Showing posts with label online stock trading and investments. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

personal finance books

10 Riskiest Places to Give Your Social Security Number "Here's how to lower the chances of your number falling into the wrong hands -- and what to do if it does."

Holiday Non-Shopping: 7 Items Worth Waiting For [Money Watch] "Here are the top 7 items that you may want to put on your post-holiday shopping list."

How to Pick Your Next Computer [Smart Money] "Here is my annual fall computer buyers' guide, a simplified road map to the key decisions shoppers must make."

10 Things Recruiters Won't Tell You [Wall Street Journal] "#1. There are better ways to find a job."

20 Places to Find Free Books Online [Northern Cheapskate] "The following sites provide free books that can be enjoyed online, downloaded to your computer, or transferred to an e-reader or MP3 player."

— FREE MONEY FINANCE

Corruption in the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been a head for U.S. policy makers for years, now it appears to extend to receipt of bribes from the Islamic Republic of Iran:

One evening last August, as President Hamid Karzai wrapped up an official visit to Iran, his personal plane sat on the airport tarmac, waiting for a late-running passenger: Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan.

The ambassador, Feda Hussein Maliki, finally appeared, taking a seat next to Umar Daudzai, Mr. Karzai’s chief of staff and his most trusted confidant. According to an Afghan official on the plane, Mr. Maliki handed Mr. Daudzai a large plastic bag bulging with packets of euro bills. A second Afghan official confirmed that Mr. Daudzai carried home a large bag of cash.

“This is the Iranian money,” said an Afghan official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Many of us noticed this.”

The bag of money is part of a secret, steady stream of Iranian cash intended to buy the loyalty of Mr. Daudzai and promote Iran’s interests in the presidential palace, according to Afghan and Western officials here. Iran uses its influence to help drive a wedge between the Afghans and their American and NATO benefactors, they say.

The payments, which officials say total millions of dollars, form an off-the-books fund that Mr. Daudzai and Mr. Karzai have used to pay Afghan lawmakers, tribal elders and even Taliban commanders to secure their loyalty, the officials said.

“It’s basically a presidential slush fund,” a Western official in Kabul said of the Iranian-supplied money. “Daudzai’s mission is to advance Iranian interests.

And the influence that the Iranians are purchasing could have lethal effects for Afghan opponents of the Karzai government and U.S. troops:

The payments to Mr. Daudzai illustrate the degree to which the Iranian government has penetrated Mr. Karzai’s inner circle despite his presumed alliance with the United States and the other NATO countries, which have sustained him with military forces and billions of dollars since the Taliban’s ouster since 2001.

Earlier this year, Mr. Karzai invited the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to the presidential palace, where Mr. Ahmadinejad gave a virulently anti-American speech. When Mr. Ahmadinejad visited Kabul, he brought two boxes of cash, an Afghan official said. “One box was for Daudzai personally, the other for the palace,” the official said.

A senior NATO officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to discuss whether Mr. Daudzai was receiving money from Iran. But he said that the Iranian government was conducting an aggressive campaign inside Afghanistan to undermine the American and NATO mission and to gain influence in politics.

The NATO officer said Iran’s intelligence agencies were playing both sides of the conflict, providing financing, weapons and training to the Taliban. Iranian agents also financed the campaigns of several Afghans who ran in last month’s parliamentary election, the NATO officer said.

The Iranian intelligence services have developed the ability to assassinate opponents and attack American troops inside the country, the NATO officer said.

“I am very concerned that they have a lethal capability and presence inside Afghanistan and Kabul,” the officer said.

Obama administration officials have expressed alarm about Iranian intentions. Last week, Richard C. Holbrooke, the administration’s special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, complained to Afghanistan’s finance minister, Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, about Mr. Daudzai and Iran’s influence in the presidential palace, a former Afghan official said.

Mr. Holbrooke did not respond to requests for comment. In an interview, Mr. Zakhilwal declined to talk about the discussion with Mr. Holbrooke or about any Iranian activities in Afghanistan.

“We have no choice but to be friendly with Iran,” Mr. Zakhilwal said. “It’s a hostile neighborhood.”

On some level, Karzai’s decision to cozy up to Iran makes sense. After all, he knows that the United States is isn’t going to be in Afghanistan forever, and even that his own record of electoral and personal corruption will at some point cause the U.S. to realize that defending an inherently corrupt regime that makes a farce out of the democratic process just isn’t worth it. For a nation with borders that touches some of the most powerful nations in Western Asia, it’s not surprising that he’d cozy up to Iran as a way of protecting his own power, which is ultimately all that Hamid Karzai appears to care about.

The question for the U.S., though, is how long we’re going to maintain the charade that Hamid Karzai is an honest partner, or in any sense an ally of convenience only. We’ve adopted a war strategy that depends on winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people, and at the same time we’re backing a leader that his corrupt and has turned their elections into a fraud. In a society where tribal loyalties are still stronger than any sense of nationalism, that seems like a combination that’s doomed to failure in the end.

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Was Tony Parker Cheating? Mystery Teammate's Wife Revealed... Erin ...

The father of San Antonio Spurs star Brent Barry -- whose wife Erin is reportedly the other woman in a Tony Parker love triangle -- tells TMZ he's worried that Brent will be "devastated" by the news. Tony Parker Cheating With Brent ...

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo News

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Google News Blog: Credit where credit is due

News publishers and readers both benefit when journalists get proper credit for their work. That can be difficult, with news spreading so quickly and many websites syndicating articles to others. That's why we're experimenting with two ...

Was Tony Parker Cheating? Mystery Teammate's Wife Revealed... Erin ...

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo News

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Google News Blog: Credit where credit is due

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Was Tony Parker Cheating? Mystery Teammate's Wife Revealed... Erin ...

BillBoard - Blogs - The Buffalo News

The Buffalo News updated every day with news from Buffalo, New York. Links to national and business news, entertainment listings, recipes, sports teams, classified ads, death notices.

Google News Blog: Credit where credit is due

Friday, September 24, 2010

personal finance blog

If you walked into the average bookstore, you'd think that women rule the roost when it comes to personal finance. From Suze Orman's now-classic Women and Money to the more recent (and more colorfully titled) Bitches on a Budget, there's no shortage of do-it-yourself financial advice tailored to women.

