-Oct-
18
An Idiot Proof Guide To Alternative Trading Options (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Understanding Spread Betting

Spread betting can be seen as a risky business, a high octane challenge for those who like to gamble. This is not a game for widows or orphans. Say you had a tip off that said that the Euro was about to cascade or alternatively the US stock exchange would make rapid gains against the Japanese stock market. You may want to use spread betting to gamble on these hunches.

Spread betting is a relatively easy platform to understand and it is one of the most inexpensive ways for a private investor to invest in hunches that may make them rapid profits. Profits are not guaranteed, but if you make the right calls at the right time your investment will have been worthwhile.

-Sep-
29
Finances and Fiances: Why is it so Difficult to Manage Money as a Couple? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

I’ve heard many times that money is one of the most common causes of conflict among couples. It is true, that differing views on finances cause many arguments, break ups and even divorces.

They also say that "money is the root of all evil." Whether this is complete truth or partial exaggeration, this statement has been proven many times throughout history. But when it comes to matters of love, why does money have such a detrimental and significant impact on our significant others?

-Aug-
31
Starting the School Year Off Right: Five Tips for Being Smart about Back to School Spending (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

As the end of summer (too) quickly approaches, chances are the next large expenditures you’ll face will be related to the back to school season. Whether you (or members of your immediate family) are heading back to school, it seems that we’re bombarded with advertisements and offers telling us to go shopping at this time of year.


While it’s always a good idea to take advantage of sales when making purchases, we still have to realize that no matter how good a deal we get on something, the money is still coming out of our bank accounts. As a result, we need to closely monitor our spending, particularly in today’s economy.

-Jan-
27
Keeping Your New Years Resolutions On Track - Tips to Start the New Year Out Right (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Many people capitalize on the New Year, making it a time to create resolutions aimed at improving themselves and their current situations. Given these difficult economic times, it is more important than ever to be mindful of your finances, and it’s likely that many resolutions this year revolved around this very topic. Here are a few tips to make the most of your financially-focused resolutions:

-Sep-
29
With All This Economic Unrest, Why Didn’t Anyone Offer Me a Golden Parachute? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

It seems that everywhere we look this week we’re hearing talk of the troubled American economy. From national morning talk shows to local morning coffee shops, everyone seems to be talking about how the U.S. economy is in a state of emergency and action needs to be taken quickly.

An underpinning of all these discussions is the talk that an advantaged few have been escaping economic ruin by way of “golden parachutes.” In other words, they have an “ace the in hole” financial plan or company compensation plan that means they are exempt from the poor decisions or risky behavior going on around them, potentially leaving others to suffer while they ride off into the sunset unharmed.

-Jul-
07
Surviving Summer Slumps – Top 5 Positive & Negative Effects on Your Seasonal Finances (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Summer is here (hooray!) and we can finally enjoy the warm weather, longer days and shorter work hours that accompany this time of year.

But while the snow has subsided to allow us a few months of much-needed sunshine, it’s important to consider the potential impact (for better or worse) this can have on your finances.

-Apr-
21
Tax Season Has Come and Gone – Five Tips to Ensure April’s Showers Bring May Dollars (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Now that the deadline for filing tax returns has passed, the flurry of tax season is behind us. Whether your tax return turned out just the way you’d hoped (maybe you’re getting a healthy refund) or you ended up with an unpleasant surprise (perhaps finding out that you owe more money than you’d planned), the season is behind us and it’s time to look toward our financial futures.

The end of tax season is also marked by the start of warm weather, getting many people in the mood for spring cleaning. As we’re doing yard work, cleaning out the closets and opening up swimming pools, there’s no time like the present to also do some “spring cleaning” for your finances.

-Apr-
07
The True Value of Money – Assessing How Much Money Is Really Worth To You (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Those of us that invest a great deal of time managing our finances may think we know the answer to the question “how much is money worth?” While it’s a complex topic, we think we have a straightforward, quantitative, clear-cut answer which involves exchange rates and currencies and inflation and the passing of time. We pull out our calculators and let the numbers do the talking.

But there’s another way to look at how much money is worth that doesn’t involve numbers or currency conversions. I’m speaking here about the qualitative side of the coin and where finance fits into your value system and life goals.

-Mar-
26
To Owe or Not to Owe? Tax is the Question… (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

As tax season continues, and the deadline for filing taxes approaches, many people are finding out where their finances for last year netted out. While some people are getting the pleasant news that they’re getting a refund back and can plan accordingly, others are coming to the realization that they may owe a (potentially large) sum of money.

