Kind of funny title because although Christmas is filled with the colour green like our wreaths, decorations and trees we all really want to have a white Christmas. For a couple of days anyways and then the snow can go back to from where it came as far as I am concerned.

Although I blog alot about saving money the other underlying theme of the changes I talk about is the commitment to helping the environment by saving energy and using less. This is important. Although in many cases doing things to be more enviromentally friendly can at first seem costly I think it is important on us all in the long run. Adding insulation is important to conserving energy but is costly to front at first. You get your money back later in lower hydro bills over time.

This Christmas you can do your part by using recycled Christmas cards. I am not talking about taking old cards and crossing names out and reusing them. I

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A retirement savings calculator is a valuable tool when you are finally ready to plan your retirement. Every adult over the age of 30 knows that it’s time to be saving for retirement. Unfortunately, most people know that but don’t take action until much later than they should.

Everyone knows that they can’t count on Social Security being there for them when they are ready to retire, yet an alarming number of people hit retirement age and have to rely on Social Security for the majority of their income. If you are ready to take action and get started on a retirement savings plan, then you should use a free online retirement calculator to help you calculate retirement savings and determine how much you need to be investing in retirement accounts.

When Can You Retire

The Social Security Administration sends out a letter each year advising participants in the program of their contributions and what they can expect to receive each month when they retire. A ret

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I’ve always loved the way Larry Ellison has said F$%^ you to the rest of the world:

Bank of America made news in recent weeks by announcing that they are in essence ending their “free checking” product.  This is in and of itself is not a huge piece of news as banks have begun phasing out their free products for a while now as they are under the gun to increase profitability.  The fact that Bank of America, which serves about half of U.S. house Read full post…

One consumer struggles to build credit without dinging her credit score and Credit Karma gives some honest recommendations:

Q: I’ve worked hard for many years as a single parent to make sure I paid my monthly bills and credit cards. My credit score was about 700. After 20 years, I remarried, and my husband maxed out my credit cards that he persuaded me to get. My credit dropped to 580. After the divorce, I’ve settled the credit cards and my credit score is now just over 600. I need to refinance but every time there is a hard inquiry, my score drops 10 points. What can I do? I feel that I’m caught between a rock and a hard place!

This happens to many consumers: They want to build credit, but they can’t get access to it.

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Consumer risk management, the management of personal finances, is much more straightforward than it appears. You just have to find a way to routinely spend less than you make. However, such things are more easily said than done. For many people a strategy is required.

1. STOP BUYING THINGS YOU DO NOT NEED: In looking for a smarter way to handle your personal consumer risk management, start by looking at the basics – namely, you, and your spending patterns. In order to start managing your finances effectively, you have to stop buying things you don’t really need. Try to think of every purchase as either an investment or a sustenance – an investment, such as a suit for interviews, earns marked returns and sustenance (e.g. groceries, utilities) are required for survival. Begin

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Rate CenterToday’s Average Rates Across the Country*Savings / MMACDsRefinanceAuto Insurance
Min Balance APY Trend

0.26% 0.33% 0.43% Savings Accounts and Money Market Rates provided by 8 November 2010 The holidays are just around the corner – and that means it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s resolutions.Don’t make them? That’s ok. But they can help you focus on improving your life – and if you share them with friends, you may be more motivated to act on your intentions than you otherwise would.Resolutions don’t have to be about practical things like exercising or spending time with your family, either. Read full post…