(Fair warning: If you’re not amused by rants, you can skip this post.) With the onset of Black Friday, we’ve officially arrived at the start of the end-of-year corporate-consumer tango known as The Holiday Season, and our corporate partners are looking to spin us around on the dance floor and flash all sorts of pretty … Read more
Commenter “CF” asked three questions about flexible spending accounts. Here’s what I could find. (Standard disclaimers apply, as in this is information only and not personalized financial advice. Feel free to use this as a starting point for your own investigations, but follow this advice at your own risk.) My company offers supplemental insurance which … Read more
This is a good time of the year to shore up this year’s flexible spending account (FSA) expenditures and prepare for next year’s. The FSA I’m talking about here is a plan that may be offered through your (US) employer, whereby a part of your paycheck is withheld each period, pre-tax, to pay for qualified … Read more
While I was perusing the different iGoogle financial gadgets I ran across a Tip of the Day gadget. There were two comments, and one was not complimentary at all (emphasis mine): For the most part, these are some of the worst “Financial Tips” I have read. I am removing this gadget after today’s tip “Don’t … Read more
Carpooling to work has always been a good idea but with gas prices on the rise it’s more appealing than ever. Other terms for carpooling are ride-sharing, lift-sharing, or slugging (kinda, at least around DC). Advantages? Here are a few: Lower gasoline cost. The single most important consideration. Lower vehicle maintenance cost. Driving less means … Read more
Sixty-three-year-old Winnie Shilson, now a grandmother of six, was fired after working in Taco Bell and other preceding chains for thirty years. Her career was that of a dedicated employee, and was by many accounts exemplary: After 30 years, Taco Bell didn’t even offer her any hot sauce Then in the final two years, a … Read more
Getting something you need or want for a good price is a wise thing to do. Sometimes, though, the price of something is a red herring, something that distracts you from its true cost. Here are a dozen things that appear to be bargains but might not be: Used helmets or child seats Used helmets … Read more
Yesterday I grabbed a 99-cent chicken sandwich at Hardee’s. The service at this particular Hardee’s isn’t the fastest in the world, but it’s conveniently located next to my favorite pawn shop. (Bargain hunting can be hard work at times, so it’s much better done with some nourishment on board.) Well, I think what happened was … Read more