Last October, I decided to take the plunge and ask my girlfriend to marry me. 

She said yes, and just two weeks ago, we threw a lavish (at least that’s how I would describe it) wedding in New Jersey. 

As if the day wasn’t already filled with joy, PT and his lovely wife were able to attend!

For those who haven’t been married before, there’s a lot that goes into planning a wedding. 

There’s even more that goes into planning a wedding 1,300 miles from where you live and I thought it would be cool to have everyone take a look at every penny we spent; to better prepare you for what you can expect.  

Keep in mind this budget (spend report) was for 75 adult guests that included an open bar.

My Wedding Costs

Allow me to break down a few wedding costs you may think are unnecessary or are just confused about.

• Grooms Attire – I bough the ties, shirts, pocket silks and cufflinks for all three of my groomsmen.  Orginially I allowed Mens Warehouse to sell me on $60 ties and $50 shirts but I later returned them to find much more reasonable prices elsewhere.  A purple tie is a purple tie, I really don’t care what it’s made of and neither did the bride.
• Cake Topper – Yea yea, a $122 cake topper is ridiculous but you should have seen this thing.  We had it custom made as a bobble head and was designed to look like a characture my wife and I had done at Navy Pier while attending FinCon11.  It’s one of the few keepsakes we have of the wedding and we love it, so definitely worth the added cost.
• Friends Travel – An expense we decided to take on was helping with the cost of travel for some of the wedding party.  Many of our friends live in Miami and really couldn’t afford to take a trip to New Jersey.  Very understandable, so we decided to give three couples $350 each.   Only five of the six ended up attending, that’s why you see one of the costs at $175.
• Flower Girl and Ring Bearer Gifts – Didn’t know this was part of the costs but I bought our five year old ring bearer (my cousin) a rapid fire Nerf gun fully loaded with refills.  My Aunt and Uncle probably hate me now.
• Our Travel – Since we drove from Miami, our expenses consisted of gas, gas and more gas.  I tracked our mileage to the T and found our Kia Forte got 31 miles to the gallon (very thrilled with that).  When we arrived in NJ, we had a lot of driving around to do in terms of meeting vendors so there was some added expense.

The decision was made the day we were engaged to have a fairly expensive wedding and do it in New Jersey rather than Miami.  Both of our families live in the northeast and while we’re inconvenienced slightly, it really wasn’t too bad. 

Our expenses increased as a result of our “destination wedding” but our initial $20,000 budget only ended up being 25% off the mark, which as far as wedding budgets go isn’t too bad.

So for those planning to get married soon, I advise you to take a hard long look at your budget and compare to our budget above.  My wife and I saved for years to throw this wedding and even though I would say this event was 100% anti-frugal, we had an absolute blast. 

Yes, saving money is important however I would argue that the biggest priority when it comes to your wedding is having a good time because if you’re lucky, you’ll only get to do it once.

One final editor’s tip: We used TheKnot.com for almost everything.  From planning the wedding to creating the seating charts and tracking the gifts received.  100% free, it’s a must use for anyone getting married.

What a $25,000 Wedding Budget Looks Like is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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Years ago, when I was in debt by more than $200,000 from student loans, I used pinch every single penny.  Whether it was only buying things that we’re buy one get one free or walking to places that we’re more than two miles away instead of using my car, I was frugal to the bone.  As such, anytime my wife and I wanted to eat out, I would only go to a restaurant that allowed for Restaurant.com coupons.

Even more frugal (or cheap, depending on how you look at it), I would only buy Restaurant.com gift certificates when they were on a big sale.  The best deal they have seems to be the $25 gift certificate to a restaurant for $2 and once in a blue moon, I would use them.  This was in 2007 & 2008 and I probably saved a few hundred dollars over the course of those years.

Fast forward to 2012 and it’s become impossible to use Restaurant.com any more.  I live in the very populated city of Miami and when I search for restaurants within 10 miles, I usually have a few hundred results.  As such, when a good sale is being offered, I buy a handful of certificates to places I’m not familiar with but would like to try out.  The Restaurant.com gift certificates have no expiration date (in theory) so I tuck them away and once in a while, pull them out to use on a Monday night, like tonight.

But, for the fourth time in a row, my gift certificate was not accepted.  Not because it was expired, or because the restaurant did not acknowledge that I was the rightful owner of it, rather because the restaurant simply stopped working with Restaurant.com.  This time, I was told “we simply don’t make money off of these gift certificates” and so I canceled my pick-up order.  Twice during this experience, I learned the hard way AFTER the check came (once I asked before we ordered).  I’ve officially quit Restaurant.com.

