Free Money Finance

Newsletter Reminder

Just wanted to notify those who currently don't get my giveaway newsletter that you may want to sign up soon. In November I'll be giving away a $50 gift card as well as three copies of Quicken. Good stuff.

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Savings on Chicago Trip?

We're finally making our often-planned trip to Chicago soon and will be stopping by the Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry and either the John Hancock Building or Sears Tower. This is where I need your help. I'm looking for money saving coupons, discounts, passes, etc. I've Googled a bit and find a history of a "buy one get one free" pass to Shedd, but can't locate a current offer. Anyone have any suggestions? It's a quick trip with other (non-tourist) plans involved, so buying a City Pass or something similar isn't a cost-effective option. And we're traveling on days where the freebies they both offer are not in effect (sorry, we have to be there on certain days.)

Any ideas you can share would be helpful.

Happy Labor Day

Just wanted to say "Happy Labor Day" to my readers in the U.S. I hope you are enjoying a day off -- and basking in the glow of some of the last days of summer.

I'm not blogging today -- plan to spend time with the family today. I'll be back tomorrow with more money news, commentary, tips, and thoughts.

I'm Outta Here

That's it for today! I'm off traveling to see family and will be away all weekend. I have a post set for each day of the Labor day weekend, but I assume most of you will be out enjoying the last bits of summer rather than reading a personal finance blog. :-)

Have a great weekend and holiday!

Welcome!!!!!

Welcome Cool Sites readers. To get a quick feel for Free Money Finance, check out my top posts of 2008, read all about me and this site,  or check out my archives and categories. If you want to subscribe to this site, use this link. Finally, I give away roughly $200 of free stuff every month. If you want a chance to win, subscribe to my giveaway newsletter.

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Free Money Finance Recognized by the Wall Street Journal

Just found out that the Wall Street Journal has listed Free Money Finance as one of "a handful of good personal finance blogs." Their quote about this site:

The site aims to offer plain-English money advice as it helps readers increase their net worth. The blog presents a mix of book excerpts and tips on saving and investing. An added bonus: Lots of advice for job seekers right now, with posts on when it’s okay to have a two-page resume, and how to respond when you don’t get a job offer.

Thanks for the mention, WSJ. And thanks to Index Credit Cards for pointing out the piece to me.

Thoughts on Niagara Falls

We recently took a trip to Niagara Falls since it was close to some family that we were visiting anyway. Here are some of my random thoughts and conclusions from the experience:

• We stayed on the Canadian side of the falls since everyone we talked to said it was much better than the American side. We stayed for 24 hours -- noon one day to noon the next.)

• We stayed in our hotel room (Hampton Inn) for free. I used points I've accumulated from work travel over the past few years.

• I'm convinced that "Niagara Falls" is Iroquoian for "tourist trap." There are about a thousand ways to waste a ton of money visiting here (wax museums, souvenir shops, houses of horror (yes, several), and so on.)

• We did all (many?) of the "must do" sorts of things -- saw the falls from the top, took the Maid of the Mist, did the Journey Behind the Falls, and saw the falls at night. Our thinking was that we were there to see the falls and thus wanted to be sure we did so from various angles. The other (touristy) stuff we mostly stayed away from.

• Of the things we did that were falls related, the Maid of the Mist was the best -- great view of the falls up close. Journey Behind the Falls was rather worthless, but again, you kinda have to do it. Neither of these was cheap. The falls at night was the best bang-for-the-buck -- great view and FREE!

• We really enjoyed the two non-falls things we did: glow-in-the-dark mini golf and candy at Sugar Mountain (yum!).

• We paid with a credit card everywhere we could. We got the cash rewards plus figured the banks would cut us a better deal on currency conversion fees than local merchants and hotels.

• We didn't spend like bandits but we also weren't misers. Our viewpoint was that we were on vacation and so we allowed ourselves to spend more than we normally do on food, treats, entertainment, etc. As long as we stayed under our overall budget, we were ok.

• We saved a lot of money and hassle by walking everywhere we went (no costs for cabs or parking.) Walking was FREE plus some good exercise.

• Kids were easy to please. They loved simply staying in a hotel and swimming in the pool.

• Canada has nice highways. When we re-entered the U.S., you would have thought it was a war zone. The Michigan roads were so bad compared to what Canada had!!!!

• The border guards mean business. It thought it would be sort of "Welcome to Canada!" from them but it was more like an examination from a prosecuting attorney. Re-entry into US was worse. I guess 9-11 has changed everything security-wise.

• Overall, it was a good trip for a 24-hour visit. We saw all we wanted and didn't miss anything on our list. If we had driven several hours there just for what we did, it would have been a bummer -- a big waste of time IMO. But we were only two hours away because of the family trip, so it was worth it.

• That said, we're not going back again. Once was enough to get the experience on the done list. Time to move on to something else.

How about you? Any of you taken vacations this summer and have thoughts for us on your impressions?

Note on Guest Posts and Excerpts

Just a quick note to tell you all that I've been taking and will take a bit more vacation this summer. As such, I've cut back to three posts per day and been using some guest posts and book excerpts to fill in the slots. Once vacation season is over (start of September), you'll see more posts again (at least four per day) as well as more of them being written by me.

