Author Archives: Valerie S. Johnson

23 Pieces of Advice that College Graduates Don’t Want to Hear

Posted on July 3, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

You’ve finally done it — earned that coveted diploma. You’re feeling a bit cocky. Your parents are wondering why they had to pay for your expensive education when you already knew everything. Now it’s time to enter The Real World, … Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting, Cars, Credit Cards, Debt, Education, Insurance, Personal Finance, Saving Money, Work | 13 Comments

33 Ways To Save Money That Take Less Than A Minute

Posted on June 26, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

One issue many people have with trying to save money is that they believe it takes too much time and effort. The members of the forums came up with 33 money-saving tips, each of which takes less than a minute … Continue reading →

Posted in Saving Money | 8 Comments

83 Things You Can Do With a Penny

Posted on June 23, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

Many people assume that the penny is no longer good for anything, but not according to members from the forums – there are still a lot of things that you can do with a penny. Here are 83 of them … Continue reading →

Posted in X Files | 57 Comments

10 Financial Reasons to Walk

Posted on June 22, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

We all know that walking has health rewards, but it can have financial rewards as well. Here are ten financial reasons you should consider walking: It’s free. This is the most obvious reason. You have to pay to own or … Continue reading →

Posted in Cars, Health, Saving Money | 2 Comments

10 Reasons To Hate Finances

Posted on June 18, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

Math Like many people, for some unknown reason I grew up with fear and loathing of mathematics. It was always my worse subject in school. Just mention words like “hypotenuse” and “calculus” and my eyes still glaze over. So it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Finance | 1 Comment

Cost Of Early Tech Adoption – Credit Score Video Contest – If I Had My Life To Live Over

Posted on May 23, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

Early Adopter Tech Nightmare: We’ve mentioned before that having the patience to wait can save you a significant amount of money. This highlights that exact same issue on a grander scale when communities locked in monthly rates for Internet service … Continue reading →

Posted in X Files | Leave a comment

100 Billion FICO Credit Scores Sold

Posted on May 18, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

Fair Isaac Corporation’s best known product, the FICO score, is a teenager who has virtually cornered the market. For eighteen years, the three-digit number has been the preeminent risk predictor used by lenders when deciding whether to grant credit to … Continue reading →

Posted in X Files | Leave a comment

Did You Know You Have No Legal Rights To Your Vacation?

Posted on May 17, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

It’s almost time for summer vacations, but did you know there is no U.S. law that requires your boss to give you a single paid day of vacation time? Ever. Many companies do, probably due to competitive pressures, but twenty-five … Continue reading →

Posted in Holidays, Work | 7 Comments

Cashing In On Class Action Settlements

Posted on February 26, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

How can you win a lawsuit without paying for a lawyer? Be a member of a class action lawsuit that settles. A class action lawsuit starts as a David vs. Goliath struggle when an ordinary consumer takes on a corporate … Continue reading →

Posted in Making Money | 4 Comments

10 Stupid Arguments For Not Paying Your Income Taxes

Posted on February 23, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

The IRS hears so many of the same ridiculous arguments by people claiming they are not liable to pay income tax that it has posted a 64-page document on its website called “The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments.” It sets … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxes | 19 Comments

Spring Forward Early To Save On Electricity

Posted on February 22, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

It’s been a long, cold, rough winter in many parts of the U.S., but due to a new federal law, spring will be coming early this year. As part of the The Energy Policy Act of 2005, the U.S. will … Continue reading →

Posted in Saving Money, Utilities | 1 Comment

Community Reinvestment Act Mortgage Loans

Posted on February 21, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

There is yet another shady deal going around with mortgage loans these days. If you receive an offer from a lender or mortgage broker under a “Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Program” endorsed by the Federal Reserve Board, raise that red … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing, Personal Finance | Leave a comment

Favors That Can Be Financially Fatal

Posted on February 18, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

At some point it’s likely that a friend or family member will ask you for a financial favor. When this happens, you may genuinely want to help or you may also feel pressured to do so. In either case, you … Continue reading →

Posted in Credit Cards, Personal Finance, Relationships, X Files | 5 Comments

“Free School” At A Cost Of $10,000

Posted on February 16, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

This isn’t your typical school. Imagine a school where there are no grades, classes, tests, or homework. Instead, the students, who range from ages 5 to 15, can do whatever they want all day. And for letting the kids do … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | 3 Comments

Cell Phones: Compare Plans At A Glance

Posted on February 15, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

One of the many problems with getting a good cell phone plan that meets your needs is that there are a dizzying array of cell phone plans available. To make it even more confusing for the average person, the offers … Continue reading →

Posted in Saving Money | Leave a comment

Frequent Flyer Miles: Keep Them From Crashing

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

Frequent flyer miles was a fantastic and simple idea when it began a few decades ago. All you had to do was fly on your favorite airline and you could earn points for every mile you traveled. When you had … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | 3 Comments

The Prenup Question

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

Whether you get engaged on Valentine’s Day or any other time during the year, the least romantic question about a forthcoming marriage is whether or not to create a prenuptial agreement (often referred to as a prenup or prenup agreement). … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal Finance | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Simple Resume Mistakes To Avoid

Posted on February 12, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

No matter where you stand with your job, even if you have just started, it’s in your best interest to always keep an updated resume handy if an opportunity arises. You never know who you might meet, when you may … Continue reading →

Posted in Making Money, Work | 3 Comments

Check Scams – Don’t Fall For These

Posted on February 9, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

It’s the con artists’ job to try to part you from your money and they continue to practice their line of work in new ways. One of their latest ploy that is meeting with success and you should be on … Continue reading →

Posted in Making Money, X Files | Leave a comment

How Buying Mice Saved $15,000 Of Your Tax Dollars

Posted on February 8, 2007 by Valerie S. Johnson

You’ve likely heard of numerous stories in the past about the government spending ridiculously high amounts of money on basic items such as the $640 toilet seat, the $435 claw hammer and $7,600 for coffee makers. In an effort to … Continue reading →

Posted in Saving Money, Taxes | Leave a comment