Posted on 27 June 2008
Last night my wife and I got to watch Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders. On the whole, the movie was enjoyable to watch and made some very good points.
The most enjoyable aspect of watching Maxed Out was seeing it in the context of the sub-prime lending fallout. The movie was made before the 1997 bubble burst on the hedge fund investors who were playing another game of Enron. But the writing was certainly on the wall, and this movie did a good job of documenting many of the problems with the modern credit industry.
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Posted on 29 May 2008
Just about every adult has credit cards. Every now and then, you come across people who don’t. Usually they don’t believe in credit and adamant that it leads to no good. While it’s admirable to pay for everything in cash, there are also good reasons for having and using at least one credit card.
1. Beats carrying all that money around - Why carry hundreds of dollars shopping for groceries or clothes. What if you lose your wad of cash at the mall? You’ll probably never replace your lost cash but you can replace a lost credit card. Moreover, it’s easier to manage and gets you through the line quicker.
2. Credit is good for you. Even if you only use your credit cards for a couple of purchases, as long as you pay it all back in a timely manner you’ll have good credit and a good credit report to show for it. This will come in handy when it’s time to buy a house or car or take out a loan.
3. Credit cards make it easier to return or repair items - If you purchase a defective item, it’s easier to replace or receive a refund with a credit card. If the manufacturer or shop owner refuses to issue a refund, you can contact your credit card company. They’ll retract the payment while investigating and if it appears you did indeed receive a lemon, will make sure you’re not charged the price of the item.
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Posted on 27 May 2008
Ever drive by a house and wonder what possessed the homeowner to purchase such an ugly house? Even worse, wonder who would use that bright pink or green paint and think it added curb appeal? Not sure what I’m talking about? Check out this gallery of truly ugly homes.
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Posted on 22 May 2008
Think you’re high end because you’re driving a CLK? That’s ok if you’re worth a couple of mil, but if you’re worth more you need the wheels to show it. Check out some of the world’s most expensive cars.
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Posted on 20 May 2008
Housing prices may be going down in most neighborhoods, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t people willing to spend a lot of money on real estate. In fact, for some home buyers, money is no object. Check out some of the most expensive homes in the world.
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Posted on 15 May 2008
People with money to burn can spend their money on some pretty silly things. Does a $2,000 bathtub work the same as a $54,000 bathtub? Would you buy a $75,000 French fry if it was shaped like a former President? What would you spend your millions on?
Here’s a look at some more of the world’s most expensive items.
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Posted on 06 May 2008
At a loss over what to get Mom for Mother’s Day? Had enough of the same old flowers or earrings? Here’s a few Mother’s Day suggestions for the Mom who has everything….and trust me, she’s worth it.
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Posted on 02 May 2008
Looking for things to do on the weekend or vacation time that won’t set you back a lot of money?
You don’t need to be a millionaire or even slightly well-to-do to enjoy the finer things in life. Consider this list of…
60 Fun Things to Do for Little or No Money:
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Posted on 29 April 2008
How much would you pay for an expensive toy? hundreds? Thousands? Millions? You’d be surprised at what some people are willing to pay for jewel encrusted cars or top of the line Barbies. If you balk at paying $30 for a box of tinker toys, what follows probably isn’t for you.
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Posted on 22 April 2008
People will buy anything, no matter how dumb. Pet rocks and singing fish sold out of the store and while no one will admit to owning one, someone has to be buying it.
Check out a bunch of dumb ideas that made a lot of money. Maybe they’re not so dumb after all…
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