Just in case anyone was wondering... :-)

Great Deal -- Hurry!!!

Just saw this offer on the sidebar of my blog -- in the Amazon widget. It's a great deal on a ladies watch -- usually almost $700 and now only just over $100! The details are here:

Invicta Women's Wildflower Diamond Watch #5058

Obviously this isn't a watch blog so I can't speak to the value of this piece (though the reviews of it look great), but it is a GREAT deal (my specialty!), so I thought I'd call your attention to it in case anyone was interested. The offer only lasts another 40 minutes or so (I think), so you'll need to hurry if you want one.

Happy Fourth of July

Just want to say a big happy Fourth of July to all of you out there -- and Happy Birthday to America! I hope you're having a great day (like I am) celebrating the freedom we enjoy in the U.S.

Taking the Day Off

Like many of you readers, I'm sure, I'm taking the day off today and enjoying it with my family. I hope you all have a GREAT holiday weekend!!!

For Those of You Looking for a Tasty July 4th...

...here's a little reminder. :-)

Reminder: Why You Shouldn't Listen to Me

Based on a few comments I've received recently, people seem to think that I'm a financial "expert" (ugh!) of some sort. Let me remind those people and the rest of you of this post, the fourth post written on this blog and published well over four years ago. The highlights of my "financial qualifications":

• I am not a financial expert.

• I do not have a professional degree in finances. 

• I do not work in the financial products industry. 

• In other words, you may find my advice to be worth what you pay for it (the “free” in the name of the site.)

In addition, I also said the following:

• I also promised to tell you why you should listen to me instead of listening to them (the financial media).  The reason: You shouldn’t.

• In other words, use this information at your own risk.

Just wanted to be sure we understand each other. I am not a financial expert in any form or fashion. I'm simply a person who has a financial blog that has some readers. If that's a qualification to be a financial expert, heaven help us all.

It is true, though, that the day after I shared the above, I also listed some reasons you may want to read this blog. Here's the most important one:

Over the past 20 years, I have managed my own finances so that my net worth now places me in a very good position versus the average American.  I started with nothing and while I’m not “rich”, I am doing well.  And what I did (and continue to do) can be done by anyone.  That’s what I’ll be sharing here.

I've never detailed my net worth on this blog before, but let's just say it's in the top percentiles based on this and this -- the best numbers I could find on the subject. If that has any sort of meaning to you, then maybe I'll say something that can help you. Then again, maybe not.

But let me state the following so we all know where we stand:

• I am not a financial expert of any sort and do not hold myself out to be.

• I simply write about what I've done/am doing financially. This may or may not work for you. So far, it's turned out well for me.

• It's likely that much of what I write won't work for you since you're not me. That's fine. Take what you can use. I'm simply hoping to leave you better off financially than you were before you read this blog.

• That said, you can't simply pick and choose from what I say and expect the same results. For instance, if you spend the way I spend and invest the way I invest but don't grow your career like I have, it won't work (or at least work as well). Or if you grow your career like I have but don't spend the way I do, it won't work (or at least work as well). In other words, don't blame me if you take one part of my thoughts and chuck the rest of them and don't get the results I've gotten. It doesn't work that way. I know most of you know that, but some commenters seem to imply they can do this (and even that I'm suggesting this is ok) and all will turn out well. I'm saying clearly, it will probably NOT turn out well!

• If you disagree with me, that's fine. You're free to say so (evidence: note some of the comments I leave up). But saying I'm an idiot, that my thoughts are meaningless, and so on isn't 1) kind, 2) right (see the net worth info above) or 3) helpful to anyone. If you wouldn't say something if people knew who you were, you probably shouldn't say it just because you can do so anonymously on the web. And for those of you who can't seem to control yourself, I remind you of my comment policy.

Now that we're all on the same page, we'll return to our regularly scheduled programming with the next post...

Would You Like to Guest Post on Free Money Finance?

I'll be taking a vacation next month and am looking for guest posts to help fill in some of that time. If you're interested, check out my guidelines for guest posts and submit as you like.

BTW, this offer isn't open only to other bloggers. If you're an FMF reader and want to speak out on a financial issue, this is a great chance for you to do so.

Happy Memorial Day

Just wanted to say Happy Memorial Day to everyone (it's a holiday where we remember the service and sacrifice of our veterans and enlisted men and women for those of you outside of the United States). Like most others in the U.S., I'm taking the day off -- I'll be back tomorrow.

Thank you to all our veterans, enlisted personnel, and their families. Words are inadequate to express our great appreciation for your service.

BTW, I have a big announcement tomorrow morning, so be sure to stop by and get the news first-hand.

The Poor Economy is Having Very Little Impact on Me

After attending the Dave Ramsey Town Hall for Hope, I got to thinking about what he said -- the fact that many people aren't having financial difficulties these days. In fact, many are doing just fine. Count my family among those doing well despite a floundering economy.

There are many reasons we're fine financially, but most of them boil down to two reasons:

• We've taken the sound financial steps need to be secure financially.

• My job is secure (and our company is doing quite well, actually -- could be a record year.)

