Cell phone service seems to get cheaper each year. I still remember when a great deal was $40 a month for 1,000 minutes with no text and no data. So what about FREE cellular service? Well, it's here, but with a few important … [Read the rest]
California Obamacare Health Insurance Sample Quote
Posted on October 1, 2013 // 40 Comments
Open enrollment for individually-bought health insurance through state exchanges was supposed to start October 1, 2013, although several states experienced some delays and/or technical glitches. If your state exchange isn't up and running yet, you … [Read the rest]
PO Boxes Now Offer Real Street Addresses & Accept UPS and FedEx Packages
Posted on October 1, 2013 // 67 Comments
For a few years, I had a UPS store private mailbox for my small business address instead of a Post Office box because of a couple of factors: Private carriers like UPS and FedEx didn't deliver to PO Boxes. PO Boxes were not "real" street … [Read the rest]
Vanguard STAR Fund vs. Vanguard Balanced Index Fund
Posted on September 30, 2013 // 9 Comments
I previously wrote about how the Vanguard Balanced Index Fund was a good example of the benefits of holding both stocks and bonds in your portfolio. Now, I'd like to extend this and compare the Vanguard Balanced Index Fund (VBINX) with another … [Read the rest]
How to Estimate Your Obamacare Health Insurance Premiums and Tax Credits
Posted on September 26, 2013 // 23 Comments
Open enrollment for "Obamacare" will start October 1, 2013 for coverage that will start January 1, 2014. Find your state's exchange website at Healthcare.gov. Plans will be broken down into four tiers: Bronze, Gold, Silver, and Platinum. People 30 … [Read the rest]
Money Magazine – Best Credit Cards List 2013
Posted on September 24, 2013 // 10 Comments
The October 2013 issue of Money Magazine featured an article "Best Credit Cards" that (unsurprisingly) caught my eye. Here's a quick list of their top picks for various categories. I've written about most of them, and in those cases I'm linking to … [Read the rest]
Morningstar Target Date Retirement Fund Comparisons & Trends 2013
Posted on September 24, 2013 // Leave a Comment
Target date funds (TDFs) get their name because they adjust their portfolio holdings automatically over time based on a given target retirement date. In general, this means shifting from mostly stocks to less stocks over time (known as the "glide … [Read the rest]
Tips on Reducing Your Food Waste Impact
Posted on September 19, 2013 // 8 Comments
I hate wasting food, but it still happens to me with fresh fruits and vegetables. I will eat leftovers even if it means eating little bits of four different meals at once. Globally, 1/3rd of the food supply is wasted and uneaten, with the rate … [Read the rest]
United MileagePlus Dining: 3,000 Bonus Miles
Posted on September 18, 2013 // 2 Comments
Many of the major airlines partner with Rewards Network (formerly iDine). You give them your credit card, and when you pay with that card at participating restaurants (which I believe have to pay for inclusion) then you get a certain number of … [Read the rest]
AAdvantage eShopping: 2,000 Bonus American Airlines Miles
Posted on September 18, 2013 // Leave a Comment
AAdvantage eShopping Mall is like other cashback shopping portals (eBates, TopCashBack, etc), except that they give you American miles as a reward. If you visit this promo link, it shows an offer that will get you 2,000 miles after you spend at … [Read the rest]
OptionsHouse Raising Commission Rate From $3.95
Posted on September 18, 2013 // 3 Comments
Online stock broker OptionsHouse sent me the following e-mail today: On October 1, 2013, OptionsHouse is changing our stock commissions rate. However, we wanted to notify you that this change will not affect any of your current accounts with us. … [Read the rest]
US Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Stats 1978-2012
Posted on September 18, 2013 // 8 Comments
The U.S. Census Bureau just released its 2012 annual report on Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States. A good recap of the data can be found via the charts in this slide presentation [pdf]. Below is my even-briefer … [Read the rest]
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