We’re in tax season now, and I’ve done a first run-through of my taxes.  Due to some major challenges in our family, we’re going to get a nice refund (down to a single income + child credit).  This is a welcome change since last year I actually owed money to the IRS after doing my taxes (sucks).  So, what to do with the money?
Here’s an estimate of what I’m thinking at this point:

20% – General Savings
20% – Savings for child’s preschool fund and/or other needs
20% – Purchase some physical gold …

I’ve been doing some brainstorming regarding web based incomes and monetization strategies for various websites. Adsense is definitely the staple of most attempts at making money online.  Because of the popularity of the platform, I think it is also somewhat limited because people “tune out” Adsense ads and rarely click on them.  For a publisher, with Adsense, you’re also only able to make money on the clicks versus a pay for impressions type model.  Some nice websites make a killing selling private ads based on impressions rather than click …

Ok, the dust has settled a bit on the brand new product from Apple Inc. (AAPL).  Apple’s iPad had enormous hype surrounding its release that there is no wonder many people are saying it didn’t live up to it.  Unless the iPad could cure cancer while you watch a movie, I don’t think it would have been able to live up to the hype.  Thus is the bar that Apple has set for itself over the years.  A mark of extreme success in my opinion.
So, with that said, I believe …

This was such a great article.  I couldn’t agree more.  The article compares GM to the Federal government.  While GM had massive sales in 2006, it still lost $2 billion that year.  Then, the next two years, it lost more than $30 billion in each year.  Insane.
Similarly, the U.S. government runs a deficit every year.  There is no change, no sustainability in sight.
“The government isn’t a business–but what if President Obama were to treat it that way? Obama has proposed a 10-year spending freeze in some government programs, which would …

The Ritz-Carlton “5-diamond” Las Vegas property is closing due to a lack of demand.  Could this be one of many hotel closings to come in Vegas?  The 350 room property seemingly was hurt by two “perception” factors – 1. It’s a Ritz-Carlton and that name is not a good name to speak of if you’re a business traveler and 2. It’s in Las Vegas and we’ve heard the comments from the President and other leaders criticizing extravagant spending in Las Vegas.
I think it’s just amazing how just a few short …

Many consumers are wary of traditional banking and are opting for a non-traditional approach to handling money. One of these options is using a cash-only based system, rather than using a checking/savings account or credit. This cash based system allows the individual to know exactly how much money they have at any given time, and prohibits a financial institution from charging fees. However, typically using a cash only system will prohibit the user from making “plastic” transactions; for example credit card or debit card transactions. One …

Personal finance typically is all about minimizing your expenses, so you can save money.  I believe that personal finance does not address the pursuit of making more money frequent enough.  Let’s face it, by making more money, many problems are solved.
Grasp Personal Finance Principles First
Let’s get this straight, I’m not diminishing the pursuit of personal finance topics.  You must grasp these principles first.  Because if you have a handle on your spending and overall money management, an increase in income will result in a massive increase in saving and investing …

Today, I present an entry in the Financial Plan Writing Contest. Just a reminder that you can win $250 by participating.  Here are the brief guidelines, to read the full description of the contest, click the link above.

Answer the question: What is your financial plan for the next 10 years?
Be sure to to hit on things such as income, job security, budgeting, expense management, real estate, investing, retirement planning, etc. – the more detailed within specific areas the better!
Be sure to discuss how the economy might affect your plan – …