Apparently, though, when women make the momentous move from self-help to seeking professional advice about investing and retirement, things go rapidly downhill. A recent study by the Boston Consulting Group revealed that women perceived themselves as receiving wealth management services at a level of quality that is inferior to that received by their male counterparts.

According to the study, women are the key decision-makers when it comes to 27% of the wealth worldwide: that's $20 trillion! But despite the massive chunk of power they wield, 55% of the women surveyed in the study said they felt their wealth manager could do a better job of advising them. Almost a quarter of the respondents said private banks needed "significant improvement" in the services they offer to women.

"The dissatisfaction stems from the unshakable perception that men get more attention, better advice, and sometimes even better terms and deals," according to study co-author Peter Damisch. "We heard this sense of subordination time and time again in our interviews."

This perceived disparity in service arose from several key disconnects in the relationships and communications between women and their financial advisers. Manisha Thakor, Chartered Financial Analyst and women's financial literacy advocate, offers some steps savvy female investors can take to avoid being under-served by their wealth managers and investment advisers:

1. Find your adviser and get your financial education from women-run resources.

The financial services industry is dominated by males and therefore the "DNA is structured around the male experience," Thakor explains, adding that she sees many firms making an effort to change this. Most financial advisers are men, who may not inherently understand the whole-life nature of the average woman's financial plans and needs. They also may have very different communication styles than their women clients.

Thakor recommends women use women-created resources like LearnVest and DailyWorth to educate themselves in order to avoid the intimidation factor when talking about investment products with their advisers. She also encourages women to consult Garrett Planning Network, founded by Certified Financial Planner Sheryl Garrett, to locate a local certified financial planner who works on an hourly-fee-only basis. Taking these steps, Thakor explains, may alleviate the concern expressed by many women in the BCG study that they were not being taken seriously or talked to on the same level as male clients by their financial advisers.

2. Expressly state your ideal career trajectory, then ask how you should alter your investment plans accordingly.

In the BCG study, women stated that their investment advisers fundamentally misunderstood what was actually important to them, and recommended a too-narrow range of inappropriate investment vehicles as a result. Many said their advisers assumed they had a lower risk tolerance than they actually did, or that their advisers focused on short-term results and disregarded their long-term goals, which often included time out to care for a child or parent.

Thakor offers women a script of sorts to remedy this communication disconnect. "Go in and say: "I want to be a mom and I may take X amount of time out of the work force," she advises. Then ask, "How do we adjust how much I need to save and how I should invest to compensate for this?"

3. Start saving early.

Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics:

FEC NO LONGER ENFORCING ELECTION LAW?: Following an August story on OpenSecrets Blog chronicling organizations skirting Federal Election Commission disclosure laws, the Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 sent a letter to the FEC begging one question: Who is enforcing FEC law if the FEC isn�t?

The letter focuses on contention over �reasonable interpretation� of what constitutes �express advocacy� in the context of a statement by the FEC that an advertisement urging the public �help� a candidate is not express advocacy, since it does not directly tell the public to �vote for� a candidate.

While the letter cites OpenSecrets.org data, the Center for Responsive Politics remains neutral on the issue.

The groups are seeking clarification and a legal explanation, given that advertisements not demonstrating express advocacy are not subject to laws requiring public disclosure of advertising funding.

Meanwhile, a new report by non-profit advocacy group Public Citizen delves deeper into campaign finance information disclosure in the wake of the January Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court ruling. The report contends that the identities of the people and organizations behind political advertisements are becoming less clear, particularly among �Republican-oriented� groups.

The report shows the percentage of groups reporting donors decreasing from 98 percent and 97 percent in 2004 and 2006, respectively, to 49 percent in 2008 and only 32 percent thus far in the 2010 election cycle.

�The Supreme Court has unleashed a flood of new corporate spending on election ads and the public can�t even tell who is behind a given ad,� explained David Arkush, director of Public Citizen�s Congress Watch division, in a Wall Street Journal article.

LADY GAGA AND HARRY REID TEAM UP: What do Lady Gaga and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have in common? Hint: not fashion sense. Still, the pair teamed up earlier this week via Twitter to voice support for the repeal of the military�s �Don�t Ask, Don�t Tell� policy for gay service members.

Reid began the correspondence with a tweet saying �@ladygaga There is a vote on #DADT next week. Anyone qualified to serve this country should be allowed to do so.� The pop star responded by writing �God Bless and Thank you @HarryReid, from all of us, like u, who believe in equality and the dream of this country. We were #BORNTHISWAY.�

While there is no record of Gaga herself making campaign contributions to Reid, the senator has done well fund-raising with her colleagues in the television, movies and music industry, who have donated $436,250 to Reid during the 2010 election cycle.

From 2009-2010, Reid is second to only U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) in campaign contributions from people and political action committees associated with this industry.

BLOOMBERG�S PERSONAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION RECORD BROKEN: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg may be notable for massive contributions to his own campaigns, but this billionaire media mogul-turned-politico�s record for the largest personal campaign contribution in U.S. history has been shattered by California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, a Republican.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported another $15 million donation Tuesday, bringing Whitman�s total personal contributions for the 2010 governor�s race to $119 million. A recent Rasmussen poll shows Whitman, former chief executive officer of eBay, slightly ahead of Democratic challenger Jerry Brown, the state�s former governor and current attorney general.

Bloomberg set the former record of $108 million in personal contributions in his mayoral re-election bid last year, when he spent about $185 per vote, as OpenSecrets Blog previously reported.

Have a news tip or link to pass along? We want to hear from you! E-mail us at press@crp.org.

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ICM And WME And CAA News… – Deadline.com

ICM's talent department signed Emmy nominee and TV standout (Malcolm In The Middle) Jane Kaczmarek, who had been represented by WME. She's managed by Adena Chawke and Lisa Wright at Greenlight Management. Also joining ICM from WME is ...

Early Critics Weigh in on Benu : Good News/Bad News : Eater SF

After slaving away in the internationally acclaimed French Laundry kitchen with one Thomas Kellar for years, Corey Lee is on his own now at Benu. If you've never heard of...

After Months of Speculation, Anisette Brasserie Bids Au Revoir ...

Unfortunately, we called it. In an additional bout of shutter news, months and months after rumors swirled that Alain Giraud's Anisette Brasserie was about to call it quits, his...