With these two things going for us -- a solid, regular income and a good net worth built up over time -- we're feeling very little impact from the economy. We aren't postponing any spending (in fact, if there are sales or other "deals" on things we need/want as a result of the economy, we're buying), saving differently, giving differently, and so on. For the most part, life is normal.

The biggest impact we've had is to our net worth, which took a huge hit from last fall through March of this year due to the drop in the stock market. But even that is looking up, and since we have a 20-year time horizon, I think we'll be fine.

Much of this situation is attributable to good financial principles -- having no debt, saving a good portion of our income, growing and protecting my career, etc. -- the sorts of things I talk about here on a daily basis. That's why I keep repeating them again and again -- because I know they work and I want a similar success for you -- that you'll get to the point where you're unaffected by even the worst the economy has to offer.

I'm sure many of you are doing as good as or better than we are. True? If so, please share your "secrets to success" with the rest of us.

What's the Worst Thing That's Ever Happened to You Financially?

I thought it would be "fun" for us to discuss this question today:

What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you financially?

It could be a circumstance that happened to you, the result of a bad decision you made (like this guy), or anything else. Just interested in what's the worst thing ever to happen to you from a financial perspective.

I have to admit that I haven't had a lot of financial disasters. Even though I grew up fairly poor, I was always conservative with my money, didn't borrow more than I could repay, etc. As such, I don't have much to share on this subject, but there is one incident that does stand out. It looks like a small problem now, but at that point in time, it was a huge issue for me.

In the small town in Iowa where I grew up, there was a bank that was not backed with the FDIC protection on deposits. This wasn't a big deal for most folks since everyone "knew" that the bank owned enough farmland to cover all deposits. In addition, we all knew the banker and trusted him that all was well.

I had worked several summers (at $3.35 per hour in a grocery store, mind you -- yep, that was a looooong time ago) and had $2,500 or so saved up (not a huge sum to most, but a fortune to me at the time). As you're probably guessing by now, it was in the uninsured bank. I was in college and was drawing on the money as needed to pay for various expenses.

One day my mom called and said they had closed the bank. The government had not liked the level of cash reserves the bank held (or some such nonsense) and come in and closed it all down. Rumor was that depositholders would get only a small portion of their total deposits back.

As you can imagine, I was in a panic. All of my cash reserves/spending money was gone. I still had family I could borrow from and the hope that I'd get some of the money back, but in the short-term, I had nothing. I did borrow a bit (from my grandmother) to tide me over (I was frugal then as well so I didn't need much) and made it through, but for a while it was tight.

In case you're wondering:

• Yes, I learned my lesson! No more uninsured banks!

• I ended up getting 90% of the money back (even after all the expenses the bank had for selling assets, etc.). Turns out the bank did have enough to cover most of the deposits and it appeared that the government was a bit jumpy to close it once all was said and done.

So, what's the worst thing that's ever happened to you financially?

What I'm Doing Now Financially

I thought you all might be interested in what I'm doing on the financial front currently. I'll give a warning in advance that it's not all that exciting, but still there may be one or two of you out there that enjoys a more personal view of finances. Here goes:

• My career is humming along and our company is doing quite well (thanks in part to people being more value conscious and eating in more versus eating out.) I continue to enjoy my work, learn new skills, and plan to take a couple courses this year to broaden a few abilities and make myself more valuable.

• Our budget is relatively the same as in past years -- no real big changes. The overall summary: live on a third, save a third, and give away a third.

• The savings go to many areas. So far this year we've: 1) continued to fully fund my 401k at work, 2) contribute to Education Savings Accounts ($2k each) for the kids, 3) contribute to 529s for the kids, 4) made a SEP IRA contribution for 2008, 5) send a portion of each month's check to be invested in index funds, and 6) save a portion of each month's check in cash for our ever-growing downpayment for a new home.

• We're still "looking" for a new home but haven't yet found what we want in the area we want. If we don't find anything this year, I think we may miss the "bargain" window. Then again, where we're looking, there aren't a lot of bargains because the area is in high demand regardless of the economy (one of the reasons we want to buy there.) If we don't buy, we need to decide what to do with the "downpayment" that's now basically almost the entire amount we need to buy a new home in cash.

• I'm in the process of canceling all of my Etrade accounts since they canceled my index fund. I had our Education Savings Accounts there as well as a small, joint taxable account. I'm transferring them to Vanguard and getting rid of Etrade (which will help simplify my tracking as well.)

• I still have on my list to write a "where everything is" document for my wife in case anything ever happens to me. Unfortunately, it's been on my list for a couple years now.

• Batting around some side-business opportunities/ideas. I have a lot of them, but not sure which ones are best (or if any are even good) and where I'm going to find the time to work on them.

• We have some decent-sized purchases coming up: a new video camera, the deck cleaned and painted, a new lawnmower (after 15 years, it's time), and an iPod for my wife. We also have two trips planned this summer, as you readers already know.

That's about it. As I said, kinda boring. But a lot of personal finances are like that -- slow, steady plodding over time will end up making you rich.

Did I miss anything?

