Five Cent Nickel

One Year Ago This Week (June 4th - June 10th)

2006-07-24T06:03:30-08:00

Here's a look at some of my favorite posts from a year ago this week: � You�re Doing Better than You Think - Feeling down on your luck? Check out this post (and the associated Global Rich List) for a quick pick-me-up. � Be on the Lookout for Medical Billing ...

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Hampton Inn�s 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

2006-07-24T05:59:36-08:00

A couple of weeks ago we stayed in a Hampton Inn on the way from our old house to our new house. We got in late and crashed immediately. The next morning when we awoke, I decided to hop on the free wireless internet to check my e-mail, read a ...

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Our John Deere Model 125 Lawn Tractor

2006-07-24T05:55:18-08:00

Well, we finally made up our mind on the issue of whether or not we should buy a lawn tractor or hire a lawn service... Over the weekend we pulled the trigger on a John Deere 125 lawn tractor. We ended up spending a bit more than we had planned ...

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Telecommunciations Spending Poll Results

2006-07-21T10:06:09-08:00

Well, the telecommunications spending poll has run its course, and the results are all over the board. At the bottom, we had one person (1%) spending less than $20/month, whereas 17% are spending over $200/month. The most popular reponse (by a hair) was $81-$100/month. I'm guessing that people in that ...

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Our Dish Network TV Experience (So Far)

2006-07-21T10:04:52-08:00

As I've noted previously, we don't have the option of cable TV (or internet) at our new house. Thus, we've opted for DSL on the internet side, and Dish Network on the TV side. Yesterday afternoon I stopped by the local Dish reseller to set up service, and here's a ...

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Reducing Our Electrical Usage

2006-07-21T10:01:57-08:00

This past week I called to get our power hooked up, and learned that the previous owners of our house paid an average of $165/month for electricity over the past year. While this sounds like a lot, it's not quite as bad as it sounds... It's a 3,000 square foot ...

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One Year Ago This Week (May 28th - June 3rd)

2006-07-21T10:00:35-08:00

Here are some of my favorite year-old posts from this past week... � Kids & Money: Long Term Savings - Thoughts on how we're helping our kids learn to save for the long term � Free Credit Reports - Information on how to get your free credit reports from the ...

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Money Poll #16: Telecommunications Spending

2006-07-18T14:19:53-08:00

After a monthlong break, it's time for another Money Poll. The question of the week this time is: "How much do you spend on telecommunications each month?" When I ask this, I'm talking about your landline, cell phone, internet access, and cable/satellite TV before taxes. As usual, I'll go first ...

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Ethanol Blended Gas = Lower Mileage?

2006-07-18T14:17:32-08:00

According to a recent article, drivers in Honolulu (and perhaps elsewhere) are complaining of reduced gas mileage in the two months since Hawaii switch to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol. According to the Ethanol Promotion and Information council, most drivers using a 10% ethanol-blended gas will experience a 1-2% drop ...

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Brits Often Work Drunk

2006-07-18T13:18:34-08:00

Based on the results of a recent survey, millions of Brits go to work drunk (or get drunk while they're there, I guess). More specifically, one in six Brits admit to having been "under the influence of alcohol at work in the last six months." Imagine the effect of the ...

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Texas Raises Speed Limit

2006-07-18T06:49:29-08:00

Leave it to Texas to raise the speed limit in the face of ever-increasing oil prices... That's right, the state of Texas is raising the speed limit along 500 miles of interstate to 80 mph. To be fair, the increase is limited to ten fairly desolate counties in west Texas ...

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Carnivals - Week of 07/10/06

2006-07-17T05:38:35-08:00

FiveCentNickel took part in four carnivals this week. Here they are, along with my posts that were included in each. The Best of Me Symphony, which is up at The Owner's Manual, included "Rules Regarding No-Interest Family Loans." Also included was "No Child Left Behind?" from raising4boys.com. The Carnival of ...

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One Year Ago This Week - In the Beginning

2006-06-21T05:18:40-08:00

I've been meaning to do this for quite some time now, but I just haven't been able to swing it with all that's been going on around here... Anyway, now that FiveCentNickel is over a year old, I thought that it might be a good idea to start pointing out ...

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Lawn Mowing Poll Results

2006-06-21T05:16:50-08:00

The results of the lawn mowing poll are in, and it seems that readers of this site are primarily do-it-yourselfers when it comes to cutting grass. More specifically, two-thirds (67%) of respondents report cutting their own grass, whereas 17% have someone else do it, and 14% don't have a lawn ...

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Wire Transfers When Closing on a House

2006-06-21T05:14:21-08:00

The past week has felt like a bit of a tightrope act... As I've noted previously, we closed on our current former house last Thursday, and are closing on our new house tomorrow. And while we could afford to carry both houses for awhile if necessary, our intention has been ...

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Carnivals - Week of 06/12/06

2006-06-19T09:06:00-08:00

FiveCentNickel participated in just three carnivals this week. Here they are, along with links to my posts that were included in each. The Best of Me Symphony, which is up at The Business of America, included "How to Write a Mortgage Gift Letter." Also included was "Orthodontia and Armpit Farts" ...

