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	<title>Amateur Asset Allocator</title>
	
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		<title>How To Compare An Immediate Annuity Online Before Buying</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/t4iZV9Pwuy8/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/11/06/how-to-compare-an-immediate-annuity-online-before-buying/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:44:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Annuities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[immediate annuity online]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://amateurassetallocator.com/?p=2840</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Anytime the market experiences a setback, people get interested in annuities.  There is no shortage of annuities offering high &#8220;guaranteed&#8221; returns (equity-indexed annuities) and tax-deferred investment annuities (see How To Use Variable Annuities The Right Way).  There is also no shortage of people eager to hand over their money for what usually amounts to an [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Anytime the market experiences a setback, people get interested in annuities.  There is no shortage of annuities offering high &#8220;guaranteed&#8221; returns (equity-indexed annuities) and tax-deferred investment annuities (see <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/02/27/how-to-use-variable-annuities-the-right-way/" target="_self">How To Use Variable Annuities The Right Way</a>).  There is also no shortage of people eager to hand over their money for what usually amounts to an opaque, complicated, and fee-laden investment account.  Immediate annuities, on the other hand, are different.  Immediate annuities are simple, easy to understand, and lend themselves well to comparison shopping thanks to the internet.  Therefore, it makes sense to comparison shop an immediate annuity online before making any purchase decision.</p>
<h2>How To Compare An Immediate Annuity Online</h2>
<p>There are many tools dedicated to allowing you to price out an immediate annuity online, the most popular of which (or at least my favorite) is probably <a href="http://immediateannuities.com" target="_self">immediateannuities.com</a>.  The interface is ugly, but it&#8217;s easy to use:  you just enter your age, gender, state, and either how much you have to invest or what your desired monthly income is.</p>
<p>If you choose the <strong>lump sum option</strong>, you will be taken to a page with an estimated monthly income based on the size of the lump sum you intend to invest and a variety of beneficiary riders (Do you want payments to continue to a beneficiary after your death?  How long?).</p>
<p>If you choose the <strong>monthly income option</strong>, you will get an estimate of the lump sum you would have to invest to achieve your desired monthly income for a variety of rider options.</p>
<p>While you can choose to receive specific quotes tailored to your situation from various insurers, it is not necessary to enter any private information to use the above annuity estimation tool.  Of course, your health, family history, and individual needs will factor heavily into your final quote, but this tool can help you price and annuity online without having to entire a high-pressure sales situation.  Besides, knowing what the competition is offering can be an invaluable negotiation tool.</p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Most Commented Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/10/30/i-was-laid-off-yesterday/" title="I Was Laid Off Yesterday">I Was Laid Off Yesterday</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/11/07/11-things-to-do-immediately-when-you-get-laid-off/" title="11 Things To Do Immediately When You Get Laid Off">11 Things To Do Immediately When You Get Laid Off</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/04/28/is-cpi-manipulated/" title="Is CPI Manipulated?">Is CPI Manipulated?</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/06/09/the-8-levels-of-passive-income/" title="The 8 Levels Of Passive Income">The 8 Levels Of Passive Income</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/03/28/which-mutual-fund-company-is-best-for-your-ira/" title="Which Mutual Fund Company Is Best For Your IRA?">Which Mutual Fund Company Is Best For Your IRA?</a></li></ul><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~4/t4iZV9Pwuy8" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>What’s The Average Credit Card Debt In America?</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/aBK9RP9W5i4/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/11/05/whats-the-average-credit-card-debt-in-america/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Annuities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit And Reporting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[average credit card debt in America]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://amateurassetallocator.com/?p=2836</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The stereotypical image of the American consumer portrayed by the media is that of a family with a jumbo mortgage and drowning in consumer debt.  But is that the reality?  Americans certainly devote a far larger percentage of their income to mortgage payments than is wise, but the average credit card debt in America isn&#8217;t [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The stereotypical image of the American consumer portrayed by the media is that of a family with a jumbo mortgage and drowning in consumer debt.  But is that the reality?  Americans certainly devote a far larger percentage of their income to mortgage payments than is wise, but the average credit card debt in America isn&#8217;t quite as bad as <em>they</em> make it out to be, at least not from my perspective.</p>
<h2>The Average Credit Card Debt In America</h2>
<p>At the end of 2008, the average credit card debt in America per household, regardless of whether or not they actually held a credit card, was <strong>$8,329</strong>.  Obviously, since not every household has a credit card, this average is less than useful.  The average credit card debt in America <em>of households actually possessing a credit card</em> was significantly higher:  <strong>$10,679</strong>, up from $10,637 the year before.</p>
<p>Here are some more credit card facts I found interesting and that really drive home our addiction to credit:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Total outstanding credit card debt</strong> owed by Americans was $972.73 billion in 2008, up 1.2% from the 2007 total.</li>
<li><strong>Average balance per open card</strong> was $1,157.  Remember that many households own more than one card (I have three, unfortunately).</li>
