When your tax preparer drops the ball with your return, they're supposed to fix it and pay the extra amount, right? At least that's what H&R Block promises.
Well, I found out the hard way that even when the tax prep giant lives up to its "Peace of Mind" guarantee, you can still get stuck writing a big check to Uncle Sam yourself.
Full disclosure: I have never read a Jane Austen novel, my forebears were murderous mountain Scots, not British dandies in ascots, and my Old Vic was an uncle who drank.
Nevertheless, I'm hooked on the BBC period drama "Downton Abbey" and I think I know why: Downton mirrors the financial and cultural turmoil of our times. Just with better hats.
I turned 27 on Saturday, and something about it felt really different from all of my other birthdays. I know, I know -- 27 isn't old at all in the grand scheme of things. And for the most part, I truly do have my act together. It just feels like a big leap from 26. I do feel very proud of where I am financially for my age. I have many other peers who are also on point with me, but I am shocked how many people I see my age or older who seem to lack personal finance know-how. They need to start reading my weekly blog posts!
If you are looking to whip your finances into gear, read on for my roundup of my 10 favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week.
My poor husband. There was Christmas in late December, my birthday is tomorrow, Valentine's Day is next week and we have our first wedding anniversary in March. Even worse, he is in law school, so I'm trying to make things easy on him.
I'm proof that being romantic doesn't have to make you broke. If you need suggestions for an affordable Valentine's Day, read below for my list of favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week -- several of which have many great tips for this.
Matt Kepnes, the blogger behind the popular travel blog NomadicMatt.com, has been jetting around the world for five straight years. I received the latest issue of his email newsletter this week, and had a little smile when I saw that airline credit cards were one of the topics. Matt recommend a site I'd never heard of before called MileWise.com, which helps you track your reward programs. I know this concept isn't new, but the site does something I've never heard of before. MileWise.com's homepage says, "Search flights in cash, miles and points. We recommend the best way to pay, so you save money and earn more rewards." Yes, please!
Please keep reading for my list of my 10 favorite personal finance blog posts from the past week!
Looking for a place for my kid to use the potty, I managed to stumble across a quicker way to get through the line at a fast-food joint.
: Living with credit 435 New , interesting products 101 Research , regulation , industry reports 234 Rewards 41 Protecting yourself 165 The fine print 72 Credit card miscellany 377 Add category 1 Celebrity Money Watch 4 Print Email Emily's list : Lent edition Emily Starbuck Gerson February 24, 2012 Living with credit On Tuesday , people all over America threw a massive party for Mardi Gras . Even at my office , people brought in king cake , jambalaya and colorful beads . It's the all-out celebration that happens before Lent begins the next day , which involves choosing something to sacrifice or abstain from for the next 40 days until Easter arrives . I was raised Jewish , so I've never had to do anything like this . The concept seems a little foreign to me 40 days is a long time to give
A lot of time, money and energy go into figuring out why people make the wrong choices when paying off debts.
For example, when faced with multiple debts with varying interest rates, people tackle the debt using one of two strategies: paying the smallest debt off first (known as the infamous "snowball strategy"), or paying off the debts with the higher interest rates first (the more logical approach, which, if followed, gets you out of debt faster).
I'm ashamed to say that, for quite a number of years, if not decades, I was a snowballer.
Looks like consumers are in a fee-fighting mood, and are switching away from big banks that try to impose them.
An independent study shows a distinct increase in the number of bank switches toward smaller banks. The J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Bank Customer Switching and Acquisition Study, released Monday, shows that an increased number of American consumers switched banks late in 2011 -- and when they did, fees were a big reason.
