Free Time?

My current answer to that would be, "what's that?" For all of you faithful readers out there (hi Mom), you may have noticed that my usual steady trickle of posts has dropped off a bit of late to a bare drip. Things are hectic at work, etc., but that doesn't stop me from dreaming of the things I could be doing. For example, some handy dandy DIY projects! (I adore arts and crafts). Here are two courtesy of Wikihow that I plan to complete once the dust settles: How To Turn a Book Into A Picture Frame and How To Make an Orange Juice Picture Frame. Both sound like oodles of free fun and involve doing a few of my favorite things -- saving money, repurposing something, and DIY.

FSF: Free 16x20 Digital Print

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Thanks to Andrew for letting me know that the link below seems to be DOA. They must have pulled it. Sadness. I hate to be a misinformer. To make it up to you, at least those of you on the East Coast, Baskin Robbins is offering a free scoop of ice cream until the 13th, which I hope you can enjoy. Check out the link here.

With spring in the air, trees a-blossoming, bunnies a-hopping, and people a-smiling at the thought of warmth on the horizon, get out and capture some of those great spring moments with your digital camera. Take advantage of Kessler Color's offer for a free 16x20 print of one of your better snapshots.

Emigrant Direct No Longer Offering Third Party Debits

For some of you, this is small fries. However, to me, this is a BIG PAIN. Currently, my paycheck is directly dumped into my Emigrant Direct (ED) account, and my rent, student loan, and credit card payment are all debited directly from it. This was a great little system while it lasted. I first heard of this alarming news no, not from Emigrant Direct, but from Jonathan at My Money Blog (on whom I have a small crush if you couldn't tell by the amount I reference his site). Check out his post about the policy change from ED.

Thus began my quest for a new account. After much consternation and comparison shopping, I've settled on the GMAC Money Market Account (MMA) for several reasons:

A. Free Checks and Limited Check-Writing Ability (an improvement from the online-only ED). You are allowed six outgoing transactions, whether via debit card or a pull of money from your account (i.e. to pay a bill). The six outgoing transactions is standard fare, so that's no surprise. If you exceed that limit, it's $10 per extra charge.

B. Check Card (another improvement from ED).

C. ATM Fee Reimbursement. Refunds for up to four non–GMAC Bank ATM charges per month and no transaction fees from GMAC itself, up to a total of $6.

D. No Monthly Service Fees. This is true if you maintain a $500 balance. If less than $500, fees do apply -- $5 per cycle with direct deposit and $7.50 per cycle sans DD.

E. Higher Yield -- 5.10% versus 5.05%!

Take down the sign, folks. I'm sold. However, if you're not, and you are in the market for a new account, you really cannot go wrong with Bankrate or the Banking Guy. The two combined offer almost unrivalved thoroughness.

It's All About the Fundamentals

Morningstar has a nice basic article for younger folks about some fundamentals of what to do with your money. Their advice is to budget, save, and plan. The advice about setting a financial timeline is especially worth considering.

FSF: That's Bioré

"When the moon hits your eye and your face looks like a big pizza pie, you need Bioré." Check out today's free sample for Bioré skin products here.

Help Alleviate Chronic Poverty: Opportunity International

A philanthropic-minded family, the Ebingers, has issued a challenge to Opportunity International, a microfinance institution that helps aspiring small entrepreneurs all over the world, to spread the word about the organization's work. For every person that completes a small (we're talking less than one minute) survey, the family will donate $10, up to a total of $50,000 in all. This is a no-brainer! Find out more about Opportunity International and check out the challenge here.

Organization Helper: Gubb

I am back in DC with an overwhelming amount of things on my to do list and jet lag making me a bit weary. If you find yourself in a similar situation (even sans lag), you may want to check out Gubb, a great way to always have access to your to do list, whenever you have your computer, BB, or cell phone handy. I like the archive feature because it reminds me of what I got done and when and gives me that warm feeling inside whenever I am productive. Since I've found that being organized personally is critical to being organized financially, this is a free and a useful tool to becoming both!

FSF: Ice Cream and $250 Chase Offer

I can't decide which of these offers I am more excited about -- free ice cream or getting $250 for opening a new Chase Freedom account. It appears that you must be a first-time cardmember with a new account. I am not sure whether or not existing Chase card holders qualify (non-Freedom cards), so make sure you double check the fine print.
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On another note, I am going on vacation (yes, again), so the blog will be taking a siesta whilst I am in Barcelona! If you'd like to know my justification for vacations, please see My Fundamental #2 about prioritizing!

Free Movie Screening Tonight in Select Cities

In the same vein as my earlier post, check out this free screening from Fox Searchlight films to see "I Think I Love My Wife." Even if this movie isn't any good, at least you can say you didn't waste $10 on seeing it!

Financista Fundamental #3: Get Stuff for Free

One thing I like to do on this website is post things (samples, promotions, etc.) that you can get for free. It seems tacit, but obtaining items for free is essential to stretching your dollar further. Sure, a couple of napkins and plastic utensils here, a free screening and not paying an entrance fee there, doesn't seem like all that much money, but when you add them all up, they keep more green in your wallet.

There are several key websites that I routinely check out:

Wal-mart Samples
Saving Advice
Start Sampling

These are just a few of the great sites out there -- as I find more, I will update the post. Feel free to submit your own favorites, and I will add them here!

For the Risk Adverse

Do thoughts of the stock market make you squeamish? Do you have night terrors about losing your life savings in the next Black Monday? Well, if so, and even if not, you should check out Bank Deals. Bank Guy has put together probably the finest list of CD (Certificate of Deposit) rates to be found (except, perhaps at Bankrate). Every good portfolio should have some money locked away at a decent interest rate.

FSF: Flat Earth Fruit and Veggie Chips

Allegedly, this offer starts to be good today. Check out the website to see if you can score a free bag of these new snacks. When I tried it out, the website wasn't up and running yet, but had a note saying that it would be on March 9, 2007 (today), so you may have better luck this afternoon or tomorrow.

Happy Friday!

Caffeine Jitters? Free Fixes to Ease the Shakes.

Since many people seem to be on an IV drip to some sort of caffeinated beverage, here are a few places where you can get a free fix in the next few weeks:

March 8 (today): Participating McDonald's. (This will vary by franchise). Ask at the counter and you shall receive a free cup of coffee. Allegedly, McD's beat the Bucks in a blind taste test recently, and they are out to celebrate. If you are really pining for a cup, make sure you have a few bucks in your pocket in case that particular franchise is deciding to be stingy.

March 15: Starbucks is not to be outdone -- The Bucks is hosting a nationwide "coffee break" by giving away free 12oz cups of house coffee between 10am - noon.

March 21: Dunkin' Donuts wants to put a spring in your step by providing you with a free 16oz cup of iced tea to celebrate the end of the winter doldrums.

If I liked coffee or iced tea, this would be great, but since I don't, hopefully you'll enjoy! Thanks to G for passing along the info from YumSugar.

Stock Screening: Value Prime

I am currently in the market for some new stocks to add to my (meager) portfolio. Since last week's huge drop, many great companies and indexes are trading at a discount. It's like the stock market is having a giant sale!

I am not a numbers guru -- if it's anything beyound the basics, I whip out the handy dandy Texas Instruments calculator. To help me in my research, I have found that ValuePrime is a good starting point. It's a free service that provides insights into stocks -- is it over or under valued? What are the growth prospects? How are the earnings? It also gives the stock a letter grade and ranking. While you should do your own research beyond just what a small stock analysis (or some blog) tells you, ValuePrime is a great place to start.

Investment Wisdom from The Ultimate Investor

Unless you have been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Warren Buffet, one of the richest men alive and who has been described as the best investor to ever live. Wouldn't it be great to hear some of his insights as to what makes a good company or investment? Lucky for us, the Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway's letters to shareholders are published online. Since 1965, BH has beat the S&P 500 every year except for 5 times. (I'd love that kind of track record). Obviously, this is a guy who knows what he's talking about!

Photojojo

The declaration by the editors of the Photojojo newsletter that they have a damn fine newsletter is bold, and even better, true! The free photo newsletter is chock full of fantastic, mostly free ideas of what you can do with those hundreds of (or thousands if you are an addict like me) digital photos you've taken. Every time I get a copy of the newsletter in my inbox, a smile pops on my face because I don't know what fun, creative project is in store for me! You can subscribe here. You won't be sorry you did!

FSF: Lemon Substitute Sample

Due to the lengthy post(s) yesterday, I thought I would try and keep it short and sweet today. If this tastes anything like lemon Propel, I will drive this bandwagon. Get your free sample here. Thanks, G!

