The Phone Call. + MORE

I did not expect it! Actually, it was not a crash but more like a slam by the big commercial banks, led by JPMorgan Chase & Co.
This “slam” damaged the precious metals market — not permanently, but definitely for a few months. This scares a lot of gold and silver longtime holders, and I suppose that many gave up…

Hi Everyone! And welcome to those of you who are visiting from my guest post about staff writing on MakingSenseofCents! For all those newbies out there, please subscribe to get all my shenanigans in your inbox and learn more about me.
Now for this week’s writing wrap up:
Grenada/Life Update
Today is the END of the hubs’ semester from hell, folks! Let’s dance! Let’s do the wave! Do a back flip for me if you can! I am so excited! 6 months of straight med school is not for the faint of heart, and it’s really not that fun for the wife either…

With more and more people struggling to make ends meet, it’s no surprise that cash advances have become more popular. The combination of government cuts, job losses, stagnant wages and rising costs have led families to the brink of a financial crisis and if you’re starting to find that your paycheck is running out half way through the month then you’re not alone…

Now, only the very wealthy have to worry about estate planning.
That’s what many people believe after the latest estate tax law, and that belief could cause a lot of problems for them and their heirs.
Estate planning is more than tax reduction. Estate planning ensures that your wealth is transferred to those you want in the way you want, with minimal cost and delay…

There are about 7,500 subscribers to this blog – 5,000 of which are subscribed through Google Reader.
That presents a tiny (OK, HUMONGOUS problem). Why?
As of this coming Monday, July 1, Google Reader will no longer exist. And all 5,000 who have been reading 20somethingfinance.com posts through Reader will no longer be able to…

Link for teaser title: 

Create time for the things you love in 5 easy steps. Find out how on our commissioned guest post for Amex’s #PassionProject…

Several weeks ago, my husband was horrified to find that some miscreant decided to key his beloved 1993 Volvo 240 while it was parked at our local Wal-Mart. The paint was scraped off all the way to the metal underneath, with the damage spanning two separate door panels.
Because the car is 20 years old, the “simple” repair will be fairly costly, as the body shop will have to mix the paint in order to match the now-faded factory color…

Talking openly and honestly about money, whether with friends or family, has its benefits. Starting a conversation can be difficult, particularly if one party to the discussion is at a different place financially than the other party. Sometimes, it’s even a better choice not to discuss money if doing so might stand in the way of cherished personal relationships, particularly if it’s not a relationship where money is a critical factor…

When big banks fight for their share of the cash rewards market, credit card users will always come out on top. Capital One just released its new Quicksilver Rewards card that sets a new standard for flat rate cash back rewards. But at the same time, stalwart American Express still has an attractive option in its Blue Cash Everyday card…

My first car was a 1978 Chevy pickup.
It cost my Mom and Dad around a thousand dollars, I think.
That even included a new cherry red paint job.
It wasn’t the prettiest, fastest truck on the road. But it got me back and forth to school each day just fine. It didn’t break my parents bank account either…

Happy Friday everyone and happy long weekend to all my Canadian peeps. My hubby and I are heading camping for our long weekend. I can’t wait to get some hiking in and have a few nice paddles in our kayaks. There is nothing more relaxing than spending time in nature on a hopefully hot and sunny summer weekend…

Making any financial change can be annoying. Whether it is switching banks or switching credit cards, there is a fair bit of work that needs to be done in order to transition from one institution to another. Is it worth it? Oftentimes, yes it is – especially if you’re paying fees.
I’m currently in the middle of deciding if I should sign up for a different credit card…

Fresh off research about how wealth skews behavior comes a study suggesting that even the mention of dollars can have a subconscious influence.Researchers from Harvard and the University of Utah have published a study indicating that people are more likely to lie or exhibit unethical behavior after hearing or seeing words related to money, MarketWatch says…

This post is from staff writer April Dykman. They got me during my freshman year of college. I was walking back to my dorm, just an unsuspecting university student, and a guy with a clipboard approached. One quick application and a t-shirt later, and I had a Visa credit card and a $1,000 credit line…

The latest rankings of the world’s richest people show that telecom magnate Carlos Slim of Mexico is again on the top of the heap, followed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
Both of these men amassed dizzying fortunes primarily with one investment: Gates with Microsoft (MSFT) and Slim with America Movil (AMX), one of the largest telecom companies in the world…

Last night I got one of those phone calls everyone dreads getting in the middle of the night: an emergency happened to a family member 🙁
Turns out my uncle – who’s been in and out of the hospital for years with heart problems – was finally on his last legs and was expected to pass any time over night…

While we’re not exactly the type to go out and pay for a professional service to treat and fertilize our lawn for us so that we have a glowing patch of perfect green outside of our home, we do like to have a decent lawn that’s at least alive enough so that our children can run around on it without scraping up their feet and hearing a constant “crunch crunch crunch” sound…

It’s important to know how to impress people at your work. In fact I wrote on this topic a number of times. 101 ways to be better at work is one of them. I am particularly proud of the article 20 Ways to be Productive and Happy at Work. Sometimes it is essential to also know the things that can set your manager off, so that you are aware and don’t commit such mistakes…

Welcome to the weekly Friday giveaway roundup! Every single Friday we post giveaways ending within the next week. If you want to make sure you never miss one of these posts be sure to subscribe via RSS or Email.
Happy Friday everyone!
I hope you had a great week. We had quite an interesting weekend last weekend…I’ll let you read in the random updates section…