Credit Cards to Get Embedded Power Switches by Ben DeMeter on February 29, 2012 Remember that time in college when you were 10,000 in debt and spent an entire weekend cursing your credit card for not coming with a kill switch to stop you from spending Well , get ready for a big . surprise This week , researchers at the University Of Pittsburgh Swanson School Of Engineering announced that they have perfected a toggle for RFID chip-embedded credit cards that will allow the cards to be turned off when not in use Before you start celebrating , though , we should inform you that the new technology wasn’t actually created to break college-aged consumers of their bad spending habits . Rather , these on off switches are supposed to prevent your identity from being . stolen RFID credit cards , also
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans The Biggest Consumer Complaints of the Year by Christopher Maag on 02 28 2012 Identity theft continues to be a major concern for American consumers , accounting for more complaints in 2011 than any other type of fraud or scam , according to a report released Tuesday by the Federal Trade Commission It was the twelfth straight year that identity theft topped the list of consumer complaints . The number of ID theft-related complaints grew by 11 percent to nearly 280,000, the FTC . reported It’s
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Boku Brings Pay-By-Phone To The Checkout Counter by Credit.com on 02 28 2012 Boku is known for letting consumers pay for online services by adding the charges to their mobile phone bill . Now they are bringing that system to the brick and mortar checkout counter . You will be able to wave your phone over a payment terminal and have the charges appear on your cellphone bill , thanks to Boku’s new near-field communication payment NFC service . Pretty nifty , eh According to a report from Tech
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Colorado Bill Would Block Most Credit Checks by Employers by Credit.com on 02 27 2012 A controversial law in Colorado that would prevent employers from running checks on potential employees’ credit reports recently passed the state’s . Senate Colorado Senate Bill 3, which is sponsored by Democratic state senator Morgan Carroll of Aurora , would prevent most companies from running credit checks during the hiring process , but has certain allowances built in for specific industries , according to a
: Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans 1099-C : The Worst Tax Mess of the Year by Gerri Detweiler on 02 27 2012 It’s perhaps the biggest tax mess of 2012 : An estimated 6.3 million 1099-C forms reporting cancellation of debt income have gone out to taxpayers . Some of those forms are being sent to consumers for very old debts that they never thought they would hear about again . To make the situation worse , the IRS is arguably providing inadequate guidance to taxpayers , and even tax professionals have different opinions about how
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans 10 Ways to Protect Your Credit and Your Money by Beverly Blair Harzog on 02 28 2012 National Consumer Protection Week March 4-10, 2012 is the annual campaign among government and non-profit entities that encourages consumers to take full advantage of their consumer rights and make better-informed decisions in the marketplace . 160 In honor of NCPW , Credit.com’s experts are rounding up the best advice for consumers to take all year . round According to TransUnion one of the major credit bureaus ,
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Feds Launch Investigation into Bank Overdraft Fees by Christopher Maag on 02 28 2012 Federal regulators announced a new investigation into bank overdraft fees last week , which could lead to new regulations aimed at helping consumers avoid paying such fees . The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is especially concerned that a small group of mostly young and low-income consumers pay the vast majority of overdraft . fees Only nine percent of checking account customers pay 84 percent of all
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans FTC Cracks Down on Payday Loan Debt Collector by Gerri Detweiler on 02 24 2012 At Credit.com , we’ve heard from consumers across the country who have been harassed by phony debt collectors who threaten to have them arrested for debts they may not even owe . While the threats are often blatantly illegal , there hasn’t been a lot that American regulators or law enforcement agencies could do to stop most of these scammers . That’s because they are based . overseas But now at least one firm won’t be