America Saves Week: 20 Savings Tips

This week has been deemed America Saves Week. Holler right at that. Every statistic notes that Americans' savings rates are abismal. If you fall into this category, or if you would just like to know how to save more, here are a 20 tips from Kiplinger [with a The F's comments intersperced in brackets and italics] to help you save more:

1. Give yourself a raise and bank it. Boost your take-home pay by adjusting your tax-withholding and have the difference in pay automatically transferred to an online savings account [The Financista can personally vouch for E-Loan and Emigrant Direct]. Kiplinger's tax-withholding calculator can help you revise your W-4.

2. Open a 401(k). If your employee offers a 50-cent match for every dollar you contribute, even adding $60 a month will net you over a grand a year. Plus, you defer paying taxes on your contributions, giving you a bigger paycheck now. [Not contributing to an employer matched 401k plan is inexcusable. There is no justifiable reason for passing up free money!] See how even small amounts can add up.

3. Raise your car insurance deductible. Upping your out-of-pocket outlay from $250 to $1,000 can save you 15% or more off your premium. [Better yet, if you live in a big city with a workable public transportation system, see if you can't get by without a car. It might be slightly more of a hassle, but the savings to you each year could make it worth it]. Learn more about how to save money on your car insurance.

4. Pay off your credit card. Carrying a $1,000 balance at 18% blows $180 every year on interest that you could put to better use elsewhere. [I think this should be a tip top priority -- credit card debt is incidious -- was that new pair of $80 shoes really worth the 21.75% additional tax you placed on yourself by not paying off your credit card last month? It's always helpful to truthfully identify what a "want" is versus what a veritable "need" is]. See Climb Out of Debt Faster for help.

5. Go green. Control energy costs with a programmable thermostat. Prices start around $50, but you'll cut your heating-and-cooling bill by 10-20%. For more energy-saving tips, see Your Energy Crisis Solved. [Consider turning down the thermostat during the day, before you leave for work. Those 8-10 hours and 4-5 degrees a day add up fast. Since we are past the wood stove days, it doesn't take modern homes or apartments all that long to heat back up].

6. Bundle up. Getting a package of phone, Internet and cable from one provider can save you about $50 a month. Learn more about bundling deals. [See if you can't downgrade from your package -- we recently saved $13 a month by getting rid of call waiting and caller ID -- mostly useless features when your primary phone is a cell phone, not a landline].

7. Use your employer's FSA. Flexible spending accounts let you pay healthcare costs with pre-tax dollars. If your company offers them, take advantage and save 33% or more. [Be careful here -- many FSAs require that you put in a minimum of $250 a year to participate. That's a large chunk of change for a younger person in good health. Since the money does not rollover usually, you are at risk of losing some of it. You can only buy so much Tylenol PM]. See Take Advantage of Tax-Deferred Accounts for help.

8. Get a credit card with rewards. Spending $80 a week on gas and groceries? Putting it on a card with 5% cash rebates will earn you nearly $200 a year. [My choice is Chase Platinum Rewards]. You can read my post about it here].

9. Kick the habit. Smoking is hard on your health and the wallet. Three packs a week averages $50 a month. [Besides being disgusting, it's a financial disaster -- quit! You can do it and sock that money away for a mountainside vacation with your renewed lungs]. Learn more about how getting in shape can fatten your wallet.

10. Brown bag it. Instead of spending $8 on takeout every day at work, bring a bagged lunch for $5. You'll save $60 a month and $720 a year. [This is a key point to My Fundamental #2 about prioritizing how you spend your money]. Do your own calculation at FeedThePig.com.

11. Negotiate your rate. Instead of paying an APR of 18% on your credit card, call your issuer and ask for a lower rate. If you have good credit, your lender might consider it and if you can provide examples of offers you've gotten from other companies, it'll strengthen your case. [Supply and demand is certainly on your side in the credit card market. The deals are almost endless -- don't settle for an astronomical interest rate when a 0% APR is just a junk mail envelope away]. For more help, see Tame Your Credit Card Debt.

12. Travel on the cheap. Bypass the old trifecta of travel search engines (Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz) and head straight for Sidestep.com, which will search them all -- saving you money and time. [I actually prefer Kayak for doing my comparison shopping -- I think the interface is cleaner and easier to use]. For last minute deals, try Site59.com. And see our list of the 25 Best Travel Sites for more cost-cutting resources.

13. Insure yourself. Even if your company has a health plan, you may be able to do better for yourself. Pairing a high-deductible medical policy with a health savings account -- which lets you put away pre-tax dollars for out-of-pocket medical expenses -- can save money on premiums. Shop around at www.ehealthinsurance.com.

14. Make media free. Dust off your library card and enjoy DVDs and books for free. If you'd normally rent a movie a week and buy a book a month, you can cut costs by $30. [Another Financista-approved idea is Blockbuster online. Read about my love for BBO here].

15. Change your calling plan. The average wireless-phone user spends about $60 a month, including taxes and fees. If you talk for 200 or fewer minutes per month, switching to a prepaid plan where minutes cost 25 cents a minute could save you $10 a month. [If possible, get on a family plan -- you don't necessarily have to be related to be on the same plan with someone else. This can provide large savings each month. Furthermore, if you are a teacher or a government employee or have a AAA card, flashing your creds can save you up to 10% a month. There's no harm in asking]. Compare plans at www.myrateplan.com.

16. Park your car. Why pay $25 a week in gas when you could pay half that to use public transit? [Many employers, like mine, will even pick up the bill! See if yours will do the same, or at least allow you to use pre-tax money to purchase public transport fares] Or check out carpooling at www.erideshare.com and www.carpoolconnect.com.

17. Ditch your gym. Forget the $40/month gym membership that'll cost you almost $500 a year and check out community centers in your area. Some may be free or charge a minimal fee such as $100 a year. Or buy a good pair of running shoes and work out the old-fashioned way. [Also, many employers will offer perks like a gym in the building at a reduced rate. A lot of apartment buildings will have smaller facilities in their basements as well that are included in the price of rent -- however in the long run, this feature may end up costing you more than a gym membership if you don't actually use it because there's no way to cancel that built-in fee from your rent!]

18. Reshop your auto insurance. Using a comparison site like InsWeb can help you determine if you've got the best deal.

19. Learn to cook. Cooking at home saves on your food budget and it could even improve your dating prospects -- who isn't impressed by someone who can prepare a great meal? [Plus, it's a great, fun way to create relationships with people -- romantic or platonic]. Check out Nine Ways to Get Ahead for more practical financial advice.

20. Keep track of your money. The best way to save is to know what you spend. It might not be pretty, but detail every expense for a month to get an idea of where you can cut back. Nearly everyone has some fat they can trim from their spending to put toward a savings goal. [Check out my post about Free Budgeting Tools to see if you can't find a system that works for you].

$10 Off a $20 Purchase at The Greater Good

I wrote recently about purchasing a fun bag from the Breast Cancer Site to use fewer plastic bags and help poor women obtain mammograms. The same cohort of sites is having a sale, ending tonight at midnight PST, that saves you $10 on a $20 purchase. The site is especially useful for finding fun jewelry for yourself or friends. Plus, you get to help the less fortunate. Not a bad deal.

Here's the requisite small print:

*To claim your $10 coupon, add at least $20 worth of merchandise to your cart and paste coupon code FSCSS8STS33WFF into the Gift Certificate/Promotion Code field, and click "Apply Code." Limit one per person. Offer good February 28th-March 1st (11:59 p.m. PT).

Moving and Miscellany

As I may have mentioned, I recently moved to a new apartment. With added square footage comes the need to fill that space (a pretty good reason to stay in a cozy place!) With the move, my shopping list includes a host of new items:

- new mattress/sheets
- bookcases (partial to the leaning/ladder variety)
- chaise lounge (IKEA has a very comfortable looking one for $299)
- lamp
- and MOST IMPORTANTLY, new drapes with noise/light blocking capabilities (I believe there was a reason the leasing agent showed us the apartment at 3 pm on a Saturday).

My goal is to keep all of these purchases under $1000 -- crazy you might say -- but here has been my plan of attack so far:

- Craigslist - good for everything except the mattress/linens. While I might normally lean towards scrounging for a used bed, my mother was appalled at the idea and insists that I get a new one, per an incident at a hotel and bedbugs. Since her concern also includes some financial assistance, it has been dutifully noted. I am using this comparison site to do some fact-checking and comparison shopping on different mattresses.
- Overstock - Especially for high-quality linens. They also have a lovely looking chaise that was a bit off from what I am looking for, but their $2.95 shipping on everything, including furniture, is incredibly appealing.
- JCPenney - allegedly have the best selection on blinds. Also, the website features a closeout section that is right up my alley.
- Ebay - everything
-IKEA - chaise, bookcases

I would love any tips or price comparison tools anyone might have. Have you recently moved and found a great discount furniture place? Let me know! I plan to do an updated post on any great deals or helpful sites I find.

