Sometimes I look back and wonder what might have been if I had answered some interview questions differently. At the same time, some of the engineers I talked to had said that they put in 12-13 hours of work a day. This is one of the reasons that I never dwell on Facebook. It wasn't a place that I was going to be successful at. I put in those hours at start-ups before, but I had reached a point where I needed to focus on balancing time with friends and family.

So the big news is that tomorrow Facebook is going to go public. What this means is that those employees will be able to start exercising their stock options and getting real cash to spend. It seems like that is grabbing some nationwide headlines. However, it's magnified a thousand times in the local media.

It's got me thinking, "With all the Facebook money in the local area, how can I capitalize on it?" I know a local real estate agent who is expecting a bit of a windfall as a flood of new millionaires look for housing. Try as I might, I haven't been able to come up with a way to get my hands on any of that money. (If you have any tips, leave a comment.)

The question that everyone seems to be asking is whether they should buy into the Facebook IPO. It is looking to be priced at around $38 and I expect that it might close tomorrow somewhere in the $42-46 range based on the excitement. That would make Facebook worth around $120 billion dollars. That's certainly a lot of money, but it is not an unreasonable valuation of Facebook in my opinion. I think once the excitement dies down it could fall back to close to $30 a share. At that point, I would probably consider grabbing some. I'm a strong believer that attention is one of the most valuable commodities in today's world, and Facebook seems to be the leader with many people spending hours of their time there.

That's how I intend to play the Facebook IPO. What about you?

Well, we know that Facebook isn't going to be worth 36 trillion dollars?

One of the biggest reasons people don’t have a budget is because of time constraints. Especially when it comes to starting your budget, gathering all of the information you need and picking a budgeting program or designing your own budget spreadsheet can be time consuming.

Luckily, a budget doesn’t need to be very complicated to be effective. And if you follow these steps, you can easily manage your money in less than ten minutes a day. In fact, if you’re efficient, you may be able to budget in as little as ten minutes per week.

Start by Getting Your Finances Organized

Nearly all of the transactions that you need to make a budget are included in your checking account and credit card accounts. Actually, your credit card payments are also included in your checking account, so for a more simple budget, you can track your finances by simply keeping a running tab of your checking account.

Most people pay their bills a few times each month. When you do, simply list all of your transactions in a spreadsheet. In your spreadsheet, add a column for each transaction with the date, source (ATM, debit card, check number, or direct deposit), amount, account balance, budget category and description. Make sure that you check your online banking so that you can add any debit and direct transactions to your spreadsheet.

If you also want to show some detail about your credit card transactions, you can add this too, but you should use a separate list so that you don’t account for credit card spending twice. This part of your budgeting can usually be done in a few minutes per day or less than a half hour per week.

[Ben’s Note: This is one of the reasons why I ;put most of our expenses on our Blue Cash credit card and use online bill pay for most everything else. Being able to download and analyze all your spending in a spreadsheet or personal finance software makes it easy to see where your money is going.]

Summarize Your Spending Once a Month

Now that you’ve got a list of all of your major financial transactions, use it to create a monthly budget summary. A budget summary is really very simple. It shows your income and expenses for each category. To compute it, you already have all of the information in your checking spreadsheet.

If you are good with spreadsheets, you can easily create a pivot table that will summarize the transactions for you in just a few clicks of the mouse. For help with this step, you can use a video tutorial on how to create a budget spreadsheet.

When you are finished with this step, you will have a summarized list of each expense and income category. It is essentially a simplified budget, but it is all you really need. If you want to create a more detailed or easier to read budget, continue to the next step.

Enter the Summarized Information Into a Budget Template

The previous steps shouldn’t have taken long to execute, so you may have some time left to make your budget a little more detailed and easier to read. After all, one month’s worth of expenses typically doesn’t include things like your annual property taxes, income taxes, and insurance payments. That’s because many expenses only come up once or twice a year.