ICM And WME And CAA News… – Deadline.com

Early Critics Weigh in on Benu : Good News/Bad News : Eater SF

After slaving away in the internationally acclaimed French Laundry kitchen with one Thomas Kellar for years, Corey Lee is on his own now at Benu. If you've never heard of...

After Months of Speculation, Anisette Brasserie Bids Au Revoir ...

Unfortunately, we called it. In an additional bout of shutter news, months and months after rumors swirled that Alain Giraud's Anisette Brasserie was about to call it quits, his...

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ICM And WME And CAA News… – Deadline.com

Early Critics Weigh in on Benu : Good News/Bad News : Eater SF

After slaving away in the internationally acclaimed French Laundry kitchen with one Thomas Kellar for years, Corey Lee is on his own now at Benu. If you've never heard of...

After Months of Speculation, Anisette Brasserie Bids Au Revoir ...

Unfortunately, we called it. In an additional bout of shutter news, months and months after rumors swirled that Alain Giraud's Anisette Brasserie was about to call it quits, his...

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Washington (CNN) - Fresh on the heels of Joe Miller's surprising win over Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the Alaska Republican Senate primary, the Tea Party movement is setting its sights on Delaware.

Now the Delaware Republican Party is taking heed – and taking on – the Tea Party-backed candidate in the state's Republican Senate primary, sparking a war of words between the state's establishment GOP and the Tea Party movement.

It's a race that pits conservative Tea Party favorite Christine O'Donnell against moderate Rep. Mike Castle, Delaware's former two-term governor and lone Congressman since 1993.

Both candidates' campaigns have become increasingly caustic, especially as Tea Party-backed candidates across the country have picked up win after win against GOP establishment candidates.

The Tea Party Express endorsed the conservative O'Donnell in July, and recently committed to spending at least six-figures in the state.

"We are launching an aggressive multimedia and multi-platform campaign to help propel Christine O'Donnell to victory, and we've only just begun," Amy Kremer, Chairman of the Tea Party Express, said in a statement.

The group originally planned to spend about $250,000 on the race, but is now considering expanding their presence with TV and radio ad buys in Philadelphia, said Tea Party Express political director Joe Wierzbicki.

A similar last minute media blitz by the Tea Party Express is credited with propelling Miller – a formerly little known candidate – to victory over Murkowski, the Republican Party-backed incumbent.

The group launched a series of TV and radio ads Thursday that support O'Donnell, and rail against Castle as a liberal candidate who "just keeps supporting the failed policies of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid."

It's a move that has the Castle campaign fighting back.

"Out-of-state interest groups have threatened to spend half a million dollars to fund the disgusting tactics being used by the O'Donnell campaign to make accusations," said Castle campaign manager Mike Quaranta.

Meanwhile, the Castle campaign has launched therealchristine.com, a site devoted to aggregating negative news about O'Donnell.

Tom Ross, state committee chairman of the Delaware Republican Party, defended the negative nature of the site. "The stories might not be flattering, but they are factual. ...Sometimes it is necessary to make sure that the facts get out there," Ross said.

O'Donnell has faced criticism over her personal finance issues and leftover debt from previous, unsuccessful bids for a Delaware Senate seat. She has also been accused of misstating the results of her run against Joe Biden.

When asked to clarify her remarks in an interview Thursday with radio host Dan Gaffney of WGMD, O'Donnell seemed to grow increasingly frustrated, and ultimately blamed her statements on a grueling campaign schedule.

Ross, who is backing Castle, said that O'Donnell's history is troubling.

"This is a group and candidate that clearly seem to have a problem with facts. It is shocking that they would come in and support a candidate of Christine O'Donnell's ilk," he said.

"It is sad that the group didn't investigate the candidate that they're supporting… and surprising they would take their supporters' money that they donated and squander it in such a fashion," Ross said.

Ross also questioned whether O'Donnell is capable of pulling off an upset similar to Miller's win in Alaska.

"In Alaska, it was that Joe Miller is an Ivy League grad, a war hero, excellent standing in the community," Ross said. "Look at Christine O'Donnell. She has none of those attributes. She is career politician. She's run unsuccessfully for Senate three times."

Yet, Wierzbicki criticized Ross for dismissing O'Donnell, calling her a true conservative.

" is everything that is wrong with the establishment of the Republican Party. He should be fired for serving to undermine a Republican candidate who stands on conservative principles. It's his job to advance all Republicans in the state of Delaware. Instead he has become a tool for those who wish to thwart the Republican Party platform and turn the GOP into a Democrat-lite outfit. We find him reprehensible and shameless," Wierzbicki said.

Republican Gov. Chris Christie of neighboring New Jersey endorsed Castle Thursday.

The winner will face Democrat Chris Coons in the race for Vice President Joe Biden's former seat.

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ICM And WME And CAA News… – Deadline.com

Bad news for green technology | Watts Up With That?

Super magnet production has also been shipped over to China http://www.chinamagnet.in/i-News-229212/The-development-and-applications-of-Rare-Earth-Permanent-Magnetic-Materials-244616.html. Over the last 10 to 20 years companies have ...

Artnet News: Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami ...

ARTNET NEWS. Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami Sculpture Biennial, Prospect 1.5 New Orleans, more.

ICM And WME And CAA News… – Deadline.com

Bad news for green technology | Watts Up With That?

Artnet News: Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami ...

ARTNET NEWS. Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami Sculpture Biennial, Prospect 1.5 New Orleans, more.

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ICM And WME And CAA News… – Deadline.com

Bad news for green technology | Watts Up With That?

Artnet News: Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami ...

ARTNET NEWS. Gang assaults Turkish galleries. Plus, Miami Sculpture Biennial, Prospect 1.5 New Orleans, more.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

budgeting personal finances

Are you a fan of the GTD personal productivity system? Well if you like "Getting Things Done," here's GFD, Getting Finances Done, which shows you how to map David Allen's same principals to managing your personal finance and achieving your financial goals.

Applying GTD principles to your personal finances - Part 1 [Getting Finances Done]

Use Prepaid Travel Cards to Budget Travel Expenses

Vacation is a time to let loose and have a little fun. It's all too easy, however, to let having a little fun turn into spending way too much. Use prepaid travel cards to keep spending contained, secure, and in budget.

Photo by eliazar.