<li><strong>13.9%</strong> of our disposable income went to pay consumer debt.</li>
<li><strong>73%</strong> of American households possess at least one credit card.</li>
<li>Anchorage, Alaska has the highest average credit card debt in America per household.  Lincoln, Nebraska has the lowest.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Are Current Credit Card Debt Levels Worrisome?</h2>
<p>The actual amount of the average credit card debt in America doesn&#8217;t worry me.  While $10,679 is a lot of money, it&#8217;s not an obscene amount.  What worries me more is the fact that 13.9% of America&#8217;s disposable income goes directly to the credit card companies&#8217; top lines.  With the average credit card rate hovering around the 15% mark, it takes a surprisingly little amount of accumulated debt to start generating sizable monthly debt obligations.</p>
<p>With consumers already facing reduced incomes and greater uncertainty due to the recent recession, it&#8217;s hard to imagine us being able to afford to spend our way out of this mess.  Certainly not if we are spending almost 15% of our disposable income paying for stuff we&#8217;ve already bought.  At the end of the day, just how much will be available for future purchases?  Not much, I&#8217;d wager.</p>
<p>Source:  <a href="http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-card-industry-facts-personal-debt-statistics-1276.php" target="_self">Credit Card Statistics, Industry Facts, Debt Statistics</a></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Forex Futures:  The Quickest Way To Bankruptcy Court</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/wBBskXsf5YI/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/11/04/forex-futures-the-quickest-way-to-bankruptcy-court/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:00:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Investing And Investments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forex futures]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://amateurassetallocator.com/?p=2831</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Forex futures (or FOReign EXchange futures) are  contracts between buyers and sellers of a various currencies to exchange a given sum of one currency for a given sum of another currency at some fixed future date.  Simply put, forex futures are roughly equivalent to stock options.  Many recent get-rich-quick scams have hyped the forex market [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Forex futures (or FOReign EXchange futures) are  contracts between buyers and sellers of a various currencies to exchange a given sum of one currency for a given sum of another currency at some fixed future date.  Simply put, forex futures are roughly equivalent to stock options.  Many recent get-rich-quick scams have hyped the forex market as an easy-to-understand, can&#8217;t-lose investment opportunity.  But like your mother always said, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.</p>
<h2>Forex Futures Will Not Make You Rich</h2>
<p>Since the forex futures market is loosely-regulated at best, traders have the ability to commit to buy or sell massive amounts of currency with a relatively small upfront investment, sometimes as little as 5% of the value of the trade.  Needless to say, that kind of leverage is dangerous, especially when applied to an asset as volatile and unpredictable as currency.</p>
<p>Now I&#8217;m not going to say the forex market can never present a compelling investment opportunity, and I suppose one could make the argument that a small allocation to forex futures (along with <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/10/09/where-are-the-low-cost-commodity-mutual-funds/" target="_self">commodities</a>) could serve as a good portfolio diversifier consistent with a conservative <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/09/24/the-best-investing-strategy-low-cost-diversification/" target="_self">investing strategy</a>, but the fact of the matter is that the forex market is dominated by large institutions trading massive amounts of currencies every day.  The small independent trader hasn&#8217;t a prayer against the big guys.</p>
<p>Naive investors often convince themselves they see patterns in the data and that they can use those patterns to predict the market.  In reality, if you stare at a random series of numbers long enough, your brain will inevitably begin to see &#8220;patterns&#8221; in the data.  But if the random sequence didn&#8217;t <em>cause</em> the market to move a certain way, it has no predictive power.  Because of the leverage involved, the vast majority of small investors who try to play the forex futures market will get burned.  Repeat after me:  forex futures will not make me rich, forex futures will not make me rich&#8230;</p>
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		<title>How To Find A High Interest CD Online</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/MaVf7Unbbj4/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/11/03/how-to-find-a-high-interest-cd-online/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Investing And Investments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high interest CD]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://amateurassetallocator.com/?p=2822</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The emergence of the internet has made a plethora of everyday activities infinitely easier, and the process of finding a high interest CD is no exception.  In the old days, once was stuck with the rates offered by banks within a relatively short drive from your house.  High interest CD rates varied widely between geographic [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The emergence of the internet has made a plethora of everyday activities infinitely easier, and the process of finding a high interest CD is no exception.  In the old days, once was stuck with the rates offered by banks within a relatively short drive from your house.  High interest CD rates varied widely between geographic areas, since local banks were largely isolated from competition in other areas.  All that has changed.  Now, small banks have to compete with every other bank in the country due to the ease of buying a CD at a bank halfway across the nation.</p>
<h2>Finding A High Interest CD Online</h2>
