WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog/media/feedlogo.gif WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/The Money Diet, week 11: Could exercise start paying off?http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/19/the-money-diet-week-11-could-exercise-start-paying-off/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/19/the-money-diet-week-11-could-exercise-start-paying-off/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/19/the-money-diet-week-11-could-exercise-start-paying-off/#commentsFiled under: ,

So my 6-year-old daughter and I played Frisbee this week.

"I'll throw it, and you try to catch it," Lorelei explained, helpfully, apparently not realizing I've played the game before. "Then you throw it back. Then I'll throw it to you. And if it doesn't come near you, you run after it." Her eyes twinkled as she added, mischievously, "if you can."

Only 6, and she's already quick with the fat jokes.

The occasional ribbing in my family is always meant good-naturedly, but sometimes I feel like Jackie Gleason. The dialogue between my kids and wife and I don't quite match what was said in the 1950s' TV classic, The Honeymooners, but a lot of those zingers wouldn't be out of place in our household.

Continue reading The Money Diet, week 11: Could exercise start paying off?

The Money Diet, week 11: Could exercise start paying off? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>losing weightMoney Dietsaving moneySavingMoneyweight lossWeightLossGeoff WilliamsFri, 19 Mar 2010 13:00:00 ESTUpromise can help you save for your kids' college ... but be prepared to shop for ithttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/18/upromise-can-help-you-save-for-your-kids-college-but-be-pre/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/18/upromise-can-help-you-save-for-your-kids-college-but-be-pre/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/18/upromise-can-help-you-save-for-your-kids-college-but-be-pre/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you're a parent and have children who aren't in college yet, I'm guessing you've probably heard about Upromise.

Not sounding familiar? Upromise is a company, now owned by Sallie Mae, that designed a program that offers shoppers cash rewards at various retailers. A small portion of the money you spend at the retailer is kicked back into your Upromise account, which you can hook up to a 529 college savings account.

Here's how it works: The basic idea is that if you're going to be shopping anyway, you may as well choose to make purchases from a Upromise partner and start accruing money for your kids' college education.

You become a member (it's free) and register your debit or credit cards at the Upromise site, and then start shopping. If you prefer to shop online, you should start any online shopping you do through Upromise.com (otherwise, the money won't wind up in your account). If you're shopping in the real world, you look for stores, restaurants and other businesses that have partnered with Upromise, and as long as you pay with your debit card or credit card (the ones you registered at the site), you'll have some of that money diverted to your Upromise account.

Continue reading Upromise can help you save for your kids' college ... but be prepared to shop for it

Upromise can help you save for your kids' college ... but be prepared to shop for it originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>529 accountcollegeonline shoppingOnlineShoppingsaving money for collegetuitionUpromiseGeoff WilliamsThu, 18 Mar 2010 11:00:00 ESTIRS warns of 'Dirty Dozen' tax scamshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/17/dirty-dozen-tax-scams-the-irs-wants-you-to-know-about/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/17/dirty-dozen-tax-scams-the-irs-wants-you-to-know-about/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/17/dirty-dozen-tax-scams-the-irs-wants-you-to-know-about/#commentsFiled under: ,

Don't say they didn't warn you. The IRS just issued its annual "Dirty Dozen" Tax Scams report, a list of frequently-used frauds that cheat honest taxpayers out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year.

While there may be a long history of tax cheats, there's also a solid record of con artists that prey on those who are trying to do right by Uncle Sam. Among some of this year's chart toppers are hiding offshore accounts and tax preparer fraud.

"Taxpayers should be aware of anyone peddling scams that seem too good to be true," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman in the announcement. The agency warned that taxpayers who fall prey to such scams will be on the hook for unpaid taxes, plus interest and fees, and could even face jail time.

So without any further adieu, here's the "Dirty Dozen" tax scams to avoid when filing your taxes this year.

Continue reading IRS warns of 'Dirty Dozen' tax scams

IRS warns of 'Dirty Dozen' tax scams originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>cpacpasdirty dozenfilingfiling taxesFilingTaxesfraudIRSScamstax preparerstaxestheifGeoff WilliamsWed, 17 Mar 2010 16:00:00 ESTThe Money Diet, week 10: this is apparently something of a trendhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/12/the-money-diet-week-10-this-is-apparently-something-of-a-trend/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/12/the-money-diet-week-10-this-is-apparently-something-of-a-trend/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/12/the-money-diet-week-10-this-is-apparently-something-of-a-trend/#commentsFiled under:

Every year, I used to make some statement full of bravado, like, "OK, by December 31, 2002, I will have lost 30 pounds."

Or:

"It's 2004, but by 2005, the world is going to see less of me."

