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GOOG - GoogleWhat is the buzz about Google on Twitter?What Blogs are saying about GOOGMarket Slaps Bears
The market decided to slap bears around today and I got caught on the wrong side - 6% hit. I also took my losses in all the ETFs I mentioned earlier today about 6% as well there. I made 7.6% on TNA early this morning.
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Levels I’m looking for tomorrow.
A trade of SPX above 873.29 and [...] Chart of the Day - S&P/TSX Composite
Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #12
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Mine was so nice that I’m not ready for it to end - and in fact it hasn’t really because I’m still eating turkey twice a day - a 22 lb. turkey between 2 people and 2 medium sized dogs means we will probably all be eating turkey [...] bluntmoney
BeThriftyLikeUs
Adobe Cuts FY Q4 Rev Outlook; Chops 600 Jobs
CRE Quote of the Day
China 50 ETF
If you’d like to invest in the local Chinese stock market, assuming you are able to set up a local account, the China 50 ETF is a pretty good way to go. Here are the current holdings (sorted by weighting). When things are down 60, 70, 80% and the mood is grim, it’s [...] Charlie Rose: American Automobile Industry
A conversation about the Auto Industry with Barney Frank, Richard Shelby, Andrew Ross Sorkin, David Cole.
56:02 - Nov 20, 2008 Paulson Still Doesn?t Understand Housing?s Problems
Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson once again reveals his appalling misunderstanding of the Housing market and its problems today when he floated his latest idea to “Stem Home-Price Declines.”
There are two problems with Housing:
Ultra low rates and an abdication of lending standards put 3 - 4 million people in homes they could not afford. The real [...] ING Direct Referral Giveway - First 25 Only
Do you have an ING Direct savings account with unused referrals? I usually have plenty, but have been falling behind again. The first 25 people who comment below tonight and leave a working contact e-mail (real name not required, e-mail will not be shared publicly) will get one filled by me for [...] Cost To Drive: A Simple Web Tool for Budgeting Road Trips
Are you making a long road trip for the holidays? Curious about how much it’s going to cost you? Cost To Drive can help.
When Kris and I took our short vacation in early October, I did something a little different. Though I’ve never been a budget guy, I set a budget for the trip. I [...] Century 21 Most Recognized Real Estate Brand
Century 21 released the results of a recent market research study today (see Inman News) that shows that they are “the best-known name in the business”.
Full results below:
?Please tell me which real estate agencies you have ever seen or heard of??
CENTURY 21: 97%
RE/MAX: 93%
Coldwell Banker: 89%
Prudential: 75%
ERA: 51%
GMAC: 38%
Keller Williams: 33%
Weichert : 18%
Realty Executives: 14%
The [...] Understanding Trading Channels on a Stock Chart
 When looking at charts, patterns are in the eye of the beholder. While a group of analysts will look at the same picture and derive different opinions, there are general rules we can apply. The most important is that any trend line must have three points on contact with the data series.
The below [...] Financial, Retail Weakness Mask Underlying Core Profitability
Don?t Forget to Enter the Free Book Giveaway - Killing Sacred Cows
On Monday, I reviewed Killing Sacred Cows. The author was gracious enough to grant me a second copy to giveaway to my loyal readers. Please head over to the article and enter the giveaway. You have a great chance of winning and entering is easy!(c) 2007-2008, That One Caveman, http://www.thatonecaveman.com
Other articles you [...] I Bought a New Ipod
Remember when my Ipod broke?
Well, I put off getting a new one because I’m always trying to save my money. But now that we are past Thanksgiving, I can’t go any longer without having my Christmas music on demand.
So I shopped around over the last week or so and finally pulled the trigger today [...] How To Give Great Gifts
Roth IRA FAQ, Income Streams and Financial Q & A @ The Carnivals
I may have some pinch hitters here the next few days (guest posts maybe? But we’ll see…) since I may be a little busier than usual as I’m going to play host to a guest I’ll be having for the rest of the week. I’m pretty excited about it because this is the first [...] No Answer for Billy: Bad news for anyone hoping to...
Bad news for anyone hoping to get a definite Yes or No answer on whether the city should spend millions on a new elephant sanctuary. The city council, which considered the financial aspect of the zoo sanctuary today, voted to... Man Sued for Making Too Many ING Direct Referrals?
I recently stumbled across this story about ING Direct filing suit against someone for making too many ING Direct referrals. They also filed suit for trademark infringement since he was using their corporate name and trademark for his domain name. I can understand the trademark infringement but the suit over too many referrals [...] Your Free RESP eBook Is Ready
Easy RESP Guide - An RESP eBook
Well, finally I am done with RESP eBook. I had completed writing about 80% before I started my vacation. However, the remaining 20% content and making the eBook took me straight 3 days. I worked on this project last Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and now here I have everything [...] Synopsys FY Q4 Tops Ests; Guidance In Line; Stock Jumps
Xyratex Trims Guidance For FY Q4; Plans Layoffs
Cirrus Logic Cuts Q3 Revenue Outlook
Juniper: S&P Downgrades To Sell
SanDisk Rallies As Takeover Rumors Resurface
IDC Cuts ?09 PC Unit Growth Outlook to 3.8% From 13.7%; Q3 Server Revs Drop 5.2%, Worst Since ?02
RIMM Shrs Hold Up Despite Warning; Worries On Margins, Recession, Rivals Offset By High Hopes For Bold, Storm
Apple?s Reduced iPhone Production Hurts Infineon
Ratings Agencies: A New Model
WSJ: Treasury Considers Plan to Lower Mortage Rates to 4.5%
BofA CEO: No "short-term rays of sunshine"
On Tanta: Mortgage Pig for Charity and Compendium
Fannie Mae Limits DTI regardless of AUS Decision for Loans with MI
How Far Into Debt Should You Go?
While most of us get the general principle that we need to go into debt if we want to build up our credit, it?s tough to know exactly how far you should go. When you?re first starting out, it?s all too easy to get buried in bad debts that run into tens of thousands of [...] Candles and Converters
After a few days, I felt mostly adjusted. I liked what was I doing and I had gotten used to fans only at night. I was sitting at Alide at 3pm at Friday when the electricity went out. The A/C stopped its whir, the computers had to be turned off to save battery. The water [...] Prosper Marketplace Auctioning Debt
The Baltimore Sun is reporting the Prosper Settlement.
A settlement for $1 million dollars paid to 20 different states was announced today, with Prosper Marketplace agreeing to the payout after complaints poured in claiming that the peer-to-peer lending service was selling securities that were unregistered.
Prosper Marketplace is a business model that matches up those who want [...] Priced Out of College
Does it make much sense that CPI inflation is less than education, medical care and income? I guess food, energy and housing costs must have been pretty soft over that same period.
Oh, wait a minute . . .
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courtesy of the NYT
Thank goodness there hasn’t been much inflation over the past few years!
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Source:
College May Become [...] GM ?Bares Its Soul? for Bailout
In seeking money from Congress, GM acknowledged its mistakes and candidly explained how close they are to collapse. WSJ’s Jeff McCracken and Dennis Berman discuss GM’s bailout request. Wednesday links: scaling back
A neat look at how the market has performed (and evolved) relative to the 50 and 200 day moving averages. (Quantifiable Edges also Daily Options Report)
Momentum investing worked…even in the Victorian age. (SSRN.com)
A longer term look at the Arms Index. (VIX and More)
Taking tax losses can force you to look at your portfolio with fresh [...] End of the Year Tax Preparation
If you haven’t started already, now is the time to start your tax preparation. The sooner you start, the less stressed you’ll be.
