CreditSesame: Would You Like Me More If I Showed You My Credit Score?

CreditSesame just launched a "credit badge" that is intended for random folks on the internet to show how big their... I mean how high their credit score is. Instead of wearing Armani or driving a Porsche, I can show off my CreditSesame badge. It's … [Read the rest]

Free 9/20 Only: Incorporation & LLC Formation Service From MyCorporation

If you've been considering making your side venture a formal separate entity, MyCorporation is offering their LLC formation and incorporation filing services for free for one day only 9/20/11 until 11:59 PST with the coupon code MYFREE (regular price … [Read the rest]

Rising Rents, Flat Home Prices, and Owning REITs In My Portfolio

The NYT Economix blog points out that rents are rising again according to inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The chart included doesn't have zero on the y-scale, but a value of 100 corresponds to rent from 1982-1984. Rents … [Read the rest]

Social Security, Ponzi Schemes, and Realistic Expectations

Recent political debates have brought up comparisons between Social Security and Ponzi schemes. (Have you read the book about the real Ponzi?) Even though seemingly every single economist on Earth has weighed in, this discussion has been around … [Read the rest]

Jack Bogle Makes Market Prediction For Next Decade

I don't usually post market forecasts, but I just wanted to jot this one down for posterity. Jack Bogle, founder of Vanguard, is interviewed in a WSJ article Why a Legendary Market Skeptic Is Upbeat About Stocks where he makes a prediction of 7% … [Read the rest]

Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund vs. Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund

There's a ways to go, but we're still aiming to retire within the next 10 years. As such, I've been thinking about what happens when we want to live off of withdrawals from our retirement portfolio. According to the passively-managed Target Date … [Read the rest]

LivingSocial: $20 Whole Foods Market Gift Card For $10

LivingSocial, the group-buying deal-a-day website trying to go IPO like Groupon, is offering national deal today of a $20 value voucher to Whole Foods Market for only $10. Limit one per person. 5% of the sale price goes to the Whole Kids … [Read the rest]

My Unclaimed Money From State of California Actually Came

Amazingly, less than two months from mailing in my claim submission, the State of California actually sent me a check for my $74.93 in unclaimed money. Thanks guys, sorry you can't use it to plug your gaping budget hole, but I'm sure you'll get me … [Read the rest]

GE GeoSpring Hybrid Electric Water Heater: Good Investment?

I'm normally not excited by water heaters, but I do love the idea of investing small money upfront to lower my expenses and save big money in the future. We currently have a 10-year old electric water heater which I'd like to replace soon due to … [Read the rest]

American Express Electronic eGift Card Fee Waiver Code

I've mentioned American Express Gift Cards are being useful for shifting your purchases forward, in case you're still working on satisfying spending requirements for big bonuses like the $400 cash bonus from the Chase Sapphire Preferred(SM) Card or … [Read the rest]

Poll: How Would Winning The Lottery Change Your Investment Risk Tolerance?

In a discussion about risk on the Bogleheads forum, member John Norstad brought up an intriguing question. Let's say you won $1 million (net after taxes) in the lottery tomorrow. This money will get added to your existing investment portfolio, and … [Read the rest]

New Laptop? Extend Your Warranty By A Year For Free With American Express

School is back is session and lots of people are buying new computers. I'm thinking of one myself, to replace my aging 2007 refurbished Mac Mini that cost $400. As an example, the manufacturer's warranty on a new* Apple Macbook is only one year, … [Read the rest]