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  1. How to Build Your Kids’ Credit

    January 27, 2013 by editor

    It’s never too early to start planning for the future, just like it’s never too early to start teaching your kids about finances. Instilling good financial habits in kids can be critical for their management of it later on in life, and a lack of financial education can lead to, well, an experience like mine. My parents never talked money in our house, not salary, not allowance, not saving or spending or credit. When I moved out of state to go to college, I had a debit account which I used loyally for the next four years. I didn’t open up a credit card until after college, and at that point I’d already had to have my mom co-sign for 2 apartments because I had zero credit history. CNN Money featured an article yesterday where it answered the question of a concerned parent, wondering how to build her child’s credit history while she was still at home. Great question, great answer. Allow me to share Lauren Gensler’s article:

    “Will making my 16-year-old daughter an authorized user on my credit card build her credit history? – V. Parikh

    Yes. Using such a “credit card with training wheels,” says credit expert John Ulzheimer, is the best and most common way for a young person to build credit. The big three reporting agencies will start a file on her — either right away or when she turns 17 (policies vary).”

    Click here to read the rest of Gensler’s answer, and how she suggests doing it right.

    Adding your kid onto your credit card isn’t the only way to give him or her a jump start on their credit history. You could also let them open up a gas or retail store credit card (which are easier to open than regular credit cards and carry lower limits.) I think that whichever way you choose to go, the most important thing is to be open and honest with your kids about finances. Don’t be afraid to share your past mishaps and blunders. Help your kids understand the definitions of finance-related words (I didn’t know what “APR” was until after college, sadly.) Set them up for financial success!

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  2. Renting with Bad Credit

    January 25, 2013 by editor

    I’m not sure how all of you started out on your adult financial path, but mine was a bit rocky. It’s not that I was bad with money–quite the contrary. I didn’t own a credit card until I was about 23 years old, which meant that everything went on debit, so I managed my expenses carefully and wisely. However, the whole not-having-a-credit-card thing actually worked against me because when I went to rent an apartment, I didn’t even have enough credit to sign a lease on my own. The management company allowed my mom to co-sign for me, but c’mon– no self-respecting 23-year-old who moved out when they were 18 wants to have to lean on their mommy and daddy guarantors. That’s probably why this Fox Business article really struck me, because I’ve sort of been there. Granted, I didn’t have bad credit, but I sure didn’t have enough of it which in some ways is even worse. So if you, your friends, family members or kids are in a similar situation, send them to read Donna Fuscaldo’s great article about how to rent a place despite having bad credit:

    “Good credit isn’t just a necessity for homeowners. Many landlords and rental management companies also require sufficient credit scores from tenants before allowing them to move in.

    “When renting an apartment it’s the same as when you are trying to purchase a car or a home. A property manager and landlord will check your credit,” says Chris Brown, vice president of products at Apartments.com.”

    Click here to read Fuscaldo’s recommendations for how to get around having bad credit to get considered to rent a place.

    Let me say it again guys: having no credit can be just as bad as having bad credit. Even if none of you reading this are in this situation, I’m sure some of you have family members, cousins or even kids who might be. As a young adult, I simply had no clue about the big bad world of credit because my parents never taught me about it. Teach your kids about it, help them to stand on their own two feet financially and I guarantee you (and then them, later,) will thank me for it.

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  3. Resolve to Save some Cash in the New Year

    January 2, 2013 by editor

    New Year, new resolutions to be made– and broken. I honestly can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people make resolutions, only to fall short of their goals every time. If you ask me, I think it’s all in the approach. Anyone can say they want to change something, but I truly believe that you need a game plan to decide how you’re going to change that something. Take for instance spending less and saving more money. Isn’t that something everyone wants to do? I think that the make-it-or-break-it factor in actually doing it is having a game plan for how you’re going to spend less money, and where you’re going to get that extra savings from. WGRZ’s Matt Granite wrote a great article with tons of suggestions for how to make and keep the resolution to spend less money and save this year:

    “Here are my 2013 financial New Year’s resolutions. This is a check list that some of you might find useful and it builds upon the resolutions I made last year that I was able to keep. If you have any money-saving suggestions you want to pass along, I’d love to hear them. I wish you an amazing year ahead and I’m honored to be spending some of it together.

    1) Shop smart:
    Avoid impulse purchases and always check at least three stores to make sure you’ve got the best price.”

    Click here to read Granite’s 13 cash-saving tips for the New Year.

