Recommended Personal Finance Articles From: The Digerati Life, Fund My Mutual Fund, Financial Armageddon, Blogging Away Debt, Northern Cheapskate...

Here's several recommended articles from those sites that share links with Plugged in Finance. I hope they are of use to you.

The Digerati Life. "National Unemployment Statistics: Job Losses at Record High."

Fund My Mutual Fund. "CALPERS (California Pension Plan) - Too Big to Fail, and Acting Like It."

Financial Armageddon. "Running Out of Options."

Blogging Away Debt. "Ways To Get By While On Unemployment..."

Northern Cheapskate. "Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel."

My Good Cents. "Pampers Extra Protection Diapers Sample." Plus other free stuff from Wal-Mart.

Veterans Dine For Free at Applebee's This Veterans Day (Wed, 11 NOV)

In recognition of your service to our country, all veterans and military service members are invited to eat free at Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar Restaurants this Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009.

As you may recall, Applebee's launched a pilot program last year on Veterans Day offering free entrees to military service members and Veterans. Because the response was so overwhelmingly positive, Applebee's is extending the invitation throughout the country this Year.

All U.S. Veterans and military service members with proof of current or former military service will eat free at all Applebee's nationwide on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009.
Proof of service includes:

* U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card,
* U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card,
* Current Leave and Earnings Statement,
* Veterans Organization Card,
* Photograph in uniform
* Or wearing uniform.

For additional details, visit: www.applebees.com/vetsday or contact your local Applebees.

Recommended Personal Finance Articles From: The Digerati Life, Free Money Finance, Fund My Mutual Fund, My Two Dollars, Military Finance Network, Etc

Here's several recommended articles from those sites that share links with Plugged in Finance. I hope they are of use to you.

The Digerati Life. "Double Dip Recession: Why Dow 10,000 May Not Last."

Free Money Finance. "Interesting Money Facts."

Fund My Mutual Fund. "Inverse Correlation Between Stocks and the US Dollar in One Chart."

My Two Dollars. "Share With Your Neighbors at Neighbor Goods."

Military Finance Network. "2009 Veterans Day Discounts."

Northern Cheapskate. "Cool Ice Cream Coupons." It might be cold, but it's still comfort food.

IRS Announces 2010 Pension and 401K Plan Limits Remain Unchanged

Donna Cheswick reports that pension and 401k contribution limits will remain unchanged in 2010.


I'm surprised. I thought that deflation would cause these limits to adjust about $500 lower.


Here's her article.

What Morningstar and Yahoo Finance Say About The No/Low Cost Dividend Reinvestment Plans I'm Actively Investing In (BHI, JNJ, MHP, WMT, XOM)

I'm actively buying in five dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPS). I like DRIPS because you have the opportunity of buying stocks for the long haul and significantly undercut transaction costs that you would otherwise experience at discount brokers.

I'm cautious on the overall stock market since we are due for an economic hangover when all of the stimulus spending dries up. That said, I'm willing to pick and choose from various stocks. I'm investing small monthly amounts in the following DRIPs:

Baker Hughes (BHI)
* No Economic Moat
* B Stewardship Grade
* Three Star Morningstar Rating
* 1.34% dividend yield
* 8.24% earnings yield
* 12.14 P/E ratio
* 10.21% Profit margin
* 10.01% Return on Assets
* 16.76% Return on Equity
* Zero Investing Fee (Periodic Non-Reoccurring Investments)
* Zero Dividend Reinvestment Fee
* Zero Auto-Invest Fee
* Drip Prospectus

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
* Wide Economic Moat
* C Stewardship Grade
* Five Star Morningstar Rating
* 3.08% dividend yield
* 7.37% earnings yield
* 13.57 P/E ratio
* 20.76% Profit margin
* 11.49% Return on Assets
* 27.49% Return on Equity
* Zero Investing Fee (Periodic Non-Reoccurring Investments)
* Zero Dividend Reinvestment Fee
* $1 Auto-Invest Fee
* Drip Prospectus

McGraw Hill (MHP)
* Wide Economic Moat
* C Stewardship Grade
* Under Review for Morningstar Rating
* 3.28% dividend yield
* 8.56% earnings yield
* 11.68 P/E ratio
* 12.06% Profit margin
* 13.21% Return on Assets
* 50.5% Return on Equity
* Zero Investing Fee (Periodic Non-Reoccurring Investments)
* Zero Dividend Reinvestment Fee
* Zero Auto-Invest Fee
* Drip Prospectus

Wal-Mart (WMT)
* Wide Economic Moat
* B Stewardship Grade
* Four Star Morningstar Rating
* 2.11% dividend yield
* 6.76% earnings yield
* 14.79 P/E ratio
* 3.32% Profit margin
* 8.61% Return on Assets
* 19.89% Return on Equity
* $1 to 5+10cents/share to Investing Fee (Periodic Non-Reoccurring Investments)
* Zero Dividend Reinvestment Fee
* $1 + 10cent/share Auto-Invest Fee... Charged $1.2 on my $200 monthly investment
* Drip Prospectus

Exxon Mobil (XOM)
* Wide Economic Moat
* B Stewardship Grade
* Five Star Morningstar Rating
* 2.37% dividend yield
* 8.99% earnings yield
* 11.12 P/E ratio
* 8.98% Profit margin
* 10.86% Return on Assets
* 26.92% Return on Equity
* Zero Investing Fee
* Zero Dividend Reinvestment Fee
* Zero Auto-Invest Fee
* Drip Prospectus

I generally like the above DRIPS because all of them but WMT have options for investing for zero fees once you have your first share set up. I'm investing in WMT because I believe in their long-lasting competitive advantage over all other retailers. I'm willing to pay the modest $1.2 on my $200 monthly investments with WMT because I know that once I have a large enough position established, all dividend reinvestment is free.

