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Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted on and passed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009, the Senate’s alternative to the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights. Here are some of the provisions, taking effect in February 2010: Credit card companies must give 45 days notice before raising interest rates. Under current rules, ... Continue reading this article…
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I will admit that the title of this post is a bit inflammatory. I should specify that the more accurate number one frugality tip should be “Don’t be a woman (or a man, but in our society, mostly a woman) obsessed with beauty.” Newsweek illustrates this by breaking down the cost of female beauty maintenance ... Continue reading this article…
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Taking the first few steps to ensure your future financial stability can be daunting. There is so much to do, trying to decide where to start can result in wasted time, and wasted time is wasted money. Eliminating debt is often the first priority, and rightly so. If debt is in the form of credit ... Continue reading this article…
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When talking about the 790 billion dollar stimulus bill currently nearing the end of its congressional marathon, it’s tempting for people to focus on the direct, short-term benefits, namely a $400 tax credit, and how such a thing won’t go very far in benefiting most people. I tend to agree, but I’m also the first to ... Continue reading this article…
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Every Tuesday, Smithee presents an article about his own experiences with credit cards and observations about the credit card industry. So, nobody’s perfect. After my recent embarrassing splurge that included a digital camcorder, an audio mixer, three microphones and a new Apple MacBook Pro, I was feeling pretty down on myself. My credit card debt had gone from ... Continue reading this article…
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The Federal Reserve is expected to drop the federal funds rate to 0.5 percent today, the lowest it has ever been. When the Fed drops rates, its intent is to increase lending between banks. This drop, however, will likely have no effect on the bank’s lending practices. This rate is just a target, and it doesn’t dictate ... Continue reading this article…
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For several years, interest rates on high-yield savings accounts were high enough to justify choosing to leave extra money in savings accounts rather than using that money to pay off certain debts faster. I was paying only the minimum payment on my consolidated student loan. The loan’s interest rate was 4.25 percent and I had been ... Continue reading this article…
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I’ve done a good job of sharing my disdain for Dave Ramsey’s popularization of a method of getting out of debt that caters to unmotivated individuals, the “Debt Snowball” method. That doesn’t mean I don’t agree with his principles or his intentions. I just think he, as one of the most popular “gurus” in personal ... Continue reading this article…
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General advice for an imaginary average person Personal finance advice comes in many forms, running the gamut from Dave Ramsey’s philosophies on getting out of debt to Suze Orman’s no-nonsense anti-stupidity spending advice. Opinions vary wildly as you stroll down the promenade from the broker, a salesperson, to the financial planner paid by the hour rather ... Continue reading this article…
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In about 6.5 months, I will be free of credit card debt for the first time since 1998. Much like Inigo Montoya and the “Revenge Business”, now that it’s over, I don’a know what to do with the rest of my life. Readers of Consumerism Commentary have proven their wisdom many times over, so I’d like ... Continue reading this article…
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This week, the Internal Revenue Service of the United States will begin sending direct deposits to those who qualify for the economic stimulus tax payment and checks soon after. Everyone who is interested in the tax ramifications of this payment should now know that the money received as a result will not be counted ... Continue reading this article…
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A new study by researchers at Vanderbilt University Law School and University of Oxford reveals a strong correlation between approvals for payday loans and bankruptcy filings. Considering that people who are rejected for payday loans have other (limited) options for credit, it’s surprising that the rate of bankruptcy isn’t as high with this group. ... Continue reading this article…
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This article was written for Consumerism Commentary by Adfecto, a mid-20s guy with a masters degree in engineering. He aspires to be wealthy and writes frequently for his own blog, Adfecto Abundantia. When I purchased a home it was not a lifetime commitment. I view a person’s choice of housing first as a financial ... Continue reading this article…
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On December 30, 2006 I officially announced my financial goals for 2007. Before I set new goals for 2008, I should take a look at my progress this year. Below, I’ll cite the goals I set a year ago and evaluate my progress. Income: Generate $40,000 in revenue outside of my day job. I ... Continue reading this article…
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Kimberly Lankford from Kiplinger recently handled a question from a reader. Capital One raised her interest rate from 9.9 percent to 15.9 percent on her account, and she’s wondering what her options are. You could decline the rate change and continue to pay off your balance at the old rate… Capital One would then close your account ... Continue reading this article…
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I get great satisfaction from reading personal finance stories from personal finance columnists. One columnist I usually like is Terri Cullen, who writes the Fiscally Fit column at the Wall Street Journal. Recently, her husband was offered a chance to buy his dream car, a like-new Chevrolet Corvette, for a too-good-to-be-true-but-is price. Gerry and ... Continue reading this article…
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Ah, student loans. The things that remember you long after you’ve completely forgotten the entire college experience. Although I finished college in 1997 and graduate school in 2000, loan payments to Sallie Mae have been a constant fixture ever since, like a little wound I’d nurse which just wouldn’t stop bleeding. Even when making ... Continue reading this article…
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The “snowball method” for paying off debt isn’t something out of Clerks. It is a way to organize your outstanding debt in such a way that the funds you have available for paying off debt are optimally distributed in the manner that will allow you to pay off that debt quickly and cheaply. There are two ... Continue reading this article…
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