Deadbeats are generally considered to be worthless. Your neighbor who never returned those hedge-trimmers he borrowed from you two summers ago. That mom who drops her kids off for “sleepovers” when all she really wants is a free babysitter. Your own son who missed mowing the lawn for the third Saturday in a row. All deadbeats. Continue reading
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PLAY YOUR (CREDIT) CARDS CLOSE TO YOUR CHEST
Becoming a victim of credit card fraud can be a nasty shock. Nobody wants to learn they’ve just bought $2000 worth of furniture from a nice store three states away. To prevent fraud both in person and online, you can follow some simple recommendations from both the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Continue reading
Perkins Loans: A Great Way to Get an Education
According to the Department of Education’s (DOE) website, Perkins loans are low-interest loans provided jointly by the federal government and your university to help you cover the costs of tuition. Full disclosure: this author relied on Perkins loans to fund his own college education… and he fully advises all students to pursue this fantastic option. Continue reading
TRICK YOUR CREDIT CARDS, GET INFINITE MONEY
WHY WORK when you can fool your creditors?
I’ve been writing financial articles for a year & a half now with modest traffic; if I’m ever going to break through that digital glass ceiling, I know I’ll have to share some insider secrets.
Do you think I make a living off these articles? Not a chance. Continue reading
You Know What a Good Credit Score Is, But How Do You Get One?
Let’s take the time to set the record straight first. Your credit score falls between 300 and 850 with an ideal score somewhere in the high 700s. That’s easy. More difficult to grasp are the steps you need to take to actually improve your credit score. Continue reading
Are You Building the Capital of Brazil?
Twenty years ago, while Germany was just starting to undertake its massive pay-off of debt interest from the First World War, Brazil also faced an overwhelming problem: 80% inflation. Chana Joffe-Walt of NPR’s Planet Money team wrote a story about how the Brazilians used a creative system of making fake money real to stabilize their currency and reduce inflation. She contextualizes the problem with a carton of eggs: if you buy them at $1 to bake your birthday cake, they’ll cost $1000 by the time your next one rolls around. Continue reading
Debt UNsettlement Companies
YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR OWN… SO LET US HELP YOU
Debt settlement companies provide a great opportunity to run your credit report into the ground. In loud, obnoxious advertisements, they promise to reduce your debt by 60 to 80% in a little less than half a year. But their first piece of advice is to stop paying your creditors. Continue reading
WAIT! DON’T CLOSE THAT CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT JUST YET!
At long last, you say, I paid that stupid card off! I’m going to snip it up into tiny bits, stomp them into a mush, and dash it all into a pit! Hang on and listen to this: if you bash your credit cards, you might be bashing your credit score too. Continue reading
The Acquisition Premium, or “I Want it Now!” Tax
THE OTHER day I was browsing my favorite Magic: the Gathering (MTG) websites for a specific card I wanted. [Yes, the Solvency Shark is a gigantic nerd, but before you mock me, consider this sobering fact: I have anywhere from five to fifteen rows of teeth in my jaws, depending on the species.]
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Continue reading SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PRESIDENT
IN 2008, President Obama’s grassroots campaign changed the way we run for office. As of 20 April 2011, he’s done it again.
Mr Obama flew to the west coast last Wednesday, touching down in Silicon Valley to hold a town hall-style meeting at Facebook headquarters. Continue reading
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