a good little quick read article about how to keep yourself under control during the holiday season. The author start by suggesting some great things to do with your holiday bonus. Then the author goes on to give tips on how to stay on track and not over spend in December. (A December Spending Survival Guide)

Good Ideas For Your Average 401K

Here is an article I found helpful on what to do with an average to poor 401K plan. This first point is that you make sure to use it if your are getting an employer match. The cardinal sin of a 401K plan is to no participate and lose out on a match. This article does a good job of pointing out easy strategies for directing your money in a weak 401K. (Don't Panic If Your 401(k) Plan Stinks)

New Retirement Income Rule

This article talks about the old retirement rule of needing 80% of your pre-retirement income in retirement. It should be a pretty simple concept that this is just a general rule and depending on what you do in retirement that percentage could be off by quite a bit. If you are going to travel the world in your retirement that is going to cost you more that you are currently spending on bills and the grocery store. If you plan to live in the room over your child's garage and play with the grand kids all day then you could possibly need a lot less than that. This article just points out that you need to plan out what your expenses will be in retirement to know what percentage of pre-retirement income you will need. (Ask the Mole: Retirement - How Much You'll Really Need)

Investing To Beat Inflation

Here is an interesting article that monitored several areas of stocks through years of inflation to find out the places that perform the best. This article takes a different view on how to beat inflation. (Investing to Beat Inflation)

Cyber Monday

Here is a good quick article on some tips to score good deals today on Cyber Monday. (Beat the mobs on 'Cyber Monday')

Protecting your home's value

Here is a quick article about how to protect your homes value amid this foreclosure frenzy. Just a few good tips for anyone looking to keep a little extra value in their neighborhood. (Protecting your home's value)

Holiday Shopping Tips

Here is a good quick read article with some good advice on how to save around the holidays. The reason I put up this article is because I think it has a couple different ideas. (Ten Ways to Fatten Your Wallet on Black Friday)

Costs of Raising Children

Here is a depressing article that reminds me that it is going to be very costly to have kids. This article claims that the cost to raise a kid are way above what they should be and economically speaking it doesn't make much sense to have children. This is a good read, but keep in mind most people don't make the decision to have children based on economics. On the other hand several people do chose not to have children based on finances. Just keep in mind when planning for children that there are great impacts on your finances. (Is Raising Kids a Fool's Game?)

No-Match 401K

(A no-match 401(k): Still worth it) This is a good question a person or two is probably wondering. This article gives the answer to one man's questions about where to invest when you company 401K plan does not provide a match. The answer is that it can still be worth it to invest in a 401K with no match as opposed to a taxable account. In this article the man is already maxing out a Roth IRA. I would be interested to confirm my guess that it would be advisable to put money in a Roth IRA before putting money in a 401K plan that had no match.

Pet Ownership Costs

This is a fresh look at the cost of owning a dog. The author brings up the fact that there is more to money than just want it buys you. When you buy a dog you don't just get shots and food with the money you put out. You get a friend which you can't measure the benefits of. (A Not So Shaggy Dog Story)

Rent vs. Buy

The debate rages on with the currently falling real estate values. Does the subprime effect change which side wins? This author has a few good examples of places where renters are winning in this market. I tend to like the idea of buying for more non-financial related reasons. I want the feeling of owning what I live in. I don't want to have to worry about what the rent will go up this year. Or for any half way decent reason being asked to leave or not being able to resign a lease when my term is up. I see the argument financially that you could save money by renting and the money invested properly could be worth a lot more if it is put in the stock market. Just remember if you are going to use this as your excuse for renting to actual put that "saved" money in the stock market. Too many times we use the idea that we can save money by doing something, but they we throw the money away in another wasteful place. Then at the end of the month we are in the same boat of wondering where all our money went. Read this article for a little light on how current events are shaping the rent vs. buy debate. (Now That Housing Has Soured, Renters Are Glad They Didn't Buy)

