http://pfblogs.org/mbn/ Delivering all the personal finance blogs you can handle -- and then some. contact@pfblogs.org en-us Copyright 2010 2010-02-09T07:00:03-05:00 http://pfblogs.org/ This post is from new junior staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra has provided several great guest posts over the last few months, so I asked her to come aboard as a semi-regular staff writer. Good thing, too. I’m swamped with final book preparations, so my post for this morning wasn’t ready to go! The most important trick to managing your finances — and maybe the hardest — is just getting started. My household finances were like an impenetrable jungle of budget formulas and investment accounts and bank policies and tax codes; not knowing where to start kept me broke and confused for years. There are as many systems of thought for tackling spending as there are people managing their finances. Some people are avid fans of budgets while others swear they never work. Some will tell you to save up an emergency fund first while others zero in on debt reduction at all costs. Finding a starting point [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1570314 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1570314 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-09T07:00:03-05:00 I cannot tell you how excited my wife and I are.  This afternoon, we are closing on the purchase of our new house! For the past several years, we have lived in a house provided by my employer.  Recently, we decided that the time was right to buy a house of our own.  (Honestly, we have [...]Follow me via TwitterWe Are Buying A House! ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1570297 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1570297 No Credit Needed 2010-02-09T06:29:27-05:00 After less than a month in our new home, we’re still adjusting to being home owners (or ‘home loaners’ as my husband likes to say). Among many other changes, we have some new expenses that we didn’t have as renters. Mortgage payments For example, our first mortgage payment is due in March. Along with our mortgage payment, [...]Follow me on Twitter! ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1570298 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1570298 Five Cent Nickel 2010-02-09T06:00:55-05:00 Here's an email I recently received from a reader: I greatly enjoy your blog which inspired me to manage my career actively. I’m an engineer with Master's degree and MBA. I’m a very hardworking professional, always do more than my... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1570281 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1570281 Free Money Finance 2010-02-09T05:29:00-05:00 The Wall Street Journal tells us how the hiring process really works. But the part I really noticed were their comments on the one thing you can do to get your resume out of the slush pile. The summary: What's... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569940 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569940 Free Money Finance 2010-02-08T16:45:00-05:00 For nearly a decade, I lived without a personal credit card. In 1998, I destroyed all my cards and canceled my accounts in a last-ditch effort to curb my compulsive spending. It worked (sort of), and it wasn’t until 2007 that I finally felt like I was responsible enough to use credit wisely without going into debt. (And so far, it’s been smooth sailing.) What was it like without credit? Surprisingly easy, actually. Though a lot of folks will tell you that it’s impossible to rent cars or get a hotel room without a credit card, that’s just not so. A debit card lets you do all of these things, too. (Though, to be fair, companies will often put “holds” of several hundred dollars on a debit card when you rent cars or stay in hotels.) To be honest, I didn’t miss having a credit card when I was living without one. I never encountered a situation [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569898 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569898 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-08T15:37:34-05:00 By Linsey Knerl Welcome to Wise Bread's Best of Personal Finance roundup. Today, we share the 14 ways to ensure you'll stay miserable, 3 cool tricks to finding online deals with Google, and whether sea salt is really better than table salt! Top 5 Articles 14 Great Ways to be Miserable — You probably know at least one of them: people who seem to love being miserable. Chances are, however, that they weren’t always that way. See what it takes to stay in a permanent funk, and check the list to be certain you aren’t headed down that road yourself! Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life 3 Reasons Why the Average Joe Is a Bad Investor — Full of more than just fortune-cookie wisdom, this article takes a refreshing look at why you may be making some subpar investing decisions — and how you can change for the better! Personal Finance Ninja 3 Ways to Find a Cool Deal Using Google — You don’t have to be a Boolean genius to use these tips. They’re clever and convenient! Mighty Bargain Hunter Sea Salt vs. Table Salt: Is One Better Than the Other? This is strangely reminiscent of the butter vs. margarine debate, but the ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569813 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569813 Wise Bread 2010-02-08T13:34:07-05:00 This is just a quick note to say that Lending Club appears to have reduced interest rates for borrowers by around half a percentage point. I first noticed this when I logged in to select notes for investment last week, and have seen mention of it elsewhere on the web. Rates now range from a [...]Follow me on Twitter! ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569757 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569757 Five Cent Nickel 2010-02-08T12:36:38-05:00 Free Grand Slam Breakfast on 02/09 50% to 75% off Puma shoes and apparel at 6pm.com: Deals from $8 + $7 s&h Shaun White Snowboarding for Xbox 360 for $12 + free shipping Garmin nuvi 285WT 4.3" Bluetooth GPS Navigator w/ traffic for $100 + free shipping Free Burt’s Bees Natural Toothpaste Sample ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569734 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569734 Wise Bread 2010-02-08T12:08:27-05:00 By Sasha A. Rae You’re ready to hit the road, but you’re not sure how to stay connected while you’re out there. Or you just rolled back into town after a stint abroad and haven’t hooked up your cell service yet. You don’t have to. There are so many options for staying hooked up phone-wise whether you’re at home or on the road, especially if you tend to bounce between places that have different cell phone coverage areas. Or none at all. Before you invest in a pricey cell phone plan, check out some of these phone services. They can save you a pretty penny and keep you connected anywhere you go. RingCentral One good one is RingCentral, which gives you a phone, fax, calling card, and local or toll-free number all in one. Once you sign up for a service, you can program your 800 number to ring up to four separate phones looking for you. So it can ring a home number, a work line, a cell phone, or any number that you’re at while on the road. This is especially useful when you travel out of cell phone range, but need to receive some calls. Another cool feature is ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569735 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569735 Wise Bread 2010-02-08T12:00:02-05:00 A week or so before Christmas I had a bit of personal and stocking-stuffer shopping left to do. So I headed to Office Depot armed with my "$10 off a purchase of $50 or more" coupon. My purchases looked something... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569714 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569714 Free Money Finance 2010-02-08T11:45:00-05:00 The latest Best of Money Carnival is up now with the winning post being Should Married Couples Have Joint or Separate Bank Accounts? Enjoy! ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569648 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569648 Free Money Finance 2010-02-08T10:29:00-05:00 By Sonja Stewart I live in a place without a Trader Joe's. I know. Torture. Especially when they are the most cost effective carrier of all things gluten-free. So, if you live somewhere isolated, as I do, or just feel like saving money and having fun making your own delicious gluten-free noodles, this will help you on your way. These gluten-free noodles are easy to prepare and they can store inside your refrigerator for up to a week and a half. The greatest part is, once they're done, it only takes a few minutes to cook since they're fresh. And trust me, your gluten grubbing friends won't be able to tell the difference. They aren't sticky and lack that annoying texture that most rice noodles have. I took a gluten-free noodle recipe from Gluten Free Sox Fan and adapted it to make my own version. Just to remind you, the gluten-free all purpose flour mix is: 3 Parts Cornstarch 3 Parts Brown Rice Flour 2 Parts Soy Flour 1 Part Masa Flour Mix up a bunch of this stuff and have it handy for recipes like this and others I'll be throwing at you. I try to buy in bulk and mix it all in a big ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569626 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569626 Wise Bread 2010-02-08T10:00:02-05:00 Here we go with the first round of Free Money Finance March Money Madness (if you wonder what's going on in these posts, see my article announcing March Money Madness and/or click on my March Money Madness category link and... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569612 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569612 Free Money Finance 2010-02-08T10:00:00-05:00 By Paul Michael What if we suddenly stopped celebrating every single birthday in our lives, and instead concentrated on just the important ones? Would you care? Would you support it? I’ll tell you one thing…we’d all save a bunch of money. The idea comes from one of my favorite comedians, Patton Oswalt. If you don’t know the name, you’ll certainly know the voice; he played Remy in Ratatouille. He was also Spence Olchrin in The King Of Queens, and he’s an exceptional comedian. On his CD Werewolves And Lollipops he outlines a plan to stop the celebration of most birthdays, saying that there’s nothing special about most of them. And, he’s right. What’s so special about hitting 36 (my next birthday)? Or 42? Or even 14? They’re not landmark dates in your existence. They’re just another year. The full list is printed below, and you can also listen to Patton (be warned, Patton uses language that is NSFW). Birthdays you can and cannot celebrate. 1 thru 9 — YES. You’re a little kid, and kids should get to celebrate birthdays. 