Granted, I’m being too bitter over $8 spent but it’s irritating when you plan to use these and are told they’re no good.  Imagine going to the grocery store and having the teller deny your ability to use cash.  It’s frustrating, and at the same time, disappointing.  If you’ll indulge me for a moment …

The blame here is two fold.  First, the blame is on Restaurant.com.  In addition to having restaurants not allow me to redeem my gift certificates, some of the certificates I have are from restaurants that have closed years ago.  I assure you, I bought them AFTER the restaurant shut down meaning I was duped!  I suppose I could have put some time in before I bought these certificates to make sure that these places exist but to sell gift certificates to closed eateries is irresponsible.  A few suggestions to Restaurant.com:

1. Keep better track of when restaurants shut down so that customers like me don’t spend money on useless pieces of paper.  I appreciate you have a refund system in place when this happens but it happens far too often.
2. When a restaurant is closed, alert all previous owners of the certificate so they can be refunded or switched out.  I’ve been a customer for six years now and never received such an email.
3. Limit the number of certificates a consumer can buy to a restaurant to just ONE.  If I loved a place and could get a $25 discount everytime I went there … that place would not be happy to see me!
4. Do a better job of explaining the benefits of the Restaurant.com program to potential businesses.  It’s clear that businesses don’t understand how to utilize your gift certificates and think that people saving $25 on one visit are not worth the future potential.

The second part of the blame goes to the restaurants that continue to end their operations with Restaurant.com.  It’s backhanded to say you’re not going to accept gift certificates any more yet continue to keep yourself listed with the website.  If you want to terminate the partnership, that’s fine, but you should honor any certificate that was already purchased and simply cease selling future ones.

Also, restaurants having delusions that these gift certificates would make them money in the short term probably won’t be in business long.  The idea behind Restaurant.com is not that you can drive business quickly, rather that first time customers will become long time customers because of the high quality of food you serve.  The goal of Restaurant.com is to get new customers in the door.  The goal of your establishment is to keep them coming back.

Use Restaurant.com Better Than I

If Restaurant.com can make their platform a bit more user friendly, I still feel there’s a good amount of use for the consumer.  Just make sure you’re a little more diligent than I and perform a few checks before purchasing a Restaurant.com gift certificate:

• Call the restaurant you’re interested in buying a gift certificate to and make sure they still accept them (and that they’re still in business!)
• Make sure there are no restrictions to the use of your gift certificate.  Many of the ones I purchased has purchase minimums and could not be used for anything other than dinner.  Double checking is always a good idea.
• Remember to present the gift certificate before you order so there are no surprises.  I once decided to wait to present the server with a gift certificate, only to learn it was not going to be accepted.  Unfortunately, I had a $50 gift certificate during this experience and my $110 bill was paid in full. 

And so, for the fourth time this year, I will be requesting a $2 refund from Restaurant.com.  Perhaps I should write a tutorial on how to do that …

My Continued Troubles with Restaurant.com is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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In 1985 Sears introduced a new credit card  known as Discover.  At the time the Discover Card was introduced, Sears was the largest retailer in the United States and the addition to this payment method would further they’re sales.

Unfortunately, pressure from Wal-Mart and other large retail chains caused Sears to accept Visa and MasterCard in addition to only Discover and in 1993, Sears was forced to sell off the Discover brand.   Today, the Discover More Card is one of the most recognizable cash back credit cards available to consumers, and almost everyone knows who Peggy is, the hilarious eastern European customer service rep.

The Discover® More Card fires on all cylinders for customers, offering a good interest rate, great rewards program and exceptional intro period.  Let’s start with the rewards program, which offers consumers cash back on every purchases.  For the first $3,000 spent, cardholders will earn a meager 0.25% cash back.  After $3,000 is spent annually, 1% cash back is earned on all purchases.  Unless of course you are spending in the 5% cash back bonus categories, which change each quarter (and sometimes each month).   5% cash back can be earned on select purchases each month and there is a limit to the amount of cash that can be earned in these categories, which changes from time to time.  The 2012 schedule for 5% cash back categories is as follows:

• January – March: Gas & Entertainment
• April – June: Restaurants & Movies
• July – September: Gas & Summer Fun
• October – December: Holiday Shopping

Equally if not more impressive is the introductory offer the Discover® More Card provides it’s cardholders.  Everyone will receive a 0% intro APR on purchases AND balance transfers for 15 months.  The balance transfer fee is 3% and once the intro rate expires, the standard purchase and balance transfer APR becomes 10.99% – 20.99% variable, depending on the applicants credit history.  The stronger your credit, the lower your interest rate and vice versa.

