I haven't heard much about the second meaning you mention here. It's interesting, but I do believe 99% of the time, the first meaning is the intended one.
In fact, in recent years, I've heard a growing number of people taking this a step further and changing the phrase to "Money could make grind stones turn demons (有钱能使磨推鬼）," meaning that money REALLY talks.
There are too many inherent issues with FairTax (National Retail Sales Tax). The theory is sound, but the effects are mostly conjecture.
Flat Tax is a far more pragmatic approach. The IRS won't be abolished in our lifetime. That is for sure.
@Paul
You are taking his comments out of context. Warren Buffet is often misquoted regarding his stance on taxation (as is Milton Friedman).
But now that you mention it, I think it goes without saying that I would much rather have Warren Buffet, who is an astute businessman, with funds to invest, rather than someone else. As someone above already mentioned, it is typically a safe bet to say that factors contributing to an individuals poor financial state are rarely external. We need to stop living in a victimization society, and start taking some responsibility for our own situations. Stop the blame game!
@OP
Just as I thought the economic stimulus payments were absurd, so is your notion that $500 is really going to help. It is too little, too late, and worse yet, appropriated in a poor fashion.
that Warren Buffett, a richer and wiser man than most, has deeply criticized tax cuts for the rich. This, from a Guardian article in 2007:
"There wasn't anyone in the office, from the receptionist up, who paid as low a tax rate (as I) and I have no tax planning; I don't have an accountant or use tax shelters. I just follow what the US Congress tells me to do."- Warren Buffett
A mature political discussion... even though I'm usually in the minority with my views. Regardless of Paul's personal opinions or how they may or may not have come out in his post, I give everyone reading this blog enough credit to research the materials and put together a voting plan that works for them. While I can see how some may be put off by the article, I think it will generate some good conversation, and hopefully, a newfound passion for discovering political truth.
The deficit is going to grow under both candidates, thinking any other way is just either your personal bias towards your candidate, or naivety.
Also, your utilization of the number of jobs as a litmus test is tripe. Top it off with your credit card comment, and you have bonafide nonsense. Congratulations!
I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said (not word for word)that in order to get out of poverty, you need to make being poor so unbearable that you'll work harder to get out of that situation. It reminds me of what our grandparents did for our parents (I'm 30). They grew up in the Depression era, going without and scraping by. When our grandparents were starting their families (our parents), they wanted to make sure that their children wouldn't suffer like they did. It became a double-edged sword: on one hand, you have a generation of people who didn't want for anything but on the other hand, a generation of people who understand entitlement rather than hard work, generally speaking.
I don't know who I'll be voting for yet, but I do know that there is a reason why people are "poor". Throwing money at them will not solve their poverty issues.
I am surprised at how bereft this article is of sound economic theory given the subject matter of the blog. Your own bias is seething through your "interpretation" of the numbers, and the rhetoric you are pushing forth.
You use "strawman" techniques to characterize the plan as a "rich get richer" scheme, but ultimately you misrepresent the "spirit" of each plan. I don't even need to mention that the top 1% pay 40% of the income tax in America, do I? (And I certainly am not in that bracket) Do I need to also mention that over 50% of working Americans don't pay any income tax? The representation of the tax plan as a war on the poor is patently absurd...because the poor don't pay income tax as it is.
Your insistence on comparing the top .1% to much larger demographic segments is equally demonstrative of your bias. That is like comparing Ferraris and Toyotas. Just poor form overall.
This is just the beginning, one could go on for days pointing out the inaccuracies in your post, or give more background. Your face value (shallow) analysis leaves a lot to be desired, and is honestly a black mark for this site, which is typically exemplary. You are letting your political bias dictate your copy, regardless of whether it is intentional or not. It is obvious you don't have the capability to remove yourself from political bias, so I would suggest staying far away from the topic.
For the record, I dislike McCain a great deal. I am a Libertarian, and have no affiliation with either party. I just hate the purveyance of economic and fiscal ignorance.
