| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: If government doesn't step in, student loan bubble could burst | | Mar 25, 2008 | We've all heard for months that mortgages are getting harder to get. Now, college loans could start becoming more elusive.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Work your résumé to get gig you're not quite qualified for | | Feb 19, 2008 |
Meena
| Part of making better cash money in this life is knowing when to change jobs and finding the right next step to take.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Start saving now and you'll be set for your olden years | | Feb 12, 2008 |
Meena
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For the longest time, I thought I was the kind of person who would never retire.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Contrary to popular belief, Gen Xers worry about money | | Feb 05, 2008 |
Meena
| Bookstores might make it seem like everyone between the age of 20 and 40 is struggling to pay off debt.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Automakers working to save us from the pump | | Jan 22, 2008 |
Meena
| You've moaned about high gas prices, and the world's automakers have heard you.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: When changing jobs, an IRA is best option for old 401(k) | | Jan 15, 2008 |
Meena
| If you have a job and a 401(k), I'm going to assume you're smart enough to remember your pot of cash when you switch employers.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Fast and free is the best way to file your taxes online | | Jan 08, 2008 |
Meena
| If you live in San Antonio, there's a pretty good chance you made less than $54,000 last year. And that means you don't have to pay to file your tax return.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: From the minds of babes: Girls create new way to make cash | | Jan 01, 2008 |
Meena
| Normally, I would have a few choice four-letter words for a solicitor approaching my door.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: FICO plans to sorta forgive the things you'd like to forget | | Dec 25, 2007 |
Meena
| Starting next year, Fair Isaac, the company behind the all-important credit score, is promising to give consumers a little bit of just that.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Bring on the plastic, but don't forget to pass along the terms | | Nov 27, 2007 |
Meena | I love gift cards. Getting them, giving them and spending them. Research predicts spending on gift cards is expected to reach a record high of $35 billion this year.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: E85 fuel blend won’t get you as far gallon for gallon | | Nov 20, 2007 |
Meena | Before you rush out to invest in one of those nifty flexible-fuel vehicles the commercials have been telling you all about, think about this.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Cash is disappearing faster than you can say dollar bill | | Nov 13, 2007 |
Meena
| Cash money as we know it is just about over. I'm not talking about this column. I'm talking about the greenback dollars you never seem to have in your pocket.
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| CASH MONEY: Internet can be empowering for dissatisfied customers | | Nov 06, 2007 |
Meena
| Remember how the customer is always right? Nowadays, the customer isn't right, and companies don't seem to care.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Roth, the IRA in shining armor for the young and saver | | Oct 30, 2007 |
Meena
| I've got a four-letter word for you: Roth. It's not one of the first words a non-native English speaker would want to learn.
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| CASH MONEY: San Antonio’s housing market is a bargain-hunter’s dream | | Oct 23, 2007 |
Meena
| If home ownership is what you're after, now is a pretty good time to make that dream of yours a reality.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Trying to be a big balla can land you in big-time debt | | Oct 16, 2007 |
Meena
| Quit coveting your colleague's BMW, Porsche, expensive vacations and sprawling house behind the gates.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: My hotel points can only be redeemed for a headache | | Oct 09, 2007 |
Meena
| A friend recently told me about a guy who used Marriott rewards points to buy two rather large plasma televisions.
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| CASH MONEY: What's the price of coolness? For iPhone users, it's $200 | | Sep 25, 2007 |
Meena
| To anyone who was surprised when Apple dropped the price of its iPhone: You should've seen it coming.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Quick credit score fixes often result in expensive ordeals | | Sep 18, 2007 |
Meena
| As if trying to pull yourself out of bad credit quicksand isn't hard enough, there are a few “helpful” programs waiting to suck you back in.