(Since I may go broke saving money, the only activities I can partake in are those that are free or near free -- good thing Goldstar was to the rescue! In the event update I received, I was able to get FREE tickets to Kiss Me, Kate. All that I had to pay was the service fee ($13 for two!) So, for the price of a drink, I get to see live theater! Sign me up!

DIY Projects

Readymade is the magazine that I wish I had founded. The tagline: A Bimonthly Print Magazine for People Who Like to Make Stuff. Yes! That's me! I LOVE craft, art, and DIY projects.

I recently discovered them while wasting time at Urban Outfitters. They published a book entitled, How to Make (Almost) Everything that had me at hello. Feeling handy is one of my very favorite feelings, and I am forever redesigning uses for things I find around the house and at work. Since moving apartments, the hampster wheel is turning like crazy on how to decorate on a budget. This magazine has lots of ideas for fun projects for your place.

Another site that features great DIY project is Instructables.com. I am especially drawn to a project on how to make a lightbulb vase. Needless to say, it's a project that requires some serious protective gear. Let's hope I don't lose an eye on my next day off!

FSF: Healthfest

Due to no premeditated thought on my part, today's Free Stuff Friday (FSF) seems to have taken on a bit of a healthy theme. As I am sure you can tell, there's not often a lot of thought put into thematic elements here at The Financista, so this comes as a pleasant surprise! (I kid...well, mostly).

To start off with, get yourself in the right frame of mind with a free one-year subscription to Positive Thinking Magazine (while this is a bit tongue in cheek, I bet this could really come in handy when you are having one of those days). I would use a junkmail email address for it though, if you were interested. Otherwise, you will probably be receiving offers to join the Snail Lovers Fan Club magazine or Boat Shoe Fanatics trade magazines every other day.

So now you can check off taking care of your chakra and move on to taking care of your bones. Wal-Mart is featuring a free sample of an "easy to swallow" multi-vitamin and calcium pill. While my preferred method of dairy intake is ice cream, these certainly do have fewer calories.

Next up, once you take care of healthy bones and your inner glow, attend to your outer one with a free sample from Aveeno's Positively Ageless facial line.

Once you take care of all of these, you should be glowing from inside out! (I apologize to the men who read this blog -- I promise to have something tomorrow that is a bit more unisex!)

Free $25 Gift Certificate to McCormick & Schmick's

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants offer a free $25 Dining Certificate when you make your reservations online. Their food is tasty, though a bit cher ($$$) for just a regular night out. Great for special occasions or when you just feel like treating yourself. With a $25 GC, it might be pretty reasonable. Deal ends March 31.

To get this deal:
- Click here to make your online reservations;
- Print this form and write your online reservation's confirmation number on the certificate.

-- This info is courtesy of Dealnews, an excellent resource for great steals and deals.

Trash to Treasure

I love the idea of taking someone's garbage and making it into something useful. The Breast Cancer site has a take on this idea by featuring bags made in the Phillipines that are crafted by a womens' cooperative from juicebox packages that would normally take forever (or maybe longer) to decompose. While you save the environment and further a small business venture/social enterprise, you simultaneously help women obtain mammograms who would not normally be able to afford them.

The bags seem durable, bright, and fun. Plus, having one means not needing to take additional plastic bags from the grocery store. Some stores, like Whole Foods, will even reward you for bringing your own bags by passing along a cash discount to you. (I've heard that anywhere up to 20% of grocery store mark-ups go to providing packaging. There's no reason they shouldn't pass that savings along to you, even if it is only a nickel!)

I think this may be a win-win-win-win situation. What's not to like about that?

Scissors and Shots

In honor of Mardi Gras, here's a little something to get you in that Carnivale spirit. In fact, I am surprised I am finding this in DC and not in New Orleans. A drink always seems to be a ready accessory in NOLA. I will have to suggest it when I am down there. On that note, starting tomorrow, through Mardi Gras, The Financista will be on hiatus while I am celebrating in the fair city of New Orleans. Posts will pick up again on the 21st! In the meantime, The Motley Fool is always a good read. Laissez les bons temps roulez!

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The price of a good haircut these days may drive you to want to hit the bottle, or so the Red and Black Bar in NE DC seems to think.

Here's the deal: The Red & The Black Bar, a New Orleans Style bar, now offers a haircut-and-a-shot deal every Tuesday, 9-11 p.m. Get coiffed and boozed up at the same time. It may make that pixie cut seem like a good idea, so be forewarned.

It seems like a great deal, if you are only looking for a simple shape-up. The cut is by a reputable stylist (allegedly), John Cullen of Salon Loule. The bartender's reputation is not described. You get a quick cut and a shot of your choice for just $12.

The Red & The Black, 1212 H Street NE, between 12th and 13th Streets (202-399-3201 or redandblackbar.com).

-- Thanks to Daily Candy DC for the tip. (Check them out for a free newsletter with tips like this one!)

Updated: Taxes Taxes Are (Still) No Fun

Below is my post concerning my contribution to the society at large (taxes). It was brought to my attention that if you clicked on the link I had listed to LibertyTax, and you signed up for their service that way, they would try to charge you $14.95! Wow, no way! Instead, please make sure that if you'd like to use their services (or any of the other tax providers) that you enter their website through the IRS Free File website, linked here, and in the original post. I hope this didn't hurt any one else! There's no reason to get frustrated and just shell out the money. As I put it to my friend, that's almost 3 burritos we're talking about (and 5 total when you file your state taxes for free instead of paying $15! That's a lot of Chipotle!)

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...But, thank the good Lord, they are done!

I took some of my own advice and filed my taxes for free online. The great commonwealth of Virginia may go broke with my $24 refund, but don't think I won't collect!

The Free File site from the IRS allows you to pick what service to use -- it seems all of them are free if you make under $52,000. I settled on LibertyTax mostly because I would liked the sound of the name (way to go, marketing department).

By and large, it was an easy process. There were lots of help options if you get lost (not difficult in the labyrinth that is the tax code). The federal portion can be filed for free, but they wanted $12.95 to file my state portion! No way was I going to fork over more than half of my state return just to save a couple of minutes! Instead, I went directly to the Virginia Department of Taxation website and filed my state taxes there for free. It was useful to have already received the estimate from Liberty Tax about how much my refund should be. Since the numbers matched up, I knew that I was on track. So, I submitted everything, breathed a big sigh of relief, and now I am finished until next year!

$15 back from PayPal on $30 purchase

Attention all Ebay fantatics! If you do your shopping on eBay or other online retailers using PayPal, this promotion is for you! PayPal is offering a $15 rebate on a single purchase of $30 or more made before March 31, 2007 at any qualifying retailer that accepts PayPal including eBay. All you have to do to get the rebate is:

- Register your email here
- Make a single purchase of $30 or more
- Make it at an eligible website

Purchases must be made between February 8, 2007 12:01 AM PST and March 31, 2007

That's it. Once finished, the $15.00 rebate will be deposited into your PayPal account by May 28, 2007. You can also access the promotion from the front page of PayPal if you prefer. This is great free money if you already are looking to purchase something on eBay.

- Thanks to Saving Advice.

FSF: Love Dairy, But Your Stomach Doesn't?

This free sample is to help with lactose intolerance. And, I am not really going to go into any more detail about this -- You know if you need it! Bring on that Edy's Slow Churned!

Wachovia, You Have Met Your Match

I have been a Wachovia customer for close to two years now, and I have been usually quite happy with the service I have received -- great online access, good customer service, lots of branches.

All of that changed two days ago.

Last week, when logging on to check Yodlee (which I do incessantly), I noticed there was an offer for $50 for opening a new free checking account [note the word choice here -- it's important]. So, I thought to myself, "Fifty bucks? Sure, why not?" I filled out the requisite paper work, including a queston which asked me if I was an existing customer. I noted that I was and carried on.

The next day, I received an email saying that I had to verify my account creation over the phone. I wasn't surprised by that, and I actually appreciated it a little bit -- they were making sure it wasn't fradulent. I decided to call the toll free number when I didn't have anyone pick up the direct line listed in the email. BIG MISTAKE. After waiting several minutes to speak to a representative, an epic battle of wills began.

