Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Rebalancing My Portfolio

I have access to Financial Engines through my company. I like to check in with them every 6 months or so. I feel like this year’s economy is really in upheaval, what with Greek debt, a weak job market and overhyped government bonds. Unfortunately, I never blanket move out of a mutual fund for another one. [...]

Rebalancing My Portfolio is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

I Suspect… I am not an investment genius. I think I am...
Realizing I Can’t Do This Alone: Part II This is the second part of my realization that I...
Realizing I Can’t Do This Alone: Part I My company has some rockin’ benefits. They make personal finance...

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Planet Money’s Toxic Asset

Last week I heard a story about NPR’s Planet Money buying $1000 in a toxic asset. It was a fascinating story, one that’s going to evolve over time. You can name the asset since they haven’t yet. (Today is the last day to enter their contest!) Interesting stuff. It’s all about the risk. Planet Money’s Toxic Asset is [...]

Planet Money’s Toxic Asset is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Non-Toxic Credit Card Debt I ran the numbers on my credit card debt. It’s...
WOW I just saw how many people entered the $50 iTunes...
Lost Blog Posts and Not-Lost Contest Entries Without going into details, let’s just say that I lost...

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Lent 2010

I’m a lapsed Catholic, so I don’t actually take Lent very seriously from a religious standpoint. I do like Lent because it’s a nice chance to restart goals from New Year’s that need to be jump-started. For the most part, I know that saving money a few years ago in a piggy bank worked out pretty [...]

Lent 2010 is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

2010 Real Estate Assessment Despite what people say about DC real estate being more...
2010 Goals Like Grace says, it looks a lot like last year....
Drama With My Car I am trying to get my car inspected and moved...

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Gathering My Snowflakes

That’s not a reference to the record snowfall in DC this winter. But if it was, yes, I herded a lot of snowflakes with a shovel the past 2 weeks. (Can you say 3 weeks of trash piling up in the alley?) I don’t participate in any special snowflaking or debt snowball sites, but I do [...]

Gathering My Snowflakes is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Considering a Radical Departure Right now, I’m still sitting on about $12K of credit...

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His, Mine, Ours

I know this article at SmartMoney is probably old hat by now. (It’s from January.) I ran across it in a waiting room the other day and it occurred to me that I’ve never really explained what’s going on between me and my boyfriend and living together. I have a huge personal issue divulging stuff about [...]

His, Mine, Ours is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Thanks to My Top 10 Referrers! If you aren’t doing Google Analytics, you probably should. This...

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Nifty Way to Spend Your Tax Refund

I’m sure by now everyone’s seen Mrs. Micah’s totally awesome Mammoth 2009 Tax Credit & Deduction List. You can also get your tax refund split between multiple bank accounts, which has been available for a few years now. But as of 2010, your tax refund can now be split and routed to the US Treasury Department [...]

Nifty Way to Spend Your Tax Refund is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

My Checking and Savings System NCN recently asked what is your checking and savings system?...
Strategizing the Future I’m having some professional difficulty right now and I feel...
2010 Goals Like Grace says, it looks a lot like last year....

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Strategizing the Future

I’m having some professional difficulty right now and I feel like quitting and finding a new job. Unfortunately, I don’t have an emergency fund to float me during a period of unemployment. I have the windfall from the sale of my car and my tax refund which won’t be coming for a while since I [...]

Strategizing the Future is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Quick Question: Snowflake or Car Downpayment? I got a happy call today from my boss. I...
March 2009 Net Worth Update Getting a bonus in March definitely helps, but the bigger...
Where Am I Headed This Summer? Life has been crazy in 2009. But in mostly good...

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Snoverkill No Spend Days

I think I’ve had at least 4 since last Friday. In a good or bad way, I’ve been able to get out of the house and spend money because my boyfriend has a 4×4 vehicle. We were able to re-stock on groceries before getting slammed again with snow last night. So that’s 3 days in [...]

Snoverkill No Spend Days is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

No Spend Days Last Week I packed my lunch or ate at home every day...
Rockin’ the No Spend Days Tuesday: No Spend Day #2 this week. Not too shabby....
How To Have A No Spend Day I thought about this after posting that I had two...