If the results revealed by your tax return come as a surprise to you it may put you in an uncomfortable financial situation, particularly if you owe money. We’ve often said on 22Dollars.com that no plan is a plan to fail, and it seems that this saying holds true in this case as well. Rather than scrambling to find a fast financial fix, it’s certainly going to be better for you both in the long and short run to do whatever you can to plan ahead for this type of expense.

-Mar-
17
Sayings Worth Saving - Our Favorite Finance Quotes and Words of Wisdom (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

When it comes to money, everyone has something to say. Each person has an opinion, and these individual opinions can vary widely. From those that believe in high stakes investing to those that do not believe in investing at all, the things people say about finance can be quite different. But the bottom line is that everyone has something to say.

At the same time, finance can be one of the most difficult things to discuss, because it’s a very personal topic that links many of the things that make us who we are: our values, our emotions, our pride, our status, and how we make our living. However, throughout history many people have found a way to capture their sentiments about finance in ways that can help us all express our varied opinions on money, and have helped us learn a thing or two about this complex topic.

-Mar-
10
The Bright Side of Tax Season – Seven Ideas For What to Do With Your 2007 Tax Refund (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

As the deadline for completing 2007 tax returns approaches, more and more people are filing returns each and every day. While many people are filing the old fashion way through the mail, others are taking advantage of the free IRS efile method online. Once the headaches of making sure all your information is accurate and all your paperwork has been submitted, you should know in advance if you can expect a tax refund this year.

As with any income, it’s a good idea to think about what you’re going to do in advance and make a plan for how you will use it. We always quote the saying that “no plan is a plan to fail,” and it seems true that many of the worst financial decisions are those made compulsively. Since tax refunds are getting turned around more quickly than ever these days, take the time in between when you file and when you receive your refund to really think about what you’ll do with the money you get back.

-Mar-
07
8 Reasons You Can’t Get Out of Debt. Learn To Avoid These Common Financial Pitfalls (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

If you find that you are steadily sinking into the dark abyss of endless debt, there is probably a reason. No one swipes your credit card, signs your name at the bottom of loan applications or borrows money without your consent, so it’s time to look inward for the reasons you can’t get out of debt.

According to Wendy Nesbit, who counsels consumers on debt management skills on a regular basis, there are eight basic reasons for the continuation of the debt cycle.

-Feb-
26
6 Essential Tips for Tax Season – Advice For The Best Ways To Get Through Tax Season Safely (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

As I’m sure the readers of 22Dollars are aware, tax season is in full swing. By now, we all should have received the necessary paperwork from our employers, banks and other investment institutions and can get to work on our tax returns if we haven’t already.

It seems like each year there are more and more options for individuals looking to prepare their tax returns, and it can be difficult to know who to trust. Lately the news has been filled with stories about tax-related scams to watch out for and everywhere you look there are advertisements offering “worry free” solutions.

So with the April 15 deadline looming, here are a few simple tips to keep in mind as you’re preparing your taxes:

-Feb-
13
Time vs. Money: Which is More Valued by Society? Which is More Valuable to You? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

A wise person once said that time is money. In many ways that’s still true today. People are paid on an hourly basis and most companies rate their employees as part-time or full-time, based on the number of hours they work each week. We pay rush charges for packages that are delivered quickly and fees for movies we return late. But when looking at time and money - is one more important than the other?

Retailers often charge extra for goods or services that are intended to make our lives easier – like dry cleaning delivered to our houses, bottled water or pre-chopped, pre-cleaned lettuce for our salads. In this hectic day and age, many people are willing to pay for these conveniences. For some, anything that saves time or puts a few minutes back into their day is worth the additional costs associated.

-Jan-
07
Chart Pattern Recognition Series - Ascending Triangles (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Chart pattern trading is something that takes a lot of discipline. By this I mean stock charts cannot look "kinda" like a pattern or have certain elements of a pattern. They need to match the pattern's characteristics by 100% or they will not work. Think of it like you are taking a test and the only way to pass is to get exactly a 100%. Anything less and you could be setting yourself up for danger.

The Ascending Triangle chart pattern is one of the most easily identifiable patterns and also one of my favorites to trade upon a confirmed breakout. Correctly identifying this pattern has made me a lot of money in the past and continues to prove itself as one of most profitable trades. The pattern is a bullish pattern sporting a triangle shape with a horizontal top and upward sloping bottom.

-Dec-
19
Gifts that Keep On Giving: Holiday Presents that Improve the Recipient's Financial Situation (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

For those of you that are financially conscious, or just like to get a good bargain, you’ve probably been carefully planning your holiday spending for a few weeks now. Scanning the weekend papers for good coupons, keeping an eye out for holiday-related sales and carefully budgeting how much you can spend on each gift to make sure you make the most of your money and avoid getting yourself into debt. I know some things that have worked well for me in the past include deciding what I want to get each person on my list before heading to the store (so I don’t make impulsive decisions while at the crowded malls) and start my shopping early (so I don’t feel rushed on Dec. 24 and end up spending more than I had planned).