Employer or Company Paid Insurance Pros and Cons

This article does a great job of explaining all the things that need to be considered when looking into buying life insurance and you have the option of buy additional amounts from your employer. This is the first article I saw that explained that you have to pay taxes on coverage your employer pays for that is above a certain amount. This complicates things a little, but if you think through it you will be fine. The basic idea is that if you are in good health you should find a better deal outside your employer and along with the cheaper rate you get to keep the coverage if you ever leave the company. (Pros, Cons Of Company-Paid Insurance)

10 Financial Planning Steps You Shouldn't Put Off

This article starts off by telling you that 25% of people report themselves as chronic procrastinators. The article then proceeds to give ten places where you can't afford to wait in your financial planning. Procrastination is a financial plan killer. Not starting to save is your biggest mistake when you are in your 20's. So along with a lot of the classic items such as starting to save. This article brings up a few less typical items. Take a second to read this and then get to work on your financial planning. Taking the time today, not waiting is always worth something. (10 Financial Steps You Can't Afford to Put Off)

Before Baby Set Up Costs

The following has the costs of individual items required before bringing a baby home. The ranges are varied for simple reasons. You can go all out on every little thing or can get reasonable pieces that work.

Nursery Setup: $2,000

Crib with a mattress ($160 and $750)
Bedding set ($35-$270)
Crib blankets and sheets ($8-$20 each)
Mattress cover ($10-$20).
Changing table ($70 and $600) then add $40 for a changing pad and cover.
Dresser ($90 and $650)
Rocking chair ($90-$500).

Ways to save: Do your nursery furniture research and prioritize. You may want to spend more on the rocking chair to use for future generations, and less on the crib and dresser.


Items for outside the nursery: $1,500

Stroller ($30-$300)
Car seat ($35-$280)
Playpen or portable crib ($60-$180)
Baby carrier or sling ($20- $140)

For at home:
Swing ($45-$130)
Play center ($50-$125)
Bouncer seat ($30-$90).
Monitor (about $80)
High chair ($45-$240)
Diaper bag (about $35)
Baby gate ($35-$250).

Ways to save: Buy double-duty gear. Some strollers convert to high chairs for an easy switch at the restaurant; and many diaper bags can take you from newborn to toddler in function and style.

Retire Early: Here's Some Advice

(Cash Out Early) This article explains what a few people are doing to obtain their dream of retiring early. I like this article because it gives both examples of actual people and what exactly they are doing, but it also give a generic example of a 35 year person and how much more they would have to save to retire 10 years earlier. Everyone would love to retire early, but as the article points out it takes a lot more savings to retire 10 years earlier.

Retiring early also presents problems with health insurance. Most people wh0 retire don't get health benefits from their previous employer. The cost of health insurance can be a huge hurtle to overcome when retiring early. Medicare won't cover you till you turn 65 and that is the current requirement. The age could raise as the program digs its self deeper and deeper into a hole. Looking for part-time work that provides benefits could be the perfect situation. But if you truly want to quit working, you are going to need to do a lot of planning and saving.

Retire Rich: Beat the Market by Doing Nothing

(Retire Rich: Beat the Market by Doing Nothing) Here is a good article for our now volatile market. It is the first article in a while that I have read that talks about dollar cost averaging. This is a good concept to keep in mind as the market turns down and you have a long horizon for your retirement earnings to work themselves out.

College Credit Card Debt

(Buy Now, Pay Forever) This is a great article for young people to think about before getting into credit card debt. It is something that is very hard to get out of. This article talks about some developments with college students and credit card debt.

Two New 401K Options

(Harvest a Rich 401(k)) This article talks about two new options for 401K's. The first is a Roth 401K which lets you take tax free withdraws in retirement, but there is no tax advantage up front. The second options is a 401K annuity. This is a product you buy through your 401K that gives you guaranteed income for the rest of your life once you retire. The article does a good job of explaining where each of these could make sense in your retirement planning. They also do a good job of giving you numbers for how much a good amount to stick in the 401K annuity would be. This article gives a good amount of advice along with producing the facts on these products.