<p>There are a growing number of websites and tools dedicated to finding you the best high interest CD rate.  Most of them are pretty similar to each other so it doesn&#8217;t particularly matter which you use, but here are two of my favorites:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://cdrates.bankaholic.com/" target="_self">Bankaholic</a> &#8211; Bankaholic has a high interest CD quote tool that let&#8217;s you search CD rates for a variety of maturities from 3 months to 5 years, both jumbo and regular.  It also includes minimum deposit information as well as a star rating of the issuing bank&#8217;s financial stability.  But since high interest CD&#8217;s are FDIC insured, I worry too much about those.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bankrate.com/cd.aspx" target="_self">Bankrate</a> &#8211; Bankaholic actually uses Bankrate&#8217;s CD search engine to return its results so you&#8217;ll get the the same information; however, Bankrate offers the option of searching for locally-available banks only in case being able to visit a branch is important to you.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Choosing A High Interest CD</h2>
<p>While high interest CD rates have largely equalized throughout the country, occasionally slightly higher or lower rates will prevail in some geographic area of the nation for whatever reason.  It is important to realize the highest-paying CD may be offered by a bank several hundred miles away.  If availability of a local branch is important to you, you probably aren&#8217;t going to get the highest rate available.</p>
<p>When all is said and done, the only differences between one high interest CD and another are</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>maturity</strong></li>
<li><strong>rate</strong></li>
</ol>
<p>You should first decide how long you&#8217;re willing to have your money locked up and only then seeking the highest rate within that duration.  While most banks will let you cash out early, you usually have to sacrifice a certain percentage of your accrued interest in order to do so.  If you know you&#8217;ll need the money in less than a year, it doesn&#8217;t make sense to buy a 5 year CD for a higher rate since the early-redemption penalties will more than wipe out the extra earnings.  All CD&#8217;s are FDIC insured up to the usual limits, so financial strength of the issuing bank shouldn&#8217;t be too much of an issue.</p>
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		<title>ING Direct:  Still My High Yield Savings Account Of Choice</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/kwIrYeTgw1k/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/11/02/ing-direct-still-my-high-yield-savings-account-of-choice/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:00:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Investing And Investments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high yield savings account]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://amateurassetallocator.com/?p=2812</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ING Direct&#8217;s original online high yield savings account broke the mold when it was introduced earlier this decade.  For the first time, consumers had access to CD-like interest rates without sacrificing the instant access that makes the savings account such a vital tool in everybody&#8217;s personal finance toolkit.  Recognizing the cost savings possible by not [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>ING Direct&#8217;s original online high yield savings account broke the mold when it was introduced earlier this decade.  For the first time, consumers had access to CD-like interest rates without sacrificing the instant access that makes the savings account such a vital tool in everybody&#8217;s personal finance toolkit.  Recognizing the cost savings possible by not having to operate a network of branches, banks everywhere jumped on the online-banking bandwagon to the point there is practically no reason to step foot in an actual bank these days.</p>
<h2>Still The Best High Yield Savings Account?</h2>
<p>ING was first to the watering hole, but intense competition the last few years has severely eroded ING&#8217;s competitive position in the online high yield savings account niche.  As of 11/01/2009, the <a onmouseover="window.status='http://www.ingdirect.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;" href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/go/INGDirectOrangeSavings/" target="_top">ING Direct Orange Savings Account</a><img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/65102o26v0zKONQPMUOKMLRUTLOT" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> yields a respectable 1.30%;  however, competitors <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/go/AllyBankOnlineSavings/" target="_self">Ally Bank</a> (1.55%) and <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/go/HSBCSavingsFlexOffers/" target="_self">HSBC Direct</a> (1.35%) both currently offer higher yields and have for some time now.  Since a savings account is basically a commodity, it makes sense to always go with the highest rate, right?  Not necessarily.  Even though <a onmouseover="window.status='http://www.ingdirect.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;" href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/go/INGDirectOrangeSavings/" target="_top">ING Direct</a><img src="http://www.ftjcfx.com/65102o26v0zKONQPMUOKMLRUTLOT" border="0" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> isn&#8217;t the highest-yielding high yield savings account these days, I am still a customer and have no intention to switch to a competitor anytime soon.</p>
<p>ING Direct is still my high yield savings account of choice for a few reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Simple, Easy-To-Use Interface</strong> &#8211; As somebody who designs software for a living, clean, usable interfaces are very important to me.  ING Direct&#8217;s website couldn&#8217;t be easier to use.  By contrast, some of ING&#8217;s competitor&#8217;s have clunky, non-intuitive interfaces (<a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/go/HSBCSavingsFlexOffers/" target="_self">HSBC</a> comes to mind, although they may have improved things recently).  A high yield savings account online interface needs to do one thing and one thing only:  allow me to transfer funds to and from my checking account.  That&#8217;s it, and ING&#8217;s interface does this very well without the clutter so common on other banks&#8217; websites..  Not too sure about the Orange color scheme, but that&#8217;s a debate for another day.</li>
<li><strong>Competitive Rates</strong> &#8211; It&#8217;s true that ING Direct rarely has the highest rates, but it&#8217;s also rarely the lowest.</li>
<li><strong>Good Customer Service/Reputation</strong> &#8211; I&#8217;ve never had a need to call ING&#8217;s customer support (why in the world would somebody need to, anyway?) but by all accounts it&#8217;s among the best in the biz.  That&#8217;s nice to know.</li>