Even though I have an accountant do my taxes, I still like to be prepared. Make sure you have all your information together, and the proper documentation. I make this something I do [...] How to get 20% off all purchases online
There is a somewhat little known tip on how to get upwards of 20% off purchases you back online. Well, technically it’s more like a 20% rebate but it still ends up in great savings. The trick…
Live.com
Microsoft has been losing ground to Google for quite some time. In order to promote their web services, Microsoft [...]
No related posts. Origins of Family Money
Dilbert?s One-Page Guide to Everything Financial
The story goes that Scott Adams wanted to publish this as a one-page book, but he couldn’t find a publisher to do it. In fact, he is quoted as saying that “if God materialized on earth and wrote the secret of the universe on one page, he wouldn’t be able to find a publisher” [...] How to Afford Anything (But Not Everything)
You can have anything you want — but you can’t have everything you want. That’s the lesson I learned from a recent conversation with my cousin. And that’s the lesson photographer Ken Rockwell imparts in an essay that explains how to afford anything.
Our ability to buy expensive toys has nothing to do with how [...] Challenging Your Personal Finance Status Quo
“You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.“ -Epicurus
Over the last two decades I have mentored (or tried to mentor) about 40 people, a large percentage of these people have been staff employees who frequently come to me to ask for career [...] Salvation Army Gets Creative
Check this out -- the Salvation Army is moving into the 21st century: This season, five bell-ringers in El Paso County, Colo., will be the first to accept debit and credit cards along with spare change and bills. Salvation Army... Limit of Six Withdrawals from Savings Accounts
Did you know that the Federal Reserve limits certain transactions on your savings and/or money market accounts? Well, they do. And guess what? This morning, I received the following e-mail from ING Direct:
Based on recent activity in your Orange Savings Account, we want to remind you that you cannot make more than six withdrawals from [...] Recession-Proof Careers
Given that the economy is now officially in a recession (whoulda thunk it?), I though it would be worth talking a bit about recession-proof careers. I’ve written in the past about this topic, but I actually just ran across another article on the topic, and decided to highlight it here.
Health Care
The health care industry is [...] Net Worth for November Posted
Our November net worth calculation has been posted on the Monthly Results page. We wound up with a net worth decrease of $4511.36, or about 4% for the month.
Prepare for an Increase in Mutual Fund Expense Ratios
Expenses play an important role for almost all investors. If you invest in mutual funds, index funds, or ETFs, you’re paying a fee to the investment company. These fees are built into the overall return, so they aren’t always readily apparent, but they do affect your return. The higher the fee, the greater the drag [...] Home Energy Audit Guide Step by Step: Part #1 - An Introduction to Home Energy Audits
Watchlist for December 3, 2008
Here we go again with another 2% gap to start the day. The obvious level to watch is yesterday’s low since the bulls were able to defend that area twice.
On Today’s Calendar:
10:00 — ISM Services
2:00 — Fed’s Beige Book
More Calendars: U.S. Earnings | Conf. Calls | Surprises | IPO | Economic
Potential swing [...] November Investment Income- $39.17
November was another bad month for my retirement savings. My monthly investment income went down from $41.34 last month to $39.17 this month. I actually made more money in interest and dividends last month than what I’m projecting as my income. This is because I received a quarterly dividend payment and I earned interest on [...] Macro Market Comment
Citigroup: A Sell At $3.00?
It?s Easy to Let Things Slip
Three years from now when I look back on finishing our basement, I’m probably going to say it was a financial mistake. What was originally going to be a $9,000 project has easily cost us at least $13,000 if not more. The careful planning and budgeting we set up before starting this project is all [...] The Next Big Thing?
Maybe the iPhone App Store. Apple has brought the Internet to the next level. That level that everyone expected during the tech bubble has arrived. The efficiency of distribution is impossible for the traditional model to compete with. Consumers are... Spotlighting The First Four Charities
The response to my 2008 Charity Spotlight article has been nothing short of amazing! I want to thank those of you who have already submitted your articles and suggestions, and I encourage those of you who would like to participate to read the announcement article and then contact me!
I want to make it easy for [...] Taking A Look At My 2008 Goals
Last December, I created some goals for 2008. Throughout the year, I have been tracking my progress. Here’s where I stand, with one month left in December, and with five months left to fund my wife’s Roth and my kids’ ESAs for 2008.
Account
Amount
Progress
My 403b
$15,500.00
$15,500.00
My Wife?s Pension
$2,000.00
$2,000.00
Daughter’s ESA
$2,000.00
$0.00
Son’s ESA
$2,000.00
$0.00
My Roth
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
My Wifes? Roth
$5,000.00
$0.00
Total
$31,500.00
$22,500.00
Technically, the 403b and my [...] Bought FCX Put Options
I own 200 shares of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc (FCX) with a pre-option cost of $72.50 each. I started this position by selling naked puts and have sold covered calls a couple of times since then. I waited since the last covered call options expired out of the money and didn’t bother selling new ones yet since I [...] How to Plan and Deal With Unexpected Money Drains
A man once told me that nothing should be unexpected because we can always expect that something unexpected will happen. Right now, I’m too upset to figure out whether I agree with this or not because the unexpected occurred to me - I received a bill from my doctor for $100.
“Your health insurance will cover [...] How I Save Money At CVS: November 30
Today I paid $0.50 for $21.47 worth of items. I am trying to see how much free stuff I can get from CVS while spending the least amount of money.
I only did one transaction today because I was only getting three items as the pickings this week are slim.
Transaction 1
Item: Two Dove deodorant (apparently [...] Tip #25: Earn more money using your God-given skills
This is Tip #25 of of the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge. (See past tips.)
Today’s tip is to earn more money by freelancing on the side. It sounds harder than it actually is — I’ll show you how below.
As I wrote during the presidential debates, you really have two levers to control when it [...] More Bagholderism
9 Year End Tax Savings Tips
It’s December and the year will be ending before you know it. Don’t fret, there’s still time to take advantage of some tax saving tips to make your tax burden next April a little less.
Here are 9 year end tax savings tips:
Max Your 401(k) - If you can afford to take the paycheck hit [...] NVDA: Financial Analysis through October 2008 (Updated)
Constellation Energy Shares Will Pop on New EDF Offer
Just before the market close yesterday, news broke that Electricite de France SA, also known as EDF, was once again interested in Constellation Energy Group (CEG). As you might recall, MidAmerican Energy Holdings, a Berkshire Hathaway (BRKa) subsidiary, is in the process of buying Constellation Energy for $4.7 billion or $26.50 a share.
Constellation Energy Group is a [...] 7 Common Mac Myths Exposed
Most Popular on Consumerism Commentary: November 2008
One of the best methods of reading Consumerism Commentary and staying up-to-date with the latest articles and posts is through RSS subscription. By subscribing to the Consumerism Commentary RSS feed with feed-reading software such as Google Reader or aggregators such as My Yahoo, you’ll always be aware of new content here.