Last but not least, the Discover More Card charges no annual fee.  In fact, the reason why the Discover Card was so successful back in the 80′s was because it was the only credit card that didn’t charge an annual fee.  Using a card for your everyday purchases is a great way to increase the discounts you receive, and doing it with a no-fee credit card is crucial to maximizing rewards.

All in all, the Discover More Card continues to shine and prove itself worthy of being owned by millions of Americans.  Even though the cash back categories and intro periods are constantly changing, the core values of high cash back and no annual fee will always attract customers.

My credit score is still not perfect but for the first time in four years, I was  able to secure a new credit card.  Discover’s credit criteria for the Discover More Card was right in line with my credit so I applied and was approved (Whew).  If you’re in need of a new  credit card that does everything very very well, consider the Discover® More Card.

Finally Approved for the Discover More Card! is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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Do you want to own some Facebook?

Everyone and their grandma will be tuning in to the nearest stock ticker tomorrow, May 18th, to see what happens with the Facebook IPO.

Whether you think the stock is worth it or not, I think the attention is warranted.

It’s the most expensive Internet IPO in history and expected to be the most involved in terms of general public participation (because 900 million people use Facebook and “like it”).

How I’m Buying Facebook Stock

I’ve decided I’m going to invest in Facebook. I’m going to take a very small amount of cash and attempt to make a limit order for Facebook stock through my discount online broker. A limit order is a way to buy stock that guarantees you’ll buy it only if it remains at or below a certain price.

I won’t have access to the initial IPO price (because I don’t have millions of dollars and an account with Goldman Sachs), but by limiting my order I limit my risk of buying too high (at least in terms of the IPO price, which some have pointed out as way overpriced to begin with). So I may own stock in FB by the end of the day Friday, or it may take till next week for the price to dip back down to my limit and for my broker to pull the trigger.

My future plan for the stock is admittedly shaky at this point. I’ll be watching the price over the next few weeks and will consider a quick flip. I might also be tempted to hold for six months to a year. Who knows, I may end up keeping it indefinitely. This is the advantage of investing a small amount of money. It doesn’t really matter that much. I’m not retiring on this money.

You Shouldn’t Buy Facebook Stock…

Note that I don’t normally buy single stocks. This will be a first for me. I do 99% of my investing with my retirement in mind using index funds or low cost target funds in retirement accounts like the Roth IRA and 401k.

If you’re going to buy Facebook stock please don’t invest in Facebook stock with more money than you have to risk.

• I wouldn’t buy Facebook stock if I had consumer debt that I was still paying off.
• I wouldn’t buy Facebook stock if I had not met (or at least on track to meet) my retirement account maximum contributions for the year.
• I wouldn’t buy Facebook stock if I had short-term savings goals to achieve.

Basically, I wouldn’t suggest buying this stock (or any single stock) unless your financial house is very clean and you have some money to blow.

You Should Buy Facebook Stock…

If you are going to buy, then create a free account with an online discount broker and place a limit order so that you don’t purchase the stock when it’s at it’s IPO peak. Or, simply wait a few days and see what happens. If the IPO price is way over-priced then we’ll know soon.

As for Facebook’s long-term value, there are a ton of people saying that Facebook is not a good buy. Much of the negativity that I see revolves around the fact that Facebook has reached a peak from a user base standpoint. I would agree that it has reached that peak.

But I don’t believe it has reached a revenue peak. I have no reason to doubt that Facebook can find a way to make more money with the platform, while maintaining the non-commercial feel that people trust. Especially once public investor pressure is placed on the company. They were smart enough to build it and dominate. What’s stopping them from iterating on their position?

So when you combine the two factors (user dominance plus revenue potential), I see a big upside to this company. Of course, just because a company is strong it doesn’t mean the stock price will follow suit.

Still, the comparisons to Groupon.com’s IPO or MySpace.com are way off base. Facebook is not a fad, nor is it just the next best social media tool for the Internet. It is the Internet! It is completely entrenched in Internet culture and online business (think Facebook comments and Facebook Connect). When people go online, they go to Facebook.

Additionally, when I see people sharing anecdotal evidence about their experience (or lack thereof) with Facebook Ads as if they’re not effective, I have to smile. This makes it more clear to me that Facebook has a big upside in terms of finding a way to profit from their complete Internet dominance.

