Investing even $20 makes a big difference.

Wall Street’s recent cataclysmic events are still unfolding and the entire planet is feeling their aftershocks. For this reason, interest in what is going on in the stock market is rising quickly, even for those who do not normally understand what the stock market is all about, or what Wall Street even has to do with it. Whether you are completely new to this, or at least have a small idea of how the money markets and stock markets function, the purpose of this article is to explain how to get the most out of the best small investments on the stock market, and how a small, single initial investment can easily grow to benefit you on a long term basis, even when right now all you have to invest is some insignificant amount of money like $20 for example.

$20 dollars may not initially sound like a lot, but you can easily put it toward shares in one of many large companies like Harley-Davidson, Intel and even Johnson & Johnson. There are thousands of different options available offering shares below $20. If you invest $100 instead, even more options will open up to you. So now let us take a brief look into investing small, medium and large amounts of money into the stock market.

Let us begin with the initial small investment of $20 dollars.

Are you afraid that it is really not worthwhile to invest such a small amount? One way to invest this money for a grand return is to invest through DRPs, or Dividend Reinvestment Plans. These are also known as Drips. Drips or DRPs and Direct Stock Purchase Plans or DSPs allow you to completely bypass the broker, avoiding the need to pay a commission, by buying directly from the company that you are looking to invest in, or buying from the company’s own unique agents instead. There are more than 1,000 unique major corporations that offer these types of stock plans, and many do not charge a penny in fees. Those that do charge fees usually offer fees that are low enough that it is still quite worthwhile to invest a small mount like $20 or $30 each time that you make investment.

These investments are some of the best small investments that you can make because they are ideal for anyone who is just starting out and is looking to invest only small amounts at a time. Drips will allow you to purchase as often or as infrequently as you like. Once you are in the plan, you can set up automatic payment plans so you can make contributions whenever you like without actually even needing to buy a full share each time. So if you can only invest small amounts each month, invest what you can and every time you accrue enough to buy a share, you can. This is why this is one of the best small investments that you can make - Because every dollar that you invest counts and you can accrue a lot of money slowly to invest in good stocks, even if you cannot always buy a share with each investment.

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Sunday Money Madness is your guide to the rest of the blogosphere on personal finance.

• The Digerati Life had a guest post from a HandyMan.  Remodel Your Bathroom! Try 3 New Ideas To Freshen Up Your Bathroom  is a excellent use of debt and they increase the value of your home.
• Need to Get Rid of Some of Your Junk? Don’t Underestimate the Power of Free by Generation X Finance brings up an important issue. Is your time worth more than the bit of money you’d get in return trying to sell junk items?
• The Sun’s Financial Diary writes EverBank Offers Better Rates: 4.76% Intro APY. If you’re thinking of using EverBank this is a really good post for getting details.
• Over at Brip Blap there’s a funny post about building wealth and what it takes. Short, sweet, and obvious.
• How Much Should You Tip? Divide by Six is a trick from Cash Money Life this week. How much do you tip?
• Blueprint for Financial Success asks Do You Carpool? Gas prices being what they are, this is a good idea to do if you can find people along your normal route to work.
• NCN is working on a series of Bills-In-A-Box: The Stress-Free System For Organizing Your Finances. Do you have a system that you use for bill payments? Share with us in a comment!
• Consumer Commentary blogs about Reusable Bags at the Grocery Store this week. Do you use canvas, paper, or plastic? Do you recycle your paper and/or plastic?

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) today announced that state securities regulators have reached a settlement in principle with Prosper Marketplace, Inc., an online “peer-to peer” lending service, to resolve matters relating to the sale and offer of unregistered securities and the omission of material facts in connection with the offer, sale or purchase of a security.

Under terms of the settlement, San Francisco-based Prosper agreed not to offer or sell any securities in any jurisdiction until it is in compliance with that jurisdiction’s securities registration laws. Prosper also agreed to pay a fine totaling $1 million to the states. In consideration of the settlement, the states will terminate their investigation of Prosper’s activities related to the sale of securities before November 24, 2008.