To account for these, you can enter the information you calculated in the step above to a household budget template. This will add a portion of the annual fees into each month’s budget so you can have a better picture of where you stand financially. This step could take as long as an hour or two to set up the first time, but each month after that you should be able to do it in just a few minutes.

While this method of budgeting is very simple, it is effective because you can easily customize it and keep it as simple as possible. This will save you a lot of time as compared to other budgeting techniques, and is a great way to start organizing your finances in the hopes of saving more money.

Chris Snelling has been writing articles about money related topics for over twelve years. His most recent endeavor has been creating Budget Ways, a resource devoted to budgeting and saving money.

Over the years we’ve compiled so many tips for new grads (51+ as of last count), that I wanted to share them all again! Here’s a roadmap of all the financial tips for new graduates.

source: jessiejacobson

Finance Tips for New Graduates

• 6 Mistakes of New Earners and How to Fix Them: Earning your first “real” paycheck is an exciting time, but only if you handle it well. The younger you are when you start managing your money well, the better positioned you will be later in life. Take these and other money tips into consideration and you’ll be sitting pretty.
• 10 Financial Tips for New Grads: Many older adults look back and say the number one thing they wish they would have done differently was learned about money management while they were young. Here’s your chance to jump start your finances!
• 29 Money-Smart Tips for New Grads: Readers share their financial tips for new graduates, including stay out of credit card debt, start saving for retirement now, live frugally and plenty more great tips.
• Keep Your Eye on the Graduation Prize: Advice for celebrating in style…without breaking the bank! If you’re graduating…congratulations! If you know someone who is, give them a gift ahead of time by sharing this with them!
• 6 Job Search Tips for New College Grads: As graduation nears, here are some things to consider to make your search a success.
• Student Loans: Repayment Options: After graduation, you typically have a 6 month grace period before loan payments are due. Check out the differing options and which repayment might be best for your own situation.
• Secret Costs of Moving Out on Your Own: Perhaps you are graduating college this spring and will be moving out on your own for the first time, or are moving out alone for the first time in a long time. Here are common costs besides food, entertainment, and clothing that you will run across so that you can properly prepare.

Do you have new graduates in your life? What is the most important graduation message you plan to share with them?

Click here to leave a comment on this article.
© My Dollar Plan

I live in a small town with a handful of clothing stores.  That’s why I was thrilled when a local business owner announced she was hosting a clothing swap at her hip store Willow.  I gathered up a bag full of unwanted items from my closet, entered the date and time on my calendar, and sat back and waited only to learn that the event was rescheduled.

Although I wasn’t able to attend the clothing swap the following week, I continue to keep my eyes open for Facebook events and additional opportunities to trade clothes and accessories with my friends.  As a lover of all things thrift and bargain-priced, there’s nothing more enticing than a clothing swap.

For one thing, swapping saves you money.  It also gives you an excuse to finally clean out your closet and get rid of the things that you never wear.  Last but not least, clothing swaps are good for the environment.

So many useable items are discarded long before they’re worn out.  You can take the things that no longer fit or flatter and give them to someone that can use them.  With upcycling being so popular, even the dullest attire can be repurposed into other useable goods.

Here are some websites online that let you swap clothing, accessories, and other items:

• Rehashclothes.com – Although the name implies otherwise, this site allows you to swap books, housewares, and pet clothes along with gently used garments from your own closet.  Bid on the item of your choice by offering an item of your own in exchange.  You can also post a description of an item you’re looking for and see if anyone responds to it.  
• Dignswap.com – This easy-to-use website has two search options.  You can browse by category or by specific product names.  Although the site is free to join, each swap costs $1 plus shipping.
• Swapstyle.com – The global site allows its users to take pictures of the things they no longer want or need.  When they find something on the site that interests them, they offer a trade and see what transpires.  The other party has the option to choose anything you have listed in exchange for the item you want.  If you want access to clothing and accessories from other countries, this is a great place to look.
• Zwaggle.com – This site is the place to go for kids’ clothes and gear.  You earn Zoints every time you refer a friend or send items.  You can even donate your unused Zoints to charity.  How awesome is that?