2008 Money Stats and How I Fared

In their annual "What People Earn" issue, People Magazine gave some national numbers on general finances of Americans as well as key unemployment numbers. I thought it would be interesting to review these and let you all know my thoughts on them as well as how I'm doing versus the averages (where appropriate.) Here goes:

The national average weekly income rose 2.5%, from $598 in 2007 to $613 in 2008. Inflation increased just .1% over the same period.

This is very close to the raise I received in 2008.

The personal savings rate rose from .9% in January 2007 to 5% in January 2009.

First of all, I'm glad to see that the average is now up to 5%. Lots of progress from just a couple years ago. Second, I'm way ahead of this, saving roughly 25% of my salary each year in my 401k, non-deductible IRA contributions, SEP IRA, Coverdells, and 529s.

The average U.S. household had $10,728 in credit-card debt.

Ouch! Needless to say, I don't have any revolving credit card debt (thought I have roughly $2k charged per month that I pay off as soon as it's due.)

56% of workers received health-care benefits through their jobs.

As I've stated previously, we have an HSA at work. So far, I LOVE it.

56% of workers participated in an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

I have a 401k at work, contribute the maximum, and have done so for many years now.

National unemployment rates:

• No high school diploma—12.6%
• High school diploma—8.3%
• College degree—4.1%

And yet another reason to advance your education.

Highest unemployment by state: Michigan—11.6%

Yep, my state ranked #1 for unemployment. Think it has anything to do with education (as noted above)? Probably. Also to blame is the lagging auto industry.

Lowest unemployment by state: Wyoming—3.7%

Ha! Maybe I should move to Wyoming!

Anyone Going to See Dave Ramsey Tomorrow Night?

For those of you who don't know, Dave Ramsey is holding a "Town Hall for Hope" event tomorrow night. Here's a summary of the event:

Tired of hearing the fear, doom and gloom that’s filling the airwaves? Join Dave Ramsey for a nationwide town hall meeting and discover what’s happening with the economy, how we got here, and where we’re going. Plus, Dave will answer your questions live throughout the event!

Join us for this free event April 23 at 8:00 p.m. EDT in one of the thousands of venues across the country as we stand together to reignite the fire of hope!

The details seem a bit sketchy, but it appears that Dave will be teaching from an Oklahoma church as well as answering questions from the crowd -- all designed to give people hope in these tough economic times. The event is then beamed all across the US (maybe world?) to churches, meeting halls, colleges, etc. If you want more details, you can get them here as well as review their frequently asked questions here.

The one thing they're missing -- you can't watch it on your computer. Our church is hosting the event, so I'll probably go there and watch it, but the event is on late (8 pm my time) and I'd much rather watch it online at home. Seems like that would be a simple solution and would expand the audience greatly, wouldn't it? Wonder why that isn't an option. Maybe the cost of broadcasting it?

Anyway, I give Dave Ramsey a ton of credit for doing this. Someone needs to offer the country hope and he is willing to take the time and effort to do so. Good for him.

Is anyone else going to/watching the event?

The Five People Who Have Had the Greatest Financial Influence on Me

Mike Hyatt asks who are the five people that have had the greatest influence on you? I thought that since this is a money blog, I'd list the five people that have had the greatest influence in shaping my views on personal finances. Here goes:

• My mother -- My mom refused government help and worked minimum wage jobs to support the two of us after her divorce. Her example showed me both the value of hard work, the commitment to "do whatever it takes" to succeed, and instilled in me that getting an education (she didn't get any schooling after high school) was a ticket to a better financial life.

• Bill Drews -- A college mentor, he introduced me to my ultimate profession. That led me to get an MBA and ultimately develop a very valuable financial asset (my career).

• John Bogle -- The Vanguard founder was the pioneer of low-cost index funds, a HUGE part of my investing strategy.

• Stanley and Danko -- Authors of The Millionaire Next Door. If there's one book that has shaped how I handle money and  summarizes my financial philosophy, this is it.

• Solomon -- The writer of many of the Proverbs in the Bible, a source of great financial wisdom that has served me well throughout my lifetime.

How about you? Who are the people that have had the most influence on your financial life?

A Great New Money Podcast and Free Book Giveaway

Here are a couple items I thought most of you would be interested in:

• JD Roth from Get Rich Slowly and Jim Wang from Bargaineering have started a new money podcast called the Personal Finance Hour. I've been listening to their first few shows and have found them to be refreshingly open and honest -- talking about everyday issues confronted by everyday people. If you're looking for a good money-related podcast, check this one out.

• Humana is giving out free copies of Retirement for Dummies when you register at their site. For those of you up for it, you can get a free book for not much effort.

I Need Vacation Help

We're taking two vacations this year and I thought I'd highlight them both and ask for your thoughts/help. First, the trips:

• In May or early June, we're taking a two- or three-day trip to Chicago. We'll take the train down from Grand Rapids ($120 or so round trip for four of us -- eliminates hassle and cost of driving and parking though we'll need to pick up a few cab rides), visit a couple museums, check out the Navy Pier, do some shopping (American Girl for my daughter and Niketown for my son), and so on. The kids have never been to the downtown of a big city (probably the biggest has been a drive-by of Cleveland), so this is part of the reason for the trip as well.

