Well, it’s official. By the time you read this, I will be heading off to my last day of work at my current temp job. It was fun, while it lasted, but with the swine flu epidemic in the past, there’s just not enough need for me at Sharp. I like the people, I like the location, I even got into the work that I was doing, but alas, what is done is done, and hopefully, I can find something soon.
But not all my news is bad news; two weeks from now, I’m going to be moving out to the western side of Pennsylvania in order to live with my fiancée. It should be wonderful, although I’m a bit nervous about how well it will go. I just wish I had a decent job waiting for me out there; it’s going to be especially rough, going back to being unemployed. Still, it does give me more flexibility, which is also a good thing. And I’m optimistic that I can get something out there (or who knows, perhaps I can turn this blog into a full time gig).
So, enough about me; what do you think about me? Just kidding, now it’s time to peek in on some of the other great bloggers I follow:
Cash for Clunkers: Is it Worth It? – My good friend My Life ROI discusses the government’s new Cash for Clunkers program. It seems like an interesting idea, and if you are planning to get a new car anyway, it’s certainly worth considering. As he notes, though, it’s only really valuable if your car is worth less than the voucher (either $3500 or $4500, depending on the gas mileage of the older car); otherwise, you should just sell your old car and put the proceeds toward the new one.
Beach Reading on Personal Finance - Mr. Tough Money Love shares a few of his summertime reading suggestions. I especially support his recommendation of Dave Barry’s Money Secrets
12 Common IRA Mistakes to Avoid – Jeff Rose of GoodFinancialCents notes several mistakes that people frequently make when it comes to IRAs. Most are pretty commonly mentioned, but Jeff raises some thoughts I never would have considered, including inheritance and trust issues of which I had never heard.
The Problem With Target Date Funds – Frank Curmudgeon of Bad Money Advice makes some interesting points concerning target-date funds, particularly as a default 401(k) investment. He raises some good points, but seems to put too much blame on the government for first allowing target date funds as a default investment, then attempting to correct some of the problems that resulted with the recent downturn. I think the government is just doing what it’s supposed to do, trying to respond to its citizens, and I hope a good compromise will be reached that improves retirement for the average person.
- Book Review: Jim Cramer's Mad Money
- Investing 101: Mutual Funds
- Investment Pyramid - Concentrated Investments
Related Websites
MLR
on June 26 2009
Moving? That’s exciting! Despite the job stuff, at least you will be closer to the fiance!
Thanks for including my article. It’s an interesting program, indeed. Not really sure how many people it will positively benefit, but oh well!
Roger
on June 26 2009
It is quite exciting. (if by exciting you mean nerve-wracking…) I have so much to do before I leave that I don’t even know where to begin. Still, it would be nice to see her every day…
I do like the concept of the Cash for Clunkers program, but how it will work in practice is a much different question. At the very least, it should help to get some real clunkers off the road. (The fifteen year old, been driven mercilessly, worth more as scrap metal than as a car type clunkers, that is.)