About My Credit Card Debt As usual, let me prevent any scathing e-mails by first explaining my high levels of credit card debt. In short, I'm borrowing money for free and keeping it in safe investments while earning me 5-6% interest. Along with … [Read the rest]
Future FICO Scores Won’t Consider Authorized Users
Posted on June 3, 2007 // 37 Comments
I had written previously about renting out your credit score, which takes advantage of a loophole in the credit score formula and allows people with poor credit scores to pay others with excellent credit so as to be added as an authorized user. This … [Read the rest]
Random Thrift Store Shopping Discoveries
Posted on June 3, 2007 // 20 Comments
I mentioned before that we were involved in a volunteer trip to Haiti, and part of it simply involved donating a bunch of unwanted clothing. We also went to a bunch of different Salvation Army's and Goodwills to find some additional cheap clothing … [Read the rest]
GrandCentral: Free Local Number, Rings Any Phone, Lots Of Features
Posted on June 2, 2007 // 39 Comments
Tired of juggling multiple phone numbers? Or just need an extra one? You should check out GrandCentral Beta, which offers all kinds of new tricks with phone calls by utilizing VoIP and the internet. First and foremost, they offer you a free local … [Read the rest]
What Does Jack Bogle, Founder Of Vanguard, Invest In?
Posted on June 1, 2007 // 13 Comments
John (Jack) Bogle is both the founder of the low-cost mutual fund company Vanguard and the creator of the first index fund available to the public. These days he spends his time speaking about corporate ethics and how index funds are great … [Read the rest]
Will You Make More Money Than Your Parents? Does It Matter?
Posted on May 30, 2007 // 33 Comments
Both the Wall Street Journal and CNN Money recently ran articles about a new study that concluded that American men in their 30s are earning less than their father's generation after adjusting for inflation. In 2004, the median income for a man in … [Read the rest]
HSBC Direct Unveils Online Checking Account… Sort Of
Posted on May 30, 2007 // 30 Comments
For a while now there have been rumors that HSBC planned to enter the online checking account arena, competing with the likes of Capital One 360's Checking. Instead of using the apparently taboo words "checking account", HSBC Direct announced today … [Read the rest]
Apologies For Unrequested E-mails
Posted on May 29, 2007 // 1 Comment
At the end of each of my posts, there is the option to subscribe to future comments. It's not checked by default, but it provides an way to easily follow the conversation. Today, for some reason, some people who were already subscribed to certain … [Read the rest]
Cheap Admission To Nature’s Amusement Park
Posted on May 29, 2007 // 12 Comments
Sorry for the relative silence recently, I had friends over for the weekend. A while I ago I wrote about choosing frugal hobbies, and one great thing about Portland is that the biggest draw, regardless of cost, is really the outdoors. You get … [Read the rest]
Who Needs Extreme Sports When You Can Be A 0% APR DareDevil?
Posted on May 27, 2007 // 11 Comments
MSN Money recently wrote a new article titled 0% daredevils chase 'free' cash discussing the practice of borrowing cheap money from credit cards offering 0% APR interest and no fees, putting that money into an online savings account at 5-6%, and … [Read the rest]
My Attempts at Frugal Mattress Shopping
Posted on May 25, 2007 // 71 Comments
It's time for a new mattress. Our current one was found 10 years ago from a university mailing list for $75. It's actually a nice mattress and the seller said it cost $400 new and was only a year old. I remember believing her because she lived in … [Read the rest]
Pay Your Mortgage On Credit Cards, Buyer’s Agent Rebates Are Not Taxable, Japan’s Real Estate Bubble
Posted on May 25, 2007 // 17 Comments
Buyer's Agent Rebates Are Not Taxable It struck me that the buyer's agent rebates I am seeking may be taxable income. That would stink. But it seems that Redfin, another company that does rebates in selected areas, received a private letter ruling … [Read the rest]
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