• In June or July we're traveling to Pennsylvania to see relatives and thought we'd zip up to Niagara Falls on the way back. Just going for a day (maybe an overnight stay) and then heading back home through Canada to Michigan. We already have the kids' passport applications in since we'll need them to leave/return to the US.

So, now that you know our plans, I'm looking for any sort of advice or suggestion you may have on something we should see or do, places to stay, money saving tips, practical suggestions, etc. I'm sure there are some of you out there who are experts on Chicago and Niagara Falls (or at least been to these places), and any help you can give would be appreciated.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!

Well, it was four years ago today that I started Free Money Finance with a simple post that detailed what this site is about (followed the next day with why the site exists -- I guess I was already lacking for inspiration on day #2! Ha!)

Anyway, I quickly followed with reasons I thought someone should even take two seconds to listen to me as well as my promises to readers. I then got into the meat of my philosophy -- what I called the five principles -- as follows:

• Five Principles to Increasing Your Net Worth

• Principle 1: Maximize Income from All Sources

• Principle 2: Minimize Expenses

• Principle 3: Getting Out of Debt

• Principle 4: Invest in Appreciating Assets

• Principle 5: The Value of Insurance and Estate Planning

From there, the site grew simply by me writing about things I found interesting, what I was doing, etc. And 7,000 posts later, I'm still going.

I would be remiss if I didn't recognize those of you who comment here, and how you added to the success of this site. You've made it much, much better than I could have alone, and your contributions have not gone unnoticed. Thank you for them. I appreciate your efforts, thoughtfulness, and opinions (yes, even when they disagree with my own) more than I can put into words.

And for those of you interested in seeing some "highlights" of the past four years, feel free to browse my categories and archives as you like or re-read my top posts of 2008.

And as a reminder, this site still gives 100% of its profits to charities. We're just at $200,000 contributed, which is a very cool thing IMO -- that you can help others out by reading about finances. ;-)

Anyway, here's to another four years. Hopefully in that time we'll see the market correct, the economy get on its feet, and all of us growing our net worths at record pace! I look forward to traveling those times with you.

Just to be Clear...

For those of you who didn't read all the way to the end of my "I sold Free Money Finance" post yesterday, it was an April Fool's Day joke.

Maybe I need to be a bit less realistic next year... :-)

Free Money Finance Sold for Almost Seven Figures! Changes Coming

Well, it's been a long, difficult road full of ups and downs in many ways (financially, emotionally, etc.) but it's finally done. A couple weeks ago the final papers were signed and since then the funds have been delivered and are in my bank account. So I can now say that it's official -- Free Money Finance has been sold!!!!!

I can't give specific details on the transaction (part of the agreement), but I can say that the site was sold for almost seven figures (ca-ching) due to (in large part) the fact that I had a very excellent broker representing me. I also can't tell you who bought the site, though that will be apparent in weeks to come.

As far as changes go, there will be a transition phase where I still keep the site going on its own, but after three months the site will be in total control of the new owners. They haven't told me exactly what they plan to do, but based on conversations and reading between the lines I think these are likely:

• The site will focus more on credit cards and how you can use them in all sorts of creative ways. The new thinking will show readers how racking up a bit of debt through using 7 to 10 credit cards can actually be financially rewarding.

• The new main sponsor will switch from being Moose Tracks ice cream to a payday loan company (TBA.) Of course, you won't need to click on the ad/link, but it will still be focused prominently on the homepage.

• The site will likely be written by a younger, just out-of-school, $35k-per-year sort of person who probably won't know much about personal finances. Instead of having someone who has gone through 20 years of money management and telling what he's done and why, you'll now have a 20-year-old telling you what he thinks may (or may not) work. Still, this arrangement will make the site much more profitable for the new owners.

• They will be starting a new "Washington and Your Money" category to make things "a bit more political" (apparently political controversy drives traffic.) Their ghost writer (dubbed "Ronnie Reagan") will post at least once day and comment on how he could do things much better than "that worthless Obama dude". Should be fun, huh?

• There will be a few financial infomercial videos placed on the site. Not sure where these will be, but I do know they'll focus on "free stuff you can get from the government" and "make money with MLM" sort of pieces.

There will be a few other things to be announced over the next few months, but these are the highlights.

I'll still be around for some time, but let me take a minute to thank all my readers. It's you who have made this site the success it is. It's you who have added comments, guest posts, and the like to make the site better and more valuable. It's you who have helped me grow this site to the point where I could cash it all in for a big payout and leave you all hanging. I thank you, but more importantly, my bank account thanks you.

And one final announcement (for those of you who haven't noticed or haven't pieced it together yet) -- it's April Fool's day!! ;-)

April 2009

Well, here we go! This is the very first Free Money Finance e-newsletter (for April 2009). This is an online version for those not able to read HTML emails.

Giveaways

As announced on my blog, I have several newsletter exclusive giveaways this month. Prizes include:

• 2009 Quicken Deluxe -- 1 copy

• Arby's Roastburgers -- 10 to be given away (info on the burgers here)

• Mogul games -- 3 games to be given away (info on the game here)

Here's how these giveaways will work:

1. Below there are links to each of the giveaways (made known only to readers of this newsletter). Click on the link(s) of the giveaway(s) you want to enter.