What’s your take? Will you be investing in Facebook stock?

Monday morning update: I ended up placing a limit order of $40 through Sharebuilder.com on Thursday at 4pm EST (per their recommendation). Before the release of the IPO, and before the market even opened, my order was mysteriously cancelled.

I’ve since called Sharebuilder.com and they cannot explain why the order was cancelled. I was travelling all day Friday and could not get online to execute another trade. Obviously, based on Friday’s performance and Monday’s results, I’m happy that the order did not go through.

The plan now is to wait for a few days before executing on a buy trade of Facebook (FB) stock.

First Time Investor Tips for Buying Facebook Stock is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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It’s almost summertime!

If you have kids, this means you might be thinking about their allowance, future education costs, and their summer job(s).

This is a good time for you to teach them about saving some of their money and spending it responsibly.

Today I’m taking a look at a couple of products that might help you. It’s the ING Direct Gift of Savings for Kids (i.e. Adventure Kit) and the Gift of MONEY. ING Direct was generous enough to send me a free version of each in the mail, which I will be passing along to you in the form of a giveaway.

At their base level, the products give your kids a $25 bonus when they sign up for a new kid’s savings or checking account. It’s $25 because you buy the products for $25 and they each come with a $50 bonus, along with some other things that make them fun, educational gifts.

To my knowledge, you can’t just go to the ING Direct site and find a $25 bonus on a kids savings or checking account. You need to purchase these gift products first. Which means you’ll have to wait till they arrive in the mail. Better than no bonus at all, right?

What is the ING Direct Savings Account for Kids?

I guess it makes sense to address this particular account before we cover what the Adventure Kit is all about.

The Kid’s Savings Account is very similar to the normal Orange Savings Account: FDIC Insured, no fees or minimums, higher interest rates than regular banks and credit unions, only-online access, etc.

The main difference is that the account comes with a separate log-in for your child (under 18) that allows them to do everything but deposit or withdraw. Basically, they can log in and tinker around, while learning the ins and outs of the saving process.

You own the account and maintain full control and access. When your kid turns 18, the account becomes a regular Orange Savings Account. Open an ING Direct Kids Savings Account.

What Comes with the Gift of Savings (Adventure Kit)?

ING Direct Kids Adventure Kit

The kit also comes with a pop-up coin bank. The account and kit seem ideal for kids ranging from ages 8-14.

What is the MONEY Account (Debit Card for Kids) and Gift of MONEY?

The MONEY account is a simple debit account that is managed by the parent and teen. It comes with a MasterCard debit card for your teen. The teen can do a lot with the account including setup direct deposit from their employer, and use it at ING Direct’s over 35,000 free ATMs.

The MONEY account doesn’t come with the ability to write checks or use bill pay. It’s really just a no-fee prepaid debit card account. When your teen turns 18, the account becomes a regular Electric Orange Checking Account and you can remove yourself as a joint owner.

The Gift of Money is the gift card you give to your teen for them to get started with the account.

As I noted above, you can purchase this for $25 on the ING Direct website and the Gift of MONEY comes with a $50 card for your teen to use to open the account.

Once your teen opens the account (which they’ll have to do with you), they will be sent their account details and debit card. Open an ING Direct MONEY Account for your teen.

Giveaway: Win a Gift of Savings for Kids or a Gift of MONEY for Teens

My kids aren’t quite old enough for these gifts. My loss = your gain. I’m giving away one of each: One Gift of Savings for Kids (a $50 value) and one Gift of MONEY (a $50 value). There will be two winners. For a chance to win, leave a comment below telling me:

1. A silly (or awesome) thing you saved up for as a kid.
2. Which item you want: savings or checking?

The giveaway will remain open through the weekend and will end Sunday night, 5/20/12 at 11:59 pm EST. At that time I will randomly pick the two winners. One entry per person. Please leave a valid email for me to contact you if you win. You can only enter for one of the prizes. Void where prohibited. U.S. residents only.

ING Direct Gift of Savings for Kids and Gift of MONEY for Teens – $100 Giveaway is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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Toyota Prius V Hybrid Car - Est. MPG 44/40

Unfortunately, as Heather Peters of California discovered, the claims and the reality do not necessarily match up.

Ms. Peters took Honda to court recently when she found that her 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid consistently did not make 50 miles per gallon, despite the automaker’s advertising that it would in both city and highway driving.