<li><strong>Large, Financially-Stable Company </strong>- Yeah, I know high yield savings account deposits are FDIC insured so there&#8217;s no danger of losing money should the bank go under, but that&#8217;s not my primary concern here.  ING has the financial resources to continually upgrade their IT infrastructure in order to provide an even quicker and easier online banking experience in the future when new technology becomes available.  Many of ING&#8217;s competitors aren&#8217;t in such a favorable position and it&#8217;s conceivable their IT infrastructure would be one of the first areas to see cutbacks.</li>
<li><strong>It&#8217;s Just Not Worth The Trouble Of Switching</strong> &#8211; An extra 0.2% might earn me an extra $50 per year or so.  It&#8217;s just not worth the hassle of setting up a new account somewhere else, transferring the money, and then closing my ING account.  Yeah, I know it would only take 15 minutes, but $50 per year just isn&#8217;t worth 15 minutes of my time.  I don&#8217;t keep enough money in my emergency fund to make a difference.</li>
</ul>
<table border="0" align="center">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a onmouseover="window.status='http://www.ingdirect.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;" href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/go/INGDirectOrangeSavings/" target="_top"><br />
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		<title>Types Of Mutual Funds</title>
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		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/10/31/types-of-mutual-funds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:01:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mutual Funds]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[types of mutual funds]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[A mutual fund is quite simply an investment company where thousands of small individual investors can pool their resources and own a share of a diversified, professionally-managed investment portfolio that might otherwise be beyond their means.  Strictly speaking, there are two fundamental types of mutual funds:  open-ended mutual funds and closed-ended mutual funds.  That said, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A mutual fund is quite simply an investment company where thousands of small individual investors can pool their resources and own a share of a diversified, professionally-managed investment portfolio that might otherwise be beyond their means.  Strictly speaking, there are two fundamental types of mutual funds:  open-ended mutual funds and closed-ended mutual funds.  That said, it is sometimes useful further divide these fundamental types of mutual funds into more descriptive categories.</p>
<h2>Types Of Mutual Funds</h2>
<h3>Open-Ended Mutual Funds</h3>
<p>Open-ended mutual funds are what most people think of when they think of mutual funds, much more-so than the other types of mutual funds..  Their distinguishing characteristic is that they have no set limit on the number of shares outstanding.  When you buy an open-ended mutual fund, new fund shares are created by the fund company on your behalf.  Similarly, when you sell shares the money goes back to the fund company and you are paid out of the community pot.</p>
<p>Open-ended mutual funds can only be traded once per day, after the market has closed for the day.  When you make a buy or sell order, you won&#8217;t actually know what price you will get until an hour or so after the market closes.  The transaction price is always the closing Net Asset Value (NAV) of the fund for the day i.e. the weighted average cost of the underlying securities.</p>
<p>There are two primary subtypes of open-ended mutual funds:  <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/02/08/all-about-index-funds/" target="_self">index funds</a> and <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/05/14/best-actively-managed-mutual-funds-with-low-expense-ratios/" target="_self">actively-managed funds</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Index Funds</strong> are passively-managed, meaning they simply track an un-managed basket of stocks meant to represent a particular market segment.  Index funds exist to track the entire U.S. Stock Market (<a href="https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/snapshot?FundId=0085&amp;FundIntExt=INT" target="_self">VTSMX</a>) and entire WORLD market (<a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/04/25/vanguard-global-stock-index-fund-and-why-i-wont-be-buying-it/" target="_self">VTWSX</a>) all the way down to narrow market segments such as <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/06/23/reits-vs-rental-properties/" target="_self">Real Estate Investment Trusts</a>.  Since index funds simply attempt to track the market and not beat it, overhead costs are extraordinarily (they don&#8217;t need to employee expensive analysts or hot-shot fund managers).  <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/05/11/vanguard-index-funds-not-the-cheapest/" target="_self">Vanguard index funds</a> are generally the largest, least-expensive index funds around, although smaller competitors have been steadily gaining ground (<a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/09/16/dimensional-fund-advisors-funds-dfa-funds-better-than-vanguard/" target="_self">Dimensional Fund Advisors</a> is one such competitor).</li>
<li><strong>Actively-Managed Funds</strong> are managed by a manager who actively attempts to earn above-average investment returns by making strategic buy and sell decisions.  Since this type of <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/09/24/the-best-investing-strategy-low-cost-diversification/" target="_self">investing strategy</a> is very labor-intensive, overhead costs are generally quite high.  There are company analysts, economists, researchers, and fund managers to hire.  Hence, actively-managed funds start out at an immediate disadvantage since the manager has to outperform the index by the amount of its hefty expense ratio just to break even.  One additional unwanted by-product of this strategy is more-frequent realization of capital gains, leading to higher tax obligations. For these reasons and more, I favor index funds.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Closed-Ended Mutual Funds</h3>
<p>Closed-ended mutual funds are among the rarest types of mutual funds these days.  Once quite prevalent, they have mostly been relegated to a niche market for sophisticated players.  Unlike open-ended funds, closed-ended funds have a set number of shares outstanding and their market price at any given point in time has as much to do with supply and demand for these shares as with the underlying holdings.  It is not uncommon for closed-ended funds to trade at prices significantly higher or lower (usually lower) and the value of their underlying assets.</p>
