My Money Blog

Reasons For Having Only One Spouse Apply For A Mortgage Loan

Posted on January 27, 2008 // 105 Comments

I mentioned before that we plan to have just my wife apply for our new home mortgage loan, and not have my name on the mortgage at all. I had been playing around with this idea for months, but it looks like we will be going through with it. Here … [Read the rest]

Stimulus Package – What Does It Mean For You?

Posted on January 25, 2008 // 53 Comments

Confused about the stimulus package? Here's a quick summary from Bloomberg: Bush and House lawmakers yesterday agreed on a $150 billion economic stimulus package aimed at avoiding an election-year recession. About $100 billion would pay for tax … [Read the rest]

Finding A Buyer’s Agent, Part 2: Screening, Trial and Error, Signing a Contract, Offer Acceptance

Posted on January 24, 2008 // 26 Comments

This my second post on our experience in Finding A Buyer's Agent. In Part 1, we tried our best to figure out what we wanted from an agent. Again, we are first-timers and are not real estate gurus. This is a long post, but it definitely shows a real … [Read the rest]

Free Experian Credit Score via Prosper Lending

Posted on January 23, 2008 // 17 Comments

Prosper person-to-person lending offers up another perk - a free credit score for prospective borrowers. If you're a lender already, it's not too difficult to become a borrower. I just had to verify my address and phone numbers, and they offered up … [Read the rest]

In Escrow: Offer Accepted On House!

Posted on January 23, 2008 // 59 Comments

It's official! We have an signed offer contract on a house, our earnest check is sent, and we are in escrow. Apparently our timing couldn't be worse as the world is apparently about to implode, but ah well. Here are some quick bits of … [Read the rest]

Ask The Readers: What’s Going On With The Stock Market and the Economy?

Posted on January 22, 2008 // 70 Comments

I'm not very good at keeping up with market fluctuations in general, but Bernanke cutting the Fed Funds Rate by 0.75% got my attention. I'll be honest - I was totally distracted this weekend by other things, and I barely noticed the drop in stock … [Read the rest]

Discussing Home Buyer’s Agent Commission Rebates

Posted on January 22, 2008 // 26 Comments

Up until a few years ago, the status quo was that the real estate agent who helps you buy your home get half of the 6% commission, so 3% of the sale price of your home. On an average (again, around here) $600,000 home, that's $18,000. That may be … [Read the rest]

Bought a Diamond Since 1994? Diamond Class Action Lawsuit

Posted on January 22, 2008 // 10 Comments

First. it was credit cards and their foreign transaction fee settlement. This time, it's the De Beers diamond company accused of being a naughty monopoly and artificially raising diamond prices. They have reached a tentative settlement which you … [Read the rest]

Long Weekend Links: Volatile, Intimate, Simple, and Loved!

Posted on January 22, 2008 // 3 Comments

Am I describing myself? Nah, just my selection of reading over this weekend: Jeremy of GenXFinance offers a glimpse at his personal experiences while encouraging us not to make bad decisions during this volatile stock market. My job has good … [Read the rest]

Free Sample: Schick Quattro Titanium Razor

Posted on January 18, 2008 // 41 Comments

It was in stock, then out of stock, now back in stock! Free Schick Quattro Titanium Razor sample, while supplies last. If successful, you should get the message "Thank you for signing up! Your free razor is on its way!". … [Read the rest]

Travel Gear: Save Time And Money By Packing Light

Posted on January 18, 2008 // 26 Comments

Most hardcore independent travelers will agree that you can pack for a year 'round the world in just one carry-on. Being able to fit your life into one backpack is almost a meditation exercise for me. It makes me feel free. But since this is a … [Read the rest]

Asset Allocation: Investing In Real Estate Through REITs?

Posted on January 17, 2008 // 35 Comments

When deciding on your portfolio's asset allocation, another option beyond broad stock funds in domestic or international markets is to invest in is real estate. Besides directly owning a home or office complex, an easy way to get exposure is to own … [Read the rest]