Note: This and other MPG claims angered enough drivers that the EPA changed the parameters of how mileage is calculated for all vehicles, which is why you’ll see “old” and “new” mileage calculations for vehicles.

While Ms. Peters won her initial case, a higher court overturned the ruling on appeal.

What Ms. Peters and other enthusiastic hybrid buyers might not know is that there are many factors that can affect the true cost and efficiency of a high MPG vehicle. If you are considering purchasing a hybrid car, here is what you need to know ahead of time:

Your Mileage May Vary

Unless you are a dedicated car enthusiast, you probably don’t know anything about how automakers determine the mileage numbers that appear on dealership stickers and advertisements. Determining MPG is actually a long and complicated process, which involves both the car companies and the U.S. government.

The EPA provides automakers with average driving patterns for city and highway driving. The car manufacturers use that information to test their cars’ efficiency. Where it gets complicated is the fact that the automakers can (and do) engineer their cars to show the best possible MPG numbers for those patterns when they test them.

You probably realize that driving with a lead foot or with an itchy brake foot will affect your mileage. However, most people don’t realize that achieving the advertised mileage is pretty much impossible unless you are driving in the specific conditions that automotive engineers use on their tests.

It is even more difficult for Heather Peters and other hybrid drivers to achieve advertised mileage because of the nature of their cars. Hybrids have much more complicated drivetrains than standard vehicles. More complexity means that there is more that engineers can tweak in order to improve their numbers. So the deck is stacked against the average hybrid owner.

It’s important to note that there is nothing wrong with automakers engineering their cars to these tests. There really is no other efficient way of determining MPG—and as the judge ruled in the appeal (and in other court cases), Honda has not falsely advertised its car’s abilities. It simply maximized the car’s mileage given the set parameters.

The consumer needs to know that the “your mileage may vary” statement is absolutely true.

Production, Repair, and Maintenance Costs

Have you ever wondered why hybrid cars are so expensive? While some of the sticker price reflects the cost of engineering a new type of vehicle, much of it has to do with the expensive components that a standard engine does not have—like the battery.

Hybrid cars generally have either nickel metal hydride batteries, or lithium ion batteries. Not only is it relatively expensive and difficult to mine the metals needed for these batteries, but the necessity of transporting the raw materials to the plant where the batteries are made, and then transporting the finished batteries to the car manufacturing plant, all add to the cost—both financial and environmental.

Standard engines, on the other hand, are mostly made of steel and aluminum, which are pretty ubiquitous and cheaper to fabricate or mine. Since a hybrid car has a standard engine, an electric motor, and a battery, less material needs to be mined, processed, and transported from place to place when creating standard cars.

That is part of the reason why you will pay a premium when you buy a hybrid—which will lower your potential financial savings on gas. Add to that the fact that hybrid batteries will not last the entire life of the car and are expensive to replace, and that further lowers your operational cost savings.

Finally, the more systems and complexity that you have on a car, the more that you have to maintain, and the more there is that could go wrong. Owning a hybrid car will cost you more money in maintenance, simply because it is a more complex piece of engineering.

The Best Efficiency for the Money

If you are concerned about MPG and your environmental footprint, your best bet is to purchase an efficient four-door sedan.

While compact and sub-compact cars may have the most efficient engines and the lowest weight you can buy—which means they are going to be the best gas-sippers in city driving—but their shape often means that they have worse aerodynamics for highway driving.

Their increased drag at high speeds means their mileage suffers. If you’re a typical driver who needs to do both city and highway driving, a four-door sedan is the most efficient choice available.

Even if you’re not in the market for a new vehicle, you can still improve your efficiency. Start at the website www.fueleconomy.gov. This site will allow you to research the expected mileage of any car, and will then offer suggestions for maximizing your MPG.

When To Buy a Hybrid

Considering all of these factors, one might wonder why hybrids are so popular. But these are all just facts—they don’t take into account the feelings behind major purchases.

Hybrid cars offer their owners a social and psychological benefit beyond the dollars and cents of MPG. It feels good to make such a large and public statement about one’s commitment to the environment or energy conservation.

If you want to purchase a hybrid, remember that you are buying with good intentions. Purchasing a hybrid helps pay the engineers who are looking for alternatives to fossil fuels and reduces your gas consumption.

But know that your purchase will not end the energy crisis—or necessarily save you in operational costs.

Image by Robert Scoble

Your Mileage (and Costs) May Vary on Hybrid Cars is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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Is dog sitting a legit way to make money?

