Archive for June, 2006
Thursday, June 29th, 2006
On Tips and Fees
I just canceled another one of my credit cards this week. It had a zero balance, but I just kept it around. That was partly out of laziness and partly out of a warped sense of security. The good news is that I’m running out of cards. What scares me is that I have a very small emergency fund, [...]
3 Comments » - Posted in Reflections by coglethorpe
Sunday, June 25th, 2006
Last Chance for Student Loan Consolidation?
I’ve written about student loan consolidation before, because the date that loans go up is July 1st. I know one couple that has had to make sure they consolidated their student loans in order to avoid the rise in loans rates. They’re trying to reduce their debt load as much as they can, and this [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Debt by coglethorpe
Saturday, June 17th, 2006
Why Are Brokers So Hard To Understand?
I’ve written before about how we (at least in the US) are poorly educated when it comes to personal finance. We lack some very fundamental knowledge when it comes to the day-to-day management of our money. Ideas like budgeting, saving an emergency fund, or even writing a check is rarely taught, from what I’ve seen. [...]
3 Comments » - Posted in Investing by coglethorpe
Thursday, June 15th, 2006
Google Spreadsheets: A Review
I posted previously about Google Spreadsheets, which look like Google’s first strike at Microsoft’s Office empire. The spreadsheets seem to be designed for the everyday user as a low-cost alternative to the expensive MS Office suite. Well, I’m all about saving money, so I decided to give it a spin.
2 Comments » - Posted in Budgeting by coglethorpe
Monday, June 12th, 2006
Student Loan Consolidation Deadline Approaching
I’ve mentioned student loans before, now is a good time to mention them again. June 30th is the deadline for those seeking to perform student loan consolidation. Why? Loan rates are set to jump on the 1st of July.
1 Comment » - Posted in Debt by coglethorpe
Tuesday, June 6th, 2006
Can You Trust Google With Your Financial Data?
I’ve been doing my budget, checkbook and other financial planning in Microsoft Excel for some time now. It’s handy enough, does my calculations quickly and allows me to move between files and sheets quickly. Products like Excel have also made Bill Gates the richest man on the planet. But now Google has what just might [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Budgeting by coglethorpe
Tuesday, June 6th, 2006
30 Day Trial: Zero Charges To Credit Cards
I’ve been a very bad boy. I didn’t mean to be, honestly. But I realized that I’m doing something that really sabotages my success. What is it? I still charge things to my credit cards. There, that feels so much better now that I’ve said it.
2 Comments » - Posted in Reflections by coglethorpe
Thursday, June 1st, 2006
Why I Didn’t Buy An HDTV
HDTVs look so amazing in the store - especially the large plasma or LCD ones. They radiate a billboard sized picture with details so perfect you swear you could reach inside and touch the action. But I didn’t buy one and I’m pretty darn happy about it. Here’s why…
