Archive for May, 2007:

What Has Your Savings Account Done For You Lately?

It’s time to have a long distance relationship with your Savings Account.

Most people deposit their paycheck into a local Savings or Checking Account. Whatever money is left over after paying bills, sits in the account and grows at a snails pace thanks to the low interest rate most banks provide.…

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Buying Stocks Without A Broker; The Sane Way

Yes, it’s true. You can buy stocks like Yahoo (YHOO), Wal-Mart (WMT), Home Depot (HD) and Intel (INTC) direct from the company without using a broker. It’s called a Direct Stock Purchase Plan (DSPP) and thousands of companies now offer them.

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Reducing Balance Transfer Fees

Balance transfers can be an important tool in your fiscal arsenal. They allow you to temporarily move your debt to a non-interest bearing account. But there’s a catch; fees, fees and more fees. Here’s two ways to limit the fees, and take advantage of balance transfers.

1. Don’t list your transfers…

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7 Reasons why Markel is like Berkshire Hathaway

I recently read a NY Times Sunday article about Markel (note: This is a Times Select article which requires a membership fee.) I greatly enjoyed this article but it led me to thinking. Markel (MKL) apparently is a great company. There are lots of reasons why but the most compelling for…

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Dollar Cost Averaging: 101

Dollar cost averaging (DCA) is a technique designed to reduce risk when purchasing stocks or mutual funds. If you have a 401k with your employer you’re already dollar cost averaging everytime they purchase stock for you.

The idea behind dollar cost averaging is to repeatedly invest a set amount of money regardless if your…

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Legendary Investors Tweedy Browne Re-open Value Fund

Tweedy, Browne & Company, the legendary investors who were Warren Buffett’s brokers in the 1960’s and 1970’s, have announced today that they are re-opening the Tweedy, Browne Value Fund (TWEBX). Their Global Value Fund (TBGVX) will remain closed.

Partners of Tweedy Browne, either past or present, have worked closely with some…

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The $144,000 Cup Of Coffee

One of the best personal finance books I’ve ever read, Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach, talks about the latte effect. Briefly, it’s how much money you could save, or earn, by not treating yourself to a cup of coffee every day. Here, we’re talking about high-end coffee drinks sold…

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Buy Managers, Not Mutual Funds

A Mutual Fund is only as good as its management team. Just ask anyone who stayed in Fidelity Magellan after legendary investor Peter Lynch left in 1990, and received “not so lengendary” returns.

Magellan was just a Mutual Fund, not a living breathing entity. The smart investors realized that Peter Lynch…

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4 Best Finance Books You Should Have Already Read

What I love about books is that they contain knowledge. Pretty obvious right? but for those of us who are lifelong learners, a well written book with clear concise instructions is a little treasure that is worthy of a prime spot on our bookshelf. Here are 4 books that transformed…

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Saving Money with 0% Balance Transfer Offers

Are you getting tons of credit card offers in the mail? Are you throwing them away? Are you insane? If the banks are offering you balance transfers rates of 0% for 12 months, and you’re not taking them up on the offer, then you need to have your head examined.

That’s…

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