You can also check out MeetUp.com to see if there is a local group in your area.  With 90,000 members on the site, there’s a good chance you can start your own clothing swap group and get a good turnout each time you meet.

Don’t let those clothes from last season stay in your closet any longer!  Take advantage of all the different swaps online and get some new clothing to wear this summer.  You never know how easy it is until you try it out yourself.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that bringing more money in will solve your financial struggles, but it’s important to remember that those supposed “added” funds come with their own price tag. Make more money, you’ll pay more in taxes. Work more hours to bring in more pay, you lose valuable time you could be using to help you save or better allocate what you already have.  Don’t forget, too, that if you have children, you’ll likely have to pay more money in daycare costs. Need I say more? Stop struggling and take control using these six steps.

1. Identify and itemize monthly expenses. This is admittedly the most difficult step. While it may be easy to sit down and create a list of ongoing bills, it can be an excruciating experience to come clean about personal spending habits. If you regularly purchase a cup of Joe (or a double tall macchiato), it is an expense and it must be included. The goal of this step is not humiliate or create guilt. It’s simply to create an accurate record of where all of your money is going every month. Remember, you need be the only person whoever sees this record, so ‘fess up now to find more money later.

2. Compare to monthly incoming funds. Be honest with yourself and only record money what you receive on a regular basis. Remember, the goal is to plan and spend smarter, not work harder (or more). Once you’ve figured out exactly how much you bring in each month (after taxes and any necessary medical deductions), you’ll want to subtract the total dollar amount figured in step #1. If you have money left over, great, keep reading to learn ways to keep even more of your hard earned money. If you find a negative number staring back at you, take a deep breath and realize you’re on the road to remedying the situation pronto!

3. Identify fixed versus fluctuating expenses. There are likely many expenses you have little to no control over: your housing cost, car payment (if you have one) and your phone bill to name a few. Separate your monthly expenses identified in step #1 into 2 lists. Label one “fixed” and the other “fluctuating.” The expenses in the “fixed” lists are the costs that must get paid each month and are predictable. The expenses in the “fluctuating” list are the costs over which you have at least some amount of control. This is also the place you will likely find much of the funds that are simply slipping away form you each month.

4. Prioritize expenses. I hate the term “needs versus wants.” Well, duh, I could give up things I simply want to save money, but I’m a firm believer that quality of life counts, too. So rather than beating yourself up for things you want, prioritize the expenses that fluctuate. If you simply can’t give up your spa manicures, don’t. Instead cut back to once every two weeks. Love the specialty drinks your favorite barista whips up? Change the size you order or treat yourself every other day rather than daily. The little niceties of life do add up. Prioritize the ones that truly make your life easier or more enjoyable and make concessions in other areas to help pay for them. You’ll reap financial rewards and be able to savor them without guilt.

Related posts:

1. 10 Reasons Why You Should Pay Attention to Your Finances
2. 7 Ways to Control Spending when You Have Out-of-Town Guests
3. Payday Lenders are Disastrous to Your Finances
4. Six “How to’s” for Your Kids to Control Their Money
5. July 2007 Score Card — Part II: Expenses

Original Post on www.thesunsfinancialdiary.com

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As with so many other things, enjoying a less expensive relocation is all about planning and patience. The willingness to do a lot of the work yourself helps too. Learn a few excellent strategies for saving money while moving below.

Sell or Donate Unneeded Things

The fewer belongings you have, the less expensive your move is going to be. With that in mind, you should do what you can to unload unneeded things in the weeks and months leading up to your move.

As far as nicer (unneeded) things go, you should try to sell them. You can use the money that you earn to finance your relocation. These strategies won’t just save you money; they will make your move easier and allow you to get a nice, fresh start at your new place.