If you [...] Personal Income Statement, November 2008 (Net Income: $22,787)
Along with the monthly personal balance sheet, which I use to track my net worth from month to month, I publish a report that outlines my income and expenses. The two reports together help me focus on the total picture.
My “extracurricular” income—money I’m earning outside of my day job through writing for Consumerism Commentary and [...] Yahoo: No One Is Buying WSJ?s Miller Buyout Theory
Infineon Shares Plunge 40% On Grim Outlook
Micron Extends Fall; Barclays Cuts Ests On DRAM Woes
Cyber Monday Online Spending Rose 15% Vs. 2007
Solar Storm: Webush Downgrades FSLR, ENER, SPWRA
Intel Estimates Coming Down As Notebook Demand Sags
Oracle: Will Wonders Never Cease! UBS Ups Q2 EPS Est
Hamilton on Auto Sales
ISM Non-Manufacturing Index Plunges in November
More Bad Employment News
2009 Federal Energy Tax Credits
What you may know as the $700 billion dollar bailout is actually called the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Much of this act probably made you feel upset and even alienated. One of the positive things that is coming from this Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, however, is the reintroduction of something known [...] Prosper and Loanio Updates
This news is a week old, but I’ve been a little too busy to get it out. It seems like the SEC ordered a cease and desist. I have to admit that reading the legalese is not my specialty. So I don’t really know what it amounts to. If anyone wants [...] Bear Trap in Oil Stocks?
Kroszner: CRA & the Mortgage Crisis
Sayeth the man:
“Some critics of the CRA contend that by encouraging banking institutions to help meet the credit needs of lower-income borrowers and areas, the law pushed banking institutions to undertake high-risk mortgage lending. We have not yet seen empirical evidence to support these claims, nor has it been our experience in implementing the law [...] Employment Notes Before Friday?s NFP
Dan Greenhaus is at the Equity Strategy Group at Miller Tabak + Co. where he covers markets and portfolio theory. He has contributed several chapters to Investing From the Top Down: A Macro Approach to Capital Markets (by Anthony Crescenzi).
This is his most recent commentary:
~~~
This morning?s ADP employment report spurred on some discussion of [...] Auto Sales
November’s stink auto sales:
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Source:
Another Month of Miserable Auto Sales
NICK BUNKLEY
NYT, December 2, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/business/03sales.html U.S. Auto Makers Come Back for More
General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC return to Washington, D.C., this time asking Congress for even more money — $34 billion — and it looks like they will get what they came for. Video courtesy of Fox News. No One Agrees with Amity Shlaes
While Amity Shlaes is suggesting a cut in the capital gains tax to spur investment, the nation’s Governors met with Obama yesterday to discuss infrastructure projects. The Washington Post takes a look at some of the complexity in pumping money through the states:
In a recession that lasts only a few months, economists say spending on [...] More Bailout Comparisons
Last week’s discussion on the size of the bailout expenditures generated some interesting buzz. A few others picked up on the size, and created a few different ways to depict the amount of money involved.
These have been my favorites:
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Bailout Pie Chart
chart courtesy of voltagecreative
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Prior Bailouts as a % of US GDP
via mindtangle (note that this [...] US stock market returns ? what is in store?
US stock market returns ? what is in store?
Stock market movements over the past few months have been characterized by increased volatility as uncertainty became paramount. And as new pieces of the economics puzzle are added every day, investors are increasingly grappling to make sense of the most likely direction of stock prices.
It seems to [...] Cicero and the Roman Credit Crunch, 88 BC
Funny, I just was discussing this last month at a luncheon:
Politicians searching for historical precedents for the current financial turmoil should start looking a bit further back after an Oxford University historian discovered what he believes is the world’s first credit crunch in 88BC.
The good news is that Philip Kay knows how the Romans got [...] EZ-CASH Bailout Application
Amusing email circulating trading desks:
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Source:
Apply for a Federal Bailout!
Bruce Feirstein
Vanity Fair, December 1, 2008, 9:47 am
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2008/12/bailout-application-leaked.html Mad Money / Jim Cramer Daily Recap 12/2/08
Please do your own research, and verify all information before acting on it. This summary of Cramer’s picks is not intended to replace watching the shows, where his comments about the stocks often include advice about entry and exit points.
On Tuesday’s “Mad Money” show Cramer said with the bailout of Citigroup (C), the buying of [...] Ebiz5 PPC campaign
In October, I spent about $750 on PPC (pay per click) for ebiz5. This got me over 50 orders in a 15 day period. The problem was that with 50 orders and over $6,000 in gross sales, my profit was minimal due to the PPC spending.
In November, sales dramatically dropped and I was losing money on [...] Choppy Day In The US Stock Market
Tuesday was a day loaded with volatility. Markets made a nice move higher only to be followed by two violent pullbacks. When Google (GOOG) got down to 265, I went long @ 268.77 and trailed a stop up to 271 or so. I got stopped out on one of the really strong ... Wall Street Truthiness: A New Series
Here at "A Dash" we are always interested in things that become part of the conventional wisdom with little supporting evidence.To find the right terminology for this concept, we turned to a leading source, Stephen Colbert on "truthiness." Here is... Reader Mailbag
I get questions via email on occasion, and when I get a question that applies to others I like to post the question and my response (both edited for brevity).
Question: I’m 32 years old, and I’d like to know if it it worth borrowing money ($3,000 - $5,000) from my credit card to max out [...] Ranking the Top 10 Worst Recessions of the Last 80 Years
 Through the last 80 years of U.S. history there have been a total of 15 official recessions including the current which began last December, 2007. By comparing all fifteen investors can attain a much deeper understanding of the unraveling financial crisis. Is this latest calamity really as bad as we think?
The answer is yes.
When comparing [...] November 2008 Net Worth
The gap between me and my net worth goal keeps getting wider and wider…sigh.
My November net worth is $151,180, a ($4,292 or 2.76%) reduction from October 2008. Everything is down, except liabilities, which is a category you WANT to go down. No explanation this month…we all know the culprit. Besides, it’s too depressing anyway.
Tomorrow, I’ll [...] Fabulous Deal and Gift Idea: Croc Tote
[other colors available]
From New York & Company, this fabulous croc tote is only $17.47 [reg $34.95].
Use code 1030 for free shipping.
I didn’t purchase this for anyone, but I would buy it for myself if I were not on a shopping strike.
*pouting*
If you prefer to keep up with the fabulous deals I find more often, please [...] FountainsOfDebt
Here?s an 18-minute interview about the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge
Here’s an interview I recently did about the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge. I decided to ask you guys what questions you wanted me to answer, so I collected a ton of interesting questions from the Challenge email list and sent them to the interviewer.
Check out the 18-minute interview below!
RSS readers: Can’t see the [...] Ask me anything - 5th edition
Each week I give the readers of Gather Little by Little a chance to ask me anything. The only real rule is that I can decline to answer. I’ll do my best to answer as many questions as I can though. Have a question you would like answered? Just drop me a line or leave [...] Stock Analysis: Becton Dickinson & Co (BDX)
Lehman Brothers as Second Bear Stearns?
