December 2011

$2 Verizon Wireless Fee in 2012 WAS a Bad Idea

Thumbnail image for $2 Verizon Wireless Fee in 2012 WAS a Bad Idea by Kasey Steinbrinck December 30, 2011

Verizon Wireless wants to charge you a fee for paying your bill. Weren’t they watching when Bank of America received a thrashing from its customers for plans to charge a monthly $5 debit card fee? Apparently not. Verizon disclosed what it calls a “convenience fee” on Thursday and social media sites are lighting up with [...]

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What’s Getting Cheaper in 2012 and What’s Not

Thumbnail image for What’s Getting Cheaper in 2012 and What’s Not by Kasey Steinbrinck December 30, 2011

With 365 fresh days coming our way soon, you might have plans to make some major purchases in the New Year. You may also want to take a closer  look at your finances and adjust your 2012 budget. As the global economic roller coaster continues, we’ll see price differences in everything from food for your [...]

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Set Yourself Up for Hassle-free Winter Driving

Thumbnail image for Set Yourself Up for Hassle-free Winter Driving by Janice Conard December 29, 2011

Here in northeastern Wisconsin, we know all about the hazards of winter driving. In these parts, “donuts” and “cheerios” don’t refer to breakfast foods. Rather, they describe the circular path your car takes when it spins out of control on ice or snow. (Whether a driver initiates the maneuver on purpose or by accident is [...]

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Are You a Fat & Lazy American Worker?

Thumbnail image for Are You a Fat & Lazy American Worker? by Kasey Steinbrinck December 27, 2011

Are you a slacker for working 40 hours a week? Do you feel guilty for eating in the breakroom instead of at your desk? Has the laziness of the American worker contributed to our current economic problems? Politicians from both sides of the aisle in Washington have basically answered “yes” to that last question.

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Santa’s Favorite Car-Buying Tip

Thumbnail image for Santa’s Favorite Car-Buying Tip by Janice Conard December 22, 2011

So you’re ready for a new car and you’ve decided to buy rather than lease. It’s a good choice, especially if you find a car you love that you’ll want to keep for years. Today you’re in luck, because Santa has a favorite strategy for getting you into that new ride for the lowest possible [...]

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5 Ideas to Lower Energy Costs This Winter

Thumbnail image for 5 Ideas to Lower Energy Costs This Winter by Guest Post December 21, 2011

The following is a guest post from Ashyia Hill of CreditDonkey.com. Winter is officially here. Are you ready to take on the freezing cold without breaking the bank? We all know there is an inverse relationship between temperatures and energy costs: as temperatures go down, energy costs rise in most households. However, five simple steps [...]

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How Safe is Your Job in 2012?

Thumbnail image for How Safe is Your Job in 2012? by Kasey Steinbrinck December 19, 2011

Job security. It’s something we all want, but these days it’s almost as hard to find as a unicorn that farts rainbows… As rare as a successful Hollywood marriage… As unlikely as a Minnesota Vikings playoff appearance… You get the point. Our recovery from the  Great Recession has been sluggish to say the least. It [...]

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Is Regifting at Christmas the Right Decision?

Thumbnail image for Is Regifting at Christmas the Right Decision? by Kasey Steinbrinck December 14, 2011

Regifting has a pretty negative reputation. Yet just about all of us have done it at least once – especially over the holidays. Time runs out. Budgets get tight. You just stop caring about purchasing the perfect  present for every Tom, Dick and Harry you know. But some people have another view on recycling Christmas [...]

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Don’t Get Fleeced By a New Car Lease

Thumbnail image for Don’t Get Fleeced By a New Car Lease by Janice Conard December 13, 2011

When I was fresh out of college and needed to upgrade my transportation from two wheels to four, I caught a bad case of “new car fever.” The financial climate was very different in 1991 and the best deal I could find was 7-percent APR over four years. I was offered a slightly lower rate [...]

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