Get Free Boxes

People are often taken aback by how expensive fresh, new cardboard boxes can be. After all, the only time they’re generally needed is during a big move. Before you fork over a bunch of money for moving boxes, try to find as many free ones as possible.

Solicit friends and relatives for unneeded boxes. Check with local stores to see if they have any handy, too. Don’t forget to check sites like Craigslist and FreeCycle. People are often anxious to unload their old boxes after moving. When your move is complete, you can return the favor.

Do Your Own Packing

As tempting as it may be to hire someone else to pack your belongings, it’s just one more thing that adds to the cost of moving. The key here is to start packing early. There are sure to be many things that can be packed long before moving day arrives.

Try to use inexpensive packing materials like old newspapers as much as possible. Things like bubble wrap can really add up over time. Be as organized as possible. Label each box so that you will have an easy time unpacking later.

Get Multiple Quotes

Do-it-yourself moves are the cheapest options. If you go that route, you’ll need to rent a moving truck. Don’t just go to the closest truck rental company and choose the first one you see. Request quotes from at least three different places. The same thing goes for moving companies.

If you need to hire movers, solicit quotes from at least three of them. You’re sure to be amazed by the huge pricing differences that you will encounter. Don’t just base your decision on pricing alone, though. Read the fine print to ensure that you get the level of quality that you need.

Hire Friends and Relatives to Help on Moving Day

As long as you’re willing to return the favor yourself someday, you should try to round up as many friends and relatives to help on moving day as possible. If cash is tight, you could always try bribing them with offers of icy cold beverages and nice meals.

Plan Ahead to Save Cash

The people who get away with spending the least amount of money on their moves are the ones who plan everything ahead of time. If you wait until the last minute to make the necessary arrangements, you are going to pay dearly for it. Furthermore, waiting too long puts you at risk of not having the help or equipment you need when the time comes. Moving trucks are often booked solid for weeks in advance, and hiring a moving company at the last minute is just about impossible. In addition to saving money, planning ahead will make the experience a lot less stressful. Before you know it, you’ll be settled into your new home with money to spare.

Save money on travel by downloading free apps.

source: Das Telefonbuch

Free Travel Apps

1. GasBuddy. Ideal for road trips, this app lists all the gas stations near you, the current price per gallon, and directs you how to get there. With gas prices soaring, you can’t afford not to give this app a try.

2. Hotels.com. Whether it’s a last minute deal or something planned in advance, the hotels.com app is a great choice. It finds the cheapest hotel rates near you and helps keep track of your reservations.
3. Happy Hour. Looking for a great happy hour special? Regardless of the time of day, the app lists all restaurants and bars near you that are offering deals right now. Grab drink specials, half off appetizers, and other great dining bargains.
4. TripAdvisor. The TripAdvisor app helps you find hotels, restaurants, and things to do near you and helpful reviews from fellow travelers so you’re not wasting your money on something that leaves something to be desired.
5. Beat the Traffic. Whether traveling across the country or simply to work every morning, this traffic fighting app is a must. The app highlights the area around you either in green, yellow, or red depending on the current traffic volume. It alerts you to accidents, construction, and even predicts how the traffic will be in the future. Avoiding the delays will save money on gas and not waste your precious time.
6. Kayak. This handy app compares all of the great deals from other sites so you don’t have to search them all individually. Find the low price on flights, hotels, car rentals and also manage your trip.
7. Groupon. Choose any city you’re planning on traveling to to view fantastic deals. Grab bargains on restaurants, bars, spas, entertainment, attractions, and more. The company also teamed up with Expedia to offer great Groupon getaway offers such as hotel stays and fabulous resort packages.
8. Coupons. The Coupons App finds coupons for everything around you. When you’re on the road, you’ll be able to find coupons for places to grab a bite or a huge variety of stores to shop in.
9. Mint.com. It’s easy to lose track of your budget when you’re on vacation. The Mint.com app allows you to be organized and keep track of all of your finances, budget accordingly, and manage your money so you don’t come home from your trip broke.
10. Currency Converter. Anytime you’re traveling abroad, this currency calculator app is a must. The app ensures you know exactly how your money converts so you’re paying the correct amount and not being taken advantage of.
11. MapQuest. Saying the MapQuest app gives you great directions is an understatement. Whether you’re walking or driving, you can pick if you’d like the fastest or shortest route. Choose if you’d like to avoid highways, toll roads, seasonal closures, and unpaved roads. Besides the distance and time in between each direction, you’ll also get specific instructions on how to know if you’ve went too far It also shows highlights areas of interest like hospitals, coffee shops, movie theatres, schools, parking, hotels, gas stations, and restaurants.

