WC Porter's blog

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Personal finance doesn't have to be boring. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.

WC Porter's profile

Real Estate Agents: Do We Really Need Them?

Posted October 19, 2009 - 08:42 by WC Porter

Real Estate and Housing

With all the tools and information available to home buyers—from real-estate websites to neighborhood pictures—are real-estate agents and their commissions really that necessary anymore? Couldn't we all just deal with each other when buying and selling our homes?

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How to Start Your Own Blog

Posted October 5, 2009 - 06:58 by WC Porter

Making Extra Cash

Keyboard

Blogging is a fantastic way of making yourself a more valuable job candidate. It will teach you a bunch of new things and will give you an edge over the competition when you're applying for a job. Here's a quick guide on how to get started without wasting any time or money.

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Six Ways an iPhone Can Save You Money

Posted September 22, 2009 - 10:00 by WC Porter

Technology

Apple Iphone

A lot of people find themselves wondering if phones like the iPhone are worth the money. Sure, they're pretty expensive and the data plans are an added cost—but there are things they can do that regular phones can't when it comes to saving money. The secret? It's all about the apps.

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Career Advice: Act Like You Own The Place

Posted September 18, 2009 - 08:00 by WC Porter

Career and Income

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates

Want to become a better employee? You could work harder, come in earlier, suck up to the right bosses, and still not get anywhere. Instead of thinking small, try thinking big—that's how owners think. And there's a reason why they own the place and you don't. It's time to start acting like you own the place.

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Redfin: The Greatest Real Estate Website Ever

Posted September 15, 2009 - 06:00 by WC Porter

Real Estate and Housing

redfin logo

Real estate websites are a dime a dozen, but when you find one that does it all, the rest all fade into the background. Whether you're looking to buy or sell a place, Redfin has what you need. This detailed walk through shows you everything you need to know before surfing their site.

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Make Your Computer Faster Instead of Buying a New One

Posted September 9, 2009 - 09:00 by WC Porter

Technology, DIY

speedometer

Buying a new computer is exciting, but paying for it is not. What most people realize is that they don't need a new machine, they just need to take better care of their current PC. I'll walk you through five easy steps that'll have your PC cruising like it was fresh out of the box.

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Buying a Home Without the Money

Posted September 2, 2009 - 10:00 by WC Porter

Real Estate and Housing

monopoly houses and dice

I confess: I'm about to break one of the cardinal rules of personal finance. I know it's not the responsible thing to do and it goes against every piece of "good financial advice" I've ever given. But I have my reasons. Good ones.

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Save Money: Take the Boring Challenge

Posted August 24, 2009 - 08:46 by WC Porter

Frugal Living

bored girl

Most people think saving money has to be fun and exciting in order to work. Not so. I took The Boring Challenge and saved over $2,000. How much money will you save?

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Wine Tastings: Finding Cheap Wine That You Like

Posted July 2, 2009 - 03:26 by WC Porter

Frugal Living, Food and Drink

Wine Tasting

There is lots of advice out there on how to save money on drinking by buying this or that wine. But forget that—everyone's tastes are different and one person's "good wine" might be another's dud. The only way to find good wines you know you'll like is to taste as many as you can. For free.

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Getting Ahead At Work: Are You A Hammer Or A Swiss Army Knife?

Posted May 18, 2009 - 03:54 by WC Porter

Career and Income, Productivity

Swiss Army Knife

Is it better to be great at one specific thing or just really good at a whole bunch of different things? While one might put you in a class all by yourself, the other can make you more valuable to your company. Which one is more likely to get you noticed? The answer is kind of obvious.

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Time Is Money: Budget Them Both Out

Posted April 30, 2009 - 03:28 by WC Porter

Personal Finance, Productivity, Budgeting

We hear it all the time: Time is Money. But do we really treat our time with the same respect we treat our money? If we really do believe that time is valuable shouldn't we be budgeting it out just as strictly as we do our money? Who knew playing video games (or trying to) could teach such an important lesson?

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Buying Shiny New Things Without The Guilt

Posted April 15, 2009 - 04:24 by WC Porter

Personal Finance, Making Extra Cash, Budgeting

Buying a new computer can be a pretty scary expense to shell out for. But by saving beforehand without dipping into your savings or into your weekly paycheck takes all the guilt out of the buying process. The best part? You can use this to buy just about anything...

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If You Won The Lottery, You Would...

Posted April 3, 2009 - 04:21 by WC Porter

Personal Finance, Career and Income, Lifestyle

What would you do if you had all the money you needed for you, your children, your children's children, and so on? Would you drop everything and retire or would you keep working? If you really stop to think about it, you might be surprised with your answer.

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The Psychology of Salaries: Do You Want to Know How Much Your Coworkers Make?

Posted March 30, 2009 - 14:34 by WC Porter

Personal Finance, Career and Income

It's easy to get sucked into the whole drama of wondering what everyone you work with makes and how you stack up with them. But there's a delicate balance between making sure you're getting paid what you deserve and only worrying about what you can control.

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Cash Is King: Now What Should I Do With It?

Posted March 25, 2009 - 16:10 by WC Porter

Personal Finance, Making Extra Cash

When the going gets tough, the tough accumulate huge piles of cash. Great. But what do you do with it once you've piled it all up. There are lots of options out there, but which one is the "right" one? Buying a home? Traveling? Saving up for an upcoming baby? Keeping it as a cushion? Putting it all in a stock and doubling it? Help a cash king out...

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Should The AIG Bonuses Be Taken Away Or Not?

Posted March 24, 2009 - 11:50 by WC Porter

Personal Finance, Career and Income

The whole country is up in arms about the last round of AIG bonuses, but why should they? Before you pick up your pitchfork and join the angry mob, would you return your bonus even if you had nothing to do with any of the shenanigans? We may be upset, but some of these people earned this money fair and square.

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