Today is your lucky day.

Here are two new sites that connect dog sitters (and potential dog sitters) with dog owners in need of a sitter: DogVacay.com and Rover.com.

Both have been around less than a year, but they look like a promising way to bring in some extra income for the right individual.

If you’re familiar with AirBnB.com, the concept is very similar. As a sitter (boarder), you offer up your services and place for potential dog owners.

Dog owners check the site for sitters in their area and pick the one they like. The sites handle the money transfer. The site is seen as a welcomed alternative to leaving the dog alone, with an unwilling friend or family member, or at the kennel.

Looking for Dog Sitting Jobs?

If you’re a dog sitter already, you’re likely constantly keeping an eye out for new jobs. It’s not every night that an owner needs a sitter, so your work is probably spotty at best. I can see how these sites will take a lot of the pain out of finding new jobs. A great lead generator.

Also, unlike Craigslist, the site is designed specifically for dog sitting services and offers a lot of the features that give responsible owners confidence in the service. This is where you want to be and this is the type of client you want.

Start a Dog Sitting Business

Hey big timer! If you’re considering dog sitting as a legitimate, full-time business, these sites would make a great testing ground for your abilities, and a great way to build an initial client base.

The sites do take a small cut of your earnings every job. DogVacay.com takes 15% initially and the rate can drop to 3% depending on your history with the site. Rover.com takes 10% initially and will drop that to 5% based on your history with the site.

Dog sitting is definitely a legit business to start. I found this great profile from PetSit.com about business owner Jason Hofmann, who shares this:

[i]n 2004 I decided to start my own full time, in-home pet care business… I got off to a shaky start. The first year things were very difficult and money was tight. I made about $14,000 that first year. By 2006, business was booming and I was able to bring on some additional help as independent contractors. By 2007, a mere three years later, my business was grossing six figures.

Dog Sitting Rates

I’m not sure what a good dog sitting rate is, but the rates on these sites are pretty good considering the effort. The rates range from $15 to $50 a night. Do this a couple times a week and this could put an extra $500 in your pocket each month.

Have you ever made money as a dog sitter? Have you ever used one of these sites to find a sitter for your dog?

Image by zenera

Make Extra Money as a Dog Sitter is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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Citibank has been spending a lot of time revamping their business line of credit cards and earlier today, they re-launched the Citi Business / AAdvantage World MasterCard which now includes a 30,000 mile up front bonus.  While it’s a pretty solid offering for American Airlines flyers, it’s not overly spectacular.  Here’s my interpretation of what has become a cookie cutter offering from Citi.

Citi Business / AAdvantage World MasterCard Review

The opening bonus of 30,000 miles is provided to all new Citi Business^® / AAdvantage^® World MasterCard^® holders after they’ve spent $1,000 in the first three months.  That many miles is usually good for a round-trip coach ticket anywhere American Airlines flies (domestically).  This credit card also includes a variety of other benefits:

• First checked bag is free ( for up to five total members in your reservation)
• Priority boarding
• A $99 companion ticket every year more than $30,000 is spent on the card
• 2 AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on American Airlines flights (1 AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on all other purchases)
• A 5% bonus on miles earned every year the card is renewed.  (For example, earn 20,000 points in a year and get an additional 1,000 miles bonus)

What you see above can be found in pieces of every other airline / business credit card on the market today.  Most every airline credit card now offers free checked bags, as well as a discounted companion ticket, priority boarding and double miles for select purchases.  In comparison, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers a 7% bonus on rewards earned during the year which means the Citi Business^® AAdvantage^® World MasterCard^® is a solid overall card but unfortunately does not excel in any one area. 

Citi Business Card Pricing Details

There must be a consensus amongst banks on how to determine interest rates and fees because the Citi Business AAdvantage World MasterCard fits nicely into the mold here as well.  Cardholders can expect a variable interest rate of 15.24% with an annual fee of $95.  Said annual fee is waived during the first year, allowing consumers to take advantage of the up front offer.

Of the major credit card issuers, Citi is one of the few which doesn’t actually brand their business line of credit cards.  You may be familiar with the “Spark” cards from Capital One and the “Ink” cards from Chase but Citibank continues to stick with independent business credit cards.  The Citi Business^® / AAdvantage^® World MasterCard^® is a solid play for any business in need of travel, but for overall effectiveness, it’s not a premier option.  Consider applying only if American Airlines and it’s affiliates is your airline of choice.

Citi Business / AAdvantage World MasterCard 30,000 Mile Bonus is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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Where to next?

