Growing Money Is Back!

Jul 18th, 2011
by Sean.
No comments yet

Growing Money was recently hacked by hackers using a method known as “backdoor” intrusion. Our ISP, DreamHost discovered that the website has been compromised and deactivated the site on Friday July 8th, 2011.

Since then, we ran a  security scan and removed malicious code that was sneaked in this site. Today, we are back and running!

As a reminder to all website owners, including myself, this is an important lesson to keep security measures tight and up-to-date. I welcome any information on how to protect websites and any web security plugins/tools to install for WordPress.

One tool that was recommended by DreamHost Security Team is the Exploit Scanner for WordPress. It is a useful tool to help find malicious code in your files and database in WordPress.

TD Ameritrade Promo Up to $500 Cash for Roll Over 2011

Jul 13th, 2011
by Sean.
No comments yet

TD Ameritrade is offering up to $500 cash when you roll over your assets to a TD Ameritrade retirement account today. TD Ameritrade invites you to consolidate all your retirement accounts with them.

  • Get $100 cash, when you roll over $25,000 to $99,999
  • Get $250 cash, when you roll over $100,000 to $249,999
  • Get $500 cash, when you roll over $250,000 or more

 

TD Ameritrade also offers a free Retirement Checkup with a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, to determine what steps you can take today that help you pursue the lifestyle you want after you retire.

 

For complete details and rules, please visit TD Ameritrade.

I have an account with TD Ameritrade. If you would like me to refer you, please send an email GrowingMoney [at] Gmail.com with the subject line “TD Ameritrade Referral” and include your name and email address in the email body.

Chase Freedom Visa Card Offers Up to $200 Bonus Cash Back

Jul 9th, 2011
by Sean.
1 comment

Chase Freedom® Visa Card is offering up to $200 Bonus Cash Back for signing up for their credit card.

Earn up to $200 Cash Back

Get started with $100 cash back after you spend just $500 in 3 months. Plus earn an additional $100 cash back after you spend an additional $1,000 in your first 6 months.

Earn up to 5% Cash Back

Earn an unlimited 1% cash back on all your purchases. You’ll earn a total of 5% Cash Back in quarterly bonus categories that change. These categories include gas, groceries, dining, even home improvement. 5% Cash Back categories are subject to a quarterly enrollment and maximum.

Earn up to 10% Cash Back

Shop online at select merchants through Chase and earn up to an additional 10% cash back.

Chase Freedom Card benefits:

  • 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in bonus categories each quarter
  • 1% cash back on everything else you buy
  • No Annual Fee

For complete details and rules, please visit Chase Freedom Visa Card.

Continenta​l Airlines Offers 100 Bonus Miles July 2011

Jul 6th, 2011
by Sean.
No comments yet

Continental Airlines is offering Continental Airlines credit card members a 100 bonus OnePass miles to register and learn more about OnePass Auctions.

Click on this link, which shows the Promotion Code TB3M31, and enter your OnePass Number, by July 31, 2011.

Learn more about OnePass Auctions.

TD Ameritrade Promo Amazon Gift Cards July 2011

Jul 2nd, 2011
by Sean.
No comments yet

TD Ameritrade is offering Amazon Gift Cards (up to $500) for new deposits or transfers to your TD Ameritrade account by July 27, 2011.

  • For $100 Amazon.com Gift Card, deposit or transfer $50,000 to $99,999.
  • For $200 Amazon.com Gift Card, deposit or transfer $100,000 to $249,999.
  • For $500 Amazon.com Gift Card, deposit or transfer $250,000 or more.

There is a new option of Sony products for new deposits or transfers of $1 Million or more. Your choice of:

  • a Sony 46″ Internet TV powered by Google TV and Sony Blu-ray Disc Player, or
  • a Sony VAIO Laptop, or
  • a Sony VAIO All-in-One Desktop PC

For complete details and rules, please visit TD Ameritrade.

I have an account with TD Ameritrade. If you would like me to refer you, please send an email GrowingMoney [at] Gmail.com with the subject line “TD Ameritrade Referral” and include your name and email address in the email body.

HSBC Premier Promo Gifts July 2011

Jun 30th, 2011
by Sean.
No comments yet

HSBC Premier is offering a choice of gifts, including a $500 Amazon.com Gift Card or a free MacBook Air, when you start an HSBC Premier relationship before July 22, 2011 with a qualifying balance.

  • For a qualifying balance of $100,000 or more,
    • $500 Amazon.com Gift Card
  • For a qualifying balance of $150,000 or more, your choice of
    • a MacBook Air or
    • 100,000 Reward Points for HSBC Premier World MasterCard

Amazon.com Gift Card is redeemable for millions of items on Amazon.com. The Gift Card has no fees and no expiration date.

The HSBC Premier World MasterCard Reward Points can be used for travel, shopping, charity contributions and cash back. The Reward Points has no expiration date and there is no earnings cap on Points.

For complete details and rules, please visit HSBC Premier.

I have an account with HSBC. If you would like me to refer you, please send an email GrowingMoney [at] Gmail.com with the subject line “TD Ameritrade Referral” and include your name and email address in the email body.

 

Preferred Choice

I think that 100,000 Rewards Points would be the best option, because the Points translate to $1,000 cash back or even more value with gift cards and travel rewards.

Guest Posts

Jun 19th, 2011
by Sean.
No comments yet

We have received many emails inquiring about Guest Posts, and questions about the requirements, rules, guidelines and topics. Please read below the requirements and rules for guest posts.

Purpose

The purpose of a guest post is to promote new content and relevant information to readers. A guest post also allows exposure to a new writer, a less known writer, or even a well-known writer wanting to expand.  A genuine article written with a personal touch will add more credibility, and readers are likely to continue reading those articles, which ultimately helps you gain true popularity. Please follow the guidelines below and aim to provide fresh reading material.

 

Requirements / Rules

  1. The article topic and contents need to be about or related to INVESTING.
  2. The article needs to be original, informative, and educational.
  3. The article needs to be never published before on the Internet, and once the article is published on this site, it is not to be published anywhere else.
  4. The article needs NOT to include any form of advertisements/promotions (links to loan sites, etc).

 

More Info

  1. A bylink will provide credit to the guest author and his/her main site (with the main site’s name) at the bottom of the post (No Hyperlinks).
  2. Avoid abuse of linking to third-party sites (such as loan sites), manipulating keywords, etc.
  3. All articles need to be submitted for review and approval before they are published. Growing Money reserves the right to accept, edit, or not publish the article.
  4. To submit your guest post, please email us at GrowingMoney (at) gmail.com, and include in the subject line, “Guest Post“ (without the quotes).


ATTENTION: Our focus is on providing ORIGINAL, INFORMATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL articles and NOT on linking back to your site. Because of prior abuses, our policy is to DISALLOW hyperlinks to your site anywhere in the article including the author’s bio (we reserve all rights!). We will still honor a text reference back to your site. Thank you in advance for your understanding!

 

Sample Guest Posts:

Advantages of Index Funds

5 Things New Homebuyers Should Know Before They Dive In

How To Become A Millionaire


 

20 Stocks with the Potential to Pop (CNBC) 2011

Jun 6th, 2011
by Sean.
1 comment

CNBC has an article that shows 20 stocks with the potential to have a significant jump in share prices. Below are the 20 companies listed from highest to lowest by potential to pop percentage. With recent huge market indices drops, now is a good time to look at some of these stocks and buy them at low prices.

 

1. Monster Worldwide (MWW)
Potential to Pop: 54.21%
Mean Price Target: $22.65
Closing Price (5/25): $14.69

Number of Analysts: 13
High Estimate: $32
Low Estimate: $9

 

2. Bank of America (BAC)
Potential to Pop: 52.72%
Mean Price Target: $17.38
Closing Price (5/25): $11.38

Number of Analysts: 25
High Estimate: $24
Low Estimate: $13.50

 

3. Micron Technology (MU)
Potential to Pop: 48.34%
Mean Price Target: $14.26
Closing Price (5/25): $9.61

Number of Analysts: 20
High Estimate: $18
Low Estimate: $11

 

4. MEMC Electronic Materials (WFR)
Potential to Pop: 44.53%
Mean Price Target: $14.39
Closing Price (5/25): $9.96

Number of Analysts: 19
High Estimate: $18
Low Estimate: $9.5

 

5. Goldman Sachs (GS)
Potential to Pop: 42.32%
Mean Price Target: $193.90
Closing Price (5/25): $136.24

Number of Analysts: 20
High Estimate: $243
Low Estimate: $165

 

6. Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF)
Potential to Pop: 41.91%
Mean Price Target: $124
Closing Price (5/25): $87.38

Number of Analysts: 10
High Estimate: $145
Low Estimate: $75

 

7. Citigroup (C)
Potential to Pop: 41.02%
Mean Price Target: $56.88
Closing Price (5/25): $40.33

Number of Analysts: 20
High Estimate: $70
Low Estimate: $42

 

8. AK Steel Holding (AKS)
Potential to Pop: 39.69%
Mean Price Target: $20.56
Closing Price (5/25): $14.72

Number of Analysts: 8
High Estimate: $24
Low Estimate: $16

 

9. Southwest (LUV)
Potential to Pop: 39.36%
Mean Price Target: $16.50
Closing Price (5/25): $11.84

Number of Analysts: 14
High Estimate: $26
Low Estimate: $13.5

 

10. Janus Capital Group (JNS)
Potential to Pop: 38.99%
Mean Price Target: $14.04
Closing Price (5/25): $10.10

Number of Analysts: 13
High Estimate: $17
Low Estimate: $11.5

 

11. SanDisk Corp (SNDK)
Potential to Pop: 37.91%
Mean Price Target: $62.63
Closing Price (5/25): $45.41

Number of Analysts: 16
High Estimate: $72
Low Estimate: $52

 

12. Compuware (CPWR)
Potential to Pop: 37.01%
Mean Price Target: $13.40
Closing Price (5/25): $9.78

Number of Analysts: 5
High Estimate: $14
Low Estimate: $12.50

 

13. Cameron International (CAM)
Potential to Pop: 38.85%
Mean Price Target: $65.38
Closing Price (5/25): $47.77

Number of Analysts: 24
High Estimate: $90
Low Estimate: $55

 

14. Microsoft (MSFT)
Potential to Pop: 36.57%
Mean Price Target: $33.04
Closing Price (5/25): $24.19

Number of Analysts: 27
High Estimate: $38
Low Estimate: $25

 

15. Akamai Technologies (AKAM)
Potential to Pop: 35.72%
Mean Price Target: $44.63
Closing Price (5/25): $32.88

Number of Analysts: 20
High Estimate: $56
Low Estimate: $32.50

 

16. Genworth Financial (GNW)
Potential to Pop: 35.58%
Mean Price Target: $14.85
Closing Price (5/25): $10.95

Number of Analysts: 13
High Estimate: $22
Low Estimate: $12

 

17. Broadcom Corporation (BRCM)
Potential to Pop: 35.33%
Mean Price Target: $44.97
Closing Price (5/25): $33.23

Number of Analysts: 36
High Estimate: $55
Low Estimate: $27.5

 


18. Google (GOOG)
Potential to Pop: 35.30%
Mean Price Target: $703.11
Closing Price (5/25): $519.67

Number of Analysts: 33
High Estimate: $800
Low Estimate: $519

 

19. Ford (F)
Potential to Pop: 35.21%
Mean Price Target: $19.71
Closing Price (5/25): $14.58

Number of Analysts: 14
High Estimate: $22
Low Estimate: $17

 

20. Wells Fargo (WFC)
Potential to Pop: 34.95%
Mean Price Target: $37.19
Closing Price (5/25): $27.56

Number of Analysts: 27
High Estimate: $49
Low Estimate: $29

In this list, my favorite picks are GS and WFR. GS share prices has been down recently because of negative news, but I think they should see a rebound soon. WFR is a play on solar panels, which is a growing industry. With increasing demand in solar panels, WFR should see a soar in share price.

Disclosure: The author owns C and GS.
Photos: CNBC website
Credit: All images and stock picks are from CNBC.

Smart Money Management Tips – May 2011

May 23rd, 2011
by Sean.
3 comments

Part of entering the “real world” is learning to manage your own finances. Money can be a drag. For something that is so essential to our lives, money certainly does cause an endless amount of stress. To stay on top of your finances and reduce the amount of stress that money causes you, follow these three
money management tips.

1. Automate Things: One of the best ways to save the money you make is by making it as painless as possible. Though it may sound trite, using automatic transfers each month to put some of your paycheck into savings can be one of the best ways to manage your accounts. All too often, we have our paychecks automatically put into our checking accounts and then we end up spending them. By scheduling an automatic transfer from your checking account to your savings account every two weeks or so, your savings will grow without you really realizing it. Furthermore, arrange to have your bills taken directly out of your checking account when they are due. This will make it easier to budget and you’ll never have to worry about forgetting to them. Building savings can be painful. Having to take a chunk of your paycheck each month and put it into savings can feel like you are losing money. Make things easier on yourself, by making this transfer effortless.

2. Know Your Credit Score: If you’ve attended college, bought a car, or owned a credit card, you have a credit score. Once you borrow money from a lender, that lender reports to the nation’s three credit bureaus and the bureaus calculate your credit score. This score is generated from your credit usage and payment history. With catchy jingles and numerous silly commercials, people hear about credit scores all the time, but rarely know the actual number attributed to their credit. This number is used to determine what loans you can get and at what interest rate you will get them. Needless to say, your credit score is important to managing your money. Many landlords check credit scores before renting to you. Also, some perspective employers may evaluate your credit score before offering you a job. Your credit score can be an indication of your level of responsibility. Review your credit report periodically to make sure that it has no mistakes. Keeping on top of your credit score will force you to better manage all of your finances.

3. Prepare a Will: Though this may sound morbid, preparing a will early is important. A huge part of managing your money successfully is being responsible with it. Part of financial responsibility includes managing your finances after you are gone. Hire a lawyer to craft a will, a durable power of attorney, and a living will. Though this may cost you a hefty sum up front, it may save those you leave behind thousands in taxes and fees. Furthermore, through the process of crafting a will you will have to gain a thorough understanding of your financial situation and take a look at your future financial prospects. Developing this plan and fully understanding your financial circumstances is essential to properly managing your money.

While money can be a difficult and even painful subject, it doesn’t have to be. Learning to carefully manage your money early is key to handling your finances without significant stress. Follow these three steps to gain strides on the path to financial security.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about accredited online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

FIA Card Services Offers 5% Cash Back on Travel until June 2011

May 5th, 2011
by Sean.
No comments yet

FIA Card Services sent me a special offer letter to earn 5% cash back (up to $50) on qualifying purchases with my Fidelity Investment Rewards American Express Card from now through June 30, 2011, in these categories:

  • Airfare
  • Hotels
  • Travel Agencies
  • Car Rentals
  • Cruises

I enrolled online to accept the offer. This seems to be a selected offer. If you have are FIA Card holder, let me know what you have received as special offers.

← Earlier Posts Newer Posts →