...will the defecit continue to grow under McCain, who seems to be on a very similar path to Bush at this point? Also, McCain has credit card debt, Obama has none. Another indication of things to come? Who knows. And will the rich use that money to provide more jobs? In an ideal world, yes. But we've seen big business in the past make record profits and lay off hundreds of workers in the same year. When the priority is to the stock holders' best interests, it changes the equation significantly.
I can see how the numbers look like their in favor of Obama - but I do have a different question - which plan will better america? Do we take from the rich and give to the poor? Or do we give the poor the opportunity to make money? Yes, tax wise McCain's plan will only provide me with $21 - but if I can work more because the rich are able to pay more, what's that worth? I'm currently looking for employment and it is difficult because businesses don't have the money for payroll. If we tax those big businesses, is that going to make them provide more jobs, or fewer?
I don't want to depend on the government giving me money, I want to depend on the government to stop taking my money and allow me to grow. With our deficit I can tell that I'm better at managing my money than the government.
Does anyone know what Coinstar is charging now? Last time I used one was right after they got to our area and it was 5.5% I think. Not bad, but not great either. Then came the Amazon promotion where they didn't charge a fee if you took an Amazon giftcard. Fortunately for me, my local bank has started adding the change counting machines to their lobby and they don't charge a fee for account holders. I normally just save the coins (minus carwash & vending machine money) until I've got a few jars full and then cash them in. The money is split between extra debt payments and a splurge date (dinner or a movie) for the wife and I.
As Xin Lu pointed out, there are many, many factors to consider regarding the candidates and finance. My only hope is that people won't be "one-issue" voters, taking into account the bottom-dollar info from one or two blog posts.
I have been following the tax issue quite closely, and am very familiar with the 37-page report from the "preliminary" analysis. I hope people understand a few things before they cast their vote in stone:
1) The report is based on information gathered in a very early place in the election. As we have seen in the past, candidates "revise" their position continuosly, and often up until the day they are elected (and even afterwards in some instances.)
2) All tax planning is still subject to the joyous workings of our legislative system. We may even see some judiciary action on items that are especially provocative.
With this being said, I personally could fare better under either plan. The numbers put out by both you and Too Much didn't consider a few other things:
The health insurance reform by both candidates. McCain, in particular is offering "to replace the current exclusion from income tax for health insurance provided by an employer with a refundable tax credit of $2,500 for singles and $5,000 for family coverage. Unlike the current exclusion, the credit would be available for privately purchased insurance as well as insurance provided by an employer. " That's an extra $5,000 that your formula didn't address.
As a self-employed person who comes from a long line of small but "corporate" farms, I am especially interested in penalties against corporate America. Too often people assume that "corporate" means rich and deserving of high taxes and the revocation of benefits. We must not forget that "corporation" is often just a tax code term.
A few other things that caught my eye were:
Obama's proposal to not tax any senior citizen making under $50,000 a year. Ever. With millions of Baby Boomers looking to fall into this category, doesn't this seem a bit scary to you? We work hard to pay into Social Security, but the benefits of my hard work now also don't have to pay taxes? ( I would encourage everyone to read this part of the document, in which the Tax Policy Center echoes my concern for the unfairness of this plan.)
We also need to think of America as a whole. While I'm all for getting more cash in my pocket, at what cost? The report clearly states "Overall, the economic effect of the Obama proposals will depend on how the resulting deficits are closed. If the deficits result in higher tax rates in the future, the economy will be harmed. If they are closed by spending cuts, the economic costs will be lower, but the long-term gain in progressivity may also be diminished depending on which programs are cut."
This election will be serious business, as usual. I hope everyone takes the time to really read up on the tax issues (as well as other issues) before deciding thier vote.
Thanks for bringing up this very important matter, Paul!
I'm a moderate who's voted for republicans and democrats in the past, Goldwater type I suppose.
I make just over $60,000 and was a little surprised how bad McCain's plan would be for me as this seems like an income firmly in the middle class. I heard him speak once in Ohio and thought from what he said he would be more supportive of the middle income folks like me, but the numbers here don't lie (actually, I checked on both their websites and this is a fairly good analysis of their systems - though simplified, it's accurate).
