Friday Finance Findings for March 20th

Spring has sprung… sort of. Today marks the beginning of spring, but it still doesn’t feel like it around here. We’ve had a few good days over the past month with nice weather, but it hasn’t lasted. In fact, just last night it dropped to below 20 degrees and isn’t expected to get much over 40. It seems like this has been about the longest and coldest winter here in a long time. It first started snowing back in October and there was still some snow on the ground in some places just last week. I’m begging winter to be over. I want to spend time outside, go golfing, and keep the windows open in the house to take in all the fresh air.

We also had hoped to be introducing our baby girl to the world this week, but apparently she has other plans and wants to wait. If nothing happens this weekend, the doctor will make sure it happens soon. So for most of you who sent in guest posts, they will probably be going up later next week and thereafter. So, while we wait for spring and the baby, let’s take a look at some of the week’s best finance links.

Seven Ways To Fund College Without A College Savings Fund – College costs continue to skyrocket, and it’s proving difficult for many students to be able to afford the school of their choice unless their parents have put some money aside to help out. But that doesn’t mean you need to have a college savings fund to go to school. Here are 7 ways you can fund a college education without a huge bank account.

The Personal Finance Hour – You may be familiar with Jim and J.D. already, but they are pairing up to put together a weekly finance radio show on Blog Talk Radio. It should be great, and at the very least, a new and fun way to get your personal finance fix. Be sure to tune in next Monday!

Dog Costs for the First Month – Dogs are great. We have one and I couldn’t imagine life without him. But whether we like to admit it or not, pets cost money. Some more than others, but it isn’t always cheap. If you’ve been considering a new dog, take a look at what it might cost you for the first month of ownership.

Reducing Salaries in Hard Times - In these hard economic times, many companies are starting to cutback on pay. If you’re looking for work, are you willing to take a pay cut just to have a job at all? These are difficult questions, and Brip Blap goes over some of the things to think about.

Why We Chose a 30-Year Mortgage – It’s not always about the numbers. Everyone knows that a 15-year mortgage will save a lot in interest over a 30-year, but there’s more to it than math. J.D. from Get Rich Slowly discusses why they just refinanced with a 30-year instead of 15-year mortgage. I think after you see the math and hear the reasoning, you’ll agree that it was the better move.

Wealth Strategy: Track Your Net Worth – Net worth is just a number, but it can be an important number. It isn’t like your credit score and isn’t tracked by others, but it’s something you can track. It’s a nice gauge to monitor your progress. Are you increasing your net worth over time or is it decreasing? And if you have a negative net worth, why is that, and how can you turn it around?

Tax Deductions and Personal Exemptions for 2008 – It’s tax time, and the April 15th deadline is quickly approaching. If you haven’t started already, now is the time to get going on your taxes. Before you file, make sure you go over all of the available tax deductions and personal exemptions for 2008.

How to Save Money on Health Insurance – Health insurance is a problem in this country. Not everyone has coverage, and those who do often pay a hefty price for it. Obviously, it’s important to save money wherever you can, and there are some tips you can use to help keep your health insurance costs down.

Should Gold be in Your Investment Portfolio? – I’ve been hearing a lot about gold from people these days. Seems everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, but it is a good investment? It all depends, but just like any investment, it may be able to play a role in your portfolio.

Get The Best Home Loan Rates With These Tips – Even though mortgage loan rates are very low, it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to get one of the lowest rates. Financing is harder to get these days, so it will take a little work to make sure you’re doing all the right things so that you can take advantage of the best home loan rate.

How to Manage Money in Your Marriage – Married? Have trouble managing your money together? Well, you’re not alone. Money is one of the most debated topics between couples. If you’re looking for some advice, My Dollar Plan has some good tips you can share with your partner to help manage your money better.

Newsweek Suggests it’s Your Patriotic Duty to Stop Saving and Start Spending – I’ve been hearing about this a lot lately. People are arguing that it’s our duty to spend money instead of save so that we can help the economy. I don’t buy it, and neither does Steadfast Finances.

Cash Money Life 2 Year Anniversary Giveaway! – Want a chance to win some free stuff? Help celebrate Cash Money Life’s second anniversary by entering the giveaway. Some good stuff over there, so take a look.

5 Tips for Optimizing Credit Card Rewards – Have a credit card with a rewards program? Consider yourself lucky as many companies begin to cut back on their rewards. So, if you do have rewards, make sure you’re taking full advantage of the program and maximize your benefits.

Related posts:

1. Friday Finance Findings For July 20th
2. Friday Finance Findings For March 7th
3. Friday Finance Findings For March 28th
4. Friday Finance Findings for March 21st
5. Friday Finance Findings For August 24th