People out there think that by only using cash, shunning credit cards in the process, they will put themselves in a better position to stay out of debt and control their spending. They think that simply because cash is a finite resource, they can only spend what they have available and no more. They also believe that the only form of debt is overextending themselves with credit and credit cards. Unfortunately for all of these people, that line of reasoning cannot be further from the truth.
Does Cash Really Keep You From Overspending?
What You Thought You Knew About MPG Ratings Is Probably Wrong
This post was featured in Carnival of Personal Finance: The Color Wheel Edition
Do you remember me telling you that advertisements lie, how the marketing people (as well as the product manufacturers themselves) think you’re a sucker and how their goal is to target gullible people who believe everything they see and hear? Well, it’s still true, and nothing is going to change that. This time, my ire wasn’t drawn to companies claiming to be the “best” or “highest quality” or any other subjective claim. No, lately I’ve been more annoyed specifically with car companies and their practices for pitching their automobiles among stiff competition. My beef with them centers on their non-stop talk about how you should buy their cars because of their fuel efficiency ratings. Contrary to what many people believe and what we are allowed to think, the government doesn’t actually run the tests that determine the fuel economy advertised by car companies
The Pros and Cons of Paperless Billing
This is a special guest post from David Bakke, who writes about small business, careers, and money management skills on Money Crashers Personal Finance.
If your email inbox is anything like mine, it is probably chock-full of offers to go paperless from a lot of the companies that you do business with. Some of them may appeal to you out of concern for the environment, while others are appealing from a financial standpoint. While it may seem like a no-brainer to go paperless, there are some things to keep in mind before making that leap. Here are the pros and cons of paperless billing.
Don’t Believe All The Hype That Insurance Companies Throw At You
“15 Minutes can save you 15%.” “Save $X by switching” to our insurance company. ”Bundle your insurance and save”. Blah. Blah. Blah. Every car insurance company, especially those which write policies for other assets, claim that they can save you money on your comprehensive car insurance needs. They love throwing out their “average savings” and telling you how easy it is to save you money. They have catchy jingles, famous actors, or endearing characters in their advertising. What they don’t have is the guts to do is tell you is the truth about such “savings” opportunities or their lack of service capabilities.
Manage Your Finances With This Savings Calculator
Whether you want to buy a new car or are moving house, you can help manage your money with this fantastic savings calculator. It’s easy to use and can help you get your finances in order throughout 2012.
NBA Player Says The Dumbest Things About Money
In case you were unaware, last week was the huge $640 million Mega Money drawing. There had been quite a bit of publicity surrounding the event since many experts postulated that if the drawing went without a winner, it would top the $1 billion mark. People clamored to secure tickets–even those who lived in states that don’t participate in the drawing were sent to Twitter, Facebook, and their phones to contact friends and relatives in participating states hoping to have tickets purchased for them. One particular person who who a significant vested interest in the drawing was Washington Wizards rookie Chris Singleton.
Yes, Tax Refunds ARE Evil
Well, they aren’t inherently evil, but the simplistic rationale and ways that people go about thinking and handling tax refunds certainly can be to their financial states. I read an article by Dave Carpenter, a personal finance writer for The Associated Press on retirement and other topics, which landed on MSN Money’s Tax Tips page about tax refunds and how they aren’t always evil. His main points for tax refunds being good are called: avoiding a debt trap, providing a welcome windfall, protection against tax surprises, forced savings, and little lost opportunity cost. Sure, it’s great to be chipper and look at the bright side of things, but it’s not always helpful. Sometimes, people need to hear the truth even if they don’t want to hear it.
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