There has been some speculation about whether the much coveted MBNA Bill Pay Choice service will survive the web site merge into Bank of America. It turned out that it was kept intact. Smart consumers can continue to use it to pay other credit cards and mortgage payments. I was also hoping that with the […]
Latest Blog Posts
Calculator for 401(k), Roth IRA, then Back at 401(k)
[Last updated on July 10, 2008 with 2008 tax year IRA contribution limit.] I searched on the Internet for a calculator that implements the strategy outlined in my previous post 401(k), Roth IRA, then Back at 401(k). But to my surprise I couldn’t find any. There are calculators for 401(k), calculators for Roth IRA, but […]
9-Step Plan From Dilbert
Jason at Wheaties for Your Wallet brought up a 9-step plan for better personal finance from Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert: Make a will. Pay off your credit cards. Get term life insurance if you have a family to support. Fund your 401(k) to the maximum. Fund your IRA to the maximum. Buy a house if you […]
401(k), Roth IRA, then Back at 401(k)
Money magazine published a list of 25 Rules to Grow Rich By. A few rules are a little silly, for example, Rule #22: Resist the urge to buy the latest computer or other gadget as soon as it comes out. Wait three months and the price will be lower. Three months! Gosh, stop buying those crap […]
Best Mutual Fund Company
This is part of the TFB Awards for Best In Class in Financial Services series. The Vanguard Group wins the award in the category of Best Mutual Fund Company. It is truley second to none in the mutual fund industry. Most other mutual fund companies are owned by private investors. They operate mutual funds for […]
Best Mutual Fund for Investing More Than $3,000
This is part of the TFB Awards for Best In Class in Financial Services series. The Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund (VSMGX) wins the award in the category of Best Mutual Fund for Investing More Than $3,000. This fund (hereinafter LS Moderate) requires a minimum investment of $3,000. If you are investing $1,000 – $3,000, […]
TIPS: Inflation Linked Bonds
TIPS, or Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, is a type of bond issued by the U.S. Treasury with principal and interest linked to inflation. A regular, or in bond-speak, “nominal” bond is an IOU. You lend the government $1,000 for a set term. They pay you interest every 6 months and they repay you $1,000 when the […]
Best Mutual Fund for Investing Less Than $3,000
This is part of the TFB Awards for Best In Class in Financial Services series. The Vanguard STAR Fund (VGSTX) wins the award in the category of Best Mutual Fund for Investing Less Than $3,000. If you read a few books on my Recommended Reading List, you will know that you should invest through mutual […]
Recommended Reading List Moved
The list of recommended books moved. Please use the new location: http://thefinancebuff.com/recommended-reading-list
Interest Rate: APY and APR
When the bank pays you interest on a savings account, it quotes the interest rate in APY — Annual Percentage Yield. When the bank charges you interest on a loan (car loan, credit card, mortgage, etc.), it quotes the interest in APR — Annual Percentage Rate. So, if you have a savings account that the […]