- GameStop - $20 Trade-in Credit (requires Madden 2008) toward reservation of NCAA 2009 or Madden 2009 using coupon code EBC3005113 (Posted on 3/22/08 and Expires on 3/27/08)
- GameStop - Free Value Shipping ($2.99 value) w/ any Purchase (excludes consoles/console bundles) using coupon code SAVER (Posted on 3/20/08 and Expires on 12/31/08)
- GameStop - 25% off Used Games using coupon code AFF25 (Posted on 3/19/08 and Expires on 12/31/08)
- GameStop - 15% off Used Games using coupon code PPLAY15 (Posted on 11/21/06 and Expires on 12/31/09)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Gamestop Coupons
Friday, March 21, 2008
Surprise: Debtors Are Better Savers
According to Bankrate.com, people who take on smart debts are actually better savers than people who do not take on any debt.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Need Cash? What Are the Options?
According to Bankrate.com, if you need cash, there are several ways--each one has its pros and cons:
As for taking money out of your IRA, a more in-depth discussion can be found here.
Option | Pros | Cons | Tip |
Balance transfers | Lower interest rate | Often involve fees; may need to apply for new credit. Watch out for bait-and switch tactics. | If you're in debt already, use transfers to pay down existing debt, not to fund new purchases. |
Home equity | Convenient; lower interest rate; interest may be tax deductible | Increases the amount owed on the house; many borrowers run debt up again; puts house at risk when used as collateral | Only borrow what you absolutely need and only if you have a lot of equity. |
Borrow from family or friends | Lower or no interest; flexible terms | Risks an important relationship | Use a contract; find one online or at the office supply store to use as a template, or set up official loan arrangements through a firm such as Virgin Money. |
Peer-to-peer lending | Interest rate may be lower | Make sure to apply the funds to your existing debt; otherwise, you're just racking up more debt. | Several online social networking sites act as middlemen between lenders and borrowers. Be sure to understand how they work as well as loan terms and fees before signing up. |
Borrow from Your 401(k) | Good interest rate | May be required to pay taxes and penalties on amount borrowed if the loan isn't repaid within five years; may be required to pay back the loan in full if you lose job; less money will be compounding for retirement | Avoid this at all costs since it puts your retirement plans in peril. An exception might be if you're way ahead of your retirement savings goal and you find yourself in dire straits. |
As for taking money out of your IRA, a more in-depth discussion can be found here.
Want to Earn 6+% on Your Checking/Saving Accounts? Check Out Your Local Banks
The Fed cut interest rates again today, adding fresh hardship to the quest for decent interest on your bank balance. But not to worry -- there is a way to return to high yields (see here or here).
The trick is local banks that offer special rewards accounts for their customers--for example, New Frontier Bank in Colorado offers 6.26% according to Money-Rates.com (note that special rules apply--be sure to read the fine prints).
The trick is local banks that offer special rewards accounts for their customers--for example, New Frontier Bank in Colorado offers 6.26% according to Money-Rates.com (note that special rules apply--be sure to read the fine prints).
Monday, March 17, 2008
Track and Find Out Whether Your Email Has Been Opened and Read by Your Recipients
The following services (some free, some are not free) lets you track whether your email has been opened and read (some will even let you expire and recall sent email messages):
- MessageTag: now into version 2. Lets you know when and whether emails are opened. Works with Gmail, multiple recipients, and lets you be notified vis SMS.
- DidTheyReadIt? : know when your email was opened, how long it remained opened, where geographically, it was viewed.
- ReadNotify : tells you when email you sent gets read /re-opened /forwarded and a lot more.
- SpyPig : a free email tracking system that is designed to let you know when your friends have read your email, and continues to send an email every time your message is opened by the recipient (up to 5 times). In addition to telling you that your email has been read, SpyPig also tells you the IP address of the recipient.
- BigString : a free 2 GB email service that includes rich secure and certified mail services and lets you password-protect, track, expire or edit sent messages.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Death of a Bear: Prelude to Collapses for Other Investment Banks?
JP Morgan/Chase announced today that they will buy out Bear Stearns (an 85 year old investment bank that is one of the cores (and core holdings of several mutual funds) in the financial sector) for $2 a share--along with the Federal Reserve/Central Bank extending loans to help out (see here).
Bear Stearns--worth $150+ per share or $20 billion not too long ago--is now worth only $236.2 million--or 1% of what it was worth before.
Bear Stearns--like many other investment banks--were over-leveraged (with leverage ratio as high as 30+ to 1). Given the firm's lack of diversity in business lines (along with their heavy tie to subprime mortgage related CDOs), panic withdraws from clients (hedge funds and others) easily triggered an irreversible and devastating liquidity crisis that literally crippled Bear Stearns overnight.
The sad part (and irony) of all of this is that amidst all the open rumors, Bear's President and CEO--Alan Schwartz--kept saying everything was fine and maintained the firm's supposed $80 book value--even during the conference call last Friday when he finally acknowledged the liquidity problem. A credibility issue thus arises: who can we trust?
