3.30.2008

Ends Tomorrow 3.31 - No Min MMDA - A Must Do

Let's talk money quickly, efficiently and effectively!
I wish I knew of this weeks ago, but we can't change the past and can only move forward. Suze Orman has teamed up with TD Ameritrade to offer a Money Market Deposit Accounts (MMDA) known as the Save Yourself Plan with no minimum deposit requirement - well sort of. Here is why and how to do it:



Why/Explanation of MMDA:
- A high-yield FDIC insured savings account that has less administrative fees, but is less liquid than a regular savings accounts, meaning there is a limit to how many checks/withdrawals can be made from the account.


- A great way to save money that you don't want to be tempted to touch. Maybe it is for an emergency account that is 3 months worth of your regular expenses in case something happens; saving for a new car or for a trip with friends overseas.



How To:
It is GREAT news and HUGE opportunity that Suze Orman and TD Ameritrade teamed up for this offer. Almost all, at least all of MMDA's I have seen, require a minimum deposit to open an account. Sometimes $500 but usually $1K or more. Why? Because MMDAs are designed for those that have substantial money in their savings account, and can put their money in a higher yielding (a higher interest rate) account to make more money.



Important Notes:
- No minimum deposit is necessary to open a Save Yourself Plan account, but you have to setup an automatic deposit for at least $50 a month. The first $50 has to be made within 30 days of opening the account - which is not bad at all.
- The GOOD CATCH is that after 12 consecutive months of deposits TD Ameritrade will deposit $100 into your account.



Additional Details:
- I did some research on BankRate.com and the MMDA yield ranged from 1.25% to 3.30% so TD Ameritrade's current 2.78% as of February 1st is on the higher end.
- You will get regular emails form Suze Orman to encourage you on your saving endeavours along the way.



Very Important:
- You need a code inside her book to get started, but of course I googled and found it. It is 701


This is a great way to open an MMDA without having to wait until you have $2,500 on hand.
Definitely take advantage of this offer you only have a day left to do so!

Even your home should be FABULOUS!


3.26.2008

ALERT! $1 Megabus.com

Just like you see with the airlines, strong competition leading to major low prices, the same is having with state to state; city to city bus service companies. We all know how the Chinatown buses pushed Greyhound to make round trips purchased online for travel between NYC to Philly, Boston, Baltimore and DC pretty cheap.
NOW check out Megabus who is coming into this space with fares as low as $1 round trip (plus a $.50 transaction fee). It gets BETTER. Book a trip for the weekend of May 30th - June 1 and it is FREE - it is the same weekend the company debuts its services in NYC. I just bought 4 Philly tickets for FREE only paying the transaction cost of $.50.

I know this sounds like an infomercial at this time but chop chop and get on it. Read more news coverage here.

3.22.2008

Wax On. Wax Off.

I have this Love/Hate relationship with hair removal. I love the outcome but hate the process of getting there....and who doesn't! Razors leave awkward stubble in two hours. Depilatory creams STINK to high heaven and you have to stand as if your left leg is allergic to your right for 13 minutes to get your legs smooth. Lets not even get started on how much going to waxing salon costs...


In my quest to find a cheap, long lasting and EASY way to remove hair I stumbled across the Sally Hansen Hair Remover Wax Strip Kit (for body, legs, arms and bikini)
$8.19
The box contains 15 double sided strips with pre-applied wax. You heat up the strip by clasping it between your hands and rubbing them together a la Mr Miyagi. Then peal the back side of the strip from the front side, which will leave you with 2 strips. Slap it on your place of choice and peel quickly while you hold the skin taught. You throw the used strip away and do it again! I won't lie you ...it hurts...but after all it's still waxing. But its worth enduring as the results last up to 8 weeks! I must say that I used it on my legs, which I did let growth for a couple of weeks for best results. Also, I tend to have very thin hair so I would imagine that also aided in achieving positive results from this product. Since the strips use a limited amount of wax so I would imagine it would not be as effective on course hair. So with that said, I definitely vouch for this kit! Happy Waxing ;-)

3.14.2008

Tax Time Freebies

It is about a month before taxes need to be filed in time for the April 15th deadline.
This may not be applicable to you all, but do remember that there are quite a number of online tax filing services - free of charge - based on your state and gross income.
You can learn more about them here.
For those of you that didn't have any unique situations during 2007 that requires a tax genius, try one of these sites for a free and quick tax return (that is if you are getting dollars back). Myself and several friends have used TaxAct over the years and it has been great. I definitely suggest, but once again only if your tax issues are not complicated.

Random but related note about Exemption/Allowances:
This topic keeps coming up in conversations these days. When you were hired and you filled out the W4 form and answered a couple questions with a "1" or "0" which you then totalled. Some of you single folks may have been told to put "0" while others followed directions and had a total of "2". So the number basically means how much taxes will be taken out per paycheck. It is legal to put "0" even if your total is not. You end up paying more taxes per check with a better chance of getting a tax refund. The higher that number on the W4 is the less taxes you pay per check and the result can be getting little to no refund to having to pay the government back.