Several states had been investigating Prosper’s activity and were considering or preparing enforcement actions. Earlier this year, a working group involving state securities regulators from approximately 20 jurisdictions was formed to seek a collaborative approach to these issues. In mid-October, Prosper stopped issuing new loans and accepting new investors. The firm is currently seeking registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

One of the main problems facing Americans today is a lack of cash flow. As the economy gets worse and gas prices go up, it is getting harder to make ends meet. If you are completely reliant on your paycheck each month, the last few days or weeks of the month may be getting pretty tough. The best solution to solve this problem is to increase your cash flow. This will require a little bit of effort, but it can be very helpful. Here are some tips on how to increase your monthly cash flow.

1. Clean out your house.

Have a bunch of stuff sitting around your home that you don’t need anymore? Join the world’s biggest yard sale on Ebay and start getting rid of it. You’d be surprised at how much money you can make just getting rid of all of your old stuff. You never know when someone may want that old lamp, or even your old pair of shoes. Many people have found that turning to Ebay is a great solution, especially when they need extra cash in a hurry.

2. Start a side business.

Have a hobby that you’re really good at it? Turn it into a small side business. For example, if you are an excellent cook, think about opening a small catering business on weekends. Got a knack for making candles? Sell them in your local area. If you can do anything, chances are you could be doing it for money. Hit up your local flea or farmers markets and see how well you can do. The online world is also full of opportunities for small businesses. From selling ebooks to making your Ebay career shine with drop ship products, there are many different avenues that you can explore to increase your cash flow.

3. Consider making investments.

One of the best ways to get more cash coming in every month is by making strategic investments. Start small by depositing money into a high interest bearing savings account. If you don’t have money on hand to make an investment, considering leveraging some debt to help you start earning more money. This can pay off, especially if you make the right investments.

4. Consolidate your debts.

If you are striking out on all of these tips, you can free up a lot of cash each month by consolidating your debts. If you have a lot of credit cards, it is much easier to make one payment per month and a lot cheaper as well. Try getting a debt consolidation loan or if all else fails, transfer your high balance cards to one single card with a better rate. You can save quite a bit each month and that money can be used for investments or just to pay the bills.

Each one of these tips has the potential to increase your cash flow if you take them seriously. Everyone has a talent for making money, they just need to take the time to make it work.

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If you are interested in investing in the stock market, one of the first things you are going to need to do is to build your portfolio. We highly recommend contacting a knowledgeable broker that is seasoned in investing if you are going to get serious. While there is nothing wrong with day trading on your own, there is a lot of risk involved, especially if you have no idea what you are doing. Working with a financial advisor or a broker is vital for those that have no experience in the markets.

You’ll need to first decide how much money you are willing to invest, and then develop both some short and long term goals. For example, if you have $1000 to invest, you’ll need to figure out how much money you would like to have in six months, one year and five years. These goals can be used as a guide to help you find the best stocks that will help you meet those goals. Remember, the stock market is a risky business. You should only invest money that you are prepared to lose.

Now that you have your initial investment funds ready to go, you’ll need to decide what industries or stocks you are interested in. Every market will fluctuate, and while some stocks may look promising today, they could end up as penny stocks tomorrow. You’ll need to do quite a lot of research before you jump in to avoid getting burned. The dot com boom and bust is the best example of what can happen with promising stocks.

The first place to start your research is in the financial pages, money magazines and publications like the Wall Street Journal. There are also many great resources online that can help you track stocks before you actually invest, as well as learn more about the background of a company. Google has a great tool that is incredibly useful for this purpose and it is free to use.

Target the stocks you are interested in and you can begin building your portfolio. As with most things in life, you’re going to need to be diversified. Never put all of your eggs in one basket, or in this case, industry. For example, if you are heavily invested in tech stocks and the bottom drops out, you will have lost your investment. If you were invested in tech stocks, as well as many other industries, you’ll have spread that risk out a little more.

For those looking to build a very diversified portfolio, ETF’s are a great initial option that allows you to invest in many different industries without having to buy individual stocks. These are managed funds that can provide great short term results, but they are still quite new, so long term data is not yet available.

Once you have built your portfolio, you’ll need to monitor it to see how your different stocks are performing. You can use your goals as the yardstick to measure performance. If something isn’t performing up to expectations, you’ll have the option of selling that stock and figuring out which ones will perform better for you.

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This weekend, my wife added another candle to her birthday cake. Trying to be a good husband, I took her to Sacramento for some good dining and a night away from home. If you ever find yourself in Sacramento, you may want to come back and look at these reviews.

