Skiers need to remember their travel insurance

January 24th, 2010

Industry experts are warning skiing enthusiasts not to skimp on their travel insurance of they are planning to head to the slopes over the coming months. Figures were compiled by the Ski Club of Great Britain recently, and officials from the group claim that more than one million people from Britain will be heading to the slopes in the months to come. However, the group also claims that worryingly nearly 50 percent of these people will fail to take out ski travel insurance.

The group also stated that out of the people that do take out ski travel insurance cover only around 25 percent will actually read the terms and conditions of the policy to check and see what is actually covered.

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Why Graduate Degrees Are a Rip Off: Crunching the Numbers

January 23rd, 2010

This one should fire you up one way or the other. I’ve been in many a heated debate about this very topic before. So let’s have some fun with it. I’m going to come out and say it – I HATE GRADUATE DEGREES. My hatred for them can be boiled down into three main reasons:

1. I hate how much they cost.
2. I hate the implicit pressure that comes from corporate America for people to slave away to earn that piece of paper if they want to get promoted and have a future career in management (even though those with further hands on experience typically excel in comparison).
3. I hate that I have seen those in management positions with an MBA perform at levels far below their much less numerous sub-MBA peers. Seeming

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2010 Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension and Expansion, a Good Deal?

January 22nd, 2010

2010 Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension and Expansion, a Good Deal?

Posted on | January 21, 2010 |

If you are thinking of buying a home, there really haven’t been many opportunities as good as today’s buyer’s market.

According to The National Association of Realtors, affordability is the best it’s been since the 1970’s, and with the extension and expansion of the Home Buyer Tax Credit, it’s an even better deal.

Despite recent reports of IRS delays and the inability to e-file when applying for the first time home buyer credit, it’s still worth it – if you’re looking to buy a house for a home, and not for profit. The credit was

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Rich history and rugged good looks – world’s most beautiful castles

January 21st, 2010

They may no longer be used for repelling enemy hordes or otherwise defending the kingdom, but these castles still have their rugged good looks.

Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh, England

Fortifications have stood on this rocky outcrop near the North Sea since the 5th century. In the 12th century, King Henry II acquired the structure, and later it was snapped up by William Armstrong, a wealthy Victorian industrialist. Still owned by Armstrong’s descendents, the castle has served as the location for several movies, including Roman Polanski’s 1971 version of Macbeth. After you tour the castle, which is open to the public from March to October, hop over to nearby Holy Island for a visit to Lindisfarne Castle.

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The Simple Dollar Weekly Roundup: Bugs Edition

January 21st, 2010

Lately, I’ve been working with a coder to help me with some back-end issues with The Simple Dollar, as there have been a few bugs floating around in the software I use to update the site, the most onerous of which is that some small fraction of comments seem to disappear before I ever get to see them in the moderation queue. He’s also implementing a few features, such as automated text elements in posts (like the “shelter” bit in the Trimming the Average Budget series, which I couldn’t figure out how to change for about a week).

Anyway, over the next month, you might occasionally see some minor bugs pop up here and there on the site. Don’t swe

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How Much Will a Credit Score Go Up After Bankruptcy Comes Off?

January 20th, 2010

Yes, your credit score will go up after a bankruptcy comes off your report, but how much it will go up is largely dependent on what you’ve done since you initially had your debts discharged.

Your rating will likely go up somewhere between seventy five and one hundred and fifty points, but again, this is largely dependent on what’s happened in your recent financial history. Shortly after your discharge is complete it’s important to start working on rebuilding your finances. You can start off with a secured credit card at your bank, work up to small secured or unsecured loans, and over the years graduate to unsecured cards and other endeavors, always making sure to make your payments on time and in full.

If you’ve done all of this over the years then your rating has probably already improved a great deal, and you probably have a good rating already. Once yo

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