I guess this means my pocketbook is voting for Obama. That, and all the nuts talking about him not being Christian which is just crap.
Well, good article. I think there are other financial issues beyond just income taxes the two candidates differ in. For example, Obama wants to eliminate the social security tax income cap, so everyone will have to pay the full 12%. Additionally, Obama wants to extend unemployment benefits I believe. I really don't know how it will turn out in the end, but I am guessing Obama will probably win since the Republicans are so unpopular right now.
I was searching for uses for used denim because our RV club makes quilts from old jeans and I stumbled upon your page. You said you'd like to see a quilt made from old denim so I set our club's page as my homepage. Click on "Charities" then "Quilts For CHEO".
You should also look at the link "CHEO Thanks"
The two ladies in front are the driving force for the quilts, the one on the left is the woman with the idea and the obsession for continuing. We make the quilts for CHEO Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. We started a few years ago doing lap quits for seniors and branched into baby blankets for the infants in CHEO.
One of our members spoke to a representative of the hospital and was told that "the older kids are the ones that are missed in the hospital when it comes to receiving charitable gifts." She was told "if there is anything the group could do for them, it would be great". Our member came up with the idea of using recycled jeans. We have made and donated nearly 800 jean quilts using around 7000 pairs of jeans. Kids that are in the hospital have come to expect the quilts and even to the point they ask about them wondering if they will be lucky enough to get one.. The popularity is due to the pockets and so on being left intact. Unique patches with the jean makers name and so on integrated into the quilts.If the pics on our clubs website are not what you're looking for then let me know and I will send a couple of photos.
Harlow....
We hoard our quarters for laundry! Otherwise, I collect my husband's pocket change - The dimes & nickels are good for parking meters. And I find that I can dig out a few dollars in change as emergency funds when the coffers run low. I also find the pennies good for pesky sales tax - Usually small retail establishments are happy to be paid in change, as they are always in need of it! (I am talking $5-8 dollars, though - not more.) I save the other pennies to take to a Coinstar when I have to - any free exchanges in Los Angeles, do you know?
Hey Xin,
Great post, you have a lot of financial wisdom for someone so young. I wish more people my age understood that if you "live below your means, you will always have something to fall back on", that's great advice for everyone, including young grads.
I found this blog because I now have a young grad living with me. He wanted to live and work in Dallas, we're from the same small town, and I'm good friends with his father so my wife and I agreed to put him up for a few months. He's curious about personal finance and investing so I wanted to find some information that is really geared toward his generation. This seems to be the right place!
I haven't explored much. Do you have any personal favorite posts that your readers we're really excited about or do you write anywhere about what got you enthused enough about personal finance and investing to start a blog?
I'm not terribly convinced by the study. As I understand this study, the researchers basically stopped at intersections with red-lights, and then pretended not to notice when the light turned green. Supposedly, drivers of cars with bumper stickers and other personalizations would honk two seconds earlier on average than drivers of "generic" cars.
You could argue that a person who honks sooner may seem more aggressive, but I think it's a leap. I expect there are other metrics, such as the people who are pulled over for speeding or agressive driving, or the people who run red lights, or the people weaving in and out of traffic, that would be more telling than this.
To think that a Seller's Listing Broker is going to help you negotiate the lowest sales price is moronic. Their job is to obtain the highest and best offer for their seller. Any Buyer's Agent worth his salt is going to do his best job to get you the home you want at the lowest price. By the way, buyer's agent's negotiate their split too. You probably paid far more in the price than you saved in the commission.
Bank Atlantic also lets you take your change into a branch and a machine sorter will count and print out a receipt you take to a teller to get it in bills. You do not have to be a customer for this service. I believe it is still free.
I didn't start gardening for exercise, but I find I'm getting quite a lot of it, especially since I expanded my garden this year, which means lots of digging and moving things. And as you say, it's so economical--the same (cheap) activity give you exercise, food, and a terrific sense of accomplishment.
