Investing to Wealth » WalletPop http://blog.macroaxis.com Macroaxis Blog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:43:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Green or not? Five signs of a truly green product http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/green-or-not-five-signs-of-a-truly-green-product/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/green-or-not-five-signs-of-a-truly-green-product/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:00:00 +0000 Tom Kraeutler http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/green-or-not-five-signs-of-a-truly-green-product/ Filed under: , ,

The growing market for earth-friendly products and solutions has given homeowners a lot of choices, but how do you know what's truly green versus "greenwashed"? Here are five signs to help measure greenness.

  • Start with the manufacturer: Green begins at the industrial birthplace of a product, so check out the manufacturer's website or product literature for a written, working environmental policy. It should emphasize reduction, reuse and recycling, and confirm compliance with an industry's voluntary testing programs.


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Green or not? Five signs of a truly green product originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/green-or-not-five-signs-of-a-truly-green-product/feed/ 0 Declaring taxes by minors on savings bonds saves at cash-in time http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/declaring-taxes-by-minors-on-savings-bonds-saves-at-cash-in-time/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/declaring-taxes-by-minors-on-savings-bonds-saves-at-cash-in-time/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:00:00 +0000 Jack Quinn http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/declaring-taxes-by-minors-on-savings-bonds-saves-at-cash-in-time/ Filed under: , , ,

Many parents have been using the popular 529 Plan to set money aside to pay for their childrens' college education. However, I know some parents who are not too happy about their money being tied up in a 529 plan now that it has come time for them to pay the actual tuition. With the stock market down almost 50% from its high in October 2007, it's likely your 529 Plan has been taking hits with no end in sight.

On the flip side, owners of U.S. Savings Bonds have experienced only increases in value no matter how much the market has fluctuated over the past months or year. In fact, some Savings Bond owners are holding bonds earning as much as 8.52% annually in tax-deferred investments.

But what about the tax breaks you get from a 529 Plan? That rule should help them out perform the savings bonds even in such a turbulent market, right?... Wrong...

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Declaring taxes by minors on savings bonds saves at cash-in time originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/declaring-taxes-by-minors-on-savings-bonds-saves-at-cash-in-time/feed/ 0 Dr. Phil passes the octo-buck? http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/dr-phil-passes-the-octo-buck/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/dr-phil-passes-the-octo-buck/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0000 Beth Wechsler http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/dr-phil-passes-the-octo-buck/ Filed under:

From the viewpoint of a clinician who has 36 years of experience, primarily in children's services, Dr. Phil McGraw has done some nice work with Nadya Suleman this week. Inconvenient though it may be, reality is a good thing. That said, is Dr. Phil going in the wrong direction by positioning himself as the family fundraiser?

Dr. Phil proposes recruiting hands-on and financial support for 14 children who are going to need consistent care for most of the next two decades. At a time when so many Americans are losing their jobs and homes, does it make any sense for volunteer time and charitable contributions to be spent this way?

Beyond the financial, from a child welfare viewpoint a patchwork of volunteer services is not a family.

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Dr. Phil passes the octo-buck? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/dr-phil-passes-the-octo-buck/feed/ 0 Times Square to get a makeover for less traffic, more fun http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/times-square-to-get-a-makeover-for-less-traffic-more-fun/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/times-square-to-get-a-makeover-for-less-traffic-more-fun/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0000 Ariston Anderson http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/times-square-gets-a-people-makeover/ Filed under: ,

Oh, Times Square, that infamous midtown neighborhood that New Yorkers avoid like the plague and tourists from all over the world flock to. That place is remarkable for its blinding, building-size advertisements and how you can't step a foot without walking into a European tourist's photo. You can't even cross the street without fighting through the taxi traffic.