The right neighborhood? The right city? The right part of the World?

Mrs. PT (my wife) and I struggled with this question recently.

As you know we’re in the process of moving. Our recent offer was accepted and we close on the loan for our new home at the end of this month.

This may sound crazy, but our primary motivation for moving (right now) was so we could have a yard. We live in a townhome now. We don’t have a yard. That fact stinks now that we have little kids.

You may be going through a similar experience (needing to move). You may have recently retired, become unemployed, graduated from school, or just grown tired of where you’re at. Maybe you too are ready for a yard.

So how do you decide where to live?

Our Decision

Ultimately, we chose to stay in the same suburban town here in North Dallas. We are just changing neighborhoods.

This decision (to stay close) wasn’t an automatic one. There were some factors that made it a tough call for us:

• The Employment Situation – I’m self-employed and my entire business is virtual. I can literally work anywhere there is an Internet connection. Seeing so many other blogging friends move and live anywhere they wanted has definitely made me think about doing something similar. Mrs. PT is a stay at home mom, so her job would make the move easy as well.
• The Kids Ages – Our kids are ages three and one. Therefore, we don’t have their school(s) to consider. In fact, we have a solid two years before we need to be settled down for Kindergarden for our oldest.
• The Extended Family – Finally, this isn’t our hometown. We don’t really have any immediate family here. We live here because this is where Mrs. PT and I were able to find jobs after college. I finished my college in Louisiana, and my wife in East Texas, both just a few hours away.

Given all of that, it would make sense that we would at least give some place else a look before settling down for good, right?

Well, we did.

Factors to Consider When Deciding Where to Live

Here are some of the factors we looked at when considering a move to other places.

Where the Jobs Are – Even though I’m self-employed and doing okay, I’m pretty conservative when it comes to the income. So I never want to be too far away from a metro area where plenty of jobs are available and plenty of local contacts.

Forbes recently published their Best Cities for Jobs list, where they tout many Texas metro areas, including where I live, in their top 10. Lists like these aren’t the end-all, be-all though. Consider your particular industry or skill set.

Good Schools – Even if you don’t have kids yet, school quality might be a big factor for you one day. Mrs. PT and I are big fans of the public schools system. So, location matters for us.

Those interested in homeschooling or private school can worry less about this. But don’t ignore it completely, as good schools can be an indication of other positives in the area.

Thankfully, we live in one of the best areas for schools. The Nation’s Report Card seems to be a good place to compare school performance.

Proximity to Family – As I noted above, we don’t live near family. But we happen to be ‘in the middle’, where we are within a day’s drive of the majority of our close family. There are, of course, positives and negatives to living right next to your family.

For us, we’d like our kids to grow up knowing their grandparents and we’d selfishly enjoy some free baby sitting. So while that’s a big draw for us, we’d be picking one set of grandparents over the other as it stands. Which leaves us liking the middle.

Culture – When deciding where to live, you need to consider the culture. What do the people there believe? What do they care about? Every place has a different vibe because of the culture. Some places have homogenous culture, while other places are more diverse.

I love the people here in North Texas. I was born in Louisiana, and I miss many things about that rich culture, but this place has definitely adopted me. The people here are hard-working, entrepreneurial, independent, faith-oriented, mostly nice and respectful towards each other, and they have strong family values.

These are the qualities I want in the people I live amongst and these are the qualities that I want my kids adopting. Beyond that, Mrs. PT and I have our short history here. We met here, had our first date here, and got married here. We like the idea of raising our kids here and developing that history.

Cost of Living – Before you move, you need to make sure you’re comfortable with the new lifestyle you can afford in your new place. Moving to Hawaii, but love spending time with your extended family here in the continuous U.S.? Hopefully you earn enough to afford regular trips back to the mainland.

Another big cost to consider is real estate. It wouldn’t surprise me if you could find a 3,000 square foot house priced $500k higher in one area of the country vs another. Do you want to remain a renter for a lot longer? Check out this cost of living calculator by PayScale.com

Community – While we don’t have family nearby, we do have a close community of friends that make this place feel like home. We spend most of our time with friends from our local Church. This has definitely been the glue that’s helped to hold our life together here in the big city.

From experience I can tell you that even surrounded by millions of people it’s easy to be lonely if you don’t have a community. Do you have a great community of people where you currently live? Could you easily plug into a new set of friends wherever you go?

The thought of not having good community after a move to a new place has been a big factor in keeping us here. It’s slightly irrational, but it is a factor.