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Credit Card Delinquencies Fall as Balances Grow by Credit.com on 02 24 2012 Consumers seemed to get a better handle on their outstanding credit card debt over the course of last year , but spending on those accounts increased as . well Credit card accounts that were 90 days or more behind on payments slipped to just 0.78 percent of all balances at the end of 2011, down close to 5 percent from the total seen at the same time the year prior , according to the latest data from the credit reportingHello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Colorado Bill Would Block Most Credit Checks by Employers by Credit.com on 02 27 2012 A controversial law in Colorado that would prevent employers from running checks on potential employees’ credit reports recently passed the state’s . Senate Colorado Senate Bill 3, which is sponsored by Democratic state senator Morgan Carroll of Aurora , would prevent most companies from running credit checks during the hiring process , but has certain allowances built in for specific industries , according to a
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Capital One Not Accepting Low-Score FHA Mortgages by Credit.com on 02 26 2012 Despite reaching an agreement to begin originating loans designed to help borrowers with lower credit ratings obtain mortgages one of the nation’s largest lenders still has not done . so Capital One Financial , as part of its purchase of ING’s U.S . online banking service , ING Direct , said it would commit to originating home loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration but hasn’t yet done so , according to a
3 Credit Card Services” That You Should Avoid Like the Plague by Ben DeMeter on February 27, 2012 Everyone likes to complain about how their credit card is ripping them off , but what they don’t realize is that it really , probably . is Credit card issuers profit by squeezing as much money as they can out of you , the consumer . Typically , this involves encouraging you to run up a balance so that the issuer can reap the . interest However , since consumers are becoming more and more cautious about going into debt , card companies today have to figure out more subtle ways of winning your hard-earned cash . That’s why they’ve started advertising a heap of helpful” services and products that are nothing more than thinly veiled attempts to make money at your expense and America is falling forHello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans What To Do If You Get a 1099-C For An Old Debt by Gerri Detweiler on 02 27 2012 It’s perhaps the biggest tax mess of 2012 : An estimated 6.3 million 1099-C forms reporting cancellation of debt income have gone out to taxpayers . Some of those forms are being sent to consumers for very old debts that they never thought they would hear about again . To make the situation worse , the IRS is providing inadequate guidance to taxpayers , and even tax professionals have different opinions about how to
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans The CFPB Wants Your Ideas by Tom Quinn on 02 25 2012 Last week the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau CFPB announced the availability of their new Streamlining Regulations Feedback Web Tool The purpose of this new service is to facilitate one’s ability to make suggestion to streamline regulations the CFPB recently inherited from seven Federal . agencies Anyone is welcome to make suggestions you don’t have to be a lawyer or a vice president at a bank Please note , the information posted becomesHello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Capital One Not Accepting Low-Score FHA Mortgages by Credit.com on 02 26 2012 Despite reaching an agreement to begin originating loans designed to help borrowers with lower credit ratings obtain mortgages one of the nation’s largest lenders still has not done . so Capital One Financial , as part of its purchase of ING’s U.S . online banking service , ING Direct , said it would commit to originating home loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration but hasn’t yet done so , according to a
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans The New Generation Gaps in Credit and Debt by Ruthie Ackerman Daily Capital on 02 24 2012 Gen X may be known for quintessential films like The Breakfast Club and for slackers sitting around grunge bars and coffee houses , but now that infamously angst-ridden demographic ages 30 to 46 has something new to worry about : Gen X-ers stand as the generation saddled with the highest levels of personal . debt A new study of credit and debt by Experian revealed that Generation X tops the debt list of its
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Posts Business owners and ID theft by Emily Peters on 10 03 2005 The Association of Certified Fraud Specialists recently held a conference to discuss new trends in identity theft . The fastest growing 0 comments by Emily Peters on 10 03 2005 Don’t belive the rumors by Emily Peters on 09 29 2005 It’s a common rumor one that simply will not be put to rest the myth : checking your credit data harms your credit 0 comments by Emily Peters on 09 29 2005 Back to school by Emily Peters on 09 29 2005 It’sHello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans The CFPB Wants Your Ideas by Tom Quinn on 02 25 2012 Last week the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau CFPB announced the availability of their new Streamlining Regulations Feedback Web Tool The purpose of this new service is to facilitate one’s ability to make suggestion to streamline regulations the CFPB recently inherited from seven Federal . agencies Anyone is welcome to make suggestions you don’t have to be a lawyer or a vice president at a bank Please note , the information posted becomes