    Bottom line: if you set a goal, the best way to achieve it is to formulate an accompanying game plan. Hats off to all those who made New Year’s resolutions, I encourage you all to stick to them and make yourselves a “how-to” to keep you all on track. Godspeed!!

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  4. Why Obamacare Should Fail

    July 17, 2012 by editor

    Yeah, I know this article is going to piss a lot of people off, but I’ve gotta say it.  I’ve actually been a chiropractor for many years and treated thousands and thousands of people.  I will tell you one thing I have seen.  People who pay for their care get better, people who don’t pay for their care don’t.  I’m sure that is a generalization and there is a lot more detail in between and variances on that, but as a general rule it is pretty true.  If we give away healthcare to people they are going to use services they don’t need and to be completely honest the vast majority of modern medicine leaves something to be desired.  The medical industry has it right with things like antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics.  Those drugs really get the person better.  The rest of the drugs primarily treat the effect of the effect of the effect of the effect.  Most surgeries that are done are done on things that if the person had been healthy and taking good care of themselves through childhood and into their teens they could have prevented the problems.  So, I know what you are saying, “What about the poor kid born with a genetic disability?”  Alright, you got me on that one, but please don’t let me hear you talk about mental illnesses like depression, alcoholism, and ADD being genetically caused.  I’ve seen way too many people turn their lives around and fix those things for me to believe that those are caused by genetics.  For the real things like a kid who is born without legs or with their spinal cord outside their body let’s all sell our houses, sell our cars and help them because I don’t see much those kids are going to be able to do without our help.  For all the problems that people create in their own lives through their crappy living, bad eating, lack of exercise, and failure to take responsibility for their mind I don’t want to be the one that is paying for those after I am done working 80 hours a week.

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  5. Review: Tomodachi Sushi & Seafood Restaurant

    June 24, 2012 by editor

    As I’m sure you have figured out by now I am a sushi fiend.  I just can’t get enough of it.

    Tomodachi Sushi & Seafood
    2779 Agoura Rd.
    Westlake Village, CA 91361
    Phone: (805) 777-7578

    The thing that was awesome about Tomodachi is that they have a few riceless rolls that for whatever reason I was in the mood for.  That were just spectacular.  Tons of protein, vegetables and flavor packed together.

    They also, oddly enough, had one of my favorite things on the menu — seaweed salad.  The seaweed salad had 2 different kinds of seaweed, sour vinegar-y dressing, and shrimp on top.  It was just absolutely spectacular.  The sushi itself was fresh. The service was great.  We got there at 5pm and there was no one there.  By the time we left at 8pm the place was absolutely packed.  It is a wonderful sushi restaurant.  It is very highly rated on Yelp.  I couldn’t recommend going there highly enough.  Prices were middle of the road as far as sushi restaurants go.  I wouldn’t consider it a bargain, but absolutely worth every dollar you pay.

    Category Food, Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments

  6. The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift this year is Good Karma

    May 13, 2012 by editor

    Hey Guys,

    One of our junior staff writers had an awesome idea for Mother’s Day.
    Check out her cool suggestions!
    _______________________________

    On May 13, 2012, families all across America will be celebrating Mother’s Day.  This year, I’ve already come up with a list of D.I. Y., or Do It Yourself, items to create for my mom in addition to a few store-bought items that are both Earth-friendly and decadent.  But I’ve come up with one more pretty cool idea for the perfect Mother’s Day gift!

    Karma!  It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

    You’re probably wondering, How in the world is she going to give Karma to her mother as a gift?  You can’t even touch Karma!

    The answer to your question is all in the details, my friend.

    I am going to donate twenty-five dollars to charity on my mother’s behalf!

    If your mom is anything like my mom, she’s super rad and never asks for anything except for your undivided attention when she’s talking to you on the phone and for you to succeed in life.  I figure the best way to give back to her is by doing something meaningful in her name.  Not only will it make her feel good but she will be a part of the larger global community through her child’s effort.  Win-Win!

    So keep your credit score intact and post-pone that outrageous week-long trip to Europe for you and mom until next year!  Here are four charities of note for Mother’s Day 2012 that I encourage you to donate to on the behalf of your mom this go ‘round!

    Four Charities of Note for Mother’s Day 2012

    Women For Women – I have been donating to Women for Women for about two years now because they support those that are ambitious enough to face adversity head on in their homelands.  On the website, there is an option for you to donate on your mother’s behalf.  In return, she will receive a beautifully rendered e-card in her email inbox for Mother’s Day.