But what about the flip side? Most of us have probably thought at length about how the holiday gifts we give impact our own finances (whether it’s in the budgeting stage, or after the fact when we get our credit card bill). However a recent article on Yahoo Finance made me stop to think about how the gifts I give this season may impact the recipients’ finances.

-Dec-
03
Want to Know How to Turn $12,000 into $2 Million? Timothy Sykes Demonstrates (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

If you’re a fan of Wall Street Warriors or stay on top of the financial publishing scene, you’ve probably seen and heard Timothy Sykes’ name pretty frequently these days. Timothy’s recently released book, An American Hedge Fund: How I Made $2 Million as a Stock Operator and Created a Hedge Fund, details the true story of how he turned the $12,415 he received for his Bar Mitzvah into $1.65 million in just three years and all before he turned 26. Timothy sent 22Dollars.com a copy of his book (check out the fourth page to see our review!) and recently provided us with a behind-the-scenes look at the man, the myth and the market. Make sure to check out Timothy’s responses below and grab a copy of his book if you haven’t already!

-Nov-
12
Pain at the Pump - This Holiday Season Will Gas Prices on the Rise Impact Your Family Ties? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

It’s nothing new for gas prices to make headlines. It seems like every day for the last few years the media has kept a very close watch on the daily fluctuations of fuel. And Americans across the country have been tracking prices at the pump and feeling the effects. While 22Dollars.com stresses taking control of your finances, the topic of gas prices instantly causes anxiety and controversy due to the fact that it’s one area of our budget over which we feel little control.

The impact of the increasing price of gasoline touches everyone - not only those who depend on a car for their daily transportation. In somewhat of a chain effect, everything from surcharges on airline tickets to higher prices for transported vegetables is impacted and we all feel the effects on our finances. But can this even reach our personal lives during the holiday season?

-Sep-
25
Top 5 Smart Spending Tips for Students - How to Make Ends Meet in College (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Over summer vacation many students work hard at jobs they may or may not like, earning money to help them get through the school year. This is perhaps especially true for college students who, away from home for the first time, are just getting their feet wet with managing their expenses (of which there are many) on a shoe-string budget.

As college students are settling into the fall semester, many are probably realizing how quickly the money they earned over the summer can go. When you’re a full-time student it can be difficult to find ways to earn enough money to cover your expenses during the school year. As a result, it’s vital that college students are smart about how they spend their money and maintain a strict budget.

-Sep-
04
The Back to School Season is in Full Swing: What Does that Mean For Your Finances? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

The summer has gone WAY too quickly, and while that means we need to begin bracing ourselves for cooler weather and shorter days, it also means that it is officially the back to school season. Students, teachers and parents are enjoying their last few weeks of summer vacation and making plans to get back into the scholastic routine.

But whether you’re heading back to school, supporting someone that’s going back to school, or think the first day of school has no bearing on you, this year, instead of just thinking about school supplies, lunch boxes and cool new clothes, we at 22Dollars.com encourage you to also use this as a chance to reflect on your finances.

-Jul-
14
Money and Machinery: How Has Technology Impacted Our Finances? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

A few weeks ago I went to a museum featuring life and society in the 1800’s. Seeing the stark contrasts between life then and now got me thinking about how the technological developments that have happened in that span of time have impacted the way we handle daily tasks.

Some have said that there have been more technological changes in the last 100 years than in the previous 1,000 years before that. Certainly such changes have impacted every aspect of our lives, from travel to dining to housing to healthcare. Despite the obvious inflation that has occurred since the 1800’s, there have also been developments in how we make, manage and spend our money as a result of technological developments. Here are my thoughts…

-Jul-
05
Investing in Your Education – College Loans Give Graduates One More Test to Pass (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Since finishing school in May and June, many college graduates are realizing that there are many new experiences, challenges and opportunities ahead. Between finding a job, moving away from home, leaving comfortable sets of friends behind and giving up the flexible college schedule for the more rigid 9-5 work week, there are many changes that come with finishing school.

In addition to all these changes, students also begin to work toward achieving financial independence. Throughout college, most people find that there is more money going out than coming in, as they are paying for tuition and living expenses and have little or no time to hold down a paying job. As a result a certain amount of debt accumulates. While there is the plus side that finishing college means graduates will have the chance to put their skills to use in jobs that will earn them money, graduation also marks the point in many peoples’ lives where they take on full responsibility for their finances, without the support of family or college financial aid advisers.