We rolled into town around 1PM, time to catch lunch at Tex Wasabi’s. Tex Wasabi’s claim to fame is being co-owned by Guy Fieri, star of several Food Channel shows. It doesn’t stand out as a special restaurant - in fact my wife passed it dozens of times while working in Sacramento without thinking it was special. She caught his show one night where it was mentioned and we decided we had to give a shot. As a little background, the restaurant is aptly named - it’s a cross between BBQ and Sushi. This is big for the wife and me, because she likes sushi and I like my BBQ. We can both be happy at the same place.

We started off with a Code Red Bowal, a 64 ounce fish bowl drink for adults. I would say that 32 ounces were ice and though it was good, it wasn’t worth the $27. If we had to do again, we would have gone a different route, but it was a celebration, so we splurged. As for the food, my wife had the Crystal roll (a special of the day). She said it was the fantastic - some of the best sushi she’s ever had. I had the BBQ Beef Brisket Sandwich. It was about average - I couldn’t give it more than that. We split a Big Bird on Fire which is chicken in a sushi roll. That was fantastic.

One thing that I have to give Tex Wasabi high marks for is that the service was outstanding. The waiter took care of our every need and the owner (or someone that we presumed to be the owner) stopped by to chat with us a bit. The head waiter even came by for a spell. There were some other intangibles like live music nights and beer pong nights (this is legal in public restaurant?). I have to dock them a few points - though they had a decent beer special for Sunday football, the owner-type guy said that they didn’t have the NFL Sunday ticket to get the games from out of town.

After Tex Wasabi, we checked into our Marriott Residence Inn. Some might find it weird to have a celebratory weekend at such a run-of-the-mill hotel/motel. Since we were only going to be there for one night and not in the room for very long, we didn’t feel the need to spend a lot of money. For our $114 in Sacramento, here’s what we got: a large room, visco-elastic bed, a full kitchen (stove, pots, pans, full size fridge/freezer, etc.), free Internet access, an on-site gym, pool, and hot tub. There’s also free breakfast daily (eggs, potatoes, sausage, cereal, muffins, fresh fruit, etc.) as well as social events Monday through Wednesday at night. I have to give the Residence Inn my highest value rating. I’ve stayed at places upwards of $200 a night that charge you for Internet access as well as breakfast.

After relaxing in the hot tub and heading back to the room to watch a movie (Bring It On sometimes just sucks you in), we went out to Zinfindel Grille for dinner. When my wife is in Sacramento on business, she makes it a point to have a meal there. I was prepared for it to be overhyped, but it delivered the goods. The menu had food in all price ranges. My wife has only ever eaten the $12 small calzone (which was quite big - easily enough for a meal). I wanted to take them to the test and got the $30 Filet Mignon. It was fantastic. For drinks, I chose the white wine sampler. Yes, I broke all the rules ordering white wine with red meat at a place named after a red wine (Zinfandel). My wife when with the red wine sampler. The sample has 3 glasses of different wines - 3 oz. each. For $10 it’s a pretty good value for what amounts to about 2 glasses of wine.

All-in-all, it was a successful weekend. My wife liked her excursion as well as a couple of gifts I got her - one of which I’ll review at a later time.

Money Writers:

• Brip Blap asks do you need a bailout?
• Frugal Dad wonders have you ever been embarrassed to be frugal?
• Is an extended warranty on a used car worth it? The good, bad, and ugly of these service contracts presented by Generation X Finance.
• Million Dollar Journey writes the cash flow dam explained (aka cash damming).
• Digerati Life looks into online shopping for the bargain hunter: top retail coupon sites.
• Money Smart Life offers these safe places to invest your money in a bad economy.
• My Dollar Plan says an administrative error could cost you your retirement!
• The Sun’s Financial Diary posts triple my money: how long and what does it take?

More Finance Posts:

• Blueprint for Financial Prosperity blogs the one sure fire way to fail miserably in your finances.
• Lessons learned from losing a quarter million dollars, a guest post over at Consumer Commentary.
• Free Money Finance asks how much will you spend on holiday gifts this season?

Recommended by Lazy Man: Make Your Biggest Profits Ever in a crashing market. Three secrets to options profits in ANY market - Learn how

Do you like to dream big or do you prefer to keep your financial dreams in check? The way that you answer this question may have a big impact on your future. If you’re consistently dreaming small, you may be shooting yourself in the foot before you ever take that first step on the road to financial independence. Sometimes, dreaming big is an absolute necessity and more often than not, those that do dare to dream of big financial rewards are the ones that are able to achieve those dreams.