Your 5-minute guide to money in your 20s

(Your 5-minute guide to money in your 20s) Good quick read article. Article name explains it all.

10 Little Expenses That Add Up

Coffee: According to the National Coffee Association, the average price for a cup of brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per year.

Cigarettes: The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids reports that the average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is $4.54. Pack-a-day smokers fork out $1,650 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a pack once a week adds up, too: $236.

Alcohol: Drink prices vary based on the location. But assuming an average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up to $3,650 per year. Figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at the local bar. That's not chump change.

Bottled water from convenience stores: A 20-ounce bottle of Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too.

Manicures: The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you back about $1,068 per year.

Car washes: The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year.

Weekday lunches out: $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most workdays. If you buy, rather than pack, a lunch five days a week for one year, you shell out about $2,340 a year.

Vending-machines snacks: The average vending machine snack costs $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per year.

Interest charges on credit card bills: According to a survey released at the end of May, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. The average interest rate on a standard card is about 13%. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!

Unused gym memberships: Costhelper.com reports that the monthly service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an unused gym membership runs $480 per year.

Happy Halloween, Savings Tips

Here is a quick read article about how to save a few dollars when decorating and throwing a party at Halloween. (Throwing a Halloween party)

The Subprime Mess

(The United States of Subprime Loans) Here is an interesting article with lots of good facts on the subprime mortgage problems that currently plague the nation. I think we have all heard too much about this topic, but this article is the first I have read that claims the "rich" are suffering form this mess too. I like the hard numbers this article brings to the table. Give it a read if you are bored or are looking for more numbers about the subprime mess.

Make Your Money Last as Long as You Do

(Make Your Money Last as Long as You Do) Here is an article that describes some new products that are aimed at getting you a monthly check for the rest of your life after you retire. This is just something to keep your eye on. It appears that companies are moving past the annuities to funds that provide income for life. These new funds are at their beginning stages and seem to have some things that need smoothed out. This is just a good article with some information about a new choice when you retire.

Mistakes in Retirement Planning

(Nine Dumbest Retirement Moves) This article has a good list of common mistakes that take place on the way to retiring. It brings out some good points about what people do and what people think about retirement that can change how they exist in retirement. It also mentions several times that miss planning for retirement can turn your dream into a nightmare. When you don't save and plan adequately your dream of life in the beach house can turn in to a place of struggling to make your payments and looking for help from your family. Even when you are young simple things like cashing out of a 401K plan when leaving your job can create a financial hole when you retire. When you are young you should consider how your descisions are going to affect the long term.
The key to this advice is to learn from the problems that are being found commonly in those that have already retired. People struggling from payment to payment due to inflation is a lot more common then you might think.

Holiday Shopping Tips

(5 tips for smarter holiday shopping) Here is a quick read article with some very good tips to keep in mind when holiday shopping. Good fugal tips in this article for those of you looking for those.

Dress for Success on a Budget

(Dress for Success -- for Less) This article give great tips on how to start your collection of professional attire. She gives both strategies and places to go to start your collection.

Make Your Advice Column Change Me.

(Is Carrie Bradshaw a Crock?) More interesting than the article this time are the comments about the article. The article talks about gender pay gaps and how women should prepare themselves for financial success. It has some great points that should motivate women to start savings now and look beyond some of the typical reasons they aren't saving. The article should be taken at face value the author is giving good information to women in their 20's. I'm not sure the article takes the best approach. She seems to forget that you can't just point out the problems without providing a solution. Everyone in a America can see and knows that Social Security is in trouble, but no one can seems to set out a plan to fix it. If you are going to write an advice column I want more than what the problems are I want to know how to fix them. Her article seems to tell you to ignore every feeling you might have against starting savings today and there doesn't appear to be a whole lot of why I should do that. The whole idea of an advice article to show me how to move past all my worries and stumbling blocks.

