Finance Gets Personal

Someone send Hillary Clinton a copy of The Total Money Makeover, stat!

The former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, currently worth an estimated $34.9 million, is asking supporters for help paying off her $22 million in campaign debt, $12 million of which was lent to the campaign by Clinton herself.

From Hillary’s website:

You and Hillary can write the next chapter of America’s history together. By helping us pay off our campaign debt, you’re not just helping Hillary elect a Democratic president and grow our majority in Congress. You’re making it possible for her to work as hard as she can on the issues we care about.

If only the rest of us could ask the American public for help paying off debt we shouldn’t have acquired in the first place…

You and Finance Girl can write the next chapter of American personal finance blogging history. By helping her pay off her student loan and mortgage debt, you’re not just helping Finance Girl become financially independent and pursue a more rewarding career. You’re making it possible for her to work as hard as she can on blogging about issues you care about.

My goodness!

On Friday, we received our $1,500 economic stimulus payment and a $213 state tax refund.

So, being proud Americans, we spent $3,467 on a new heat pump and $674 on a new hot water heater before the deposits even had a chance to hit the bank.

No need to thank us, America. We’re just doing our part to save the country…and not bake to death this summer…and have a hot shower that lasts more than five minutes…

Photo Credit: Be Patriotic or Else by Mike Licht, used under Creative Commons licensing

If you or your fiance/spouse purchased any diamond jewelry or loose diamonds between January 1, 2004, and March 31, 2006, be sure to get your claim in for a piece of the $295 million class-action lawsuit against DeBeers.

You can read more about the lawsuit here. 

Although there’s no telling whether you’ll get $10 or thousands, you can look at the table in the article to determine the maximum amount you’re eligible to receive (it depends how many people file a claim, and for how much).  But hey, ten bucks is still ten bucks, and you can always turn your ice into snowflakes (yes, I plan to continue using lame wordplays on “snowflaking” - deal with it!).

To submit an electronic claim, click here.  To download a .pdf version to mail in, click here.  Remember, your claim must be submitted/postmarked by May 19, 2008.

(This post was included in the Carnival of Snowflaking, hosted by Dreaming of Ferraris.)

Photo Credit: Engagement Rings by elmada, used under Creative Commons licensing

Well, we all know that Memphis is going to win the NCAA basketball championship tonight (OK, so I’m making that up - I could really mostly care less.)

But which city would win a financial battle off the court?

Let’s compare the financial stats of these two cities, brought to us by our lead stat keeper, Money Magazine.

Median Family Income
Lawrence, KS: $60,673
Memphis, TN: $43,620

Family Purchasing Power (Income with Cost-of-Living Adjustment)
Lawrence, KS: $64,409
Memphis, TN: $46,702

Sales Tax
Lawrence, KS: 7.30%
Memphis, TN: 9.30%

State Income Tax
Lawrence, KS: 3.50% - 6.45%
Memphis, TN:  N/A

Average State Auto Insurance Premiums
Lawrence, KS: $1,837
Memphis, TN: $1,672

Job Growth (2000-2006)
Lawrence, KS: 4.42%
Memphis, TN: 0.12%

Average Home Price
Lawrence, KS: $209,297
Memphis, TN: $115,135

Percentage in County with a Health Plan 
Lawrence, KS: 91.4%
Memphis, TN: 88.8%

Average Amount Spent on Vacations Per Year
Lawrence, KS: $7,256
Memphis, TN: $6,471
(Really?!  Not sure which is “better,” though)

The winner of the 2008 Financial Championship (brought to you by Finance Girl): Kansas!

Whether Kansas will win the basketball championship tonight, I don’t know.  But at least now all us financial geeks will have some interesting stats to throw around the bar.