2. When you get to the post on my site, all you need to do to enter is to leave any comment on the post. Be sure to leave your email address (no one else will be able to see it) when you leave the comment.

3. By the middle of April, I'll select the winners at random and announce each winner on the specific giveaway post (in case you want to check back and see who won).

4. I will email the winners, get their contact information, and arrange for them to receive their prizes.

As always, the standard rules apply.

Here are the giveaway links:

• 2009 Quicken Deluxe

• Arby's Roastburgers

• Mogul games

Good luck!

On-Site Giveaways

I'll still have several giveaways on Free Money Finance in April. These were arranged before I started the newsletter and hence I told the sponsors that they'd be given away on the site. But at least I can give my newsletter readers a heads up to look out for these throughout the next month. ;-)

Here's what Free Money Finance will be giving away in April on the site itself:

• Sound Mind Investing (read my review of the book) -- I'll be announcing a giveaway of one of these books every Sunday in April.

• SmartyPig $50 gift card -- I'll give one of these away just like I did last month.

• Arby's Roastburgers -- 10 to be given away (in addition to the 10 only newsletter subscribers know about)

• Mogul games -- 2 games to be given away (in addition to the 3 only newsletter subscribers know about)

Keep an eye out for these as they'll pop up throughout the month (I'm still working on when.)

Blog Highlights

I had over 130 posts in March -- and some of them were even good. ;-)

In case you missed them, here are my favorite five posts of the past month:

• The Best Cash Back Credit Card

• 20 Ways to Make More Money

• How to Answer the "Tell Me About Yourself" Interview Question

• Trying to Earn More Money? Stop Wasting Your Time

• I Fought the Law and the Law (Mostly) Won

Finally, if you want even more personal finance articles/information, then follow me on Twitter. I post there on weekdays and include pieces I feel are good and yet don't make it on Free Money Finance for one reason or another.

Thanks for subscribing to this newsletter and for hanging in there with me while we sort out the kinks!

Comments at FMF

I've received a few emails from readers who think they can't comment here because the "post" and "preview" buttons are grayed out initially in the comment area. I've explained to them that once they start typing, the buttons go "live", and they're ok. But I thought that if three people had this problem and took the time to email me, many more have probably thought the same thing.

Anyway, you can credit Typepad with the creative change -- I had nothing to do with it...

Fidelity Select Fundranker Problems Solved

For those of you following along, yesterday it was discovered that the Fidelity Select Fundranker site featured on FMF had some security issues (click here and read the comments.) Just wanted to let you all know that these have been fixed and the site is now clean.

Moose Tracks Sponsoring Man United

Saw this piece today and started wishing for a huge moose on Man United's jerseys.

Oh, I can dream, can't I? ;-)

Last Days for YNAB Deal

For those of you who don't want to wait to see if you've won a copy of You Need a Budget and would like to go ahead and buy a copy, I have a discount code for 10% off the price. The code is fmf10off and expires in just a couple days -- on January 15, 2009.

Funny How It Takes an Economic Meltdown for People to Realize What Works Financially

Is it just me or does anyone else find it "funny" (I don't really find it funny -- actually it's pretty sad) that it has taken an economic meltdown for people to finally see what really works financially? For instance, consider these 12 lessons from 2008 from the Wall Street Journal:

1. You have to take charge of your own finances.
2. Never put all your trust in one financial whiz, no matter how highly recommended.
3. Never invest in something you don't understand.
4. Invest more, not less.
5. Never assume there is investment safety in numbers.
6. Your grandma was right after all. A penny saved really is a penny earned. Debt really is dangerous.
7. Psmith frequently warned against the perils of confusing "the unusual with the impossible." Certainly the events of the last year were unusual. Alas, too many thought they were impossible.
8. Own plenty of bonds.
9. When someone offers you obviously good value -- like inflation-protected Treasurys with a 4% real yield -- take it.
10. Avoid needless risks.
11. Take all expert predictions with a pinch of salt.
12. Still trying to predict the next short-term move, or call the market bottom?

Now granted he says that maybe these are lessons that have been "reinforced" not just "learned" this past year, but it seems like I've been seeing a lot of this stuff lately. I'm reading more ideas on how to save money, seeing more articles on how to watch your spending and (gasp!) even articles on how carrying a $10,000 credit card balance is probably not a good idea. Wow. Where were all these "experts" a year or so ago? Has it really taken a kick to the gut of our economy for people to realize that solid financial ideas work? And that they work in all sorts of situations -- not just in a meltdown?

Anyway, I'm not saying anything different that what I said before -- and I'm sure many of you reading this are the same way. We're on the same path as we were two months ago, two years ago, and two decades ago -- we're spending less than we earn, decreasing/eliminating debt, investing/saving as much as we can, etc. In short, we're taking the steps that many in the media are now finding are the true steps to becoming rich.

Too bad it took our economy falling to its knees for them to see the light.

YNAB Offer Still Available

For those of you who don't want to wait to see if you've won a copy of You Need a Budget and would like to go ahead and buy a copy, I have a discount code for 10% off the price. The code is fmf10off and expires on January 15, 2009.