The Declining Dollar

(What the falling dollar means for you) I keep hearing about the declining dollar and no one will stop to take the time to explain what it means to the average person. This article gives a short list of how this affects the average person.

Saving When Your in Your 20s

(Financial Tips for 20-Somethings) Here is a quick read article talking to a guy with some good insight into personal finance in your 20s.

Retirement is More Than a 401K Plan

(The Five Stages of Retirement) When your saving all your life for your retirement keep in mind what you are going to do for the potentially 35 years after you retire. This article talk about what to expect through retirement. It breaks retirement up into pieces and explains how the people surveyed felt in each of these stages. The article also shows how the average person needs to remember that there is a lot of time in retirement and TV will not produce a happy and healthy person. You need to consider how you will keep your body and maybe even more importantly your mind in good condition.

Hanging with the money crowd

(Hanging with the money crowd) Your mother's advice of making good friends could go beyond keeping you out of trouble as a teen. This article shows a studies that found out that when the people around you do something you are more likely to do that same things. The article discusses how this works with finances. This is a good read and something to think about when trying to make good financial habits. You friend could be part of the reason you aren't savings as much as you want to.

Tips for Saving

(How to save $200,000 in 6 months) Here is an article with few personal example stories and some simple advice for savings. The 2nd page has the tips if you would like to skip the personal stories.

Subprime: Bailout backlash

(Subprime: Bailout backlash) I'll never understand why people who took bad loans deserve anything. They took loans. They were presented with the same information I was presented with when I signed my loan. Every term in black and white. The right to have an attorney review the contract. The right to refuse the contract. I don't care what irresponsible bad intentioned mortgage broker told them. They had all the right tools to prevent themselves from getting in this mess. No one forced anyone to take out a loan. Why can't we let the market runs its course? Why do investors in mortgages deserve a bailout? When you take risk and get burned we don't give you a refund. When is the government going to start backing every investment on the market against lose? Why should I lose money in a mutual fund? It will hurt the American public when I can't afford my own retirement. Sign me up for a government backed no loss portfolio.

New Rules of Credit Crunch

(The new rules of the credit crunch) Here is a quick read article about how the credit crunch is affecting the average consumer so far.

The Cost of Student Loans

(High-Priced Student Loans Spell Trouble) This article bring up how common and severe students loan problems are becoming. With the cost of college sky rocketing and the rate of savings for the nation shrinking it seems to be a place where people are coming up short in funds. The story brings up examples of what people's payments are for student loans. It is a lot harder to live when you are paying 15% of your take home pay to a student loan. The article goes on to discuss how if the economy were to go downward that it could be expected that student loan defaults are going to rise dramatically.

401K Information

(Five Things You Should Know About Your 401(k)) Here is a quick read with some good information that you should think about for your 401K plan.

Wedding or a Million Dollars?

(Want $1 Million? Elope) When you are looking at the front end of getting married you should remember the aftermath of your decisions. Your wedding day is only one day of your life. The debt you accumulate can literally affect the rest of your life. This is an article that points out that if the average amount spent on a wedding was invested, that by the time the couple retires they could easily have a million dollars. The article points out that the typical wedding involves debt to cover the costs. This debts pulls the opposite effect of the investing your wedding fund money and ends up costing you even more and impacting your life for even longer. The article then gives some tips on how to manage your spending for your wedding day, because not having to tell your mother your eloped last weekend can easily be worth the cost of your wedding.

Pinching Pennies

(Some Thoughts for Your Pennies) Here is an article about how pennies add up. She has a few good tips for savings money and an interesting idea about keeping in mind the little things.

Don't Fly Blind When Investing for Retirement

(Don't Fly Blind When Investing for Retirement) Here is a quick article on options you should consider when your retirement plan is managed through funds that are not publicly traded. When your 401K doesn't have mutual funds here are somethings to consider to figure out where to put your money.