2008 Charity Spotlight: America?s Second Harvest
Growing up my father always exhibited a sense of service to us kids. He instilled in us a sense of how we need to help others when we’re doing well, and even when we’re not doing so well. The money that we’re given is God’s anyway, so we might as well [...] Becoming Frugal is Like Quitting Smoking
I used to smoke. I wasn’t a heavy, heavy smoker, but I went through a halfpack of cigarettes a day- easy. I started smoking at about age 17 (in a classic case of peer pressure) and by the time I finally quit for good 11 years later, I had tried to stop smoking, more or [...] 2008 Crystal Wish Christmas Tree
The Swarovski 2008 Crystal Wish Christmas Tree
Like every year, this year The Swarovski 2008 Crystal Wish Christmas Tree Unveiling ceremony took place on November 20, 2008 in The Toronto Eaton Centre Shopping Mall. I was able to do before and after video shot of this magnificent crystal Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is setup [...] We Just Called a Bottom!
Call me crazy, but I call it brave. Somebody had to do it, and it looks like I might have just stumbled across a possible bottom for the Dow. Research In Motion Cuts FY Q3 Revenue, Profit Outlook; Cites Currency, Macro Factors, Delayed Pdt Launches
Google: With Online Ads Weakening, BofA Cuts Estimates
Suntech: Some Workers Hurt In Plant Accident
Is Google (GOOG) The Last Man Standing?
Analysts are of two minds about Google (GOOG). The first is that because it is the most efficient way for companies to reach customers that it will not be hurt much by the recession. As marketers trim budgets, Google will be the media industry mainstay because it is the best advertising tool ever invented. Media Digest 12/3/2008 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg
According to Reuters, a bailout of US car companies gained support in Congress as GM (GM) and Chrysler said they needed money immediately to stay in business. Reuters reports that Merrill will cut bonuses by about half. Reuters writes that Paulson is debating about what to do with the $350 billion remaining in his bailout fund. A More Focused Highly Defensive Index
Manhattan: Office Space for Lease Doubles
Holiday Discounts ? even at the top of the market
It would seem that even Google is not immune from the market downturn. Online search has diminished as people reduce their searches for items to research and purchase. If you have limited funds to spend, why bother searching for new products? Many thought Google would be less affected by this trend, but it seems that cutting back [...] Breaking Down Budgeting
A personal budget is simply a spending plan. Before you work on personal budget planning you need to have a good idea of where and how your money is being spent. It can be a tedious process, but it can also be a true eye opener if you are not already well aware of how [...] How Your Loan Affects an MFI: Behind the Scenes of Microfinance
Most people reading this blog already agree that microfinance is a promising way to help people work their way out of poverty in a dignified manner. I agree, obviously, or I wouldn?t be here in Togo. It is heartwarming, and we should be inspired by it. But we should also be critical of it, to [...] Sunday?s Money Madness
Good morning and welcome to Rich Credit’s Sunday’s Money Madness. This week from the finance blogosphere you can learn more about the Obama Stimulus Check, Congress’ Housing Rescue Bill, how to protect yourself from unnecessary purchases and more.
Free Money Finance writes Almost Anything Has Better [...] Eric Hoffer on Blogging
“Our most persistent and spectacular efforts are concerned not with the preservation of what we are but with the building up of an imaginary conception of ourselves in the opinion of others. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter.”
time savedtime saved Ultra-emotional, Double Stress, 2x Moody
You’ll recall my bragging about the buy signal in the Ultrashort Financials (SKF) at $169 after it closed above $260 just three days later. SKF traded above $300 the next day and then reversed, collapsing to around $110 over the next week. The entire time my model said “sit.”
The kind of [...] Age of the Earth
So cool:
via U.S. Geological Survey 100-Year Bonds ?
Today’s WTF article is this clever funding idea, via former Treasury undersecretary (now at BlackRock) Peter Fisher: Issue 100-year bonds.
?If you issued a 100-year bond and had principal and interest pay down smoothly over the last 50 years, you create a great borrowing device for the Treasury that would let us move this hump [...] Inaugural Address
Bad Dream?
Good Evening: In the wake of yesterday’s horrid close in U.S. markets, global equity investors refused to be drawn into Wall Street’s nightmare during the overnight hours. And, after sleeping on yesterday’s action themselves, U.S. investors also awoke this morning with a bit of an appetite for risk. Yesterday’s risk aversion was [...] Graphic Design Idea for Bailout Nation Book
I came up with a neat graphic design idea for the book, but I have no idea how to execute it well.
On the top of every page, there is room for a small graphic design. It is maybe 4 X 1 inches. Usually the book title goes there, but really, you probably already know the [...] CAPITAL & THE THRUST OF HISTORY
Bill Werner is an Engineer in Missouri City, Texas. The following is his attempt to Encapsulate All of Modern Economic History (with a bonus push to the future) in one easy to swallow red pill. Turn away and think what you like. Or swallow this red pill leading down the rabbit hole to see another [...] Britons Saving Money with Sex
Those Brits are really embracing frugality. Rather than go out and spend money they don’t have on useless junk, they are opting to stick to indoor activities that are free:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7755315.stm
December 2, 2008 Stock Market Recap
Normally 4% gains would be big news but not so much after losing 9% yesterday. But I do think we saw some promising action today. Buyers were able to withstand two selloff attempts. The late day rally was quite impressive and brought the indices back near the highs of the day. [...] The Insurance Adjuster Has Given Me An Estimate
A few days ago, I called my automobile insurance company and informed them that a deer had hit my car. The insurance adjuster just left, and he gave me an estimate of $2500 to fix the damage done to my car.
Now I have a decision (or two) to make. Just a few days before the [...] Wall Street Journal: Delinquent Mortgages Set to Nearly Double in 2009
Are You In Financial Trouble? Money Tips To Cope With Hard Times
How do we cope with hard times? Even if you are in financial trouble, there’s always hope. Maybe these money tips may help!
Hard Times
Thank you to Jacques Sprenger for contributing this thoughtful post.
Almost 20 years ago, I lost my job and had no immediate prospect to find another one. This [...] News and Blogs: Tuesday, December 2, 2008
JPMorgan Chase to Cut 9,200 Washington Mutual Jobs Nationwide. Chase notified thousands of WaMu employees yesterday that their jobs will be eliminated by the end of next year, many much sooner. 3,400 of the jobs will be cut from the Seattle headquarters and 1,600 more from California.
Self-Employes are Frozen Out of Mortgages. If I [...] Marvell Sees FY Q4 Revs Below Street Estimates
Prosper faces class action lawsuit; pays 1M US$ in fines to states
The SEC cease and desist order against Prosper offered the legal arguments on a plate, now the first class action lawsuit filed against Prosper Marketplace Inc. uses the SEC filing as exhibit A to state it’s case. Regarding numbers and affected lenders the lawsuit by The Rosen Law Firm, New York, states
“…As of October, 2008 [...] Manhattan Awash in Office Space
When we were looking for office space 2 summers ago, the market in midtown was tight as a drum. My partner Kevin and I each said we were likely top ticking the real estate market, but we really had no choice.(At least we can trade up to bigger space in out buildings)
From tomorrow’s NYT:
Last year, [...] Taxes: Are You Ready for VAT?
In Europe, many governments boost their revenue through the value-added tax (VAT). It is also used Australia and Latin America. The VAT is a tax that works by collecting revenues at every stage of product production. So, taxes would be charged to manufacturers when they buy materials, and on down the line as the product [...] Five Reasons to Cancel Your AAA Membership
According to a poll result from readers over two years ago, AAA membership is not crap. For many of us, the occasional use of the roadside service provided by AAA makes AAA’s annual membership fees well worth it.