<p>Closed-ended funds can be bought and sold throughout the day and are almost always actively-managed.  Since their prices sometimes differ dramatically from NAV, the occasional great deal can be found in this segment of the market.  Usually, however, investors are better off with an open-ended fund.</p>
<h3>Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)</h3>
<p>Exchange traded funds (ETFs) are basically modern closed-ended funds in that the have a fixed number of shares outstanding and are traded throughout the day;  however, most ETFs are index funds under the hood (although <a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/02/10/actively-managed-etfs/" target="_self">actively-managed ETFs</a> are on the horizon).  Because they don&#8217;t have to deal with investor redemptions and other such issues, ETFs are generally more tax-efficient than comparable open-ended index funds (with a few exceptions).  They also generally sport lower expense ratios, which is a significant advantage.</p>
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		<title>Money Hacks Carnival #88 – Economic Recovery Edition</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/TPjjJMDwF8I/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/10/28/money-hacks-carnival-88-economic-recovery-edition/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:30:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money hacks carnival #88]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[With the Dow hovering around the 10,000 mark for the first time in over 12 months and the market up over 20% so far this year, many pundits are falling all over themselves declaring an end to the recession.  While the strong market rally doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean a return to easy street, it is a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With the Dow hovering around the 10,000 mark for the first time in over 12 months and the market up over 20% so far this year, many pundits are falling all over themselves declaring an end to the recession.  While the strong market rally doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean a return to easy street, it is a strong signal that perhaps the worst is behind us.  Already we hear reports that home prices are stabilizing (even rising in some markets) and job losses are slowing.</p>
<p>But we&#8217;re not out of the woods yet.  Intelligent money management is more important than ever.  Gone (hopefully) are the days of conspicuous consumption as sound personal finance principles come back in fashion.  Use these <a href="http://www.moneyhackers.net/" target="_self">Money Hacks</a> to position yourself for financial security in 2010 and beyond.</p>
<h2>Editor&#8217;s Picks</h2>
<p>Len Penzo presents <a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id798-6-frugal-halloween-costume-ideas-for-the-kids.html">6 Frugal Halloween Costume Ideas For the Kids</a> posted at <a href="http://lenpenzo.com/blog">Len Penzo</a>.  If I had a kid, I would definitely make them dress up as a Little League Bench Warmer.  Remember parents, if you&#8217;re not criticizing them, you don&#8217;t really love them!</p>
<p>Tyler presents <a href="http://frugallygreen.org/2009/10/i-am-responsible-for-the-corporate-worlds-waste-or-a-lesson-in-micro-economics/">I Am Responsible for the Corporate World&#8217;s Waste, or A Lesson in Micro Economics</a> posted at <a href="http://frugallygreen.org">Frugally Green</a>.  Finally, somebody who understands how the world works.  Corporations aren&#8217;t evil and they aren&#8217;t out to destroy the planet:  they merely give the public what they want, in a way consistent with their values.  If Americans valued environmentally-friendly practices and refused to buy from heavy polluters, you can bet corporate America would clean up its act in a jiffy.  Don&#8217;t blame the corporations, blame yourself.  They say if you don&#8217;t like it, you can vote with your wallet.  What does how you spend your money say about your values?</p>
<p>Helen presents <a href="http://www.affinefinancial.com/2009/10/16/dollar-cost-averaging-useful-tool-bad-idea-or-marketing-gimmick/">Dollar Cost Averaging: Useful Tool, Bad Idea, or Marketing Gimmick?</a> posted at <a href="http://www.affinefinancial.com">Affine Financial Services</a>.   Dollar cost averaging is a simple investing strategy employed by almost everybody with a 401k plan.  But does that mean it&#8217;s always the best choice?  As with everything, the answer is &#8220;it depends&#8230;&#8221;  Helen does the math and shows how dollar cost averaging is sometimes used as a marketing gimmick.</p>
<p>Studenomist presents <a href="http://studenomics.com/personal-finance/best-way-to-invest-money-for-ambitious-20-somethings/">Best Way To Invest Money For Ambitious 20 Somethings</a> posted at <a href="http://studenomics.com">Studenomics</a>.  For young college graduates, plowing all your spare cash in the market isn&#8217;t necessarily the best way to invest.  For many, investing in your career (be it a monetary or time investment) can be a much more lucrative choice.</p>
<p>J.D. Roth presents <a href="http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2009/10/19/pay-yourself-first/">Pay Yourself First</a> posted at <a href="http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog">Get Rich Slowly</a>.  It&#8217;s simple, time-honored, and boring.  It&#8217;s also one of the least-practiced tidbits of personal finance wisdom around.  Trust me, it&#8217;s far easier to divert a few hundred dollars from every paycheck into an investment account before you even see the money than find ways say a few cents here, a dollar there after the fact.  Is it obvious?  Yes, but it bears repeating:  Pay Yourself First.</p>
<h2>Investing</h2>
<p>40percent 20years presents <a href="http://40p20y.blogspot.com/2009/07/worlds-best-example-of-higher-return.html">World&#8217;s Best Example of Higher Return</a> posted at <a href="http://40p20y.blogspot.com/">40percent 20years &#8211; All About Dividends</a>.</p>
<p>Manshu presents <a href="http://www.onemint.com/2009/10/23/what-is-an-etf-2/">What is an ETF?</a> posted at <a href="http://www.onemint.com">OneMint</a>.</p>
<p>D4L presents <a href="http://dividendsvalue.com/4717/international-diversification-begins-at-home/">International Diversification Begins At Home</a> posted at <a href="http://dividendsvalue.com">Dividends Value</a>.</p>
<p>20smoney presents <a href="http://20smoney.com/2009/10/21/should-you-learn-technical-analysis-or-fundamental-analysis/">Should You Learn Technical Analysis Or Fundamental Analysis?</a> posted at <a href="http://20smoney.com">20s Money</a>.</p>