It's not too late to plant from seed if you've got a decently long fall. I live in Ohio (zone 5/6) and I'm going out today to plant seeds for fall carrots and turnips. And squash and cucumbers grow quickly enough from seed that you could start them now and get a great harvest in a couple of months.
MIB is indeed the Big Brother of the insurance industry. What a lot of people don't know, however, is that MIB is strictly regulated by the Federal government, and that consumers should not assume that they have to allow their personal health records to be shared with MIB, which then has the right to share it with pretty much anyone they like, often with no protection of privacy whatsoever.
Under the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“Privacy Rule”) implemented by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), all "individually identifiable health information" held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral, is protected and consumers have a right to demand it remains private.
However, insurance companies routinely request consumers waive their rights to privacy as a condition of providing coverage. If you apply for health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, read your application carefully, you will no doubt find a clause that states the insurance company may share what should be private, confidential medical records with Big Brother, who can then share it with everyone else.
What most consumers don't know is that it is illegal for insurance companies to require you to do this. The privacy rule clearly states that a covered entity (such as an insurance company) may not condition treatment, payment, enrollment, or benefits eligibility on an individual granting an authorization to disclose protected information.
In simple terms, this means an insurance company cannot deny coverage because you refuse to waive your privacy rights and allow the company to share information with Big Brother.
Read the application, find those clauses where they ask you to waive your rights to privacy, cross them out – and if the insurance company insists you give them the right to share your protected information, file a complaint with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or your state attorney general's office.
Congress went to great lengths to draft legislation to protect our privacy, yet the insurance industry routinely asks you to waive those rights. It's time we did something to stop this nonsense.
Change can make for some original gifts - where the coins are always welcome!
If you know a high school graduate or someone who is moving to an apartment where they'll need to pay to do laundry, wrap up $10 or $20 in quarters and gift it with laundry supplies.
For little kids, buy an inexpensive piggy bank and fill it with pennies and nickels. They'll have fun counting their loot and you'll get them started on the fun of saving.
If you have a friend or colleague who is starting a new job or moving to a city where they'll have to pay for parking, give them a 'parking meter fund' made up of quarters, dimes, and nickels.
These are inexpensive and original gifts that the recipients will thank you for - and remember you for - everytime they use the change.
I haven't heard much about the second meaning you mention here. It's interesting, but I do believe 99% of the time, the first meaning is the intended one.
In fact, in recent years, I've heard a growing number of people taking this a step further and changing the phrase to "Money could make grind stones turn demons (有钱能使磨推鬼）," meaning that money REALLY talks.
@Patrick
There are too many inherent issues with FairTax (National Retail Sales Tax). The theory is sound, but the effects are mostly conjecture.
Flat Tax is a far more pragmatic approach. The IRS won't be abolished in our lifetime. That is for sure.
@Paul
You are taking his comments out of context. Warren Buffet is often misquoted regarding his stance on taxation (as is Milton Friedman).
But now that you mention it, I think it goes without saying that I would much rather have Warren Buffet, who is an astute businessman, with funds to invest, rather than someone else. As someone above already mentioned, it is typically a safe bet to say that factors contributing to an individuals poor financial state are rarely external. We need to stop living in a victimization society, and start taking some responsibility for our own situations. Stop the blame game!
@OP
Just as I thought the economic stimulus payments were absurd, so is your notion that $500 is really going to help. It is too little, too late, and worse yet, appropriated in a poor fashion.
that Warren Buffett, a richer and wiser man than most, has deeply criticized tax cuts for the rich. This, from a Guardian article in 2007:
"There wasn't anyone in the office, from the receptionist up, who paid as low a tax rate (as I) and I have no tax planning; I don't have an accountant or use tax shelters. I just follow what the US Congress tells me to do."- Warren Buffett
A mature political discussion... even though I'm usually in the minority with my views. Regardless of Paul's personal opinions or how they may or may not have come out in his post, I give everyone reading this blog enough credit to research the materials and put together a voting plan that works for them. While I can see how some may be put off by the article, I think it will generate some good conversation, and hopefully, a newfound passion for discovering political truth.