The man on the phone desperately tried to convince me that the offer was only for new customers, not just new accounts. I patiently told the confused gentleman that it said nothing about needing to be a new customer anywhere, just that you needed to open a new account. The debate continued for several minutes until I finally just said, "Ok, that's fine, but you may want to actually put that on the ad instead of taking up people's time with an offer that is misleading."

The next day (did you really think I would be defeated that easily?) I tried calling the direct number I had received in the email and when the person didn't pick up, I just hit "0" to speak with another financial specialist.

An angel of helpfulness answered. Chris was unbelievably accomodating. Within 5 minutes, my checking accounts were linked to each other, to my existing checkcard, and online. What service! All I needed to do for the $50 was deposit $100 of new money into the account. No sweat!

A few lessons learned (specifically about this ad and in general):
- this account needs to be opened online
- $100 of new money must be deposited
- the $50 probably won't show up until June
- don't second guess yourself - if you've read the small print, stick to it!
- customer service is hit or miss - sometimes you just need to talk to someone else
- direct numbers are always better than general 800 numbers
- lastly, call this number instead: 704-590-0854 (for a Financial Specialist named Shaun).
- I find that the "Financial Specialists" tend to be far more informed. My guess is that these are the kids recently out of college, young and eager to help, as opposed to someone getting paid $8 an hour to answer the complaints of whiners like me.

All in all, I still think it's been a decent use of my time. Even if the entire situation took 30 minutes, I am not making close to $100/hour. Hopefully, with reading this, you can save all the shenanigans and just pocket the $50 in 5 minutes!

A Financial Fable

Bankrate, one of my favorites, posted a great allegorical tale about Early Shirley and Late Nate to illustrate the power of compound interest. Please read the story, learn the lesson, and act on it!

Consider the tale of Shirley and Nate.

Shirley's not particularly organized or ambitious, but she had the advantage of attending a seminar while still at college where she learned about the magic of compound interest.

So at age 25, after graduating from college and landing a job, she opened a Roth IRA and began contributing $4,000 a year to it. She chose a moderately aggressive balanced fund within her IRA that invested mostly in stocks, with limited exposure to bonds. It produced annual returns of 9 percent on average.

Shirley did this even though she owed money on college loans. She continued to invest until she turned 35, at which time the account was valued at $60,772. Then she stopped and invested nothing more, but continued to earn 9 percent annually in the account. At age 35, her life intersected with Nate's.

Nate was quite ambitious and owned all the latest technological gadgets. But he had put off investing because, well, he was about driving cool cars and impressing women and he just didn't want to think about retirement. Retirement was for old people. He finally started investing $4,000 annually at age 35 because Shirley put him up to it. In fact, that marked their first fight, among many.

Nate invested this amount for 20 straight years in a mix of funds that also returned 9 percent annually on average. When he turned 55, his account was worth $204,640 -- less than Shirley's account value, which by then had grown to $340,591. Nate's total outlay of $80,000 was twice that of Shirley's. And oh, by the way, the two had split up eons ago, after only investing six months in the relationship.

You can read the rest of the worthwhile article here.

Happy Birthday, Gipper.

When I was a little girl, I was in love with Ronald Reagan. I used to go up to the television screen and stroke the glass, always wishing that he would be my friend. In the twenty some years that have passed since then, my love has grown into a deep admiration. I credit his example of fiscal responsibility, budgeting, and optimism with significantly shaping my own financial (and personal) outlook.

Today, on the anniversary of his birth, I would like to honor him by posting just a few of his own words, which speak for themselves more clearly then I ever could.

“And I hope that someday your children and grandchildren will tell of the time that a certain president came to town at the end of a long journey and asked their parents and grandparents to join him in setting America on the course to the new millennium—and that a century of peace, prosperity, opportunity, and hope followed. So, if I could ask you just one last time: Tomorrow, when mountains greet the dawn, would you go out there and win one for the Gipper?”

Dirty Little Secrets

You love hearing other people's dirt? Always around the office cooler, waiting for tidbits to fall out of the mouths of your coworkers? You live for gossip? Get your fill at Postsecret. The author gave his address, invited people to send postcards containing the secrets that they had never told anyone else, and made them into several books. He posts new secrets every Sunday. Skip the soap operas and telenovellas, these free reads are real, entertaining, and sometimes even heart-wrenching.

(I realize this is a bit of a personal-finace related reach -- hey, it's free entertainment).

Lalala to Some New Tunes For Cheap

It seems that just about anything can be made better when the internet is added to it. Finding new music definitely fits into this category. I have already written about my love for Pandora, a way to find new music for free and listen to it online, but what if you want to take it one step farther and buy a new album? Lala is a service that allows you to ethically and legally get new music for cheap -- $1 plus $.75 for shipping and get rid of some of those musty CDs you don't listen to anymore (Tracy Bonham anyone?)

How it works:
List the CDs that you have to trade.
Send your CDs off.
Get new music in the mail.

It seems that easy. The owners of the site do ask that you delete the music you ship from your iPod, and I concur. Keep it honest.

Sounds like a great way to be clutter free and get some new tuneage.

Free Stuff Friday (FSF): Taxes and Tea, Still a Party

This week has been abnormally busy, but here are a couple of things to brighten your Friday. I am amused to remember that the first led to the dumping of the second, and that my taxes still inspire that same kind of rage from me 200 years later.

The IRS allows you to file for free online, if you make less than a certain income. The small print says:

Free File allows taxpayers with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $52,000 or less in 2006 to e-file their federal tax returns for free. That means 70 percent of all taxpayers – 95 million taxpayers – can take advantage of the Free File program.

Since my assets are simple (read: meager), there's no reason for me to get someone else to do my taxes (as much as I would love it). You can find the requisite forms here.

Then, to calm yourself down over the absurd tax code (flat tax anyone?), enjoy a nice cup of organic tea with your free sample from Yogi Tea.

Books for Less

I was recently devastated to see that one of my favorite websites for comparison shopping seems to be no more. Anybook4less.com had been a steady friend these past few years, as had its sister site, AnyCD4less.com. Rest in peace, dear sites. I hope that these are someday resurrected, but in the mean time, life does goes on, and I have found another gem: Priceowl. It seems to serve a similar helpful function: comparing the prices of new and used books at several online retailers.

A friend recommended, Bookfinder, which also seems to be quite good and gives the prices including shipping, which is often a slick hidden cost. I can't tell you how many times I have found myself in this scenario: "Oh, wow, this book is only $2.97? Great. Done deal. (Continue with 8 step checkout process)...(10 minutes later)... Oh, hell! The shipping is 7.56?!?"
By that point, if the price isn't totally absurd, you've already entered your credit card information, and you are just too lazy to back out. That's how they get you, or at least me. That's why sites that include the shipping costs in their comparisons are so darn helpful!

To sum up, the lesson is to always shop around and make sure you add the shipping costs into your calculations. There's no reason not to pop by one of these sites, or somewhere similar, and do a quick comparison. It can save you a couple of bucks and only takes a minute.

A Win-Win Situation: Free Cookbook and Donation

For every FREE download of The Celebrity Pasta Lovers' Cookbook, Barilla will donate $1, up to $100,000, to America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network.

This charity helps secure and distribute more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. (That's a lot of grub)! Please consider downloading the cookbook and helping out a worthy cause.

Thanks, G, for the pass-along.

The Very Rich May Be Mutants

Forbes is reporting that real estate mogul Tim Blixseth is building and plans to sell the world's most expensive home, for $155 million dollars. What strikes me most about this story is this quotation, "Some of (the world's richest) just have to have the best. Price is not an issue." How can $155 million dollars for a house not be an issue? Sometimes I wonder if the very rich have a different genetic make-up than the rest of us? I don't know how else to explain spending that is equivalent to more than 11 different countries' GDP?

According to the CIA World Factbook (and Wikipedia), these countries have a GDP all less than $155 million:

217 Marshall Islands 115
218 Anguilla 108
219 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 75
220 Nauru 60
221 Wallis and Futuna 60
222 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 48
223 Montserrat 29
224 Saint Helena 18
225 Tuvalu 14
226 Niue 7
227 Tokelau 1

Now, I am one of the biggest proponents of capitalism I know, but this seems frivilous even to me.