    Kids In Need Foundation – Even Whitney Houston knew that the children are our future!  This particular charity is a part of the Bing.com Reward Program, and I have already been able to raise a $1 for the organization based on my heavy use of the search engine.  It makes me very happy to be able to support our nation’s youth and their educational advancement through school supplies.

    Charity Water – We all need water to live.  This should go without saying.  Well, there are many people in developing countries that cannot afford the luxury of clean water and have little to no resources to help get their drinking water clean.  By donating to Charity Water, you can put an end to this and you will also be able to download a card image and print it out to send your mom!

    The Humane Society – All creatures, big and small deserve humane treatment.  The Humane Society is a perfect donation-based gift for your mom, who finds those adorable kitteh memes irresistible.

    Make your Mother’s Day gift memorable this year by donating to one of these four charities of note for Mother’s Day 2012, or find a cause that resonates with your mother’s unique personality.  No matter what the charity, you will make momma proud!

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  7. London Olympic Rentals Disappointing Locals

    April 27, 2012 by editor

    Big props to London for hosting this year’s upcoming Summer Olympics! I cannot even imagine how exciting it would be to travel to London and attend these adored and exciting Games. Apparently property owners in neighborhoods surrounding the stadium are experiencing some disappointment in what they thought would be a booming industry. Shocker, I would have thought that rentals would be absolutely booming. Several UK publications are reporting otherwise however. Esther Addley of the Guardian reports,

    “Like plenty of their neighbours, Kate Greenslade and Gary Seabrook had heard the rumours. “There was a lot of talk that you could rent your place for £10,000 a week, that kind of figure,” says Seabrook. “We thought we’d like to do a round-the-world trip, and this was an ideal opportunity.”

    The couple, who run a video production company together, have a bright, two-bedroom parkside flat a little over a mile from the Olympic stadium. But seven months after first putting the flat on a number of Olympic rentals websites, the couple this week dropped their price, from £3,000 a week, a figure arrived at by “pure guesswork”, to £2,500. Despite plenty of inquiries about stays of two or three nights, and a booking for the week before the Olympics begin, no one has yet wanted to block book the property for the entire Games period – the only deal they will consider at present.

    With the opening ceremony fast approaching, many homeowners are realising that the sublet bonanza promised by the Games may not be quite as lucrative as they expected.

    “There has been so much hype about Olympic rentals,” says Camilla Shaughnessy, owner of EventfulStays.com, which offers rentals for sporting and cultural fixtures around the country and regards the Olympics, she says, as “just another event”. “Yes, they are happening, but it’s not the big boom-time that everyone thinks. As it gets closer, yes it will get busier. But some people are being incredibly greedy when they are looking to rent their properties, and visitors are canny.”

    To read more about the rental industry in London in the months just prior to the Olympic kickoff click here. 

    But bottom line is that the Olympics are still going to bring swarms of people from around the world to the city, and I would put good money on those procrastinators who are bound to start looking for rooms to rent at the very last minute. London, you’re going to do just fine. :)

     

     

     

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  8. Seedy but Wonderful Redondo Beach Wharf

    April 23, 2012 by editor

    Oriental Breeze
    207-209 Fishermans Wharf
    Redondo Beach, CA 90277
    Phone: (310) 379-6511

    Went to have dinner with the girlfriend and kids.  We were in the area near Redondo Beach so we checked Yelp and found a place to get ramen.  They also had sushi there.  I hadn’t been to the Redondo Beach Pier since I was probably 7 years old.  I remembered people surfing inside of the pier where it made a ‘Y’ going toward the shore.  Unfortunately, there were very small waves for the day.  We had a really fun and funky experience.

    Oriental Breeze reminded me of something you would see on a wharf in Japan.  Most of the people that were eating there looked Japanese or some other sort of Asian.
    The ramen we got was actually phenomenal with little bits of mushroom, green onions, obviously a lot of MSG because it tasted so good, and some absolutely deliciouso pork.  The kids loved it and we loved it.  We had lots of great noodles too. We finished every last drop on it.  We also ordered a spicy tuna roll that was very “Eh” we also ordered breaded mussels and scallops, which was very “Eh” as well.  All in all the ramen was the thing that kicked butt.