If you limit yourself to small financial dreams, you may be automatically removing the potential to secure your financial future. This doesn’t mean entertaining pie-in-the-sky fantasies however, but it does mean that you should start thinking about expanding your financial horizons, even just a little bit, to help you achieve and exceed your financial goals.

In order to expand these horizons, it is helpful to come up with actual goals that you want to meet, and then find ways to build on those goals. For example, let’s say that in the next five years, you would like to be able to save up a 10% down payment on a $300k house. This means putting away approximately $6000 a year, which is easy enough to achieve. But, what if you were able to add an extra $100 to that savings every month. In five years, instead of having just $30k, you would now have $36k.

That’s money that could be used to pay off your closing costs, get some new furniture or even free up more equity. This is just one small example of how expanding your horizons a little can pay off, especially over the long term. If you start with small little changes like this, before long, expanding further will be easier than ever.

Using this example again, up the ante to $200 extra a month. Now, at the end of that five years you’d have $42k, a full $12k more than your original goal. Once again, small changes become bigger changes that in turn lead to greater expansion. After you have this formula down, you can begin trying it in new ways and in new fields.

For example, instead of focusing on just buying a house for yourself, consider getting a rental property as well. This is an investment that can pay off well, and you’ll always have the option of selling the property, especially if the real estate market in your area goes through an improvement. In many cases, this is how millionaires are made. They are willing to expand their financial horizons, leverage a bit of debt, and in turn, they enjoy a bigger payout at the end.

When you are able to expand your financial horizons and start thinking and dreaming bigger, the sky can become your limit in no time at all. Dare to dream big and then take the steps necessary to achieve those dreams. Even if you fall a little bit short, you’ll still be ahead.

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What are safe investments?

If you are putting consideration into investing money, but you are not sure which is the safest way to invest your money, then your first stop should be someplace where you can get professional advice on the subject. The last thing that you are going to want to do is to risk losing all of your hard earned money because you took a poor recommendation or made a poor bet. So what are the safe investments to make?

If you need to know what safe investments are in comparison to more high risk investments, then you should know that there are many qualified consultants out there who are well trained to give sound advice on the subject. Some safe investments are government backed, guaranteeing that you will receive a predetermined interest rate as well as a solid return on your money. Even then, however, you are going to be faced with numerous choices and will have to decide which one to go with. You are going to hear a lot of the same ideas when talking to different experts, like Treasury Bond, Note and Bill, especially when it comes to Government backed investments. These are low interest investments that have backing from the Federal Government, and they are about as secure as you can get when it comes to investing.

There are questions that you may want to consider, such as “What are safe investments going to realize when I withdraw my capital?” One point that you need to comprehend is that it is really rare to get something out of nothing. In order to have the security that you want, you are going to have to make sacrifices, especially when it comes to the interest rate that your investment offers. Investment schemes like treasury bonds, notes and bills do not carry high returns, but they are still worthwhile simply for their safety.

If you want to opt for a higher type of interest rate instead, then you are simply going to have to forgo some of the assurances that you would receive from secure and stable options, instead putting your money into riskier markets with higher rewards. This may include investing in stocks or shares. If you have a considerable amount of money available to invest, then using a specialist consultant is by far the best way to go. These consultants tend to have up to date knowledge on the current market condition which will help you invest in the right ways. However, they will be working based on commission so expect to pay a little extra in the process.

Keep in mind that even with expert advice, no investment is as safe as a government backed scheme. While you should not let this persuade you against investing in markets with higher returns, you do need to be realistic regarding which investments are the safest to make and which should be avoided based on your expectations for safety, security and return.