4 Out-of-the-Box Business Financing Ideas by Ben DeMeter on February 25, 2012 Getting a small business loan these days is about as easy as finding a leprechaun , his pot of gold and Bigfoot all in one camping trip . Lenders have kept their purse strings tighter than ever after the credit crunch collapsed the market in 2008. However , this doesn’t mean that you should panic just because your start-up is sputtering for a loan . There are still plenty of ways to finance your small business you just need to start thinking outside of the banking . box The next time you’re hurting for cash , try one of these moneymaking techniques instead of turning towards Wall . Street 1 Crowdfunding Crowdfunding is a new method of raising capital that uses small donations from a large number of people to helpHello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans FTC Cracks Down on Payday Loan Debt Collector by Gerri Detweiler on 02 24 2012 At Credit.com , we’ve heard from consumers across the country who have been harassed by phony debt collectors who threaten to have them arrested for debts they may not even owe . While the threats are often blatantly illegal , there hasn’t been a lot that American regulators or law enforcement agencies could do to stop most of these scammers . That’s because they are based . overseas But now at least one firm won’t beHello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans The New Generation Gaps in Credit and Debt by Ruthie Ackerman Daily Capital on 02 24 2012 Gen X may be known for quintessential films like The Breakfast Club and for slackers sitting around grunge bars and coffee houses , but now that infamously angst-ridden demographic ages 30 to 46 has something new to worry about : Gen X-ers stand as the generation saddled with the highest levels of personal . debt A new study of credit and debt by Experian revealed that Generation X tops the debt list of its
Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Ruthie Ackerman Daily Capital The New Generation Gaps in Credit and Debt by Ruthie Ackerman Daily Capital on 02 24 2012 Gen X may be known for quintessential films like The Breakfast Club and for slackers sitting around grunge bars and coffee houses , 0 comments by Ruthie Ackerman Daily Capital on 02 24 2012 Ruthie Ackerman Daily Capital is a writer specializing in business , philanthropy , social innovation , and the financial advisory space . She has penned hundreds of stories throughout herHello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Credit Card Delinquencies Fall as Balances Grow by Credit.com on 02 24 2012 Consumers seemed to get a better handle on their outstanding credit card debt over the course of last year , but spending on those accounts increased as . well Credit card accounts that were 90 days or more behind on payments slipped to just 0.78 percent of all balances at the end of 2011, down close to 5 percent from the total seen at the same time the year prior , according to the latest data from the credit reporting
4 Dirty Secrets That Your Prepaid Debit Card Isn’t Telling You by Ben DeMeter on February 24, 2012 There’s something your prepaid debit card isn’t telling you . You know those hidden fees” it claimed to know nothing about It’s been hammering you with them this entire time and that’s not even the worst of . it The truth is , while these colorful little pieces of plastic might seem like an excellent way to rebuild your credit rating , they’re more likely to compound your financial troubles than they are to relieve them . Don’t think your bank would betray you like that Then dig up your card agreement and see if you discover any of the following things : 1. A ceiling on savings Many popular prepaid debit cards , like the NetSpend and the Discover Mango cards , offer to give cardholders up to
4 Awesome Things You Can Now Buy with Credit Cards by Ben DeMeter on February 23, 2012 Say what you want about the mobile credit card revolution , but this year it made every consumer’s life a whole lot easier . Even the Girl Scouts have started accepting credit cards now , which means that carrying around a pregnant wallet and a pocketful of change every day is about to be a thing of the . past Here are the four new places to use your credit card that we’re most excited about . 1. Girl Scout Cookies Next time the Girl Scouts come calling , you don’t need to worry about scouring your house for cash to pick up a box of Samoas . This year , the organization announced that 32 troops across 23 states will be peddling their confections armed with phone-mounted credit card processors . While