But alas, I decided recently to not renew my AAA membership.
Below are some reasons why I decided to [...] Estate Planning Update
Finding Good Wines at Great Prices: Expert Advice for Frugal Wine Lovers
I love wine but I’m not a wine snob. I don’t speak the lingo, and I don’t want to. All I know is that some wines taste better than others, and that some wines cost more than others. For me, the best bottle of wine is one that tastes great but doesn’t break the bank. [...] Planning For New Year Resolutions
?We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended on it. Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away.? -Chuang Tzu
As we approach the end of another calendar year, it is time to begin thinking about all those new year resolutions, the current state of the [...] Giving Down
Just as I thought, it appears that the tough economic times are taking their toll on charities. The details: While the rest of us, or many of us, are still in a holding pattern with regard to our own finances... Six Ways to Save on Pet Costs
The following post is from Dr. Scott Line, associate editor of the The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health. Note: The following tips do not replace consultation with a licensed veterinary practitioner. With economic pressures on the rise, consumers are looking... How to Derail Your Job Search
Secrets of the Job Hunt list five job search mistakes, but I want to highlight the first one: Overselling/Underselling. It is probably just as bad to oversell your qualities as it is to undersell them. The reason that either one... Another Case of a High Income Killed by Over-Spending
Check out the details of this couple who wrote to Bankrate for advice: My husband and I have $80,000 in credit card debt in addition to a mortgage of $136,000. We are paying our bills on time but I do... U.S. Economy Officially in Recession
It’s official. The United States economy has been in a recession for roughly one year. According to a statement from the National Bureau of Economic Research:
…a peak in economic activity occurred in the U.S. economy in December 2007. The peak marks the end of the expansion that began in November 2001 and the beginning of [...] We?re Getting Acclimated to the Economic Downturn
You know I’ve been running through the various scenarios in my head for awhile now. “What if I lose my job? What if my wife loses her job? What if we both lose our jobs?” By doing this, it has given me some sense of security in knowing that I should be prepared for just [...] CanRoys (ENT, AAV, BTE, HTE, PVX, PGH, ERF, PWE) ? A Comparative Analysis
The Fate Of The Big 3 Automakers
I find a lot of things irritating, and although I don’t comment on most of these items I must rant for a minute. The big three auto manufacturers are currently working on turnaround plans in preparation for another meeting with congress later this month. They originally asked for a $25B loan in order to cover [...] Be on the Lookout for Fraudulent Credit and Debt Card Charges From ADELE SERVICES 800-764-8104 or GFDL
If you have credit or debit cards, you may want to examine your recent activity. Numerous reports are popping up across the web with reports of very small purchases being made by Adele Services. Most of the reports are showing $0.10-$0.25 transactions occurring anywhere from mid-November through the last few days.
On your bank account or [...] Watchlist for December 2, 2008
On Today’s Calendar:
nothing
More Calendars: U.S. Earnings | Conf. Calls | Surprises | IPO | Economic
Potential swing trades:
See one of the recent ‘Chart Reading‘ posts for some potential swing candidates. Also be sure to check my typical swing trade entry & exit rules.
Potential day trades:
(From Briefing.com)
Gapping Down [...] Media Sites Need to Make a Move
The situation for the local real estate section looks grim. AdAge is reporting newspaper ad revenue fell nearly $2 billion in Q3 of 2008.
Even online ad sales are looking miserable.
Newspapers’ online ad sales, where everyone is hoping some part of the future business model resides, accelerated their decline with a 3% drop. Online ad sales [...] A Case Against Debt Consolidation and 3.2 Beer
I read an interesting post on TheCreditToolBox.com recently about why a bank might not give you a debt consolidation loan. The gist is that, if I have an average interest rate of 18% and a clean payment history, why wouldn’t a bank give me a consolidation loan at 9%? If I’m faithfully making my payments [...] The New Recession Personal Finance Plan
Did you hear the news? We’re officially in a recession. It’s time to roll out my patent-pending Recession Personal Finance PlanTM:
Don’t change a thing.
If you’re following the Baby Steps like good Dave teaches us, then you’re doing things right. While most people are scrambling trying to cover the holes left by their previously “leveraged” debt [...] Scottrade Announces Free Branch Seminars
 Scottrade has launched a new initiative to promote financial education. Every month Scottrade branches will be hosting free seminars on investing open to both members and the general public. Also four new financial calculators were released on their website to help calculate the costs of planning for major life expenses.
For information on the seminars or [...] Sears Holdings Has Squandered An Opportunity
How Can TheStreet.com Publish This Story?
Geek Gift Idea: Dr. Horrible DVD - Just In Time For Christmas!
I am a geek through-and-through and I’m not ashamed to admit it. That’s why when I saw that the Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog DVD appear on Amazon.com, I let out a small, excited yelp. (One of my co-workers gave me a strange glance as she walked down the hallway after that.)
This summer, Joss [...] One Week Without Cable - The Good and the Bad
One week ago this morning, Charter came out and blithely disconnected my cable TV service (and internet service, temporarily). The next evening, I made the final connections to serve the free over-the-air TV I was pulling from my new antenna to the TVs in the house. And thus our experiment began.
Immediately upon unplugging the cable [...] MarkAndLaura
Gingerballs
Another vote that a lot of the blame should be assigned to the AAA ratings
Banking analyst John Hempton writes about the cause of our current financial problem: This is a wholesale funding crisis and the cause of the crisis is plain. It is lies told by financial institutions. Financial institutions sold AAA rated paper... Local hero
"Mailman Steve"--a Wake County mailman who failed to deliver a lot of junk mail--receives a sympathetic writeup in the LA Times. Maybe Los Angelenos get too much junk mail just like we do. (Latter link via Adam, one of my... 2008 Charity Spotlight
For the third year in a row, I’m asking my fellow personal finance bloggers to write articles about their favorite charities. If you have a personal finance blog - or any old type of blog - and you would like to participate in this year’s 2008 Charity Spotlight, write a post about your favorite charity, [...] A Recession, Oh Really?
I can’t imagine that anyone, not even those who aren’t part-time investors, didn’t know we were in a recession. Among the many articles on the topic out there, MarketWatch posted some interesting thoughts. Here are mine mixed in with their few highlights.
The shortest postwar recession lasted only six months,
The longest was 16 months (The two [...] Why Investing in Stocks This Year Was Not a Financial Mistake
In a matter of weeks, I saw my portfolio erode at a rate that I thought was only possible in months/years instead days/weeks. The other day, I was looking at the disastrous performance of my stock investments through financial statements and asked myself one question: “Did I make a financial mistake by investing in [...] Long Optimism
Thanksgiving at its core is about two things. First, killing the Indians with pox blankets and the strong anglo-saxon desire for rapine. Second, being able to give thanks for the things that you do have. As such, these things continue to be my frame.
In the current climate, where doom and gloom lurk [...] Three Tools That EVERY Personal Finance Blogger Should Have
Today I wanted to talk about three of the things that every personal finance blogger should have.
I have been reading a number of personal finance blogs only to find out that they do not have some of the really basic things that I think we need if we are talking about personal finance.