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• Ask The Readers: Evaluating a Gym Membership
  Posted on Monday, November 17th, 2008 in Health - Views: (1638)
  A few years back, I had a gym membership. I always wanted a place where I can go and lift some weights do a little treadmiling… you know the stuff that I don’t nearly write often enough over at Lazy Man and Health. When my wife and I moved into my current apartment complex I noticed that they had a free gym. It’s not great, but it has 3 cardio machines and a couple of weight stations.
• Matt Furey: 101 Ways To Magnetize Money
  Posted on Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 in Book Review - Views: (1120)
  Publishers send me books all the time. When I decide to read a book, I earn my Lazy Man moniker by choosing the thinnest book in my pile. Today that book is Matt Furey’s 101 Ways To Magnetize Money a book that you may be able to through in about 60-90 minutes.The first few tips are about putting your mind in the right frame of mind - the power of positive thinking. I think you take it a little too far by leaving reminders like index cards around the house as suggested, but who am I to say.
• Save Money and the Enviroment at the Same Time?
  Posted on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 in Health - Views: (875)
  As I write this, it’s Friday night and since I tend not to have a life, I just finished watching Nightline. One of the more interesting segments was about how a group of moms limit their waste to one canof garbage a year. Specifically they had the moms from Enviromom on the show. They admitted that one can of garbage a year is a little aggressive for a beginner, but that one can a month is possible.
• Five Thoughts To My Future Children…
  Posted on Thursday, November 13th, 2008 in Deep Thoughts - Views: (796)
  I got the latest edition of Money Magazine yesterday, and Pat Regnier in his The Bottom Line column used the letter to his children as a literary device. It’s not unique (I’ve even written a letter to my high school self in the past), but nonetheless, I thought the idea was worth stealing flattering Mr. Regnier with my own letter to my own children. [Note: I probably wouldn’t use bullets and bolding in a real letter to my children, but I think you’ll find it easier to read.
• Our Early Retirement Plan: Introduction (Part 0)
  Posted on Monday, November 3rd, 2008 in Retirement - Views: (785)
  I thought I’d switch things up this week and write about our retirement plan for the future. It’s going to be detailed, so I’ll have an article one day each week. I need to get a few things out of the way:Retirement planning at age 32 is a shot in the dark - Unless you really have tons of money it’s hard to plot a course for where you might be in 10 years. You think you have a plan and something could speed up the target date or slow it down right in a hurry.
• Oils Well That Ends Well
  Posted on Friday, November 21st, 2008 in Investing - Views: (782)
  I’ve been really surprised that the Dow Jones industrial average continues to drop. The last time it dropped to 8,200 I thought it would be the last chance at those prices. As I write this, the mark is at 7,500 and some indications seem to say that it could go even lower. Despite that, we’ve been buying some index funds with our Zecco account. Specifically we’ve been picking up Vanguard Total Index (VTI) and Vanguard All-World Ex-US (VEU).

Recommended by Lazy Man: Prosper.com - Make money by lending money or join and consolidate debt.

As banks continue to falter from the mortgage crisis and now the credit crunch they are finding inventive ways to recoup some of the losses – charging you with extra fees. And they are ubiquitous, so beware.

You know how much you hate being charged an ATM fee of around $1.50 to $1.75 when using another bank’s ATM? Well how about $3.00 fees per transaction. Three of the largest banks in the US are now charging their non customers $3.00 for the privilege of using their ATMs. It’s probably worth taking a short walk to your bank – save the fees and get some heart healthy exercise while doing so!

Some of the largest banks are also charging for transfers from your line of credit or savings accounts to checking when you want to ensure you have overdraft protection for that extra payment you might have made but may not be completely covered with your checking account funds. How much will those cost you - $10.00

If you are traveling and have a foreign exchange transaction you will be charged higher fees. And your minimum amount required for opening a checking account has most likely gone up.

And that is just the beginning…oh how they are going to get you on those bounced checks – anticipate this going to $35.00 to $40.00 per occurrence. Ouch!

What can you do? Well you could look into an online savings and checking account. There are several very reputable institutions out there. And be aware – make sure you know what your bank has changed so that you don’t get caught up in the fee mazes.

One of the main problems facing those that have multiple streams of income is managing them. You can start to feel a bit like a juggler and chances are, you may be neglecting areas that could be performing better and making more money. Focusing can be tough, but there are easy ways that you can keep track of your many income streams and make sure that they are all performing up to snuff.

1. Set aside a few hours every week to collect reports.

One of the main keys to staying on top of several income streams is to keep tabs on them every week. Set aside a few hours to focus on the returns and keep track of how each one is performing. You can use special software like Excel to make it easier to keep track of how each one is doing. The added benefit is that you can start to spot trends each week and you’ll know when it may be best to move on to a new opportunity.

