Parent loans to kids?

Filed under: Debt , Retire , Saving Money , Wealth , Recession Am I the only American who's disappointed the economy's getting better? I know it doesn't make sense -- I myself have been so underemployed these last two years it makes me nostalgic for the soul-sucking sales job I hated so much I wanted to chew off my arm to get out. (It turns out all those relatives who lived through the Depression were right -- that was a good, steady job.) So you'd think I'd be sending love notes to Timothy Geithner at the news of unemployment holding steady at 9.7% while retail sales increase .Continue reading Economy better, but return of conspicuous consumption is not good news Economy better, but return of conspicuous consumption is not good news originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Debt , Credit Cards With so many Americans in dire financial straits these days, it's no wonder that advertisers of "settle your debt" services have found an eager audience. These companies promise to slash your debt by thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars. But is it too good to be true? "In my opinion, it's a questionable industry overall," Linda Sherry, director of national priorities for watchdog group Consumer Action, told WalletPop via e-mail. "Why should any company be allowed to take its fees before the promised service has been delivered or accomplished?" Continue reading If a company offers to settle your credit card debt, be wary If a company offers to settle your credit card debt, be wary originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Home , Family Money , Green Use less detergent in your dishwasher, says Alina Tugend in the New York Times : You'll save money now, and later. According to her chats with several dishwasher and washing machine repair people and experts, we are not just using too much detergent: we are using "10 to 15 times the amount of soap" necessary to get the job done. You read that right: we could all cut our dishwashing liquid and laundry soap budgets by 90%.Continue reading Use far less soap, it's good for your washer and your wallet Use far less soap, it's good for your washer and your wallet originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Saving Money , Technology , Travel , Economizer It's bad news for hotel industry execs, but good news for thrifty globetrotters: according to USA Today, luxury hotel chains like Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons are dramatically decreasing room prices and offering extras and promotions (restaurant credits, free third nights) in an effort to fill up those pricey suites. And it's working -- bookings for the upcoming second quarter are up 7.2%. So how can you cash in on this development? For starters: if you've had your eye on a certain hotel and destination for a while, check their Web site to see if they're following this trend. And if they are, book soon -- if business spikes, hotels can yank back these concessions as quickly as they put them up.Continue reading Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons drop prices so you can afford luxury Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons drop prices so you can afford luxury originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

As the film world convenes this week at the ShoWest convention in Las Vegas, one of the hot topics is sure to be the box-office futures market. Come April, after expected approval by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, industry and regular folks will be able to purchase futures derivatives from Cantor Fitzgerald that basically bet on or against the success of studio movies six months before they open. The tally covers the first four weeks of domestic release. Shares will be worth a millionth of the film's expected total, so a predicted $100 million movie would offer $100 contracts. The minimum contract will be $50. WalletPop wants kibitzers who fancy themselves Hollywood players to get a head-start, so we've enlisted an expert for tips on how to spot potential winners. Continue reading And...action! How to win Hollywood futures trading And...action! How to win Hollywood futures trading originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Technology As the Internet interposes itself into our lives, broadband Internet access has become increasingly necessary for work, recreation, and fellowship. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), thanks to money set aside in the Recovery Act, is creating a National Broadband Plan, and it would like your help in establishing the current baseline level of service. The FCC has created a Web site, Broadband.gov , and beseeches you to visit the page and use the embedded test to determine the quality of the broadband you currently enjoy (or document your lack thereof). I did so (results above) and found that my Internet service provider was giving me what I subscribed for.Continue reading FCC planning broadband for all, asks you to test yours FCC planning broadband for all, asks you to test yours originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Make Money Fast , Family Money , Career For many stay-at-home parents, getting a job outside of the home seems impossible. But that doesn't mean you can't find ways to earn money by setting up shop in your home. Skip the envelope stuffing, crafts assembly, and other dicey work-at-home schemes out there to avoid wasting time and money. Check out the following five suggestions for launching a home-based business. All of these business can be done with kids in tow if necessary.Continue reading 5 home-based businesses you can start now 5 home-based businesses you can start now originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Banks , Credit , Debt , In the News Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) gave up trying to find a bipartisan compromise on the bill to overhaul the financial regulatory system and plans to introduce a new version of the bill on Monday. The House of Representatives passed a financial reform bill in December with a separate agency for consumer financial protection to be known as the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA). Unfortunately Dodd does not think he can get a bill that includes a separate consumer financial agency passed in the Senate, especially now that the Democrats no longer have a 60-vote majority. So he's backing away from his earlier stance to weaken the Federal Reserve and plans to put a new division inside the Federal Reserve, which he says will have autonomy -- but will it be enough?Continue reading Dodd's new financial bill means Fed wins, consumers could lose Dodd's new financial bill means Fed wins, consumers could lose originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Technology If you were one of the estimated 150,000 people (like me) who ordered an iPad in the first three days after Apple began accepting orders for early April delivery, you're