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More on the Home Office Tax Deduction

2006-06-19T08:59:40-08:00

The other day I wrote a bit about the home office tax deduction, and today I thought I'd expand on it a bit by talking about 'regular and exclusive' usage, as well as how you can substantiate your claim to the IRS...

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Kroger Gas Discount, Take Three

2006-06-19T08:53:55-08:00

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, it turns out that the 'new and improved' Kroger gas discount is better than I thought (but worse than it used to be). According to the signs on the pumps, you can still get $0.10/gallon discount for spending $100 on ...

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Money Poll #15 (Lawn Mowing) Reminder

2006-06-15T17:22:37-08:00

Just a friendly reminder of the lawn mowing poll that I'm running over at FiveCentNickel. Please be sure to stop by, participate, and check out the results.

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Guest Bloggers Wanted

2006-06-14T14:22:40-08:00

I'll be on vacation in late June/early July, and I'm looking for some guest bloggers to fill my shoes... This is an open call to readers, whether or not you run a blog of your own. Here's what I ask... Submissions should be on topic (i.e., personal finance-related) and properly ...

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Carnivals - Week of 06/05/06

2006-06-14T13:49:07-08:00

FiveCentNickel took part in three carnivals this week. Here they are, along with links to my posts that were included in each. The Best of Me Symphony, which is up at The Owner's Manual, included "Kids and Money: Tweaking our Allowance System." Also included was "Watching Sports, Aging, and Priorities" ...

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The Home Office Tax Deduction

2006-06-14T13:48:33-08:00

As this site has grown, I've gotten interested in the possibility of taking a home office deduction on my federal taxes. The problem is that I know virtually nothing about doing so. According to the IRS, if you use a portion of your home for business purposes, you may be ...

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The Cost of a Failed House Deal

2006-06-14T13:47:24-08:00

While I'm confident that this won't be an issue for us, I just ran across an interesting article on the costs associated with a failed real estate deal. Depending on when the sale falls through, it can turn out to be quite costly for the buyer in particular, as the ...

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Money Poll #15: Lawn Mowing

2006-06-13T06:19:34-08:00

On the heels of my revelation that we bought a John Deere lawn tractor, I thought that it would be interesting to find out how you guys approach lawn care. I've already asked about cutting your grass vs. hiring a lawn service, but I thought I'd formalize it with a ...

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Broadband Internet Coming Soon(er than Expected)

2006-06-13T06:16:16-08:00

After learning that we wouldn't be able to get 'traditional' broadband internet (i.e., cable or DSL) at our new house, I was thrilled to death when I heard from BellSouth would be hooking us up in early July. After all, that meant just a month on dialup before we'd be ...

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Withdrawing Your Roth IRA Contributions (Followup)

2006-06-13T06:15:08-08:00

As a followup to my post about withdrawing contributions from your Roth IRA without paying taxes or penalties, I wanted to point out a small(ish) glitch that was brough to my attention by a reader... Withdrawals from your Roth IRA may make you ineligible to take the extra "saver's credit" ...

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Carnivals - Week of 05/29/06

2006-06-12T18:07:58-08:00

FiveCentNickel participated in four carnivals this week. Here they are, along with my posts that were included in each... The Best of Me Symphony, which is up at The Owner's Manual, includes "The Ins and Outs of Bridge Loans." Also included is "Sandwiches by the Loaf" from raising4boys.com. The Carnival ...

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Credit Protector Cancelled (Once and for All)

2006-06-12T06:42:57-08:00

After a good long run with Citi Credit Protector, I finally got tired of playing their retention rebate game and called this past week to cancel (again).

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All About Title Insurance

2006-06-12T06:41:13-08:00

If you've ever bought a home, them you're most likely familiar with the term 'title insurance.' But do you know exactly what it is? Simply stated, title insurance protects against possible losses if someone else can claim ownership of your property after closing.

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Yet Another Toilet Repair

2006-06-09T05:09:34-08:00

Last summer I made the claim that few things in life suck more than fixing a leaky toilet on a Friday night. Well, I've now found something that sucks just about as much... Having 'toilet issues' less than two weeks before close (on Mother's Day, no less) and therefore having ...

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An Interview With Bill Gates

2006-06-09T05:08:22-08:00

The other night I caught an interview with Bill Gates on CNBC's "The Big Idea" with Donny Deutsch, and I thought I'd share some of the most interesting tidbits here...

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Owning vs. Renting Poll Reminder

2006-05-31T04:55:04-08:00

Just a quick reminder of my ongoing owning vs. renting poll. Please drop by, participate, and check out the results.

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Carnivals - Week of 05/22/06

2006-05-31T04:46:50-08:00

FiveCentNickel participated in three carnivals this week. Here they are, along with links to my articles that were included in each. The Carnival of the Capitalists, which is up at The Integrative Stream, included "Bankruptcy Filings are on the Rise." The Best of Me Symphony, which is up at The ...