2. Keep a paper log of all activity.

While it’s certainly find to keep track of everything on your computer, there is a lot to be said for keeping hard copies of everything. First and foremost, you may need these for the IRS and secondly, we read differently on paper than we do on the screen. You won’t run the risk of missing important information and you’ll have an easy copy for reference at any time. Don’t forget to make disc copies of all of your information as well. You should store your paper copies and your backup disc in a safe place that is fire resistant for extra security.

3. If necessary, minimize.

If you’re running too many streams at once, it can be nice for your bank account, but very hard to keep track of. Find ways to consolidate your income and reporting and if necessary, you may need to drop some of the streams that aren’t performing as well as others.

4. Get passive.

If you’re trying to manage several active streams of income, chances are you’re probably spread pretty thin. Try to diversify and add more passive streams so you don’t have to work so hard. Passive income is a lot more fun, and you’ll be able to spend more time on other things in your life that are even more important than making money, such as your family or hobbies.

5. Get some professional help.

If you’re just too swamped to manage everything on your own, or if you find that you have fallen behind, it’s time to enlist the help of a professional before it spirals out of control. Consider working with an accountant or a financial planner that can take some of the burden off of your shoulders for awhile. This is especially helpful if you are going through a period of extra work or you need to be able to focus on other areas of your life for a few months.

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Not all of us have had the luxury of spending the last 20 years to secure our financial future. Most of the time, through no fault of our own, putting aside money for retirement takes a back seat to handling emergencies or schooling for our kids, or simply the daily expenses of life. If you’re looking down the barrel of 65 and you don’t have anything put aside yet for your retirement, don’t worry. It’s never too late to start planning for your retirement. It may take a little extra work, but you can secure your financial future.

Let’s look at one of the best ways to ensure that you’re going to have a steady income coming in after you’ve retired. Millionaires across the world have used this technique for centuries to produce multiple streams of income. When you are no longer reliant on your 401K, or even your social security check, you’ve got a lot more freedom and a lot less worry.

This technique is called debt leveraging. Simply put, you got into a little debt in order to create a new stream of income. One of the easiest ways to illustrate this is through the purchase of a new second property. Let’s say that you find a great deal on a house that is in pretty decent shape. It’s in a good neighborhood and it’s close to good schools. You don’t have the money to buy it outright, but you don’t want to let this chance pass you by.

You can go to the bank to get a mortgage on that property and then start renting it out. Make sure that the monthly rent exceeds your monthly mortgage payment. Now, you’ve got a new stream of income coming in and you’re really not working for it. If you clear an extra $1500 a month, that’s an extra $18,000 a year on top of what you’re already making – and that’s just for one property.

Now, multiply that by a few properties and you’re making enough to really start planning for your retirement. However the key of good debt leverage is to make sure that you are not too heavily invested in one area. You’re going to want to change things up a bit to make sure that if something goes wrong you won’t take a big financial hint.

In addition to that rental property, you could put some of the profits you’re making or even get a new debt loan to put money into a high interest bearing account. Now, you’ve got a second stream of income coming in that will shore up your financial defenses. You can just keep perpetuating this until you are making enough every year to easily put aside quite a bit of money for your retirement. The best part is, this money will continue coming in, even after you’ve left your regular job. The key to a happy and fruitful retirement is having multiple streams of income that keep paying off, even when you’re not working.

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Another benefit of discussions many parents are forced to have with their children about troubled family finances is that they open the door for further guidance on the topic. Before children go out on their own, preparing them for the realities of the world is often limited to lifestyle topics. While those are certainly important discussions to have, the first few years outside of your care are also when they’ll establish many of the financial habits that will guide the rest of their lives.

In his Letter to My College-Bound Daughter, Money Magazine contributing writer Dan Kadlec imparted what many children at this age need to hear. The letter was a masterful balance of gentle advice and relinquished control. Without missing the fact that most of the lessons in college are learned outside the classroom, he advised his daughter to enjoy every minute of it, but to be careful, too. The high level advice of furthering one’s financial education, living within one’s means, and building a credit history with responsible use of credit is beneficial to all students beginning their lives in the real world.

Young college students are often experiencing many things for the first time. Along with the lack of parental oversight comes personal responsibility for consequences. Allocating a portion of your advice for matters of money will serve your children well. It is in these early years that massive student loan debt and a tarnished credit history can erase many of the potential financial gains a college degree can afford.

