Earlier this morning, I reviewed Excuse Me, Your Job is Waiting (Amazon link) by Laura George and found it to be a good job-hunting book with advice based on the “law of attraction.” I’m happy to be able to give away the three copies sent to me by the publisher. Read the review, if you haven’t already.

If you’re interested in winning the first free copy, answer this simple (or perhaps not so simple) question:

What is your dream job?

Feel free to elaborate. Are you working your dream job now? How will you get there? The method I use to choose the winner may not be so random—in this case, I like insightful and interesting (and perhaps funny) comments.

Thanks to We’re In Debt for hosting the 98th edition of the Carnival of Personal Finance. Here’s a taste of some of the great articles that were submitted this past week:

My Current Bank Account Setup To Maximize Interest
Jonathan from My Money Blog simplified his savings to make the most out of high savings interest rates.

Buying a Sandwich and Soda at Work Costs You $2000 a Year
Here’s another reminder that I need to start disciplining myself to stop going out for lunch with my co-workers every day. The cafeteria’s even more expensive, but if I could just get myself to make my lunch at home ahead of time, I could save a good bit of money.

Always Go to Lunch With the Big Boss
While we’re on the topic of lunch, PT Money has this advice. It’s a short article, but good advice. I generally eat lunch with people not in my direct hierarchy.

Buying Real Estate Without A Source of Income Or When You Are Changing Careers
Dan from Searchlight Crusade tackles a reader’s question about obtaining a mortgage without a steady stream of income. There is a way, and the way is called a “no ratio loan.” Sounds risky to me.

3 Steps Towards Solid Financial Freedom Planning
Here are the three steps from Aridni: Setting goals, creating behaviors, and discussing plans, progress, and reasons for working so hard. Too bad there’s no verb-noun two-word combination for the last step. Of course, Aridni expands on these steps within the article.

The King of Debt was kind enough to include my submission as well, My Next Step: Two-Bedroom Condo or More Renting.

Excuse Me, Your Job Is Waiting: Attract the Work You Want
Laura George
(7/10)

A few days ago, I finished reading Excuse Me, Your Job Is Waiting, by Laura George. This book follows in the footsteps of another, Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting. The premise of both books is the “law of attraction,” which is generally interpreted in popular culture as the idea that events are influenced by the attitude of those involved. Positive thinking helps encourage positive outcomes.

Of course, none of this is scientifically proven, at least not within this book. However, there are enough anecdotal testimonies to convince people the concept is “true.” In this convincing, positive outcomes can be attributed to positive thinking and negative outcomes can be negative thinking.

I’m convinced, for the most part. Whether positive thinking actually influences outcomes in a cause-effect relationship, I’m not entirely sure. Positive thinking certainly makes one feel better, and this attitude can be picked up by others involved in active communication, and can be perceived as a connection, making everyone feel better about the relationship. If you’re on a job interview, this is a good thing.

The book goes much farther with this idea. Read the rest of this article »

Here are some interesting articles from the MoneyBlogNetwork and beyond.

MBAs Don’t Prepare Managers for Real-Life Challenges
The process of getting an MBA is more about the connections you make than learning how to deal with real-life management problems, apparently. This is true about most degrees. In school you learn fundamental concepts and theories, but practical skills come from experience on the job. I’m not sure why this comes as a surprise to people. I’ve been slowly chronicling my experiences obtaining my MBA degree from the University of Phoenix, a school critics love to hate. [Free Money Finance]

Orlando Gas Gouging
Here’s an example of price gouging on gasoline, although prices at stations around airports usually are much more expensive than others. They don’t post their prices, yet motorists still stop by to fill up. Then they’re surprised when they receive the bill. [FiveCentNickel]

Do Payday Loans “Victimize” People?
Payday Loans are bad ideas, but are they victimizing customers, or should customers take full responsibility? Responsibility must be shared between companies that should operate in an ethical manner and not take advantage of people in difficult positions, and customers who must be as educated as possible about whatever product or service they’re considering. [AllFinancialMatters]