probably an early adopter -- made of part vanity, part curiosity, with a willing to pay a premium for the latest and greatest toys inventions. I'm not sure it isn't wiser to be a secondary adopter, though -- the closets of early adopters are jammed with failures, and even those successes come at a steep cost. Remember standing in line for a $599 8GB iPhone? ATT now sells those for $99 with a two-year plan. Smart Money recently deconstructed early adopters by studying their digital scat, pointing to seven devices in the past 30 years that helped define the class:Continue reading 150,000 iPad early adopters might not be the smartest consumers 150,000 iPad early adopters might not be the smartest consumers originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Extracurriculars , Celebs & Money One of the most beloved songs from the Pink Floyd's oeuvre is Money . You can probably hear in your head the derision in singer David Gilmour's voice as he sings, "Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash." Therefore I'm prone to believe that the band's court victory, announced on March 12, forbidding the sale of individual songs off of albums meant to be presented as whole works was, as professed, protecting artistic vision and not an effort to "make a stash." This decision, reported in the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) could have a sharp downside for consumers, if the band prices albums by the formula "number of songs x $0.99." I'd pay much more than a buck for "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," or "Breathe," but not even a nickel for dreary tunes such as "Mother" from The Wall or the demented "The Grand Vizer's Garden Party: Part 2." from Ummagumma.Continue reading Pink Floyd can require songs be sold by the album only, says judge Pink Floyd can require songs be sold by the album only, says judge originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Make Money Fast , Economizer Wouldn't it be great if you could get help with random tasks like creating a new business card, proofing and reviewing your resume or editing a photo? That's the idea behind a new service, Fiverr , which connects you with users who will do almost anything you want for $5. You can connect with a native speaker in a foreign country for 30 minutes of honing your language skills, get your computer problem solved, a dream interpreted or even your best-man speech written, all for $5. There are also some disturbing tasks offered, like giving your girlfriend's photo a virtual breast augmentation or hiring someone to call your boss in the middle of the night to tell them they suck. Oddball tasks aside, the service offers you numerous opportunities to get small tasks done pretty cheap, and if you can't find what you're looking for you can submit it as a request.Continue reading Fiverr.com lets you outsource your tasks for $5 Fiverr.com lets you outsource your tasks for $5 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Technology 2009 was a banner year for Internet scammers, according to a report released by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. Complaints more than doubled to 146,663 and the value of losses exceeded half a billion dollars. I'm certain that these numbers are only a small portion of the real figures, limited by the public's lack of awareness of who to contact when they are scammed online. The study reveals some interesting trends in online theft. The most common type of scams? Offers/requests/demand supposed from the FBI: 16.6% Non-delivery of merchandise/payments: 11.9% Advance fee fraud: 9.8% Identity theft: 8.2% Overpayment fraud: 7.3% Continue reading 2009 a boom year for internet scams, cyber police say 2009 a boom year for internet scams, cyber police say originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Shopping , Technology By now you're probably accustomed to seeing ads appear in Google when you use it to search. You probably aren't even surprised when those ads relate to others searches you've done or pages you've visited. You may well, however, be interested in what takes place in that blink of any eye between when you enter a search for, say "Kate Snow," and the time a list of potential info sources is returned to you. In the Internet age, according to the New York Times these milliseconds are enough time to hold an auction for your eyeballs, called real-time bidding." This means that in this eye blink Your search term and your Internet history are put up for bid Companies looking to reach shoppers like you competitively bid for the right to pitch their message on your search response A winner is selected and the proper ad is served up and placed on the response Continue reading Between your Google query and response, you are auctioned off Between your Google query and response, you are auctioned off originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Money College , Health Inhale... Finesse the filter on the tips of your fingers like a freshly-peeled grape... Now exhale and watch the plume twist and curl like outline of a nubile feminine figure... Smoking is sexy. No matter how you respond to that assertion, the majority of young people who initially reach for a cigarette do so thinking it will help their public image. Whether it was a "Sex in the City" character smoking Marlboro Lights, a film noir detective brooding in the shadows with his cig, Audrey Hepburn striking a pose, or a teenager rebelling against his or her parents, smoking cigarettes is a defining character trait . Continue reading Money College: Smoking burns a hole in your wallet Money College: Smoking burns a hole in your wallet originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Technology , In the News Apple has announced a battery replacement program for its new iPad that will cost you $99, in an attempt to head off battery life issues before the product even ships. Should the battery in your iPad have problems, Apple will ship you an entirely new iPad , or you can visit an Apple store and they'll hand you a new one, assuming your unit is in good shape otherwise. The cost is $99. A replacement unit can also be ordered over the phone for an additional $7 shipping and would take a week to arrive to your address. Apple's products are notorious for shortened battery life and have faced both criticism and lawsuits regarding the inability of consumers to replace them. Apple is trying to assuage any concerns about battery life for its latest creation before the first iPad shipments on April 3. Preorders began on March 12, with initial sales said to be around 120,000 . The program could also be a way for Apple to get you to continually invest in the latest version of the iPad at a discount. Batteries on the units are expected to last around two to three years, so by the time you need a new battery, a new model is sure to have been introduced.Replace your iPad for $99 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments