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The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

Black Coffee: Inflation, the Collapse of the Dollar and an $815 Jelly Bean

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It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe… Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Here’s what caught my attention over the past week… When I was a teenager I got to be a pretty good golfer. I was shooting in the high 70s and low 80s on the large courses by the time I was 17. For what it's worth, I was good enough to make the high school golf team three years running. I know. It wasn't a more glamorous, girl-magnet sport like football or basketball, but as a member of the varsity golf team I at least got to play all the free golf I wanted to at our home golf course -- all year long. Over the long march of time, my golf skills have atrophied quite a bit, simply because I've had other interests. If I'm lucky I now get out only three or four times a year, and if I break 90 I'm ecstatic. It's been a few years since I've done that. Today is one of those rare occasions where I'm getting out to play a round. Even though I haven't played since last October, I fully expect to break 90. (Just between you and me, that's because I'm only playing nine holes.) Blogs I've Been Following This Week Pop Economics - When the Mob Makes You Lose Your Sanity. No, this isn't about the Gambino crime family. It's a treatise on the danger of succumbing to the herd mentality. Which only validates my decision to live as a sad, pathetic, loner. (Yes!) Afford Anything - Money Doesn't Care Where It Comes From. Says Paula: "Imagine you’re buying a car for $14,800 in cash. The seller is clear he absolutely won’t negotiate any lower. A text-message from your best friend, tells you she found the exact same car for sale 20 minutes across town for $14,700.” Paula then asks, "what would you do?" Psst. It's a trick question folks: considering a 20-minute trip across town now requires about $106 worth of gasoline, I'd stay right where I was. PT Money - Tax Preparation Checklist. It's not too late to file your taxes without penalty; the deadline is Monday, April 18th. Millionaire Nurse Blog - Extreme Couponing: Writ Large! So this woman hands a $1 coupon to a grocery clerk at the checkout counter who accidentally drops it beneath the scale. The clerk looked distressed so the woman says, "Don't worry, it's in coupon heaven now." "Actually, that's not true" the checker replied sadly,"That only applies to the redeemed ones." And Here's Some Other Posts You Might Enjoy... Financial Samurai - Only the Poor or Super Rich Say Money Can't Buy Happiness Hope to Prosper - Real Estate 101: Renting vs. Owning The Military Wallet - What Happens If You Contribute Too Much to an IRA The Way-Back Machine: Past Posts Of Mine You May Have Missed From August 2009: Is Your Employer Stealing from You? - Have you ever wondered why some employers often look the other way even thought they know that you’re walking out the door with a six-month supply of paper clips and correction tape? You may not know it, but maybe it's because those employers make up for it by "stealing" money back from you. Credits and Debits Credit: The Consumer Price Index shows inflation increased only 0.5 percent in March to a very manageable 2.7 percent. Hooray! Debit: Then again, anybody who regularly buys groceries and gasoline (that's now over $4 per gallon in five states), probably finds that to be, well, pure unadulterated poppycock. Debit: If you measure inflation using the reporting methodologies in place prior to 1980, inflation is now running at an annual rate of closer to 10 percent. Debit: In other news, the Financial Times reports that the IMF says the US now lacks a credible strategy for reducing its debt problem. Ya think? Debit: Fiscal conservatives were apoplectic when the federal deficit for all of 2007 was $161 billion, and the CBO warned that if nothing was done the 2012 deficit would be $300 billion. Debit: How out of control is the federal spending now? The deficit just for the month of February 2011 was a record $223 billion. One month. Debit: Meanwhile, this week Congress celebrated the approval of the just-approved 2010 budget (that should have been passed last October) because it ultimately reduced annual federal spending by only $352 million -- from a budget that calls for $3.55 trillion in spending. Unbelievable. Debit: To put that in perspective, that is essentially the equivalent of a household that originally planned to spend $50,000 this year, cutting back annual expenditures by $4.96. Credit: Ron Paul (R-Texas), warned this week -- as he has for years -- that the collapse of the dollar (and our society as well) is inevitable unless the nation returns to a much smaller federal government limited to duties specifically allocated to it by the Constitution. Credit: According to Paul, it's "Better to look reality squarely in the face and tell people the difficult truth that government is simply not capable of managing people’s lives from cradle to grave as was foolishly promised." More than a few people have argued that Paul should have said "managing people's lives" -- period. Other Useless News Many of you have probably noticed that the comments on my blog have been disappearing at times, or simply not working when you try to enter one for a particular post. Well, my Wordpress database that stores those comments has been on the fritz for the past couple of weeks and I am doing my best to figure out the bug that is causing my comment data to corrupt. After three hours of debugging yesterday, I think I finally got things fixed. (It's times like these when I wish I had a dedicated IT department to devote to these kinds of issues!) By the way, if you happen to enjoy what you're reading -- or not -- please don’t forget to: 1. Click on that “Like” button in the sidebar to your right and become a fan of Len Penzo dot Com on Facebook! 2. Make sure you follow me on Twitter! And last, but not least... 3. Don't forget to subscribe to my RSS feed too! Thank you. :-) By the Numbers Although I rarely play anymore, I love golfing. Here are a few interesting facts about golf: $76 billion Revenues generated by the golf industry in 2007; golfing is bigger than the motion picture and recording industries combined. $4,910,476 Total prize money earned by the top player (Matt Kuchar) on the PGA tour in 2010. 26 Events Matt Kuchar played in 2010. $94,728,667 Career prize money earned to-date by Tiger Woods. 8 Minutes required for a dragonfly to cover the distance of all 18 holes at Augusta National golf course. 12,500:1 Odds that a player of average skill will make a hole-in-one on a par 3 hole. 18 Age when I had my first and only hole-in-one. (Sunset Dunes, Colton, CA; 13th hole, 137 yards, 7-iron.) Letters, I Get Letters Crystal from Budgeting in the Fun Stuff presumably took some time off from eagle-watching to ask: "Want to buy an $815 jelly bean with the supposed face of soon-to-be royalty?" No. Instead I'm going to bid for this shrunken apple that looks like Steven Tyler. Or maybe it looks more like this guy... . I'll feature the most interesting question or comment I get each week here on Black Coffee — assuming I get one, that is. If you're lucky enough to be the only question in the mailbag I'll highlight your letter, whether it's interesting or not. ;-) Carnival News This Sunday I was honored to host: Yakezie Carnival: The Chuck Norris Edition. If you haven't already done so, please check it out! This week I had articles featured at the following carnivals: The Carnival of Personal Finance @ Money Management International I'm Len Penzo and I approved this message. ...

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Black Coffee: The Real Reason Why $5 Footlong Subs Aren’t $4.99

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It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe… Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Here’s what caught my attention over the past week… As soon as I finish here, I'll be working on my mother-in-law's taxes. As you probably know, the tax deadline is April 15th and so I can't put it off any longer. Blogs I've Been Following This Week Canadian Finance Blog - 99 Cent Pricing Strategy. Alan noticed that the old 99-cent pricing strategy seems to be going the way of the dinosaur. For proof, he cites McDonald's Dollar Value Menu (not 99 Cent Menu) and Subway's $5 Footlong sandwich (as opposed to the $4.99 footlong). Maybe he's on to something. Then again, maybe not. I mean, have you tried singing the $5 Footlong Song with "$4.99" substituted in the lyrics? It's nowhere near as catchy. Frugal Dad - 15 Things Our Grandparents Lived Without (and We Probably Could Too). One of the items on Jason's list that I heartily agree with is tanning bed salons. Tell me again why anybody would pay for ultraviolet radiation when you can walk outside and can get it for free? Anyone? The only excuse I'll accept is if you live north of the Arctic Circle where the sun often spends very long periods of the day below the horizon. (Is it just me, or did I just kick off this edition of Black Coffee with two really lame jokes? That's what I thought. My mojo is off today, folks. I must be worried about a tax audit.) The Oblivious Investor - When to Claim Social Security Benefits (One Working Spouse). I'm not certain if Mike is married or not, but here is a little friendly advice for you, my friend. If you happen to have a wife that is a stay-at-home mom, never -- and I mean never never ever -- refer to your household as having only one working spouse. Trust me on this. Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance - Learn Economics from Southpark. I know. And if you like this, come back next week when Barb features her next article: "Do It Yourself Tax Tips from Wesley Snipes." And Here's Some Other Posts You Might Enjoy... Kiplinger - How Long to Keep Your Tax Records JoeTaxpayer - The Future of Nuclear Power First Gen American - Babci Wears Men's Underwear Scordo - Homemade Whole Wheat Ravioli with Sweet Potato Filling Funny About Money - A "Gift" From Sears Sweating the Big Stuff - How to Make Money Buying Contact Lenses Moolanomy - Finding an Accountant for Your Small Business Ironclad Finances - Uniform Gift to Minors Act/Uniform Transfer to Minors Act Money Mamba - Behind the Scenes: How Walmart Makes Money in Real Estate Monevator - Reasons to Rent a House Instead of Buying Green Panda Tree House - Baby on the Way: Life Insurance & Making a Will The Way-Back Machine: Past Posts Of Mine You May Have Missed From November 2009: Drive-By Movie Review: The Business - I was asked by a long-time reader this week to resurrect these abominable movie reviews. The thing is, readership increased dramatically only after I stopped publishing them. Coincidence? I don't think so. Credits and Debits Debit: Federal prosecutors went to court this week to take by forfeiture five tons of privately-minted silver coins worth millions of dollars. The coins belong to Bernard von NotHaus, who was convicted last month on counterfeiting charges. Credit: According to the Associated Press, U.S. Attorney Anne Tompkins said, "Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism." Tompkins did not say whether or not her statement signaled that her office would soon be prosecuting Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke as well. Debit: Speaking of worthless currency, Congressional Budget Office computer simulations modeling the government's current spending path crashed after the algorithm reached 2037. Debit: House Budget Chairman Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) warned that the government deficit spending is so excessive, the CBO is saying it "can't conceive of any way" that the economy can continue past 2037 given its current trajectory. I suspect it's much sooner than that. Debit: In other news, I see New York City is following San Francisco's lead by considering a ban on Happy Meals. Councilman Leroy Comrie planned to introduce a bill that would penalize establishments that use toys to sell "unhealthy" meals with fines of up to $2500. Credit: By the way, the New York Post reports that the very portly councilman admitted to weighing as much as 335 pounds. Hmmm. You New York City residents better hope Councilman Comrie doesn't have any self-control issues with alcohol or sex. Just sayin. Other Useless News I'm very proud to say that Len Penzo dot Com is now an official partner of the MSN Smart Spending blog! I would especially like to thank Smart Spending editor and lead blogger Karen Datko for her continuing support and guidance. Thank you, Karen. :-) (I bet Karen can will tell me if that technically counts as two "thank yous.") By the way, if you happen to enjoy what you're reading -- or not -- please don’t forget to: 1. Click on that “Like” button in the sidebar to your right and become a fan of Len Penzo dot Com on Facebook! 2. Make sure you follow me on Twitter! And last, but not least... 3. Don't forget to subscribe to my RSS feed too! Thank you. :-) By the Numbers The US debt including unfunded obligations is currently over $100 trillion. So, just how big is a trillion? 12 Zeros in one trillion. (1,000,000,000,000) 31,688 Years required to count to one trillion (assuming you could call out one number every second). 8 Seconds required to say "Nine hundred and ninety nine billion, nine hundred and ninety nine million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine." 48 Readers who timed themselves to see if it really takes 8 seconds to say "Nine hundred and ninety nine billion, nine hundred and ninety nine million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine." 10,000 Square miles of $100,000 homes required to reach $1 trillion in value (assuming 10 homes per block, and 100 blocks per square mile). 1,954 Square miles in the state of Delaware. 6 States less than 10,000 square miles in area. (Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island.) 11 Weeks of additional vacation that $1 trillion would provide for every American worker. 2 Times Chuck Norris has reportedly counted to infinity. Letters, I Get Letters Beheshteh wrote in with a very nice letter that included this little tidbit: "When I was 14 I had a £500 phone bill on the land line! (Yes, I'm a typical girl!)" Uh-huh. (I'm just glad you said that, Beheshteh, and not me.) ;-) . Meanwhile, Candy had this question for me:"Will you ever do any more movie reviews with the Honeybee?" Thank you for asking, but I doubt it. I already alienate enough readers with my personal finance articles. I'll feature the most interesting question or comment I get each week here on Black Coffee — assuming I get one, that is. If you're lucky enough to be the only question in the mailbag I'll highlight your letter, whether it's interesting or not. ;-) Carnival News This Sunday I'll be hosting the Yakezie carnival, so be sure to stop by for some exceptionally good reads! This week I had articles featured at the following carnivals: The Carnival of Personal Finance @ Funny About Money I'm Len Penzo and I approved this message. ...

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Quit Sniveling: How to Make Lots of Money Doing What You Hate

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Readers: Nobody has written more guest articles for my blog than my good friend, the inimitable Mr. Credit Card. Today Mr. CC is going to entertain us with another of his always thought-provoking ideas.   By the way, Mr. Credit Card has just updated his business charge card recommendations for 2011, so please be sure to check them out if you're looking for one. by Mr. Credit Card Those of you who follow my Ask Mr. Credit Card blog know that I was recently on travel, visiting California.   One of the highlights of my trip was being kingly invited to Len's place for a nice burger grill. I always buy a new book before I fly to the West Coast and, on this particular trip, I bought Andre Agassi's autobiography. It was a most fascinating read for me because he told the story of his childhood and how he became a top tennis player. The real shocker though was at the beginning of the book, when he claimed he actually hated tennis.   What?!   I could not believe it when I read those words! It turns out that Andre's father was a tennis nut, and he was determined to train his young son to be the world's number one player. Andre describes his training when he was seven years old. His father created a tennis machine that would hit a ball close to Andre's feet.   During endless hours of practice his dad would constantly stand behind him and yell at him. "Hit the ball early," and "harder" were common phrases. I guess it should be no surprise that Andre ended up becoming one of the best hitters of the ball on the rise -- and a pretty hard hitter too. When Andre was fourteen, his father decided to send him -- against Andre's will -- to the Nick Bolletieri tennis school in Florida. At first the plan was to go for only three months. Then, the folks at the school determined that he was the best talent they had ever seen, and three months eventually became "forever." Andre was so good that he was able to negotiate a deal that allowed him to skip school.   He eventually turned professional before he was twenty. He also went on to become one of the best tennis players of all time, and one of only a few players to ever win all four grand slam titles. As a professional, Andre was never satisfied if he lost. He maintained a coach. He even hired a fitness trainer who imposed a ruthless fitness regimen that he faithfully stuck to throughout his long career, training for many hours every day. How to Excel at a Job You Hate So why I am telling you all of this? Though extreme, I think Andre's story is a clear example that you can excel at something even though you do not like it, assuming you are willing to put in the effort to be good at it. And even though Andre did not like tennis, he still put in hours of work to be good at his chosen profession. Andre not only earned lots of prize money, but also in endorsement deals with Nike and  American Express. I can think of numerous people I know who dislike their jobs and yet stick to it and earn great financial rewards. I know many folks who work for investment banks and disliked their jobs, but they stuck with it and became good at it because it paid well. I guess there was some motivation there. You may say that I'm using examples where the financial payoffs are great for those who rise to the top, but I would counter by saying that there are great rewards in any profession when you rise to the top. And here is the thing that sometimes gets to me: I read lots of blogs (especially lifestyle blogs) and, to me, there are too many instances where you read about folks being "unhappy" with their jobs; everybody wants to make "passive income" and work only a few hours a week.   While that is a worthy aim, I think before one starts to focus their attention to entrepreneurship, one should try to focus on being the best they can be in their jobs. Figure out what it takes to succeed in your industry and profession. You may find that it will bring great financial rewards and you may be happier as a result. And trying to be the best you can be is a trait that is necessary if you ever want to be successful at your own business. The Bottom Line Len is always talking about sound money principals. Spend less than you earn, yes!   Save, yes!   But another important part of the equation is increasing your income. Making more money is a very important part of our personal finances but, too often, the "making more money" part tends to focus on ways to acquire passive income or, even worse, making money by blogging or via network marketing. I urge you to refocus your attention on your present occupation (whether you like it or not) because I suspect we all can put a little more effort in getting ahead in what we currently do, and reap the resulting financial rewards.   Even if we don't like what we're doing. Editor's Note: Mr. Credit Card told me those were the best burgers and hot dogs he had ever eaten!   Okay, not really.   But he did have multiple helpings. Photo Credit: loneymops ...

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Black Coffee: Hey, Buddy. Can Ya Spare A Hundy for A Tank of Gas?

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It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe… Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Here’s what caught my attention over the past week… This just in: higher octane gasoline has now passed $4 a gallon at many stations here in Southern California.   It's times like these that I'm really glad I drive a car that averages 35 miles per gallon. Blogs I've Been Following This Week Wisebread - Disguise Your Stuff to Prevent Car Break-ins. Kentin writes that he was the recent victim of a pickup truck break-in, so he decided to outfox the criminals.   Says Kentin: "I decided to embrace the 'fishbowl effect' by creating a secret hiding place in plain sight." What a brilliant idea!     Too bad he didn't stop there, because he then went on to show the thieves exactly how he has disguised his valuables; Kentin was even kind enough to include a few pictures.   I just hope he has a Plan B. Car Negotiation Coach - How to Buy a Car.   I thought more than a few of you might be interested in checking out this clever application that Geoff has put together that produces personalized car buying strategy guides.   I entered answers to five simple questions including whether I wanted to buy a new or used car, my approximate credit score, and how I intended to pay.   Unfortunately when I tried it out, after crunching the data, the application only admonished me for being a big fat cheapskate and then wished me good luck. Control Your Cash - The Best Hotel Values In America, Part II.   Greg and Betty have stayed in a lot of hotels while on their 2011 World Tour promoting what I think is the absolute best personal finance book ever written, Control Your Cash: Making Money Make Sense.   So this post comparing five national chains is based on hard-won experience.   My question is this: why is it that, more often than not, it's the budget hotels that offer free Internet service, while the fancy ones always charge an arm and a leg for it?   Shouldn't it be the other way around? Brip Blap - Does Voice Recognition Software Work? After reading Steve's article I decided to try out my neighbor's software and give it a test run just for this little paragraph.   You know what, I love it!   All the neighbor kids are here too watching and they are as fascinated by it as I am!   At least, as you can see, it doesn't seem to make any mistakes; it's properly recording everything I say into the microphone.   See that kids?   Pretty cool, huh?   Let's see if it can spell pneumonia.   Hey, look at that!   Antidisestablishmentarianism.   Wow!   In fact, I can see how this voice recognition software honey please stop picking your nose.   Now what are you going to do with that?   Oh jeez.   Please don't put it there, sweetheart.   Honeybee!   Can I get a Kleenex over here!   Okay, let's go.   Everybody out of the house!   I've got work to do.   Will greatly increase my productivity here. And Here's Some Other Posts You Might Enjoy... Free Money Finance - Secrets of a Former Credit Card Thief Darwin's Money - Yield Curve Explained Millionaire Nurse Blog - Buffett Speaks.   Are You Listening? Lazy Man and Money - 6 Comcast Secrets -- Some of them Dirty Ironclad Finances - $4 a Gallon Savings Club. Wealth Pilgrim - Water or Fire Damage To Your Home? What Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Do. Adaptu - Fanny, Freddy and the Future of the Mortgage Market Green Panda Treehouse - The Best Solutions to Credit Card Debt PT Money - How to Budget Your Money on a Variable Income Canadian Finance Blog - Home Computing on a Budget Wellness on Less - What Does It Take to Get a Decent Mortgage Today? The Way-Back Machine: Past Posts Of Mine You May Have Missed From February 2009: Why Shopping for Low Gasoline Prices Is A Losing Proposition - I know people who will drive five miles out of their way just to save a nickel per gallon.   Here's a simple analysis I did that proves exactly why that usually ain't a very smart idea.   (Yes, grammar police, I used "ain't" in a sentence.) I've Got More Tax Preparation Software to Give Away! Congratulations to Sandy and Cassandra for winning complementary copies of H&R Block's online tax preparation software, H&R Block At Home! If you entered last week but didn't win, the good news is I have three more promotional codes to give away this weekend! The codes are valued at $55 which should also cover any sales tax. Keep in mind that this covers your federal tax filing; any state filings would cost an additional $34.95. If you'd like a copy, simply drop me an email by the end of the day on Monday, March 7th, 2011 at Len@LenPenzo.com and let me know you're interested in trying it out. I'll then randomly draw three more names from all the entries on Tuesday. Credits and Debits Debit: The most recent Gallup poll shows the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate rose 0.5 percent to 10.3 percent in February.   According to Gallup that is essentially the same rate that existed at the end of last February, when it sat at 10.4 percent. Debit: Meanwhile, Gallup reports that the more-telling underemployment rate -- which combines part-time workers wanting full-time work with those who are unemployed -- jumped 0.5 percent in February to an incredible 19.9 percent.     Last February it was 0.2 percent lower. Credit: Then again, according to the government, everything is practically sunshine and lollipops.   Their figures show the unemployment and underemployment rates both dropped, to 8.9 percent and 15.9 percent, respectively.     Debit: I don't know about where you live, but everywhere I look I see the private sector continuing to contract -- not expand.   Investor's Business Daily agrees, reporting that, "Job openings remain 30% below their level when the downturn hit in December 2007." Debit: I've said it before and I'll say it again: the reason the government's numbers are now dropping is because the Labor Department is simply recategorizing people who have given up looking for work as not officially in the labor force -- which causes the true unemployment rate to artificially drop.   Gallup doesn't play those games. Debit: I am certain the status quo isn't going to change until large and small employers begin to see more business- and consumer-friendly policies coming out of Washington.   Until then, any large-scale economic recovery will be a pipe dream. Credit: One of the first tasks needs to be reining in the Environmental Protection Agency.   One of their more recent -- and wackiest -- moves was to declare carbon dioxide a pollutant.   Never mind that carbon dioxide is the stuff we exhale everyday, and that all plants depend on to live. Debit: Finally, did you see this?   The Connecticut State Board of Labor ruled that the town of Orange must not only reinstate "Dress Down Fridays" for the city's union employees, but it must also provide them with free coffee and milk too.   And now you know why we still need unions. Credit: Seriously though, that's your tax dollars at work, Connecticut! I wonder if the union is going to mount a protest because the ruling failed to include free donuts. Just sayin. By the Numbers Speaking of taxpayer-provided java, here's a little coffee by the numbers, Hawaiian style: $25 According to Hawaii Business, "the approximate online price for a pound of 100% Kona coffee, which ranks among the world’s most sought-after specialty coffees." 93 Starbucks locations in Hawaii. $27.8 million Hawaii coffee-farm sales in the latest production year. 0 States other than Hawaii that produce coffee. 4 Where coffee ranks among Hawaii's four most valuable crops.   Seed crops, sugar cane and macadamia nuts are more valuable. 1 Number of times I did a double take after I saw that pineapple was not among Hawaii's top four most valuable crops. Other Useless News It's the first weekend of the month, which means it's time once again to thank the Top 25 referring websites to Len Penzo dot Com from the previous month! 1. MSN: Smart Spending 2. The Simple Dollar 3. Kiplinger 4. Wisebread 5. Time Magazine: It's Your Money 6. Moolanomy 7. Swagbucks 8. Green Panda Tree House 9. Get Rich Slowly 10. The Millionaire Nurse Blog 11. Family Balance Sheet 12. Mighty Bargain Hunter 13. Budgeting In the Fun Stuff 14. Money Help for Christians 15. Wealth Pilgrim 16. Financial Samurai 17. Funny About Money 18. Control Your Cash 19. Lazy Man and Money 20. Lifehacker 21. Sweating the Big Stuff 22. Brip Blap 23. Everyday Tips and Thoughts 24. Monevator 25. JoeTaxpayer Thank you to everyone who refers their readers to this little ol' blog!   It's much appreciated. :-) Here's another friendly reminder for ya: if you happen to enjoy what you're reading - or not - please make sure you follow me on Twitter. And, if you'll be so kind, don't forget to subscribe to my RSS feed too! :-) Letters, I Get Letters Mr. Wonderful (don't look at me -- that's what he calls himself) wrote in with this burning question: "You got change for a hundy?" If you're so wonderful, how come you're not married?   At least I assume you're not married -- otherwise you'd never be in a position to even ask that question. I'll feature the most interesting question or comment I get each week here on Black Coffee — assuming I get one, that is. If you're lucky enough to be the only question in the mailbag I'll highlight your letter, whether it's interesting or not. ;-) Carnival News This week I had articles featured at the following carnivals: Carnival of Personal Finance @ Saving to Invest I'm Len Penzo and I approved this message. ...

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Black Coffee: Thin Mints, Early Retirement, Charlie Sheen (Pick Any 2)

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It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe… Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Here’s what caught my attention over the past week… I want you all to know that I fled to Illinois yesterday to avoid having to vote on whether or not the Honeybee's new jeans make her look fat.   I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I figure between myself, and the truant Democrats from Wisconsin and Indiana -- who have their own set of problems to deal with -- we now have enough votes to form our own quorum and pass any laws we deem necessary and appropriate.   Like banning women from asking if they look fat in their new dress/jeans/blouse etc. Okay, on to more important matters at hand... Blogs I've Been Following This Week Get Rich Slowly - Setting Your Home-buying Priorities -- Price, Quality, Location: Pick Any Two.   There are all kinds of variations of the "Pick Any Two" maxim that says you can have any two you desire from a given set , but never all three.   For example, there is the widely known saw "Better, Faster, Cheaper."   Meanwhile, at my house, when it comes to sharing a little evening television time with the Honeybee, she's always quick to remind me of this one: "Chick Flick, Oprah Winfrey Network, Sleep on the Couch." Wealth Informatics - How to Spot and Avoid a Vacation Rental Scam.   As a past victim of what could loosely be considered a vacation rental scam, I found this post to be extremely helpful. Early Retirement Extreme - The Early Retirement Path.   It used to be people were considered rebels when they retired at 60.   Then it was 55.   Then 50.   Now there is a whole new generation of people out there looking to retire at 45.   Forty five! In fact, Tim from Canadian Dream: Free at 45, plans on doing exactly that.   You know, if this early retirement thing gets any bigger than it already is, who is going to be around to do all the work? The Amateur Financier - Encouraging Entrepreneur Children.   I was going to share this excellent article with my 13 year-old son, Matthew, but he just informed me he's officially retired. And Here's Some Other Posts You Might Enjoy... Kiplinger - Disappearing Tax Breaks Time: It's Your Money - What to Do with All the Foreclosed Country Clubs? Financially Poor - Change Now and Change Often Budgets Are Sexy - Budgets are Sexy Turns 3! The Simple Dollar - Eight Minutes to Financial Success Series - Minimize Electronic Temptations Money Crush - Emergency Fund Strategies Not Made of Money - Is Your Emergency Fund In Good Shape? Eventual Millionaire - How to Use Your Vision to Achieve Business Success Watson Inc.   - Labeling Debt to Make It More Palatable Beating Broke - What Motivates Your Finances? Saving Money Today - Understanding Financial Terms The Way-Back Machine: Past Posts Of Mine You May Have Missed From February 2010: Taste Test Experiment: Bottled Waters vs. Filtered Tap - Come on, folks.   What happened the good ol' days when we all drank water from the tap or a garden hose?   Was that water really noticeably worse tasting than the relatively expensive stuff we now buy in bottles?   Well, in yet another taste experiment of mine, I asked a dozen of my family members to try and see if they could really tell the difference. Who Wants to Win Some Free Tax Preparation Software?! H&R Block was kind enough to give me some promotional codes for their H&R Block At Home Premier Edition online tax preparation software!   The codes are valued at $55 which should also cover any sales tax.     Keep in mind that this covers your federal tax filing; any state filings would cost an additional $34.95.   If you'd like a copy, simply drop me an email by the end of the day on Monday, February 28th, 2011 at Len@LenPenzo.com and let me know you're interested in trying it out.   I'll then randomly draw two names from all the entries on Tuesday. Credits and Debits Debit: ABC News reported this week that average gasoline prices in the US once again reached their highest point ever posted during the month of February, since weekly prices were first tracked in 1990. Credit: Fortunately, crude oil prices seemed to stabilize this week after Saudi Arabia ramped up their production to make up for losses from the current unrest in Libya. Debit: Meanwhile, despite finishing up on Friday, the US stock market suffered its worst week since November on fears that rising oil prices will harm the US economy's ability to recover.   For the week, the Dow Jones lost 2.1 percent, the S&P 500 was down 1.7 percent, and the Nasdaq fell 1.9 percent. Credit: Despite all the strife and turmoil going on, both here at home and in the Middle East, it's nice to know that some people realize what's really important in the grand scheme of life.     Take the   Florida woman who was arrested after she allegedly came home and threatened her roommate with a pair of scissors, struck her with a board, bit her on the breast, and then -- just to drive home her point -- whacked her with a sign.   All because the victim's kids ate the alleged attacker's Thin Mints. Credit: Sheesh. I love Thin Mints as much as anyone, but not enough to ever give somebody a real ass kickin' just for eating them all.   I guess the moral of the story is this: if you're gonna eat somebody's Girl Scout cookies, just to be safe, make sure you steal those crappy Dulce de Leches.   Blech. Credit: Hey, can you just imagine what terrible fate that poor roommate would have endured if she had really done something bad, like pilfering a pint of Haagen Dazs? Other Useless News First off, I want to give thanks again to Dr. Dean Burke from the Millionaire Nurse Blog for filling in for me here last week!     Great job, Doc! The Harlem Globetrotters were in Southern California this past week, so I took the family to watch them "play" the hapless Washington Generals last Thursday.   Needless to say, the Generals got pummeled -- even though the 'Trotters at times were outnumbered on the floor because they had players sent to the penalty box by the refs for being "too funny" at their expense.   (Yes, a real penalty box just like in hockey.)   They also introduced their new "4-point shot" -- four small circular zones on the floor, 35 feet from the basket.   It was amazing to watch both teams sink those long bombs with surprisingly good accuracy; I'll bet they made 40 percent of those shots.   I wonder if the NBA will pick up on it.   Anyway, this is the second time we've seen them and, once again, they put on an absolutely terrific family-oriented show for kids of all ages.   If you get a chance to see the Globetrotters when they come to your town, do yourself a favor and be sure to take the family.   I promise you'll have a great time. Here's another friendly reminder for ya: if you happen to enjoy what you're reading - or not - please make sure you follow me on Twitter. And, if you'll be so kind, don't forget to subscribe to my RSS feed too! :-) Letters, I Get Letters Mira writes in with this observation: "I think you are a very interesting person!   I want to get to know you better...   I do not think that your age or appearance is important." I see you found my photo. Letters from people like you, Mira, are precisely why I've decided to stop trying so hard and just let myself go as I get older. . Crystal, from Budgeting In the Fun Stuff had this to say: "I'm ticked off!   I love Two and a Half Men and it looks like the addict Charlie Sheen is messing it all up!   Grrr..." Never fear, Crystal.   I heard Charlie is already working on his next project.   It's called "Two and a Half Personalities." I'll feature the most interesting question or comment I get each week here on Black Coffee — assuming I get one, that is. If you're lucky enough to be the only question in the mailbag I'll highlight your letter, whether it's interesting or not. ;-) By the Numbers Since Crystal brought it up, here is Charlie Sheen, by the numbers: $2 million Amount Charlie is reportedly earning for every episode of Two and a Half Men.   His overall net worth is estimated at $85 million. 63 Approximate number of television and big-screen movies he has appeared in. 2 Television series he has starred in.   (Two and a Half Men and Spin City.) 1 Times he appeared on Friends.   (An episode from 1996 entitled "The One with the Chicken Pox") $55,000 Monthly child support he is reportedly paying for his two kids with Brooke Mueller. This is on top of child support he is paying for his two kids with Denise Richards. $50,000 According to court testimony, amount he testified paying "Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss for, um, services rendered. 5,000 Women he reportedly claims to have slept with.   (That's roughly a different woman every other day over the last 30 years for the 45 year-old Sheen.   Even so, it's 15,000 fewer women than Wilt Chamberlain claims he bedded shortly before he died at 63.) 1 Times he managed to accidentally shoot actress Kelly Preston in the arm. 36 According to a Scripps News poll, percentage of people who, like Charlie Sheen, believe that "the US either participated in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon or took no action to stop them because they wanted the United States to go to war in the Middle East." Carnival News This week I had articles featured at the following carnivals: Carnival of Personal Finance @ Money Smart Life I'm Len Penzo and I approved this message. ...

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Black Coffee: Miracle Whip, Grokking, and My Contest Winner

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It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe… Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Here’s what caught my attention over the past week… Never mess with the 8 Ball.   As I told you in this space last week, my Magic 8 Ball -- the same one with the astounding 70 percent success rate -- fearlessly predicted that the Green Bay Packers would win the Super Bowl.   Of course, they did with a little help from the Pittsburgh Steelers. (So I guess that gives my 8 Ball a 73 percent success rate now.) Okay, on to the rest of my babbling blather and this very special Valentine's Day version of Black Coffee... Blogs I've Been Following This Week Mighty Bargain Hunter - My Daughter Groks Negotiation... Kinda.   Tell me I'm not the only one who looked at that title and said "WTF?"   Sheesh.   You know, I consider myself to be a proud nerd at heart, but I guess I'm really slipping; I always thought "Grok" was just a common surname of European Neanderthals.   Guess I was wrong. Slate (via Monevator) - The Eligible Bachelor Paradox: How Economics Explains the Shortage of Available, Appealing Men.   I have an embarrassing Valentine's Day confession to make.   It took me a long time to finally grok women -- which to a lot of folks with a small, er, vocabulary probably sounds like an unfortunate personal problem.   Trust me, it is.   I mean was. MSN: Smart Spending - 4 Unusual Twists on Valentine's Day Gifts.   Guest writer Lou Carlozo -- who happens to be the Green Dad columnist at Dealnews.com -- proves he groks the ladies better than most men.   That's because although red is the traditional color of love, Lou realizes that some women actually prefer their Valentine's Day gifts to be green. Military Wallet - What to Do If You Don't Have the Investing Gene.   Says guest writer Hank Coleman: "Many people have had the luxury of marrying someone who fits them well. If you do not have a spouse or someone in your life who wants to help handle investing, then you may need to find professional help." This article really resonated with me because the Honeybee and I are complete opposites in many ways.   As such, I've often felt like I should find professional help, but Hank has now convinced me.   (See, that's what happens when married couples don't grok each other enough.) And Here's Some Other Posts You Might Enjoy... Live Richly - In Defense of Default Investor Junkie - In Business, It's All About Focus Oblivious Investor - How Much Work Is Do It Yourself Investing? Darwin's Money - How Arbitrage Works Control Your Cash - Us 1, American Express 0 Monevator - Reasons to Buy a House Instead of Renting Mom Vesting - Don't Fail to Plan Hope to Prosper - Seeing Your Financial Future Car Negotiation Coach - How I Saved $202 at Home Depot and You Can Save 9% on Every Purchase Wellness on Less - When Will Your Homeowners Insurance Policy Really Pay? Ironclad Finances - All Your Worth: Making Adjustments The Way-Back Machine: Past Posts Of Mine You May Have Missed From February 2010: Valentine's Day Quiz: How to Tell If You're Dating A Deadbeat - Yes, your current snuggle bunny may be putting on a show for you now, but can that person really maintain their current lifestyle when you finally decide to tie the knot? This borrows heavily from the quiz from Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar, authors of the excellent personal finance book Get Financially Naked: How to Talk Money with Your Honey. Credits and Debits Credit: Here's my favorite commercial from last week's Super Bowl.   I thought it was the funniest one, by far...     Credit: Not everybody approved.   Boo-hoo.   Someone calling themselves Beadle1023 said of the Pepsi Max commercial, "These corporations treat (men) as if we're just a bunch of impulsive horn dogs." Uh-huh.   But they can't lie, Beadle; it's against truth-in-advertising laws. Debit: MSNBC reports that the national average for gasoline prices is at the highest mark ever for this time of year, after crossing the $3.12 per gallon mark on Friday.   The previous high was set back in 2008, when the national average price at the pump eventually went on to hit an all-time high of $4.11 in July of that same year.   Will history repeat itself this year? Debit: In other news, I see Groupon now has over 3,000 angry customers because they were allegedly offering a Valentine's Day "deal" for FTD flowers that was anything but.   The customers alleged that their Groupon "deal" actually ended up costing them between $10 and $20 more than if they had simply got the advertised FTD Valentine's Day bouquet direct from FTD's regular website. Debit: According to CNN Money: "Disgruntled shoppers also noted that high service and shipping charges further depleted the voucher's value. Others found that bouquets would not be delivered before Feb. 15, the day after Valentines Day." Aside from all that, though, Groupon swears the deal was pretty darn good. Credit: Even so, to make things right with its customers, Groupon has decided to offer a brand new Valentine's Day deal with FTD: get two flower bouquets and pay for three.     By the Numbers In honor of Valentine's Day , here are a few love-and-marriage facts from the good folks at infoplease.com (except where indicated): 2.1 million Number of marriages that took place in 2009. 69 Percentage of people 15 years and older who have been married at least once in their lives -- either currently or formerly. 28 Median age of men who get married for the first time. 26 Median age of women who get married for the first time. 19 Among those who have been married, percentage of people married twice. 8 Average length, in years, of first marriages ending in divorce. 5 Among those who have been   married, percentage of people married three or more times. 9 Number of times Zsa Zsa Gabor has been married. 8 Number of times Larry King has been married. 15 Estimated percentage of women who will send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.   (Just don't use a Groupon, ladies.) Other Useless News Hey, check this out!   Speaking of Valentine's Day...   Assuming he's still game, I am very excited to announce that world famous gynecologist to the stars, Dr. Dean from the The Millionaire Nurse Blog, will be guest hosting next weekend's edition of Black Coffee so I can properly celebrate my, um, 25th birthday!   Even though I am neither a millionaire or a nurse, I love Dr. Dean and his blog; we're definitely two peas in a pod.   So with that in mind, please make Dr. Dean feel at home next week by treating him with the same level of outrage and disrespect some of you show me in your letters and occasional hate mail. Here's another friendly reminder for ya: if you happen to enjoy what you're reading - or not - please make sure you follow me on Twitter. And, if you'll be so kind, don't forget to subscribe to my RSS feed too! :-) Letters, I Get Letters Mike writes in with this observation: "I’ve noticed that people who were raised on Miracle Whip swear by it, think it’s the bomb.   All the rest of us (the right-thinking people) think that Miracle Whip is crap." I have to disagree with you; to say "Miracle Whip is crap" is being way too kind. . Crystal, from Budgeting In the Fun Stuff shared this little tidbit: "Do you find Bieber as fun to say as I do?   I find it almost as funny as kumquat..." Absolutely!   And for even more fun, try saying "rubber Bieber buggy bumpers" five time real fast. . Maria G. wrote: "How fortuitous I am to have found a really wonderful website such as yours..." Thank you for the kind words but I really think it's me who is the, er, fortuitous one -- I married the Honeybee and she hates Miracle Whip as much as I do! If you have a question you'd like to ask, or a comment you'd like to make regarding some of my irritating opinions, please feel free to drop me an e-mail at: Len@LenPenzo.com I'll feature the most interesting question or comment I get each week here on Black Coffee — assuming I get one, that is. If you're lucky enough to be the only question in the mailbag I'll highlight your letter, whether it's interesting or not. ;-) And the Winner of My $100 Reader Appreciation Giveaway Is... Congratulations to Flo (who entered under the moniker of ContestItalia)!   Thank you to everyone who entered!   If you didn't win, don't despair.   I plan on holding another giveaway later this year. :-) Carnival News This week I had articles featured at the following carnivals: Carnival @ Rio De Janeiro, Brazil I'm Len Penzo and I approved this message. ...

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Black Coffee: My Magic 8 Ball Makes Its Super Bowl Prediction