How To Talk Salaries With Coworkers
One way to find out whether you have room to negotiate your salary is to determine what your co-workers are making. This is a dangerous path to walk down. I wouldn’t recommend it. [Blueprint for Financial Prosperity]

Yard Sale Finds This Weekend
Mighty Bargain Hunter found some mighty bargains while on the hunt in the yards of northern Virginia. [Mighty Bargain Hunter]

Simple Way to Save $3,000 a Year: Brown Bag It
The money you save by spending $1 to $2 on lunch each day rather than $10 to $12 may amount to $500,000 after 25 years! As one commenter mentioned, you should also look at the “opportunity cost.” But eating alone at your desk every day, you miss out on opportunities that come by through socializing with your coworkers and management. [Zen Habits]

Here are a few more:

• A Look at the Digg Effect in Action
• Money in the Mattresses
• How Much Would A 3 MPH Crash Cost You? Hint: Thousands!

• How to Look Good on a Budget: The Business of Beauty

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Yesterday, Vanguard announced they have simplified their account fees. Effective on Thursday, here is the new fee structure.

• All fund accounts with a balance of less than $10,000 will be assessed a yearly fee of $20.

  Now that’s straightforward. In the old configuration, my recently-opened 2006 SEP IRA would have been charged $20 anyway. So why am I so happy with this change?

  Because there are several ways the new $20 fee can be avoided completely by

• keeping each fund account balance over $10,000;
• maintaining total assets at Vanguard at $100,000 or more; or,

• signing up for electronic delivery of all documents, like prospectuses and statements.

  With my assets at Vanguard totaling up to only about $3,000, it’s pretty clear which option was my choice.

  I have a Roth IRA and another SEP IRA at TIAA-Cref. The problems I’ve had with this organization, while they have settled down except for a request from their lawyers to remove their logo from this page, are well documented. Most importantly, the mutual funds at Vanguard that match up with the mutual funds at TIAA-Cref have lower expense ratios.

  The two funds currently invested in my Roth IRA at TIAA-Cref can theoretically be transferred to Vanguard because the balances are each above the $3,000 threshold. My 2005 SEP IRA isn’t above that level, but I may be able to combine it with my 2006 SEP IRA, already at Vanguard, if I don’t mind changing my asset allocation. The 2005 SEP IRA is invested in an international index fund, and the 2006 SEP IRA is invested in the total stock market index fund.

  I’d rather have all of my accounts at Vanguard, so I’ll be looking to make this transfer in the next few weeks.

For people who are responsible with managing money, sometimes it makes sense to pay for large purchases with a 0% APR loan or credit card. The reasoning is fairly simple. If you have a card that is offering an introductory rate of 0% on purchases, and if inflation for the year is running 3% to 4%, then the value of the $100 you’re paying by the time the full amount of debt is paid off is 3% to 4% less than the $100 you were paying at the beginning of the term.

Also, smart purchasers only buy what they can afford. Assuming you have the cash, you can get a significant effective discount by depositing the cash you would normally use to make this large purchase into a high-yield savings or money market account, like the one offered by HSBC Direct, and pay off the credit card directly from this account. This way you can benefit from both the earned interest and inflation.

There are always tight rules when cards offer 0% introductory rates, and the companies would prefer to make money off of you. They will wait for you to fall into one of the many traps, one of which is a late payment. If you miss the payment deadline, the credit card issuer will charge you all accrued interest at the regular, non-introductory rate. In addition to the interest, you’ll have to pay late penalties.

An annual fee would also reduce the benefit of leverage. The cards listed below are all no-fee credit cards.

Be careful. If you have revolving debt, this technique is not for you. Pay off your debt, curb your spending, alter your mindset, then start thinking about using leverage for large purchases. If you’re ready now, feel free to check out these good deals.

Discover Business Miles Card or Discover Business Card.

These are “business” cards, but you do not have to be a business owner to apply and use these cards. Both cards are offering 0% interest on purchases for one year. With the miles card, you can earn “double miles” on gas and travel expenses. The miles can be redeemed for travel credit (any airline, any date) and gift cards.

The non-miles card gives you cash back, to the tune of 5% on office supplies, 2% on gas and up to 1% on all other purchases. There is no yearly limit to rewards, and if you use the rewards for purchases from retailers within Discover’s network, they count double.

