If you’re shopping around for a new bank or credit union, you should take a few minutes to research your choices at Bankrate. Bankrate offers a Safe & Sound rating service that looks at the relative financial strength and stability of U.S. commercial banks, savings institutions and credit unions. The Bankrate system applies 22 tests to each institution to measure the following… Capital adequacy. Asset quality. Profitability. Liquidity. Of course you shouldn’t rely on one system when choosing a bank. You should actually head into the nearest branch, look around, talk to some folks, and so on, but getting a basic overview of a bank’s financial health is a good kick-off point. The site is easy to use and when I... [Read more]

It’s easy to save money on holiday meals using some basic common sense, sharing in the meal prep, and keeping it green. Shop early: Finding holiday fare on sale means shopping early. You can pick up a budget turkey right after Thanksgiving, and freeze it til Christmas. When you wait too long, you may be forced to pick up national vs. store brands of items like condensed milk and pie filling, which will cost you.  Save fresh fruits and veggies as day before buys, but get everything else early. Share the fame: I know folks who want to whip up an entire holiday spread all on their own, because they think they’re the best cook or because they like food just so so. However, if you’re open to other people’s dishes, you can... [Read more]

If you happen to be looking for work right now, then your expenses will still be in time for 2009 tax returns. While being out of work sucks, and looking for a new job can be frustrating, luckily certain expenses you have while looking for a new job may be deductible. Examples of deductible expenses while job hunting include employment and outplacement agency fees, long-distance phone calls related to the job hunt,  job wanted ads placed in newspapers or journals, moving expenses if your new job is 50 miles+ away, resume preparation services, resume related experiences, and travel expenses for both job searching and to and from interviews. Make sure that you get your deductions trouble free by keeping a log of your driving and phone calls,... [Read more]

Sanity is a good thing to keep intact, and one November strategy is to skip the overcrowded, stressful, irrational day we call Black Friday. Black Friday in my opinion is not THAT big a deal. I normally skip it because of the consumer issues; seriously, most of us get that day off so why not spend it on time with your loved ones vs. standing in lines at store. But even if you don’t frown on the over-consumption issues related to Black Friday, there are still good reasons to let it go. Skipping it can also save you time and yes, even money. Black Friday is typically a hugely crowded shopping day, not only does this waste, not save time, but you also waste gas searching for parking and may be much more prone to impulse buys. Stores lure... [Read more]

Honestly, we all know that the number one reason to be diligent about toy safety is to protect the health of our little ones. However, playing it safe also can save you money. Why? Shoddy toys break easier and if there’s a recall that costs you time as well.  Badly made toys aren’t worth the same in terms of life expectancy and quality. Most of all being safe can save you medical costs. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes that in 2007 there were a whopping 232,900 toy related injuries treated in the ER and 73% of those injuries occurred in kids under the age of 15. Worse the injuries reported were not pretty; consisting of issues like lacerations, contusions, and abrasions to the head and face PLUS there were... [Read more]