Changes to Calculating Credit Scores Pending in Congress

We can see how this will help most, but it will hurt some. 

More - Money Mistakes to Avoid in Your 20s

In the Market for a Car?

Buying a used car is likely the most cost effective.  Do your homework first, however, and make sure you're getting what you're expecting.

More - You Can Afford the Car But Can You Afford to Drive It?

Interest Rate? What Interest Rate?

The gap between 30-year fixed rates and one-month CDs or a saving's account rate is widening, making it more difficult for savers.  This especially hurts the middle class and retirees

Tips to Create a Budget

8 tips to creating a budget.  They key points are to be flexible and consider both sides of your balance sheet, if necessary.

NFL/Netflix Deal

The NFL is squashing rumors of a possible deal letting games to be streamed through Netflix or Google.  In businesses, rumors typically come from a shred of truth.  Cord-cutters stay tuned.  If/when this happens, it will provide much needed competition to cable TV.

More - Cutting the Cable Cord

Saving & Investing

Start early and be consistent.

The 1% Are Really the 0.7%

The nice thing, though, is that the world added 2 million new millionaires last year.

The Washington Threat

Business leaders around the country are starting to see Washington DC as the biggest threat to the U.S. economy.  This affects jobs.  Because of the recent "crisis" many businesses saw consumer spending drop.  This happens crisis after crisis and Washington is nothing anymore if it's not a crisis. 

Kicking the Can Down The Road

Yes, an 11th hour deal was made to fund the government but only temporarily.  As we said last week, we'll be having the deja vu yet again early 2014.  Yawn!  In the meantime, pay attention to see if spending is even cut back. 

Mortgage Relief Program

The NYTs claims it has been working as expected.

Successful Financial Management

Three keys to being successful with your finances.

Worth Repeating

"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.” - Martha Washington

Oil Subidies Meet Farm Subsidies

Many complain about oil subsidies, and they should.  When they do, we often mention farm subsidies. 

NFL May Stop Blacking Out Games

Because it's punitive and unprofitable.

A Financial "Disorder"

Call us skeptics.  A disorder or disease suggests lack of responsibility and makes it more difficult to fix financial problems one may have. 

Save Money This Holiday Season

If you have a credit card with unused miles, most will let you spend them in their "shopping mall".  This is good advice if you have miles and need to cut back on your spending this holiday season.  Use credit you've already earned and don't use cash or your credit cards.

Oops! Broke the Coffee Grinder this Morning.

Maybe it was too early in the morning?  I attempted to make my morning coffee today and, sadly, I had no ground coffee left.  I know!  I sound lazy.  To my credit, it was 5 AM.  Anyway, I had some sort of crazy hand spasm that caused me to drop the lid of our coffee grinder. 

Necessity is the mother of invention, right?  Okay, maybe I’m giving myself too much credit now.  I used tape to piece the grinder lid back together.  I wasn’t going to go without coffee today.

 

Now that we think about it, this will save us from having to buy a new grinder.  $20 savings, right there!  Sure, it’s only $20.  But, why spend it when it’s not necessary.  No one sees our grinder but us.  Plus, we’re curious to see how long we can make this last.     

More and More Retires Using Credit Cards to Pay Medical Expenses

This won't end well.     

DIY Home Sales

More and more homeowners are selling their homes sans real estate broker.  The 85 year old woman in the condo below us sold her condo completely on her own.  No problems.  In addition to not having to pay broker-fees, she sold it above market value.  The buyer probably should've used a broker.  

Are Politicians Profiting Off Of the Market Volatility They’re Creating

When I got home from grocery shopping, I checked to see how the stock market closed.  It closed up today.  The consensus is that the market closed up due to speculation that a debt-deal was eminent.  Lately every day is different.  One day it’s down due to a lack of an agreement.  The next it’s up due to the speculation of an agreement.  This made me wonder if our politicians are investing long and short contingent on the sentiment they share with the media. 

60 Minutes did a story in 2011 on high-level government officials profiting from insider trading, making government deals and investing accordingly before the information was public.  This got Washington up in arms and they finally decided to pass the “Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge” Act or the “STOCK” Act.  You know someone gets paid a lot of money to come up with acronyms in Washington?  That’s an “essential” job, of course. 

Congress passed the bill and everyone patted themselves on the back.  That was, until, they realized enforcing it was going to be hard.  So, on the DL (down-low), Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, quickly passed an amendment on April 12 and 13, 2012, gutting key provisions of the act and President Obama signed it into law the following week. 

Essentially the amendment to the STOCK Act removed requirements to create a searchable database listing disclosures of high-level officials and file their disclosures electronically.  This makes oversight virtually impossible.  Yes, insider trading is still illegal, but without critical oversight, who knows who’s profiting off the rollercoaster we’ve been riding.  Insider trading was illegal prior to 2011 and clearly the oversight and adherence to the law was questionable.   

This makes us wonder if politicians are profiting off of the market volatility they’re creating with the government shutdown and debt deal negotiations.