American Express Platinum Business FreedomPass Card.

The FreedomPass card offers a 0% interest rate on purchases for one year. Each dollar you spend earns one point. These points are like Discover’s miles; they can be redeemed for travel expenses like flights, hotels, and rental cars, with no restrictions or black-out dates. The card offers a nice bonus, as well. You’ll receive 5,000 bonus points with your first purchase.

GM Business Card.

The GM Business Card also offers 0% on purchases for 12 months, but it also offers the same interest rate on balance transfers. Don’t get carried away, though. While this card is good for basic leverage, if you’re looking to earn cash back, use this card only if you know you’ll be purchasing a vehicle from the GM family of brands. Every purchase earns 1% cash back except for fuel, restaurants, office supplies, and GM parts and service, which earn 3%. That cash back must be used to purchase the latest Chevrolet, GMC, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, Saturn or Hummer vehicles within 5 years.

Chase Platinum Visa Business Card.

The Chase Platinum Visa Business Card, like the GM card, offers 0% interest on both purchases and balance transfers for 12 months. This card doesn’t offer cash back or miles, but by being a customer with the Chase Platinum Visa Business Card, you qualify for discounts of up to 20% at retailers, in addition to special offers on computer equipment and business supplies.

Update: The CitiBank Diamond Preferred Card is also offering 0% APR on purchases for 12 months.

While the above cards are technically “business” cards, which explains the discounts and perks on office supples and travel, you do not have to be self-employed or a business owner to apply for and use these cards. The important point is that the card you choose should be used just for one major purchase, after which the card should not be closed but remain unused except for periodic, on-time payments to pay down the balance within a year.

Those who have been following my travails closely may have a feeling I might need to start contemplating my living situation. About a year ago, a chronicled my adventures looking for an apartment with my girlfriend (one, two, three, four, five, and six) which ended unsuccessfully and with a bit of a scuffle with the real estate agency.

This time, my current lease is up at the end of June and I’m not quite sure which path to take. I will be living alone, but where? I have a number of conflicting thoughts about what would be the best for me to do.

I like the idea of not being tied down to one particular area, and renting allows me the possibility of cutting a lease short (although in my current apartment, it will require 60 days’ notice as well as a very high fee) if I find my calling somewhere else. On the other hand, I’ve been saying that since I returned to New Jersey after college about 8 years ago. I’m still here.

Right now, the New York Times says it’s better to rent than buy. That makes me feel better about having rented the past few years, but the decision to buy a house shouldn’t be about market conditions, which are unpredictable in short time spans.

Nevertheless, I don’t particularly like my current apartment. I could move to another apartment, anticipating another move somewhere down the line. Living in a condominium, I would have the option of keeping it and renting it to a tenant if I end up moving somewhere else. As an owner of a two-bedroom condo, I could write off office expenses for that second bedroom, reducing my income tax.

If my income remains consistent, I should be able to afford a home at about $200,000, or maybe a little more. I’m hoping my income continues to increase at my day job and on the side. In this area of the country, being able to afford only about $200,000 drastically limits the locations in which I could buy. Rather than moving closer to work and to my girlfriend, I would have to move farther away.

There are a number of options to consider, and time is running out. While I’m not quite sure which answer is best for me, I plan on having some discussions with people I trust in real life. Please free to leave comments.

Hey Bank of America! Your ATM Gave Me A Fake $20
Wealth Junkie (who has a blog) received a fake $20 on a routine ATM trip, and didn’t know it was fake until a Costco employee informed him. He brought it back to the bank and they apologized.

What is a Secured Credit Card?
People with bad credit or no credit, who don’t qualify for some reason for a regular credit card, can sometimes qualify for a secured credit card. They must pay a deposit, and the company will extend a credit line for the amount of that deposit. Watch out for fees, though.

Top 5 Online Banks for Customer Satisfaction
Wachovia, Washington Mutual, Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo make the top of the list for customer service.

Target: Nintendo DS Lite On Sale With No Discount
How is this for misleading? The products are being marked as “on sale,” but there is no discount.