Finance and frugality blog WiseBread shares a set of tips on using prepaid travel cards for safe, secure, and budget-friendly travel spending.

A prepaid travel card is generally usable in the place of a debit or credit card. You can withdraw cash at an ATM, pay for purchases, and make travel reservations. And as the name suggests, you prepay these expenses by loading money onto the card.

It is just as secure as a debit or credit card, since the prepaid travel card is protected by a PIN and/or signature. In fact, some would say that prepaid travel cards are even more secure, since the money is not linked to your bank account and has a limited balance (which limits your exposure).

It can also be a handy tool for budgeting, since you would load only the money you plan on spending for the trip onto the card, which helps you stick to your travel budget.

Check out the full article at the link below for additional tips and tricks including what to look for when shopping for a card like avoiding cards with a cash-out fee. Have your own tips for keeping your money secure and sticking to a budget while traveling? Let's hear about it in the comments.

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The good news | dooce®

And every day when we pick her up from school she says, "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?" I always ask for the good news so that I can prepare and physically brace myself for what is surely news that will grind the ...

Baltimore Crime: Saturday crime news

Saturday crime news. State Senator Ulysses Currie pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges. Triple stabbing on an MTA bus in West Baltimore. posted by ppatin at 11:07 AM ...

Hot Air » Great news: Incumbent sore loser to launch desperate bid ...

Great news: Incumbent sore loser to launch desperate bid to keep power.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

personal finance blog

Would you like to have these great bargains delivered right to your inbox? Join over 57,000 fellow deal seekers and subscribe to Deal Seeking Mom. Also become a fan of Deal Seeking Mom on Facebook for more conversation, additional deals and a peek at the freebies I receive in the mail. Thanks for visiting!

Freebie Friday is provided by Wendi, who blogs at TheFreebieBlogger, where she finds you 100% free items each and every day.

Logical Nutrition is offering a FREE Revitalize Health Supplement sample. Just put "sample request" and you mailing address in the "How Can We Help?" box.

Request a FREE Pregnancy Planner that helps prepare you for each trimester and for when baby comes home. It includes a 10-month calendar section to record checkups and other notes.

Walmart is offering a FREE two-day Prevacid 24HR sample for the treatment of heartburn to those who qualify.

Those with children can sign up with Publix Preschool Pals to receive freebies, coupons and more. This offer is available to select states.

Mercury Magazines is offering a FREE Forbes Investors’ Guide to those who qualify. This guide offers tips on investing and financial planning during volatile times.

Kids ages 8 to 18 years old can get a FREE Young Eagles Flight and become one of over a million Young Eagles. Be sure to find a volunteer in your area.

Sun Laboratories is offering a FREE self-tanning product samples. They do not mention which product you will receive.

If you love Taylor Swift, you can download three of her songs for FREE: Love Story, Fifteen and You’re Not Sorry.

Stand Up For The Troops is offering a FREE comedy CD download to those with a valid military ID number. Comics include Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Jeff Foxworthy and Kevin James.

PracticalMoneySkills.com offers many FREE materials including a Practical Money Skills CD ROM, Financial Soccer & Financial Football CD Roms (to teach students personal finance skills) and more.

Astroglide is offering a FREE Natural Personal Lubricant sample for a limited time.

See the previous freebie roundups for more free sample offers that are still available!

As always, make sure you’re protecting your personal information when you’re signing up for freebies.

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Every Friday I’ll start a new post with a Mr. Linky for you all to share your fabulous freebie finds with Deal Seeking Mom readers! If you have a freebie you’d like to list, just leave your link below.

To keep it neat, I suggest that you list your blog name and then the freebie you've found in parentheses, ex. Deal Seeking Mom (Free Toilet Paper Sample). The only requirement is that you link directly to your post on the freebie. Links directly to your homepage will be deleted.

Average gas prices--September 13, 2010

You voted: letter grades edge ahead in fuel economy poll

For rent: 4.5 billion-year-old ball of fire

What Obama's transportation proposals mean for travelers

TomTom provides update for XL 350, XXL 550, and XL 335 GPS devices

Cash for appliances: Rebates aplenty in states big and small

Apple curtails its free case program for the iPhone 4

Daily Dispatch: Death of the RSS reader?; Toronto produces entertaining video to promote e-waste recycling

September could be Home Star’s month—or not

LG's 60PX950, the first THX 3D plasma, headed to the CR Test labs!

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Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen: Green News Report: September 14 ...

IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): Carbon nanotube "solar funnel" boosts solar panels; EPA holds contentious hearings on "fracking"; Coal Industry is Safe, says new Australian climate minister; Electric bicycle range reaching the ...

DEMO: HipLogic's Spark brings social media, news updates to your ...

Devindra Hardawar is a technology and film writer/podcast host. He studied philosophy at Amherst College, worked in IT support for ...

Here is the news: Americans consume more news than they did 10 ...

News-readers haven't gone away, you know. It appears that Americans are spending more time consuming news than a decade ago.

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Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen: Green News Report: September 14 ...

DEMO: HipLogic's Spark brings social media, news updates to your ...

Devindra Hardawar is a technology and film writer/podcast host. He studied philosophy at Amherst College, worked in IT support for ...

Here is the news: Americans consume more news than they did 10 ...

News-readers haven't gone away, you know. It appears that Americans are spending more time consuming news than a decade ago.

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Thursday, September 2, 2010

how to manage personal finances

From Hotline (HT: Mataconis):

O'Donnell, a perennial conservative candidate in Delaware, is challenging moderate Rep. Mike Castle (R), the clear favorite of the GOP establishment. But she has come under fire recently for her personal financial problems. Reports have surfaced that she owed $10K in back taxes, defaulted on her mortgage and holds outstanding campaign debt.

Levi Russell, a spokesman for the group, told Hotline On Call that the group was not aware of O'Donnell's personal financial problems before it endorsed her.

"We don't know the exact situation," he said.

When asked if the group discussed the issues with O'Donnell, Russell responded: "No we haven't. We don't really have any contact with the campaign or the candidate."

We have blogged before reasons why we support Mike Castle over O'Donnell. But this report raises even more questions, such as:

If the Tea Party really stands for fiscal conservatism, why would they endorse somebody who can't even manage her personal finances?