MasterCard Prepares for 500 Million in Potential Lawsuit Losses by Ben DeMeter on February 22, 2012 Facing an antitrust lawsuit of a size that’s never been seen before , MasterCard is battening down its hatches to the tune of half a billion . dollars If you haven’t been following the news or our awesome infographics MasterCard , Visa and 13 Wall Street banks are currently being sued by five million individual retailers across the country in what amounts to the largest antitrust lawsuit in . history As reported by CBS MasterCard charged 495 million dollars of its fourth-quarter profits earlier this month to cover what it believes it would owe in the event of a settlement . According to a company spokesman , the company believes it would actually be liable for 770 million and that the money
: Ask the Experts : Can My Frequent Flyer Miles be Taxed by Ben DeMeter on February 21, 2012 Welcome to the second edition of CreditCardAssist’s Ask the Experts” column Each week we’ll be answering the burning questions that all of you have about the world of credit cards . In our first issue , we discussed why Adam’s credit limit was set so low on his new card This week , we’ll be discussing everyone’s least favorite financial chore : . taxes Charles Toussaint wants to know : Do I have to worry about my frequent flier miles being taxed as regular income That’s a good question , Charles . As if filing your tax return wasn’t enough of an ordeal already , things can get downright infuriating when you try and add credit card rewards to the mix . You aren’t the only one to ask us about their
: Hello . Sign in to get personalized recommendations . New visitor Start here Follow Us Frontpage Topics Editorial Staff Archives Subscribe Credit.com Credit Cards for Excellent Credit Credit Cards for Good Credit Credit Cards for Bad Credit Secured Cards Prepaid Cards Credit Reports Personal Loans Valve : Online Gamers’ Data Hacked by Christopher Maag on 02 20 2012 It’s been a bad ten months for online gamers who value their credit cards . First , last April , came news of a huge data breach at Sony , which exposed up to 77 million people to identity theft and credit card fraud . Then , in November , online game distributor Valve announced that its popular Steam service had been infiltrated by hackers . At the time , Valve said the hackers didn’t get any information from its . database
Visa Executive Throws Temper Tantrum Over PayPal’s New In-Store Service by Ben DeMeter on February 20, 2012 Make room in the Burn Book , because Visa is so totally pissed at PayPal right now . This week , a top executive for the credit card issuer slammed PayPal’s new in-store payment service in front of the media at a Goldman Sachs conference in San . Francisco The new service , which is currently being tested in 51 Home Depot stores around the country , has received some positive buzz from merchants who are excited about the chance to avoid interchange fees on transactions . But according to Visa global head of product Jim McCarthy , the new terminals are underpowered and present real issues around security . . Ouch McCarthy’s biggest qualm with PayPal probably isn’t that the security
Chinese Government Cracks the Door Open For Citibank Credit Cards by Ben DeMeter on February 19, 2012 If you thought things were bad when Visa and MasterCard started opening credit card-application tents in rural African villages , you ain’t seen nothing yet . This week , Citibank got the thumbs up from the Chinese government to start rolling out more Citibank branded credit card products across the . country At the moment , China is something of a golden goose for card issuers . Due to the country’s strong central government , there are only 268 million credit cards circulating among China’s 1.3 billion residents . Despite the small number of cards currently on the market , though , their use has grown 20 since last year making the country a prime target for international lenders like
Marketers Aggressively Targeting Small Businesses Again by Ben DeMeter on February 18, 2012 Consumers are a lot like fish in a pond full of marketing agency sharks . They sell us products and we hand them all of our money . However , now that the average American is running low on cash , more and more marketing agencies are getting an appetite for small businesses Major corporations and retailers have flooded the market with products advertised to help businesses succeed in the digital age and in doing so , they’ve made growing a startup more dangerous than . ever Business-to-business marketing , or B2B for short , isn’t a new fad . Marketing agencies have been using slick acronyms to sell an image” to start-ups ever since the Internet market took off in the late 90s However , the number
Financial Advice Zone Investing Insurance Budgeting Debt Bankruptcy Credit Cards Loans Education Foreclosure Help Savings Accounts Credit Score Annuities Mortgages Stock Trading Golden Cross A Buy Signal Ever heard that a rising tide lifts all boats , it works that way in the stock market as well . After a tumultuous 2011 and ending the year just about unchanged , the stock market is rising . What has changed to cause the market to climb , not much . Trading volume is still on the low side . There A Day In The Life Of A Day Trader I am a day trader , I love the thrill of the trade , every day presents a new opportunity . I don’t believe that there is any better teacher than experience , so much of what I know is learned from my trading successes and failures . I stick with what works for