Or:

"All right, 2007, get prepared. Once I hit the gym, you won't know what hit you." [Insert maniacal laughter here.]

But every year, usually by Jan. 2 or 3, my wife would walk into the living room and see her husband passed out on the sofa, remnants of a Lean Pocket on his face, surrounded by a couple of empty Pringles' cans.

And so on Jan. 1, 2010, as regular readers of this weekly column are very aware, I pledged to myself that I would start what I fondly called "The Money Diet." I figured I needed to do something drastic. In late December, I saw my weight reach an all-time high (264 pounds), so I resolved to do something different. And I thought I would try writing about my weight loss on WalletPop, reasoning, "Maybe if I hold myself accountable to more than just my family, I might finally lose that weight."


Continue reading The Money Diet, week 10: this is apparently something of a trend

The Money Diet, week 10: this is apparently something of a trend originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Money DietGeoff WilliamsFri, 12 Mar 2010 16:00:00 ESTWhat to do when your spouse admits to $68,000 in credit card debthttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/12/what-to-do-when-your-spouse-admits-to-68-000-in-credit-card-deb/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/12/what-to-do-when-your-spouse-admits-to-68-000-in-credit-card-deb/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/12/what-to-do-when-your-spouse-admits-to-68-000-in-credit-card-deb/#commentsFiled under:

What to do when spouse admits to $60K credit card debtI'm hardly Dear Abby, and I don't normally turn something left in the comments section into a story, but this message, left in the comments section of a recent post I wrote, grabbed me and I couldn't turn away:

I have been married for 12 years and have just been told by my husband that he has $68,000 in credit card debt. We have separate charge cards, and I have always had my charges under $10,000. He wants me to sign a contract for a 30-year loan to pay off his credit card debt only.

The loan would include rolling in our first and second mortgage as well as our car and truck. I told him, 'No, you should try to contact the credit card companies and deal with them directly.' Does anyone have any advice for me? I am 62, and my husband is 59.

With all the red flags this message contained, I just couldn't ignore it. So I'm going to offer my advice -- for what it's worth -- along with the insight of a couple of personal finance advisers. And in case anyone is curious, before deciding to publish my response, I e-mailed the commenter to let her know I'd be talking to some experts and turning her question into a story.

Continue reading What to do when your spouse admits to $68,000 in credit card debt

What to do when your spouse admits to $68,000 in credit card debt originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>budgetingcredit card debtdebtdebt advicedebt eliminationDebtEliminationmortgage debt bundlingGeoff WilliamsFri, 12 Mar 2010 14:00:00 ESTAmerican Express debuts a new, feel-good rewards programhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/11/american-express-debuts-a-new-feel-good-rewards-program/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/11/american-express-debuts-a-new-feel-good-rewards-program/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/11/american-express-debuts-a-new-feel-good-rewards-program/#commentsFiled under:

American Express CardAmerican Express' unimpeachable new rewards program, which everyone will likely approve of, is a piece of good news for an industry that has gotten a lot of negative attention recently.

There's plenty not to like about credit cards, so when we hear about a card company such as American Express offering a new perk that benefits their customers, we're happy to spread the news.

Continue reading American Express debuts a new, feel-good rewards program

American Express debuts a new, feel-good rewards program originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>American Expressamexrewardrewardsrewards programRewardsProgramRewardsProgramsvolunteervolunteeringvolunteerismvolunteersGeoff WilliamsThu, 11 Mar 2010 15:00:00 ESTYou, your wallet and Betty Whitehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/11/you-your-wallet-and-betty-white/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/11/you-your-wallet-and-betty-white/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/11/you-your-wallet-and-betty-white/#commentsFiled under:

Betty WhiteImprobable as it sounds, Betty White is the new "it" girl.

After her recent Super Bowl ad for Snickers, as just about everyone up on their popular culture knows, the 88-year-old comic actress and icon can do no wrong. The Snickers ad was a huge success (Snickers was clearly happy. Go to their web site, and there's a giant picture of a smiling Betty White, greeting everyone), and as many people know, more than half a million fans -- and I was one of them -- signed up on Facebook to petition SNL creator Lorne Michaels to put her on Saturday Night Live. So naturally, when I read the news that the comedienne agreed to be a guest on Saturday Night Live, which will happen on May 8, my first thought was how closely personal finance and Betty White are connected.