Does it give you confidence in the Tea Party that they go around endorsing people without having any contact with the candidate? How do they know that this female version of Harold Stassen is really worthy of such an endorsement?

Christine O'Donnell has run for office 4 times. Her sole victory was an uncontested Republican primary.

In 2008, O'Donnell lost the Delaware senate race to Joe Biden by 65-35. She later falsely claimed to have won two counties in that race. Biden's percentage of the vote in 2008 was the largest of any of his senatorial campaigns.

In 2008, one of the great Democratic landslides, Mike Castle beat his Democratic challenger for Delaware's sole Congressional seat by 23 points. Castle has won 13 consecutive state-wide races as a candidate either for Governor or Congressman. He's way ahead of the Democrat in the polls while O'Donnell trails the Democrat by 10 points.

As a student of Delaware corporate governance, I am firmly convinced that Delaware needs quality representation in Congress if it is to fend off the creeping federalization of corporate law. As a big tent Republican, I'm inclined to support smart, electable, centrists like Mike Castle over someone like O'Donnell. The perfect must not be allowed to become the enemy of the good. Especially when the supposed perfect candidate is pretty seriously flawed and probably unelectable.

From Hotline (HT: Mataconis):

Levi Russell, a spokesman for the group, told Hotline On Call that the group was not aware of O'Donnell's personal financial problems before it endorsed her.

"We don't know the exact situation," he said.

When asked if the group discussed the issues with O'Donnell, Russell responded: "No we haven't. We don't really have any contact with the campaign or the candidate."

We have blogged before reasons why we support Mike Castle over O'Donnell. But this report raises even more questions, such as:

If the Tea Party really stands for fiscal conservatism, why would they endorse somebody who can't even manage her personal finances?

Does it give you confidence in the Tea Party that they go around endorsing people without having any contact with the candidate? How do they know that this female version of Harold Stassen is really worthy of such an endorsement?

Christine O'Donnell has run for office 4 times. Her sole victory was an uncontested Republican primary.

In 2008, O'Donnell lost the Delaware senate race to Joe Biden by 65-35. She later falsely claimed to have won two counties in that race. Biden's percentage of the vote in 2008 was the largest of any of his senatorial campaigns.

In 2008, one of the great Democratic landslides, Mike Castle beat his Democratic challenger for Delaware's sole Congressional seat by 23 points. Castle has won 13 consecutive state-wide races as a candidate either for Governor or Congressman. He's way ahead of the Democrat in the polls while O'Donnell trails the Democrat by 10 points.

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CBS News - Daily Beast - Rebecca Dana | "Perverse Hobby" | Mediaite

The Daily Beast's Rebecca Dana wrote yesterday about the implosion and collapse at CBS News, focusing on a variety of issues - from ratings to business cards. Today, CBS News fires back, responding directly to the fabrications in the ...

TV News, Talk Shows Using Skype

NEW YORK — When he wanted to interview a source in Connecticut for a recent "World News" story on technology, ABC reporter Pierre Thomas didn't even leave the office. ABC's cameras showed him sitting in front of a computer screen, ...

Obama to push message on economy, hold news conference | Analysis ...

Washington pundits questioned President Barack Obama's decision to devote much of this week to foreign policy, but it looks like next week is full of events on the economy.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

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Maes called the bike program part of a U.N. attempt to control U.S. cities. A U.N.-affiliated group, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, is an association with more than 1,200 communities as members, including Denver. It recommends environmentally friendly ways cities can reduce pollution.

Maes' campaign said the candidate was illustrating the larger picture of what the organization represents and its "extreme" views on global warming.

During the plagiarism scandal, McInnis rejected suggestions that he step down and allow a GOP vacancy committee to appoint a replacement if he wins the primary and trails Democrat John Hickenlooper, who is unopposed, in the polls. He stuck with his campaign theme – creating jobs – though character issues overshadowed debate over platforms and what each candidate would do as Colorado's next governor.

Those issues prompted former GOP congressman Tom Tancredo to quit the party and run for governor on the American Constitution Party ticket. Tancredo says neither candidate has a chance of beating Hickenlooper. But his move threatens to further divide the conservative opposition come November.

The Libertarian Party primary Tuesday featured Jaimes Brown, a real estate broker, and Internet entrepreneur Dan Sallis.

It wasn't the first time McInnis faced ethics issues. In 2005, he was investigated – and cleared – by the Federal Elections Commission after Democrats complained his wife had been hired as a campaign manager in 2004 after McInnis decided not to seek re-election.

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Here at MakeUseOf, we have recently had a revelation when it comes to using PayPal to pay staff writers: it turns out you can save massive amounts of money in PayPal fees by using the bulk batch payment manager (known as Mass Payment) rather than sending separate Paypal online payments.

We had no idea we would save quite so much by using this method. And because we know other people will benefit from using the bulk payment option, we felt we had to spread the word. We know here’s a lot of people out there making online Paypal wage payments and possibly paying unnecessary fees.

So this is what Mass Payment is all about.

id="more-50914">/> Typical PayPal fees within the same country are 1.9-2.9% + USD$0.30. When you cross borders, international PayPal fees can creep up to 3.9% + USD$0.30. So, a payment for US$100 could wind up with a fee of US$4.20, which normally gets paid by the receiver. A much smaller fee is applied to Mass Payments. Any online freelancers getting paid a full-time wage this way will surely have noticed the significant impact of these fees on their final wage. But, they’re completely unnecessary – we just need to get the people making payments to update their ways.

By the way, don’t get too cranky with PayPal for these fees. Ever seen the fees banks charge to make international transfers? PayPal are really just passing on bank fees and other processing fees to do with single payments. You’re no doubt saving PayPal money too by suggesting your boss make Mass Payments.

So, let’s talk it through step-by-step so you can simply hand your boss this article and they’ll know exactly what they need to do. While you’re there, mention that by using Mass Payment their accounting records will be much easier to navigate.

Firstly, the sender will need to have a verified PayPal Premier or Business account. It’s easy to upgrade an existing account to Premier or Business, but it does require verifying the email address and bank account used with the sender’s PayPal account.

Secondly, the sender will need to ensure they have sufficient funds in their PayPal account. Credit cards can’t be used for Mass Payments.