1. ING [...] Credit-Card Limit Reductions Coming
Free From Broke November 08 Review
November was interesting wasn’t it? We had an exciting election thought the economy has continued dwell near it’s lows. We all helped a reader out with building CD ladders. November ended with Thanksgiving which is always fun (and man is it a lot of work!) but we also learned of a tragedy on Black Friday.
The [...] Special Situations Real Money Portfolio November 2008 Update
The Special Situations Real Money Portfolio held up pretty well in the volatile month of November. I had one minor setback this month, but was still able to end the month with an account balance of $17,914.97. That’s down only 3.2% since October. My return since the beginning of the year is still a positive 12.32% [...] 6 Step To Improve Your Credit Score Now
How To Meet People Despite Being Shy
WTDirect Offers $250 Sign Up Bonus For New High Yield Savings Accounts
WTDirect just announced their Winter Bonus Blast Promotion and is now offering sign up bonuses of up to $250 for those opening new WTDirect high yield savings accounts!
WTDirect is one of the online banks we cover here, and once more, they’re promoting their WTDirect High Yield Savings Account, which currently returns a safe 3.06% APY. [...] SWOT Analysis in Business
Ten People All Personal Finance Junkies Should Follow on Twitter
i’ve been using twitter.com a lot lately to network with other bloggers, come up with ideas for blog posts, push people towards my site, and promote my side-businesses. Twitter has become one of my top 10 sources of traffic since I started using it. Because of that I’ve been a big proponent [...] WTDirect up to $250 Savings Account Bonus
WTDirect is offering up to a $250 bonus when you open a High Yield Savings Account. The bonuses start at $50 for an account with a $10,000 balance and go up to $250 for an account with a $250 balance. This offer is available to new WTDirect clients only. To receive the bonus, clients [...] Personal Balance Sheet, November 2008 ($180,926, +6.5%)
It doesn’t look like I’m going to meet the goal I set for myself last year. A net worth of $210,000 is out of the question unless the stock market experiences a miraculous recovery. All things considered, my finances are still in good shape.
Every month, I review my account balances and income vs. expenses to [...] 45% Less Credit in Americans? Wallets
Meredith Whitney, an analyst with Oppenheimer & Co. is predicting that credit card issuers may cut as much as $2 trillion worth of available credit in the near future, representing about 45% of today’s levels.
The Motley Fool has decided to call this The Death of Credit Cards, but we’ll be co-existing with them for as [...] California Housing Fiscal Emergency Part Deux: California Housing and Economic Dynamics in Massive Recession.
It has been a few months since I’ve done a thorough analysis of the California housing and economic situation. Given the current changes I think it warrants another close look. The last article I did regarding California with an in depth perspective laid out 10 reasons why I thought California would not face a housing [...]
Related Posts:
?Think Housing Can’t Go Down Significantly in Southern California?
?Housing Bloggers Unite: The Housing Blogger Network (HBN) has Started.
?Tell me the Sales Data: You Can?t Handle the Sales Data!
?California Examined: The Deep Budget Impact of the Mortgage Crises.
?What the TARP? Cutting Back to the Necessities: 3 Emerging Trends in this Economic Crisis. The Mighty are Falling, Consumers Forced to Save, and Job Protectionism. Credit Card Industry to Cut $2 Trillion Worth of Credit Lines?
According to a recent report from prominent banking analyst Meredith Whitney, the U.S. credit card industry is poised to cut $2 trillion worth of credit lines over the next 18 months due to risk aversion and regulatory changes. This represents a 45% decrease in consumer credit lines, which could have a dramatic impact on consumer [...] Citi Rate Change Clarification
According to a comment from a reader named ‘Karmazoic‘, the Citi credit card rate change only affects new purchases, and not your current balance. As such, it sounds like promo rates on existing balances should be safe. If you have any questions, be sure to call them and get an answer straight from the horse’s [...] Marvell FY Q3 In Line; Visibility ?Limited?
OmniVision Sees FY Q3 Revs Dramatically Short Of Ests
Sigma Designs FY Q3 In Line With Reduced Guidance
Yahoo: Cowen Has Serious Doubts On Miller-Led Bid; Raising $30 Billion Would be ?Extremely Difficult?
Chip Makers Slashing Production As Demand Crumbles
Ex-AOL Chief Miller Seeks Cash For YHOO Bid, WSJ Says
Spot DRAM Prices At All-Time Low, Falling 33% In Nov.
Research In Motion: J.P. Morgan Trims FY ?09, ?10 Ests
Clearwire Sinks; Attractive Spectrum Isn?t Enough
Cell Phones: Oppenheimer Sees Q4 Units Flat Vs. Q3; Cuts ?09 View; Trims Ests On MOT, NOK, RIMM, RFMD, CELL
Trade Idea - Google
Chart courtesy of www.stockcharts.com ( click to enlarge )
Looking at daily chart and from a technical perspective my bias is negative for stock in the long-term. Google did show some signs of strength, but failed to cross its barrier of $300. Further, it has broken its first support of $280 and has closed below [...] GM Requests $4 Billion to Survive 2008
Chrysler sales off 47%
GM Sales Off 41%
Ford sales off 31%, Toyota sales off 34%
Credit Crisis Indicators
Mortgage Delinquency Rate to Rise Sharply in 2009
3 Ways to Weather Economic Cycles
The economy is in a state of constant flux. If one industry is doing well, you can bet another is suffering. While it can be difficult to weather any cycle, there are techniques that you can use to ensure that you stay on top no matter what happens. Here are just a few of the [...] Prosper fined $1 million
Prosper has agreed to pay state regulators $1 million for selling unregistered securities. In October Prosper stopped making loans and last week the SEC filed cease and desist proceedings against the company. According to a press release from North Ame... 5 Credit Cards That Will Save You Money On Holiday Purchases
This article comes from DR at The Dough Roller, a blog about money management.
With the holiday buying frenzy in full progress, there is no better time than the present for some money saving strategies. One of them is simple, easy, and free–using the right credit card to make holiday purchases. Yes, credit [...] 8 Tips on Saving Money Without Scrimping
Retrain your Brain -
If you deprive yourself of the things that bring you pleasure, you are going to have trouble saving money. Retrain your brain by visualizing a future that is more fulfilling, like credit card bills that are smaller, and higher savings account balances to give yourself a sense of purpose with your [...] Reservoir Microloans
In my first week at Kiva’s rising-star field partner, AMK Cambodia, I was lucky enough to go on a two-day trip to the Kampong Cham province with the aim of meeting some Kiva clients and taking some photos for the AMK marketing department.
Over the 36 hours I took around 1500 photos - partly because Cambodians [...] Amity Shlaes: Clueless as Ever
Amity Shlaes “Rewrite history tour” continues apace. Recall that a few short months ago, Ms. Shlaes was insisting that we were not in a recession.
What is her solution to the current situation? Tax cuts.
>
Why a Modern-Day New Deal Won’t Work 12/1/2008
Amity Shlaes, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, explains to Dow Jones Newswires’ [...] How big? How low? How now brown cow?
David R. Kotok co-founded Cumberland Advisors in 1973 and has been its Chief Investment Officer since inception. He holds a B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. in Organizational Dynamics from The School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Masters in Philosophy from [...] Auto Sales Plummet Again
Ford’s November sales down 30.6%;
Toyota sales down 33.9%.