-Jun-
25
Stunned by Your Traditional Bond Fund Delivering Stupendous Returns? Well Don't Be! (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Mutual funds are increasingly making use of Derivatives in its portfolio as a strategy to boost the returns from investment. Peruse your Fund's portfolio in the monthly and quarterly fact sheets to ascertain the exposure that your fund has taken in these Derivatives. Comparing these across periods will reveal the extent of churning that your fund manager dolls out in these funds.

-Jun-
20
Tips for Creating an Airtight Budget - Planning for the Future and Making Dreams a Reality (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Many people think that the only way to reduce financial risks is to make more money. However many forget that it’s just as important, if not moreso, to manage the money you have. A friend once told me, “it’s not how much money you make, it’s what you do with that money that really counts,” and I truly believe that. Proof of this can be seen in the number of celebrities that earn large sums of money then end up declaring bankruptcy within a few years. Hollywood is filled with stories where people lived beyond their means and did not know how to handle all the money they had and as a result ended up in trouble.

-Jun-
12
Bond Basics - Apperceive Your Funds Features and Risks (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Bonds provide an stupendous medium of diversification. They could, on occasion comport as even more lucrative investments than equities provided one has accoutered the know-how of when to invest, i.e. Investing when the interests rates are postulated to fall in the future, and pulling out when the scenario is reversed.

The risks that are confederated with investing in bonds are several, the primary being the interest rate risk. Other risks are the risk from the change in the shape of the yield curve, credit risk, liquidity risk, inflation risks (which tend to diminish the real returns from one's investment), Volatility risks etc.

-May-
17
Investing in Real Estate: Is it Worth the Green it Takes to Go Green? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Typically the articles on this site address investing through stocks, bonds and mutual funds. However many people have made their fortunes, or at least a comfortable living, by investing in real estate. Whether we turn out to be real estate moguls like Donald Trump, or just need a roof over our heads, we all need to make real estate decisions at some point in our lives.

There are many choices that need to be made when you’re building, buying or remodeling a home. Certainly style is one of them – you want your home to look nice and serve as a representation of your personality. Comfort is another one high on most peoples’ lists – you want your home to be a place you can relax and unwind. Now what about the financially driven decisions you make with respect to your home?

-May-
06
The Rationale For Investing Into an Automatic Investment Plan (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Every individual saves to consummate some financial goal in the future. It could be saving for retirement, purchasing a house property, education, vacations etc. Whilst most of our needs may be current, we do tend to direct a large pie towards saving for our long term goals. While this is an ideal praxis, in the long term, our invested capital faces market risks, credit risks, currency risks, liquidity risks, default risks etc. Most of these center on the kind of asset class and quality of investments we buy into. However, each long-term investment faces risk from inflation, which escalates cost of living on one hand, and shaves off our investment surpluses on the other. In other words, inflation increases the prices of our essential commodities and attenuates the value of our money.

-Apr-
30
Viscious Cycle: Don’t Make Enough Money to Invest, but Need to Invest to Make More Money (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

How many of you don’t think you have enough money to start investing? Living paycheck to paycheck and keeping track of where every penny goes, you have enough trouble making ends meet from day to day, much less putting money away for a rainy day. Many of us that are just starting out, or perhaps starting over, might read this blog to get investment ideas for the future. Not seeing how investments can fit into our tight budgets in the present, we think all the advice we hear is for someone else, or for us to file away for “someday.”

While those of us that live on a shoestring budget are wise to be cautious, the truth is that we should not allow this caution to stunt our growth. Everyone has the potential to invest in their futures – we just may need to take different approaches.

-Apr-
23
Please Welcome the Newest Writer to 22Dollars - Chandni Kripalani - Private Equity Specialist (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

It is our pleasure to introduce all our readers to our newest writer, Chandni Kripalani.

Chandni brings extensive experience in the private equity space. She hails from a background of mutual fund advisory, investment advisory and private equity transaction research. She has worked with asset management companies the likes of DSP Merrill Lynch Fund Managers and as a wealth manager at Citibank where she provided investment advisory to high net worth clients on mutual funds and life insurance.

We are very happy and excited to have her on board and look forward to learning from her expertise and experience in the field.

-Apr-
15
Investment Advice: Don't Take Investment Advice without First Doing Your Own Research! (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Hello again fellow 22Readers! We are happy to be back in the States after a much needed break. We spent the past week on a cruise around the Bahamas and had a great time.

Today we wanted to talk to you about one of the best investment tips ever given to us. A wise man, who wishes to remain anonymous, once said never listen to anyone’s investment “hot stock tip.” Many times on 22Dollars we present information and discuss, from a technical and fundamental standpoint, what it is that we see in a stock and why we think the timing might now be correct to profit with little risk. I stress that we are simply “presenting the data” as we see it for YOU to investigate more and make the decision.

