Frugal Vacation Idea – Tag Along to Your Spouse’s Business Conference

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Many people have to attend business conferences, often at faraway locations.  While it is true some people like to spend this time away from their family to focus on work and make business connections, others would prefer not to be away from their family for a long period of time.  If you are of the latter group and your spouse has a flexible schedule, why not create a family vacation around a conference instead?  Tag along to your spouse’s business conference and you have the makings of a frugal vacation.  There are several advantages to doing so:
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How to Survive College Without a Car

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Going to college has its challenges.  You are forced to adapt to a new environment, meet new friends, study countless hours and much more.  These difficulties are only made worse by financial hardship.  If you have already graduated from college, try to think of another time in your life where you have paid tens of thousands of dollars in expenses with little or no income.  I bet you can’t think of another time.  The truth is that getting through college without any debt is a very difficult task.  Trying to keep your student loans to a minimum is made possible by finding ways to reduce spending and cut costs.  One of the best ways to reduce your expenses in college is to get rid of your car.  In fact, some universities (because of limited parking) do not allow underclassmen to bring cars to college.  If you are one of those select few that has a choice whether or not to bring a car, here are some reasons to leave that car at home (or even sell it). Continue Reading

Pay Off Debt or Save? That is the Question

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If you’re a typical American, you probably have some sort of consumer debt and are actively saving your money either in stocks or in a general savings account.  Unfortunately, those two things don’t go hand in hand.  Deciding to pay off debt or boost you savings is a tough choice.  The best decision for you might not work well for someone else.  It is entirely dependent on where you are at financially.  Let’s dig deeper and take a look at some of the positives of each scenario: Continue Reading

TD Ameritrade Online Stock Trading Review

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Stock trading has come a long way in just over a generation and TD Ameritrade has been a part of that history for more than forty years. It was only thirty years ago that stock trading was still done by calling a stock broker who called a specialist who took part in an auction process that would eventually result in you, the client, owning stock.  Although this still happens today, much of the stock trading now takes place using computer technology.

To see how computers have had a remarkable effect on the investment markets, in 1961 the New York Stock Exchange reached trading days of 4 million shares sold.  Today, because of new technology, over 4 billion shares are traded on some days.

Because of this new technology, much larger volumes of trades can now take place and more trades means more business for brokers.  That extra demand has given rise to a virtually endless supply of online brokers that made the stock market accessible to all consumers at a price they can afford.

In the following TD Ameritrade review, we’ll see what makes this broker tick and why they may be a good fit for your investing needs. Continue Reading

Are You Missing Out on These Credit Card Perks?

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While it’s true that you need to be careful and responsible with your credit card, your credit card isn’t necessarily evil. Indeed, your credit card can actually be a source of different perks.  I’m not just talking about rewards programs (which can offer great opportunities to get cash back, and free stuff).  Your credit card also comes with a number of other perks that should be considered:

Don’t miss out on these credit card perks:

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9-11-01 Ten Years Later

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If you normally stop by Free From Broke to read about different aspects of personal finance, well I’m not going to talk about that here.  Let me apologize in advance.  Feel free to move on to another site if you don’t want to hear about 9/11.  Really, I don’t mind.  (just come back tomorrow)

Ten years ago we had an attack on our way of living that changed our lives forever.  I know mine was changed.  How?  I can’t say entirely.  After ten years I still can’t pinpoint everything I feel about that fateful day.  I’m just going to write out some things in my head I’ve thought about.  Bear with me.
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9 Things to Do When You Retire

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Retirement is a stage in life that everyone in the rat race looks forward to.

It proves that you paid your dues to society, worked for a lengthy period, and it’s now time to open up the next chapter in your life.

Previously, when people retired, they didn’t have as much time to enjoy it.  There wasn’t much to do, and they weren’t expected to live very long afterwards.  With improvements in technology and health, people are living longer, and in some cases, are retired longer than they spent working!

So how can you spend your days with your new found freedom?

Here are 9 things to do when you retire:

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Condo Fees You May Not Be Aware Of

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Many 20-somethings graduate college and move to the city.  Not quite ready for homeownership, many of them may consider buying a condo.

Recently, I observed a billboard for a condo building in downtown Chicago that piqued my curiousity because it clearly was seeking to attract young professionals.  I went home and looked on their website, which was sleek and obviously catering to the 20 to early 30s crowd.  There were beautiful pictures of the high rise from the outside, pictures of the inside of different condos highlighting the beautiful city view, floor plans, and even interviews with a half dozen of the residents (all of them young professionals except for the token near retirement empty nester).

What really caught my interest was their page that declared, “You Can’t Afford Not To Buy!”

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Do You Need Disaster Insurance? What Type Should You Get?

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Once again, a natural disaster has brought the attention of many to the possible need for disaster insurance. Hurricane Irene might not have been as fierce as many expected, but there will still probably be plenty of insurance claims from floods and other damage.  Whenever we hear of a hurricane, an earthquake, tornadoes or some other disaster, it often prompts a double-check of the homeowners policy to see if you would be covered in a similar disaster were to befall you.  Do you need disaster insurance?  See the different types available and if you need it.

Types of Disaster Coverage

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PerkStreet Financial 5% Cashback Powerperks September 2011

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PerkStreet Financial, the online checking account, have released their September 2011 5% cashback Powerperks.  For those who don’t know PerkStreet yet I suggest you check out my PerkStreet Review.  We’ll wait.  All caught up?  Good.  So you know, PerkStreet offers cashback on their debit card spending (pretty rare for a checking account and for some, better than receiving an interest rate on checking).  You always get between 1% and 2% on your debit card spending.  On top of that, every month they select specific categories and retailers where you can earn 5% cashback.  The selections usually revolve around a seasonal theme, which makes the categories both practical and fun.

For September, PerkStreet wants to help you get your family and home ready for the Fall season with cashback on clothes, home goods, and more at the following retailers: Continue Reading