FSF: Free Screening of Freedom Writers for Teacher

This is a special freebie, for those great men and women who teach the little gremlins of our country, day in and day out. As a tutor for only one hour each week, I have a tremendous (and constantly growing) respect for all teachers do. Kids are crazy. It's nice to be able to do something, however small, for them in return. AMC seemingly feels the same way. (That, and they have a keen marketing department). Teachers will be part of the key demographic for the film recently out called Freedom Writers. However, from January 26 - February 1, 2007, teachers need only bring their ID badges to score a free ticket to this inspirational story. And they thought summers off and discounts on mod podge were their only perk!

Pop Culture Meets Stock Culture: Wallstrip

I read an article in BW today talking about a cool little web-based stock show that targets one stock daily that is at its 52 week peak. Wallstrip seems to be a smart, slick little show, from what I've seen. I think they are getting a lot of hits from their BW fame and have a funny little spoof about it. I can't speak to the validity of their stock tips yet, but hey, I am a product of the You Tube generation. If it looks good, gives me a bit of a chuckle, and keeps me from doing my actual work, that's good enough for me.

Best Investing Article. Ever.

Morningstar has on its website, what I consider to be, the best article for beginning investors ever written. It's the most thorough, clear, concise, and useful article I've read thus far. It's a constant source of reference for me, so I thought I would share. You can find it here. Feel free to let me know if you like it!

Open a Suntrust Money Market and Get a Free Airtran Ticket

It seems that for opening a money market account with Suntrust, with a minimum of $10K, you can earn a free ticket to fly anywhere Airtran flies. The money needs to be deposited for a minimum of 90 days. When checking out the promotional website, the money market rate was difficult to find for my area, but it can probably be assumed that it's competitive with other money market rates, in the 4.0% range. While you can get better rates from an online savings bank like Emigrant or ING, none of them are offering such a nice perk.

Here's a bit of the small print:

Deposit $10,000 or more of new money into Premium Money Market Performance Account by March 9, 2007. You must be an AirTran Airways A+ Rewards member. Complete redemption certificate by March 31, 2007. Duplicate or incomplete redemption certificates will not be processed. 16 A+ Rewards credits – which qualify you for a free round-trip flight – will be credited to your A+ Rewards account 10 – 12 weeks after your redemption certificate is received and validated. Premium Money Market Performance Account clients must maintain a minimum incremental balance of at least $10,000 for 90 days from the date of deposit. To open a Premium Money Market Performance Account, you must open or already have an existing Smart Solution Plus or Signature Advantage checking account. Premiums on money market accounts may be reported as interest income to the IRS and the account holder will be responsible for applicable taxes. Limit one ticket per household. Account holders must be U.S. residents and 18 years of age or older. Offer good while supplies last. Offer subject to withdrawal without notice and may not be combined with any other offers. SunTrust checking is available to residents in the following states: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV. Void where prohibited by law.

The most important catches are in bold, namely that you need to open a checking account and that you need to open the account by March 9. All in all, it seems like a good deal if you have 10 Gs that you can move around.

FSF: Free Prego

Mmmm, I love me some sauce. It seems like there's never enough when I have a big plate of noodles sitting in front of me. If you feel the same way, check out this coupon for a free jar of Prego. It seems as though you have to send away for the coupon, but $.39 for a jar of sauce is still pretty great.

Business Week Article on Sustainability

Sustainability has become a very hot buzzword these days. BW has a piece detailing some top companies that have made it essential to their operations. Often times, this has increased their profits. Imagine that: doing good and making money. As Hendrix once said, this might cause "the hippies [to] pull out all their hair" though potentially in a different context!

Financista Fundamental #2: Prioritize; Pursue Your Passions

I recently read an article over at Free Money Finance that really spoke to my view of money. One of the more poignant parts said this:

Financial planning is the process of aligning your financial choices with your life passions. And although financial planning can tell you how to accomplish your goals, it cannot tell you what your goals should be.

Money is important, but not in and of itself. It's important in so much that it allows you to pursue those things you really care about.

This leads me to my next Fundamental: Prioritize; Pursue Your Passions. (Please note the punctuation used. It was deliberate). Before you go out gallavanting the world with a fist full of cash and the phrase, "But The Financista told me to..." on your lips, sit down and figure out what you truly care about. Do you love to hike and dream of scaling Everest? Is your joy in strapping on your sneaks and challenging yourself to beat your last race? Could you be the next Julia Child with just a little instruction? Would Mozart be rolling over in his grave if you just had a little more practice? (You catch my drift). What are those things that you long for, those things that would make life seem empty if they weren't in your life or you would regret never having accomplished?

One of mine is seeing the gigantic, beautiful world in which we live, so I make that a priority in my life and in my financial planning. It is well worth it to me to eat leftovers for lunch for a month in order to have spending money for a week in Barcelona. To be able to roam the streets decorated by Gaudi, I would gladly wear Levis instead of Sevens. I know this about myself and have structured my budget accordingly. Because, as sad as it might be, I know I can't have it all (at least not at this salary!).

Your life should be passionate, full of those things that excite you, rouse you, and inspire you. Figure out what those are and forget about the other stuff because in the end, you won't remember that dinner at Chili's, but you will remember being in Chile.

FSF: (Bonus) Free International Phone Calls

Reinforcing my love of Jonathan over at My Money Blog, his post today gives a Iowa number that you can call to be able to dial internationally for free! The number is: (712) 858-8094. Check out the site AllFreeCalls.net to find out about more details. Jonathan also did a bit of research as to why this works and is not just another scam. Kudos. This will definitely be helpful in planning the trip to Spain!

FSF: Free Aquafresh Sample

If flossing daily and better oral hygiene were part of your New Year's resolutions, here is a delightful sample of "Extreme Clean" toothpaste from Aquafresh. Smile bright!

The Financista Fundamental #1: Live Below Your Means

I was inspired by Madame X at My Open Wallet, who published her financial rules, and I plan to start a little series on what I consider the fundamentals of personal finance and frugality.

Fundamental #1 is undoubtedly to live below your means. Whether you are taking in $100 a month or $10,000 a month, you need to learn to make it work for you. While a volunteer with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in New Orleans, my roommates and I all earned $75 a month for food and $80 a month for a personal items. While health insurance, transportation to work, and rent was provided for, there was still not a lot of fluff left over. But, we made it work. And that's the key. If you need to have a roommate, eat out less, mend your clothes, or stay home more often, it's essential to figure out a way to spend less than you take in. It's non-negotiable and fundamental to financial success. If you need further persuasion, read this article at the Motley Fool.

Gotta have coups, baby

Today, at the grocery store, we saved an astonishing $40 on a $160 bill. My jaw just about dropped, in pure delight. We had seen an ad in the grocery store circulator for triple coupons up to $1.00. It was for the store that's the most expensive in the area, but well worth it. It's definitely a good idea to glance at the paper on Wednesday and see what the deals are -- you'd be surprised how much you can save!

Wheelin' Dealin'

I wandered over to a part of town that I hadn't spent much time in before, U Street, and stumbled upon a flea market. My roommates and I were in the market for a nice set of dishware. Lo and behold! I had hit the motherload! The man tried to tell me that the plates were German, until I showed the flipped plate over to him which said quite prominently "Made in England." His response? "Even betta!" Well in that case...57 pieces of dishware and accessories, a coordinating vase, and a tablecloth (er, sheet) for $21! My grin stretched from ear to ear, despite needing to call my roommate for a ride to carry all of the goodies home. What a lovely experience.

How is this at all applicable to you? Good question. My advice to you is this: if you are in the market for something, check some unorthodox places: Craigslist, the paper, your local flea market, etc. You'll never know the great deals you can find.

FSF: Fatwallet

One link that I consistently use to find free stuff, is Fatwallet. The forums are top-notch and relate to all sorts of deals, not just free stuff.

My pick for today, from the forums, is for free coupons from Auntie Anne's Pretzels. All you have to do is submit your email, and you will receive coupons for FREE (though sometimes BOGO) like the one I received.

There's nothing better than munching on one of Auntie Anne's after an exhausting day at the mall seeking out the best deals. Yum yum!

Restaurant Week in DC

It's that time of year again - Restaurant Week in DC. January 8-14 marks one of the twice annual weeks where the fanciest schmantsiest restaurants open up their doors and shave down their prices (and oftentimes their portions) to let the regular people, like myself, have a chance to dine at a 4 star restaurant in the city without needing to take out a loan.

Even at the prix-fixe costs of $20.07 for lunch and $30.07 for dinner, this is not an inexpensive meal. However, it is a great way to experience the city, have fun with friends, and rub elbows with some mukkady mucks.

You can make your reservations through OpenTable and earn points towards future meals while you're at it! Bon appetite!