-Mar-
28
Investing: Safe Path to Security or Dangerous Road to Debt? 6 Tips to Increase Market Odds (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

When you’re first making the decision of whether to invest your money in the stock market, it’s always a good idea to weigh the possible risks and rewards. If you do your homework and are a conscious investor, though, you can tip the scale in your favor.

While you may feel like you’re in over your head if you’re embarking on your first investments, know that you have one major thing in your favor: no one cares more about your money than you do. That alone should serve as motivation for you to take the necessary steps to become an informed, knowledgeable and successful investor.

-Mar-
20
Why Are You Not Rich Yet? The Poor, Middle & Upper Class Definition of the word "Asset" (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

I recently received an email from an individual (who will remain nameless) that wanted to know why it was they felt like they would never get ahead financially. A feeling of being stuck in the rat race of life, struggling to never get ahead in the end. My answer to his question was simple and it paralleled the ideologies expressed by Robert T. Kiyosaki in the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”. The answer is one that is not readily taught in our school systems. Before I give you the answer to why you aren’t rich yet, let me first ask you a couple questions and see if you can’t figure it out yourself.

-Feb-
14
Personal Finance For Dummies, 5th Edition by Eric Tyson (Author) Complete Finance Guidebook (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

It's that time again. Time for 22Dollars to give away another financial book. This time we have decided on something more friendly and light hearted than Rich Dad, Poor Dad (author: Robert T. Kiyosaki) from last month. This time around the book we are giving away is titled Personal Finance For Dummies, 5th Edition (author: Eric Tyson).

Tyson has a solid writing style and makes for a surprisingly easy read. Financial concepts many would find complex are explained in straight forward terms and are easily comprehended. Perhaps the best financial principle this book teaches is how to recognize when people giving you advice have a conflict of interest. Unless you yourself are a financial professional, don't pay someone to handle your money or give you financial advice without first reading this book. They may not really have your best interests in mind.

-Jan-
24
Simple Tips for Saving Money - The Little Things You Do Can Really Add Up! (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Have you ever encountered a problem or challenge that seemed so great you didn’t even know where to begin? You found yourself frozen - so intimidated that you didn’t take any action at all, avoiding or denying the problem. When a problem seems unsurmountable, we’re more likely to feel overwhelmed and less likely to take steps toward a solution.

For many of us, our finances present one of these “insurmountable problems.” Whether we’re facing college debt, major credit card bills or the daunting task of planning for retirement, we may feel like we’re in over our heads. We feel that since there is no solution in sight and anything we do will not make much of an impact. We then decide that we might as well have some fun with our money rather than worry or embark on a futile effort.

-Jan-
15
Making Our Resolutions a Reality - How Do You Plan to Build Wealth in the New Year? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

In a recent article, we discussed some tips for making New Year’s resolutions. Now that we’re (gasp!) halfway through January already, it’s time to take action (if you haven’t already) to realize your goals for this year.

I remember being told in school that “no plan is a plan to fail.” While this saying doesn’t coincide well with my normally optimistic outlook, it does present some truth. In our Dec. 30 post we gave some suggestions for creating your resolutions. Well, now that it’s officially 2007 it’s time to act.

-Dec-
30
New Year's Resolutions - The Rest of Your Financial Life Starts Now (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

�Tis the Season for making New Year�s resolutions! As we approach 2007, it is likely that many people are making lists and checking them twice, preparing for a fresh start in the new year and setting goals for the things they�d like to accomplish.

Typically it seems that the most common resolutions include pledges to work out more often, watch what we eat, get involved in volunteer work, take up a new hobby and spend more time with our families. Also high on many peoples� lists are financial goals for the coming year. After the extra spending of the holiday season, many of us may be looking for ways to make better decisions regarding our money.

-Dec-
17
The Rich Dad, Poor Dad Year End Christmas Holiday Giveway. Thank You 22Readers! (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

As 2006 comes to a close, we here at 22Dollars.com want to take this opportunity to thank all our readers for making the site what it is today. We have received countless emails from readers scattered near and far expressing their kind words with respect to the site. We hope you enjoy the site and continue to read and find different ways to save and make money in 2007.

As a token of our appreciation, we wanted to give something back to our readers. What we settled on this year for the 22Dollars Holiday Bonus gift was one of the most inspiring and influential books I have ever read on the differences in the way each social-economic class approaches business, money and life. The book is titled Rich Dad, Poor Dad written by Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. A book about what the rich teach their kids about money that the poor and middle class do not. A BRAND NEW copy of Rich Dad, Poor Dad will be given away to one lucky reader of 22Dollars to be drawn at random this coming Friday (Dec. 22nd).

