December 2011 Archives

Each year feels like it passes faster than the next, and 2011 was no exception. So much changed for me when I got married in March. On that day, my husband's daunting law school debt became partly my responsibility (he is in his second year), and we then got on the same insurance plans. My emergency fund was also partly depleted in 2011 due to an unexpected laptop death.

On the bright side, I managed to go on an amazing trip to Costa Rica in October without incurring any debt due to diligent savings. I also escaped this past holiday season without any credit card debt--a first for me.

If one or more of your resolutions for 2012 is to improve your finances, read on for this list of 10 great personal finance blog posts from the past week.

Sometimes the difference between keeping $150 and losing it is one simple phone call.

It's a simple lesson: Persistence pays. It's also one that every personal finance expert worth their salt will tell you is among the most important to learn. No one cares about your money as much as you do, and to keep it, sometimes you have to fight for it.

I learned that the hard way today during one incredibly irritating morning of back-and-forth with a major airline.

Holy moly, the holidays are almost here. Hanukkah starts on Tuesday evening, and Christmas is in just over a week away. With a gift list that includes my husband, parents, step-parents, siblings, in-laws, and a few special colleagues, I'm definitely feeling the pinch.

If you are one of those many people who has been procrastinating holiday shopping, whether you're too busy or are avoiding spending the money, here are several easy ways to get affordable holiday presents. Plus, read my roundup of my 10 favorite personal finance blog posts from this past week.

It's interesting to me that women who are hard-working and financially responsible are some of the best potential mates, but some men seem to have trouble getting serious with women who make more or have better careers. Come on, guys -- let's celebrate the ladies instead of being scared of them! Who cares if you have credit card debt or are still in the early stages of your career. We can love you just as much anyway. I should know; my husband is in law school!

Read on for my list of my 10 favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week.

Remember that classic opening scene from "The Grifters" where John Cusack tries to con a busy bartender out of $10 by presenting a $20 bill for change and then substituting a $10 in its place?

There's a grifter here in the Tampa Bay area where I live who figured out a way to pull a similar stunt with a $25 American Express gift card. St. Petersburg Police say he scammed Bay Area bars and restaurants out of more than $20,000 over seven months before they nabbed him.

Credit card companies know what features their customers are looking for and naturally use the information to make their terms sound as compelling as possible. For example, they may capitalize on existing legislation designed to protect consumers, and they definitely make liberal use of "the fine print" to qualify their glorious-sounding offers.

In other words, many of their policies aren't as great as they make them out to be, so don't be fooled. Know what you're really getting before you sign up. After all, the last thing you want to do is make an important financial decision based on terms that you don't understand.

I've written numerous times about chip-and-PIN credit cards, but mostly about how it's frustrating that the technology has been adopted in Europe and Asia, but not in the United States. It makes international travel frustrating.

Some U.S. issuers started making chip-and-PIN cards this year, but they were small and exclusive banks such as the United Nations Federal Credit Union. Today, I'm a happy girl because, according to The Washington Post, Chase rolled out a chip-and-PIN card in November!

Keep on reading for more details and my list of my very favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week.