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It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe… Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Here’s what caught my attention over the past week… Of course, with the Super Bowl being played this week, I decided to ask my trusty Magic 8 Ball who is going to win the big game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers. Remember, when it came to its 2010 predictions, my trusty 8 Ball demonstrated an astounding 70 percent success rate.   Let's see the Amazing Randi debunk that. When I asked the Magic 8 Ball if the Steelers would win, it answered "My sources say no." Just to be fair, I asked the 8 Ball if the Packers would win.   It's reply?   "As I see it, yes." So there you have it.   With apologies to Karen Datko, the Green Bay Packers are going to win the game. Blogs I've Been Following This Week Kiplinger - Does the Super Bowl Help Boost Advertisers' Stock Prices? I prefer not to put a lot of faith in these kind of statistics, but did you know that, companies that advertise during the Super Bowl outperform the S&P 500-stock during the ten trading days from the Monday before game day to the Friday afterward?   Sixty percent of them outperform the S&P after a full year.   It doesn't matter how bad the commercials are either.   Still, it's an interesting story.     As for me, when it comes to picking stocks, I'll stick with my 8 Ball. First Gen American - Babci's Favorite Sayings On Marriage.   Sandy shares a few wise tips on marriage from her grandmother, Babci.   She then dispenses a bit of advice of her own: "Take a good hard look at your significant other and figure out what kind of mule they are." So, naturally, I decided to skip the hard work and just ask the Honeybee that question directly.   Her reply wasn't pretty.   "What do you mean what kind of mule am I?   Are you calling me an ass?"   It was all downhill from there.     With all due respect, Sandy, next time I think I'll stick to following Babci's advice. Money Crashers - 9 Cheap Ways to Keep Warm This Winter.   Surprisingly, perhaps the best tip for keeping warm cheaply was not on the list: snuggle with your honey!   Of course, thanks to Sandy, that idea is now completely out of the question for me.   Well, for the rest of this winter anyway. Wisebread - High Tech Solutions for the Winter Blues.   Thankfully, the great Linsey Knerl came to my rescue this week with some high tech tips to help me make the best of the rest of my cold, lonely, winter.   Thank you Linsey; who knew a hygrometer could be so much fun? And Here's Some Other Posts You Might Enjoy... Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance - How to Cope with Buyers' Remorse The Simple Dollar - Experiences Trump Things: The Evolution of a Hobby Millionaire Nurse Blog - Ruin Your Child; Everyone Else Does It Money Crush - Are You Blaming the Wrong Thing? My Personal Finance Journey - How to Dispute a Credit Card Charge and Win Green Panda Tree House - Saving for Retirement Is Like Eating Chocolate Canadian Finance Blog - Clean Your Budget to Find Hidden Cash Wealth Pilgrim - Professional LLC: FAQs in Plain English Budgeting in the Fun Stuff - 5 Tips for Selling on Craigslist Ironclad Finances - All Your Worth: The Balanced Money Formula Wellness on Less - Savings All Homeowners Must Have The Way-Back Machine: Past Posts Of Mine You May Have Missed From January 2010: Why Avatar Isn't the Biggest Movie of All Time (and What Movie Is) -   I understand why the press loves to cite gross dollars when reporting box office totals.   The problem with that, of course, is that those gross figures ignore the effects of inflation. Credits and Debits Credit: The government announced the unemployment rate fell 0.4 percent last month.   The Associated Press reports that unemployment, "is suddenly sinking at the fastest pace in a half-century, falling to 9 percent from 9.8 percent in just two months." Debit: This number is a bit hard to swallow, considering the economy produced only 36,000 new jobs in January -- which would lead a reasonable person to believe that the size of the entire American workforce, with a population of over 300 million people, is a paltry 9 million jobs.   Of course, it's not quite that simple. Debit: So how to explain the falling unemployment rate?   The problem with this dubious claim is that it's a result of people leaving the unemployment lines because they’ve given up looking for work.   And when people stop actively looking for work -- even if it is because they have given up -- they are no longer counted as unemployed by the Department of Labor. Debit: If you look at the government's underemployment rate (U6) figure -- which includes those who have quit looking for work, or only work part time despite wanting a full time job --   that number rises to 16.1 percent. Debit: Then again, if you believe Gallup -- and you should -- the unemployment rate actually rose last month to 9.8 percent, and the underemployment number rose to 18.9 percent. Debit: Finally, the City Council of New York City approved a bill this week to ban smoking in all city parks, beaches and pedestrian plazas (whatever that is).   I'm not a smoker, and never have been, but this is an outrageous infringement of our personal liberties. Debit: Check out this article from CBS New York on the smoking ban where the reporter included this absurd statement: "There is no constitutional right to smoke in city parks and beaches so smokers have no legal recourse." Really?   The Constitution was written as a protection against tyranny by limiting the power of government -- not the governed.   This reporter seems to think it's the other way around. Debit: By this reporter's logic, because there is no constitutional right to salt, then the government can also ban that too.     Heh.   Oh wait; the politicians in New York are working on that one too. Debit: No smoking outdoors.   No salt.   No soft drinks.   No Happy Meal toys.   Don't you just love these Big Government politicians who think they know how to run our daily lives better than we do? Credit: My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. -- Thomas Jefferson Other Useless News It's the first weekend of the month, which means it's time once again to thank the Top 25 referring websites to Len Penzo dot Com for the previous month... 1. MSN: Smart Spending 2. The Simple Dollar 3. Wisebread 4. Time Magazine: It's Your Money 5. Kiplinger 6. Sweating the Big Stuff 7. Moolanomy 8. The Globe and Mail 9. Get Rich Slowly 10. Green Panda Tree House 11. Wealth Pilgrim 12. JoeTaxpayer 13. Swagbucks 14. Mighty Bargain Hunter 15. Everyday Tips and Thoughts 16. Financial Samurai 17. Frugal Dad 18. Money Help for Christians 19. Mint 20. Political Calculations 21. My Personal Finance Journey 22. (tie) The Millionaire Nurse Blog 22. (tie) The Financial Blogger 24. Funny About Money 25. Girl With A Red Balloon Thank you to everyone who refers their readers to this little ol' blog!   It's much appreciated. :-) Here's a friendly reminder for ya: if you happen to enjoy what you're reading - or not - please make sure you follow me on Twitter. And, if you'll be so kind, don't forget to subscribe to my RSS feed too! :-) By the Numbers Some quick facts on the Super Bowl: 125 million People who will be watching the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers on television this Sunday. 8 million Pounds of guacamole consumed on Super Bowl Sunday (along with 15,000 tons of chips). 10 Times Miami has hosted the Super Bowl, more than any other city. 8 Super Bowl appearances by the Dallas Cowboys, more than any other team. (They will be matched by the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday.) 6 Super Bowls won by the Pittsburgh Steelers, more than any other team. 4 Teams that have never appeared in a Super Bowl. (Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans.) 4 Times the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings have lost a Super Bowl, more than any other team. 3 Players that have won a Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach. (Mike Ditka, Tom Flores and Tony Dungy.) Letters, I Get Letters Crystal, from Budgeting In the Fun Stuff was a bit wistful this week: "Not a lot going on here.   We were promised snow but didn't get any...sad face." I know about 35 million people in the Northeast who would toilet paper your house right now if they only knew where you lived, Crystal. . Courtney wrote in to share this: "The next time I visit a blog, I hope that it doesn’t annoy me as much as yours did..." Imagine how I feel, Courtney.   Try having to come up with all this annoying stuff four times a week. If you have a question you'd like to ask, or a comment you'd like to make regarding some of my irritating opinions, please feel free to drop me an e-mail at: Len@LenPenzo.com I'll feature the most interesting question or comment I get each week here on Black Coffee — assuming I get one, that is.   If you're lucky enough to be the only question in the mailbag I'll highlight your letter, whether it's interesting or not. ;-) Carnival News This week I had articles featured at the following carnivals: The Carnival of Personal Finance @ Control Your Cash (Editor's Pick - Hooray!) I'm Len Penzo and I approved this message. ...