To Tithe or Not to Tithe

This is a subject that I have always been a bit confused on. I am a cradle Catholic, and I had never even heard the term until I got to college and had some Evangelical friends who told me about the practice. 10%!? Gosh, I thought, that seems rather steep and so I had never disciplined myself to the practice. This year, I hope to make the jump, for several reasons, but not the least of which is that I don't want to do it.

Realizing that I held this attitude was eye-opening. I don't like for anything to have that kind of control over me, especially not money! I did some research on the topic and talked to some friends and wanted to share a bit of the info I found:

a) Tithing means to give of a person's gross income. The tithe, however, is only a barometer, guideline, or estimating level for one's sacrificial giving. Some can and should offer more than the recommended amount of their tithe; others may return less than that percentage.

b) If the amount of the suggested tithe is legitimately too much for one's current budget, a member may begin with a lower percentage that will be both sacrificial and yet possible. Then the member may gradually raise the level of giving until the full suggested amount is reached. In this way brothers and sisters and families are making a decision for the Lord first and only afterward considering their own needs and wants.

c) Families should involve their children in tithing by teaching them through word and by example the priority of returning to God a portion of the blessing He has given us. Children may do this through tithing their allowances or income from part-time jobs.

d) Those faithful Christians who tithe report how remarkably their material needs have been met. Moreover, they will cite these blessings as even greater, spiritual rewards:

1) a sense of serenity and satisfaction that comes from generosity;

2) an awareness that God comes first, even in decisions about money;

3) a recognition that one has eliminated the practice of making contributions that are mere leftovers or contributions of habit;

4) a deep sense of satisfaction in the progress made by the Order due to the amount of tithing by its members;

5) an ability to distinguish between wants and needs;

6) a deeper consciousness of society's materialism and consumerism;

7) A keener appreciation of the world's poor and how we should and can alleviate their pain and poverty;

8) a quiet confidence in the Lord's protective care.

For further reading, click here, the site where this information was taken from.

Now if I could only get that "cheerful giver" part down pat...All feedback is surely welcome, especially if this is something you have considered before.

Resolutions 2007

The Financista’s New Year’s (Financial) Resolutions

In no particular order...

- Max out Roth IRA
- Increase 401(k) contributions to at least 10%
- Post more frequently on blog (hey hey, you all can benefit, too!)
- Increase charitable donations to tithing status
- Increase odd job income
- Double Net Worth by year’s end

These are the main objectives. How about you? What's your most important resolution for the new year?

Best wishes for a Happy and Prosperous 2007!


Photo: Karl Hilzinger

Free Stuff Friday: Soft and Dri Deodorant Sample

I seem to be developing a real trend with finding deodorant samples. Oh well. I am pretty loyal to Ladies' Mitchum, but we will see what Soft and Dri has to offer. (Sorry to any male readers - I'll try and find something good for you next Friday!) Check it out here.

What I've Been Reading in Preparation for 2007

This time of year always heightens my optimism for the upcoming year, as I think to myself,

"This year will be the year I get in shape;"
"This year will be the year I have my finances completely in order;"
"This year will be the year that I catch up with old friends;"
"This year [insert another well-meaning determination here]."

To get me in the spirit, I always read all of those articles highlighting the Best Ofs and Worst Ofs, Resolutions, and Promises for a Brighter Tomorrow. I am ever the optimistic realist, so here's a sampling of some of the articles I have been reading, which hopefully will provide some real practical advice for your new year:

Kiplinger has a host of thoughts on the matter, from Getting Rich by Getting in Shape to How to Decide Whether to Rent or Buy to Advice More Aimed at Younger Folks just starting out (like moi - though I heartily disagree with #2 for responsible consumers). Their primers on Ways to Get Ahead and How to Start Investing are also worth a read.

The Fool never disappoints. It had 10 Good Resolutions, some of which I will actually use, for 2007.

Since there are a lot of similarities between physical health and financial health goals, from the small steps needed to start to the ways to actually achieve them, I have also been glancing at how to actually do that as well this year. The government's even in on the idea - check out Small Step for some help on getting started.

My list is forthcoming, but in the meantime, I would love to know what's on your New Year's Resolution List for 2007 and what you accomplished from last year's list? Best of luck!

What Should I Do With My Money?

This question has often plagued me. Sure, I've been frugal, counted my pennies, rolled my quarters, but now what? What should I do with all of that money? The Motley Fool had some excellent suggestions, in their suggested pecking order, of where you should park your cash:

1. Employer plan with a match
2. Roth IRA
3. Employer plan without a match
4. Traditional IRA
5. Taxable investment
6. Annuity

The whole article is informative and worth the read. Sometimes it's nice just to have an answer! That's one of the things I like about the Fool. Instead of just replying, "Invest it," the Fools tell you the details - where, how, how much, etc. Mind you, you do so at your own risk (as you do at following The Financista's advice), but it's nice to hear some demonstrative ideas.

A Practical Gift: Stocks

My brother is quite the golf enthusiast. He caddys at the best country club in town, plays in tournaments, spends his free time watching the Golf Channel, and dreams of going pro. This year, for his 19th birthday, I was at a bit of a loss as to what to get him. Sure, a gift certificate to Golf Galaxy might be nice, but he would use that once, and that would be the end of it.

So, instead, I bought him a few shares of Golf Galaxy stock (GGXY). I was lucky to get in on the stock before they were bought out by Dick's. The ROI (return on investment) is over 42%. The idea is similar to a gift certificate, in that it is cash to a place the receiver of the gift enjoys, but it is a gift that keeps on giving (my favorite kind).

For Christmas this year, I am setting up a Roth IRA for him (with the help of my mom to secure his SSN and checking account info) at Sharebuilder. I first saw the link for the Costco bonus $70 at My Money Blog and couldn't pass it up. I am matching the funds from Costco to purchase 2 (a bit meager, I realize) shares of VWO, Vanguard's Emerging Markets ETF (The Motley Fool's Best ETF for 2007). With their promotion of one month of 6 free trades, this will not end up costing my brother a cent for $150 of a very good stock.

It might not be the most exciting gift, but if all goes well, 10 years down the road, but brother will be thanking me that he has several hundred bucks to his name instead of a rusty putter sitting in the corner of the garage.

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for a Prosperous New Year!

A New Bank in Town: Everbank

It seems that there is yet another new online bank. However, where this one differs is that it is offering a whopping 6.01% APY for the first three months! Not bad. Also, the bank is actually a checking account, not a savings account.

Some other perks:
- First 50 checks are free
- No maintenance fees if there is a $1500 balance
- Free Visa check card

The fine print:

The special 6.01% annual percentage yield (APY) on EverBank's FreeNet Checking Account is current as of 10/01/2006 and will apply for 3 months after account opening, and may change at any time prior to account opening. The current APY as of 09/01/2006 without this special offer will be the applicable ongoing rate based on the average collected daily balance on your account.

Current APY tiers are: over $100K, 4.41%; $50K-$99.99K, 4.00%; $25K-$49.99K, 3.60%; $10K-$24.99K, 3.30%; and under $10K, 3.25%. During the 3-month period after account opening, the special rate will be applied to the first $100,000 in your account and any balance above $100,000 will receive the applicable ongoing rate, based on the average collected daily balance on your account. Any rate or any tier may change at any time without notice. Fees may reduce earnings.

This special APY offer is available to first-time account holders only and is limited to one account per household. The FreeNet Checking Account introductory APY may not be available through all delivery channels or divisions of EverBank. Minimum opening deposit of $1500 is required.

Please note that you need to apply through this ad at Everbank to get this promotional 3 month rate.

If you have no problem moving your money around every few months, that this is a great deal for you as this rate rivals even CD rates, without the problem of not being able to access your money.

Cash is not crass.

During a watercooler discussion at work, the topic of giving cash (in this case, to the wonderful woman who cleans the office) came up. I have discussed the idea with a few folks, and it seems that most people the same way: we love to receive cash! So what's with the hang-up over giving it? Is it perceived as crass in some way?

My opinion is that cash is truly the one size fits all gift. After standing in line at the bank to obtain some crisp 20s to give as gifts, I overheard a woman next to me buying some Wachovia Visa gift cards. The teller asked her, "And how would you like to pay for the $1.95 service charges?" Service charges?! On gift cards?! At that point, I would have halted that little transaction altogether.

While money is no substitute for a well thought out gift from the heart, nowadays it is a much preferable option to gift cards whose fine prints are longer than Santa's naughty list. Give the green if you want a gift that truly can be used anywhere and has no crazy hidden fees. And, if properly invested or saved, it really is a gift that keeps on giving.

