Well Enough
Monday, April 12th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Back when I was in college, “wellness” wasn’t exactly the buzzword it is today. Sure, if you had a cold, the nurses might offer you a little paper sack filled with cough syrup and ibuprofen, but that was about it.
I discovered how much things had changed in the intervening 15 years when I wrote this story for Macalester College’s alumni magazine. These days, there are college wellness centers that offer up everything from massage classes to sleeping seminars to 5K fun runs. Macalester is definitely ahead of the curve compared to most colleges, but the idea is catching on.
Students at many colleges are eager to squeeze the most out of every moment they have in school, and they sometimes sacrifice their health in the process. Thanks to wellness programs, they’re beginning to learn how to take better care of themselves—a skill that they’ll use long after they graduate.
Read the full story here.
A New Way of Seeing
Thursday, April 8th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Personal finance writers think a lot about what credit cards do, but not always so much about what they actually are: little chunks of plastic that that we regularly shred and toss. Well, some of us anyway.
The people I wrote about in this story see the cards we carry as inspiration for clever crafts like iPhone stands, earrings, and grappling hooks. Something about one man’s trash and another’s treasure, I guess.
I tested out the iPhone stand myself, and it worked just as advertised. Perhaps these smart ideas will encourage you to take a second look at the plastic in your wallet as well.
Read the whole story here.
People or Money?
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Before I started freelancing, I worked for a for the publications office for a college, and I got to see a lot of the inner workings of higher education. Occasionally, I have the opportunity to dig into higher ed issues through trade magazines.
For the most recent issue of CASE CURRENTS, I wrote a story about the tension between alumni association’s twin goals of making alumni connections and supporting development goals.
“Finding the Right Gear” is only available to subscribers, but you can see some of the issue here.
Invest in Yourself
Thursday, March 25th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
The average taxpayer will get a refund of more than $2,000 this spring. It might be tempting to blow the money on a vacation, a new computer, or living room furniture, but in this story, experts share better ways to invest your windfall. By using the funds to improve your financial life (either directly or indirectly), your future self will thank you.
Read the full story here.
Timing Is Everything
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
I just bought a new couch—one that will finally replace the serviceable but increasingly shabby IKEA model I bought a few years ago. My new couch is a definite upgrade, and it’s a reminder that the stuff that suited me just fine in my 20s needs to be reconsidered as I get older.
The same, it turns out, is true of your credit cards. In this story that I did for CreditCards.com, I looked at the way that life stage and financial position should influence the card you select. Because the cards that work best as a college student aren’t always a good fit for families or retirees. And knowing where you’re at can help you get the most out of your card.
Read the full story here.
Starting Off Right
Friday, February 5th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Sure, it’s a little late to jump on the New Year’s resolution bandwagon, but if you’re looking to make and maintain changes in your life this year, you might need a little inspiration to stay on track. This story that I wrote for Experience Life magazine offers up a range of different kinds of resolutions—and how to best take action on them.
Read the full article here.
Getting the Gig
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
With unemployment still hovering around 10 percent, it’s incredibly difficult to snare a great job these days. Just polishing your resumé and getting a nice interview suit isn’t going to cut it. For this Bankrate story, I talked to five people who got new jobs with smart and innovative job search strategies—think Twitter, Facebook, and the like. If you’re unemployed these days—or just looking for a change of pace in your 9 to 5—you might consider some of these tactics.
Read the full story here.
Name That Loon
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
When you write about money, having a sense of humor isn’t usually a qualification for the gig. Occasionally, though, I have the chance to tackle a story that’s outside of my primary area of expertise, and I do what I can to ham it up. So when Minnesota Monthly asked me to tackle a portion of their annual Uncommon Loon Awards story, I couldn’t resist. The yearly compendium of Minnesota-themed gaffes is simultaneously horrifying and awesome. Stories about guys who drive drunk in motorized La-Z-Boys kind of write themselves, but it doesn’t make them any less delightful.
Read the full story here.
The Smarter Barter
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Last year, I got serious about paying off my second mortgage early. Even though I write about personal finance issues all the time, I hadn’t realized what a crummy deal I’d gotten when I bought my house. The second mortgage came with a high interest rate and a balloon payment after 7 years. Delightful.
So as I edged closer to paying off the balance in full, I realized that I had an additional fee to contend with—a prepayment penalty that amounted to nearly two months’ payment. I wanted to negotiate that penalty down, but I didn’t know if it was possible, and I couldn’t find any tips online.
Of course, the delightful part about being a freelance writer is that when you’ve got an issue like this, you can write a story about it. You can get advice from the pros to solve your own problem, and perhaps the readers’ problems, too. In the end, I was able to sell the story—Six Steps to a Lower Prepayment Penalty to Bankrate.com. It also appeared on Yahoo! Finance.
As for me, I was able to cut my prepayment penalty by 35 percent and pay off my mortgage five years before the balloon payment came due.
Read the full story here.
Good As Gold?
Thursday, January 7th, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Gold is selling at record highs these days, and that means that plenty of people are trying to cash in. Many are trying to turn their old gold into cash—but in some cases, the buyers make a whole lot more than you do. This story for Bankrate.com details the different ways you can sell you gold, and how to make the most money doing it.
Check out the full story here.