Yay, my Frugalistas! Credit Card Reform Part Two is coming to a wallet near you. Starting on Monday, here are some changes:
*People under 21 can’t get offered a card unless they show proof of proper income or have a co-signer.
*Offering an incentive such as T-shirts or books on college campuses is banned.
* Credit Card companies must show clearly the time it will take people to pay off the balance and how they will pay in interest by only paying the minimum
The reforms have been bittersweet. Knowing that the reform was inevitable, credit card companies, started slashing credit limits and jacking up interest rates.
All in all, I think it’s a good thing to have these reforms, especially for college Frugalistas.
Do you agree with the changes? Have you noticed your credit limits getting slashed or your interest rates going on on your credit cards? I have. Meh. Will this help America stop with the credit card abuse?
I am all for Weight Watchers at work. I’m all for the work place having a gym or company softball team. However, a program where people who are healthier get an extra 10 percent off seems like it needs more discussion. Some people just naturally have crap cholesterol levels.
I could see all the 30-percent discount employees (the healthies) getting tired of all their friends (bad bodies) hitting them up for the “hook up” on arugula. Will there be a divide at work between the “healthies” and the “bad bodies”, like the sharks and the jets? in West Side Story?
What do you think of Whole Foods’ new program? Is it motivational? Is it shady? Is it an OK program because it’s optional? Would you do it if you worked at Whole Foods? I bet you would if you had a hot body. Thirty percent off is nothing to sneeze at.
Hello, Frugalistas! I just wanted to pass along this money fact on the holiday observing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday:
Dr. King won $54,123 in 1964 when he won the Nobel Peace Price at age 35. He used the money to support civil rights.
That amount of money was quite a bit for the ’60s. Really, it’s a lot now. Dr. King said he was going to use it to further the civil rights struggle. It was money well invested. Through Dr. King’s tireless efforts and the help of a multi-cultural/racial/ethnic cast of others, I am able to live a fortunate life here in America.
If you have a roof over your head, reasonable food at the table and friends you can call, you have a fortunate life. Most of us are fortunate, despite what the bank account may say during this mediocre economy.
We don’t have to win a Nobel Peace Prize to make our world a better place, but we have to take a step each day toward our dreams. We have to be more thoughtful about where we spend our money and how we are spending. Who knows how our financial decisions impact our lives and the lives of others?
Money isn’t everything, but it can be powerful when used the right way.
Hey, Frugalistas! Shopping online usually means shipping fees. Boo hiss! On Thursday, 632 merchants are offering free shipping. Yay! So if you are shopping online anyway, think about waiting until Thursday to purchase. Frugalistas *heart* free!
Are you done with your Christmas/holiday shopping? I have a few more to go. At least I took care of the niece and nephew (old school puma and shell-toe adidas sneakers, respectively) Be sure to log in tomorrow. I am helping a reader with affordable gift ideas. Like $10 gifts.
According to the AP article, Kelis recently signed a $175,000 music contract. Both Kelis and Nas are having some tax concerns; she hasn’t filed a return in years and he owes millions to the IRS, according to the article.
I really hate that this couple couldn’t work it out.
Should Kelis get $51,101 for support? Will Nas be in financial harm? Should he start releasing more records? What do you think about alimony? Is marriage a way to financial stability?
Hello, Frugalistas! Clearly, 2009 is about to be a wrap, but it’s not too late to handle some much needed financial business. Here are a few of my tips to make sure you end this decade as well as you can!
1) Make a donation to charity: Clean out your closet clutter and donate to Goodwill or donate your junker to charity if you wish. Support a friend financially who is doing a “run for a cause.”
2) Make retirement savings contributions: Do you have an IRA? Putting money in it could make it easier for you at tax time next year.
3) Check your credit report if you haven’t checked it this year. You get one free report every 12 months and knowing your credit profile is mandatory for fiscal health. Check out annualcreditreport.com.
5) If you have met your medical deductible for the year and need to see a doctor, by all mean makes the appointment. I need to visit the dermatologist. I will go this year so I won’t have to pay full price.
Gracious! Unless you’ve been living underneath a rock, you know about all of the drama with golfer Tiger Woods and his alleged infidelity. I swear, every other cocktail waitress in the land has nabbed media coverage detailing alleged romps with the golf superhero. I mean, it’s become a cottage industry getting paid to sing like a canary to tabloids about allegedly sexing a married man. I pray cocktail waitresses get organized and start a union with tell-all rates. I digress.
The golfer, who’s practically worth the GDP of an industrialized nation, has lost his Gatorade Tiger Focus drink since his tragic car accident at his Florida mansion. PepsiCo said the drink was going to be dropped-even before Tiger’s domestic troubles. Oh-kay.
I’m wondering, though, is that right? He’s still a great golfer, no? Now, he’s losing cash left and right. I’m sure he has plenty of money in the bank. I mean, eating breakfast meals at Perkins does not make one a pauper.
If his wife leaves him, Tiger stands to have to pay at least $20 million and possibly into the $70 millions, according to reports.
Should money management include IMAGE management? The better the image, the more money you make? Should he lose his endorsements? Do you think the media brought him down? What do we need to do for our image or brand to make sure we keep our money!
Oh my! My twitter peeps, aka, my tweeples, have been buzzing about this blog, Thirty Bucks a Week. A Brooklyn couple is spending $30 total per week on food. Let's just say that the lovebirds even create NEW soups out of the soups they've already made. They are a member of a food cooperative which makes it much easier on them. A few bloggers, such as The Broke Socialite and Running with Tweezers, are doing the challenge.
I noticed that the couple, Tina and Phil, use lots of lentils, soups and vegetables. The photos of the food look pretty yummy.
When I launched The Frugalista Files in 2008, I didn't know how to cook. We'll, I've worked on that quite a bit, but I never have opted for a $15 per week budget. I'm not sure I'm going to join the challenge, but I will get some recipe tips.
Could you eat on $15 per week? What is your food budget? What is your favorite, least expensive meal? Would you take the challenge? I think No-Buy Month is plenty for me!
The Frugalista is Natalie P. McNeal, a seasoned journalist who created and launched personal finance blog, The Frugalista Files, in 2008. She spent a month without getting her hair done, eating out or getting a manicure or pedicure. She saved $400 and took a "vow of frugality." Read more...
Hello, Frugalistas! I just wanted to pass along this money fact on the holiday observing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday:
Hey, Frugalistas! Shopping online usually means shipping fees. Boo hiss! On Thursday, 632 merchants are offering free shipping. Yay! So if you are shopping online anyway, think about waiting until Thursday to purchase. Frugalistas *heart* free! 
