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Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

How to Avoid Neighbor Conflicts When It’s Time for a New Fence (Part 2)

By Len Penzo

This is the second part of a two-part series. Click here for part one. As I noted in part one, over the years I have personally talked to several friends of mine who told me they would rather spend a couple hours in the dentist chair having their ...

Continue reading How to Avoid Neighbor Conflicts When It’s Time for a New Fence (Part 2)

11 Comments May 23, 2009

How to Avoid Neighbor Conflicts When It’s Time for a New Fence

By Len Penzo

Being a homeowner has a lot of responsibilities that renters never have to deal with. Many of the responsibilities are no big deal; others can be extremely unpleasant. One of the most painful homeowner tasks is dealing with the neighbors when a ...

Continue reading How to Avoid Neighbor Conflicts When It’s Time for a New Fence

5 Comments May 21, 2009

Inflation: How China May Be Forced To Use The Nuclear Option

By Len Penzo

It's Inflation Week at Len Penzo dot Com. Follow me over the next several days as I explore the multiple facets and facts about this insidious scourge, the probability of its resurgence, its potential impacts on us, and strategies for protecting ...

Continue reading Inflation: How China May Be Forced To Use The Nuclear Option

Leave a Comment May 17, 2009

Inflation: Your Four Best Defenses For Preserving Your Wealth

By Len Penzo

I kicked off this series on inflation with a warning about why all of us should fear inflation and why the US government needs it to take root in our economy. But I'm not the only one who thinks so. Forbes posted an excellent article on the coming ...

Continue reading Inflation: Your Four Best Defenses For Preserving Your Wealth

3 Comments May 14, 2009

Inflation: Why You Should Fear It, And Why The US Wants It

By Len Penzo

Ronald Reagan accurately warned us in 1984 to be vigilant against inflation because it can come, "like a thief in the night to rob our savings, rob our earnings, and take the bread off our tables." For this reason, the government is usually on ...

Continue reading Inflation: Why You Should Fear It, And Why The US Wants It

14 Comments May 10, 2009

Does Buying Your Gas In The Early Morning Really Save Money?

By Len Penzo

I've already written about the folly of trying to save a few cents per gallon when shopping for gas. But did you know there are times when you don't get exactly what you pay for when you fill up your gasoline tank at the local station?   It's not ...

Continue reading Does Buying Your Gas In The Early Morning Really Save Money?

6 Comments May 7, 2009

A Few Minutes With Personal Finance Genius Rich Livingston

By Len Penzo

Occasionally, I enjoy reading enlightening conversations with respected personal finance experts. But after making numerous interview requests over the past couple of months, it was obvious to me that most of those respected experts still didn't ...

Continue reading A Few Minutes With Personal Finance Genius Rich Livingston

5 Comments May 1, 2009

How Mexico Can Save Its Oil Industry: Sell Baja California to the US

By Len Penzo

Another economic disaster looms for both the US and Mexico and something needs to be done in the near future to stop it. Mexico is currently the fifth largest oil producer in the world and the third biggest supplier of crude oil to the United ...

Continue reading How Mexico Can Save Its Oil Industry: Sell Baja California to the US

43 Comments April 23, 2009

Out of Touch? Putting The Tea Party Protests In Perspective

By Len Penzo

In 1773, American colonists tossed three shiploads of taxed tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against the British practice of taxation without representation. Some 236 years later, another tea party of sorts was held in towns all across America, ...

Continue reading Out of Touch? Putting The Tea Party Protests In Perspective

2 Comments April 16, 2009

Beware of Strangers Bearing Gifts

By Len Penzo

Lisa Simpson: Grampa! Didn't you wonder why you were getting checks for doing absolutely nothing? Grampa: Not really... I figured it was because the Democrats were in power again. -- From an episode of The Simpsons I've got some great news ...

Continue reading Beware of Strangers Bearing Gifts

1 Comment April 14, 2009

Don’t Fall for the Siren’s Song of Socialism

By Len Penzo

Rasmussen Reports released the results of a survey today that shows only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism. This poll represents a shot over the heads of everybody who cares for the future of this country. Among ...

Continue reading Don’t Fall for the Siren’s Song of Socialism

2 Comments April 9, 2009

Stop the Bailouts and Let the Bankruptcy Process Do Its Job

By Len Penzo

The US government's decision to force out the head of General Motors should send chills throughout the private sector for years to come. This only serves to undermine the free market and stretch government authority over the private sector in ways ...

Continue reading Stop the Bailouts and Let the Bankruptcy Process Do Its Job

4 Comments March 31, 2009

What It Really Feels Like To Be A Millionaire

By Len Penzo

Yesterday my family and I got in the car and drove to Arizona for the day to see my beloved Los Angeles Dodgers play a Cactus League game against the Chicago White Sox at their new spring training complex known as Camelback Ranch. The Dodgers lost ...

Continue reading What It Really Feels Like To Be A Millionaire

7 Comments March 30, 2009

The Middle Class Should Prepare for an Increasing Tax Burden

By Len Penzo

It's time to dip into the mailbag again. I always love it when I get letters -- especially the more, shall we say, interesting ones. For example, I received one letter from someone who I can only assume is a card carrying member of a militant ...

Continue reading The Middle Class Should Prepare for an Increasing Tax Burden

1 Comment March 24, 2009

Gordon Gekko Would Be Proud: It’s Time to Let AIG Fail

By Len Penzo

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for ...

Continue reading Gordon Gekko Would Be Proud: It’s Time to Let AIG Fail

1 Comment March 19, 2009

24 (Financial) Things About Me … And One Confession Makes 25

By Len Penzo

I have a confession to make: I'm the Prince of Unhip. The King of Cautious. Poster boy for Blah. Lord of the Nerds. I get misty-eyed every time I watch Anthony Edwards give that inspiring "I'm a nerd and I'm pretty proud of it" speech in front of ...

Continue reading 24 (Financial) Things About Me … And One Confession Makes 25

2 Comments March 15, 2009

Evaluate Your Options Before Selling Gold Jewelry

By Len Penzo

I was watching a King of Queens marathon late last night and my viewing enjoyment was continually being disrupted by those ubiquitous Cash4Gold ads that urge viewers to collect their unwanted jewelry so it can be turned into "cold, hard, ...

Continue reading Evaluate Your Options Before Selling Gold Jewelry

28 Comments March 8, 2009

Be Fiscally Irresponsible — Get $5000!

By Len Penzo

I love stupid-humor movies; I blame that on my folks. When I was just a kid they always let me stay up past my bedtime so I could watch Jerry Lewis movies that were on the television. I watched a lot of Jerry Lewis movies when I was a ...

Continue reading Be Fiscally Irresponsible — Get $5000!

3 Comments March 5, 2009

Don’t Feel Guilty Tipping Your Server 15%

By Len Penzo

I guess my first foray into the mail bag last week actually inspired a few more of you to write in.   Most of the letters received were from President Obama fans who wanted to opine on my recent take on the $75B mortgage rescue bailout.     Judging ...

Continue reading Don’t Feel Guilty Tipping Your Server 15%

44 Comments February 25, 2009

No, I Won’t Get Over It: The New Mortgage Bailout Plan Stinks

By Len Penzo

Hello all. It's me again. Your mean, uncaring, personal finance blogger with the heart of a lump of coal and a soul from the depths of Hades. Yes, I am still steaming at this Obama rescue plan. No, I won't get over it. And the more I read ...

Continue reading No, I Won’t Get Over It: The New Mortgage Bailout Plan Stinks

1 Comment February 23, 2009

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