GoldStar Events

I found out about this service a few months ago and was skeptical. Why would I get tickets for half off and not have to pay outrageous service fees? It seemed almost too good to be true. Lucky for me (and you for that matter!), it wasn't. I recently purchased tickets to the Washington Ballet's Nutcracker here in DC (a truly festive and fun experience) and was able to receive orchestra tickets for $37.50! Out the door, with taxes and fees, I paid $42 for each ticket. The regular price was $75.00 for each ticket, so this was a substantial savings. I will definitely use GoldStar again and have already been eyeing a new play that's in town. If you are interested in joining GoldStar, you can click here to be taken to the sign-up page.

GoldStar is receiving The Financista's $$$$$ rating (out of $$$$$).

(A bit tardy) FSF: BBO

I don't think I ever written of my love of Blockbuster online. It is far superior to Netflix. Since I split the cost with my roommate, if I were to only get one movie per month, I would get my money's worth. Now, with the Total Access program, I can get almost twice as many movies without paying a dime more. Feel free to try it out for yourself for a month. Use the promo code: friend1.

And the Award for Least Romantic Idea Ever Goes to...

Smart Money ran a story today about a phenomena called the "Non-Divorce" - the idea that people stick together because it's the path of least resistance. Mind you, I am not a proponent of divorce, except in very rare circumstances, but it just sounds so terrible the way they put it.

FSF: Start Sampling

I don't think I have mentioned this website before, but I have received a few good free samples from them: Start Sampling. There's a lot of junk on there that doesn't interest me, but the Dove hand soap I received was GREAT. If I find a coupon for it, I may just buy it.

Paying for Grad School

A few days ago, I took some of my own advice and wrote a question in to be answered by my very own personal financial planner. I was quite impressed to receive, not 1, but 2 answers! Unfortunately, they didn't tell me really anything I didn't already know (namely that I am up the creek sans paddle), but since they were kind enough to reply, I don't mind giving them some free (abeit limited) press. See below for the exciting exchange!

Question:
I am 23 years old, with some undergraduate debt, a steady job,and a 401(k) and Roth IRA that I regularly contribute to. I am hoping to return to graduate school sometime in the next 2-3 years. What can you recommend as the best way to save for graduate school?

Answer:
Continue using the Roth IRA and setup a high yielding money market account. Many fund companies like Vanguard or ING's Orange Savings account offer high yields. You could continue to fund the Roth IRA for educational needs because the Roth IRA offers an exception for educational needs. Just check with the IRA custodian for filing requirements to get the exception.

Good Luck. Robert Ratti, CFP
FINANCIAL INSIGHTS
www.financialinsightspa.com
800.828.8957 (TOLL FREE - VOICE)
215.938.8811 (LOCAL - VOICE)
215.938.1747 (FAX)
---------------------------------------------
Answer:
Considering that grad school is only 2-3 years away, you don’t have that many options as far as savings vehicle is concerned. I recommend a safe investment such as a CD or money market fund. The time frame doesn’t allow you to take any risks. You might consider a 529 Plan, but unfortunately, the short time frame also complicates matters.

Hope this helps.
Jimmy S. Sarmiento, CFP®
Certified Financial Planner Practitioner
707-552-9919
www.yourwealthplanners.com

Life Events, Financial Decisions, and Being S-M-R-T.

Today, I stumbled upon a gem at the Financial Planning Association's website that gives advice for most of life's major life happenings, i.e. marriage, college, school, retirement, etc. While I didn't see something for the way to fund grad school precisely (this seems to be a topic that no one talks about!), the website as a whole was impressive and seemingly sound, and even better, free! It's somewhat rare to be able hear advice from a real financial planner (as opposed to someone who just puts their personal finance thoughts on the internet for free...). If you are someone who tries to handles their finances on his or her own like I do, this is a real treat. Check out the link here.

Also at FPA's website, I found an excellent article about how to become a smarter investor. I am ashamed to admit that I do not do all of their things on the list, including a proper asset allocation. This is something I hope to work on at the start of the new year, once I can start to reinvest in my Roth again. I have a real aversion to bonds, but may have to consider at least a small piece devoted to them. It's just a matter of sitting down and figuring it all out.

Banker to the Poor Follow-up

Well, I said that I would provide a review of Muhammad Yunus' book on the start of the Grameen Bank, so here it is:

Banker to Poor is an inspirational story of the start of a revolutionary way to help the poor raise themselves out of the stranglehood of poverty. The book is surely worth a read; I finished it in two days. There is some technical jargon, but it's not overwhelming. The book easily could have been twice its size, since Yunnus often glosses over wide expanses of time or processes that surely took a lot of time and effort, probably to hold the reader's interest. He had mine! I wish that he would have delved a bit deeper, but overall, it's a great read.

Financista Rating: $$$$ out of $$$$$

FSF: Claiming money that's yours

Motley Fool has an excellent reminder of an article telling folks to make sure that the IRS doesn't owe them money! What an awful thought: the government is actually trying to return the money they took from me, but can't find me! Here's a link to the article that contains further links to the IRS treasure trove of money owed.

Happy treasure hunting!

Shopping around for a new bank?

If so, use this code: 100MBNA to score $100 with Bank of America when you open a free checking account (with direct deposit).

FSF: Budget Tools

Jonathan over at MyMoneyBlog has compiled an excellent list of budgeting tools for you to peruse.

Personally, I use PearBudget in partnership with Google Spreadsheets (to make it available online) and have been pretty happy with it.

It does have some limitations:
- Obviously, not being web-based.
- Does not have description fields as it is a straight Excel spreadsheet.
- Does not always accept updates made on the "main page."

However:
- it is simple.
- it is user friendly.
- it has great analysis tools.

Starting next month, I am going to try out mo.neytrack.in. My initial tour through the site got me pretty jazzed as it seems to fill in some of PearBudget's gaps. I am especially interested in using it to track "group expenses" with my roommates. This could be revolutionary.

To sum up, pick a budget, any budget, so long as it works for you, and you use it.

Free Stuff Friday (FSF): Free 411

A better way to save? Quit calling 411 and dial 1-800-FREE411, a new directory assistance service without the annoying 411 charges that creep up on your monthly phone bill.

Instead of spending $1.50 to locate the number for late-night pizza delivery, a 24-hour grocer, or your hairdresser’s new number, you can get the same directory assistance as regular 411 at no cost. Dial away! Calls are unlimited. Plug 1-800-FREE411 (800-373-3411) into your speed dial.

- An excellent tip from Daily Candy

Free McDonald's Snack Wraps this Saturday November 9, 2006

I heard this on the radio whilst driving last night. It seems that McDonald's is doing a promotion to promote their new snack wrap by giving them away for free. I believe the hours were 12-2 at participating McDonald's restaurants (wherever those are). The website seems to neither confirm nor deny this claim, so your worst case scenario is that you will end up at McD's for lunch. There are certainly worst things.

Bring on the Price Wars!

It seems that the largest retailer in the world has been struggling to meet its financial quotas; what fantastic news for consumers! Since Wal-Mart has such a large portion of the market share, their price cuts will hopefully have the effect of slashing prices across the board at other retailers such as Target and department stores. In a practical sense, we should all be even more alert to shopping around, looking for coupons, and not settling for anything but the very best price.

I have mentioned in previous posts about searching for coupons for things you are going to buy anyway, and a friend (thanks, Allie) gave me another great coupon link: Coupon Mountain. There's no reason not to check sites such as these out before buying! Price cuts and a little homework can end up saving you some hard-earned cash. Just for example, here's a 10% off code for Target: TCRCPTAA. If you were going to get something there anyway, why not save 10%?

Just remember amidst the coupon frenzy, the best way to save money is not to spend it in the first place. Happy saving!

Free Stuff Friday (Er, Sunday)

I apologize about the slight lag between Sunday and Friday, but alas. As promised, the first installment of Free Stuff Friday features free online stock trades at Zecco. At first glance, you have got to be saying to yourself, wow, this sounds too good to be true. Good for you. Some skepticism is healthy. However, in this case, it seems mostly unwarranted.

The trades are free, up to 40 trades per month, but the catch is that you need to open your account with $2500. That's a lot of cash. There's no minimum as to how much you need to keep in the account, only how much to initially fund it. This is how they make their money for the most part - they earn interest on your cash. If you are a high roller and make a lot of trades per month (I definitely do not - I am in for the long run), then this is a fantastic deal. Free? Sure, why not. As for me, I am going to stick with Sogo Invest, with their $1 trades for the first 90 days. There's no account minimums to open, so it's a bit more appropriate for a smaller G like myself. However, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk about this great free service!