-Nov-
01
Welcome Friends to the New 22Dollars.com - Your Feedback is Encouraged. (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Welcome friends to the new 22. I just wanted to thank you for your patience while we have been very busy upgrading the entire site (as you can clearly see). As you will notice at the top, there are now tabs to provide easy navigation to the three new areas of the site. The new areas of the site include the credo, Club22 and the contact page.

CREDO: Our mission statement. Created because of the enormous feedback I received asking and I quote "What is 22Dollars and how do I join". I wanted it to be more than just a simple "about us" page - I wanted to capture why this site was created and why it is a great resource for our visitors to use daily now. It also serves as a reminder to our commitment to always be improving on the site and providing our readers with the best possible experience.

-Oct-
18
22Changes to Serve Growing Reader Base of Savvy Investors - The New 22 is Coming! (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Over the past couple days the team at 22Dollars.com has been very busy working and we apologize for the lack of recent posts. What have we been working on you ask? Well not financial analysis, but rather a total site-wide face-lift. Here are just some of the changes you can look forward to:

1.) Total site optimization with respect to coding, images, scripts and all other files to improve download times by over 400%!

2.) Transfer of the site over to the secure and extra speedy hosting of Media Temple's new (gs) Grid-Server platform.

3.) New tabbed browsing for navigation.

4.) Cleaner fonts for easier reading onscreen (I was a usability/human-computer interaction major in college so this kind of stuff is important to me!)

5.) The addition of 3 new pages: Contact, Credo and Club22...

6.) A new design that reflects the color you might think of when talking about making money... care to take a guess?

All in all, we are extremely excited and pleased with the how the transition is going thus far. We hope to launch the new site within the next month depending on several factors still up in the air. We hope that everyone will enjoy the new site and we look forward to hearing your feedback on it pending the official launch. Take care.

-Sep-
30
Trading Tactic - How to Enter a Position with Momentum on Your Side (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

You have been watching this stock for weeks. It is setting up exactly as expected and you check it every day with eager anticipation of the stock finally falling into your strike zone. Finally that day comes and you decide that now is a good time to enter the position but how do you actually go about pulling the trigger? Is it just a roll of the dice in terms of timing and price?

Entering a position with market orders is a mistake that amateur investors make all to often. This is a mistake that I learned to avoid after watching it cost me money time and time again. Because of the fact that I am a technical trader, I expect stocks to bounce off (or at least hold) certain resistance levels. This was the case with FIZ as I mentioned in my last post. What I want to address now is how I went about entering that position and how this simple technique can save you time and time again.

-Aug-
23
Chart Pattern Recognition Series - Double Top : Adam & Adam - Short-term Bearish Reversal (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Let me introduce you to the classic Adam & Adam Double Top (AADT). The hardest part of this pattern is finding and correctly identifying them. Amateurs too often confused (mis-read) this pattern because they do not pay enough attention to the identification guidelines. Amateurs often times will mistake the top of an ascending triangle as a double top and its not until the stock breaks upward (and they lose money) that the truth is revealed to them.

They primary key to this pattern is the twin Adam peaks must look similar to each other. Two well-defined peaks that are narrow and pointed (Adam peaks) whose price are very close to one another. This should not be confused with two peaks where one is rounded or wider in any way thus forming an Eve peak and should be traded differently. This downward breaking pattern requires two price spikes touching near the same price and sporting heavy volume near the two peaks. The volume pattern should form a U-shape between the peaks, with volume usually being heavier on the left peak.

-Aug-
09
Portfolio Strategy - Does Improving Your Risk/Reward Ratio Really Increase Your Chances For Profit? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

I recently read an article by Mr. Phillip Wood discussing Risk/Reward Ratio's and how trading this strategy can help increase your profits. Mr. Woods states:

If you are risking more in a trade than you stand to make in profits, you are setting yourself up for failure. Imagine you are interested in buying a lottery ticket for a jackpot worth $1 million. So you drive over to the convenience store to buy a ticket, but the price of one ticket is $2 million. You can’t believe your eyes. Who in their right mind would pay $2 million for the chance to win $1 million? In disgust, you turn around and promptly storm out of the convenience store. Unfortunately, however, there are a lot of traders who buy the $2 million ticket on a regular basis. They do so by risking more in a trade than they stand to make in profits. They risk $2 to make $1.

While I agree with most of the article and practice this strategy, there is one major difference between Mr. Wood and myself when it comes to determining an appropriate Risk/Reward ratio. That difference is that my reward is constantly changing, either for the good or bad, based on what the stock and all the other technical indicators are telling me. My pre-defined target price can change at any time.