Our kids are going to make mistakes in all aspects of their lives. Some lessons are best learned through experience, both good and bad. As parents, there is only so much we can do for our children. Eventually we have to trust that the lessons we have tried to instill will carry them as they venture out on their own. A positive relationship with money is surely not the most important of these virtues, but it is one upon which our children will certainly rely.

What do you wish you knew about money back when you were heading off to college?

© 2008 Lending Club. All rights reserved.

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Thanks for joining us here for RCDL Thanksgiving roundup. Did you eat turkey and pumpkin pie and get stuffed? I can hear the belt buckles straining! Below you’ll find a bunch of wonderful posts by many authors from the past week on topics you care about separated by category. Be sure to check out the holiday shopping section!

Banking, Credit, and Debt

• Credit Karma presents Ten Ways to Make your Credit Look Better.
• Frugal in the Fruitlands says Support the Credit CARD Act of 2008.
• Green Panda Treehouse writes How to Fix Your Credit Report and Raise Your Score.
• The Happy Rock says Gas Prices - The Silver Lining of the Recession.
• I Will Teach You to Be Rich presents Tip #21: Save thousands by pre-paying your debt.
• NCN asks How Do Credit Card Companies Calculate Minimum Monthly Payments?

Frugal Tips and Stories

• Almost Frugal blogs Childproofing Your House - The Frugal Way.
• Bible Money Matters writes Christmas Budgeting Tips: Avoid Overspending At This Expensive Time Of Year
• The Wisdom Journal says Get 70 Percent Off Your Meal at Restaurant.com.
• I Just Negotiated a Lower Mortgage Payment with Countrywide says Pants in a Can!
• Digerati Life posts Win A Million Dollars Then File For Bankruptcy.
• Frugal Dad asks Have You Ever Been Embarrassed To Be Frugal?
• Everybody Loves to Spend Your Money on Cheap Entertainment at Our Local School.

Holiday Shopping

• Cash Money Life writes up Money Saving Tips For The Holidays - Free Ebook.
• Smarter Wallet says Don’t Pay Full Price! Where To Find Bargain Gift Cards.
• Moolanomy presents 9 Smart Holiday Shopping Tips.
• Not Made of Money offers these Five Personal Finance Gifts for Under $25
• Money Smart Life with Christmas Shopping and Saving Tips for a Troubled Economy.
• Eight Secret Ways To Convince Your Man To Go Shopping This Holiday Season by Frugal Dad again.

Good morning everyone, welcome to another edition of the Credit Karma roundup. We hope your Thanksgiving weekend was a great one. The four day weekends are an excellent way to get rejuvenated and the winter holiday season is just around the corner.

National Credit and Economic News:

• Market Watch posts as card issuers hike rates, consumers forced to work harder to protect credit.
• A look at Holiday on Wall Street as Yen for Risk Returns by Smart Money.
• NY Times says Food Prices Expected to Keep Going Up.
• FT announces that AIG is to pay retention bonuses to executives.
• Fed Aid Sets Off a Rush to Refinance writes the Wall Street Journal.

Credit Scores:

• Consumer Credit Help answers this reader question on How a No-Limit Credit Card Can Affect Your Credit Score.
• Real Estate Professionals Redding posts TIPS TO PUMP UP YOUR CREDIT SCORE!
• Washington Posts and Your 10-Point Credit Checkup.
• Credit Scores Even More Key In A Tight Economy writes NPR.

Credit Cards:

• LA Times writes How to get a lower rate on a credit card.
• Money Savvy on Credit Cards For Bad Credit to Help Rebuild Credit History.
• Free Money Finance blogs Protecting Your Identity This Holiday Season.
• CNBC warns consumers in Buyer Beware: Store Credit Cards.
• Daily Markets and Why We’re Bearish On Credit Cards.

Debt:

• The Motley Fool says De-Leverage Your Wallet.
• Angelica Credit Issues offers 11 Secrets to Paying Off Credit Card Debts.
• The Simple Dollar asks Is Debt Necessary For Generating Income?
• Seeking Alpha writes Living on Debt Gives Way to Fiscal Prudence.
• Wise Bread asks Do we really need help with getting more debt?

News about Credit Karma:

• Seeking Alpha writes Credit Karma Uses Ad Model to Provide Free Credit Information.
• FlipKey posts Attracting trusted vacation rental guests - Targeting those with good credit can help.

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