Continue reading You, your wallet and Betty White

You, your wallet and Betty White originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>betty whitesaturday night livesnickerssnickers barsnickers commercialsnlGeoff WilliamsThu, 11 Mar 2010 13:00:00 ESTBank of America announces new information on overdraft policieshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/10/bank-of-america-announces-new-information-on-overdraft-policies/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/10/bank-of-america-announces-new-information-on-overdraft-policies/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/10/bank-of-america-announces-new-information-on-overdraft-policies/#commentsFiled under:

Bank of AmericaAs you may have read just recently, here on WalletPop and elsewhere, Bank of America is ending the way it issues overdrafts. It is abolishing most of them, ending completely the practice of going into a store and inadvertently spending $20 when you only have $6 in your account and then unleashing a torrent of overdraft fees.

Today, Bank of America held a teleconference, which I sat in on, in order to explain to the media their new overdraft policy, which will go into effect this summer. Susan Faulkner, Deposits and Card Product Executive for Bank of America, ably led the discussion.

Continue reading Bank of America announces new information on overdraft policies

Bank of America announces new information on overdraft policies originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Bank of Americabanksoverdraft feesGeoff WilliamsWed, 10 Mar 2010 17:05:00 ESTBank of America ends overdraft feeshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/bank-of-america-ends-overdraft-fees/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/bank-of-america-ends-overdraft-fees/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/bank-of-america-ends-overdraft-fees/#commentsFiled under:

It sounds incredible, especially to those of us who have been covering the banking industry, but Bank of America is ending the practice of issuing overdraft fees.

The bank made the announcement late Tuesday, and it's expected that many banks will probably follow suit. The practice will end sometime in mid-June, according to The New York Times. So at some point this summer, if you try to pump gas, and your checking account is on empty, your gas tank will stay empty, too. Yes, your card will be declined.

For some people, this may come as a shock, but surely, for many others, this is going to come as a huge relief. It may be annoying to have your card declined, and it may cause a hassle, but it's also a hassle to realize your bank account is now $172 in the red because you made a couple of unwise purchases, not realizing your checking account was so low that your $3 taco has just cost you $39, or your $14 fill up at the gas station has meant shelling out an extra $37.50.

Overdrafts are only ending for debit card purchases. The fees will continue, for instance, if you have an automatic withdrawal for your mortgage or car insurance, and not enough money to cover them. Those will still go through, and you'll still get hit with an overdraft fee.

Continue reading Bank of America ends overdraft fees

Bank of America ends overdraft fees originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Bank of Americaoverdraft feesGeoff WilliamsTue, 09 Mar 2010 23:00:00 ESTHawaii offers free prescription drug card to its uninsured residentshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/hawaii-offers-free-prescription-drug-card-to-its-uninsured-resid/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/hawaii-offers-free-prescription-drug-card-to-its-uninsured-resid/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/09/hawaii-offers-free-prescription-drug-card-to-its-uninsured-resid/#commentsFiled under:

HawaiiLike many Americans who haven't been there, I suspect, I've always wanted to visit Hawaii. I guess now I have another reason. Should I ever go to live there and wind up uninsured, I'll know that I can get a Hawaii Rx Card.

That's my roundabout way of saying that on Wednesday, March 10, Hawaii is unveiling a free discount prescription drug card program, being offered to uninsured residents of the state who can't afford their prescription drugs.

As the press release says, Hawaii once upon a time had the fewest uninsured residents in the country, but that's no longer the case.


Continue reading Hawaii offers free prescription drug card to its uninsured residents

Hawaii offers free prescription drug card to its uninsured residents originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>HawaiiHawaii Rx CardGeoff WilliamsTue, 09 Mar 2010 15:45:00 ESTWin $1,000 for sharing financial woes at Prosper.comhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/08/win-1-000-for-sharing-financial-woes-at-prosper-com/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/08/win-1-000-for-sharing-financial-woes-at-prosper-com/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/08/win-1-000-for-sharing-financial-woes-at-prosper-com/#commentsFiled under:

loanIf you haven't heard of Prosper.com until now, a $1,000 contest and a new web site might get you interested.

Prosper.com is a peer-to-peer lending site. The idea is that if you're having trouble getting a loan at a bank, or maybe you're feeling a bit anti-bank these days and would rather see someone else profit off your money, you might want to seek out a loan with Prosper.com.

Or conversely, if you'd like to invest a bit of your money and see where your funds are going, you may want to check out this site. You can borrow or lend, from the public, instead of the banks.