<p>Ray presents <a href="http://financialhighway.com/gold-investment/">Gold Investment</a> posted at <a href="http://financialhighway.com">Financial Highway</a>.</p>
<p>pkamp3 presents <a href="http://dqydj.net/the-finish-wall/">The Finish Wall?</a> posted at <a href="http://dqydj.net">Don&#8217;t Quit Your Day Job &#8211; Personal Finance, Economics and Investing</a>.</p>
<p>ABC presents <a href="http://www.abcsofinvesting.net/taxes-capital-gains-capital-losses/" target="_self">Calculating Taxes On Capital Gains And Capital Losses</a> posted at <a href="http://www.abcsofinvesting.net" target="_self">ABCs Of Investing</a>.</p>
<h2>Frugality &amp; Saving Money</h2>
<p>FIRE Finance presents <a href="http://firefinance.blogspot.com/2009/10/witch-of-wall-street-henrietta-green.html">The Witch of Wall Street &#8211; Henrietta &#8220;Hetty&#8221; Green</a> posted at <a href="http://firefinance.blogspot.com/">FIRE Finance</a>.</p>
<p>PT presents <a href="http://ptmoney.com/2009/10/26/a-money-experiment-a-week-without-spending/">A Money Experiment: A Week Without Spending</a> posted at <a href="http://ptmoney.com">PT Money</a>.</p>
<p>Kyle presents <a href="http://www.suburbandollar.com/2009/10/19/prepare-your-home-for-winter/">Prepare Your Home for Winter</a> posted at <a href="http://www.suburbandollar.com/">Suburban Dollar</a>.</p>
<p>MoneyNing presents <a href="http://moneyning.com/money-management/help-your-children-visualize-money-mangement-with-the-four-jars-approach/">Help Your Children Visualize Money Mangement with the Four Jars Approach</a> posted at <a href="http://moneyning.com">Money Ning</a>.</p>
<p>MatthewPaulson presents <a href="http://www.finetunedfinances.com/2009/10/money-saving-tips-for-new-parents/">Money Saving Tips for New Parents</a> posted at <a href="http://www.finetunedfinances.com">Fine Tuned Finances</a>.</p>
<p>Peter presents <a href="http://www.biblemoneymatters.com/2009/10/what-you-need-to-know-about-cash-flow-management.html">What You Need to Know About Cash Flow Management</a> posted at <a href="http://www.biblemoneymatters.com/">Bible Money Matters</a>.</p>
<p>GLBL presents <a href="http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2009/10/money-savings-tips-wedding/">Money Savings Tips for a Wedding</a> posted at <a href="http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com">Gather Little by Little</a>.</p>
<h2>Debt &amp; Credit</h2>
<p>Chris Holdheide presents <a href="http://stumbleforward.com/2009/10/22/instant-credit-repair-secrets-credit-repair-scams-reveled/">Instant Credit Repair Secrets: Credit Repair Scams Reveled</a> posted at <a href="http://stumbleforward.com">StumbleForward.com</a>.</p>
<p>mbhunter presents <a href="http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2009/10/24/eliminate-expenses-that-are-not-relevant/">Eliminate expenses that have no relevance anymore</a> posted at <a href="http://www.mightybargainhunter.com">Mighty Bargain Hunter</a>.</p>
<p>freefrombroke presents <a href="http://freefrombroke.com/2009/10/emergency-savings-protect-credit-score.html">Another Case For Emergency Savings &#8211; Credit Score</a> posted at <a href="http://www.freefrombroke.com/">Free From Broke</a>.</p>
<p>Baker presents <a href="http://manvsdebt.com/debt-quotes/">92 Quotes About Debt That’ll Make You Think, Laugh, &amp; Tweet!</a> posted at <a href="http://manvsdebt.com">Man Vs. Debt</a>.</p>
<p>Cecil Dellison presents <a href="http://www.clearchoicecreditcards.com/credit-card-skimming-how-to-avoid-it.html">Credit Card Skimming &#8211; How To Avoid It</a> posted at <a href="http://www.clearchoicecreditcards.com/">Clear Choice Credit Cards</a>.</p>
<p>Jeff Rose presents <a href="http://www.goodfinancialcents.com/dave-ramsey%E2%80%99s-baby-steps-explained/">Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps Explained</a> posted at <a href="http://www.goodfinancialcents.com">Jeff Rose</a>.</p>
<h2>Insurance</h2>
<p>Hank presents <a href="http://ownthedollar.com/2009/10/which-is-better-term-or-whole-life-insurance/">Which Is Better For You: Term or Whole Life Insurance?</a> posted at <a href="http://ownthedollar.com">Own The Dollar</a>.</p>
<p>Paul Williams presents <a href="http://www.providentplan.com/634/should-you-buy-life-insurance-for-a-stay-at-home-mom-or-dad/">Should You Buy Life Insurance for a Stay-at-Home Mom (or Dad)?</a> posted at <a href="http://www.providentplan.com">Provident Planning</a>.</p>
<h2>Other</h2>
<p>Sarah Eliza presents <a href="http://devastateboredom.blogspot.com/2009/10/wallet-friendly-ways-to-make-difference.html">Wallet-Friendly Ways to Make a Difference TODAY, aka &#8220;Broke&#8221; and &#8220;Charitable&#8221; can still go hand-in-hand! ;P</a> posted at <a href="http://devastateboredom.blogspot.com/">Devastate Boredom</a>.</p>
<p>Tom presents <a href="http://canadianfinanceblog.com/2009/10/20/forgot-about-an-old-account-find-your-money.htm">Forgot About An Old Bank Account? Find Your Money!</a> posted at <a href="http://canadianfinanceblog.com">The Canadian Finance Blog</a>.</p>
<p>Jason presents <a href="http://onemoneydesign.com/blog/2009/10/19/teaching-kids-about-money/">Teaching Kids About Money</a> posted at <a href="http://onemoneydesign.com/blog">One Money Design</a>.</p>
<p>Wojciech Kulicki presents <a href="http://www.fiscalfizzle.com/2009/10/bad-at-math-money/">Being Good With Money When You’re Bad With Math</a> posted at <a href="http://www.fiscalfizzle.com">Fiscal Fizzle</a>.</p>
<p>DR presents <a href="http://www.doughroller.net/reviews/blockbuster-free-trial/">Blockbuster Review – Online and Brick and Mortar Style</a> posted at <a href="http://doughroller.net">The Dough Roller</a>.</p>
<p>Deposit Accounts presents <a href="http://www.depositaccounts.com/blog/2009/10/4-of-the-most-common-personal-finance-mistakes.html">4 Of the Most Common Personal Finance Mistakes</a> posted at <a href="http://www.depositaccounts.com">Deposit Accounts</a>.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Roth IRA Rules</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/KJXLo93hf8w/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/10/27/roth-ira-rules/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[401k/IRA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roth ira]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roth ira rules]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Roth IRA rules are relatively straightforward, which is a shock coming from the regulation-happy U.S. congress.  A Roth IRA is a type of tax-advantaged retirement account where distributions after a certain age (59 1/2 years old, in this case) are completely tax free.  The trade-off is that contributions are taxed as regular income the year [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Roth IRA rules are relatively straightforward, which is a shock coming from the regulation-happy U.S. congress.  A Roth IRA is a type of tax-advantaged retirement account where distributions after a certain age (59 1/2 years old, in this case) are completely tax free.  The trade-off is that contributions are taxed as regular income the year you make them.  This is in contrast with Traditional IRAs and 401k plans where contributions are tax-free when you make them but whose distributions in retirement are taxed as regular income.</p>
