I have $500,000 in self directed retirement ...

Filed under: Food In these trying times, when most things are either constant or sliding down the graph, crabs are slowly climbing up. Phillips Foods Inc., the global seafood processing giant announced recently that crab meat is an increasingly popular option on restaurant menus, despite the Recession. The November issue of Dataessentials Menu Trends reported that crab cakes, which are roasted, seared, sautéed, baked or grilled, have enjoyed a good showing in both fine- and casual-dining restaurants, scampering up from 11% in 2005 to 15% in 2009. In the all-important appetizer category, the little crustaceans have jumped 12% in the last two years. No doubt this is because crab meat is cheap and versatile while retaining a reputation as an upmarket delicacy. Appearances still count, even when noshing. Crabs grab a piece of the cake originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Real Estate , Refinancing Though imperfect in many ways, the government does have a number of options for the average homeowner in need of assistance to avoid foreclosure. But the U.S. median home price in October stood at only $173,000, down a whopping 25% from a high back in 2006 of about $230,200. What happens if you need help with your mortgage and your home is in the million dollar or above range? It's not uncommon in many more affluent coastal regions of the north- and south east, as well as large swatches of California. Increasingly, the best option for you folks, according to figures cited by Bloomberg News , appears to be the common short sale. (That's when a lender agrees to take less than what the mortgage is worth just to get the property off its books.) Continue reading Short sales proving popular for many wealthier home owners Short sales proving popular for many wealthier home owners originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Budgets , Extracurriculars , Technology In telling the Los Angeles Times that his sales are going "through the roof," Richard Schneider might make cable TV providers hit the roof. That's because Schneider's company makes antennas to watch television the old-fashioned way -- for free over the airwaves. Schneider's St. Louis-based Antennas Direct cranks out 100,000 antennas every month, adding to the ranks of the 13 million American households that already watch over-the-air TV, the Nielsen survey company said in the Times article. In Southern California alone, at least 30,000 households returned to antenna viewing in the last year, and the trend will likely continue nationwide as the recession hangover lingers, according to the story. How about that? At the dawning of another tech-muscled decade, a Rockwell portrait of throwback domesticity is emerging: the family gathered in front of the TV with rabbit ears on top! Dozens of channels are available and the picture is surprisingly clear, the story said. And did we mention it's FREE? Continue reading Hello, rabbit ears! Americans give free antenna TV a new look Hello, rabbit ears! Americans give free antenna TV a new look originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Bargain Babe Through Wednesday, Dec. 30, sale stuff is even more on sale at Athleta, the women's athletic gear store that is part of the GAP/Old Navy/Banana Republic chain. Use code MINIUS20 at checkout. Not sure if it is case sensitive. Before the additional 20 % off, a pair of semi-fitted cords with a bit of stretch in them are $35 (orig $84). They are only available in limited sizes in a burnt red color called henna. An insulated sweater jacket that comes with a waist belt, lined sleeves and stitching at the cuffs and hem is $105 (orig $148). Available in gray in all sizes. Expires Dec. 30 at 11:59 pm EST. Caveats: valid in the U.S. and Puerto Rico only. Not valid on giftcards, packaging, taxes, shipping or handling. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.Athleta sale stuff 20% off originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Recession Diaries By now, you know the numbers statisticians and economists most often use to paint the picture of the Great Recession: unemployment percentages, jobs lost and created, and gross national product among them. Now, add to that another crucial though less obvious number: shifts in U.S. population growth. While that might sound like a variable regardless of the economy, a recent New York Times story by reporter Damien Cave reveals that the recession has caused some dramatic demographic shifts. The evidence lies in new U.S. Census Bureau figures culled between July 2008 and July 2009, with the trends expected to take more solid form as we head into the 2010 Census year.Continue reading Political power migrates with the population: 2010 Census will change who rules Political power migrates with the population: 2010 Census will change who rules originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Taxes-audit , Taxes-advice , Taxes-tax credits , Taxes-tax deduction , Taxes-online The tax gods smiled on me when they made me the younger brother of a CPA -- a guy who saved my butt countless times back in the day when I didn't know a tax return from toilet paper. Thus I've always had the advantage of instant, free tax advice when I need it. Yet no matter how many times I asked Brother Joe about beating the IRS audit system, he was always pretty cautious, and 100 percent truthful. "There's no fool-proof way to do it," he'd tell me. But now comes news from the most unlikely of sources -- the IRS itself -- that your chances of being audited are 1 in 100 if you follow one simple rule: Show an income under $200,000. Continue reading IRS shows a simple way to avoid income tax audit IRS shows a simple way to avoid income tax audit originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Transportation , Insurance-car On the way to the gym this morning, I heard some disturbing news on the radio: John Knowlton, 27, of Onset, Mass., was flown by medical helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital after he sustained serious injuries when a drunk driver, who had five previous drunk-driving arrests on his record, smashed into a car he was a passenger in, according to police . The drive was Carlos J. Owen, 51, and he was arrested for operating under the influence of alcohol, serious bodily injury resulting; negligent operation of a motor vehicle; and leaving the scene of an accident after causing personal injury. This raises an interesting question: how many times do you have to drive drunk to get arrested for it six times?Continue reading Drunk drivers average one arrest for every 27,000 miles driven while drunk Drunk drivers average one arrest for every 27,000 miles driven while drunk originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Bargain Babe Wow! Get a two-year subscription to Parenting magazine for $3 with code 1b62. A two-year supply of the mag is usually $30 so this is a sweeeeeet deal. To get the deal you have to register a user name, e-mail and create a password on Tanga, a daily deal Web site that introduces one type of product each day. It is especially popular for puzzles and games. For some reason, today they are selling Parenting magazine. This is a great deal so it won't last. Send it to friends who might be interested! Thanks to Bargain Briana for spotting this one!Parenting magazine for 2 years for $3 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Recession Diaries Last year at this time, one writer -- and only one -- in the entire Chicago Tribune features department was either brave or foolish enough to bare his family finances for all to see: yours truly. In a two-page spread, I outlined 10 steps to a better family budget, using my own experiences with debt, savings and spending habits as the template. This led in short order to a roller coaster ride I could never have anticipated: taunts from twisted readers who bombarded me with mean comments about how dumb my wife and I were. a gig as the Tribune's recession columnist. getting laid off by the Tribune about a month later. hundreds of well wishes from fans who couldn't believe the Tribune would lay off the Recession Guy. and finally: an immediate invitation from WalletPop editor Beth Pinsker Gladstone to move my "Recession Diaries" column to AOL, which I did. Continue reading Put the solution in 'resolution:' 10 steps to financial sanity in 2010 Put the solution in 'resolution:' 10 steps to financial sanity in 2010 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Bargain Babe CVS has some great deals this week, plus their Christmas stuff is 50 percent off. I've highlighted the best ones below. Final prices are after earning Extra Care Bucks, which are essentially paper vouchers good towards future purchases. They are usually valid for about two weeks. You need to be a member of CVS' Extra Care Bucks program to earn them. RP = Red Plum coupon insert P&G = Procter and Gamble coupon insert Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste 4 oz.: $2.99 Use the "$1 off 1 Colgate Total Advanced Whitening, Total Advanced Clean or Total Advanced Fresh Toothpaste" from All You magazine March 2009 issue or Jan. 2010. Earn $2 Extra Care Bucks (ECBs), limit 1. Final price: FREE. Pantene Hair Care: buy 2 for $7 Use "$3 off 2" coupon from Dec. 27 P&G coupon insert. Receive $2 ECBs. Final price: $1 each.Continue reading CVS deals starting Dec. 27 CVS deals starting Dec. 27 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Tax , Celebs & Money "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis may have been on the naughty list this year -- and he's making a federal case out of it. Francis has filed a federal lawsuit claiming that the IRS has targeted him unfairly for enforcement. According to TMZ , the suit alleges that the IRS