Weather and Activities – Do you want all four seasons? Are you comfortable with extended heat or cold? The weather obviously has an affect on what you can do outside as well. Are you an outdoors person?

Don’t expect to enjoy being outdoors in this part of the country from July to October unless you have your swimsuit on. Thank goodness I work inside and we have great air conditioners.

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So those are some of the factors that we considered and you should as well. Places that ended up being high on our list (mainly due to that last factor) were San Diego and Denver. We have family/friends there and the weather and activities would be drastically different than here.

Like I said above though, this place has a lot of good things going for it and our history and friends are here. Even though our girls aren’t in school yet, we have a great community of friends and Church family that make this place feel like home.

Additionally, Mrs. PT and I decided that we’re more interested in being settled than we are in a permanent adventure right now. Besides we can take the money that we save by living in a cheap area and do a lot more traveling before the girls hit school age. Luckily, we’re in the middle of the country and live in a hub city where airfare is cheap.

Which Neighborhood to Live In?

Don’t forget about deciding which particular neighborhood to live in. The most important factor for me when considering this used to be proximity to my job. I hate a long commute, especially when it involves any traffic at all. It makes me a miserable person. So, I chose to live very close to my job.

Now that I have kids I can see why people choose to live further out from the city center: the neighborhoods are usually safer and quieter, and the schools are often better.

If you are new to an area, it may be hard to get a good gauge on which are the best neighborhoods. Check out any local message boards or forums to see opinions. Drive around the neighborhoods on Saturday mornings. Consider renting in the area first and then buy a place when you find the specific spot you like.

For us, it came down to proximity to schools (our new home is within walking distance), the vibe of the neighborhood (ours is very active and self-contained), and the fact that many of our good friends live there.

Ultimately I think you can be pretty happy anywhere you are. At a certain point, a place is just a place. It’s more important to surround yourself with the right people, I think. And if there aren’t enough people, just have a bunch of kids and start your own little community.

If you recently moved, why did you choose that particular location? I’d love a good cross-country move story. If you’re thinking of moving soon, what factors come into play for you?

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How to Decide Where to Live and Why We Chose to Stay Put is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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Welcome to PT Money’s Quick Money Tips, a roundup of the latest and greatest money tips from around Internet. In today’s edition, we focus on keeping entertainment as cheap as possible, whether it’s cable television, music, or summer vacation.

Best Quick Money Tips

Cutting the Cord on Cable TV’s Pricey Monthly Bill — If you’re not a die-hard television viewer, or even if you are, then this post offers some great ideas for cutting cable expenses.

Five Places You Can Listen to Music for Free — I’ll make it 6 places by adding Grooveshark to the list. It is similar to Spotify, but it doesn’t have the mobile options.

10 Tricks for Saving on Summer Airfare — This article includes some really helpful tips for booking summer travel, including what days to buy and travel as well as international gateway cities that will help you reduce the cost of your airfare.

What Minimum Wage Buys, Then and Now — (Mainly) just the facts about what a federally mandated wage could get you over the last seven decades across three common expenses: gas, a movie ticket, and rent.

Tips to Pick a 529 Plan for Your Child’s College Savings — Thinking about future college expenses for your child? Give them a little boost (if you can) with a 529 College Savings Plan.

More Quick Money Tips

Should You Combine Finances After Marriage? — Whether you’re married or engaged, this post explores both sides of the argument about combining finances and offers helpful advice on how to talk to your spouse about the issue.

To Make Money Honestly Is the Highest of Virtues — Kevin from Thousandaire writes, “Throughout most of college, I had this crazy idea that it was morally right to work for others (teaching or hiring others) but morally wrong to work for myself (make as much money as possible).”

The Super Duper Simple Book on Money — I only recently became aware of Alan Akina, but he’s got a great resource on his hands here. You have 3 days left to download this excellent, easy-to-read, ebook for free.

How to Do a Wallet Audit — Donna unfortunately experienced a mugging last Fall and shares her account along with some tips for knowing what’s in your wallet in case it’s ever lost or stolen.

My New Hustle: Blog Consulting — J. Money just started a blog consulting business. Learn why he’s doing it and what all it entails. Lesson to be learned: everyone is an expert at something and that time is worth money.

Latest Carnivals: Carnival of Personal Finance, The Carnival of Financial Camaraderie, Festival of Frugality

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Quick Money Tips: Cheap Entertainment Ideas is a post from: PT Money: Personal Finance by PT.
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