Mass Payments can be made to any email address – if a recipient doesn’t have a PayPal account using that exact email address, the address can be easily added to an existing PayPal account. So, all the sender needs is to know the email address and how much they want to send. Senders should also note that all payments in a Mass Payment need to be made in the same currency as each other.

The sender needs to create a tab delimited file containing the email addresses, currency and amounts to be paid. From Excel, this is something you can create easily by saving as “Text (Tab Delimited)”. Put email addresses in the first column, payment amounts in the second column and the currency code in the third column (see PayPal for the codes). An optional fourth column lets you put in some sort of identifier for each person for your own accounting records. Another optional fifth column allows you to send a personal message to that recipient.

style="text-align: center;">

To access Mass Payment, click the “Mass Payment” link at the bottom of the page when you’re logged in to PayPal.

style="text-align: center;">

This takes you to an overview of Mass Payment, including guides, fees, codes and examples. Click on “Make a Mass Payment” to get started.

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The Mass Payment file upload is straightforward and easy to use. It’s simple to add a generic subject and body to the email sent with all payments. Note that it’s also possible to use the PayPal API to send Mass Payments, so if you’re a larger company (or you just prefer automation) there’s that option available to you as well.

Mass Payments are processed instantly and available for recipients to use or withdraw immediately.

A word of caution: Ensure your recipient is trustworthy and has fulfilled their service or delivered their goods because PayPal Mass Payments can’t be cancelled.

If the recipient has a personal PayPal account in the same country as the sender (and the sender is not using a credit or debit card to make the payment), sending payments to them is free the regular way. If the recipient has a Premier or Business account, or they are in a different country to the sender, the fees are lower with a Mass Payment. With regular payments, the sender can choose whether to pay the fees or let the recipient pay them, however with Mass Payment the sender must pay the PayPal fees. So, discuss with the recipients which method is best before you send a Mass Payment.

If you use PayPal regularly, check out these other MakeUseOf articles on Paypal:

9 Tools PayPal Users Should Know About
How To Keep Your PayPal Account Safe From Hackers
PayPal Fee Calculator

If you’re making regular international PayPal payments to people who you know you owe money to, this is definitely the way to go. Get set up now and save your team money!

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Celebrity News Roundup from PopEater: Aug. 31

Want to know what's going on with your favorite TV stars when the cameras aren't rolling? Check out the latest celebrity news from our friends.

Illegal Immigration, human rights and unemployment | World News ...

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Friday, August 6, 2010

budgeting personal finances

Guest post by Audrey

Credit cards can hurt more than just your own personal finances.

Though my husband and I have been careful with our use of credit cards and have not amassed debt, we have begun to realize that our financial decisions impact many more people than just ourselves, and that realization has helped us curb our credit-card spending more than any other budgeting lesson.

Our Story

My family bought a rustic campground in New Hampshire in 2003. We spent countless hours updating and improving the entire facility, including its highway-front, country-style general store.

We met so many wonderful people in that store, chatting with them about their homes (some as far away as Europe or Asia), their spiritual journeys, their dreams and goals and desires. But it became increasingly difficult to smile and chat with customers who paid for their $1.50 cup of coffee with their credit card.

You see, for each and every purchase, my family had to pay a surcharge to use the credit card system. That charge could be as high as $1 per purchase, on top of the 4% fee based on the purchase price.

When we added in the cost of the coffee itself, the cup, the sugar and the creamer, our store was actually losing money for those cups of coffee. And candy bars were worse.

Eventually, my father decided that we would change tactics. When someone made an extremely small purchase and offered a credit card for payment, we simply offered to give the customer that item for free. Our family lost money either way, and we hoped it would open these customers’ eyes to the true costs of using credit.

What We Learned

Maybe those customers learned a lesson; maybe they didn’t. All I know is that I definitely did. My husband and I, though still using our credit card on occasion, try to keep these things in mind:

Small businesses take a hard hit when we swipe a credit card.

Small purchases (candy, coffee, soda) cannot compensate for the credit card companies’ fees.

Credit hurts more than us, and it pleases the Lord when we strive to be aware of others’ needs.

Audrey is the proud wife of a handsome Marine and stay-at-home-mother of a beautiful 16-month-old girl (and she’s expecting again in November!). She teaches piano lessons occasionally and is recording her journey into the world of book publishing at www.trugars.com.

Photo credits: BigBeaks, Iain Tait & Llore Photography

J.D.: Parents tend not to like parenting advice from parents either. You really can’t win. It’s a war zone re: parenting choices out there, and all that tells me is that overall families with kids are not feeling well-accommodated in the current economic structure.

Glad the family factor finally got mentioned though. Similarly our first cutting area would have to be kids’ extracurriculars, second would be quality of nutrition, third would be heat, then we’d sell the house or take on a tenant rather than lending our basement apartment to a friend.

Parenthood has three-quartered our income and nearly quadrupled our expenses. We didn’t have a car, for example, before the kids started begging for us to please get out of the city sometimes. And how do you say no to that if you can afford it? “No, kid. Go play in the parking lot. Trees aren’t all they’re chalked up to be.” Our only financial fat is kids’ activities. With two kids and no consumer debt, we have very little to cut re: grownup expenses. (Um, we get takeout once a week so I can stop cooking for a minute?)

Etc. etc..

That said I’m constantly looking for ways to bring a little in here and there while I’m mostly at home. This will get easier when they’re both in full day school. Day care + summer camps would cost more than my salary as an arts professional, so I opted to stay mainly at home for seven years. Opted being a strong word. It was a financial no-brainer, and I personally felt I had no choice. On the other hand other parents I know feel compelled to work full time because in their particular situation that makes the most sense. Truly every situation is different, and no doubt everyone is doing what they can to provide as much as they can for their kids.

Financial factors aside, some people freely admit to not being able to handle the stresses of at-home parenting. Self-knowledge is key to this gig. Better the kids are in daycare than cared for by a no doubt loving but resentful and unhappy parent. Loving the act of parenting and loving your children are two very different things.

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Guest post by Audrey

Credit cards can hurt more than just your own personal finances.

Our Story

My family bought a rustic campground in New Hampshire in 2003. We spent countless hours updating and improving the entire facility, including its highway-front, country-style general store.

When we added in the cost of the coffee itself, the cup, the sugar and the creamer, our store was actually losing money for those cups of coffee. And candy bars were worse.

