Online Banking

Get rid of your crappy Bank of America savings account (or whatever other low interest bearing account you may have) and put your money in an online bank. Two of my favorites are ING Direct (http://home.ingdirect.com/) and Countrywide Financial (http://my.countrywide.com/). Currently, CWF has a better rate (5.4%) so it's my primary savings account but ING Direct has a MUCH better interface. I'd recommend that if you are just getting started in online banking for your savings account, go with the ING account. It's very easy to use and easy to transfer money. If you start an account and refer your friends to ING, you get a bonus (and so do they!). No matter which online bank you use, look for no fees to transfer money to your external account (usually your checking account). Let me know how it goes!

Friday Post, This is a simple one...

Start taking your lunch with you to work. Everyone intuitively knows this but few do this. You know that you can take some leftover spaghetti from the night before instead of going to Baja Fresh for lunch. If you practice that consistentely, you will save a ton of money. Let's say Baja Fresh (with a drink) is about $8. Bringing lunch is about a buck. That's a $7/day savings. Just do that 3 times a week and you've now saved $1092 per year. That's HUGE!!! Now get to it....

Free Refills with your Girlfriend, Wife, Boyfriend, Husband, Whatever....

How many of you go to Burger King with your significant other and you each get a combo? Have you ever considered sharing a drink with them? I mean don't you already swat spit anyway? What's the harm in drinking out of the same cup? Let' say a drink costs about $1.25 and let's say you eat out at fast food joings a couple of times a week. (That's probably a conservative estimate, right?). Over the course of a year, you are looking at a savings of $130. It's sort of like someone coming up to you on December 31st and saying here is $130 for you. Do you want it? OF COURSE YOU DO!!!!

Now, I know what some of you are thinking: "But, that's taking free soda from Burger King". Is it really? I'm NOT suggesting you go in there and bring an empty cup from home and fill up your drink. That would be stealing. But, I am saying that I know my girlfriend usually only drinks a freakin' 1/3 of her drink anyway and I almost always get at least 3 refills. Not to mention that I'm already paying for all the food. Is 4 ounces of Coke that big a deal in the grand scheme of things when they know they have me as a loyal customer? Think about it....

First Post!

Recently, I ran across a blog called http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/. It's a great resource, surely but I already practice many of the things that are talked about in the blog. I think the blog is also a great read. It's written in a no-nonsense, no-bullshit sort of way that hits home directly! It's freakin' awesome. It has inspired me to write. I have many ideas similar to what is mentioned in http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/. But, I also have other ideas and methods that I use to hold on to my money. My blog will help show people how to hold on to their money and have it work for them.