-Jul-
26
Technical vs. Fundamental Analysis and the Perfect Combination of Both to Maximize Your Profits (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

You are up all night doing your fundamental research on a stock. You love the company, you love their products and they are fundamentally sound from top to bottom. Thus you decide to pull the trigger and purchase their stock. 6 months later, the stock has tumbled and you are left scratching your head as to why people are selling such a sound company.

The truth is, had you looked at the chart, the answer was right there all along. All you had to do was recognize and read the signals the chart was giving you. The price pierced the 200Day SMA on high volume, the relative strength index signaled an overbought situation, a head-and-shoulders top formed. In short, there were numerous technical indicators screaming that a buy now would cost you that summer vacation or maybe force you to make a car payment with your savings money. All because you never saw the signs staring you right in the face.

-Jul-
19
Chart Pattern Recognition Series - Head and Shoulders Tops - Short Term Bearish Reversal (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

The head and shoulders top is a short-term bearish reversal pattern that gives way to short opportunities. The price enters the pattern from the bottom and breaks out to the bottom thus reversing the prevailing price trend.

This pattern is among the most popular patterns to trade in the market for reasons that stem from the patterns reliability, performance and easy identification. It is a fairly simply pattern to recognize in that there will be three spikes with the center spike being the highest. More often then not the left shoulder will carry the highest volume as well.

A trend line drawn along the bottoms of the two troughs and between the three peaks is known as the neckline. The neckline is nothing more than an indicator used to predict how severe the price decline is going to be. This line slopes up half the time and down half the time. An upward sloping trend line would could suggest the stock might have a slight pullback before continuing its decline. These trend lines will serve as a new resistance point. The neckline also serves as a confirmation point. Should the price decline pierce the neckline, assuming no pullback, prices will continue to move downward to the next resistance level.

-Apr-
27
BankRate Financial Test For High School Students Might Surprise You (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Our friends over at theBeanCounter Blog recently commented on a financial test that was given to over five thousand students located around the country. This same test can be found at one of the most trusted bank sites the Internet has to offer in Bankrate.com. The test is short and sweet, consisting of only twelve multiple-choice questions. If you would like to see how you fair on this high school financial test then you can visit BankRate and give it your best shot!

BankRate High School Quiz

On a side note, I strongly support MORE stress on financial responsibility in our high schools (and earlier). Too many people these days often times find themselves in such a financial mess that it messes up their life (and sometimes other people’s lives) for a long period of time. I can personally only remember one class in high school that was even remotely close to teaching me how to handle my money responsibly. I am glad to see tests like this and would love to see finance hold a more predominant presence in our school systems. Stop letting people learn how to handle their money the hard way.

Good luck with the quiz and let me know how you do.

-Apr-
04
Technical Analysis - Chart Pattern Recognition Series (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

I have had many requests from virtually all my colleagues to further explain what I look for in a stock in terms of technical fundamentals and chart patterns. I am far from an expert in this subject but I do not like seeing many of my friends fail to maximize profits (or worse, lose money) because they don't recognize proper stock injection points, the only time I will buy a stock.

I have thus decided to start a stock chart pattern recognition series. In this series I will show you basic stock patterns and how they certain patterns tend to resolve bullish while other patterns will resolve bearishly. Recognizing these before they happen can make you a considerable amount of money.

I will talk about chart patterns such as Double Top/Bottom, Head and Shoulders, Falling/Rising Wedge Triple Top/Bottom, Flag Pennant, Symmetrical, Ascending & Descending Triangles and Price Channels. Oh and did I mention my personal favorite - The Cup and Handle.

-Mar-
27
Sex and Investing : The Difference Between Male and Female Investment Strategies (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Does the sex of someone really play that crucial of a role in the way they invest? A recent study conducted by Merrill Lynch polled over 1,000 U.S. investors (500 men and 500 women) get a better understanding of their investment thought process, including their mistakes, attitudes, beliefs and knowledge levels. Is sex something you should really take into consideration before choosing a financial advisor?

The results of the study might surprise you. It turns out there is a significant difference in each of the categories listed above when it came to how women investors thought about the problem as compared to how male investors thought about the problem.

-Mar-
17
Market Got You Sick? Take a Dose of Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) and Call Me Back in a Few Weeks When You're Feeling Better! (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

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I have so many great stock picks right now that it was hard to choose which one to post this week. After a long period of debating with myself, I decided to choose one that I thought was setting up nicely for a breakout come mid-April/early-May. That one stock was Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (TEVA).

Teva Pharmaceutical describes themselves as a global pharmaceutical company specializing in the development, production and marketing of generic and proprietary branded pharmaceuticals as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Teva is among the top 20 pharmaceutical companies and among the largest generic pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Teva's recent pullback has setup a great buying opportunity here.