Thanks for subscribing to the Free Money Finance e-newsletter!

Thank you for subscribing to the Free Money Finance e-newsletter! You'll now receive timely, though not excessive, email updates including the following:

• Monthly, exclusive giveaway just for newsletter subscribers (one guaranteed, but there could be more)
• Listing of great, money-saving deals and freebies from around the web
• Sneak peaks into what's coming up at Free Money Finance (can you say "more giveaways?")
• Tips and thoughts on the business side of blogging
• Behind the scenes blog updates
• Various money tips and thoughts that haven't yet hit the blog

Congrats!

And before you go, here are a couple final thoughts:

• Follow me on Twitter for more information and giveaway chances -- If you want even more financial news and updates than you get on Free Money Finance (in addition to a glimpse into my personal life for those of you who like that kind of stuff), you can follow me on Twitter. I post interesting articles that I find on the web but don't have time to cover on the blog. As an extra, my Twitter followers get an extra chance to win in many of the on-site giveaways I have.

• Explore the site -- For those of you who want to tour the site a bit, the best place to start is a list of my archives and categories where you can select the types of articles you're interested in. But if you want to hit just the highlights, my top posts of 2008 is a great place to start.

Thanks again for subscribing -- and good luck in the giveaways!

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Thank you for subscribing to the Free Money Finance e-newsletter, but you’re not done yet. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Check your inbox for the confirmation email.

Before I can begin sending you updates, giveaway information, and great deals, you need to confirm your subscription. You should be receiving an email shortly with a confirmation link. You must click this link to confirm your subscription. If it’s been a while since you submitted your subscription request, feel free to contact me so I can make sure you get added promptly.

Step 2: Follow me on Twitter.

If you want even more financial news and updates than you get on Free Money Finance (in addition to a glimpse into my personal life for those of you who like that kind of stuff), you can follow me on Twitter. I post interesting articles that I find on the web but don't have time to cover on the blog. As an extra, my Twitter followers get an extra chance to win in many of the on-site giveaways I have.

Step 3: Explore content on the site.

For those of you who want to tour the site a bit, the best place to start is a list of my archives and categories where you can select the types of articles you're interested in. But if you want to hit just the highlights, my top posts of 2008 is a great place to start.

Thanks again for subscribing and be sure to look for that confirmation email!

Sign Up for the Free Money Finance e-Newsletter

How would you like to receive a short, simple, money-related e-newsletter that's packed full of great stuff? And, best of all, how would you like to get it for free? Well, here's your chance.

The Free Money Finance e-newsletter is full of great giveaways, tips, and information including:

• Monthly, exclusive giveaway just for newsletter subscribers (one guaranteed, but there could be more)
• Listing of great, money-saving deals and freebies from around the web
• Sneak peaks into what's coming up at Free Money Finance (can you say "more giveaways?")
• Tips and thoughts on the business side of blogging
• Behind the scenes blog updates
• Various money tips and thoughts that haven't yet hit the blog

You'll receive all of this with timely, though not excessive, email updates. Sign up today for the Free Money Finance e-newsletter -- it's fun, profitable and FREE! ;-)

That's It

FYI, I only have one post for today (other than the roundup) since I know it's a light day as many are still on vacation and/or recovering from New Year's parties. :-)

Anyway, I'll have posts on the weekend as usual and will be back to full speed on Monday. Enjoy your weekend!

Happy New Year

Here's wishing you all the best in 2009! May your net worth climb to the sky!!!!

And may the market do better this year than last! :-)

Happy New Year!!

Got My Free $20

Just wanted to let you all know that I got my Amex statement last night and already received my free $20 credit from shopping at Walmart. Sweet!

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to say Merry Christmas to all the Free Money Finance readers out there. I wish you the best of holidays!

I'm taking today off and will have only a few posts tomorrow and over the weekend. Hope you too find some time to rest and relax. ;-)

That's It for Today...

My blog-vacation starts now. I won't be posting any more today and posting in general will be light until Monday. Hope you all are enjoying the holiday and taking some time to relax as well.

Off Topic: 50 Inches

We've already had 45 inches of snow this season (most of it this month) and we're supposed to get 5-10 more inches today/tonight. Our annual average is 72 inches for the season (November through April), so we're waaaaay ahead of schedule.

Anyway, I'm very, very tired of snow already...

Warren Buffett's Granddaughter

Here's an interesting piece on one of Warren Buffett's granddaughters. Just goes to show that money doesn't buy happiness. I'm guessing there's a lot of heartache on both sides of this issue.

Tasty Way to Save Money

Here's a reminder for those of you looking for a tasty way to celebrate this holiday season while saving money at the same time. ;-)

Unbelievable

It's amazing to me some of the financial decisions people make, but this story really takes the cake. These people are living so far away from the average person's lifestyle that their "crisis" financial decisions (a nanny or botox?) seem almost comical.

Some Money-Related Holiday Gifts

For those of you wanting to get someone a good money book this holiday season, here's a list of financial books that can change lives. Read all the way through -- my suggestions are at the end.

