July 2012

5 Tips to Invest Wisely in a Second Home

July 27, 2012

Clark Howard says, “Second homes are the best deal in a distressed real estate market.” And that’s especially true right now when housing in many vacation-home destinations has bottomed and mortgage rates are at an all time low. But how do you invest with confidence when you’re not from the area and unfamiliar with the [...]

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Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card Review

July 25, 2012

Citi just launched a new credit card for those who frequently stay at Hilton Hotels. Called the , the new offer is designed for those looking to get free stays at any of the Hilton Portfolio of hotels. As with any rewards card, however, there are two important questions to consider: (1) what is the [...]

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Reader Question: What it Means to Pay the Lowest Balance First

July 25, 2012

In the past we’ve talked about the debt snowball. Basically it’s a simple way to accelerate the payoff of your debt. The key to using the debt snowball effectively is to either (1) have extra money to put toward your debt above and beyond the minimum monthly payments, or, if you don’t (2) once your [...]

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Save 5% Cash Back with a PerkStreet Debit Card – August 2012 Categories

July 23, 2012

A few years ago, a small outfit named PerkStreet launched a free online checking account that offers amazing debit card rewards.  Rather than offer an interest rate, PerkStreet decided to provide cash back on all debit card purchases, sometimes in the amount of 5%.  The amount of cash back that you can earn as an [...]

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Reader Question: Can You Refinance a Mortgage with Bad Credit

July 17, 2012

In the world of personal finance, there are easy questions and not so easy questions. Today’s reader question from Debra falls into the latter category: I would like to know if and where it is possible to refinance your mortgage from 5.25% down to the current low with bad credit and $70,000 equity. Don’t qualify [...]

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Should You Consider Permanent Life Insurance?

July 16, 2012

My wife and I both have life insurance. First purchased when we adopted our children seventeen years ago, we have 20-year term policies. As hard as it is for me to believe, our policies are just a few short years away from lapsing. And that’s caused me to ask whether we would have been better [...]

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What Makes Us Happy? A Book Review of The How of Happiness

July 12, 2012

Are you happy? Would you be happier if you got a promotion and raise at work? Would you be happier if you moved to a larger home? For me, the happiness question that has plagued me for over a year is the following: Would I be happier if I quit my job as a lawyer [...]

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My Foray Into Coin Collecting as an Investment

July 11, 2012

Yesterday was a first for me. I purchased eight silver Morgan dollars from a local rare coin dealer. The purchase represented my first step into coin collecting for both fun and profit. Part of my numismatic adventure was motivated by the joy of coin collecting. I was first introduced to coins by my grandmother years [...]

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Is Chase Liquid the Best Prepaid Card Available?

July 10, 2012

Chase just launched its first reloadable prepaid card. Called the Chase Liquid, this card is the latest development in a move to mainstream the prepaid card industry. A few years back, prepaid cards were offered by obscure companies. The cards typically came with outrageous fees and poor customer service. Through competition, fees started to come [...]

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