Honda sales down 31.6%
Volvo sales tumbled 46.5%
Chrysler U.S. sales fell 47%
GM falls 41%
The auto slump has gone global: Indian auto maker Tata Motors posted a 30% sales decline (its 2nd consecutive month of big sales drop)
~~~
More data coming soon Stock Market Performance During Recessions
Gorgeous recession chart porn, via Fidelity.
>
Hat tip: Financial Philosopher: 8th Bear Market Rally Since October 2007
Merrill Lynch’s David Rosenberg notes that last week’s pop was the eighth bear market rally since October 2007.
As the chart below shows, they have ranged in strength from ~8% to over 24%.
Each one was treated (”enthusiastically”) as if a bottom had been made. Each one saw a subsequent lower low, excepting the most recent one [...] Automakers? Survival
Analysis and Discussion with Tom Libby of J.D. Power & Associates
Testimony Preview: (December 01, 2008):
>
Barclays Capital and Deutsche Bank Slash GM Target Prices to $1/share and $0/share Respectively; A GM Rescue Would Cost More Than Chrysler’ in 1980; Deutsche Says GM Bailout Coulg Require $10 Billion in Loans; GM Bailout Could Require $25 Billion for [...] Too Many Brands?
Just how are the Detroit 3 about shrinking their vast lineups of different brands and models to match the current harsh reality of the market? Between them, General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler sell 112 different car and truck models through 15 brands in the United States. By contrast, the top three Japanese automakers [...] Pay or Play
One of the maddening features of the financial crisis has been Wall Street’s constant insistence that without its mind-boggling compensation, talent will go elsewhere. On the face of it, this seems an empty threat from a group of hysterical prima donnas who don’t want to have to suffer the consequences for their actions. We focus [...] I Still Can?t Believe It!
Yesterday, I was writing about my bad days and how credit cards can be such a pain when you max them out. Today, on a lighter note, I wanted to talk about what people call dreams and about passion. I personally call it ?the fire?. This [...] How to make $100 today
WTDirect Bank: 3.06% APY + Up To $250 Sign-up Bonus
Here’s another decent deal with hopefully minimal drama. Online bank WTDirect is offering up to a $250 cash bonus for opening a new account and keeping a certain minimum average balance for January and February. WT stands for Wilmington Trust FSB, which is FDIC-insured and all that good stuff. Your bonus [...] Articles Update #2
On my last post about articles I wrote about placing another article purchase at a place that spins an article and submits it to over 500 article sites. Well the order was placed in mid November and completed two days ago.
They claim to have submitted my articles to over 600 sites. A quick check in google [...] Lessons from Tanta
Here at "A Dash" it is one of our biggest signals of respect if we add an "anonymous" source to our featured list. The bar is a bit higher. We do not just "exchange links" with anyone and everyone. We... Year Old Recession is Officially Recognized
Weekly opinion
Audio: Andrew on TWiT.tv
TWiT 171: Chocolate Sox
Hosts: Leo Laporte, John C. Dvorak, Andrew Horowitz, and Sarah Lane
We discussed: Yahoo (YHOO) deconstructed, Tesla’s bailout-worthiness, Google (GOOG) cuts thousands, BlackBerry Storm (RIMM) , Black Friday deals, and more.
Links to all the stories are at http://delicious.com/twit/171.
Listen/Download…. HERE
Audible pick of the week: The Disciplined Investor: Essential Strategies for Success, Unabridged, By Andrew [...] Who Really Wins The Drugstore Game?
I’ve been trying my hand at The Drugstore Game for months now. Not too heavily, just here and there when I find a good deal that makes sense. I try to get great deals on my detergent and toiletries, etc? but I wouldn’t say I’m very obsessive about CVS. (Now.. Publix is another matter.)
With all [...] This is Harder Than I Thought
Man, this no shopping strike during the holidays is a lot harder than I expected.
I’d rather quit eating chocolate. Sheesh!
That is all. Helping A Friend Organize Her Finances
Future Millionaires
ChasingTheBull
Caryatid
Tip #24: Cut your commute expenses by 40%
This is Tip #24 of of the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge. (See past tips.)
Today’s tip is to cut your commute expenses by 40% using two techniques: Carpooling and working from home.
Tip #1: Carpool
Carpooling is a sacred cow for Americans, which is exactly the kind of expense I love to cut. We spend incredible [...] Tip #23: Go cash-only for 15 to 30 days
This is Tip #23 of of the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge. (See past tips.)
Today’s tip is to use cash during the 30 Day Challenge. No, this is not an unusual tip, but I’m going to try to add some nuance to it besides “CREDIT CARDS ARE BAD!!!!!” Most people who recommend using cash [...] The stress of two mortages
If you’ve been following me here on Gather Little by Little over the past year or so, you’ll know about our quest for a new home. If your fairly new here or maybe even need a refresher let me summarize for you.
We decided a year or so ago that we wanted to move to larger [...] Fat Pitch Financials Portfolio November 2008 Update
Sadly, there was no improvement for the Fat Pitch Financials Portfolio in the month of November. The portfolio ended November 28, 2008 with a balance of $848,439.73. This is down 8.1% since the end of October.
I originally started this paper portfolio at Marketocracy with a balance of $1 million back on September 21, 2004. Until this current financial [...] Investing Carnival #24
Counting My Blessings: #9
Just in case you’ve missed any of them, here are my earlier posts in this thread:
Blessing #1 — Connection to Nature and Universal Truths
Blessing #2 — The Husband
Blessing #3 — My Health
Blessings #4 and 5 — My Children
Blessing #6 — My Circumstances
Blessing #7 — The Husband’s Health
Blessing #8 — My Mom
Today’s blessing — The Husband’s [...] $$: All The Usual Suspects
Ah, another day in suburbia; another day in the life of a suburban wife and mother.
Physical Therapy — $25.00
We started the day with a physical therapy session for The Son. His broken clavicle is healing nicely and PT is coming along nicely too. The therapist gave The Son several additional Range-of-Motion exercises as well as [...] Find Deals, Discount Coupons, Freebies: 21 Online Tools To Save You Money
I used to pay full price for the stuff I buy on the web. These days, that’s no longer the case as I’ve been much more resourceful about where and how to find deals, discount coupons and free stuff online. Now that cutting costs has become an even hotter topic than it used [...] November Site Numbers And Recap
November 2008 was a banner month!
November 2008 was by far the best month that this site has ever had. We had our most visits and page views ever, as well as going over 300,000 page views for the life of the site. Who could have imagined that we would see this much traffic on [...] 12/3: Free Art Tour in Old Town (RSVP Needed)
On December 3, the Old Town Chinatown Neighborhood Association will lead a free tour of art galleries in the Skidmore Historic District.
The tour will begin at 5:30 pm at Shaffer Fine Art Gallery (308 SW 1st Ave). After touring Shaffer and wishing the staff a happy 10th anniversary, the group will move on to explore Attic Gallery and Fontanelle [...] Recession!