Deadbeat Banks? Here's a List of Banks Who Have Failed to Make Their August TARP Dividend Payment

Don't have access to the list of banks on the FDIC watch list? We'll here's another list of banks with going financial concerns. TheStreet.com has published this list of 33 banks that have failed to make their required August TARP dividend payment to the U.S. Government.

List.

Reference (Yahoo post)

Recommended Personal Finance Articles From: The Digerati Life, Free Money Finance, Fund My Mutual Fund, Mighty Bargain Hunter, My Two Dollars

Here's several recommended articles from those sites that share links with Plugged in Finance. I hope they are of use to you.

The Digerati Life. "Family Finances: How is Your Financial Status?"

Free Money Finance. "10 Ways to Lower Your Taxes."

Fund My Mutual Fund. Three CNBC World videos that present "real" world assessments of the U.S. Economy.

Intro video



Continuation video (discusses a proposed invisible hand affecting TARP stocks)



Continuation video discussing unemployment rate, etc.




Mighty Bargain Hunter. "Before You Hire a Computer Geek, Check Out This Free Website."

My Two Dollars. "The Big List: 1,019 Different Ways to Save Money."

Retirement Relocation: Consider All Taxes When Figuring Out Savings

I found an excellent article from the Orlando Sentinel written by Ms. Mary Beth Franklin. I will summarize.

States without income tax:
(1.) Alaska
(2.) Florida
(3.) Nevada
(4.) South Dakota
(5.) Texas
(6.) Washington
(7.) Wyoming
(8.) New Hampshire (tax only dividend and interest income beyond certain limits).
(9.) Tennessee (tax only dividend and interest income beyond certain limits

States that exclude federal, military and in-state government pensions from taxes:
(1.) Alabama
(2.) Hawaii
(3.) Illinois
(4.) Kansas (taxes public pensions from other states).
(5.) Louisiana
(6.) Massachusetts
(7.) Michigan
(8.) Mississippi (exempt all retirement income, including IRA and 401(k) distributions).
(9.) New York
(10.) Pennsylvania (exempt all retirement income, including IRA and 401(k) distributions).

States tough on retirees:
(1.) California (9.55 percent tax on income less than $1 million).
(2.) Rhode Island (9.9 percent income tax).
(3.) Vermont (9.5 percent income tax).

Do not tax Social Security Benefits:
(1.) Alabama
(2.) Arizona
(3.) Arkansas
(4.) California
(5.) Delaware
(6.) District of Columbia
(7.) Georgia
(8.) Hawaii
(9.) Idaho
(10.) Illinois
(11.) Indiana
(12.) Kentucky
(13.) Louisiana
(14.) Maine
(15.) Maryland
(16.) Massachusetts
(17.) Michigan
(18.) Mississippi
(19.) New Jersey
(20.) New York
(21.) North Carolina
(22.) Ohio
(23.) Oklahoma
(24.) Oregon
(25.) Pennsylvania
(26.) South Carolina
(27.) Virginia
(28.) Wisconsin

States without a sales tax:
(1.) Alaska
(2.) Delaware
(3.) Montana
(4.) New Hampshire
(5.) Oregon

States with notable sales tax amounts:
(1.) California (8.25 percent)
(2.) Indiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Tennessee (7 percent).

States that do not allow municipalities to levy local sales taxes:
(1.) Connecticut
(2.) Kentucky
(3.) Maine

States with lowest property taxes (from lowest to highest):
(1.) Louisiana
(2.) Alabama
(3.) West Virginia
(4.) Mississippi
(5.) Arkansas

States with the highest property taxes (from highest to lowest):
(1.) New Jersey
(2.) New Hampshire
(3.) Connecticut
(4.) New York
(5.) Rhode Island

In my own opinion it's best to focus on states without pension/retirement income taxes and relatively low property taxes.

8 Ways Car Dealers Make Money Off of You

Mr and Mrs Plugged in Finance will likely be buying a new or used car between this December and next Spring. The newer car will be purchased to replace our 1998 Acura CL. I typically do car research at:

Edmunds Daily
Intellichoice
Yahoo Cars
SaferCar
IIHS

Tonight, I came across a great article with a title similar to that of this post. In summary, car dealers make money off of you in the following ways:

(1.) Mark-up
(2.) Hold back and advertising
(3.) Undervaluing a trade-in
(4.) 4 Pack
(5.) Customer service fee
(6.) Bump-stickers
(7.) Service contract
(8.) Holding points of rate

Click here for the full article.