Personal
Finance Blog

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Social media has made it fashionable to crowdsource when you’re short on funds. Businesses and non-profits can use social media to help raise money for their ventures, but now one New York bride has taken this practice to an extreme by allegedly defrauding her well-wishers. It just goes to show that if you tell a big one, it’s likely to garner more sympathy to your cause, although you may end up in jail later. Jessica Vega, 25, is finding this out the hard way as she now faces a total of six felony charges for claiming to have cancer in order to obtain funding for a dream wedding. (more…)

Today’s toys are not the cheap versions of the past. Many are high-cost electronics that need to be upgraded to stay fashionable in a relatively short time. With new features coming out every year, you may want to upgrade, but the cost can be prohibitive. Or, you’re just looking for a little extra cash and have a used cellphone, laptop, game system, or iPod that could help you achieve your goal. But, where do you go to unload and score some cash? (more…)

If you lose something one day, you may expect to find it someday soon after. However, after a period of time, if something lost has not been recovered you may end up giving it up for good. That’s what happened to Gean Brown Jr. who never expected to receive a wallet he lost 35 years ago while retrofitting the attic with pipes. When he did receive it back, it was not only a pleasant surprise, but it came with a priceless sentimental memory. (more…)

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Buying large quantities can almost always get you a better price per unit, but doesn’t mean that it leads to bigger savings. If you have a small family and end up throwing out a large part of the purchase, you might end up wasting your money instead of saving it. (more…)

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Valentine’s Day is over, but the hunt for romance continues for singles around the world. Men have known for years that some things make them more attractive to the opposite sex than other things and wealth is a major aphrodisiac. However, these days both men and women appreciate a potential partner with a good credit score and a sound financial background. (more…)

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Long before Survivor’s Richard Hatch, those who become accidental millionaires run the risk of ending up in jail. (more…)

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Can you name the valid denominations of the U.S. dollar bills?  Presently they are as follows: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 plus the $100 bill; however, the list included 5 more denominations at one time. (more…)

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Paper money contains cocaine residue.  Fact.  Don’t rip out your wallet and try to sniff the bills you are carrying.  The amounts are most likely too small.  On the other hand, it may just be enough to grab the attention of those drug-sniffing dogs at the airport. (more…)

Happy Thanksgiving!

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We know you’re trying to save money, and so Black Friday is a temptation to be avoided! You don’t need all those gadgets, but you still need to get some christmas shopping for gifts and for cooking! Here’s our deals of the week!

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Notice that the jarring displays of Christmas items appeared in retail stores before Halloween this year? Americans love their stuff, but too much commercialism can sour the most ardent consumer. There is a growing sentiment that holidays (Christmas, in particular) have been usurped by business owners trying to make a buck off the public’s sentimentalism. Not only is this putting more Americans in debt, but the trend is undermining the very spirit of the holidays. More and more families are choosing to downsize their holidays in favor of experiences that produce lasting memories, instead of more commercial products that may end up in a landfill when all is said and done. Here are a few tips to help you downsize your holidays and save some cash too.

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