Fabulous Financials

Flexo [Consumerism Commentary] asked his readers: What’s More Important: High Interest or Customer Service? I’ve had my share of BS banks, so I’m partial to customer service. I work hard for my money; therefore, choosing a bank is about building a relationship, not just chasing the highest interest rate. And yes, I do put my money where my mouth is - see my experience with Bank of America and One United.

Flexo also recommends a financial emergency plan (not just an emergency fund) and shares 5 components of an emergency plan that everyone should consider.

Kay [Don't Mess With Taxes] tells us some of the pros and cons of having a home office, as well as the tax advantages when a hobby becomes a business. She also hosted the Tax Carnival #29. This carnival caught my attention because we’re in the middle of tax season, of course, but I didn’t realize how much I’ve been missing. Lots of interesting articles.

Johnathan [My Money Blog] shares a new service, Free Credit Score Monitoring With CreditKarma. If you’re interested, please read ALL the fine print and use it at your own risk.

J.D. [Get Rich Slowly] promotes a product called Growing Money: A Complete Investing Guide for Kids. Sounds interesting enough to check it out.

Sharon [BlogHer] has a very interested article, titled Who is Your Mentor? She explains how mentor/protege relationships are developed and how a mentor’s role progresses through four stages. I never thought of it this way, but when I think of my own career, she’s right on point.

Trent [Simple Dollar] shares Six Steps for a Beginning Stock Investor. Practical advice but very helpful nonetheless.

Boston Gal [Boston Gal Open Wallet] shares a Wall Street Journal article, What Savers Should Do When Rates Drop and highlights the TD Ameritrade 3-month CD, currently 5.30% APY.

Several gems from one of my favorite PF bloggers, Millionaire Mommy Next Door:

• Tax Tip: Investments Create Wealth and Deductions
• How I Stomach the Market’s Bumpy Ride
• 10 Essentials for Success

And finally, from the Gotta Deal Forums, this cordless phone is FREE (after rebate). Deal expires 3/31/08. With a teenage daughter, I’ve laid many phones to rest. This Peachtree Pro Accounting 2008 software is also FREE (after rebate). Deal expires 2/2/08.

Happy Friday!