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Cheap Self-Inking Rubber Stamp

2006-05-31T04:37:02-08:00

Just thought I'd share a deal that I've used in the past and took advantage again this past weekend... If you need a rubber stamp, drop by http://www.iprint.com/stampoffer and you can get their 'Premium Address Stamp (self-inking, up to five lines of text) for free (actually $3.79 including shipping). Note ...

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Money Poll #14: Owning vs. Renting

2006-05-29T07:41:05-08:00

Once again, I have homebuying on the brain... We officially sold our house last Thursday, and will be closing on our new one this Wednesday. With that in mind, I got to wondering about how many of y'all own vs. rent your homes. So, without further ado, I bring you ...

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Shady Jewelry Store Advertising Tactics

2006-05-29T07:35:45-08:00

I've written in the past about mall jewelry stores and how everything that they sell seems to be perpetually on sale for 30%, 50%, or even 70% off the 'regular' price. In fact, it got so bad that at one point Zales was inserting a bit of small print into ...

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TV Service Poll Results

2006-05-28T20:14:34-08:00

Unlucky Money Poll #13 has now run its course, with fully 50% of repondents reporting that they have cable TV of some sort -- a bit over half of those had 'expanded' cable with the balance subscribing to 'limited' cable. Next up was paid satellite service, weighing in at 22 ...

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Broadband Internet Crisis Averted

2006-05-26T22:04:47-08:00

Earlier this week I mentioned that we won't be able to get either DSL or cable internet at our new house. Just a few days after throwing me into a tizzy about how we'll feed our broadband addiction, however, BellSouth has seemingly come to our rescue... Even though they had ...

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Bankruptcy Filings are on the Rise

2006-05-26T22:03:40-08:00

After experiencing a sharp drop in the first quarter of 2006, the rate of bankruptcy filings has begun to rise. The lull in late 2005 and early 2006 is thought to be a result of tough new bankruptcy legislation. Given the recent uptick, however, it looks like the bankruptcy legislation ...

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TV Service Poll Reminder

2006-05-25T06:47:01-08:00

Just a friendly reminder of the TV service poll that I'm running this week. Please stop by, participate, and check out the results.

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Carnivals - Week of 05/15/06

2006-05-25T06:45:58-08:00

FiveCentNickel took part in five carnivals this week. Here they are, along with links to my posts that were included in each. The Best of Me Symphony, which is up at The Owner's Manual, included "Don't Change Your Oil Too Frequently." Also included was "Thank God for the Child Tax ...

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Fed Raises Rates (Again)

2006-05-25T06:42:35-08:00

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the 16th straight time yesterday, and left open the possibility of continued increases if they turn out to be necessary to keep inflation in check. After Wednesday�s 0.25% increase, the benchmark federal funds rate now stands at 5% � the highest it�s been ...

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Kroger Gas Discount Details (Sort of)

2006-05-25T06:32:28-08:00

Okay, this is kind of annoying. Last week I reported that Kroger is overhauling their gas discount program. According to the note on my receipt, details would be forthcoming in the May 6th circular. So when I checked the circular, they had a vague blurb that closed by saying to ...

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Money Poll #13: TV Service

2006-05-22T07:32:53-08:00

You'll have to excuse me, but with two closings coming up within the next week and a half, I have moving on the brain... Now that our internet situation has been settled (and even more favorably than we initially thought), I'm turning my attention to TV. We still can't get ...

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Earning vs. Saving Poll Results

2006-05-21T18:09:03-08:00

Well, this week's earning vs. saving poll was among the closest thus far... The question of the week was "What's more important when it comes to improving your bottom line, earning more or spending less?" After a neck and neck (and neck) race, 'spending less' finally pulled ahead at the ...

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Rules Regarding No-Interest Family Loans

2006-05-19T06:26:40-08:00

I've written in the past about using gift funds from a family member to aid in the purchase a home, including how to write a mortgage gift letter. But what if you're interested in using a no-interest loan from a family member, as opposed to a gift?

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Worst. Job. Ever.

2006-05-19T06:24:51-08:00

Just wanted to let y'all know that there's a meme about your worst job ever that's going on over at fivecentnickel.com... Drop by and take part (or at least check it out) if you're interested... -- Please CLICK HERE to read/leave comments on this entry "Worst. Job. Ever." was first ...

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Carnivals - Week of 05/08/06

2006-05-18T10:01:31-08:00

FiveCentNickel took part in three carnivals this week. Here they are along with links to my articles that were included in each. The Carnival of Personal Finance, which is up at pfBlueprint, includes "Withdrawing Your Roth IRA Contributions." The Best of Me Symphony, which is up at The Owner's Manual ...

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Earning vs. Saving Poll Reminder

2006-05-18T09:17:13-08:00

Just a quick reminder of the earning vs. saving poll that I'm running. It's a neck and neck (and neck) race thus far. Be sure to stop by, participate, and check out the results. Please also consider adding a comment to the discussion.

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Broadband Internet Woes

2006-05-18T09:10:28-08:00

This weekend I started the process of setting up the utilities at our new house. Thus far, almost everything but the highspeed internet has gone smoothly. When I scheduled the switchover for our phone service, however, I learned that DSL isn't available at our new house. This admittedly caught me ...

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