money

The Gasoline Pump "Y2K" Problem

Here in San Mateo County, many gas stations are starting to sport prices above $4.00 per gallon. The trusty Gas and Shop down the street is still holding on to $3.93 per ga

New Postal Rates Are Coming, Should You Stockpile the Forever Stamp?

The United States Postal Office will be raising their postal rates once again on May 12th, 2008. Is it time to stock up on the Forever stamp? Is this stamp that retains its value

A Simple Guide to Series I Savings Bonds (I-Bonds)

After the recent interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve many of my bank and money market interest rates plummeted.  Now the best yield I have is on my Series I Savings Bonds iss

Get Paid for your Psychic Skills at Predictify

My ex-coworker told me that he is applying to a new startup called Predictify. He showed me their website and I was intrigued. Basically, the company lets people predict events t

The Same Actions Will Produce The Same Results (Ten Tenets for Arranging Your Rich: Part 2)

A while back I posted the first of what I promised would be "Ten Tenets to Arranging Your Rich". And wouldn't you know it, right after posting Tenet #1, things got

Why You Should Donate a Blood Sucking Timeshare

My parents always told me that buying a timeshare is a bad idea because of the inflated upfront cost and perpetual maintenance and exchange fees the timeshare companies pile on.

Save More Gas by Safely Following Trucks

I have been trying to drive at 55 miles per hour to save gas, and I am doing it by driving behind big trucks in the slow lane so that I do not get honked at or pulled over by the h

The Bailbondsman Approach: Why Some Of Us Stay Broke

The government is letting people think that it's okay to make bad choices. The Treasury is rewarding bad behavior and the consumer is learning nothing except to keep up the

Could a Divorce Improve Your Finances?

When I was single, I thought that getting married would reduce my expenses greatly, and after I got married I realized that in some instances

Would you end your marriage for $100,000?

How about $200k? Or $500k? Well, I guess it all depends on the state of your marriage, but the bigger question is this: what would you do for money? I ask because I’m getting a lit

Could Your City Go Bankrupt?

I never knew that cities in America could file for bankruptcy until recently a Northern California city named Vallejo made the news for being on the edge of bankruptcy. So how doe

The Shanghai Supposition: Better Choices=More Choices=Better Experiences

Cheap Chinese goods have created a Wal-Mart economy in America but for the individual they can be an eye-opening experience about the joys of travel, about the pride garnered from

Do You Always Keep the Money You Find?

I am pretty short so I am close to the ground, and oftentimes I spot a coin or two and keep it. However, there are times when we find larger sums of money laying on the ground. W

Dissecting "Gift Guilt" - When Does Receiving a Gift Make You Feel Bad?

Ever since I was a child, I have been taught that when you receive a gift you should be happy about it and then give something back in return. To this day I still believe that is g

Is daylight-saving time a complete waste of energy?

This weekend the clocks “spring forward.” I’m not a huge fan of DST . In fact, I’m not a fan of anything that steals

Chinese Money Habits - How My Culture Influences My Attitudes Toward Money

I moved to the United States when I was a child from Yangzhou, China. After sixteen years, I could easily pass as an American because I speak English without an accent, and I am w

6 Ways to Pay Less Money For A College Degree

A four-year college degree can be one of the most expensive purchases in a person’s lifetime. In fact, many hard-working professionals continue to pay for their college education l

When Should You Say No to Those Who Want to Borrow Money from You?

I think most of us have been asked to lend money to someone we know. No matter how close you are with the potential borrower, there are certain situations when you just have to sa

Ten Tenets for "Arranging Your Rich" - Part 1: Rich is Relative

There are some guiding principles to arranging your own wealth. Ten, in fact. Ten important "tenets" to keep you grounded and on track as you begin the "arranging your rich" proces

Do not buy something just because you can afford it

Since I got married people have been constantly asking me two questions. One is, "are you pregnant yet?", and the other is "are you going to buy a house?" One