Financial Fellow

Written by J.P. Wicklein

     Just about everyone has an idea for a business they’d like to start but few people ever pull the trigger. Instead, many of us are content to work for someone else’s company and receive a consistent paycheck. Often, people are afraid to start a business or feel overwhelmed by the process. If you’re able to overcome your fears, or reservations, starting your own business can become fulfilling and rewarding. Here are 5 reasons why you should launch your own business:

[Read more →]

   Written by J.P. Wicklein

     I came across a pretty good piece from the CBS evening news that explains the financial relationship between the U.S. and China - and how they’re kicking our butt.

[Read more →]

Written by J.P. Wicklein

With the best savings accounts paying a little over 2%, and long term CDs paying under 4%, I decided to explore other ways to invest my money. Recently, I came across Lending Club. Lending Club is a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered, peer-to-peer lending network that boasts an average annual investor return of 9.05%.

[Read more →]

Written by J.P. Wicklein

Interest rates on savings accounts have been steadily declining for quite some time. Over the last month, though, rates have leveled off a bit. Here’s a look at the best online savings account interest rates:

* Note: Minimum opening balance required to receive APY.

[Read more →]

Written by J.P. Wicklein

     Yesterday I glanced at my credit card statement and saw a $12 charge from “Reservation Rewards”. I had no idea what it was for so I called my credit card company. The customer service rep said, “We see those all the time. It can happen when you make a purchase online.” What!? That didn’t make any sense to me so I did a bit of digging…

[Read more →]

Written by J.P. Wicklein

     Too often Americans stretch themselves to buy the nicest house they can qualify for, go out of their way to drive a luxury car, or borrow to the hilt just to keep up with the Jones’s. In the process these people place themselves in a situation with few options. They can’t afford to lose their job, stay home with kids, change careers, or retire early. Often, they find themselves worrying or arguing about money. I don’t want to go down that road. I’m willing to forgo many of the trappings of an upper middle class life in exchange for the freedom to make decisions that aren’t driven by money. Here’s how I plan to do it:

[Read more →]

Written by J.P. Wicklein

Here’s the latest batch of five interesting and useful financial articles I’ve come across lately:

1. My Money Blog relayed a story last week about Zecco’s April Fool’s Day joke. What would you do if your online stock broker accidentally updated your account with millions of dollars in buying power – on April 1st?

[Read more →]

Written by J.P. Wicklein

     Have you seen a commercial for MagicJack yet?  MagicJack provides users with an unlimited amount of phone calls anywhere within the U.S. and Canada for only $40 a year and $20 every year thereafter. That’s equivalent to a monthly phone bill of $3.33 the first year and $1.67 thereafter. The best offer I’ve heard before MagicJack was Vonage’s $25/month rate. So….what’s the catch?

[Read more →]

Written by J.P. Wicklein

     Buying a home will require you to make a myriad of decisions.  One of the most significant questions you’ll need to answer is whether to get a fixed rate mortgage or an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM). The answer to this question generally depends on two factors: 1) What’s the difference in interest rates between the ARM and the fixed rate? 2) How long do you plan to stay in the home you’ll be buying?

[Read more →]

Written by J.P. Wicklein

     This week, Discover Financial Services announced an extension of their $50 promotion through their “Discover More Card”. Here are the highlights:

[Read more →]