It's Showtime, Baby!

Nothing says wild and crazy fun on a Friday night like downing another IC Light while watching a documentary on Showtime. But that's me tonight. At least, I'm still awake. Everyone else has been snoring since 10:30 p.m!

Anyway, I'm watching Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders. The film was made by James Scurlock in 2006, not to be confused with Morgan Spurlock. Spurlock made the thought-provoking flick, Super Size Me in 2004. Back to Maxed Out. It has its fair share of politicians squirming, regular people suffering from regular problems and basically everyone you're supposed to trust -- looking distrustful. Seriously, no one is safe. Suze Orman just got ripped for being in bed with FICO! Not that I've bought her FICO Kit. Yet. Or registered for it. Yet. Frankly, I'm not even sure after reading most of her book, Women and Money, if I already own rights to the kit just by buying her book. She promotes the hell out of FICO so much, I have started to tune out. And if you've read any of Suze's books, you know a bad FICO score will have you spewing F-words all the livelong day.

Maxed Out reminds me how great marketing makes you spend and spend even if it means spending money on things that are supposed to show you how to stop spending. Kind of defeats the purpose of a mission like my economic stimulus. A great reminder, too, to stop and smell the roses every once in a while, consider the source like my Mom always told me to do and then consider other sources to help round out your full story. Sphere: Related Content

Tips

After the story about the IRS mailing stimulus checks to incorrect recipients, I've been on the lookout for one of those recipients. No one I know. At least, no one is fessin' up. And as much as I've sung the praises of direct deposit, apparently mistakes have cropped up there too.

Anyway, if you receive someone else's $600, please report it to the IRS (paper check) or your bank (if it was already directly deposited). Do it.

If you're still waiting for your dough, you're probably going to be told one of the following:
1. The checks are on their way and will continue to be disbursed until at least July, depending on when you filed.
2. Go here.
3. Call the Refund Hotline at 800-829-1954 Sphere: Related Content

IRS screws up

I screwed up this morning and forgot my yogurt and banana on the kitchen counter when I left the house. Fortunately, I remembered while pulling out of the drive. Quick fix: Ran back into the house (in heels) to get my snacks and sped off to work.

At least my screwup didn't tick off 15,000 people. That's how many "poor" folks' $600 checks were mailed to the wrong address. Yet another reason to do direct deposit!

My economic stimulus is still ongoing thanks to the TD Ameritrade savings account I set up earlier this year. Stalled a little on the investment front with Scottrade, though. Something in my online application hit a snag. Kind of ticked me off. To boot, after I input my personal data online, there was no email from Scottrade telling me not to fret and that they would be in touch.

I did get a call on Monday from Scottrade inviting me into its nearest office. So much for quick, online service. The broker also sent me a package in the mail, including the application. So much going on these days I haven't had time to fill out and submit it. Hopefully this weekend.

While Scottrade gave me the cold shoulder, at least Suze Orman checked in on me. Yes, it was an auto-generated email. She congratulated me on setting my savings on autopilot and reminded me: "You're on the path to saving yourself!" Sphere: Related Content

Pulling the trigger

Procrastination strikes again ... but this time it works in favor of my economic stimulus. I'm not procrastinating investing. Just cleaning the house. Not one of my favorite activities! Friends and family can attest.

I figure that if I pull the trigger on an online brokerage FIRST, I can gain work-free interest WHILE I dust, sweep and scrub next. I went back to my previous posts about the brokers I researched and also to the recesses of my memory.

TD Ameritrade stuck out.  Probably because it was so easy to sign up for the Suze Orman Save Yourself Account. An blurb in Newsweek listed this helpful link for finding the best online broker for me. Just answer 3 questions: 

1. 1. What's your total portfolio value? My $600 puts me well under $25K.
   
2. 2. How many trades will you make per quarter (I answered this a few different ways to see how it would affect the monthly costs ... the default 5, 10, 200.)
   
3. 3. How many average shares will you buy per trade? (This depends on stock price of course, but I figured 5-10.)
   

The numbers are in: Scottrade is for me. $7 per trade can't be beat. 

TIP: Double check the costs per trade and the costs per quarter. 

Now is the time for REAL action ... I hope to pull the trigger on a stock purchase by the next posting. Sphere: Related Content

The Biscuit is in the Basket

My stimulus check is here!! My stimulus check is here!

Just surfed to my online bank account for the 800th time this week. And there it was, much to my delight! The check is processing itself as I type.

So exciting! So thankful for direct deposit! So hard to believe some people STILL don't trust direct deposit (former employer of mine actually... ).

Got a busy weekend ahead. Between cleaning the house, attending a breakfast for my non-profit group, the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, and hopefully attending a friend's Cinqo de Mayo party, I need time transfer the my economic stimulus $ to my online broker and get this show on the road. Fortunately thanks to online banking, this is totally doable!

Go check your account ... NOW!!

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