Information about financial management. Includes extra stuff and websites worthy of attention.
Updated continuously. Please visit often and give me a feedback.
Banks with Great Savings Rates
- Emigrant Direct.com
- This bank has 4.25% savings rate as of Feburary, 2006. Check this website for this special rate. It's one of the best rates I've ever seen.
- ING Direct
- A subsidiary of a Dutch Bank ING. Offers higher than average savings rate.
- Capital One
- You will see a lot of junk mails from Capital One these days with credit card offers. They have been very agressive recently to recruite new customers. Check their website, you will find good deals.
- Bankrate.com
- My first stop to search mortgage and savings rates. That's where I found Mortgage Capital Associates, a California based mortgage lender, doing business in almost all states, too.
Real Estate
- Mortgage Capital Associates
- One of the best morgage rates and services from my personal experience. Offers mortage in many states.
- Zillow.com - Home price check
- My recent find. The website is still in its beta phase, so the data is spotty and the website is down frequently. It works well in metro areas for now. In those areas where data is complete, it's awesome. It looks like a Google Earth satellite view with an estimated home price on each house. They are expanding their market coverage.
- Domania.com - Home price check
- Want to know how much the house in the next block is selling for? Or how much your best friend paid for his/her "mansion"? This is a good place to start. I sometimes do it just for fun. Hmmm...how much did that guy across the street pay for that house?
- Lending Tree
- Online resource for mortgages, home equity line of credit.
- Deep Green Financial
- Offers below prime rate for home equity line of credit. Loans up to 100% of the property value. No closing cost. No appraisal fee.
- For Sale by Owner Madison WI
- For those who want to sell their homes by themselves, this is a great site. They have "sister" FSBO in many other states. You can save 6% commission to real estate agent by DIY with the help of this website.
Investing
- Vanguard.com
- Many experts say major portion of our retirement money should be invested around index funds. This grandfather of index funds is a great place to bank your money. Their expense ratio is incredibly low, and there is no 12b-1 fee. Since no active money managers are needed, there is only minimal ($10) annual maintenance fee. Check their website for domestic and international index funds.
- Scottrade
- You can trade stocks for just $7.00. No minimum balance fee, no inactivity fee, no transfer-in/out fee. Many good no, no, no's. Downside? Weak research. But, hey, there is no shortage of investment pundits on the internet who are eager to help you - mostly for free.
- Charles Schwab Brokerage
- Granddaddy of online brokerage firm.
- E*Trade.com
- Another online brokerage firm worth attention.
Financial Websites
- Yahoo! Finance
- Yahoo! Financial Website
- MarketWatch.com
- MarketWatch.com from DowJones
- Investopedia.com
- Learn investing jargons from this unofficial investing dictionary.
- The Street.com
- Jim Cramer's investing website.
- CNBC.com
- CNBC Investing website.
- The Motley Fool
- One of the popular websites for investors.
- USA Today Money
- USA Today investing website.
- iShares.com
- One of the best ETFs website.
- ETF Reader
- A great series of educational articles on the basics of ETF investing.
- ETF Connect
- Information on exchange traded funds.
News Articles
- Money, Happiness and the Pursuit of Both
- Does money make us really happy? Read this article from Forbes.com about the relationship between money and happiness.
- Funny Money
- Local currencies are springing up in many locals. Coffee time story from Forbes.com
- Hottest Housing Markets 2005
- Home prices posted solid gains in 2005. See which metro areas recorded double-digit gains on CNNMoney.com.
- Ten Things That Will Change The Way We Live
- See ten great technologies in the making that will change the way we live.
Personal Finance
- Money 101 from CNNMoney.com
- Step by step guide to mananging personal finance from setting priorities, to investing in stocks and bonds, to estate planning, to 401(k)s.
- Free Annual Credit Report
- Check your credit periodically from the three credit agencies - Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. This is the official site to help consumers to obtain their free credit report. Credit score is at an extra cost, but unless you are applying for loans, it may not be necessary.
- Opt out prescreen.com
- Sign up with Optoutprescreen.com to reduce junk mails.
- Direct Marketing Association
- Direct Marketing Association is another place to sign up to reduce junk mails.
Financial Blogs
- My Money Blog
- My Money Blog.
- PF Blog.com
- Business Week featured this website as one of the best financial blogs.
- My Open Wallet Blog
- A thirty-something single woman living in New York City opens her wallet to share her investing strategies with the rest of the world.
Extra
- MBT Shoes
- Are you suffering from pain in the legs, feet, stomach and back muscles? Try these MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology) shoes, a technology developed by a Swiss engineer. They are not a household name in the U.S. yet, but they are popular in Europe and Asia. If you like them, share the experience with our audience.
- Propolis in Wikipedia
- Known to have antibiotic and antifungal properties, propolis has been used to treat skin burns and to strengthen immune system. It is also known to be efficient in treating cold sore. Learn about this magic substance from Wikipedia.
- Google Earth - A 3D Interface to the Planet
- Download free software and explore, search and discover the lonely planet from above. Check out Winter Games in Torino, Italy in Google Earth.
Books for Financial Management
The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich
Amazon Price: $10.15 (as of 07/13/2009) 
The Wealthy Barber, Updated 3rd Edition: Everyone's Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent
Amazon Price: $10.98 (as of 07/13/2009)
The Courage to Be Rich: Creating a Life of Material and Spiritual Abundance
Amazon Price: $18.96 (as of 07/13/2009)
Books for Life Management
Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 07/13/2009)
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living
Amazon Price: $15.57 (as of 07/13/2009)
The Purpose Driven Life
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 07/13/2009)
by kay206
Interested in many "seemingly unrelated" things. Itching to share good things with anyone who is interested.
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