Friday Finance Findings for November 6th

Money trivia time. What was the highest value note ever printed by the U.S.? If you guessed $100,000, you’d be right, but not so fast. It wasn’t your typical bill. The highest-value bank note ever printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was the $100,000 Gold Certificate, Series 1934. These notes were not circulated among the general public, but only issued for transactions between Federal Reserve banks and the U.S. Treasury.

A single note worth $100,000 seems like a lot, but do you know how much that was really worth back in 1934? You’d need to print a note today valued at nearly $1.6 million to match what $100,000 was worth in 1934. Wow! So, there’s a little trivia for you today. Now it’s time to increase your financial smarts by checking out these links from the past week.

Relocating To End Unemployment: Ten Things To Consider – Have you been laid off and can’t find work locally? You’re not alone. A lot of people have started looking elsewhere for work and that might mean relocation to a new area. Unfortunately, that’s a big decision that comes with a lot of financial issues to consider. Here’s what to keep in mind before making the leap.

Energy Gal’s Easy Homemade Hummus Recipe – Looking for a frugal and healthy snack recipe? Try hummus. Hummus is one of my absolute favorite snacks and this recipe is virtually identical to mine so I can vouch for its deliciousness.

Funding Your Child’s Post Secondary Education – With college costs continuing to rise how can a parent afford their child’s education? It might not be easy, but if you think ahead and take a few steps early you can put together a nice college fund.

How Our Consumer Debt Problems Got Out of Control – This whole financial crisis stems from people living beyond their means. Whether it was buying too much house or just racking up thousands in credit card debt, the inability to pay has led to a meltdown. So, just how did we get into this problem in the first place?

Should You Buy Life Insurance at an Early Age? – I get this question a lot, especially since I speak mostly to a younger generation. But at what age should you consider life insurance? It actually has less to do with age and more to do with who you have to support after you’re gone.

I-Bond Rate for November 2009 – May 2010 Is 3.36% – For a while there I-bonds weren’t even worth investing in with such low rates. Now, with the latest rate over 3% they have become an attractive alternative to CDs. Learn more about the current rates and how you can take advantage of them.

What is a Dividend Reinvestment Plan? – What is a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) and why would you want to use one? If you’re dealing with smaller amounts of money these can be a great way to invest in some companies. Learn more at My Dollar Plan.

College Savings Accounts for a Bad Economy – The economy still has a long ways to go before a full recovery, so what does that mean for college savings? Most people can hardly get by with their day-to-day expenses so saving for college seems impossible. Here are a few options that can lessen the burden.

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended AND Expanded into 2010 – Good news about the extension and expansion of the homebuyer tax credit. The bad news is that we still got screwed. We just bought a house a little over a month ago and still won’t qualify for the first-time status or the existing and upgrade expansion. Thanks, government!

How Working Overseas Helps Your Career – Did you know that working overseas could help your career? I haven’t had a chance to work overseas, but I did spend a semester traveling Europe and studying over there in college. I must say, it was probably one of the best things I’ve ever done so I’m sure working overseas for a while could also have profound effects.

Related posts:

1. Friday Finance Findings for November 30th
2. Friday Finance Findings for November 9th
3. Friday Finance Findings For November 2nd
4. Friday Finance Findings for November 21st
5. Friday Finance Findings for November 23rd