What We Learned

Maybe those customers learned a lesson; maybe they didn’t. All I know is that I definitely did. My husband and I, though still using our credit card on occasion, try to keep these things in mind:

Small businesses take a hard hit when we swipe a credit card.

Small purchases (candy, coffee, soda) cannot compensate for the credit card companies’ fees.

Credit hurts more than us, and it pleases the Lord when we strive to be aware of others’ needs.

Photo credits: BigBeaks, Iain Tait & Llore Photography

Etc. etc..

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What We're Reading: Motorcycle News - Wheels Blog - NYTimes.com

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Brad Friedman and Desi Doyen: Green News Report: August 5, 2010 ...

IN 'GREEN NEWS EXTRA' (see links below): Why 2 million (promised) green jobs couldn't sell a climate bill; When religious beliefs become dangerous; New state surveys affirm Americans' belief in global warming, gov't action; Fossil fuels ...

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Thursday, August 5, 2010

how to budget personal finances

Etc. etc..

Governor Schwarzenegger has once again furloughed workers, declaring California is in a fiscal emergency. Excuse me for asking but when has California ever not been in a state of fiscal emergency?

Bloomberg reports Schwarzenegger Orders Furloughs Amid California Budget Impasse

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered more than 150,000 state workers to take three days of mandatory unpaid time off to conserve cash.

The executive order, effective Aug. 1, stipulates that the furloughs will end when a budget for the fiscal year that began July 1 is enacted, the governor’s press secretary, Aaron McLear, said in an e-mail. It comes after government workers endured furloughs over almost 12 months that ended June 30.

California began its fiscal year without a spending plan after Schwarzenegger and Democrats remained deadlocked over how to fill a $19.1 billion deficit. Controller John Chiang has warned he may again need to issue IOUs to pay bills if the impasse continues into September.

“Every day of delay brings California closer to a fiscal meltdown,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement today. “Our cash situation leaves me no choice but to once again furlough state workers until the Legislature produces a budget I can sign.”

Fiscal Emergency California Style

The Business Spectator reports California state of fiscal emergency: Schwarzenegger

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency over the state's finances yesterday, raising pressure on lawmakers to negotiate a state budget that is more than a month overdue and will need to close a $US19 billion ($A21.3 billion) shortfall.

The deficit is 22 per cent of the $US85 billion general fund budget the governor signed last July for the fiscal year that ended in June, highlighting how the steep drop in California's revenue due to recession, the housing slump, financial market turmoil and high unemployment have slashed its all-important personal income tax collection.

In the declaration, Schwarzenegger ordered three days off without pay per month beginning in August for tens of thousands of state employees to preserve the state's cash to pay its debt, and for essential services.

California's budget is five weeks overdue, joining New York among big states with spending plans yet to be approved, and Schwarzenegger and top lawmakers are at an impasse over how to balance the state's books.

Analysts say it could be several more weeks before the Republican governor and leaders of the Democrat-led legislature reach an agreement, a delay that threatens to lower the state's already weak credit rating, now hovering just a few notches above "junk" status.

Schwarzenegger's new furlough order was instantly condemned by labor officials as a political ploy.

"To once again force state employees to take unpaid furloughs is just another punitive measure by Governor Schwarzenegger because he couldn't impose minimum wage," said Patty Velez, president of the California Association of Professional Scientists.

Political Ploy or Act of Sanity?

The unions accuse Schwarzenegger of playing politics. Here's the real story: He had 8 years to get rid of unions and failed to do so. He is not playing politics now, he played them before, being too spineless to take on the unions until recently.

Now he is a lame duck. Let's hope the next governor has more common sense. Don't count on it. After all we are talking about California where pandering to unions is the best way of getting elected.

By the way, can someone even tell me why California has an "Association of Professional Scientists"? Is there anything in California that is not unionized?

The solution is privatize everything, putting people like Patty Velez out on her ass where she has to do some real work instead of preying on taxpayers for more unjustified union benefits. The same applies to the prison guards and every other California union as well.

Common Sense in Fort Worth

Please consider Fort Worth council considers eliminating guaranteed pension for newer workers

City Council members are considering doing away with a guaranteed pension for newer employees as the council struggles to bring Fort Worth's spending in line with the drop in taxes.

No decisions have been made. And Assistant City Manager Karen Montgomery said the city would still have to deal with a big backlog in pension costs even if the council decides to cut benefits. But pensions have been a sacred cow among state and local governments, and few others have even discussed cutting them.

By law, the city can't change the benefits that it's already paying retirees or those that it has promised to employees who have worked long enough to be vested in the pension system. Also, police and firefighter pensions are guaranteed under labor contracts.

The city could be forced to pour tens of millions of dollars into the pension system over the next few years, and pension costs are a major contributor to Fort Worth's projected $73 million budget gap.

"This is the elephant in the room for not only this budget but all future budgets," Mayor Mike Moncrief said.

Montgomery suggested moving new employees and perhaps even unvested employees to a "defined contribution" plan. The specifics of the plan haven't been determined, but Montgomery suggested a range of options, including annuities or accounts similar to a private-sector 401(k).
That would be a game-changer for municipal employees, who often stay in their jobs because of the pension and other benefits.

"In our current pension, employees cannot outlive their benefit," Montgomery said. "In a defined contribution, that risk is on the employee to manage their money until they die."

Employees, including the police and firefighters associations, have argued to keep the pension system as it is. A committee made up mostly of employees recommended that the city contribute an additional 6 percent of payroll to the pension, which would fix the shortfall in a few years.

Finally!

At long last a major city in the US (Fort Worth has a population in excess of 600,000) is considering doing what desperately needs to be done: killing defined benefit pension plans for public workers.

Instead, the union suggests "an additional 6 percent of payroll to the pension, which would fix the shortfall in a few years". Where would that contribution come from? Taxpayers of course. Will it fix the system? No, it will not fix the shortfall because of insane pension plan assumptions.

The only solution is to kill these plans right here, right now. Unfortunately, such action will not fix the problem of unfunded plans for current vested employees, but it is a major step in preventing further buildup of a fiscally insane proposition.