Happy travels!

More Travel Tips

• Budget Travel Tips
• Best Travel & Hotel Rewards Credit Cards
• How to Save Money on Purchases While Traveling Abroad
• Get the Most Bang for Your Frequent Flyer Miles

Click here to leave a comment on this article.
© My Dollar Plan

Look at that!

Yesterday, hours after I wrote an article on SmartMoney’s 2012 Best Brokers Survey, in which I wondered how come Zecco and TradeKing were ranked next to each other in the magazine’s annual rating, an email from Zecco arrived, with the subject line “Zecco and TradeKing Are Merging”.

I have to say that I was more surprised by the announcement of merger than by the rankings in the SmartMoney survey because I just couldn’t understand the reason behind the latest development. To me, these two brokers are far too apart in almost every area, except online stock trading commission. One, TradeKing, has good reputation, excellent customer service, comprehensive products and tools, and user-friendly, easy to use website, while the onther, Zecco, is perhaps just the opposite. With that said, I think there are reasons how TradeKing can benefit from combining its business with Zecco’s: There are products that Zecco offers, but TradeKing doesn’t have. For example, Zecco allows its customers to trade Forex, which is not available at TradeKing; Zecco has a mobile app for both iPhone and Andriod phones, while you can only trade on iPhones with TradeKing; Zecco also has a Facebook app that lets you trade within Facebook and a web app called Zap Trade that makes trading stocks anywhere on the web possible. However, for me, none of these will make a difference because I am already a customer of both companies and, therefore, I already have access to all the tools.

But if you are a customer of either broker, what will the merger mean to you? Well, there won’t be any significant change financially since both of them charge the same commission, $4.95/trade, for online stock trades. The change will come more in the accessibility of some of the tools mentioned above. Particularly, according to the announcement I received, after the merger,

First and foremost, you’ll keep the same tools, products and services that attracted you to Zecco to begin with. And with our expanded investor community, we can deliver a new social experience that is dramatically more powerful with more diverse viewpoints and opportunities for learning.

Plus, you’ll gain important new offerings, such as access to TradeKing’s premium set of top-rated tools for options traders, Fixed Income capabilities, comprehensive educational offerings and award-winning customer service.

Depending on whom you are with now and your investment strategies, these tools may not be that helpful. I still make trades with TradeKing, but haven’t done anything with my Zecco account. Probably I should just move everything to TradeKing and close the account since I will soon have access to tools at both companies anyway.

In the press release, the companies said after the merger, the new company “would have a combined client base of approximately 500,000 accounts.” I wonder how many of those accounts come from Zecco.

Related posts:

1. Zecco vs TradeKing: Low Cost Discount Broker Comparison
2. $100 OptionsXpress Bonus Received, Zecco Referral Bonuses Distributed, and Account Transfer to TradeKing Completed
3. Discount Broker Reviews: Scottrade, Zecco, TradeKing, ShareBuilder, E-Trade, Firstrade, and QQQDirect
4. Zecco, TradeKing, ING Direct Referral Bonus and More [Ongoing]
5. Zecco Eliminates Free Trades and Raises Stock Trade Commissions

Original Post on www.thesunsfinancialdiary.com

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Smartphone usage in Canada has increased exponentially in recent years. According to a September 2011 report released by comScore, there are 20.1 million mobile phone subscribers in Canada, 8 million of which own a smartphone. With nearly 1 million apps available for iPhone and Android smartphones, there are apps for just about everything, including saving money. Let’s take a look at the top money-saving apps for frugal shoppers.