Staying Frugal in the Age of the iPhone

(Staying Frugal in the Age of the iPhone) This is a great article for anyone that is 20 somethings and looking to get a grip on their finances. She brings out some simple places where typical 20 somethings lose the most of their extra money that they always say they want to be saving.

The Biggest Threat to Your Money

(Wealth Defense: The Biggest Threat to Your Money) Not managing your money is the biggest mistake you can make in personal finance. Here is yet another article that brings up places where it could really hurt you.

A Green Revolution for Your Budget

(A Green Revolution for Your Budget) This is an article that focuses on the hot topic of green and it looks at the idea of a green budget. It makes you wonder how long and where the green revolution will go.

Higher Returns for Savings

(Silver Lining in Mortgage Mess: Higher Returns for Savings) This story is some quick information about higher savings returns. A little about why the rates are going up, a little about where to find good rates, and a little about when to get in.

401K Screw-up

(Three great ways to mess up your 401(k)) Here is a good quick read with some easy knowledge everyone should know. This article brings up some of the most common and easily avoidable mistakes people make with their 401K's.

Costs Beyond the Mortgage

(The true cost of owning a home) Here is an article that explains the costs beyond the mortgage that you will incur when buying a home. I like the article because it actually gives the numbers encounter by the author. It isn't just a list with rough numbers and/or percents.

Mortgage Rates Rising

(Rate woes: The latest hit to home values) This article is about what will happen as the rise in mortgage rates takes affect in the next few months. It has a great numerical example that shows how much the same mortgage payment will buy as rates rise. It is interesting to see that just a little change in interest rates makes a persons buying power so much smaller.

Workplace Myths

(The Five Biggest Workplace Myths) Here is a quick read article about the new work place and how some different attitudes exist in our modern day.

The 80% Rule Could Be Wrong For Most

(Why your retirement won't be so bad) This article contains information on why you probably won't need the rule of thumb of 80% of your pre-retirement income in retirement. It has some good points, but you have to keep in mind that every one's situation is different. If you want to sail in your golden years you might need more that 100% of your pre-retirement income, but if you plan to just spend time with your grand children while living with your child, 10% of your pre-retirment income could cover you.

What To Do With an IRA

(Rev Up Your IRA). This article has some great ideas of what to do with your IRA. It also stresses the fact that a person should start saving young for retirement with the typical mathematical models. The reason I posted this article is that it has a great list of ways to diversify your IRA and it goes beyond more than just having more that one stock to tell you how to easily invest in things beyond stocks and bonds. This article is definitely worth reading if you need ideas for your IRA.

Start Saving in Your 20's

(To get rich, start saving in your 20s) This article goes over some good knowledge for a person in their 20's to hear about financial planning at your currently age. The basic idea is to start early and invest aggressively. It also covers the reasons for an emergency fund. It also covers the advantages of easy investments like mutual finds and target date funds.

Save Money By Not Wasting It On Your Car

(20 ways you waste money on your car) Here is a quick read article about saving some money. This article has some pretty basic ideas of how not to waste your money on your car, but good pointers about maintenance that should not be ignored.

Career Advice

The Worst Career Advice Parents Can Offer. Here is an article with some interesting advice, but as the comments show it does seem to good to be true. It would be nice to follow all her advice and take time off to find yourself, move back in with your parents, so that money doesn't matter. I think reality might be a little closer to the first article I posted today about student loans being too high not to be serious right from the start.

College Costs and the Market

How College Costs Could Lead to a Market Crash Here is an article with some reasoning about how student loan debt limits what a college graduate can do. It also goes on to say the solutions to the problem do not look good for graduates. The basic idea is that jobs are being outsourced and incomes are dropping for college graduates to compete against outsourcing.

Interesting Way to Make Money ~ Be Hated

(Casey Serin: The world's most hated blogger?) Here is an article with an interesting twist. It explains how a blogger who is being used as an example across many financial blogs is using this attention to build quite a well followed blog that keeps explaining his misfortunes and opinions. Maybe I just need to be abrasive and make bad choices to get a successful blog.

