When Being Rich isn’t Enough

“So the haves are borrowing more to keep up with the have-mores. ”

Written by Jed Pittman on February 3rd, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Mortgage and Other General Advice.

Gambling can cost more than you think

As gambling becomes more commonplace, issues of legalized gambling becomes more common. Massachusetts is struggling with this issue currently as local indian tribes have petitioned for the right to develop resort casinos in Massachusetts. However, from the point of view of fiscal responsibility, Casinos must be examined carefully.

Written by Jed Pittman on October 29th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Other General Advice.

Alan Greenspan: his personality, his life

Undoubtedly, Alan Greenspan is a man that has few equals. And in learning about Alan Greenspan, it is possible to both appreciate the complex man that he is and also the diverse and rich life he has lived. His tenure as chairman of the Federal Reserve that lasted through various terms of 4 different presidents makes Greenspan one of the most venerated figures when it comes to the global economy. A brilliant mind many would argue, Greenspan did not characterize himself as a politician when asked by Maria Bartilomo on a CNBC documentary on his life. However, he did note that he knew how to ‘play the game’.

Written by Jed Pittman on October 16th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Other General Advice.

Financial Issues For College Age Students (part 2)

Now you know about the issues that college students face: increasing student loan debt, inflation, lower salaries and increasing health care costs, there are some excellent things students can do to prepare themselves in advance to meet these changes.

Written by Jed Pittman on October 8th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on College and Credit Cards and Other General Advice.

Alternate Income - Hobby Income Without Stress

One of the major factors with regard to developing financial independence that is touted is alternate income sources. The idea is that the best way to earn more money is by starting a business or finding other ways to earn money outside of your 9-5 job. This has made a great deal of sense to me since I have started learning more and more about personal finance. There are a great deal of benefits for people that do these kinds of ventures. However, before involving yourself in any of these kinds of ventures, reviewing the idea with a critical eye is necessary.

Written by Jed Pittman on September 28th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Other General Advice.

Freedom Funds Set You Free

Throughout the course of the year, the extra expenses and extra funds seem to ebb and flow in my household. Undoubtedly yours is no different. I find that toward the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas, there is a significant increase in the number of miscellaneous expenses. The key to these expenses can be the use of a Freedom Fund. This is completely separate from an Emergency Fund.

Written by Jed Pittman on September 24th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Other General Advice and Quick Tips.

Thoughts On Social Security

Social Security is clearly one of the main sources of income that most of the boomers are hoping to use in retirement. Pensions, IRAs, 401ks, and annuities round out the list, to be sure. But what happens when Social Security goes bankrupt? Indeed, for those of us who are Gen X or Gen Y, benefits from Social Security and Medicare seem less certain. At a recent party I discussed this with someone who quickly met me with the statement “there won’t be any social security when we retire.” That is the hallmark of the current state of Social Security.

Written by Jed Pittman on August 7th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Other General Advice.

Practical Gift Giving (Part 2) - Receiving

In this second article about practical gift giving, I’ll share some interesting ideas about how to make the most of your opportunities where you will be getting gifts. This is not meant to encourage you to be greedy. Instead, this is to make sure that you are making the most of the gifts that you receive. This is because it makes sense to ensure the money and effort that is spent on getting gifts for you is not wasted. In this way, you can be certain that the effort put in to getting gifts for you makes you happy and yields some real enjoyment.

Written by Jed Pittman on August 2nd, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Other General Advice.

Emergency Funds Need Urgent Care

The stark reality that most people face when they finally start to look at their finances is that their emergency fund needs urgent care. That is, the nest egg that they’ve set aside to handle emergencies or expenses that are outside of their normal and expected expenses is just too small–or worse–doesn’t exist.

Written by Jed Pittman on July 30th, 2007 with no comments.
Read more articles on Other General Advice.

Financial Goals Help You Stay Motivated

Even if you are financially fit, you might be missing a key component of staying that way. The big motivator for me is having goals. This is true whether you are talking about exercise, eating healthy, or getting your finances in order.

Written by Jed Pittman on July 11th, 2007 with 1 comment.
Read more articles on Other General Advice.

« Previous Entries