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• The proof is in the better gas mileage

  Posted Jun 17 2008, 06:51 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Travel, Credit, Saving, Karen Datko
  Rating:

  Nickel at FiveCentNickel altered his driving methods a bit and improved his gas mileage by 15%. Not impressed? That amounted to a savings of a little over 52 cents a gallon.

  Still not impressed? This savvy personal-finance blogger paid with a cash rewards credit card that gives him a 5% discount on gas. "Thus, my base price was really $4.019 - 5% = $3.82. The 15% mileage boost then takes that down to the equivalent of $3.32 a gallon." When was the last time you paid that for gas?   Read More...

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• What's in your wallet? You should know

  Posted Apr 15 2008, 05:12 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Travel, Credit, Blueprint for Financial Prosperity
  Rating:

  This post comes from partner blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

  I had lunch with my beautiful wife the other day at a local Baja Fresh. It's something we don't do often because her office is 45 minutes away, but we were able to because she had an appointment in the morning.

  After we parted ways she discovered that she had left her purse behind. Fortunately, a customer turned in the purse or one of the workers picked it up. Baja Fresh had it securely behind the counter. Whew! Disaster averted.

  The first thing my wife said to me, after she explained that it was missing, was that this never happens to her -- she didn't bring up the fact that she had misplaced her license for about a week -- to which I thought to myself, "Of course not, this isn't supposed to happen ever."

  That made me think about the importance of capturing a snapshot of your wallet or purse, on a monthly basis, in the event that you lose it.   Read More...

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• The taste of freedom

  Posted Jan 25 2008, 05:54 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Travel, Spending, Credit, Simple Dollar
  Rating:

  This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar.

  This morning, I sat in the restaurant at my hotel, eating breakfast. I've stayed at this same hotel many times, and I couldn't help but remember things I'd done on past visits. 

  I remember spending money several times like it was water, going out to eat at ridiculously expensive places. In fact, they were often so expensive that my organization would refuse to reimburse me for the meals.

  I remember more than once having a credit card rejected on the hotel grounds. Three years ago or so, I stood in the lobby, fishing around in my wallet for a credit card that would work and enable me to pay my bill. I finally had to call a secretary at my place of employment and have that person read off a credit card number so I could pay.   Read More...

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• Traveled abroad? Apply for credit card refund

  Posted Jan 02 2008, 02:43 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Banking, Travel, Spending, Credit

  More than a few people have wondered if this offer is legitimate: If you used your credit card while traveling outside the U.S. between 1996 and 2006, you are likely entitled to some money as a result of a class-action lawsuit. Poetloverrebelspy at Less Than a Shoestring provides basic information and handy links about claiming your refund. For even more details -- and ways to verify that the offer you got is the real deal -- read this excellent article at MSN Money.   Read More...

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• More thoughts on saving money and the planet

  Posted Oct 16 2007, 11:40 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Travel, Credit, Saving
  Rating:
  Personal finance bloggers made impressive contributions to Monday's Blog Action Day on behalf of the planet, so we thought we'd recap a few more. Brip Blap has more time to read the latest Harry Potter book since he started taking a bus to the train station and leaving the car at home. He's saving time and money, and wonders, "Why are people so unwilling to give up their cars in this country?" Blogger Dumb Little Man spent hours on the computer researching ways to recycle all kinds of stuff we normally throw away. Electronic devices, foam packaging, eye glasses, shoes, carpeting and drywall are on his list. The Silicon Valley Blogger offered 10 tips , including going paperless and buying used, rather than new. Another topic for bloggers: "green" credit cards .
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