Friday Finance Findings for April 15th

April 15th? Oh no, taxes are due! Well, not quite. Obviously if you’re an avid personal finance reader you know that the tax deadline has been pushed to Monday the 18th because of Emancipation day which falls on Saturday, thus is being observed in Washington D.C. today. So if you’ve felt under the gun and trying to get your taxes done you can breathe a little easier knowing you have all weekend to spend on your taxes.

In other news, you may remember that a few months ago I mentioned that I submitted some of my home brewed beer into a brewing competition. Well, the results are in. The beer came in 1st place in the regional round and moved on to the final round a few weeks later where it also grabbed 1st! I was quite shocked. I knew the beer tasted good, but never had any qualified judges taste any of my beers before so that was very encouraging. So now I have an award-winning chili recipe and an award-winning beer recipe. If you’re interested in getting started with brewing your own beer don’t forget to check out the short series I put together a while back.

Now, on with the links.

12 steps to a cleaner and more productive workspace – I had to read this article. Twice. If there’s one thing I’m not very good at it’s keeping my desk and workspace clean. It’s amazing how I can clean it so there’s nothing on my desk at all and by the end of the week I have a pile of books two feet high and papers scattered everywhere. I hope this helps.

NFL Players, Lockout Loans, and Predatory Lending – What does the NFL lockout have to do with predatory lending? Well, Lazy Man can explain it a lot better than I can so check it out.

15 Things Our Grandparents Lived Without (and We Probably Could, Too) – We like to feel as if there are things we can’t live without. No cell phone? No iPod? No internet? No way, I’d shrivel up and die! Well, chances are we could live without a lot of things even if we don’t want to imagine life without them.

Types of Stock Charts – If you’ve ever looked at stock quotes you’ve probably spotted a stock chart. But here’s the interesting thing–not all stock charts are the same. Some provide hidden details that go beyond the actual closing price.

Struggling to Pay Your Taxes? IRS to Revamp Tax Lien Rules – If you’re afraid of the looming tax deadline because you are struggling to pay this year’s taxes or even back taxes, there is some good news on the horizon.

Disability Insurance 101 – Disability insurance gets the least amount of attention in the insurance world yet it’s actually one of the most important types of coverage you can have if you rely on your source of income. Here’s what you need to know.

Are Mail-In Rebates Worth The Hassle? – How do you feel about mail-in rebates? Personally, I don’t like them because it is a hassle, but not turning them in is like throwing money away. So, are they really worth the hassle?

Last Minute Tips for Tax Filers – With just a few days to go, here are a few last minute tax tips.

Are the Cheapest Diesel Cars Worth the Price? – Diesel has slowly been gaining momentum here in the states, and for good reason. A good, clean diesel engine often gets very good gas mileage. But does that really equate to a total savings?

More related links:

• How to Choose the Best Credit Monitoring Service
• When Do I Claim Tax Deductions?
• How To Get Your Taxes Filed On Time And CRA Late Filing Penalties
• Solve Debt Problems Without Getting Ripped Off
• How You Can Stay Sane While Moonlighting
• Individual vs Group Health Insurance