If unions had any common sense they would embrace, not fight these decisions. The reason of course is the only other solution for cities would be to resolve these difficulties by declaring bankruptcy, putting accrued benefits at risk.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

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Thursday, July 22, 2010

personal finances help

Hullabaloo

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Shakedown

by digby

It doesn't get any better than this:

Daily Kos reports:

According to Barton, asking BP to set up an escrow account to compensate victims of BP's disaster was a criminal action -- a "shakedown" as he put it. Barton's not alone: his comments echo those made by other Republicans in recent days, including Michele Bachmann, Haley Barbour, and Tom Price.
Update 1 -- GOP Rep. Marcia Blackburn continues the "give BP a break" theme from the Republican Party, saying "the current administration deserves a significant portion of the blame for the oil spill." I guess BP would have loved an apology from her, but at least she told them that it really wasn't all their fault.
Update 2 -- GOP Rep. Phil Gingrey continues the "attack Obama, not BP" message from Republicans, saying he's looking forward to testimony from the administration. You could feel the GOP love from Hayward, pleased that yet another Republican was taking heat off his company.

Joe Barton knows a little bit about shakedowns. After all he's taken many millions in campaign cash from the oil industry. But he doesn't stop at just campaign money:
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 By DAVE MICHAELS / The Dallas Morning News
dmichaels@dallasnews.com
WASHINGTON – Rep. Joe Barton has earned nearly $100,000 from an interest in natural gas wells that he purchased from a longtime campaign donor who also advised the congressman on energy policy, according to interviews and records.

At a hearing last month of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Barton said he was "a small, small partner in a natural gas well in Johnson County in the Barnett Shale that is probably my 4-year-old son's college education." He later told a reporter that he couldn't remember precisely how he obtained the interest.

Land records show that Barton, R-Arlington, purchased his interest from Walter G. Mize, a Cleburne businessman who donated more than $30,000 to Barton's campaigns.

Mize urged Barton to create a federal oil and gas research program that was included in a 2005 energy law. Barton's ties to Mize, who died in 2008, go back 20 years, according to friends of both men.

Barton's interest could become controversial at a time when Congress is considering sweeping energy legislation that would boost demand for natural gas. Congressional experts say such deals raise ethical questions for lawmakers, who are expected by the public to maintain a firewall between their personal finances and official duties.

"If you are elected as a public servant to try to do what is right for the public generally and then you use that position to help bring in material wealth, I think it's unethical," said James Thurber, a distinguished professor of government at American University.

Yeah, I would guess most people agree with that.

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digby 6/17/2010 08:30:00 AM

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If you're buying a place for income, you need to understand the numbers in a deal. If you don't understand income and how income affects investment property value, then you shouldn't be investing in real estate. Savvy investors hire a team of professionals (realtor, lawyer, accountant, 1031 company, mortgage lender, inspector, and so on) to assist them in creating a proper valuation for a property. If you want to invest, you should build your team and get them to interact with each other. That's how they'll help you make smarter decisions.

For example, if you're buying a warehouse or a retail strip center, you probably aren't an expert in commercial building construction. You won't know if an interior wall is failing or if it's likely the roof will leak. You're far better off hiring a commercial property inspector to walk you through the property and help you figure out what it will take to keep it maintained and in good working order. If you buy the property and later decided to sell it and buy a different investment property, you'll need a top accountant and 1031 exchange specialist to help you complete the transaction and meet Internal Revenue Service rules.

It's really hard to do it on your own and be profitable. It's one of the biggest mistakes early investors make. At the very least, find an experienced agent who represents other investors to help you identify property and get yourself a great real estate attorney who can help draw up documents that will protect you and your other assets.

The trend in residential real estate is to build smaller, more energy-efficient houses that are cheaper to own and maintain. All of the McMansions built in the 1980s and 1990s could become white elephants that see their value erode, even as the larger market recovers.

Do you have any advice for those looking to remodel? What types of upgrades are prudent?
The remodeling industry was hit extremely hard last year, and while more people are planning to fix up their homes this year, the problem is one of financing. You either have to save up enough money to fix your house or you have to charge it on your credit card. You can no longer take out a home equity loan, use the proceeds to fix up your house, and then refinance the balance into a new mortgage. Home equity lines of credit are hard to come by these days because the federal government wants lenders to keep a percentage of every HELOC on their own books. As a result, they're few and far between.

This isn't the time to make big, flashy improvements to your home. The economy is still extremely fragile, and we may be heading for a double-dip recession. If you can live with your grungy carpet for another year, you should do it.

When it comes to fixing up your house, you want to spend as carefully as possible. Figure out what amenities are standard in your neighborhood, and then build to that level--not a penny more. If you have to sell for some reason, you don't want to take a bath financially.

What's your advice to people who are thinking it may be time to consider buying a second/vacation home? Key pointers?
I do think that now is a great time to buy. I've just blogged on the three reasons why people buy vacation homes: as a place to create family memories, as an eventual place to retire and rent out until retirement hits, and for pure investment reasons. Decide which kind of vacation home buyer you are and then reverse-engineer the process to figure out what kind of vacation home you should be buying. If you can't afford the cash down payment or have a lot of excess cash to keep the place running and in great shape, don't buy a vacation home. It's easy to think you're getting a great deal because of the purchase price, only to find yourself snowed under by management costs, cleaning expenses, and resort fees. If you're going to rent your vacation home, here are nine things you should know.

How about sellers--any advice for them? Is it a good time to trade up to a larger or better home if you can swing it?
Can you sell your home right now? Can you get enough cash out of your primary residence to be able to trade up to a larger home? What most buyers forget is that a larger home means larger utility bills, maintenance costs, and upgrading costs, as well as higher taxes and insurance premiums. There's more to maintain, cool, and decorate. Can you afford all that?

Right now, those homeowners who can sell their property, whatever size and wherever they live, control the market. The problem is that many of those sellers are so freaked out that they don't really want to buy anything right now. So, they're thinking about renting or are moving in with family or friends. We're seeing the housing market continue to shrink at the moment, but it won't always be that way.

Property values might not rebound until 2020--or later, depending on where you live. You can't make a decision about selling based on when you think the housing market will rebound. That's like saying, "Should I sell my stock today or wait for the company to rebound?" We don't know when that will happen, if ever.

If you want to sell, and have a compelling reason to move, you should figure out an exit strategy. If homes are selling in your area, then you should try to sell your house. If homes aren't selling, and you're 40% underwater with your mortgage, you'll have to either do a short sale, a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, or a strategic default.

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