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No Gazelle-Like Intensity Here

I’m not a fan of Dave Ramsey, but he’s spot-on about having ‘gazelle-like intensity’ when it comes to debt repayment. This year, despite whatever financial crisis my parents are having or whatever they want (like a new-ish car for their 40th wedding anniversary), I need to pay down my debt. I have flat out told my [...]

No Gazelle-Like Intensity Here is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Reader Questions Answered Already another question! Me Without Debt asks in regards to...
Family Vacation Recap $500 for plane tickets $250 for hotel (2 nights)-boyfriend $250...

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Articles I Liked This Week 2/1-2/7

5 New Rules for Credit Cards – I am taking these to heart. No messing around in 2010. (Can you believe it’s February already?) This article pretty much sums up my answer to Ted about why I didn’t consider a Hyundai Accent. As much as I have a lot of K-pride, I do not drive K-cars. [...]

Articles I Liked This Week 2/1-2/7 is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Articles I Liked Last Week 1/25-1/31 I loved this one from Well-Heeled. It’s stuff she wouldn’t...
Considering a Radical Departure Right now, I’m still sitting on about $12K of credit...

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Winners of 2009 TurboTax Giveaway!

Thanks everyone for entering the TurboTax Giveaway. All entries are closed now and comments on the contest post are turned off. All winners were selected via random number generator at Random.org. All winners have been notified. They are: Emily Flora Andrew Kathleen AllThatISeek Thanks everyone for entering and I hope everyone gets lucky and wins a copy from other giveaways. Mrs. Micah at Finance for [...]

Winners of 2009 TurboTax Giveaway! is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

TurboTax Free Giveaway! Thanks to Chelsea and the TurboTax crew at Intuit for...
iTunes Giveaway Winner! The winner is Rachel from comment #3. I used Random.org...
WOW I just saw how many people entered the $50 iTunes...

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New Lower Trading Fees at Fidelity!

I made some trades last week in my IRA account and found out that trade commissions have been slashed. They’re now $7.95 instead of $19.95. YAY! I thought my fees were lowered because I was buying a foreign stock, but I thought that was weird because I’ve bought this stock before and paid a higher fee. [...]

New Lower Trading Fees at Fidelity! is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Reader Asks Me A Question Reader Dave asks: Why would you stop contributing to ESPP...
You Don’t Have to Pay Extra Fees for Buying Tickets Cue to a conversation about an upcoming social event. (Heavily...
Realizing I Can’t Do This Alone: Part II This is the second part of my realization that I...

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The Internet Is Your Car’s Best Friend

Here’s a list of online resources for new car owners. And when I say ‘new’ I mean, ‘new to you’. It’s been on my mind a lot as I move from a Nissan to a Volkswagen. There’s a lot to know going from 87 to 91 octane gas. As I familiarize myself with my new [...]

The Internet Is Your Car’s Best Friend is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Significant Car Repair? What’s a “significant car repair” to you? To me, having...
Twitterpated Follow me here on Twitter! I read in a book...
New Car Part I Last year, I hit a utility trench every day till...

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Poor Man’s Dinner

I had a rough day at work the other day. Because of a snowstorm, I decided to bail out on my regular knitting night. Unfortunately, I didn’t have many groceries at home for dinner and I wasn’t in the mood to shop for any either. I was counting on going out to dinner that night, [...]

Poor Man’s Dinner is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Not a Cheap Dinner at Home On Sunday night I made a pork tenderloin with a...
Checking Out the Farmer’s Market Oh boy is the Farmer’s Market expensive in this neck...
Stupidly Easy Beef Stew Recipe I say it’s stupidly easy because it’s what I make...

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Recipe: Braised Chicken With Potatoes

I bought a 5-qt cast iron Dutch oven sometime last summer, but never got around to using it. However, with the crazy cold winter snow this weekend, I got around to making something really tasty. I braised some chicken thighs with carrots and potatoes, very similar to coq au vin without an old rooster and long [...]

Recipe: Braised Chicken With Potatoes is a post from: Mapgirl's Fiscal Challenge

Shepherd’s Pie Recipe: Vegetarian or Not, Your Pick Over the holidays my sister made us shepherd’s pie. While...
Stupidly Easy Beef Stew Recipe I say it’s stupidly easy because it’s what I make...
More Ways to Cook A Chicken It’s been 2 years since I wrote my $3.99 Rotisserie...

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