Try Cash For A Week

Overspending? Try a 7-day money challenge. Here is a Quick Read article about trying to use cash for a week. The idea is to see actual material depleting rather then an idea of your balance going down from your debit card.

No Emergency Funds?

Middle class living on the edge? This article shows how few middle class Americans have appropriate savings to over come job loss or a medical emergency. It is startling how few families have the amount need for a common length of three months of unemployment.

401K Rules

(10 golden rules for your 401(k)). A great article that covers the entire spectrum of 401K investing from starting young to taking your money out in retirement. It seems to have all the points that keep reoccurring in smaller articles all together in one place.

Survey About Retirement

(One of five people plan to work till they die) A great article analyzing a survey by bankrate.com. This is the first article in my recent memory that says that younger workers are doing a decent job of saving. It also bring some numbers to how people feel about their retirement savings lasting. A significant amount of people feel that their retirement will be worse off then their pre-retirement life. Interesting facts in this article with numbers behind it to make a few decent points.

Should you buy a house?

(Should newlyweds buy a house?) This article explains some good and bad points of buying a home right after you get married. I like some of the time table references in the article.

Money Rules

(9 money rules to live by) This article has some good basic advice. It has some easily forgotten basic econ lessons briefly outlined which make it worth reading.

Saving Money By Lowering Insurance Costs

(The 10 costliest cars to insure). A great way to save money is to pay less for insurance, so next time you are looking to buy a car keep these reasons for higher insurance rates in mind. This article does a great job of explaining some of less apparent, but logical reasons for insurance rates.

IQ Does Not Give You Higher Net Worth

Why Smart People Make Bad Financial Moves This article looks at a study that concludes that IQ does not necessarily give you financial sense.

Mortgage Considerations

(Six Ways to Avoid a Mortgage Mess) This article has six well explained points about what you should be considering when thinking about mortgages.

Getting a Roommate for Extra Spensing Money

(Let someone else pay half your bills) This is some good advice about getting a roommate in your younger years, so that your money can stretch further for whatever your desires might be for extra cash. The part that I like in the article is the author's list of ways to cover yourself, so you don't end up getting burned by a roommate.

Young Adults Don't Use Retirement Vehicles

(Young adults all but ignore 401(k)s, IRAs). This article explains nothing that we have not heard before about people not saving enough, but it does share some good tips about how to get started and keep escalating savings for retirement.

Rent vs. Buy

(Why rent? To get richer) Here is an article that made me think. Do we put too much emotion into out investments? Should we only be looking at making the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time? Should investment have warm fuzzy feelings? I loving owning a home. Aren't the intangibles worth something? This article takes a numerical look at home ownership vs. renting. I think the author has some good points, but I think the author might be missing some intangibles.

Notes About Buying Your Employer's Life Insurance

Here is another article on insurance (Evaluating Life Insurance Offered at Work). It explains a few things to think about when considering how to deal with life insurance offered by your employer.

Term Life Insurance Rates Going Down

(Suddenly, life insurance is cheap) This is great news for anyone with people that depend on them for their financial well being. The article discusses how term life insurance rates have dramatically declined in recent years. The main reason being that selling these policies is no longer lucrative for insurance agents. An agent would rather sell you a more advanced insurance product that they get higher commissions on. Something to think about if you visit a financial planner and they gloss over a term policy and move on to other options.

Go a Little Bit Greener By Using Less Energy

Here is a quick read about saving some ways to save energy (Easy ways to cut your energy bill).

Pay Down Mortgage vs. Invest for Retirement

This article covers a question I have always wondered (The Cost of Peace of Mind). The idea centers around the prospect that you end up with more money in the end investing in a retirement plan then sending in extra mortgage payments. The author makes a clear argument that there is a good chance you will come out on top investing for retirement, but most people find the piece of mind of paying more on a mortgage better for them.