1.ShopCatch

• Website: http://www.shopcatch.com/
• Free, Torstar Digital
• Phones: Android, BlackBerry, iPhone

Searching flyers for the best deals can be a drag – wouldn’t it be nice if retailers offered their best deals directly to you? With ShopCatch you’ll save money and time – this handy app uses your phone’s GPS to determine your location and offers the best deals nearby. There are plenty of features to save you money – follow your favourite store to see the latest offers, share deals with friends through Facebook and Twitter, and receive exclusive offers. ShopCatch started as an app exclusively for Toronto, but is now available nationwide.

2. ShopSavvy

• Website: http://shopsavvy.com/
• Free, ShopSavvy Inc.
• Phones: Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile

Have you ever bought an item, only to find out you could have gotten a better deal elsewhere? Worry no more with ShopSavvy – simply scan the barcode of the product you’re interested in and you’ll instantly find out which nearby retailer offers the best deal. No barcode? No problem. Search for keywords of the product you’d like to buy and save money. ShopSavvy doesn’t just work with traditional brick-and-mortar retailers – you can find the best deals online as well and share them with friends via Facebook and Twitter.

3. Groupon

• Website: http://www.groupon.ca/
• Free, Groupon Inc.
• Phones: Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile

Groupon instantly delivers the best coupons and deals to your smartphone for over 500 cities worldwide. If you’re new to Groupon here’s how it works: Groupon negotiates exclusive deals for its registered users – typically 50-90% off retail – and delivers them daily. With Groupon you receive exclusive offers and discover great new stores and restaurants. Groupon works seamlessly with your smartphone – purchase and redeem deals instantly. If you’re going on vacation there’s even a feature called Groupon Getaway that allows you to plan your spending and to give your credit card a vacation as well.  Here is a Groupon review.

4. DealLeak

• Website: http://www.dealleak.com/
• Free, DealLeak
• Phones: Android

With so many deal websites out there, keeping track of daily deals can be a real chore. DealLeak brings the best deals from online deal-of-the-day websites like Groupon, iCouponOnline, HalfOffDepot and Google, directly to your smartphone. You can further customize DealLeak by entering your postal code and location, so you only receive deals of interest to you. Plus, you can share the best deals with friends via Facebook and Twitter.

5. Craigslist

• Website: http://www.craigslist.ca/
• Free, Escargot Studios, LLC
• Phones: Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile

Craigslist is similar to eBay. It allows users to post stuff they’d like to sell – anything from basketball hoops to computers can be sold. If you’re constantly on the go and don’t a PC nearby, Craigslist app is a must-have for bargain hunting. Receive instant notifications when new stuff is posted in your area – notifications can be customized based on search criteria and price range. If you’re looking to sell your slightly used Mazda Protégé you can do that too – this handy app allows you to post ads quickly and easily. Never miss out on a great deal again with Craigslist app.

Final Thoughts

Smartphones have revolutionized the way companies market to potential customers. With smartphone apps like ShopCatch and ShopSavvy, shoppers are able to find the deals they’re looking for. As the usage of smartphone continue to increase, it will be interesting to see creative new ways retailers come up with to market to customers. Do you use smartphone apps to find deals? Which apps do you like best? Please let us know.

Smartphone usage statistics: http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2011/11/Smartphone_Adoption_Reaches_40_Percent_in_Canada

About the Author: Sean Cooper is a single, 20-something year old, first time home buyer located in Toronto. He has experience in the financial sector as a Pension Analyst, RESP administrator and Income Tax Preparer. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in business management from Ryerson University.

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