10 — YES. You’ve entered the double digits. Something different has happened, you get a birthday. 11-12 — NO. Nothing special about those years. 13 — YES. ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569557 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569557 Wise Bread 2010-02-08T09:00:02-05:00 This is a guest post from Adam Hagerman of Money Relationship. If you like what you see here, please consider subscribing to his RSS feed. If you’re like most people, you may think that retirement is so far away that it can be dealt with later. The reality is that it is never too early to [...]Follow me on Twitter! ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569563 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569563 Five Cent Nickel 2010-02-08T08:56:55-05:00 Welcome to the 243rd Carnival of Personal Finance! What in the world does that mean? Well, a blog carnival is a weekly round-up of articles on a particular subject (in this case, money). The carnival moves from blog to blog, and gives readers a chance to find new writers they may enjoy. It’s been over two years since Get Rich Slowly last hosted a carnival (it takes many, many hours to put this together), but I wanted to do one for old time’s sake. Besides, it’s a great way to support up-and-coming financial bloggers. I found several great new money blogs while looking through the submissions this week. So how does this carnival work? I received submissions from 72 other personal-finance blogs. Yes, I read every one of these articles. Yes, it took forever. I’ve cut out the worst of the submissions, as well as any that don’t apply to personal finance.(Come on, folks: “the economic link between [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569419 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569419 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-08T07:00:23-05:00 The following is an excerpt from The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose by Robert Pagliarini. Copyright © 2010 Other 8 Hours, LLC All Rights Reserved. The book tells people to live life... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569380 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569380 Free Money Finance 2010-02-08T05:29:00-05:00 Thomas wrote in on Monday to share a comic strip related to our discussion last week about whether renting makes sense: Click on image to open a larger version in a new window. Ah, Dinosaur Comics — you gotta love them. As a reminder, I’m not opposed to owning a home. I own one myself and have no plans to move. But my recent research persuaded me that renting isn’t as bad as it’s been made out to be. Both renting and owning can be good choices; it just depends on your situation. (And how many dinosaurs you have roaming the neighborhood.) ---Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly:The New York Times Rent vs. Buy CalculatorThe Rentometer: How Does YOUR Rent Compare?On Meeting and Resisting Temptationlinks for 2007-05-05Housing: Rent vs. Buy Calculator ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569143 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569143 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-07T20:00:56-05:00 By Amy Lu You say you hate your job, but what can you do about it? First, assess your situation to determine what your next step should be. Learn how to survive at a job you hate, how to get out without hurting your career, and what you can do to not hate your next job. Use these links to jump ahead to any section. Assessing your situation Making changes at work Getting out of the job Finding a job that makes you happy Assessing your situation 10 Important Signs Your Job Might Be Worth Staying At Think you hate your job? Before you jump ship, see if your current job has the qualities that makes it worth staying at.Your situation may be better than you thought. By Sarah Winfrey 10 Important Signs That Your Job Sucks You're miserable at work, but do you hate it enough to leave? Here are 10 ways to tell if your job really sucks -- and how you can fix it. By Troy Hadley The Three F Rule Can Lead You to Happiness The Three F Rule is a simple formula that keeps you sane and makes sure your working life doesn't go off the rails. If you don't want ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569079 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569079 Wise Bread 2010-02-07T14:49:34-05:00 Today we talk with Jeff Bartlett, Autos Deputy Editor at Consumer Reports about the recent Toyota recalls. For updated information on Toyota recalls, see Consumer Reports’ unintended acceleration guide. Also, Flexo and I discuss money saving tips for Valentine’s Day. Production Number: S02E16 Segment Numbers: 60, 57 To listen, use the player above (Adobe Flash required), download [...]Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Podcast 42: Toyota Recalls, Frugal Valentine’s Day ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569051 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569051 Consumerism Commentary 2010-02-07T14:00:17-05:00 By Tisha Tolar There are the cynics that say Valentine’s Day is a retail racket meant to guilt people into spending too much to prove their eternal love to others, but there are also many consumers who will still go out of their budget to buy some pretty impractical things. The Valentine’s Day celebration often includes expensive jewelry, cards, candy, and flowers but as times change, more people are constricted by tight budgets and obsessing about not being able to do more this year. Fear not! There is hope for all. Here are some tips to keep your love spirits high, your loved ones happy, and your budget intact for Valentine’s Day. Order Now If you are shopping for flowers or shipping candy, you should place your order ASAP to avoid paying rush charges or extra shipping and handling. The beginning of February will signal the start of premium pricing so get your order in now. Flowers in particular may be affected in pricing this year due to the cold weather. Flower suppliers are reporting instances of slowed production, especially for roses which means florists will be paying higher prices and passing along to their customers even higher ones. A Rose is a ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569000 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1569000 Wise Bread 2010-02-07T12:00:07-05:00 This guest post from Lizzie is part of a new feature here at Get Rich Slowly. Every Sunday will include a reader story (in the new “reader stories” category). Some will be general “how I did X” stories, and others will be examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success. Confession time: I read Get Rich Slowly on a daily basis. Phew, that was easier than I thought! Two years ago the major confession would have been the balance on my credit cards. I found this blog about the time I was just starting my own personal finance journey. Like many new college grads, I was in major credit card debt with a salary that barely covered rent and food — not that I ever really tried living within its confines. Before I paid off my credit cards, I worried needlessly about things that were out of my control. Oddly, they were not all related [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568900 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568900 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-07T07:00:56-05:00 For those of you new to Free Money Finance, I post on The Bible and Money every Sunday. Here's why. The following is an excerpt from Dollars and Doctrine. “The crown of the wise is their riches.” (Prov. 14:24) The... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568895 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568895 Free Money Finance 2010-02-07T06:05:00-05:00 (This is guest post is by Ann Smarty, a search engine geek, social media enthusiast and a passionate blogger. She has recently started a community of guest bloggers, so if you have a blog and want to promote it for absolutely free, go help Ann build the valuable tool for that by joining and participating.) [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568884 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568884 Mighty Bargain Hunter 2010-02-07T03:47:22-05:00 By Tahera It’s safe to say, of late, you can do just about everything but brush your teeth with an iPhone. You’re always wondering what else the creatives at Apple are going to think of next. Well, the next marvel is credit card processing using any credit card with your phone! In December 2009, Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, launched a new application that allows iPhone users to process credit cards using their phones. Under a new venture, called Square, Dorsey hopes to take credit card processing to a new mobile high. To use the credit card processor, the user needs to attach a specialized dongle to the headphone jack of the iPhone, (it even works with an iPod touch, as it uses the wireless function to process the transaction). Then, using a specialized application, the user can swipe a credit card through the dongle and process the charge. (Food for thought — if it uses the headphone jack to attach to...will it soon be available for any mobile phone that uses wireless?) As Dorsey plans to give the actual dongles away — You have to ask “how is he going to make money through this?” Well it will be through ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568730 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568730 Wise Bread 2010-02-06T12:00:12-05:00 This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. We all know that cooking meals at home can save money. For some (like me), it’s a lot of fun, too, but it’s easy to get in a rut — which is where I found myself last year. Brown rice was my go-to side dish, but there are only so many ways to cook the stuff before your taste buds get bored. That’s when I discovered a whole new world of grains that got me excited to cook again, many of which are now kitchen staples. If you’re ready for something new, try out these under-appreciated grains, each with a distinct texture and flavor. Barley Before combat, Roman gladiators ate barley, which was believed to give great strength and stamina. Non-gladiators can just enjoy it for its rich, nut-like flavor and health benefits. Barley is a good source of fiber, selenium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese. Barley is often thrown into a [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568654 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568654 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-06T07:00:10-05:00 The following is a guest post from Harvey J. Poorbaugh, Editor of Fidelity Select Fundranker. Are you working long hours, possibly more than one job, and supporting your significant other while she’s out of work? Is your unemployed college buddy... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568653 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568653 Free Money Finance 2010-02-06T06:08:00-05:00 I’ve been talking about some things related to the home purchase we’re doing now.  One of the conditions of purchasing our new home was ability to get financing.  Since I couldn’t buy with cash, I needed to apply for a mortgage.  What I couldn’t do was make the purchase contingent on the sale of my [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568633 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568633 Mighty Bargain Hunter 2010-02-06T05:07:24-05:00 We’re in one of the areas that’s getting pummeled with snow this weekend.  Thankfully we still have power, and even Internet access.  Please be safe if you’re in the mess with us. Here are some links of interest from the past week: The Frugal Lawyer scored a TV interview on spending addiction.  (I’ll be doing a post [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568610 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568610 Mighty Bargain Hunter 2010-02-06T00:18:31-05:00 I’m super excited — and more than a little bit scared. My book project is beginning to seem very very real. My publisher just finished laying out the manuscript yesterday, and this morning I received a printout of Your Money: The Missing Manual in its current state. For some reason, seeing the book laid out makes the project more tangible than it has been before. There’s just something about holding this pile of words that’s now coalescing into something that other people will read. It also makes me giddy to see the book listed at Amazon. I know this won’t ever be a best-seller like a Suze Orman book or a David Bach book, but it’s fun to see it climb from #540,000 on the Amazon best-seller list to #17,777. I have to say: If I even crack #5,000 I’ll be happy. (Honestly, I’m happy already!) Ultimately, though, my goal isn’t to get rich by selling a ton [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568479 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568479 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-05T16:41:08-05:00 By Linsey Knerl Welcome to Wise Bread's Best of Personal Finance roundup. Today, we share over 50 cheap and healthy party foods you can serve during the "Big Game", why bonds may not be the safe investment you thought they were, and how you can use a bowl of rice and some rubbing alcohol to (possibly) save that waterlogged cell phone. Top 5 Articles Super Bowl Recipes: 50+ Cheap and Healthy Party Foods — Looking for a few delicious Big Game dishes that won’t clog an artery (or two)? Check out this fabulous list from the pros. Cheap Healthy Good Bond Warning: Why Your ‘Safe’ Investment Isn’t So Safe — These five tips will help you navigate what could be a rough time ahead: Accept that bonds will not provide a high return; in fact, the annual return percent will likely be cut in half. CBS MoneyWatch How to Dry Out (and Hopefully Save) Wet Electronics — Cell phone in the toilet? Not good. Thankfully, this quick hack involving rice and rubbing alcohol may be all you need to get texting again. Unplggd The Ultimate Frugal Home Office — Wow! Talk about making the most of what you have. This tip for converting a ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568298 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568298 Wise Bread 2010-02-05T12:38:29-05:00 The following is a guest post from Carol Topp, CPA. She is the mother of two teenage daughters and runs Teens and Taxes. Typically, income from babysitting does not mean a teenager must file a tax return. Income from babysitting... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568280 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568280 Free Money Finance 2010-02-05T12:15:00-05:00 In my most recent debt update, I re-committed to spending a fixed amount of money on discretionary items during the week, instead of trusting my self-disciplined use of a credit card. I got $100.00 out of the ATM last Saturday, and the experiment began. See, I’m still not sure if $100.00 per week is reasonable. It [...]Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Smithee’s First Week With Only $100 ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568255 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568255 Consumerism Commentary 2010-02-05T11:58:36-05:00 Creedence Clearwater Revival "Green River" MP3 Album download for $2 Imation SpongeBob SquarePants Micro 1GB MP3 Player for $13 + free shipping Dilmah Tea 2-Packs, Just $12.75 + Free Shipping! Old Navy: Lace Camies Only $2 Free Granola Bar at Starbucks ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568267 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568267 Wise Bread 2010-02-05T11:44:31-05:00 Have you received all your tax paperwork? Every year around this time I get questions from people who are missing a Form 1099 and aren’t sure what to do. In case you’re not familiar with the lingo, IRS Form 1099 is used to document various forms of income, including things like: Interest earned (1099-INT) Dividends received (1099-DIV) Cancellation [...]Follow me on Twitter! ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568206 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568206 Five Cent Nickel 2010-02-05T10:53:19-05:00 By Joel Ohman Getting out of credit card debt, paying off all student loans, and paying off their mortgage in full ASAP is the #1 goal of almost every personal finance blogger on the Wise Bread Top Personal Finance Blogs List, but what if they have it all wrong? OK, as the owner of Credit Card Chaser, I will be the first one to admit that going into credit card debt = bad. Why? As you can tell from the true cost of credit cards calculator, if you buy something with your credit card and don’t pay off the balance in full the first month, then that $50 tank of gas can start to balloon to close to $60 (and you’ll make payments on your 20% interest credit card for a year and a half). If you fill up your tank every week, before you know it, you are essentially tacking on an “I like to carry a balance” surcharge onto every tank of gas you buy. If carrying credit card debt is so bad, then why did I pass on the opportunity to pay off the $270,000 that was (and still is) remaining on my home mortgage last year? Isn’t ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568176 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568176 Wise Bread 2010-02-05T10:00:02-05:00 Here we go with the first round of Free Money Finance March Money Madness (if you wonder what's going on in these posts, see my article announcing March Money Madness and/or click on my March Money Madness category link and... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568184 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568184 Free Money Finance 2010-02-05T10:00:00-05:00 By Xin Lu Recently Toyota Motor Corp. has been plagued with bad news as it recalled millions of cars and stopped selling several of its products affected with braking issues. These problems have prompted Kelley Blue Book, the pricing guide for used car transactions, to lower suggested rates on the affected Toyota vehicles by 1 to 3 percent, and a company spokesperson said "there may be further devaluation ahead." Would you buy one of these vehicles despite of these issues? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's February 1st advisory lists the recalled Toyota vehicles as the following: Pedal Entrapment recall: 2007-2010 Camry 2005-2010 Avalon 2004-2009 Prius 2005-2010 Tacoma 2007-2010 Tundra 2007-2010 ES 350 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350 2008-2010 Highlander 2009-2010 Corolla 2009-2010 Venza 2009-2010 Matrix 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe Sticky Pedal Recall: 2007-2008 Tundra 2008-2010 Sequoia 2005-2010 Avalon 2007-2010 Camry 2009-2010 Corolla 2009-2010 Matrix 2009-2010 RAV4 2010 Highlander 2009-2010 Vibe Additionally, the 2010 Prius is currently under investigation for a software bug in its anti-lock brake system that causes a less than one second lag when the system is engaged. If you are in the market for a used Toyota, Lexus, or Pontiac you have a lot of possibly discounted models to choose from. Right now I think that Toyota's reputation as the maker of a safe and reliable car is severely tarnished even as ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568127 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568127 Wise Bread 2010-02-05T09:00:10-05:00 Here's a funny and entertaining piece a friend sent me about two of the major (and conflicting) thoughts on economics. Even an econ neophyte like me found this entertaining, educational, and something that I could grasp. :-) Enjoy!!! If the... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568115 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568115 Free Money Finance 2010-02-05T08:45:24-05:00 This past weekend, a sculpture by Alberto Giacometti broke the previous record for most expensive piece of art sold at auction. An anonymous bidder purchased “L’Homme Qui Marche I” for $104.3 million, up to five times more than the expected price. This may be a good sign for the art world in need of a [...]Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)The Consumerism Commentary Podcast is in full swing with new episodes every Sunday. Listen and subscribe now!Breaking an Art Sale Record With $104.3 Million for Running Man I ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568054 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568054 Consumerism Commentary 2010-02-05T08:00:16-05:00 Last weekend, The Washington Post published an article from Mike Rosenwald about the recent resurgence of haggling. To get a feel for the art of the deal, Rosenwald spent a week putting haggling to work in his own life: For consumers like me who have spent decades shopping at full retail, getting a deal on previously no-deal items is liberating and invigorating, as I found out during a recent week I spent haggling. At first, my wife and friends asked me if I was crazy, but when I reported saving $3 on steak at Giant and $50 a month on our Verizon bill, they asked only one thing: How? Just before Christmas, I spoke with Rosenwald about haggling. Though none of my tips made the final article (which is no big deal; that’s how journalism works!), he did profile long-time GRS reader Stephen Popick (who also volunteers as the GRS discussion forum admin). Rosenwald writes: Popick is a [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568021 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1568021 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-05T07:00:23-05:00 Yesterday, Matt challenged readers to figure our their financial priorities. That post generated some interesting responses, including one in which a reader wondered: “Now what?” I’m at the “now what” stage. We have paid the car off, have a fat savings account. We do not plan to pay off the house because we want to move [...]Follow me on Twitter! ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567994 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567994 Five Cent Nickel 2010-02-05T06:00:52-05:00 The following is a guest post by Rich Avery from Life Compass Blog. It's not specifically related to personal finance, though his suggestions can apply to money in several different ways. In addition, these thoughts help you think about some... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567974 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567974 Free Money Finance 2010-02-05T05:29:00-05:00 For weekday updates of what I find to be some of the most interesting personal finance articles on the web, follow me on Twitter. Here are some pieces I found especially worthwhile and some of the carnivals Free Money Finance... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567963 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567963 Free Money Finance 2010-02-05T05:19:00-05:00 I initiated a wire transfer today from an out-of-state credit union to my home credit union.  Because the amount of money was fairly significant, they called me up to verify a few things before they did the transfer. After the woman gave her name and who she worked for, she asked for the passcode to my [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567831 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567831 Mighty Bargain Hunter 2010-02-05T00:58:00-05:00 By Jennifer Jolly If you’re about to make a mad dash to order some flowers, grab a box of heart-shaped chocolate, pick through the last of the greeting cards at the local supermarket, or buy the one you love a (gasp) sweater, let me just stop you right now. Chances are, you’re doing this whole “show your love” thing all wrong. According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, the average person will spend $103 for Valentines this year. That’s a lot of money, especially if you have yet to make a dent paying off the bills you ran up over the holidays. The survey also shows that more people than ever plan to give someone “a practical gift like a sweater.” Since all the December shopping surveys showed that most people hate getting sweaters, we need to re-think “practical” gift giving as well. Here’s what we all seem to agree that we do like: something personal that shows you actually thought about us. So how do we show our love without forking over fistfuls of cash for flowers that last about as long as our first grade-school crush? I’ve put together a list of unique, inexpensive gifts, that ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567644 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567644 Wise Bread 2010-02-04T17:33:13-05:00 The following is a guest post from Clarifinancial. Is investing in life insurance right for me? The popular media has a problem using life insurance as an investment because they say “buy term invest the difference.” But to a well-trained... ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567601 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567601 Free Money Finance 2010-02-04T16:45:00-05:00 Last August, in the midst of a growing debate about taxes in the United States, I decided I’d had enough. I was sick and tired of the histrionics from both sides of the political fence, and I wanted to find the facts. I spent twelve hours researching the federal budget and the U.S. tax system, and in the end wrote two articles: Understanding the federal budget The truth about taxes I didn’t have any political agenda in mind; I just wanted to know the facts. What I discovered is that there are a hell of a lot of numbers involved with taxes, and plenty of conflicting information from a variety of sources. Based on my research, I concluded that at the federal level at least, our tax rates are low when compared to both our own past and to other countries. On Tuesday, USA Today shared a fun toy that basically takes all of my wordy research and [...] ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567546 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567546 Get Rich Slowly 2010-02-04T16:00:44-05:00 By Steve Klingaman The secret to saving enough for retirement is simple. Start early and increase the amount you save over time. For many people the hardest step on the journey is that first one. Think of saving for retirement as climbing a staircase. Step One is to save enough money each year to receive the full employer match available to you under your company 401k plan. Often, this is around six percent of salary. Why is this step so important? One, it gets you in the game. Two, the employer match is free money. Depending on the generosity of your company plan, the employer match could equal anywhere from a 25 percent return on investment to a 100 percent return. Nowhere else in the investment universe do you find returns like this so easy to attain. In order to get started, you may need to construct a budget and cut some expenses. Two of the usual suspect categories are a) “walking around money,” the kind you withdraw from an ATM or put on your debit card, and b) take-out food. Master these two categories and you will save enough to get started. One Step a Year Once you are saving something, plan ... http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567426 http://pfblogs.org/entry/1567426 Wise Bread 2010-02-04T13:00:13-05:00