Now all that's about to change. Mayor Bloomberg announced his plan to turn most of Times Square into a pedestrian mall. The streets that will be closed to traffic include 42nd to 47th streets and 33rd to 35th. This urban experiment will last from Memorial Day until the end of the year, and depending on the results, could become a Big Apple fixture. More reason to visit!
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Times Square to get a makeover for less traffic, more fun originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/times-square-to-get-a-makeover-for-less-traffic-more-fun/feed/ 0 Five Fabulous Finds: Fondue, shampoo and baby magazines…free! http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/five-fabulous-finds-fondue-shampoo-and-baby-magazinesfree/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/five-fabulous-finds-fondue-shampoo-and-baby-magazinesfree/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:00:00 +0000 Erin Gifford http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/five-fabulous-finds-fondue-shampoo-and-baby-magazines-free/ Filed under: ,



Here are this week's Five Fabulous Finds from Coupon Cravings. Pick up some freebies for new parents (and new babies) and even get insider tips on scoring freebies through word-of-mouth campaigns as well as sites that only post freebies. Plus start following the top freebie experts on Twitter.

1) Are you a new parent? Get your baby and parenting freebies, including free subscriptions to Parents, American Baby and Babytalk, plus free formula samples from Parent's Choice and Enfamil.

2) Get a first look at the best freebies and coupons around on Twitter. Start following these 20 freebie-finding moms and the top brands making their presence known in social media.

3) Looking for free food? You know I've got it here with Ten Fabulous Food Freebies, including free appetizers, desserts and more at Fazoli's, Captain D's, Texas Roadhouse, The Melting Pot, Wendy's, Chili's and more.

4) Free samples are on tap today, so get your free Pantene Pro-V, Gain, Esquire and Kashi.

5) Get the scoop on how to score more free goodies through word-of mouth campaigns, like SheSpeaks, VocalPoint and Kraft First Taste. Or, check out sites dedicated to freebies like Hey, It's Free! and Free Stuff Times.

Five Fabulous Finds: Fondue, shampoo and baby magazines...free! originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/five-fabulous-finds-fondue-shampoo-and-baby-magazinesfree/feed/ 0 Car dealers surviving on sales of used cars, but don’t expect bargains http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/car-dealers-surviving-on-sales-of-used-cars-but-dont-expect-bargains/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/car-dealers-surviving-on-sales-of-used-cars-but-dont-expect-bargains/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:00:00 +0000 Zac Bissonnette http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/car-dealers-surviving-on-sales-of-used-cars-but-dont-expect-ba/ Filed under: , ,

Dealers are noticing consumers shifting toward used cars. Indeed, some dealers report that they're having trouble keeping up with the demand. Prices on some used cars are on the rise even as dealers sit on piles of unsold new cars.

Despite the price rise, this is such good news. For decades, Americans have been taking out loans to buy cars that they have no business driving and that's created the illusion of a healthy auto industry. But the reality is that Detroit's success was being driven by the financial blunders of people too insecure to drive an old car.

Another plus side to the tanking demand for new cars: more work for mechanics. Check out this video report for the details of the deals.

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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Car dealers surviving on sales of used cars, but don't expect bargains originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/car-dealers-surviving-on-sales-of-used-cars-but-dont-expect-bargains/feed/ 0 Ask the Dolans: How will closing a credit card account affect my credit score? http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/ask-the-dolans-how-will-closing-a-credit-card-account-affect-my-credit-score/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/ask-the-dolans-how-will-closing-a-credit-card-account-affect-my-credit-score/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:00:00 +0000 Ken and Daria Dolan http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/ask-the-dolans-how-will-closing-a-credit-card-account-affect-my/ Filed under:

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

If you've decided to reduce the number of credit cards in your wallet, good for you! But it's not as simple as taking a pair of scissors to plastic. Canceling credit cards can have a major impact on your credit score - and there's plenty of conflicting advice out there over whether it's good or bad.

Time to clear up the confusion! Watch our video below to learn the right way to close out a credit card account and how to keep it from negatively impacting one of your most crucial personal finance assets - your credit score.

Dear Ken and Daria,

Once my credit cards are paid off, will closing those accounts positively or negatively impact my credit score?

-Tanisha



How is your credit these days? Ken and Daria share seven simple steps to improving your credit score, only at Dolans.com.

Ask the Dolans: How will closing a credit card account affect my credit score? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/ask-the-dolans-how-will-closing-a-credit-card-account-affect-my-credit-score/feed/ 0 Checking into “The Dirtiest Hotel in America” http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/checking-into-the-dirtiest-hotel-in-america/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/checking-into-the-dirtiest-hotel-in-america/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:00:00 +0000 Jason Cochran http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/checking-into-the-dirtiest-hotel-in-america/ Filed under: ,

TripAdvisor, a popular site where hotel guests review places they've stayed, has released its list of the 2009 Dirtiest Hotels. The results make you queasy enough when you read them on your computer monitor. But a blogger from our sister site, Gadling, took the brave step of checking into the "dirtiest" winner, New York City's Hotel Carter, to see just how bad it was.

His tools weren't what you'd call scientific. No lab equipment, no swabs or petri dishes -- just a home-made hazmat suit and a mask for comic effect, and a blacklight that would reveal any bodily spillage. Not doing lab work is a bit unfair to a place that holds the title of "Dirtiest," but the blogger confirmed what he could: That the Hotel Carter is off-the-scale grim. Anyone can tell at a glance that the "sorrowful" Hotel Carter, although apparently feces-free, is nowhere you'd even want to spend the night, let alone a dollar. That is, unless you consider "crusty brown spots," a "dirty vent," and "the perfect place to commit suicide" to be amenities.

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Checking into "The Dirtiest Hotel in America" originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/checking-into-the-dirtiest-hotel-in-america/feed/ 0 Isn’t it time to just ban ARM loans outright? http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/isnt-it-time-to-just-ban-arm-loans-outright/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/isnt-it-time-to-just-ban-arm-loans-outright/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:00:00 +0000 Zac Bissonnette http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/27/isnt-it-time-to-just-ban-arm-loans-outright/ Filed under: ,

On Monday, Freddie Mac reported that 97% of prime borrowers who refinanced adjustable-rate mortgages in the fourth quarter opted to switch into fixed-rate loans. Of borrowers who were refinancing fixed-rate loans, an astounding 99.7% opted for another fixed-rate mortgage.

In January of 2006, 41.9% of all mortgages originated were of the adjustable-rate variety. At least for now, consumers appear to be wising up to the dangers of ARMs. That's probably partly a result of the headlines about ARMs destroying people's lives, with low-interest rates also playing a major role.

But here's my question: Are ARMs ever a good product, or do they really just serve to let naive or greedy homebuyers overextend themselves with artificially low payments for the first couple years?

The argument in favor of adjustable-rate mortgages is that they're a good option if you only plan to stay in the home a couple years. The problem with that notion is that it encourages a short-term approach to real estate. The longer history of property appreciation, however, tells us that the benefits of home-ownership are by far more sizable when you stay in a home for a long time. if you buy a home planning to move in a few years, closing costs, real estate commissions and assorted other expenses will probably leave you in the hole -- worse off than if you had simply rented.

Continue reading Isn't it time to just ban ARM loans outright?

Isn't it time to just ban ARM loans outright? originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/27/isnt-it-time-to-just-ban-arm-loans-outright/feed/ 0 Bill Maher solves the economic crisis: Sell weed! http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/26/bill-maher-solves-the-economic-crisis-sell-weed/ http://blog.macroaxis.com/2009/02/26/bill-maher-solves-the-economic-crisis-sell-weed/#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:30:00 +0000 Zac Bissonnette http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/02/26/bill-maher-solves-the-economic-crisis-sell-weed/ Filed under: ,

Speaking on his hit HBO show Real Time, Bill Maher proposed one way to raise some badly-needed cash for the bankrupt federal government: Sell weed.

In April of 1933, President Roosevelt signed an executive order loosening Prohibition laws and ultimately succeeded in having the giant screw-up repealed. The resulting tax revenue provided the federal government with money to help dig itself out of an enormous hole.

Here's a novel idea: The best stimulus package might just be the repeal of marijuana accompanied by a hefty tax and a reduction in spending on the drug war, redirecting that money to investments in infrastructure -- and stop police from wasting taxpayer money launching investigations into photographs of Michael Phelps smoking marijuana.

Watch his full interview with Ron Paul below.

Bill Maher solves the economic crisis: Sell weed! originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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