An Interesting Look at Procrastination

I found this article useful (Breaking the Perfection Habit). The idea is that perfection gets in the way of starting and accomplishing tasks. The worry someone has about getting something exactly right prevents them from starting tasks. This could be something that can be applied to retirement savings. The questions I seem to read are people asking where and why they should put money in a certain place. Maybe if we were a little less worried about getting our savings in the perfect place to get the best possible return, we might see that just having savings in some vessel might be better than waiting until we feel we have the perfect vessel to put our money in.

No More Pure Handouts From Parents

Here is an article worth reading (Meet the Parents-Backed Mortgage). I always hate hearing stories about parents giving their children huge gifts. This creates a situation where the parent gets something in return. I like the idea of this type of arrangement instead of a gift.

Solar Panels that Look Like Shingles

This article caught my attention and turned out to be informative (Solar Power Without Solar Panels). It explains how it is possible to get roof shingles and other common building materials that can collect solar energy. I am eager for all this green push to become more affordable to the average person.

Fiancial Urban Legends

Just a quick article with some short and interesting facts (10 Financial Urban Legends).

Subprime Bailout

I agree with the author of this article (Footing the Bill for the Subprime Fiasco). Toward the end of the article she briefly bring up the point that a Subprime Bailout sets up a precedence that could be hard to keep up with. I have never understood why the government protects the few in so many situation. There are several of us out there paying our bills, taxes and all other expenses on time. Why should we be the one's footing the bill through our taxes for the few who are not responsible and make financial mistakes? I believe her example about Baby Boomer's not being financial responsible for retirement is the perfect point for the next great "Governmental Debate." Why should the government give handout to those who can not prepare for themselves?

Educating Children About Finances

Here is an article about what some states are trying to do to prepare young people for financial responsibility (Teaching Life Lessons in Dollars and Cents). Is this the right way to prevent the government from having to bailout people in the future? I'm not 100% sure responsibility is something that can be taught in a school in a semester. I believe that responsibility is achieved through someone removing the safety nets and letting people learn the consequences of not being responsible. Personally the fear of what happens when you are not responsible keeps me in line.

Is Financial Worrying Bad?

I often wonder if all this worrying about money while I'm young is depriving me or if all this worry and work will pay off in the end. In this article (Does Money Make You Mean?) the author reports about some studies and how having money on the mind affected a person's behavior. Are all of us here that are reading this obsessing over money and missing out on what life is really about? Or are we just delaying gratification?

Roth 401K vs. Traditional 401K

I found the following article (Meet one dissenter from Roth 401(k) rah-rah chorus) to be something that made me think about Roth products in a slightly different way. This article points out that when you are investing in a Roth product you need to think beyond the points of what your effective tax rate is now against what it will be in retirement. The author points out that many things can happen with tax laws between now and when you retire. Her opinion about giving up a sure thing now for a promise in retirement brings to light an interesting risk. The best point in the article is that we are living in a time of huge tax deficits. Many people are out there saying that you should invest in Roth products now because tax rates are at a low and are sure to go up. Who is to say that your Roth product is not going to be the government's answer to the tax deficit in 40 years? I do not see this happening and I hope this would never happen, but it does make you think about how uncertain the future is.

My Intentions For My New Blog

I keep reading article after article about how to gain something in your financial life from every website I can think to look up. I keep finding articles that are either about how someone making $100,000 plus needs to know what to do with the 8% of their salary that will not fit in their 401K or on the other end of the spectrum I find articles about how someone made it for 3 years on $12,000 and the many unique ways they used to stretch their dollars. I fit into neither of these ends of the spectrum. I do not want to pinch my pennies to the point of buying 2nd hand clothes to get by and I am nowhere near having a problem maxing out my retirement plan options. My intention with this blog is to put up articles that I have found to be useful for my financial planning and understanding of the financial world along with some of my views and hopefully some good advice.