@Paul
Have you considered an article covering the FairTax Plan? If not, you should!!!
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
@Paul
The deficit is going to grow under both candidates, thinking any other way is just either your personal bias towards your candidate, or naivety.
Also, your utilization of the number of jobs as a litmus test is tripe. Top it off with your credit card comment, and you have bonafide nonsense. Congratulations!
I've never received work from a "poor" person.
I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said (not word for word)that in order to get out of poverty, you need to make being poor so unbearable that you'll work harder to get out of that situation. It reminds me of what our grandparents did for our parents (I'm 30). They grew up in the Depression era, going without and scraping by. When our grandparents were starting their families (our parents), they wanted to make sure that their children wouldn't suffer like they did. It became a double-edged sword: on one hand, you have a generation of people who didn't want for anything but on the other hand, a generation of people who understand entitlement rather than hard work, generally speaking.
I don't know who I'll be voting for yet, but I do know that there is a reason why people are "poor". Throwing money at them will not solve their poverty issues.
I am surprised at how bereft this article is of sound economic theory given the subject matter of the blog. Your own bias is seething through your "interpretation" of the numbers, and the rhetoric you are pushing forth.
You use "strawman" techniques to characterize the plan as a "rich get richer" scheme, but ultimately you misrepresent the "spirit" of each plan. I don't even need to mention that the top 1% pay 40% of the income tax in America, do I? (And I certainly am not in that bracket) Do I need to also mention that over 50% of working Americans don't pay any income tax? The representation of the tax plan as a war on the poor is patently absurd...because the poor don't pay income tax as it is.
Your insistence on comparing the top .1% to much larger demographic segments is equally demonstrative of your bias. That is like comparing Ferraris and Toyotas. Just poor form overall.
This is just the beginning, one could go on for days pointing out the inaccuracies in your post, or give more background. Your face value (shallow) analysis leaves a lot to be desired, and is honestly a black mark for this site, which is typically exemplary. You are letting your political bias dictate your copy, regardless of whether it is intentional or not. It is obvious you don't have the capability to remove yourself from political bias, so I would suggest staying far away from the topic.
For the record, I dislike McCain a great deal. I am a Libertarian, and have no affiliation with either party. I just hate the purveyance of economic and fiscal ignorance.
...will the defecit continue to grow under McCain, who seems to be on a very similar path to Bush at this point? Also, McCain has credit card debt, Obama has none. Another indication of things to come? Who knows. And will the rich use that money to provide more jobs? In an ideal world, yes. But we've seen big business in the past make record profits and lay off hundreds of workers in the same year. When the priority is to the stock holders' best interests, it changes the equation significantly.
I can see how the numbers look like their in favor of Obama - but I do have a different question - which plan will better america? Do we take from the rich and give to the poor? Or do we give the poor the opportunity to make money? Yes, tax wise McCain's plan will only provide me with $21 - but if I can work more because the rich are able to pay more, what's that worth? I'm currently looking for employment and it is difficult because businesses don't have the money for payroll. If we tax those big businesses, is that going to make them provide more jobs, or fewer?
I don't want to depend on the government giving me money, I want to depend on the government to stop taking my money and allow me to grow. With our deficit I can tell that I'm better at managing my money than the government.
Thanks so much for sharing these! I love nifty sayings that actually mean something to me! :)
Does anyone know what Coinstar is charging now? Last time I used one was right after they got to our area and it was 5.5% I think. Not bad, but not great either. Then came the Amazon promotion where they didn't charge a fee if you took an Amazon giftcard. Fortunately for me, my local bank has started adding the change counting machines to their lobby and they don't charge a fee for account holders. I normally just save the coins (minus carwash & vending machine money) until I've got a few jars full and then cash them in. The money is split between extra debt payments and a splurge date (dinner or a movie) for the wife and I.
