June 2011

Debit Card Swipe Fees – Why Nobody is Happy

Thumbnail image for Debit Card Swipe Fees – Why Nobody is Happy by Kasey Steinbrinck June 30, 2011

Usually compromises are designed to make everyone happy. But the Fed’s decision to raised the proposed limit on debit card swipe fees has had the opposite effect. All sides of the debate over debit are still feeling pretty cranky… Last year, as part of the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Bill,  Congress required the Federal Reserve to [...]

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Save Money This Summer, Drink Water, Not Coke

Thumbnail image for Save Money This Summer, Drink Water, Not Coke by Kasey Steinbrinck June 29, 2011

Reach for the faucet instead of the drink cooler when you need a refreshing beverage during the Dog Days of summer. That is unless you’re okay with spending a little extra for Coca-Cola Classic and many other soda products. Coca-Cola recently announced it would increase soft drink prices by 3% to 4% in July, and [...]

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Will Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Help?

Thumbnail image for Will Tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Help? by Kasey Steinbrinck June 23, 2011

The Obama administration is making a move it hopes will lower gas prices and help the struggling U.S. economy from getting worse. The Department of Energy will be tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an emergency stockpile of oil that can be “pumped” into the system when things get tough. The White House’s decision to [...]

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The U.S. Housing Market – Getting in the Game

Thumbnail image for The U.S. Housing Market – Getting in the Game by Kasey Steinbrinck June 21, 2011

More discouraging numbers concerning the state of the U.S. housing market were just released. But some folks have a hopeful view about what could happen next… Homes sales dipped to a 6-month low in May falling to a pace of 4.8 million units sold, which was down from 5 million in April. The median sale [...]

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Reverse Mortgages – Why Baby Boomers Want In and Big Banks Want Out

Thumbnail image for Reverse Mortgages – Why Baby Boomers Want In and Big Banks Want Out by Kasey Steinbrinck June 17, 2011

Is a reverse mortgage a good idea? It can be a way for people entering the winter of their lives to have a stream of income that will help them save for retirement or provide living expenses when they no longer have a regular paycheck. As the Baby Boomer generation enters retirement age – many [...]

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Does Tim Pawlenty’s ‘Google Test’ Make Sense?

Thumbnail image for Does Tim Pawlenty’s ‘Google Test’ Make Sense? by Kasey Steinbrinck June 16, 2011

“If you can find a good or service on the Internet, then the federal government probably doesn’t need to be doing it.” That’s what Republican presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty said when he announced his candidacy. He calls it “The Google Test.” The former Minnesota Governor was making a case for cutting federal programs in order [...]

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The ‘Quadruple Whammy’ of the U.S. Economy

Thumbnail image for The ‘Quadruple Whammy’ of the U.S. Economy by Kasey Steinbrinck June 14, 2011

The state of your finances and the state of the nation’s finances could have quite a bit in common. For one thing – as Americans go, so goes America. Everything is connected in one way or another. To put things simply – right now the U.S. is stuck in a vicious cycle. If people can’t [...]

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Investing in the Future Without Being ‘Dumb’

Thumbnail image for Investing in the Future Without Being ‘Dumb’ by Kasey Steinbrinck June 13, 2011

Today the president met with his jobs council where members tossed ideas around for creating new jobs following a depressing employment report from May. A disappointing 54,000 jobs were created last month – way down from 232,000 added in  April. Unemployment grew to 9.1% instead of falling to 8.9% as economists had predicted. Economist Paul [...]

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Summer Spending – Weddings, Vacations & Graduations – Keep the Heat Off Your Finances!

Thumbnail image for Summer Spending – Weddings, Vacations & Graduations – Keep the Heat Off Your Finances! by Kasey Steinbrinck June 10, 2011

What’s not to love about the summer months? It’s a time for celebrations and vacations. But it can also drain your checking account if you aren’t careful about how much you spend on all the events that pop up between Memorial Day and Labor Day. There are weddings. I’ve got two cousins getting hitched this [...]

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Does Your Debt Make You Feel Good?

Thumbnail image for Does Your Debt Make You Feel Good? by Kasey Steinbrinck June 7, 2011

When you look at the balance on your credit card bill or get your monthly student loan statement – does it boost your self esteem? If you can say you’re effectively paying off credit card debt and are almost free from student loans – that may be so. But what if you had a ton [...]

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