Continue reading Win $1,000 for sharing financial woes at Prosper.com

Win $1,000 for sharing financial woes at Prosper.com originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>debtProsper.comTalk TabooGeoff WilliamsMon, 08 Mar 2010 14:45:00 ESTIs your latest credit card statement as shocking as mine?http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/08/is-your-latest-credit-card-statement-as-shocking-as-mine/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/08/is-your-latest-credit-card-statement-as-shocking-as-mine/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/08/is-your-latest-credit-card-statement-as-shocking-as-mine/#commentsFiled under:

New credit card statements a real shockMy recent credit card statement came in the mail, as it always does, and I opened it, as I always do, but this time...well, if I were a cartoon character, my eyes would have bulged out, my jaw would have dropped to the floor, and then exploded into a million tiny fragments. That's because, just as the Credit CARD Act of 2009 promised, banks are now required to exactly spell out the terms of your agreement on your credit card statements.

As regular readers of WalletPop might know, after almost two decades of being mired in credit card debt, I finally had to wave the white flag and declare bankruptcy a few years ago. But last year, my wife had a lot of dental work that needed to be done, and we were approved for a card that's only used to pay for medical care. (I'd like to name the credit card that I use for this, just so people are aware of it, but there's that whole identity theft thing.)

Continue reading Is your latest credit card statement as shocking as mine?

Is your latest credit card statement as shocking as mine? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Credit CARD Act of 2009credit card statementscredit cardsCreditCardActOf2009CreditCardsCreditCardStatementsGeoff WilliamsMon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:00 ESTThe Money Diet, week 9: The profitable plateauhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/05/the-money-diet-week-9-the-profitable-plateau/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/05/the-money-diet-week-9-the-profitable-plateau/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/05/the-money-diet-week-9-the-profitable-plateau/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I'm not going to even pretend to be optimistic about how things have been going on my Money Diet this week, and yet, I'm not pessimistic -- hey, at least I'm not gaining weight! I'm just not losing it either. One reader commented after last week's post that maybe I'm gaining muscle, which weighs more than fat. Hmmm. I like that. I'm going to go with that.

So let's just get the weight out of the way, then we can move on.

My weight when I began: 264
My weight last week: 247
My weight this week: 247

Continue reading The Money Diet, week 9: The profitable plateau

The Money Diet, week 9: The profitable plateau originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Money DietMoneyDietThe Money DietTheMoneyDietGeoff WilliamsFri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 ESTDon't fall for the oldest trick in the book, the advance fee loan scamhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/05/dont-fall-for-the-oldest-trick-in-the-book-the-advance-fee-loa/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/05/dont-fall-for-the-oldest-trick-in-the-book-the-advance-fee-loa/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/05/dont-fall-for-the-oldest-trick-in-the-book-the-advance-fee-loa/#commentsFiled under:

moneySo you're broke, have really lousy credit, and need some cash, but don't worry -- there's a company out there that will give you a loan anyway. It doesn't mind that your credit is bad. In fact, its program is designed for people like you. So don't worry. You've found Financial Sanctuary, at long last.

If that's ever the situation you find yourself in -- broke and desperate to pay off some bills but in discussions with a company that can offer you a loan without a credit check -- you're probably falling for the ol' advance fee loan scam.

I spoke to Alison Southwick at the Better Business Bureau earlier this week about online payday lending, and the conversation somehow eventually turned to advance fee scams.







Continue reading Don't fall for the oldest trick in the book, the advance fee loan scam

Don't fall for the oldest trick in the book, the advance fee loan scam originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advance fee loan scamAdvanceFeeLoanScamfraudloanloansGeoff WilliamsFri, 05 Mar 2010 12:30:00 ESTInterchange fees cost you more than you realizehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/interchange-fees-cost-you-more-than-you-realize/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/interchange-fees-cost-you-more-than-you-realize/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/interchange-fees-cost-you-more-than-you-realize/#commentsFiled under:

swipe feeIt's a fee we pay every day, but it's invisible. And if Robert Johnson is correct, it's strangling the economy.

For those of you who don't know what an interchange fee, a little introduction is in order. Interchange fee, meet the person reading this, whom you already know, if they have a pulse and a credit or debit card. Reader, meet the interchange fee, a charge that's billed to a merchant on every purchase you ever make with a credit or debit card (if you're using that debit card as a credit card).

Continue reading Interchange fees cost you more than you realize

Interchange fees cost you more than you realize originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>credit cardsCreditCardsinterchange feeinterchange feesInterchangeFeeInterchangeFeesswipe feeSwipeFeeGeoff WilliamsThu, 04 Mar 2010 15:30:00 ESTYoung? New survey suggests you can forget about getting a loan.http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/young-new-survey-suggests-you-can-forget-about-getting-a-loan/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/young-new-survey-suggests-you-can-forget-about-getting-a-loan/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/young-new-survey-suggests-you-can-forget-about-getting-a-loan/#commentsFiled under:

Applying for a loanAge discrimination comes in all forms. FindLaw.com, a legal information Web site, just came out with a new survey that indicates that the younger you are, the harder it will be to get a loan.