As Xin Lu pointed out, there are many, many factors to consider regarding the candidates and finance. My only hope is that people won't be "one-issue" voters, taking into account the bottom-dollar info from one or two blog posts.
I have been following the tax issue quite closely, and am very familiar with the 37-page report from the "preliminary" analysis. I hope people understand a few things before they cast their vote in stone:
1) The report is based on information gathered in a very early place in the election. As we have seen in the past, candidates "revise" their position continuosly, and often up until the day they are elected (and even afterwards in some instances.)
2) All tax planning is still subject to the joyous workings of our legislative system. We may even see some judiciary action on items that are especially provocative.
With this being said, I personally could fare better under either plan. The numbers put out by both you and Too Much didn't consider a few other things:
A few other things that caught my eye were:
We also need to think of America as a whole. While I'm all for getting more cash in my pocket, at what cost? The report clearly states "Overall, the economic effect of the Obama proposals will depend on how the resulting deficits are closed. If the deficits result in higher tax rates in the future, the economy will be harmed. If they are closed by spending cuts, the economic costs will be lower, but the long-term gain in progressivity may also be diminished depending on which programs are cut."
This election will be serious business, as usual. I hope everyone takes the time to really read up on the tax issues (as well as other issues) before deciding thier vote.
Thanks for bringing up this very important matter, Paul!
The day my bank stops accepting my change, is the day I change banks. If you don't like the money I give you, then I will find someone who does.
I'm a moderate who's voted for republicans and democrats in the past, Goldwater type I suppose.
I make just over $60,000 and was a little surprised how bad McCain's plan would be for me as this seems like an income firmly in the middle class. I heard him speak once in Ohio and thought from what he said he would be more supportive of the middle income folks like me, but the numbers here don't lie (actually, I checked on both their websites and this is a fairly good analysis of their systems - though simplified, it's accurate).
I guess this means my pocketbook is voting for Obama. That, and all the nuts talking about him not being Christian which is just crap.
Well, good article. I think there are other financial issues beyond just income taxes the two candidates differ in. For example, Obama wants to eliminate the social security tax income cap, so everyone will have to pay the full 12%. Additionally, Obama wants to extend unemployment benefits I believe. I really don't know how it will turn out in the end, but I am guessing Obama will probably win since the Republicans are so unpopular right now.
I was searching for uses for used denim because our RV club makes quilts from old jeans and I stumbled upon your page. You said you'd like to see a quilt made from old denim so I set our club's page as my homepage. Click on "Charities" then "Quilts For CHEO".
You should also look at the link "CHEO Thanks"
The two ladies in front are the driving force for the quilts, the one on the left is the woman with the idea and the obsession for continuing. We make the quilts for CHEO Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. We started a few years ago doing lap quits for seniors and branched into baby blankets for the infants in CHEO.
One of our members spoke to a representative of the hospital and was told that "the older kids are the ones that are missed in the hospital when it comes to receiving charitable gifts." She was told "if there is anything the group could do for them, it would be great". Our member came up with the idea of using recycled jeans. We have made and donated nearly 800 jean quilts using around 7000 pairs of jeans. Kids that are in the hospital have come to expect the quilts and even to the point they ask about them wondering if they will be lucky enough to get one.. The popularity is due to the pockets and so on being left intact. Unique patches with the jean makers name and so on integrated into the quilts.If the pics on our clubs website are not what you're looking for then let me know and I will send a couple of photos.
Harlow....
We hoard our quarters for laundry! Otherwise, I collect my husband's pocket change - The dimes & nickels are good for parking meters. And I find that I can dig out a few dollars in change as emergency funds when the coffers run low. I also find the pennies good for pesky sales tax - Usually small retail establishments are happy to be paid in change, as they are always in need of it! (I am talking $5-8 dollars, though - not more.) I save the other pennies to take to a Coinstar when I have to - any free exchanges in Los Angeles, do you know?
Hey Xin,
Great post, you have a lot of financial wisdom for someone so young. I wish more people my age understood that if you "live below your means, you will always have something to fall back on", that's great advice for everyone, including young grads.
