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Gotta Have Faith…
Keep the Faith
FiLife Take: Lots of us feel nervous about the economy, the markets, and our financial futures. But Chuck Jaffe says there are six good reasons that we should remain confident. Read about them here.
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PF Newswrap: Insuring Against Fire, Investing in Commodities
Once in a while Mother Nature affects our personal finance lives. Today, The Wall Street Journal reported that homeowners who have been fighting wildfires are now fighting their home insurance companies. The Journal also wrote about the increasing popularity of commodity funds. Check out both articles on FiLife.
Insurers Get Cold Feet Where Wildfires Burn
FiLife Take: Homeowners who live near areas plagued by wildfires are running into some new insurance problems. Home insurance companies are inspecting properties and demanding new fire-safety requirements, capping payout amounts, and dropping policies altogether.
Commodity-Based Funds Earning Favor
FiLife Take: Inflation and high oil prices have spurred a lot of investor interest in commodity exchange-traded funds. But watch out, these funds vary greatly in terms of how much they invest in energy, agriculture, metals, and the like. It all depends on what index they follow. This WSJ story explains.
PF Newswrap: Advice on paying for college, utilities, pets and taxes
Today we published a number of Wall Street Journal stories related to managing some of the biggest expenses in our lives: school, utility bills, (sick) dogs and taxes. Click on the headlines below to learn more.
The Best Ways to Get Loans for College Now
FiLife Take: Private loans are drying up and students are scrambling to get the cash they need to pay their tuition. This Wall Street Journal article offers helpful tips on getting the funds you need as lenders tighten their standards.
Home Heat: a Rush for Alternatives
FiLife Take: As fall approaches, many are looking for heating alternatives to lower their winter utility bills. But before you make the jump to natural gas or wood-burning stoves, do the math and make sure it’s worth the switch. Check out the calculators at the bottom of the article.
PF Newswrap: Investing in Charities and Bonds
These days it’s important to make sure you’re using your dollars wisely. Read these two personal finance stories we published earlier today for tips on giving and investing wisely.
Charity Sites That Let Donors Call the Shots
FiLife Take: Do you pass on making charitable donations because you don’t know how your money will be spent? Check out several new websites that allow you to control how your donated dollars are used.
Bond Funds Can Add Stability
FiLife Take: Trying to stabilize your portfolio amidst all the stock-market volatility? Bonds, a traditional safe haven, may be a good option. Buying bonds through a mutual fund or ETF that tracks an index of fixed-income securities offers cheap and simple stability. SmartMoney recommends two of the best bond funds for taxable investors.
PF Newswrap: Swapping Books and Selling Homes
Here are two more personal finance stories ripe for the picking:
Online Swap Meets for Books
FiLife Take: If you’re looking to save some cash on those summer beach books, this article has just the information you need. Online book swapping. It’s all the rage, plus it’s cheap and easy! Find out more in this Wall Street Journal article by one of FiLife’s favorites.
Selling a Dallas Home in a Down Market
FiLife Take: The housing market has been tough lately. WSJ’s personal finance editor Neal Templin shares his own story about selling his Dallas home here.
PF Newswrap: Cheap Textbooks and More Mortgage Trouble
We published some Wall Street Journal personal finance stories full of some good news and some troubling news today. Give them a read:
Less-Costly Options for Textbooks
FiLife Take: College textbooks cost a bundle, but now the government is helping to lower the burden for students. Read this article to find out how you can get cheap deals for electronic textbooks and even textbook rentals.
Complex Mortgages May Hit FirstFed
FiLife Take: There’s a new villain working its way up the ‘bad news food chain’: option ARMs. Barclays Capital expects about 45% of these loans originated in 2006 and 2007 to default. Read more about them here.
PF Newswrap: Some Career Advice
A tough economy is making for some prickly job situations. We published these three stories about navigating your career path today:
Summer Job: Nice Pay, if You Can Cut It
FiLife Take: With many companies cutting costs, it’s harder than ever to land that elite internship. Many college students are forced to take unconventional summer jobs… and some are pleasantly surprised by the valuable job skills and experiences they gain.
What to Do When Layoff Rumors Start to Fly
FiLife Take: As the economy weakens, layoff rumors are beginning to run rampant around many offices. So what do you do? Stay calm but prepare for the worst.
Pushed to Part-Time?
FiLife Take: As companies struggle in a weak economy, many are cutting costs by cutting their employees’ hours. If you suddenly find yourself working only part-time, follow these tips to make the best of the situation.
PF Newswrap: Pre-employment Tests, ETNs and Investing Classics
We published a lot of new personal finance stories from The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and MarketWatch on FiLife today. Check out these three articles:
Six Things You Should Know About Pre-Employment Tests
FiLife Take: Taking a test for a job? That’s not so uncommon these days. Many employers are administering pre-employment testing to see if potential candidates fit the office culture and have the needed skills.
FAQs on ETNs
FiLife Take: Out of the loop on ETNs? Read on to learn the basics of exchange-traded notes, whether they’re right for you, and a good strategy for getting comfortable with these financial instruments.
Quiz: How Well Do You Know… Investing Classics?
FiLife Take: Have you done your summer reading? Check out the article below to make sure you’re keeping up with the must-reads in the financial world.
Personal Finance Newswrap: Housing Bill, Ivy League Pay and Wine
Here are three of the best stories published on FiLife today:
Housing Bill: A Boon for Homebuilders?
FiLife Take: Brett Arends considers the different ways that individuals can benefit from the new housing bill and also clears some reader confusion around the bill.
Ivy Leaguers’ Big Edge: Starting Pay
FiLife Take: Ever wonder what the average Ivy League graduate makes next to everyone else? Here’s a hint: often times it’s a heck of a lot more. Find out more about college grads’ paychecks and how some stand to gain more than others.
Cultivating a Taste for Inexpensive Wine
FiLife Take: You don’t have to shell out a couple hundred dollars for a bottle of great wine. In fact, you’ll probably enjoy the inexpensive bottle on the menu. WSJ’s Larry Light writes about his experiences ordering wine.
Personal Finance Newswrap: Housing Bill, Car Leasing, Big Brother Employers
A few of today’s big personal finance stories:
Bush Signs Housing, Economic Recovery Bill
FiLife Take: Bush approved the new housing law that aims to help struggling homeowners and better monitor government agencies. Among other things, the bill entails a $300 billion program to refinance loans for borrowers and it allows Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to extend the credit lines of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Read about it at the Wall Street Journal Online.
Drivers Prodded to Buy, Not Lease
FiLife Take: Here’s some bad news for those who like to lease their cars: Chrysler has decided to stop their auto-leasing business. General Motors and Ford look like they’re cutting back lease options too. If you still want to lease, read this Wall Street Journal article for options on what to do when Detroit’s Big Three end their programs.
Work at Home? Employers Watch
FiLife Take: You may be working from home in your PJs, but you better be careful — your company could be watching you! One of the growing trends for employers is to electronically monitor their work-at-home employees. Sue Shellenbarger reports on how they do so.