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| MEENA THIRUVENGADAM: Is your card right for you? | | Sep 11, 2007 |
Meena
| Not all credit cards were created equal. And the differences go far beyond your choice of pretty picture or school logo.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Shopping around can save you some bucks on books | | Sep 04, 2007 |
Meena
| There's one thing about college I don't miss. The price of textbooks has risen at nearly four times the rate of inflation in the past decade.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Before you hit the books, study up on your finances | | Aug 28, 2007 |
Meena
| Listen up procrastinators. The fall semester may be upon you, but it's not too late to get help paying for your classes.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: A few questions can save you from ending up in rental hell | | Aug 21, 2007 |
Meena
| Apartment-hunting sucks. There's no experience quite like being shuffled from unit to unit in a little golf cart while someone rambles about amenities.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: The hidden costs of owning a home can add up quickly | | Aug 14, 2007 |
Meena
| To buy or not to buy? As 20- and 30-something renters grow up, it's a question that becomes increasingly common. But answering it takes more than knowledge of mortgage rates and area housing statistics. It takes knowing yourself.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: You don't need to pay a fee to spend your own money | | Jul 31, 2007 |
Meena
| If you pay for your checking account, please stop. There are way too many banks offering free checking for you to continue paying for it.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Going to Europe? Leave that weak-arse dollar at home | | Jul 17, 2007 |
Meena
| What does the weak dollar mean to you? Probably not much — unless you've got a summer trip to Europe planned. | | [more] |
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Failing to plan is planning to fail in money part of marriage | | Jun 26, 2007 |
Meena
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There are a lot of things about arranged marriages I don't fully understand.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Outrageous concert tickets have me eyeing local shows | | Jun 19, 2007 |
Meena
| A $20 bill doesn't buy much live music nowadays. It'll get you into places such as Limelight, Rebar and the White Rabbit for local acts and artists.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Here's how you can get that grande monkey off your back | | Jun 12, 2007 |
Meena
| As I walked into the office one day not too long ago, “the snarky one” called me out.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Budget travel doesn't have to mean cheap motels, bus | | Jun 05, 2007 |
Meena
| One January, I decided to go on a trip to L.A. Two days before I took off, I booked a plane ticket for about $180.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Lay off the gas! You’re pocketbook will thank you | | May 29, 2007 |
Meena
| I dropped $40 on a tank of gas the other day. Ouch. Even though my car averages 26.1 miles per gallon, maybe a road trip isn't such a good idea.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Yes, there IS such a thing as free lunch — or college cash | | May 22, 2007 |
Meena
| There is such a thing as free money for college. All you have to do is graduate on time with decent grades to get it.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: This proactive princess doesn’t need Prince Charming’s cash | | May 15, 2007 |
Meena
| “Prince Charming Isn't Coming.” What a depressing book title. Personally, I don't believe author Barbara Stanny. I have faith that there's a prince or princess charming out.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: What’s your asking price? Figure it out with these tools | | May 08, 2007 | Looking for a job? Here's a blank you'll probably have to fill in: Salary requirement. | | [more] |
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Calculate your salary to make that Pinto feel like a BMW | | Apr 30, 2007 |
Meena
| Ever wondered what life would be like as a celebrity? If, like Drew Barrymore, you earned $15 million a year? | | [more] |
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: I'm no Rachel Ray, but here's how to Fiesta on $20 a day | | Apr 24, 2007 | Can you Fiesta on $20? Sure, just not at Oyster Bake, NIOSA, the Fiesta Flambeau parade and a list of other parties. | | [more] |
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: RED proving an effective way to fight AIDS | | Apr 16, 2007 |
Meena
| (PRODUCT) RED makes a big promise: Buy the right cell phone, iPod or T-shirt and help eliminate AIDS in Africa.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Customer service leaves me feeling empty and unwanted | | Apr 10, 2007 | I don't generally cook, so I'm more of a consumer than most. And one thing I've noticed lately is that customer service is dead. | | [more] |
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Student loans offer a smart monetary education | | Apr 03, 2007 |
Meena
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Just because your parents or scholarships are paying for college doesn't mean you don't need your student loans.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: Throwing money away? Contribute to your 401(k) | | Mar 27, 2007 | Getting a raise is nice. Getting a bigger raise is nicer. This year I tacked an additional 3 percent onto my salary — on top of what my boss agreed to give me. I didn't even have to negotiate for the extra boost. All I had to do was cut a deal with myself to save a portion of my income. | | [more] |
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: If you hear wedding bells, ‘holla we want prenup' | | Mar 20, 2007 | Kanye West's “Gold Digger” is an ode to prenuptial agreements. | | [more] |
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| Meena: Like to talk on the phone? IRS says: Thanks, and here’s $30 | | Mar 13, 2007 |
Meena
| I know, I know -- the idea of free money from the government sounds too good to be true, but this year, it's the truth.
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| Your credit report is only a free click away | | Mar 07, 2007 |
Meena
| You are entitled to one free copy of your credit report each year. Just DON'T go to freecreditreport.com to get it.
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| Meena Thiruvengadam: If you don't have the money we'll help you get it | | Feb 27, 2007 |
Meena
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I have a job. But like just about everyone else out there, I never have enough money. | | [more] |
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