Bear Stearns' troubles could very well be a prelude to troubles for other similar investment banks (such as Lehman Brothers: although Lehman has a bit more liquidity especially after the Fed's injection of newly available funds). Who will be next? With several investment banks reporting next week and investors' confidence (and trust) fast eroding--only time will tell...
Bear Stearns--worth $150+ per share or $20 billion not too long ago--is now worth only $236.2 million--or 1% of what it was worth before.
Bear Stearns--like many other investment banks--were over-leveraged (with leverage ratio as high as 30+ to 1). Given the firm's lack of diversity in business lines (along with their heavy tie to subprime mortgage related CDOs), panic withdraws from clients (hedge funds and others) easily triggered an irreversible and devastating liquidity crisis that literally crippled Bear Stearns overnight.
The sad part (and irony) of all of this is that amidst all the open rumors, Bear's President and CEO--Alan Schwartz--kept saying everything was fine and maintained the firm's supposed $80 book value--even during the conference call last Friday when he finally acknowledged the liquidity problem. A credibility issue thus arises: who can we trust?
Bear Stearns' troubles could very well be a prelude to troubles for other similar investment banks (such as Lehman Brothers: although Lehman has a bit more liquidity especially after the Fed's injection of newly available funds). Who will be next? With several investment banks reporting next week and investors' confidence (and trust) fast eroding--only time will tell...
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Favorite Recipes
Pasta with Peas, Cream, Parsley and Mint
(Menu can be found here. More menus here and here.)
Prep: 20 minutes; Total: 20 minutes
Servings: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1 16-ounce package large shell pasta or elbow pasta1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream1 16-ounce package frozen petite peas (do not thaw)2 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving1/4 cup chopped fresh mint1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
Preparation
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
Meanwhile, bring cream to simmer in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peas and simmer just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups cheese and stir until melted and sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in mint and 1/4 cup parsley. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve, passing additional Parmesan alongside.
Penne with Shrimp and Morel Mushrooms
Servings: 8
Ingredients
4 half-ounce packages dried motel mushrooms
2 1/2 cups very hot water
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp (shelled/deveined)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 1/2 pounds crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, thickly sliced
5 garlic cloves (peeled/pressed into small bowm)
1/2 cup dried white wine
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds penne
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Preparation
Place dried morels in medium bowl: add 2 1/2 cups hot water. Soak until tender (~35 in). Lift out morels, squeezing liquid back into bowl; reserve liquid.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Saute until just opaque in center (~3 min). Transfer shrimp to bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil to same skillet; reduce heat to medium-high. Add morels, crimini mushrooms, garlic and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are browned (~8min). Add wine. Cook 1 min, scraping up browned bits. Add cream and 1 cup mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment in bowl. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon (~10min).
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain and return to same pot.
Add mushroom sauce, parsley, and shrimp to pasta in pot. Toss over medium-high heat until warmed through, adding more mushroom soaking liquid if pasta is dry. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl to serve.
Drink
2005 Goats Do Roam "In Villages" Red ($15) from S. Africa (or Rhone-style Red)
(Menu can be found here. More menus here and here.)
Prep: 20 minutes; Total: 20 minutes
Servings: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1 16-ounce package large shell pasta or elbow pasta1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream1 16-ounce package frozen petite peas (do not thaw)2 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving1/4 cup chopped fresh mint1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
Preparation
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
Meanwhile, bring cream to simmer in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peas and simmer just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups cheese and stir until melted and sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in mint and 1/4 cup parsley. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve, passing additional Parmesan alongside.
Penne with Shrimp and Morel Mushrooms
Servings: 8
Ingredients
4 half-ounce packages dried motel mushrooms
2 1/2 cups very hot water
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp (shelled/deveined)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 1/2 pounds crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, thickly sliced
5 garlic cloves (peeled/pressed into small bowm)
1/2 cup dried white wine
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds penne
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Preparation
Place dried morels in medium bowl: add 2 1/2 cups hot water. Soak until tender (~35 in). Lift out morels, squeezing liquid back into bowl; reserve liquid.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Saute until just opaque in center (~3 min). Transfer shrimp to bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil to same skillet; reduce heat to medium-high. Add morels, crimini mushrooms, garlic and 1 tablespoon rosemary. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are browned (~8min). Add wine. Cook 1 min, scraping up browned bits. Add cream and 1 cup mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment in bowl. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon (~10min).
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain and return to same pot.
Add mushroom sauce, parsley, and shrimp to pasta in pot. Toss over medium-high heat until warmed through, adding more mushroom soaking liquid if pasta is dry. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl to serve.
Drink
2005 Goats Do Roam "In Villages" Red ($15) from S. Africa (or Rhone-style Red)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)