Happy Thanksgiving

Just want to wish you and your family a blessed and very happy Thanksgiving. May we all take a break from talking about money and focus on the things that really make us thankful. Here's my list -- still the same after two years (except maybe the KFC part.) ;-)

The site will have a couple (at most) posts tomorrow (at least that's how I'm planning it) and one each day this weekend. After that, we'll be back to full speed ahead.

Have a great, relaxing, joyful, thankful day!

Good Stuff from Around the Web

Don't have time to post on all these, but thought they were worth sharing:

• Whatever you do, don't buy Sears -- Seems like Sears' lack of customer service is coming back to bite them. (If you don't know what I mean, check out why I hate Sears.)

• Nightmare on the Charles -- Not even a Harvard MBA guarantees a job these days.

• 25 Great Gifts for $25 or Less -- Some decent suggestions for those of you stuck with no ideas.

Policies at Free Money Finance

For those of you interested in personal finance, skip this post. For those of you who blog, may have a blog at some time, have a site that's "the next great thing", have a site you want me to promote (or "mention" to my readers), have a book you want me to promote/review, etc., this post is for you.

The amount of email I get on a daily basis is becoming overwhelming, so I thought I'd write a post to let everyone know where I stand on a variety of requests coming my way. Then I can direct people to this post if need be for future reference.

Anyway, here is how I operate this blog in regards to the many requests I receive each day:

• If you want to write a guest post, I'm open to that. I love to hear what others have to say. But there are some conditions. First, the piece has to offer value to my readers. Don't know what my readers like? Then read this blog and you'll find out. Second, the piece needs to be original (not found elsewhere.) You can publish it later on your site, but I want to have it to myself for at least a month. Third, I will provide a link to your site as long as it's your blog and NOT a blatantly commercial site you're trying to promote or gain in the search engines by writing a piece here and getting a link. That's what advertising is for (which is still subject to approval.) For more specifics, see what it takes to write for FMF.

• I trade blogroll links with other bloggers once they've been writing for at least three months. I like to see what your blog is like and that you're committed to it before I put a link up. Do not start a blog and on day one ask me to link to it.

• It's ok to send me PR pitches (on new sites, new research, etc.), but don't expect a response. If I need more information, want to speak to someone, etc., I'll contact you.

• I'm sure your new affiliate program is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I'm probably not interested. Sure, send me the details, but I'll only contact you if I'm interested.

• I do not sell links, posts, or anything similar to anyone. I also don't trade links with sites so "we can both improve our results in search engines." I do sell ads if you want to consider one, but stop asking about paid links. I DON'T SELL LINKS!!!!!

• I do not review articles that you're posting on your site prior to you posting them. You can write/edit for yourself. I also don't review sites to "give you some tips." If you want tips, see what I've already written about blogging. And if you have further questions, ask the helpful bloggers at the Money Blog Network forums.

• If you have a book you want me to review, I may or may not want to even read it. If I do say I'd like a copy, that's no guarantee that I'll write a review on it (thought I will read it.) If you want to email me a book title to think about, then send me an email. If I'm interested, I'll respond. If I'm not, I won't.

• I LOVE helping readers. If you're a reader and you have a question, send it on. I'll post it as soon as I can, but it usually takes a week or two before I can find a slot for it. I will NOT provide an answer myself (I'm often not qualified to do so -- besides, I don't have that much time and often need more info), but the readers here will certainly provide some tips that will help you to decide what's best for you.

• When commenting, do not leave your URL in the comment section. If you fill out the form correctly, a link from your name will be automatically generated to your site. That way people wanting to visit your site can easily click through and visit. Therefore, putting your URL in the text area of the comment section is unnecessary, a bit spammy, and will be deleted.

There, that's all out in the open. Everyone knows my thinking on each of these topics so from now on, anyone asking about any of these issues will not receive a response from me if their question has been answered here. To help people find this post, I'll link to it from my sidebar in the "About FMF" section. If people don't take two minutes to do a bit of research on what this site is about before they contact me, then that's their problem.

I'm glad that's over. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Update (1-21-09) -- I'm getting a lot of "comments" with "names" such as "payday loan", "find the right credit card," and so on. I'm also getting links left to specific pages that are ads or do not apply in any way to the post. I WILL edit/delete these sorts of comments. I reserve the full right to edit/delete any comment that I feel is inappropriate. Just want to be clear with you all.

Thinking of Buying a New TV: Any Advice?

We're thinking of buying a new flat-panel TV. With the impending digitalization of American TV coming up, I've successfully convinced my wife that we should get a new TV instead of just getting a converter for our current set. But now I have a problem -- what kind of TV should I buy?

Consumer Reports has some thoughts on LCD versus plasma TVs, but the conclusions don't seem clear cut. So I thought I'd open up the subject to all of you and let you give me your thoughts on which one is better.

A few details to help you give your best advice:

• I think we're probably going to be in the 40/42-inch range.

• I'd like to get a good quality set at a good price (I know, who wouldn't?)

• Our main uses for our TV are video games and DVDs (little actual "live" TV, though during football season it does get a good amount of use.) So maybe we don't need a new TV?

Have at it -- give me your advice -- I'm anxious to hear your words of wisdom.