Recent comments

  • 5 Reasons Why You Should Give Kids Cash for the Holidays   10 years 27 weeks ago

    No. It saves wasted money on shipping. Over 200$ last year. Young people want cash. Distance makes intelligent gifting too hard. Christmas is the retail Holy Day, it's crass and the definition of thoughtless. I enjoy buying gifts for my 2 + 5 step kids and their spouses x2 and grandkids 5 and counting but it has ballooned into a real burden. Each of the grown ones has a struggle getting started with their household, and cash solves a lot of problems, like having an emergency fund. The kids have way too much stuff to even keep tidy, and not enough strength to bust out of the retail enslavement.

  • 5 Amazing Honeymoons That Only Seem Expensive   10 years 27 weeks ago

    As a Hawaii resident since 2007, I wouldn't recommend to visit the islands during the last days of April and the first days of May. The Hawaiian Islands are overrun with tourists during Japan's "Golden Week", when most businesses are closed and travelers from Japan head in droves to Hawaii. The bulk of our visitors are from Japan. During that week, you'll have a harder time finding accommodations and renting cars and, if you're able to get them, you're very likely to pay a premium!

  • Cheat Sheet: Retail Markup on Common Items   10 years 27 weeks ago

    I don't think you understand wholesale and retail... The markup in this article is the difference between them. The wholesale price would already have the cost of research built into it. The markup to retail is for the distributor of the product like a pharmacy.

  • 4 Ways to Avoid Awkward Moments at White Elephant Parties   10 years 27 weeks ago

    Our family does a white elephant exchange every year. We do it just like the author describes except we choose to add the rule that it must be consumable. Still, there are certain people you can count on for nice gifts and others that bring gag ones so it's lots of fun. Bright pink duct tape, toilet paper, and a Tupperware full of nails were some of the funny ones last year.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    Driving around and looking at Christmas lights and listening to the Mannheim Steamroller Christmas albums, it's been a tradition since I was a child!

  • 3 Cheap and Easy Formulas for Homemade Windshield De-Icer (Plus Bonus Tips)   10 years 27 weeks ago

    Balazs, letting your car idle is hard on the engine? Where in gods name did you get this information? I suppose every time you stop at the traffic light or are studk in traffic it is harder on your engine than driving it under load. That is probably close to the dumbest statement I have ever heard. Something made up by some idiot environmentalist I imagine to try and convince everyone of the evils of driving cars. Ask ANY mechanic, you know, someone who actually knows what they are talking about regarding internal combustion engines and they will tell you letting a car idle is not harder on the engine than driving it!

  • 6 Helpful Tools to Manage Your Small Business   10 years 27 weeks ago

    For e-commerce credit card processing... Stripe, Square and PayPal are great, I've used each of them and have set clients up with them. BUT once you hit about $3,000 a month you'll save money in processing fees with a merchant account and payment gateway. You need to do due diligence in choosing a merchant account processor. Look for a processor that offers Interchange + pricing, that's the most transparent pricing structure. You'll also want to make sure they don't have a cancellation fee if you cancel the contract.

  • 8 Surprising Ways to Pay Off Your Student Loans   10 years 27 weeks ago

    Just a heads up - I joined SponsorChange.org over two years ago and am STILL waiting to see any benefit from it. I've inquired multiple times about service opportunities and there have been NONE.

  • 9 Ways Money Does Buy Happiness   10 years 27 weeks ago

    I don't think money can buy happiness without many other factors coming into play, but a shortage of money can buy misery. As to which may be cause vs consequence, I think it's hard to tell. At the other end of the scale, money alone isn't the thing, just ask that bah humbug fellow.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    We go to a morning Mass and then have brunch at home.

  • How Low Can You Go? Taking the No Heat Challenge   10 years 27 weeks ago

    I lived in my apartment in Iowa at 38 degrees 2 years ago. I just put boots on and laid in a sleeping bag

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    I enjoy listening to Bing Crosby records. I'd love to skip the tradition of everyone buying each other gifts, I'd rather we just did it for the kids.

  • 12 Cheap Ways to Make Your Car Look Awesome   10 years 27 weeks ago

    Vinyl wrap it instead of paint job! Can cost as little as $100 to do it yourself. If you do your research and follow good instructions you will get the car looking brand new in a matter of days

  • 9 Ways Money Does Buy Happiness   10 years 27 weeks ago

    It's misleading to say it buys happiness since it only clears a potential path to it. Having intimately known many wealthy folk who were rarely (if ever) happy despite being free to pursue that path proves money cannot buys wisdom, a radically different commodity than education. This altered for me how much I pursued the acquisition of money for the rest of my life since the balance between money and happiness can often be directly inverse.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    We get the whole family together for a special Hanukkah meal - even if it means taking unusual measures. This year I was 38 weeks pregnant and we still drove across the country for it, even though I knew I was risking giving birth at the wrong hospital. It was worth it.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    We always decorate the tree together and bake some treats. We drive around and look at Christmas lights and attend the Christmas parade in our town.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    We usually get together for a Christmas Eve dinner, and then a large Christmas day lunch, with the Charlie Brown Christmas album playing in the background. We've tried to also limit the gift giving as well, but someone always breaks the rules!

  • Make Your DVD Player Region-Free in Seconds   10 years 27 weeks ago

    Hello guys
    May be one of you had an experience unlocking build in car dvd payer
    I have Honda Odyssey 2012 with build in dvd player - I do not know the make and Honda customer service cannot find it for me.
    I'm in region 1 and need it unlock for region 2
    Any advice - is there universal unlock code ?
    thank you in advance

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    We go caroling!

  • 101 Ways to Save Money Around the House   10 years 27 weeks ago

    Get a quote on your homeowners, rental, and auto insurance EVERY year!

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    we have appetizers on Christmas eve with the family

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    My favorite tradition is picking out the tree and decorating it.

  • Why I (Heart) My High Deductible Health Insurance Plan   10 years 27 weeks ago

    I am debating this right now. (standard plan vs. lower cost high deductible) I rarely go to doctors, and I have no regular prescriptions. But I don't think you can assume the insurance company will continue to negotiate better charges for you (reasonable and customary) Why should they? They won't pay a cent until that large deductible is met. Their immediate concern is people in regular plans, whose bills they have to control. The low deductible plan I am being asked to consider is $6k. That is a big chunk of change.

    Sure you save a lot of money if you stay healthy, but a couple visits or expensive tests / scans will kill that HSA before you hit your deductible, and then you are in trouble.

  • Why Savings Account Interest Rates Are So Low   10 years 27 weeks ago

    Some community banks and credit unions have high interest checking accounts, offering around 2 to 3% interest which they max out after 10k to 25k. There are hoops you have to jump through like making 10-15 debit card transactions a month, signing up for electronic statements, having a direct deposit or debit each month. They are usually FDIC or NCUA insured, so it's a nice alternative to the market and typical savings accounts.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Holiday Traditions?   10 years 27 weeks ago

    We drive and look at Christmas lights.