Friday Finance Findings For May 16th

First of all, I want to thank the guest posters for sending in a few submissions this past week. This has allowed me to catch up on a few loose ends and get back on track so that I can get into my regular writing routine again. It can be quite overwhelming to not only maintain this site and the email it generates, but also trying to keep up with everything that is going on over at my About.com site.

So again, thanks go to The Shark Investor and Miranda from Yielding Wealth. I may have another opportunity for some guest posts in the near future, so if you have something in mind, feel free to contact me and I’ll let you know.

Plan for the Future and Make the Most of Your Retirement – For many people, retirement is the single biggest financial goal, so it is understandable why it is a critical piece to your financial plan.

Oakmark, T. Rowe Price Reopen Funds – I’m a big fan of Oakmark funds, so this reopening fund is good news. Take a look at what funds are reopening and how they might benefit your portfolio.

A Simple Way to Save Money on Food – We keep hearing about the higher food prices, and since we all have to eat, it can have an impact on our budgets. Here is one tip that can not only save you money, but it is even good for you.

Amazon Friday Sale: Food Processor and Tinkerbell Edition – Another Friday, another Friday sale at Amazon. Lazy Man highlights some of the interesting items for sale this week.

Increase Your Salary Without Increasing Your Work -Increase your salary without increasing your work. Impossible, right? Well, before you dismiss this idea, take a look at what SVB has to say about it. You really can earn more without putting in 80-hour weeks.

How Return of Capital Works – Frugal Trader examines Return of Capital, or ROC. This topic doesn’t get much coverage, but it is worth taking the time to understand. It just may apply to you at some point.

0% Balance Transfer Credit Card Offers – Tired of that 15% credit card eating away at your money? You may want to consider doing a balance transfer to one of the latest 0% offers out there. It could save you quite a bit of money.

Saving Money on Vacations – Travel Tips for Cutting Costs & Still Having Fun – Summer is rapidly approaching, and for many families, this means a summer vacation. Unfortunately with higher gas prices, this can put a dent on the vacation budget. Ben has some tips for saving money on your vacation this year and still have fun.

Save Money by Not Renewing Immediately -If you are a member at one of the warehouse clubs like Sam’s or Costco, you may want to wait on renewing your membership. If you’re like me, I typically only shop there once a month at best, so automatically renewing as soon as it expires might mean a month or more goes by before shopping again. Wasted money.

No Credit Needed Debt Reduction Guide Free eBook Download -NCN has put together a great debt reduction guide in a portable eBook format. Now you can stay on top of your debt reduction plan anywhere.

Cancel Some Monthly Charges Before Taking on Others -Monthly payments are a drain on your budget. They seem small and harmless, but they add up fast. Before taking on another monthly payment, see if you can get rid of some others.

Financial Questions to Avoid Before Investing -The key to investing isn’t always about how much money you can make. More importantly, you have to consider risk and the potential for losses.

No Interest For 12 Months Does Not Mean No Interest At All -We got burned on one of these deals a few years ago. Just miscalculating when our payments were up resulted in paying hundreds in back interest. But, you often learn the most when learning the hard way.