-Mar-
08
Shaky Market Ahead - Protect Your Nest Egg and Remember These Two Rules! (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

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With all the hype of interest rates possibly tightening a few more times, the market has been treading on very shaky grounds lately. With the number of stocks declining far outweighing the advances this week, I think it is time to reiterate some of the most important investment rules. Here are two friendly reminders that will save you money in shaky times.

Rule 1: You can not control the market.
Thus you should not try. Instead focus your attention on going with the market flow. Take what the market is giving you, instead of trying to give a stock to the market. Do not be stubborn, especially in a market like this. Trying to force a loser stock to go back up by continuing holding it will get you in more trouble here.

Rule 2: Investing is more than just making money. Investing also includes not losing money.
You have to know when to take your profits. Nothing hurts more then watching your portfolio get crushed by a single stock that you still believe in and are trying to force the market to like. Take your profits and cut your loses when the economic indicators tell you too!

Remember, investing is half making money and half not losing it!

-Mar-
05
The Importance of Institutional Cash Flow and Industry Momentum (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

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Many of those who know my investing style already know I am not a big fan of "buy and hold". What I do support is the concept of "buy and be patient". Wait for the economic indicators to help determine the most appropriate time to exit a stock. One primary reasons for this is the fast cycle in which the market moves. Institutional money is constantly rotating from sector to sector and thus beating the institutes to the punch can be very profitable. Your money is much better suited in a mediocre stock in a strong sector, then a good stock in a weak sector.

With all this said, you can imagine how much importance I put on sector analysis and the flow of institutional money. Institutional money makes up over 70% of the market and is almost always the force needed to push stocks through resistance levels. So where is the institutional money headed now? What sectors are heating up and where should your money be?

-Feb-
04
Sensible Investment Strategies: Age and Life Cycle (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

We all have our own personal investing strategy. One's investing strategy is usually reflection of their comfort level with the market and a reflection on their experience level. Professional investors may feel more comfortable trading different naked put and call options than those first entering the market. On the flip side, many basic investors like to fall back and rely on the "buy and hold" strategy. Experience aside, the question here is should age hold any bearing on investment strategy?

A while back, I got the wonderful opportunity to talk live on the air with the hosts of the E*Trade Radio station about this very issue. After a very detailed and interesting talk about the life cycle of investing, we all agreed that age should play a roll in one's investment strategy inorder to attain higher total returns early in life and conserve your accumulated assets late in life. Before I go any further, I want to also point out that we all also agreed that no matter what the age, making wise investment decisions was far more important. The key idea here is that age-based portfolios adjust the relative risk of the investments to the beneficiary’s time horizon, giving the investor a better idea of how to adjust his positions based on his or her current position in life.

-Jan-
24
International Diversification – Protecting Your Nest Egg Using International Leverage. (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

How do you define diversification? Many investors would argue that in order to be considered diversified, you need to hold a minimum of five different stocks or two mutual funds in separate market sectors. Some would also argue that you need even more five stocks or funds to be truly diversified. About.com defines diversification as:

Diversification is the calculated spreading of your investments over a number of different asset classes. This cushions your portfolio if one part is down, since different asset classes (stocks, bonds, cash, etc.) seldom move in the same direction. In mutual funds, you achieve diversification by the fund owning 50 stocks, instead of a few.

I agree with everything here but feel that many investors commonly overlook one very important point when it comes to diversification. A point that could be providing them with a false sense of security and cost them a lot of money.

-Jan-
15
Nobody Cares About Your Money... More Than You! (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

Who should be running your 401K? If nobody cares about your money more than you, then why are people so quick to hand it off to someone else to manage? I personally think that a lot of it has to do with our school systems and the lack of financial education offered. Of course I was taught how to knit a scarf, cut open a frog and memorize many obscure poems to be recited to the class, but only a nickel's worth of education when it came to portfolio and financial management. In fact, unless you were a finance major in college or come from a family with experience in finances then you may find yourself in a similar position as myself, having to take the time to teach yourself this essential information. So is it even worth it or should you just hand it off to a professional?

-Jan-
06
How Much Is A Stock Really Worth? (Technorati) Technorati | (Del.icio.us) Del.icio.us | (Digg) Digg | (Blinklist) Blinklist | (Comment) Comment

I talk virtually every day to many different novice investors and one of the biggest misconceptions that I hear day in and day out is that a stock is priced too high to buy. These investors seem to be more concerned with how many shares they can pick up, rather then focusing their attention on what really matters - a stocks price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. People often forget that a stocks price is not "real"; a stock's price is simply a ratio created by the companies through stock splits and share adjustments. Don't let the stock price fool you!

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