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MM’s PFBlog Network

by Luke Landes

The writer behind PFBlog.com has an interesting idea which will get more people blogging about personal finance. He has created the “PFBlog Network,” the purpose of which is creating a central location for personal finance blogs, hosted on MM’s domain. I’m trying out the Network with the intent of discovering whether it can drive more ... Continue reading this article…

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Due This Month

by Luke Landes

Although my auto insurance will cost about $3,600 for the year, I can pay the total amount in six installments. Unfortunately, the first installment is higher due to the inclusion of a “deposit.” I need to send in $1,147 for my auto insurance this month. The good news is that I should be able to ... Continue reading this article…

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Future Millionaires

by Luke Landes

I’ve been following CNN Money‘s Millionaires in the Making series for some time now. Deshundra Jefferson has posted a new profile online. The featured couple, Ryan and Danielle Quilling, are saving their way towards millionaire status. Danielle is 25 and Ryan 27. They have no credit card debt; the only debt they have is their ... Continue reading this article…

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401(k) Diversification

by Luke Landes

Does your company offer diversified options for employees’ 401(k)s? Even after the bubble burst several years ago and many people were burned, many companies haven’t created possibilities for diversification in retirement plans. In many cases where the companies do offer a wide variety of funds, employees have not chosen to configure their accounts to allow ... Continue reading this article…

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For New Yorkers

by Luke Landes

Suze Orman tells it like it is. On her televised phone-in show, she has no problem berating callers, breaking them down, and making them feel stupid for their financial foibles. She also writes books. If you have nothing else to do tonight, and New York City isn’t out of the question, you might want to ... Continue reading this article…

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New Coins

by Luke Landes

The new nickels will be put into circulation on February 28. They feature a close-up of Thomas Jefferson and I can’t say that I’m a fan of the new design. The reverse contains a new engraving of a bison. On March 3, the U.S. Mint will begin offering their standard 2005 proof coin set, a ... Continue reading this article…

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Bonus Update

by Luke Landes

On a personal note, I received my bonus last week and it was a bit lower than I expected. I’m in a non-management position, so I get paid for overtime but I generaly expect a non-impressive bonus compared to most. I have to consider that I wasn’t at the company for a while last year ... Continue reading this article…

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Annual Review

by Luke Landes

It’s annual review and bonus time at my company. I have my performance review meeting with my boss in about in hour, and luckilly this article caught my attention beforehand. Now I’m in a good mood, which is more than what could be said after finding out my bonus number this morning. Perhaps I’ll have ... Continue reading this article…

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Paper Currency Photographs

by Luke Landes

Have a lot of time on your hands? Spend it perusing through the image gallery of paper currency. Many different countries are represented by photographs or scans of various bank notes. I don’t suggest printing any of the images on glossy paper to take with you for use when traveling to the represented location.

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Made a 401(k) Contribution Change

by Luke Landes

I changed the contribution rate to my 401(k) today. Previously 12 percent of my pretax income was being diverted to the 401(k) despite only 4 percent of my income being matched by the employer. I reduced the rate from 12 percent to 4 percent so I could still get the complete company match while allowing me more cash. This ... Continue reading this article…

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Individual Social Security Accounts

by Luke Landes

I still need to do more research before I decide whether I like the idea of privatizing social security. For future reference, here’s some information on the current proposal.

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A Very Expensive Quarter Dollar

by Luke Landes

Two different errors on the Wisconsin quarter dollar is causing coins containing one of the errors to be valued up to $1,100, with the possibility of prices going up. Coin World reports that only coins struck at the Denver Mint are affected. State quarters have a mint mark on the “head” side of either “P” ... Continue reading this article…

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Another Option for Your 401(k)

by Luke Landes

You’ve heard of the Roth IRA, but you may not have heard of the Roth 401(k). This is a new twist to the employer-sponsored retirement account that will be going into effect on January 1, 2006. Your total 401(k) contribution limits won’t change, but like the Roth IRA, the money you contribute to the Roth ... Continue reading this article…

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401(k) Asset Allocation

by Luke Landes

The chart that follows is my 401(k) asset allocation. I’m striving for an aggressive approach to investing for retirement since I theoretically have many years before I would be able to stop working. The company suggests a slightly different allocation for an aggressive portfolio: 25 percent small/mid cap instead of my 30 percent, 65 percent large cap instead ... Continue reading this article…

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Auto Insurance Weirdness

by Luke Landes

Here’s something odd. After getting my car last March, I had to pay my entire premium in installments, finally due in December. This year, I have to pay me entire premium due in March. According to their paperwork, this means that in the course of one year, I have to pay two years’ worth of ... Continue reading this article…

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Business Blogging Awards and South by Southwest

by Luke Landes

It looks like they have reset all votes over at the 2005 Business Blogging Awards. If you enjoy reading about my financial wees and woes, feel free to vote for Consumerism Commentary for Best Personal Finance Blog. Don’t worry—I have no expectations, but I was nominated by a few people so I figured I might ... Continue reading this article…

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Cash Decreasing

by Luke Landes

January has been a tough month. My available cash has been decreasing and my investments didn’t do too well. Read the rest of the article to see the chart. I came out ahead, but barely, even taking into account the fact I was snowed in one weekend and didn’t go out and I was sick ... Continue reading this article…

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Business Blogging Awards

by Luke Landes

If you enjoy reading Consumerism Commentary (that’s this website, the blog you are now reading), please take a moment to vote for us at the Business Blogging Awards. We’ve been nominated under the “personal finance blog” category. I am pretty sure that we’re not going to win, but it would be nice not to be ... Continue reading this article…

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My 401(k) Contributions

by Luke Landes

Currently, I am contributing 12 percent of my gross salary to my 401(k). In thinking about my finances for the upcoming year, I’d like to reduce that to 6 percent or 8 percent. There is a strain on the amount of available cash at any moment. Unfortuantely, I am a designated person in my company, according to government ... Continue reading this article…

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Nine Millionaires

by Luke Landes

I believe that this article from MSN Money is better than most of CNN Money‘s “Millionaire in the Making” stories. This article profiles nine individuals and the stories behind their first million dollars. Only one of them has anything to do with real estate; they are mostly stories of taking a chance with an idea ... Continue reading this article…

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