    Afterward we went walking out.  The pier almost had an old carnival type of atmosphere.  You could tell that a lot of people had walked that pier and not a lot of money had gone into keep it refurbished.  The kids went into a little shell shop, which is what my Dad used to call a schlock shop.  A schlock shop had hundreds of different kinds of shells and shark jaws with teeth up on the walls.  They had little frogs riding burros made out of shells, which obviously came from Mexico.

    They also had a ginormous stuffed pirate, which, I think, was designed to keep you from shoplifting.  I loved the place.

    Arrrgh!

    Everything in there was fun, weird, and silly.  As we walked further out, just to add to the seediness of the atmosphere, was a seagull with only one foot which brought up the subject of losing shoes.  After that we saw about 100 people fishing most of which were Asian. They were all catching the same type of fish, which looked like it was about 2.5 inches wide and about 6 inches long and barely big enough to get any meat off of.

    There was also a really cool looking Chinese place that I would like to go back and try eating at that had live crabs and live abalones and was packed.  It actually looked quite clean inside and did not look particularly inexpensive.  It looked like a plate of crab was $17.  They also had things like sea cucumbers as well as other unique dishes.  So, it was definitely a different demographic of socio-economic group than I am used to hanging with but it made for a really unique experience.  I have done and seen virtually everything there is to do in Southern California, but this was definitely a new one.

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  9. Restaurant Review – Zinc Cafe & Market

    March 6, 2012 by editor

    Sunday morning we walked down from the hotel and got a late breakfast/early lunch at Zinc Café.

    Zinc Cafe & Market
    350 Ocean Avenue
    Laguna Beach, CA 92651
    Phone: 949-494-6302

    http://www.zinccafe.com/

    Zinc Café is a place I have gone to with my ex-wife many times.  We’ve always loved it.  Honestly, it is the best and only great place for a brunch in Laguna Beach that I know of unless you go to the Ritz Carlton Hotel which isn’t walking distance from Downtown.


    I showed Shannon the two parts.  One half of it is almost like a deli where you can get prepared food to go which is fabulous.  We went over to the lunch section where you order from a menu, pay, then they give you a buzz when your food is ready and you come and pick it up.

    We were both starving so we got a veggie burger.  It appears they made the patties themselves.  It was just spectacular.  The one thing I wasn’t thrilled about is they had, it is incredibly natural food, but they had packets of mayonnaise that had preservatives in them.  We had a long talk on mayonnaise and with Shannon’s chef training she explained how you can make mayonnaise from scratch without even having the vinegar-y taste.  So, for a restaurant of this caliber I would have loved it if they could make fresh mayonnaise or at a minimum use Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s mayonnaise that doesn’t have any preservatives in it.  Other than that one complaint, the veggie burger was off the hook.

    We also got a salad.  The salad had 3 parts.  One third of it was a beet salad.  We could not figure out what the dressing was on it.  When Shannon asked, we found out it was actually made with whole cream with other things mixed into it.  In addition to that there was an egg and fennel salad.  The fennel salad with, I think, pieces of dill was amazing.  If you took a little bite from each of the 3 and put them all in your mouth together it was absolutely fabulous.

     

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  10. Restaurant Review: NBC Seafood Restaurant

    February 26, 2012 by editor

    So I decided to take the new girlfriend for Dim Sum.

    She never had dim sum before.  Luckily for me, she is into weird culinary things just like me.  So, we drove an hour to Monterey Park so she could have an authentic dim sum experience.  We didn’t go for the top rated place in Yelp.  We looked for the top rated place that also had carts.  This place you knew was authentic because they had carts and great ratings Yelp and their cleanliness rating was a ‘B’ by the city of Los Angeles health department.  You know Chinese food can’t really be good and authentic unless they have a ‘B’ rating.  :)

    NBC Seafood Restaurant
    404 S Atlantic Boulevard
    Monterey Park, CA 91754
    (626) 282-2323

    http://www.nbcrestaurant.com/

    We went inside and we weren’t disappointed. Within seconds of sitting down we were barraged by carts and a couple quick pointings.


    Shannon was concerned because she didn’t know what to order.  She quickly found out that you can order anything and it is going to be all fine.  She is willing to eat anything.  I was particularly happy that she did hesitate for a second before diving into the feng zhao which is chicken feet.  She ended up liking it but said it really wasn’t worth the bones you have to pick through.

    Feng Zhao

    It was great food.  Check out the photos.  If you are going to go for dim sum better make it authentic.  Everyone in there I saw was Chinese and there was nothing in there that gave you a clue that you weren’t in a restaurant in Hong Kong.






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