Friday Finance Findings for May 14th

Happy Friday. It sure is nice that the weather is finally starting to turn around for the better. It’s been a pretty wild spring thus far with a lot of extremes. As long as the frost is done I’ll be happy since it’s been a tough couple of weeks constantly trying to protect our annuals out in the landscape and in all our pots. But if the upcoming forecast is any indication it should be smooth sailing from here on out.

The arrival of warmer weather also means it’s time to get back to beer brewing. You may recall that I did a three part series last year showing you how to brew your own beer at home. Well, I’ve still been brewing since then but my equipment and process has been upgraded a bit over the past year and I now have to brew outside which means waiting for more comfortable weather. I did brew one batch back in February but that was insane and cold. I’m not much of a cold person so that was not fun.

While it was cold this winter I did use that time to get into kegging. After all, bottling is kind of a pain even though it is very cheap. So I have a big chest freezer that’s been converted into a kegerator that will hold 6 or 7 five gallon kegs. Unfortunately, it’s a project that also takes quite a bit of time and money, but once it gets completely finished with a solid wood top and a few shiny tap towers it will be a permanent fixture in the basement for years to come. Here’s what I have going on in there right now:

Right now I got a pale ale, amber ale, IPA, ordinary bitter, and some apfelwein on tap. If all goes as planned I should be brewing a wheat beer this weekend so I can round it out with six beers. That should provide a nice selection to get through most of the summer. So, while I’m working on making beer and planning out the next phase of the kegerator project I encourage you to do something productive this weekend and check out these great finance articles.

Tricks to Save on the Summer Electric Bill – I’ve been talking a lot about the warmer weather today and while that’s great for outdoor activities it can also mean higher utility bills. Don’t worry, we have some tips for you to use that can keep that electric bill down this summer.

Work From Home? 8 Ways to Keep Focused – I can attest to how difficult this can be at times. Working from home is great, but it can be difficult to remain disciplined and stay focused on your work. Here are a few things you can do to stay focused if you work from home.

What’s the Point of Net Worth? – It’s just a number, so what is the big deal? It can be a good way to measure where you stand, but you have to be careful when comparing your number to others. It isn’t as black and white as you might think.

Save Money with VoIP (Voice over IP) – Land lines are slowly going the way of newspapers. A lot of families now simply rely on cell phones, and those who do have “land lines” are more often than not switching to VoIP services. See how switching could save you money.

Sell Your House Faster By Fixing These Problems – Trying to sell a house in this market is brutal enough, but if you have some of these common household problems it could mean sitting on your property for many months while potential buyers pass it by.

Tracking Your Personal Net Worth – So I just mentioned how you have to be careful about tracking your net worth, but what if you want to anyway? Here is a simple method and some tools to help you get started.

Banks in Schools Are a Great Way to Teach Financial Literacy – Obviously, financial literacy is lacking in this country, but how do we fix it? The answer could be with schools and banks joining forces. Read on.

When Should You Pay Taxes on Your 2010 Roth Conversion? – The Roth IRA conversion has been touted as one of the best things since sliced bread, but the reality is there could be a significant tax liability at stake. If you don’t plan for it properly you could be doing more harm than good. Here’s how to decide when to pay the taxes on your conversion.

FCC Considering Regulation to Stop Surprise Phone Bills – If you’ve ever opened up your phone statement and been shocked, you’re not alone. These bills are out of control and very confusing at times. So, it looks like the FCC may be stepping in.

How to Save Money Every Month – Saving money seems hard, but if you can save just a little bit each month it really starts to add up over time. Here’s how you can begin saving money each and every month with little effort.

Asset Allocation Basis Part 2: A closer Look at Fixed Income Assets – Even for young people fixed income plays a roll in most portfolios. But most people aren’t nearly as concerned with their bond holdings as they are with their stocks because all you hear about on the news is how the stock market is doing. Selecting the right fixed income mix for your portfolio is just as important.

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