More ING Direct $25 bonus links are now available. I’ve posted more referral codes received from Consumerism Commentary readers on the waiting list. In a few weeks, I plan on opening the waiting list again, so subscribe to the RSS feed so you can respond quickly to add your name before the list is closed again.
Holiday Shopping Bargains Reel in Big Sales. The National Retail Foundation says that despite low expectations for Black Friday, retail sales were up this year. According to NRF’s figures, shoppers spent an average of $372.57, up 7.2% from last year, and 172.9 million consumers visited stores, purchased items online, or through catalogs, up 17% from last year.
If Dad Can Do It Himself, Maybe He Shouldn’t. In the Wall Street Journal, a dad teaches his son about the role and responsibility banks hold when they manage your money. Watch out for invalid fees, and complain enough to get their mistakes reversed.
Stocks are Less of Your Net Worth Than You Think. If you are 65 and expect to receive $2,000 a month from Social Security, add $327,000 — the amount that converts to a lifetime monthly distribution of $2,000 — to your bond position. Taking this phantom inflation-adjusted bond into account, your stocks represent a lower percentage of your income-generating portfolio for retirement. Stay invested in stocks.
Carnival of Personal Finance, Cyber Monday 2008 Edition. Check out the latest edition of the Carnival. Some of the more interesting articles include What Should a Privatized Social Security System Look Like?, 3 Rules to Giving the Good Gift, and 6 Ways to Argue Less About Money.
Updated December 22, 2011 and originally published December 1, 2008. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @flexo on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.
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Luke Landes founded Consumerism Commentary in 2003 and has been building online communities since 1990. Luke, also known as Flexo, has contributed to PC World Magazine, US News, Forbes, and other publications. 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the mention, Flexo!
Thanks for sharing my article, Flexo. Welcome back.
I’ve got to disagree with the article about social security being a chunk of your retirement. While this may be true for Americans retiring today, for those of us in our 20s there is a very bleak outlook that the program will survive in its current state by the time I retire.
I really do love my silicon oven mitt; thanks for the mention, Flexo.