Palm Says FY Q2 Revs Come Up Dramatically Short
TradingGoddess said: What does $GOOG know? http://tinyurl.com/5587pl
TradingGoddess said: What does $GOOG know? http://tinyurl.com/5587pl Tanta Donation Information
A2/P2 Spread Blow Out
The Best Small Investments
Wall Street’s recent cataclysmic events are still unfolding and the entire planet is feeling their aftershocks. For this reason, interest in what is going on in the stock market is rising quickly, even for those who do not normally understand what the stock market is all about, or what Wall Street even has to do [...] Sunday Money Madness
Sunday Money Madness is your guide to the rest of the blogosphere on personal finance.
The Digerati Life had a guest post from a HandyMan. Remodel Your Bathroom! Try 3 New Ideas To Freshen Up Your Bathroom is a excellent use of debt and they increase the value of your home.
Need to Get Rid of Some of [...] Prosper Settles with States?
InvestmentFraudPro is reporting that Prosper Marketplace, Inc. has reached a settlement agreement with the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA.)From the article National Settlement with Prosper Marketplace, Inc.The North America... Renminbi Devaluation Underway
Yuan Falls Most Since End of Currency Link Before Paulson Visit
“The currency declined 0.7 percent after the People?s Bank of China set the daily reference rate at the weakest level since August, prompting speculation policy makers favor a depreciating currency to spur demand for Chinese goods.”
China is looking out for Number One.
As you [...] U.S. Officially in Recession
Interview with James Poterba, Head of the National Bureau of Economic Research Calculating the Total Bailout Costs
More than a few people have asked me how I came up with the the $8.5 trillion figure for the total cost of the bailouts. Below is a table, plus the Excel Spreadsheet it came from.
Note that this cost does not include the $5.2 trillion in Fannie/Freddie portfolios that the US taxpayer is now also [...] Goldman: $2 Billion Loss for Q3
The WSJ is reporting that Goldman Sachs, the guys who have so far managed to avoid getting banged up by the credit crunch, has run out of luck.
“Industry insiders,” whoever they may be, are suggesting losses for the Q of as much as $5 per share.
Excerpt:
Though analysts and investors already were bracing for Goldman’s first [...] Bottom is In?
Dan Greenhaus is at the Equity Strategy Group at Miller Tabak + Co. where he covers markets and portfolio theory. He has contributed several chapters to Investing From the Top Down: A Macro Approach to Capital Markets (by Anthony Crescenzi).
This is his most recent commentary:
~~~
With the market up a bit over 1% marking the [...] Dramatic Return of Risk Aversion May Not Be All Bad
Good Evening: In the wake of the mid November washout in almost all forms of risk taking, risk appetites in markets around the world spent most of last week trying to recover. Reaching their short term fill on the day after the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., market participants abruptly turned away from [...] Plan? What Plan?
Not exactly a huge revelation:
The head of a new Congressional panel set up to monitor the gigantic federal bailout says the government still does not seem to have a coherent strategy for easing the financial crisis, despite the billions it has already spent in that effort.
Elizabeth Warren, the chairwoman of the oversight panel, said in [...] Daily Links: Allergic-to-Bees Edition
While pressure-washing the sidewalk on Friday, I disturbed a nest of bees (or hornets or wasps — they’re all the same to me). Two of them stung my right hand. Within 24 hours, it had swollen like a balloon. Even after the doctor prescribed medication, the swelling spread to my forearm. It was like I [...] December 1, 2008 Stock Market Recap
This was certainly one of the ugliest days I’ve ever seen and that’s confirmed by the list of worst one-day percentage declines. This was the second worst day in 20 years on both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq — second only to days just a few weeks ago. I don’t have stats [...] November Income- $630.09
Here is a breakdown of my income for November.
Online Income
$369.03
Cash Back
$22.40
Interest
$12.77
Dividends
$35.89
Medical Study
$175.00
Surveys/Mystery shopping
$15.00
Total
$630.09
My income was down quite a bit from the previous month but that was mostly expected. I did do some things to try to increase my income but any results will not be seen until this month. I count my income when [...] November Expenses- $1027.14
Here is a breakdown of my expenses for November.
Household
$530.00
Transportation
$127.09
Food
$33.31
Entertainment
$212.47
Debt/Education
$90
Phone
$34.27
Total
$1027.14
I just missed my target of $1000 for monthly expenses. My household expenses were high because they include Christmas shopping. I have very little shopping left to do this month so my household expenses will decrease. Entertainment was way too high for the month. Now that [...] New Menu Bars Added For Easier Site Navigation
 After several hours of playing with CSS yesterday we completed two new horizontal menu bars for the stocktradingtogo site. One menu is dedicated to our main blog categories with some new recently added categories and the second one is dedicated to our coverage of online stock broker news.
The menus sit one on top of the [...] WTDirect Offering Account Opening Bonuses Up to $250
WTDirect, the online banking arm of Wilmington Trust, is looking to attract customers with a good interest rate (currently 3.06% APY for accounts with a balance of $10,000 or more) and a bonus for new account holders. If you open a new account at WTDirect and maintain an average balance of at least $10,000, [...] Satellite TV: Seeing Little Growth, Bernstien Slashes Ests
Tessera: ITC Finds No Infringement Of Wireless Patents
Recession: NBER Makes It Official (A Year Later)
It is official. And about a year too late. But the economists at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) have spoken:
The committee determined that a peak in economic activity occurred in the U.S. economy in December 2007.
Business Cycle Dating Committee
Way back in September 2007 I started wondering, “Are we in a recession already?” - [...] Stock Picks and Trade Ideas for Tuesday - BIDU, NTAP, GOOG
Chatting With Krugman
This may be the winter of Paul Krugman’s content. President Bush, whose economic policies Krugman has derided from the beginning, is leaving office. Krugman has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics. And Norton has just published The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008, a substantial revision of the book he originally [...] Calculated Loss
I was deeply saddened to read early this morning that Doris Dungey, better known as Tanta, has passed. She had been ill for some time, but one always holds onto hope that a condition might improve.
We are all that much poorer for her no longer being with us . . .
> Jim Rogers on Markets and Bailouts
Part I
‘
Part II
Part III
Part IV
November 16, 2008 Recession Now Official
SO, we can finally “officially” say that we are in a recession. The National Bureau of Economic Research just reported that the U.S. has been in a recession since December 2007. So, many of us have believed it — despite strident denials by certain people in charge — and it is true.
So, while we haven’t [...] ING Offers Social Networking Site: We, The Savers
The news is in: Black Friday sales were up 3% this year. Obviously, there is still a lot of spending going on. It doesn’t have to be that way. But savers may need some moral support as resolutions to save money and get out of debt fall to the wayside in the throes holiday shopping [...] Holy Crap! It?s a Roundup - 12/01/08
For your information, I just woke up from my Thanksgiving dinner comatose.
Now you would think that waking up after a 3 day slumber will result in a feeling of well-rested-ness-ish (uh whats the word I’m looking for?), but to be honest I feel pretty crappy — as if I’ve been laying in the same position [...] Larry Summers on Inequality
MyCorporation Corporation/LLC Filing: Free For A Week
If you missed it last month, MyCorporation is offering their incorporation filing services for free again this week (12/1-12/5) with the coupon code MYGIFT. A savings of $149. Tip: You can also check out now but delay the official filing of your corporation or LLC until 2009 if you want.
Must use [...] CyberMonday Gifts That Can Pay For Themselves?
My friends and I were talking about CyberMonday and we started trying to come up with some gift ideas that might pay for themselves, beyond the usual rechargeable batteries or f |
