Friday Finance Findings for February 6th

It has been a busy few weeks around here as we wrap up many of the preparations for the new addition to the family. Some time next month our lives will be drastically changed. Still not prepared for all of the sleepless nights and dirty diapers, but I’m sure I’ll adjust. It’s pretty exciting and we really can’t wait.

It’s also been pretty busy on the personal finance front. Late last week I was in the NY Daily News helping with the story how you can save $20,000 in one year. It was a lot of fun, and we came up with a lot of great tips to save money. And in a less traditional media outlet, I’m going to be in the March edition of Cosmopolitan magazine. Don’t worry, I’m not giving any sex advice or anything. It’s a money story. There are a few other items on the table, but we’ll have to wait and see how things pan out.

And don’t forget, if you use Twitter you can follow me for other updates, odd financial tidbits, and conversation that you might not otherwise get from the site.

Can You Invest Solely in ETF’s? -Exchange traded funds are a great low-cost way to diversify, but can your investment portfolio consist of solely ETFs? Even if it can, should you? Get the lowdown.

Save Money on Kitchenware -The kitchen is one of my favorite rooms in the house. It’s were all the culinary magic happens. But it’s also a relatively expensive room in the house. There are all sorts of kitchen appliances, gadgets, and tools. Lazy Man has some tips on how to save money in the kitchen.

Is Frugality The Anti-Stimulus Plan? -Frugal is the new cool, but is it helping stimulate our economy? It’s a bit of a paradox. Being frugal is great, but since our economy relies on spending, it could actually be doing more harm than good.

Ten Reasons to E-File Your Taxes – Jim has some good reasons to e-file your taxes. I personally don’t e-file. For as much as I pay the IRS, I’m going to mail them a paper copy on the last possible day. The last thing I want is to make their life easier.

Fundamentals vs Technical -Depending on your investment objective, you’re probably going to rely on either fundamental or technical analysis. Both have merits, but both aren’t always useful. Find out the difference and when you should use one or the other.

How Much Money Do You Have to Make to File Taxes? -Find yourself on the low end of the income scale and wonder if you still have to file taxes? Madison has compiled the details to help you determine if you made enough money and need to file a return or not.

Wall Street Jobs Pay Out Big Bonuses: The Investment Banker Defends His Salary -The little guy is pretty upset over all the money still being made on Wall St. in even these difficult times, but an investment banker speaks out to defend his salary.

How to Claim the Recovery Rebate Credit – Qualify for the recovery rebate credit but not sure how to claim it? No problem, because Nickel is to the rescue with detailed information on how.

How to Start a Blog for Fun or Profit – Introduction to a Series » – Thinking about starting a blog for fun or profit? Cash Money Life is starting a new series to guide you along that journey. I get a lot of questions about this, so this should be a great series to follow.

How to Check Out a Hoax -In tough times, people are more vulnerable to scams. When you’re struggling, it’s easier to grasp on to something that might not be completely legit. Find out how to see if it’s too good to be true and just a hoax.

Home & Auto Insurance Policy Endorsements for Extra Protection -A lot of people overlook the ability to increase protection right through their existing home or auto insurance policies. Ben walks you through what to consider and look out for.

25 Uses for Dryer Sheets – I never knew those dryer sheets had so many uses, did you? I have attached one to one of our heating vents before to make the house smell good, but there are a lot of other great ideas as well.