Written by J.P. Wicklein      This past week I learned of a new coupon site, Groupon.  Due to its unique approach Groupon offers deeper discounts than many other coupon sites.  How Groupon works      Each day Groupon features a single, purchasable coupon for a local restaurant, retailer, or other business.  Here are several examples of recent Groupon deals within Chicago: ·         Cubs vs. Marlins:  $84 coupon worth $165 in tickets ·         The Denim Lounge:  $50 coupon worth $125 in pur... Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      I picked up a book recently entitled “The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me” by Richard Paul Evans.  At 106 pages, it’s a pretty quick read.  For a small book it packs a lot of useful advice.  Win in the Margins      One of the author’s five lessons is to “win in the margins”.  What does that mean? It means this:  To become wealthy you need to find ways to increase contributions to your growing nest egg.  Not through your 9 to 5, forty hour a week job but throu... Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      I picked up a book recently entitled “The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me” by Richard Paul Evans.  At 106 pages, it’s a pretty quick read.  For a small book it packs a lot of useful advice.  Win in the Margins      One of the author’s five lessons is to “win in the margins”.  What does that mean? It means this:  To become wealthy you need to find ways to increase contributions to your growing nest egg.  Not through your 9 to 5, forty hour a week job but throu... Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      I read an article in Time last week advocating the death of the 401k.  Their rationale was that 401k’s are failing to prove themselves as an effective retirement savings vehicle for the masses.  In light of the recent financial meltdown the argument to replace the 401k with another retirement savings vehicle, such as a federally-controlled pension system, has gained attention.  Although there may be rationale for providing a government-controlled retirement savi... Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      I read an article in Time last week advocating the death of the 401k.  Their rationale was that 401k’s are failing to prove themselves as an effective retirement savings vehicle for the masses.  In light of the recent financial meltdown the argument to replace the 401k with another retirement savings vehicle, such as a federally-controlled pension system, has gained attention.  Although there may be rationale for providing a government-controlled retirement savi... Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      I came across a segment about the future of Berkshire Hathaway after Warren Buffett dies.  Due to Buffett’s advanced age, he just turned 79, the Berkshire Board of Directors often discusses potential successors.  The Bloomberg feature discusses a couple possible contenders to take over the $156 billion company.  (Try not to get hypnotized by the tickers.)   Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      I came across a segment about the future of Berkshire Hathaway after Warren Buffett dies.  Due to Buffett’s advanced age, he just turned 79, the Berkshire Board of Directors often discusses potential successors.  The Bloomberg feature discusses a couple possible contenders to take over the $156 billion company.  (Try not to get hypnotized by the tickers.)   Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      I’m earning over a 9% return on my money through Lending Club.  (Currently the average annual return for all of Lending Club’s 25,000+ investors is 9.6%.)  By offering a $25 bonus, Lending Club is inviting new customers to give their service a try for free.  What is Lending Club?      Lending Club acts as a middleman between individual lenders and borrowers seeking loans between $1,000 and $25,000.  To qualify for a loan, borrowers must have a credit score of ... Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      I’m earning over a 9% return on my money through Lending Club.  (Currently the average annual return for all of Lending Club’s 25,000+ investors is 9.6%.)  By offering a $25 bonus, Lending Club is inviting new customers to give their service a try for free.  What is Lending Club?      Lending Club acts as a middleman between individual lenders and borrowers seeking loans between $1,000 and $25,000.  To qualify for a loan, borrowers must have a credit score of ... Read Full Story

Written by J.P. Wicklein      Dime Bank recently announced $300 in bonuses for new checking account customers.  I’ve seen checking account incentives up to $100 before, but never anything this high.  Dime Bank has put several conditions in place to receive the full bonus.  Here are the details:  ·         New Dime Bank customers that open a “Prime Dime Rewards Checking” account receive a $100 bonus at time of opening, another $100 for setting up monthly direct deposit, and $100 more for com... Read Full Story