General

How To Sell Stuff on Amazon.com

We all know that you can buy stuff on Amazon.com, but not everyone is familiar with the Amazon Marketplace where you can sell stuff as well.  If you want to get rid of some clutter from your home or you are in need of some extra cash, selling stuff online is definitely an option.  Below are the steps you would follow if you want to sell your stuff online using the Amazon Marketplace:

1.  Go to Amazon.com and on the bottom left hand side of the home page, you’ll see “Selling with Amazon”.   Click on the link that says “Sell Your Stuff”.

2.   You will be taken to the “Sell Your Stuff” page that says:  “Earn cash by selling your stuff on Amazon.com. It’s easy, it’s fast, and it doesn’t cost you a penny until your item sells.”

3.  Amazon has 18 categories to choose from including Books, Video, Software, Baby Products, and Everything Else to name a few.  Select the category that is most appropriate for the item you want to sell and enter a keyword or title and click the “Start Selling” button.

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May 22, 2009
Credit Cards

Money Management For Kids – When Do Kids Get a Credit Card?

It’s never too soon to talk to kids about money, and as for a card, it’s best to start them on one before they leave home, say perhaps when they are a junior or senior in high school. Let me give an example.

Before my daughter left for college, she got a checking account, linked to her parents (of course), and then later a credit card with a very low limit. The idea here was for her to learn to pay for things herself before she got out into the big bad world on her own. I like starting them on these things while they’re still under their parents’ roof, so they get practice, and when they decide on the 5 jeans, and then realize there isn’t enough dough left for lunch and gas money, guess what? They brown bag it to school and take the bus! Or they ride with friends, etc. There’s no harm in their experiencing the consequences of overspending while they are with you, and their limit is low.

You can get a card with just a few hundred dollars limit, and then help them pay it off in full and on time every month. This is actually very good because it builds good credit, it gives them practice, and they feel like a big shot! Not only that, they aren’t constantly asking you for to cover the pizza fund. Well, probably they are still asking, but at least your child can see how far a finite amount of money goes, and learn to adjust, or not!

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May 21, 2009
Banking

Avoid ATM Fees

ATM use can be costly if you aren’t careful.  Before using an ATM, I would recommend first finding out how much the fees are going to be.  Check with your financial institution (FI) to determine what fees they will charge you.  Keep in mind that even if your FI doesn’t charge you, if you use another bank’s ATM the other bank will charge you!  If you discover that you are being charged for ATM withdrawals, either make one large withdrawal instead of several smaller ones, or consider using your debit card or credit card instead of using cash to make purchases.  You can also ask for cash back at local grocery stores and other retail stores.  ATMs certainly are convenient, but make sure that you are not paying excessive fees when using them.  Here are two questions to ask your FI:

1.  Am I charged any fees if I use your ATM machines?

– for cash withdrawals?

-for transferring funds?

-for balance inquiries?

2. Do you charge me fees if I use another FI’s ATM machines?  If so, how much?

May 20, 2009
Money Saving Tips

Use A Programmable Thermostat

use a programmable thermostatI highly recommend buying a programmable thermostat, as it will pay for itself in less than 2 months.  These devices will save you a lot of money in both the winter and the summer.  The first winter we spent in our home we decided not to buy one because we thought we wouldn’t save that much money and it might be complicated or time consuming to program.  During the coldest winter months our heating bill was about $140 to $160. Our second winter, however, we decided to try out the programmable thermostat to see if it would work better for us.  We bought a Honeywell thermostat that you can program for each day of the week.  It turned out to be simple to install and easy to program, and we paid about $30 less per month, so the device more than paid for itself.  Programmable thermostats can also be beneficial in the hot summer months as you can use them to program your air conditioning.  I look forward to seeing how it works for us this summer.  Programmable thermostats are great gadgets that conserve energy and lower heating and cooling costs.  I think using one is a super way for us to do our part and “go green”.  You know you’re doing something right when you can save money and be environmentally friendly at the same time.

May 19, 2009
Book Reviews

Read Rich Dad Poor Dad – It’s A Great Book!

Read Rich Dad Poor DadRich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money -That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not!  by Robert Kiyosaki

Want to read the Rich Dad series?  I would recommend you start with Rich Dad Poor Dad.  It is the true story of Robert Kiyosaki’s experiences with his 2 “fathers”.  One is his real father who earned a high salary but didn’t know how to manage his money, and the other is his best friend’s father who didn’t have a “secure job” with a high salary, but had the financial know-how to use OPM (Other People’s Money) to make wise investments that made him into a millionaire.  This book will certainly get your attention because it will make you question what you likely had drilled into your head as a child.  Most parents encourage their children to find secure jobs and to buy a house and a car, but don’t tell them how to properly manage their money.  Robert suggests that there really is no “secure job” and that a house and a car are not really assets.  Rather than working for someone else and helping them realize their dreams, he recommends working for yourself and buying assets that produce positive cash flow.  This is a great book to read if you want to learn more about making your money work for you

May 18, 2009