I found this blog because I now have a young grad living with me. He wanted to live and work in Dallas, we're from the same small town, and I'm good friends with his father so my wife and I agreed to put him up for a few months. He's curious about personal finance and investing so I wanted to find some information that is really geared toward his generation. This seems to be the right place!
I haven't explored much. Do you have any personal favorite posts that your readers we're really excited about or do you write anywhere about what got you enthused enough about personal finance and investing to start a blog?
Thanks & keep up the great writing!
Jay
www.Money-and-Investing.com
I'm not terribly convinced by the study. As I understand this study, the researchers basically stopped at intersections with red-lights, and then pretended not to notice when the light turned green. Supposedly, drivers of cars with bumper stickers and other personalizations would honk two seconds earlier on average than drivers of "generic" cars.
You could argue that a person who honks sooner may seem more aggressive, but I think it's a leap. I expect there are other metrics, such as the people who are pulled over for speeding or agressive driving, or the people who run red lights, or the people weaving in and out of traffic, that would be more telling than this.
To think that a Seller's Listing Broker is going to help you negotiate the lowest sales price is moronic. Their job is to obtain the highest and best offer for their seller. Any Buyer's Agent worth his salt is going to do his best job to get you the home you want at the lowest price. By the way, buyer's agent's negotiate their split too. You probably paid far more in the price than you saved in the commission.
Bank Atlantic also lets you take your change into a branch and a machine sorter will count and print out a receipt you take to a teller to get it in bills. You do not have to be a customer for this service. I believe it is still free.
I didn't start gardening for exercise, but I find I'm getting quite a lot of it, especially since I expanded my garden this year, which means lots of digging and moving things. And as you say, it's so economical--the same (cheap) activity give you exercise, food, and a terrific sense of accomplishment.
It's not too late to plant from seed if you've got a decently long fall. I live in Ohio (zone 5/6) and I'm going out today to plant seeds for fall carrots and turnips. And squash and cucumbers grow quickly enough from seed that you could start them now and get a great harvest in a couple of months.
MIB is indeed the Big Brother of the insurance industry. What a lot of people don't know, however, is that MIB is strictly regulated by the Federal government, and that consumers should not assume that they have to allow their personal health records to be shared with MIB, which then has the right to share it with pretty much anyone they like, often with no protection of privacy whatsoever.
Under the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“Privacy Rule”) implemented by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), all "individually identifiable health information" held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral, is protected and consumers have a right to demand it remains private.
However, insurance companies routinely request consumers waive their rights to privacy as a condition of providing coverage. If you apply for health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, read your application carefully, you will no doubt find a clause that states the insurance company may share what should be private, confidential medical records with Big Brother, who can then share it with everyone else.
What most consumers don't know is that it is illegal for insurance companies to require you to do this. The privacy rule clearly states that a covered entity (such as an insurance company) may not condition treatment, payment, enrollment, or benefits eligibility on an individual granting an authorization to disclose protected information.
In simple terms, this means an insurance company cannot deny coverage because you refuse to waive your privacy rights and allow the company to share information with Big Brother.
Read the application, find those clauses where they ask you to waive your rights to privacy, cross them out – and if the insurance company insists you give them the right to share your protected information, file a complaint with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or your state attorney general's office.
Congress went to great lengths to draft legislation to protect our privacy, yet the insurance industry routinely asks you to waive those rights. It's time we did something to stop this nonsense.
Change can make for some original gifts - where the coins are always welcome!
If you know a high school graduate or someone who is moving to an apartment where they'll need to pay to do laundry, wrap up $10 or $20 in quarters and gift it with laundry supplies.
For little kids, buy an inexpensive piggy bank and fill it with pennies and nickels. They'll have fun counting their loot and you'll get them started on the fun of saving.
If you have a friend or colleague who is starting a new job or moving to a city where they'll have to pay for parking, give them a 'parking meter fund' made up of quarters, dimes, and nickels.
These are inexpensive and original gifts that the recipients will thank you for - and remember you for - everytime they use the change.