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Black Coffee: Denver Weather, Taco Bell Tacos & Cheap Sausage

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It's time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe… Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance. Here’s what caught my attention over the past week… If you recall from last week, I was struggling to decide what to cook up for Mr. Credit Card last weekend while he was out here visiting.   I eventually decided to barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs.   I know, but it was a busy week for me.   Besides, the choice definitely made my kids happy. To tell you the truth, Mr. Credit Card didn't seem to mind either.   As for the Honeybee, any meal that doesn't require a lot of post-dinner pots and pans to clean up is always a plus for her. Let's get right to it, shall we, as I have a tee time today.   That's right, I'm going golfing.   While most of America has been digging out from twenty feet of snow, it's been sunny and 75 degrees here in Southern California. I can only imagine how beautiful it's been in Denver which, according to a dubious Travel and Leisure survey, has better weather than Los Angeles. Blogs I've Been Following This Week Bachelorpedia - Things to Pay a Premium For.   I realize the readership of my blog skews heavily towards the fairer sex, so I hope the ladies will indulge me for just a moment.   I'm a sucker for encyclopedias.   When I was kid, my folks bought me a set of World Book encyclopedias and over the time span of a couple of years I eagerly read the entire thing, from A to Z --   yes, every single book from cover to cover.     And now you know why I couldn't get a date in high school.   But I digress.   Today I knocked out the entire Bachelorpedia in less than thirty minutes.   As the name implies, this really fun site is most definitely geared for bachelors.   There are lots of extremely entertaining little articles here, like amazing things you can do with bacon ("Bacon-wrapped tater tots, 'nuff said."), and what to do if you run out of toilet paper ("Taco Bell and KFC seem to have the strongest and most absorbent napkins we've found.")   There is the occasional article that you gals might find interesting too, like this one dishing out sage advice on what you should never ever "cheap out on." Krantcents - Budgeting Is A Waste of Time.   Although I disagree with the premise, this article still makes you think.   And when I say think, I mean really think.   My God, Krantcents asks no less than 22 questions in this article.   Half way through the article I found myself repeatedly invoking the 5th Amendment.     Then I realized the questions were only rhetorical. Ask Mr. Credit Card - A Romantic Car License Plate: Guess Whose Car This Is.     Hmmm.   That's a really good question.   Maybe one of my readers can figure it out. And Here's Some Other Posts You Might Enjoy... Saving Money Today - Savings Interests Rates Can Be Beaten If You Are Creative Darwin's Money - Efficient Market Hypothesis: Are You a Believer? Budgeting in the Fun Stuff - Would You Like to Buy a $75,000 Ford Expedition? Everyday Tips and Thoughts - 10 Home Renovation Tips: Learn from Our Experience Ironclad Finances - Selecting Your Next Car Live Richly - Stranger In His Own Land, Part 11 Sweating the Big Stuff - 5 People Who Can Save You Time, Money and Stress Free From Broke - Freeze Your Credit to Protect Your Identity Fiscal Fizzle - Swap Used Kids Clothes Online With ThreadUp Credit Card   Assist - Consumers Getting Trapped By Rate Reduction Scams The Way-Back Machine: Past Posts Of Mine You May Have Missed From February 2009: My Kids' Loan Interview with the Bank of Dad - It's hard to believe that next week will be almost two years since I decided to invite my kids (who were 9 and 11 at the time) to apply for a loan at the good old Bank of Dad.   I did it as an experiment to gauge just how good a handle they had on the value of money.     Needless to say, it was a real eye-opener.   This is the transcript. Credits and Debits Debit: As the crisis in Egypt continues to unfold, the price of oil is on the verge of crossing the $100-per-barrel mark. Debit: I'm sure you already noticed that the price of gasoline was already rising at the pump prior to the Egyptian crisis; this will now hasten the rate prices have been climbing.   For their part, the US Department of Energy predicts the price of oil will average only $93 this year and $97 in 2012. Debit: Those predictions seem ridiculously optimistic considering rapidly growing demand in China and India; even before the crisis in Egypt, J.P. Morgan was forecasting that oil prices would reach $120 in 2012. Debit: Today's example of government waste comes from the Waterfront Commission, which is responsible for policing the ports of New York and New Jersey for corruption.   A thief pilfered a 50 cent sausage and then stole a $2.00 iced tea to wash it down.   According to the New York Daily News: "The overkill began when the commission received an anonymous tip that someone filched the drink and the sausage from a food truck catering to dock workers.   According to two sources, the case was quickly wrapped up: The thief confessed to the crime, and the victim said an arrest was unnecessary." For the record, the case -- known as Operation Missing Link -- was opened last August and, 80 interviews later, is still ongoing. Debit: According to Waterfront Commission General Counsel Phoebe Soriel, "While the commission does not comment on pending investigations, it takes any theft in the port seriously - especially theft involving extortion."   Boy, she's not kidding. Credit: Perhaps the Waterfront Commission was just doing a special favor for New York 9th District Congressman Anthony Weiner.   What? Credit: If those port authority cops take a 50-cent sausage this seriously, can you imagine their response if that thief had purloined a jelly donut and cup of coffee? Other Useless News I'd like to thank Miranda Marquit for including me in her list of 11 Lesser Known Blogs to Read in 2011 over at Moolanomy.     I'm honored to be included among such great company, including a fellow Money Maven JoeTaxpayer.   A Money Maven alumnus also made the list: Brad from Enemy of Debt. Here's a friendly reminder for ya: if you happen to enjoy what you're reading - or not - please make sure you follow me on Twitter. And, if you'll be so kind, don't forget to subscribe to my RSS feed too! :-) My $100 Reader Appreciation Giveaway News - Update! Hey!   My reader appreciation giveaway has less than a week to go, so if you haven't entered yet, get to it!     Who knows, that $100 grand prize could be yours. By the Numbers Some of the stuff in my wallet, by the numbers: 40 Total cash, in US dollars, of course.   (Two twenties.) 9 Business cards. 4 Credit cards. 4 Gift cards. 80 The original total value of those four gift cards, in dollars. 1 Frequent customer discount cards to my favorite Mexican restaurant down the street. 15% The discount I get off every meal purchased there. 55 The remaining balance (in cents) on an old subway pass for the Washington D.C. Metro. 12 Photographs of the kids. 2 Photographs of the Honeybee. So, what's in your wallet? Letters, I Get Letters No Name Please wrote in to comment on my personal finances: "I saw your state of the household report this week and you seem to be fairly well off.   Maybe it's time you break down and get a new car." I expect I'll break down and get a new car only after my 97 Honda Civic permanently breaks down. Meanwhile, Crystal at Budgeting In the Fun Stuff asks: "Did you see that Taco Bell is being sued for allegedly not using real beef in their taco filling?" Yes, but I don't get it; I thought everybody knew that stuff isn't really beef.   Heck, even the late great Charlton Heston could tell you what's really in those tacos.   Heh. If you have a question you'd like to ask, or a comment you'd like to make regarding some of my irritating opinions, please feel free to drop me an e-mail at: Len@LenPenzo.com I'll feature the most interesting question or comment I get each week here on Black Coffee — assuming I get one, that is. If you're lucky enough to be the only question in the mailbag I'll highlight your letter, whether it's interesting or not. ;-) Carnival News This week I had articles featured at the following carnivals: The Carnival of Personal Finance @ Living Richly on a Budget   I'm Len Penzo and I approved this message. ...

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