unlawfully froze $33 million of Francis' assets hours after his plea agreement with prosecutors relating to tax evasion charges. The initial charges against Francis alleged that Francis claimed over $20 million in phony business expenses on his corporate tax returns for 2002 and 2003. Reportedly, those expenses include $3.8 million for a Mexican vacation home. Francis was also accused of transferring millions of dollars offshore in order to evade taxation. If convicted, he had faced a maximum of 10 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000.Continue reading "Girls Gone Wild" founder claims IRS out to get him "Girls Gone Wild" founder claims IRS out to get him originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Budgets , Food After pasta, chicken is a popular feature on many home menus. It's inexpensive and can appeal to different tastes because it's, well, safe and bland. But it doesn't have to be. Shawn McClain, James Beard Award-winning chef of Las Vegas' Sage restaurant, cooks up a tasty chicken dish that makes the most of fall's bounty. This braised chicken meal can serve four people. Chicken Braised with Cider, Honey Crisp Apple and Butternut Squash 4 to 5 pounds chicken legs, skin on and drumsticks and thighs separated Flour for dusting 3 ounces vegetable oil 1 large onion, sliced 2 honey crisp apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into large dice 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1 1/2 cup apple cider 1 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 1/2 cup Basmati rice (though long grain rice will also do) 1 tablespoon butter 1 1/4 cup water Salt and pepper Continue reading Delicious braised chicken for under $15 Delicious braised chicken for under $15 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Budgets , Travel Think getting bumped from your flight is just one more annoyance of modern travel that you can't do anything about? You're wrong. The Department of Travel (DOT) says you do have a right to compensation. We received a late call last night from our daughter, who was in route to the Big Island of Hawaii. Unfortunately, she was stuck in Honolulu because she was 'bumped' off her Mesa Airlines flight and it was the last one for the night. While they offered to put her up in a local hotel, they could not guarantee that she could get on a flight in the morning. Understandably upset, she was told that an earlier flight in the day had been canceled and she was being bumped so these passengers could get on the flight. She returned to the airport this morning and was told that the earliest she could get out was late afternoon because all the flights were full with booked passengers. She reminded them that she also was a "booked passenger," and suggested that they bump someone so she could get on the flight and still make the wedding she was scheduled to attend. The clerk said, "We can't bump a confirmed passenger." "Well, you bumped me," she replied, "so I know you can do it." The clerk put her on standby with 20 other people.Continue reading Bumped off a flight? You can get compensated. Bumped off a flight? You can get compensated. originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Shopping , Technology Even though more people were feeling OK about giving cash as a gift this holiday season (if the envelope contents at my family gatherings are any indication), people still gave out a lot of gift cards this year. If you were lucky enough to have an aunt who knows you love Outback, like me, then you should consider yourself lucky; but if you ended up with a gift to the Pottery Barn instead of credit at GameStop, you may find a new Facebook app that lets you trade your unwanted gift cards for free very useful. The Gift Card Exchange App by CardHub on Facebook is a free tool that lets you list gift cards you don't want for all of your friends to view. You can also browse through the list of your friends' unwanted gift cards to find a potential trade or sale. The service is entirely free and operates on the principle of trust rather than verifying gift card balances before the sale. The use of trust is why your gift cards are only seen by your friends and vice versa. While the tool is very useful if you have friends also using the Gift Card Exchange App, you won't see the immediate availability of trades and number of individuals you would find on other gift card exchange websites. But, the ability to do the trades for free and often exchange for a gift card of the same value are significant reasons to try out the Gift Card Exchange App. Couple that with the fact that Gift Card Exchange lets you trade gift cards for small local businesses that typically can't be listed on many big sites, and you have a great way to get rid of unwanted gift cards.Show your friends: How to get rid of unwanted gift cards on Facebook originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments