I don’t know what if anything this chart tells me, but for some reason I was compelled to post it here for posterity. Below is the S&P 500 index priced in terms of ounces of gold, from 1971-2010. Via .
It has become popular to refer to gold as “real money” these days (and thus mock paper currencies like the dollar and euro). I don’t know about that. As a non-correlated asset to own as a certain percentage of your portfolio (and rebalance regularly), then maybe. But as a way of pricing things, gold values are way too volatile, and while the price of gold does relate to the falling dollar, it also relates strongly with speculation and fear.
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Google Chrome is sponsoring on every domestic flight from the following airlines:
from November 20, 2010 through January 2, 2011. So don’t forget to bring your laptop or other mobile device along. Unfortunately, they aren’t covering free WiFi inside the airport like .
Rewards programs from credit card companies may have been downsized recently in an effort for providers to save money and cut risks thanks to the CARD Act reform regulations but competition is still tough in the credit industry. There are still some pretty cool rewards programs out there if you take the time to look.
What kind of stuff can you get from a credit card rewards program? Here are the top 5 coolest credit card rewards on the market today:
Cold, Hard Cash
Sorry but there is nothing cooler than straight up cash back in your wallet. Most major credit cards offer 1% cash back on every purchase you make on the card.
Ever wonder why your credit card has an expiration date on it as if it would go bad? Even more baffling is why do we get new cards several months before the old one even expires? The mystery behind the credit card expiration date is actually pretty simple but there are several reasons based on the particular credit card provider as to why our plastic has a lifespan.
One of the main reasons each credit card has a date of expiration is simply based on the prediction as to how long the magnetic strip on the back will last through regular use. Because we slide our cards in and out of wallets daily, the wear and tear on the strip eventually will cause malfunction when used in a card reading device.
Another common reason for the expiration date is for verification purposes.
College is meant to be a time of advanced education and learning but when it comes to personal finance issues, the lessons being taught are few and far between. Even college educated young adults nearly ready to venture out in the real world are often ill-prepared to handle money wisely.
Lucrative Deals Not Uncommon
Not only are high schools and colleges failing at basic personal finance education, it seems colleges are also profiting from this lack of education. Some universities and colleges have very lucrative deals with credit card issuers who want an ‘in’ to solicit to college-aged students.
These deals are profitable for both the credit card companies and the universities that are supporting them. For
In today’s society, American’s have certainly grasped on to the security of credit cards. In fact, most cardholders have 4-5 accounts and use a credit card for one of every four transactions they make. Even in light of the recent credit card crisis and the newly implemented CARD Act, it doesn’t seem to be stopping anyone from continuing their reliance on credit cards.
However loyal people are to their credit cards, there are still some trends in the industry that may be a cause for concern. Experts watching the situation are beginning to forecast what it to come including these worrisome trends:
1. Incre
You have probably heard about reward credit cards, but how about reward checking accounts? If not, to give you an idea they are similar to reward credit cards. With reward credit cards, your purchases are rewarded with cash back, miles, or points. With reward checking accounts, your debit card purchases are rewarded with a high interest rate on your checking account balance. There are other requirements and features with these reward checking accounts, but the high interest rate and the debit card usage requirement are the fundamental features. If you are a saver who doesn’t spend a lot, you may find that a reward checking account will be a very good deal.
Reward checking accounts are offered by hundreds of community banks and credit unions around the United States and have been growing in popularity since 2006. T
Here at Wallet Blog we strive to give you the best financial tips and suggestions possible. While we like to think we do a pretty good job of it ourselves, we are constantly inspired by our colleagues in the financial blogging world. So, in the spirit of camaraderie, today is the first of our links roundup, where we will periodically feature some of the best from our blogging buddies.
For our first roundup we’ve focused on the short and sweet – perfect for the financially curious seeking advice without the long-winded explanation. We’ve rounded up some great articles with tips for your financial future, all nicely packaged into pretty little lists. Now,
The recent financial collapse was enough for us to know that we never want it to happen again. But how can we ensure that future generations will learn from our mistakes? A sensible place to start is with our kids.
In an interview with personal finance expert Jean Chatzky, the author of Not Your Parents’ Money Book, she suggested that when it comes to talking to your kids about money, the sooner the better.
“I think it’s best to start the conversation as soon as your kids go to school. This is usually the time that they start asking for things.” Chatzky explained that the most valuable lesson for children is to understand that money is a limited resource. “Childr