<h2>Roth IRA Rules</h2>
<h3>Roth IRA Eligibility Requirements</h3>
<p>The only eligibility requirement on contributing to a Roth IRA is that you have taxable  compensation, including wages from a job, salaries, tips, bonuses, and any other compensation related to providing a service to somebody else.  Investment income does not count towards Roth IRA eligibility.</p>
<h3>Roth IRA Compensation Rules</h3>
<p>Unfortunately, Roth IRA rules include a compensation limit.  Single filers (i.e. everybody not <em>married, filing jointly</em>) with an annual Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) over $101,000 begin to see their contribution limit shrink until it finally disappears completely $116,000.  The limits for <em>Married, filing jointly</em> savers are $159,000 and $169,000, respectively.</p>
<h3>Roth IRA Contribution Limits</h3>
<p>Roth IRA and Traditional IRA contribution limits are the same.  Investors age 50 and higher are eligible for a $1,000 <em>catch-up contribution</em> this year, an amount that will be indexed to inflation in future years.</p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="2" align="center">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Tax Year</strong></td>
<td><strong>Contribution Limit</strong></td>
<td><strong> Catch-up Contribution (age 50+) </strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2009 </strong></td>
<td>$5,000</td>
<td>$1,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2010 </strong></td>
<td>$5,000</td>
<td>$1,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>2011 </strong></td>
<td>Indexed To Inflation</td>
<td>Indexed To Inflation</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Roth IRA Distribution Rules</h3>
<p>Roth IRA distributions are completely tax-free at the federal level after you reach age 59 1/2 (don&#8217;t ask me where the 1/2 came from) assuming your first Roth IRA contribution was at least 5 years before your first withdrawal.  Early Roth IRA withdrawals are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty by the IRA, however, there are some exceptions to this rule.  If you become disabled or use the proceeds to purchase your first home or pay qualified educational expenses, you are generally exempt from the 10% early withdrawal penalty.  See <a href="http://www.money-zine.com/Financial-Planning/Retirement/IRA-Withdrawals/" target="_self">IRA withdrawals</a> for more info.</p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Related Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/07/08/roth-ira-asset-allocation/" title="I Changed My Roth IRA Asset Allocation">I Changed My Roth IRA Asset Allocation</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/03/04/choosing-the-best-ira-for-your-needs-traditional-or-roth/" title="Choosing The Best IRA For Your Needs:  Traditional Or Roth">Choosing The Best IRA For Your Needs:  Traditional Or Roth</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/01/05/arguments-against-investing-in-a-401k/" title="Arguments Against Investing In A 401K">Arguments Against Investing In A 401K</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/12/15/finally-a-vanguard-international-small-cap-index-fund/" title="Finally:  A Vanguard International Small-Cap Index Fund">Finally:  A Vanguard International Small-Cap Index Fund</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/03/28/which-mutual-fund-company-is-best-for-your-ira/" title="Which Mutual Fund Company Is Best For Your IRA?">Which Mutual Fund Company Is Best For Your IRA?</a></li></ul><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~4/KJXLo93hf8w" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Solo 401k Plans For Dummies</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/jRPCwC0lhPE/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/10/26/solo-401k-plans-for-dummies/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:00:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[401k/IRA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://amateurassetallocator.com/?p=2747</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Solo 401k was created by the 2001 Economic Growth And Tax Reconciliation Act and works much as you would expect.  Instead of being sponsored by a corporation for the benefit of its employees, however, solo 401k plans were established for the benefit of self-employed individuals without access to a traditional corporate 401k plan.
Rules And [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Solo 401k was created by the 2001 Economic Growth And Tax Reconciliation Act and works much as you would expect.  Instead of being sponsored by a corporation for the benefit of its employees, however, solo 401k plans were established for the benefit of self-employed individuals without access to a traditional corporate 401k plan.</p>
<h2>Rules And Requirements Of Solo 401k Plans</h2>
<h3>Solo 401k Eligibility</h3>
<p>Access to solo 401k plans are restricted to individual small business owners and their spouses with no full-time employees.  If your business has full-time employees, you should consider another self-employed retirement plan such as a SEP IRA or Simple IRA.</p>
<h3>Contribution Limits</h3>
<p>Solo 401k plans share their contribution limits with corporate 401k plans for the most part.  That means in 2009 <strong>you can contribute up to $16,500 </strong>of your income plus a <strong>$5,500 catch-up contribution</strong> if over age 50 for a grand total of <strong>$22,000</strong>.</p>
<p>Additionally, business owners are allowed to make a &#8220;matching contribution&#8221; up to 25% of your total pay, up to a maximum total contribution of <strong>$49,000</strong> in 2009.  The matching contribution can&#8217;t be more than 20% of your business&#8217;s total net income, though.</p>
<h3>Administrative Requirements</h3>
<p>You are required to file an annual form (form 5500) when your plan reaches $250,000 in assets.  Other than that, there are few administrative requirements aside from the usual accounting issues.</p>