Free Stuff Friday

I have decided to start a fun little thing I am calling "Free Stuff Friday" on this blog. My goal is to scour the internet for useful freebies and pass them along. As part of the virtual "ribbon cutting ceremony," this week there will be a posting a day early, you lucky dogs, you.

I'm practical, so this freebie seems a great place to start. Check out Degree's website for a free sample of deodorant. It may not be "sexy," but it sure is useful. No one likes a smelly girl.

When these powers combine...

Two of my very favorite things in the world, free stuff and music, come together in one awesome web-based package at Pandora. The music station works as a sort of human genome project for music. Analysts at Pandora dissect what makes up the key elements of different types of songs and then categorize each and every song and artist available on the site. It's a fantastic way to become exposed to new music at no cost to you!

Here's a selection of some new people I have found or come to appreciate more because of Pandora (mostly folky, indie kinds of people, but some diversity):

- Hawksley Workman
- The Temptations (an increased awe)
- Tyrone Wells
- Midlake
- Pedro the Lion
- Marcia Ball (Cajun-flavored folk, pop)

Try it out. It's certainly worth the cost.

Juggling that Plastic

Yahoo Personal Fiance had a good article today about making the most out of your plastic. WARNING: This article only works for people who pay off their bill in whole every month. If you don't, skip this article.

There are so many great cards out there that serve a specific consumer niche, that it makes sense to capitalize on them. Currently, I have one "favored" card that gets me 5% cash back at grocery stores, gas stations, and drugstores. I have a second card that yields 3% points, which can be used for cash or other things, at restaurants, office supply stores, and a few other places. Between groceries and eating out, an Old Navy card (good at Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic) that gets 5% back, I have covered most of my personal non-bill expenditures.

Credit card companies are looking at for their own best interests. Might as well beat them at their own game.

5.50% Savings Rate at E-Loan

While I do not ever plan to close my account at Emigrant Direct, I have to follow the money. E-Loan just opened up their online savings bank with a great 5.50% APY. Hopefully Emigrant will follow suit. The account has been open for less than a month and so far, so good. They were lightning quick with taking my money, and hopefully they will be just as expedient in transferring in back when the time comes.

Balance Transfers and Free Nanos

I hope I am not "cruisin' for a bruisin'" as my mother used to say with this offer from Bank of America. If you have any combinations of purchases or balance transfers over $2000 in the first three months, a free iPod 2 GB Nano is yours! Plus, a credit of $50 is applied to your first statement, which should cover the bulk of the 3% balance transfer fee if you decide (like I did) to travel that route.

I filled out the initial application, but was not instantly approved. This will be my first balance transfer/0% APR/invest the money in savings accounts foray, so I am interested how things will pan out. I will update this as this story unfolds.


December 20, 2006 Update:

Nano in hand (despite claims that it would take 10 weeks from statement close), $50 credit on statement, and calendar marked to pieces to remember the due date to repay my interest free loan. So far, a great experience. I would just note that I did call and speak with an agent at BoA, and he "put a note on my account," so I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't done that.

Nobel Peace Prize Announced

I was psyched to hear that one of the founding fathers of microfinance, Muhammad Yunus, was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. His bank, which caters to the most destitute, started with mere $27! It's inspiring.

Microfinance has the opportunity to change the face of poverty more than almost any other movement in the last 30 years. It's innovative, creative, and resourceful - qualities I dig. Microfinance's appeal is that it allows people to participate in crafting their own futures - the proverbial "hand-up," not "hand-out."

Yunus has a book called Banker to the Poor available at Amazon (see below), which I hope to read after D-Day (GMAT on November 6th). I have a feeling this book is going to be outstanding. Looking forward to posting a review once I get to it. Congrats, Muhammed!

“Those who understand compound interest are destined to collect it. Those who don’t are doomed to pay it.”

Accmulating Money has a great, well-designed site and has a good little section talking about the absolute MAGIC of compound interest (one of my favorite things). Check it out here.

Want to Fight AIDS? Buy a Cell Phone.

A provocative social enterprise article from the NYTIMES:

A new line of products from companies like Gap, Armani Exchange and Motorola aims to raise money to help fight AIDS in Africa.

Those companies, along with Converse and American Express, created the new products, which bear the brand name Red and are to begin appearing in stores this month. The companies are committed to selling the products for at least five years, and plan to donate part of their profits to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

If the Red products sell the way the companies’ other products do, the fund stands to gain hundreds of millions of dollars annually — enough to provide AIDS medications to hundreds of thousands of Africans each year.

The campaign was created by the musician Bono and Bobby Shriver, a California politician and member of the Kennedy family. Both are leading advocates for the Global Fund. The fund, which will collect and distribute money from Red in Africa, says the hundreds of millions of dollars each year given by world governments is not enough to provide medications to all of the people who need them.

You can log-in to read the rest of the article here.

Girl Scout Preparedness for Your Finances

Recently I have been reading alot about being prepared for a disaster. I am no Debbie Downer, but it doesn't take one to think that some sort of disaster might happen in my lifetime, whether natural or human-driven. It's necessary to have a physical disaster preparedness plan (outside point of contact, meeting place, batteries, yada yada), but others note the further necessity of having a financial disaster preparedness plan. Bankrate gives a great little checklist that I plan to act on soon.

Changing the world, one lightbulb at a time

This is so easy that there is no reason not to jump on this wagon:

If every American household made the commitment to change just one traditional light to an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would provide enough power to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year, save more than $500 million in energy costs, and prevent the greenhouse gas emission equivalent of nearly 800,000 cars. It's a simple action with a tremendous impact.

I encourage each of you to do as I have and take the ENERGY STAR Change a Light Pledge at www.energystar.gov, committing to change just one traditional light in your home to one that's earned EPA's ENERGY STAR label.

Please take ENERGY STAR's Change a Light Pledge, and help EPA continue to brighten America's future one light at a time.

Reasons to save

Bankrate, ever useful and informative, just put out an article listing reasons to save money. My favorite, and the only one I really need, is #9: "It just plain feels good." So true, Bankrate, so true. It's addictive; once you start, you just don't want to stop.

A new look here...

Duh, but appreciated, Bernake.

Fed Chair Bernake made his first speech in a while, in which he urged Americans to save more, calling current savings rates "exceptionally low." This comes as no surprise to most, including yours truly. You can read the Financial Times article here.

Please save, people! There are so many fantastic high-yield savings accounts out there. My personal favorite is Emigrant Direct. Not only do they have one of the highest rates out there, I sincerely appreciated the $1000 deposits they made to every account registered in the Gulf Region following Katrina. When I called to tell them that I had moved from New Orleans a few weeks prior to the hurricane, they told me that they figured I knew how best to use the money to help. You don't see that often, and this attitude has endeared this bank to be for the long haul (even if their rates fell to 5.05% from 5.15%).

Travel Deals

These travel deals from Gate 1 seem almost too good to be true. A friend of a friend went on one last year and had a great experience. Spain in 2007 is calling my name.

Scentastic

I love the smell of laundry. Few things are better. I hope Snuggle is not trying to mess with a good thing here, but check out their new Snuggle "Premium Exhilerations" Scents with a $.50 coup.

Eco-friendly do it yourself projects

Tiffany Tomato Designs offers you the option of purchasing their funky recycled objects, or letting you make them yourself. I am especially partial to the Vitamin C bowl.

Not without coups.

Anytime you have any online shopping to do, I would heartily recommend checking out Current Codes for an always up to date list of current coupons and promotions for various vendors. I remembered to check the site recently and found one from Kodak Gallery that ended up saving me $18 on something that I was going to buy anyway. Fifteen seconds of my time is easily worth that much.

Kiva

I love the idea of helping people help themselves. Kiva is a website that does just that through small person to person loans. Kiva allows people from all over the globe to provide funds to fledgling entrepreneurs in the developing world so that they can begin to lift themselves out of poverty by engaging in the local economy.

The basics seem pretty simple. A loan request is posted, along with details describing what the loan will be used for, and the timeframe in which the loan will be paid back to the lender. Loans are broken up in order to both lessen the risk for lenders and make lending a more real possibility for folks of modest means.

Saving money on the small stuff allows you to make it go father than on things like toothpaste. What I like about Kiva is that is streches the dollar in a way that makes me proud. Plus, since the money gets repaid, the entire process has a sense of accountability built in, and I believe the effects will be even more transformative than just giving someone money outright.

I have yet to donate, but will update my results when I do.