According to their survey, more than one in five (22%) people between the ages of 18 and 34 say that they've been turned down for a mortgage, loan or credit card within the last 12 months. But the percentages start doubling once you get to be 35 years of age or more.

Continue reading Young? New survey suggests you can forget about getting a loan.

Young? New survey suggests you can forget about getting a loan. originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>FindLaw.comloanloansyoung adultyoung adultsYoungAdultYoungAdultsGeoff WilliamsThu, 04 Mar 2010 14:00:00 ESTSallie Mae unveils 2 ways to save for collegehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/sallie-mae-unveils-two-new-ways-for-parents-to-save-for-college/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/sallie-mae-unveils-two-new-ways-for-parents-to-save-for-college/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/04/sallie-mae-unveils-two-new-ways-for-parents-to-save-for-college/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sallie MaeAttention, beleaguered parents! If you're trying to save for your kids' college education, this little news item may be for you.

Sallie Mae, the nation's largest lender of college student loans, has just unveiled two ways to save: certificates of deposit and an FDIC-insured, online savings account. Let me quickly review the details on what Sallie Mae is offering.

Continue reading Sallie Mae unveils 2 ways to save for college

Sallie Mae unveils 2 ways to save for college originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Sallie MaeSallieMaeGeoff WilliamsThu, 04 Mar 2010 11:30:00 ESTBetter Business Bureau warns: Stay away from online payday lendershttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/better-business-bureau-warns-stay-away-from-online-payday-lende/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/better-business-bureau-warns-stay-away-from-online-payday-lende/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/better-business-bureau-warns-stay-away-from-online-payday-lende/#commentsFiled under:

payday loanPersonal finance can be something like a horror movie. In this case, the slasher is an online payday lending service.

For anyone thinking of signing up and taking out a loan, the Better Business Bureau has just released a press release, warning anyone thinking of using an online payday lending service: Don't.

I'll make it more clear, since they have a certain level of professionalism that they probably like to maintain: For the love of everything good and holy, stay away! Don't do it! Don't! You'll be killed!

OK, maybe not killed -- I went a little too far with my horror movie analogy. These services will let you live -- live to regret ever doing business with these sites.


Continue reading Better Business Bureau warns: Stay away from online payday lenders

Better Business Bureau warns: Stay away from online payday lenders originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>onlinePayday Lendingpayday loanpayday loansPaydayLendingPaydayLoanPaydayLoansGeoff WilliamsTue, 02 Mar 2010 16:45:00 ESTCitibank may have printed your Social Security number on outside of envelopehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/citibank-may-have-printed-your-social-security-number-on-the-out/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/citibank-may-have-printed-your-social-security-number-on-the-out/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/02/citibank-may-have-printed-your-social-security-number-on-the-out/#commentsFiled under:

CitibankAs you may have heard, Citibank messed up. Big time. It accidentally sent out more than 600,000 mailings to customers with their Social Security numbers printed on the outside of the envelopes.

One of WalletPop's editors was one of those 600,000, and she received a letter from Citibank that read in part (entire contents at American Banking News):

"We are writing to inform you that due to a processing error the nine digits in your Social Security number, along with a string of other numbers and letters all resembling a mail routing number, were printed on the lower edge of an envelope containing a year-end tax statement that we mailed to you recently.

Continue reading Citibank may have printed your Social Security number on outside of envelope

Citibank may have printed your Social Security number on outside of envelope originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>banksCitibankSocial Security Numbersocial security numbersSocialSecurityNumberSocialSecurityNumbersGeoff WilliamsTue, 02 Mar 2010 14:15:00 ESTThe Money Diet, week 8: Not even close to easyhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/26/the-money-diet-week-8-not-even-close-to-easy/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/26/the-money-diet-week-8-not-even-close-to-easy/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/26/the-money-diet-week-8-not-even-close-to-easy/#commentsFiled under:

The good news is that I haven't gained any weight this week. The bad news is that I haven't lost any either. And I admit, my first thought the last time I looked at the scale was about as self-defeating as it gets. If I'm not losing any weight by giving up junk food, why am I depriving myself of the opportunity to order a pizza?

Sigh.

I know that that's just the sort of thinking that's going to sabotage any diet. But I can see why people don't stick to their New Year's resolutions, or any weight-loss plan. for that matter. Even if you're losing weight every week, this is still a pretty slow process. But I knew that going in, so I'm nowhere near giving up on this.

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The Money Diet, week 8: Not even close to easy originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>dietsMoney DietMoneyDietGeoff WilliamsFri, 26 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST