Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
It’s always startling to get those bank letters in the mail that say “important information enclosed.” I got one last week notifying me that my account “may have been” compromised. As a precaution, my bank was sending me an entirely new debit card and number (my first chip card — a sign of how long I’ve had the old one). My old card was de-activated within a few days, and I had to call to activate the new card. As usual, the new pin number will be sent separately, which meant I couldn’t use an ATM if I needed to.
If you’ve ever had this happen before, it elicits all sorts of questions. Was there fraudulent activity on my account? Who ‘may have’ compromised my card, and when? Am I liable financially?
Although I haven’t had this happen frequently (if it does, it’s a good sign you need to re-examine your habits), I’ve learned a few things to keep in mind, going forward. [ continue reading… ]
The internet is allowing information to be spread at unheard of rates and this has helped the retail investor gain vast amounts of knowledge.
Could the internet eventually replace our reliance on investment bankers and representatives? With so many websites out there to learn from, anyone who care about saving money can educate themselves enough to not require a reliance on investment professionals if they so choose.
And these savings can add up big. With a typical advisory fee of just 1%, you are basically paying $2,500 each year if you have $250,000 invested. Add in any fees they may have for meetings, advice, etc. and the numbers add up quick. We’ll go through the three websites out there and expand on what information they deliver and what can be utilized in replacing your financial advisor. [ continue reading… ]
Couponing has become so popular it has its own television show. Nowadays, consumers use coupons for dinner, oil changes, and anything else companies are trying to advertise. Broadband service providers advertise with coupons too, and that’s where we can benefit. You can use these coupons to negotiate a new contract, lower your existing bill, or get new services for the same price.
Broadband companies are constantly looking to attract new clients, and they do that through sending out broadband coupon codes. These coupon codes typically offer percentages off, gift cards, or additional services, and ones for new customers is found in new home mailers or even on their websites. Here are the top three tips to use these promotions to your advantage. [ continue reading… ]
ETF’s enable people to enter markets that otherwise would be out of reach. Using inverse ETF’s and ETF’s that track gold and other commodities, retail investors and traders now have an effective way to diversify their portfolio.
The most popular ETF, the SPY, tracks the S&P 500 and is used for trading and short term investing. Is it possible that an ETF is as effective as a mutual fund? Buying and holding securities for long periods of time is the tried and true method, and we’ll use that theory for comparison purposes.
Mutual funds are the go-to investment for the average 401k contributor. Commonly, there are four categories that include aggressive growth, moderate, conservative, and international funds. Built for long-term investments, these tend to see healthy returns over long periods of time. On the other hand we have short-term investment vehicles, which are ETF’s that offer safe and effective ways for investors to enter and exit trades quickly. For example purposes, let us use the SPY and compare it against the Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares (VFINX).
These two examples are similar in nature because they are tracking the S&P 500, or “the market”. [ continue reading… ]
Advertisements for no fee trades on stock purchases are everywhere, but the catch is that you must deposit large sums of money in order to take advantage of the deal. How can young adults, who are just entering the workforce, realize their retirement saving goals? Luckily, when it comes to investing, no fee investing is beginning to rival large corporations such as TD Ameritrade and Charles Schwab. Not only is no fee investing catching on, trading directly from a smartphone with a few taps is providing opportunities for new investors to gradually enter the market.
The introductions of Acorn and Robinhoob revolutionized the way people save and invest with minimal fees, and the term minimal is used because Acorn charges one dollar a month to use their services, but the value is evident. [ continue reading… ]
School is back in session, and it can be easy to overlook college students settling in to dorms for the year. With all of the college rules and fine print, it can be hard to make campus housing into something more personable and comfortable. These creative ideas will help you make your space more personable without spending a lot of money or breaking the rules. Not a college dorm student? No worries – these tips work for apartments too!
It’s All About Lighting
Rooms can instantly look cozier with the right lighting. Students can find stringed Christmas lights in their parent’s garage or from a thrift store. Hang them as is or transform them into a cute garland with DIY tutorials.
Even just relying on stylish lamps for lighting can make a difference. Don’t forget to use LED-battery operated candles in cute containers to make your space feel more comfortable. [ continue reading… ]
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