<h2>Benefits Of Solo 401k Plans</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Low Administrative Overhead</strong> &#8211; Paper-keeping requirements for solo 401k plans are lax compared to other self-employed retirement plan options</li>
<li><strong>Fixed Contribution Rates</strong> &#8211; Solo 401k plan contribution rates mirror those of their corporate cousins, meaning they rise with inflation over the years and are fixed regardless of your business&#8217;s income.  SEP IRA contributions, on the other hand, are capped at 20% of your business&#8217;s net income.  So if your business earned $50,000 last year, you would be limited to a $10,000 SEP IRA contribution ($50,000 x 20%); however, with a solo 401k you can contribute the full $16,500 regardless of how much your business earns (provided it earns at least the amount you contribute, of course).</li>
<li><strong>Roth or Traditional Versions</strong> &#8211; Solo 401k plans come in both Traditional and Roth versions, allowing you more control over your taxes, both present and future, than other self-employed retirement plans.</li>
</ul>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Most Commented Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/10/30/i-was-laid-off-yesterday/" title="I Was Laid Off Yesterday">I Was Laid Off Yesterday</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/11/07/11-things-to-do-immediately-when-you-get-laid-off/" title="11 Things To Do Immediately When You Get Laid Off">11 Things To Do Immediately When You Get Laid Off</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/04/28/is-cpi-manipulated/" title="Is CPI Manipulated?">Is CPI Manipulated?</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/06/09/the-8-levels-of-passive-income/" title="The 8 Levels Of Passive Income">The 8 Levels Of Passive Income</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/03/28/which-mutual-fund-company-is-best-for-your-ira/" title="Which Mutual Fund Company Is Best For Your IRA?">Which Mutual Fund Company Is Best For Your IRA?</a></li></ul><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~4/jRPCwC0lhPE" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Weekend Link Love</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~3/asLUACDz11M/</link>
		<comments>http://amateurassetallocator.com/2009/10/25/weekend-link-love-12/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:41:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://amateurassetallocator.com/?p=2771</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[First off, I&#8217;ve been pretty busy over the last few weeks and realized I forgot to link back to the Carnival of Personal Finance #225 hosted by Studenomics, which was embarrassingly published way back on October 5th.  Oops!  Sorry about that.  Here&#8217;s three extra links to make up for it.
Awesome Links
Here are some awesome links, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>First off, I&#8217;ve been pretty busy over the last few weeks and realized I forgot to link back to the <a href="http://studenomics.com/links/carnival-of-personal-finance-225-planning-winter-edition/" target="_self">Carnival of Personal Finance #225</a> hosted by <a href="http://studenomics.com" target="_self">Studenomics</a>, which was embarrassingly published way back on October 5th.  Oops!  Sorry about that.  Here&#8217;s <a href="http://studenomics.com/credit/a-student-a-koosh-and-credit-card-debt/" target="_self">three</a> <a href="http://studenomics.com/personal-finance/money-saving-techniques-that-work-dont-work/" target="_self">extra</a> <a href="http://studenomics.com/debt-reduction/10-ways-to-speed-up-the-repayment-of-your-student-loan/" target="_self">links</a> to make up for it.</p>
<h2>Awesome Links</h2>
<p>Here are some awesome links, all of them probably more than 1/3 as awesome as anything on this site.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.four-pillars.ca/2009/10/22/working-with-computer-nerds/" target="_self">Working With Computer Nerds</a> by Mr Cheap at Four Pillars.  He pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2009/10/21/investor-psychology-why-we-fail-to-make-good-financial-decisions/" target="_self">Investor Psychology:  Why People Suck At Investing</a> (my title) by Flexo at Consumerism Commentary.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.mrsmicah.com/2009/10/19/does-speedy-debt-repayment-work-huge-debt/" target="_self">Are Crazy Personal Finance Goals Better Than Slow And Steady?</a> by Mrs Micah.  I like her use of the term &#8220;Gazelle Intensity.&#8221;  I&#8217;m going to start coining more terms here and hope they catch on nationally.  Henceforth the act of coining new terms shall be called &#8220;Kyleing.&#8221;  Don&#8217;t like it?  Deal with it.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.girlsjustwannahavefunds.com/2009/10/the-ten-financial-commandments-for-women/" target="_self">The Ten Financial Commandments For Women</a> by Girls Just Wanna Have Funds.  I completely disagree with commandment #2.  You really only check your FICO score 2 or maybe 3 times per year, max.</p>
<p><a href="http://lifehacker.com/5388966/build-a-high+speed-spear-launcher" target="_self">Build A High-Speed Spear Launcher</a> at Lifehacker.  A good high-speed spear launcher is a necessity of modern life but can be prohibitively expensive.  Now you can make your own for pennies!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ncnblog.com/2009/10/12/how-a-silly-little-experiment-helped-me-get-out-of-debt/" target="_self">How A Silly Little Experiment Helped Me Get Out Of Debt</a> at No Credit Needed.  The same tactic can be used to get rich after you&#8217;ve eliminated your debt!</p>
<h3  class="related_post_title">Most Commented Posts</h3><ul class="related_post"><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/10/30/i-was-laid-off-yesterday/" title="I Was Laid Off Yesterday">I Was Laid Off Yesterday</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/11/07/11-things-to-do-immediately-when-you-get-laid-off/" title="11 Things To Do Immediately When You Get Laid Off">11 Things To Do Immediately When You Get Laid Off</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/04/28/is-cpi-manipulated/" title="Is CPI Manipulated?">Is CPI Manipulated?</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/06/09/the-8-levels-of-passive-income/" title="The 8 Levels Of Passive Income">The 8 Levels Of Passive Income</a></li><li><a href="http://amateurassetallocator.com/2008/03/28/which-mutual-fund-company-is-best-for-your-ira/" title="Which Mutual Fund Company Is Best For Your IRA?">Which Mutual Fund Company Is Best For Your IRA?</a></li></ul><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AmateurAssetAllocator/~4/asLUACDz11M" height="1" width="1"/>]]></content:encoded>
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