http://www.millionaireorbust.com teaching you how to think about your finances Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:28:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 2006-2009 david@millionaireorbust.com (Flying Squirrel Media) david@millionaireorbust.com (Flying Squirrel Media) personal finance 1440 personal finance, business news teaching you how to think about your finances teaching you how to think about your finances Flying Squirrel Media Flying Squirrel Media david@millionaireorbust.com No no http://www.millionaireorbust.com/images/podcastlogosmall.jpg http://www.millionaireorbust.com 144 144 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/refinancing/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/refinancing/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:27:55 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=260 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/refinancing/feed/ 1 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0113/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0113/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:12:34 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=248 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0113/feed/ 4 15:49 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust takes a look at the news of the week and looks at how being healthy can save money ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust takes a look at the news of the week and looks at how being healthy can save money for us and the country. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers Dow: Gained 310 points going from 9,713 to 10,023. Oil: Gained $1.12/barrel from $77.53 to $78.65. Gas: Dropped 2.4 cents/gallon going from $2.693/gallon to $2.669. Bank Failures: We had 5 more bank failures over the past week bringing the current total to 120. Which Way is the Wind Blowing? Unemployment has hit 10.2%. Health Finance Five health care problems that cost $1 Trillion out of the $2.2 Trillion spent on Health Care in the USA every year. Announcement Going forward Millionaire or Bust will be moving away from a weekly schedule, due to the fact that I need to dedicate more time and energy to our other website, BeingHealthy.TV. Talli and I are creating more and more content there every week and I needed to decide where to throw my main focus. As the bigger of the two sites, BeingHealthy.TV won. And speaking of winning, Talli's audio podcast Being Healthy for Busy People is a finalist in the 2009 Podcast Awards. Back to the point though, MillionaireOrBust.com will still be producing content, but not on a regular schedule. As time permits and inspiration strikes, I'll be producing podcasts and, new for me, blog posts on finance related topics. I will be moving away from news a bit to focus more on money saving tips and money making tips though. Thank you to everyone who has supported the podcast and thank you to everyone who stays subscribed. It has been and continues to be an honor to have such a great group of listeners. Sincerely, David van Sunder If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! announcements,,podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0112/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0112/#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:10:59 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=237 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0112/feed/ 1 11:36 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust takes a look at the news of the week and I go slightly out on a limb and ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust takes a look at the news of the week and I go slightly out on a limb and say a little about where I think the economy is headed this holiday season. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers Dow: Dropped 259 points going from 9,972 to 9,713 during the past week. Oil: Dropped $2.50/barrel from $80.03 to $77.53 in the past week. Gas: Gained 2.2 cents/gallon going from $2.671/gallon to $2.693. Bank Failures: We had 9 more bank failures over the past week bringing the current total to 115. More Banking Related News: CIT filed for the 5th largest bankruptcy in United States history in terms of assets. Madoff Scam News Madoff's accountant is expected to plead guilty November 3. Madoff investor found floating in the pool. Which Way is the Wind Blowing? It's believed that the United States has emerged from the long recession. Economists believe jobs will return in 2012. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0111/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0111/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:21:18 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=231 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0111/feed/ 3 9:58 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust was recorded after a missed week. I have to apologize because I take my responsibility to my ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust was recorded after a missed week. I have to apologize because I take my responsibility to my listeners to get a show out weekly, very seriously. Unfortunately, the trip to Las Vegas for BlogWorld proved too much for me as far as getting this show out on top of everything else I had to do that week. But I'm back in the saddle! Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers Dow: Gained 107 points over the past two weeks. Oil: Up $7.77/barrel from $72.26 to $80.03 in the past two weeks. Gas: Gained 18.9 cents/gallon over the past two weeks going from $2.482/gallon to $2.671. Bank Failures:We had 8 bank failures over the past two weeks to bring us all the way up to 106. And here is missing bank failure #98. Tax Retirement Investment News: IRS said in a statement that the maximum contribution limits for your 401(k) and other retirement plans will stay the same next year as this year. Main Topic: This week's main topic discussed some things Talli and I planned to do to save money while in Las Vegas and how we did against our expectations. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0110/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0110/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:59:06 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=224 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0110/feed/ 2 6:47 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust was recorded via my iPhone from Las Vegas. So, I apologize for the slightly lower audio quality. ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust was recorded via my iPhone from Las Vegas. So, I apologize for the slightly lower audio quality. This weeks show was short as next week's should be as well. This week I talked a little bit about planning for travel and saving some money while doing it Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers Dow: Up 377 points. Oil: Up $2.45/barrel from $69.81 to $72.26. Gas: Gained 2.1 cents/gallon this week from $2.461/gallon to 2.482. Bank Failures: For the first time in 3 months, we had no bank failures for the week. Main Topic: This week's main topic discussed some things I considered while planning this trip to Las Vegas to give a practical way to think about your vacations or trips in general. This week's show is really the setup for next week's show which will wrap up the complete vacation/expo week and provide some links that I found during my planning and during my trip that will make the process easier for you . Closing: I want to let everyone know that I'll be at Blogworld in Las Vegas October 15-17. So, if you'll be there and want to meet up, contact me and we'll try to setup a meetup, probably in conjunction with listeners and viewers of Talli's two shows "Being Healthy for Busy People" and "Being Healthy TV." If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0109/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0109/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:21 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=218 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0109/feed/ 1 10:59 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust gets right into it. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers Dow: Down 177 points. Oil: ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust gets right into it. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers Dow: Down 177 points. Oil: Up $4.25/barrel from $65.56 to $69.81. Gas: Dropped another 4.3 cents/gallon this week from $2.504/gallon to $2.461. 2 more bank failures makes, one in Michigan and one in Minnesota make 97 for the year. Auto Update: U.S. September auto sales plunge; GM, Chrysler hit hard, while Ford lightly touched. The Bright Side: Recession to reduce U.S. winter heating fuel costs. Where We're At Where We're Going: Economic growth seen slowing by year's end. Feedback: We received some feedback on last week's show from Maria Isabel and Shawno of the Hyper Nonsense podcast. Closing: I want to let everyone know that I'll be at Blogworld in Las Vegas October 15-17. So, if you'll be there and want to meet up, contact me and we'll try to setup a meetup, probably in conjunction with listeners and viewers of Talli's two shows "Being Healthy for Busy People" and "Being Healthy TV." If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0108/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0108/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:34:21 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=195 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0108/feed/ 2 11:20 I'm back from my vacation week. I want to thank Shawno of the Hyper Nonsense podcast again for stepping in and hosting the show ... I'm back from my vacation week. I want to thank Shawno of the Hyper Nonsense podcast again for stepping in and hosting the show for last week. It's good to be back and stepping back in where I left off. Here are the articles and links mentioned in this week's show: By the Numbers: Dow: Dropped 155 points from 9,820 to 9,665, but if you look back 2 weeks, it's actually up 60 points from 9,605. Oil: Dropped $3.13/barrel from $68.69 to $65.56 in the past two weeks. Gas: Dropped 6.9 cents/gallon from $2.573/gallon to $2.504. Bank Failures: The week before last we actually had 2 more bank failures. When you add in the failure of Atlanta-based Georgian Bank, which was closed last Friday, that brings our total for the year to 95. Housing: U.S. home prices rose 0.3% in July from the prior month. Autos: GM will restore 3,000 jobs as it prepares to raise output. Where we were: Census: Recession had sweeping impact on US life If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0107/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0107/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:00:08 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=184 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0107/feed/ 3 21:10 Last week, I said that this week would most likely be a "vacation week" unless I received enough user contributed material or a guest hosted ... Last week, I said that this week would most likely be a "vacation week" unless I received enough user contributed material or a guest hosted the show. Well, Shawno of the Hyper Nonsense podcast stepped in and did an excellent job. If you enjoy the show on a weekly basis, you'll enjoy the show that he's put together for this week. He decided to focus on an area that has been a focal point of the past year: bank failures. It sounds dry, but he put together an interesting show that I think you'll enjoy. I know I enjoyed it. Here are the articles and links mentioned in this week's show: About.com on Bank Failures Top 10 Stadiums with Banks Sponsors More bank failures coming. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0106/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0106/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:31:02 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=141 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0106/feed/ 1 14:25 Next week is looking to be a "vacation week," but I'm open to user contributed material or a guest hosted show, if anyone is interested. ... Next week is looking to be a "vacation week," but I'm open to user contributed material or a guest hosted show, if anyone is interested. I may also put together a feedback show. That's all up in the air, but unless something comes up, don't expect the show next week. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers: Dow: Gained 164 points from 9,441 to 9,605 Oil: Dropped $0.06/barrel to $68.69 from $ 68.75 as of 3:34am Gas: Dropped 1 cent/gallon from $2.583/gallon to $2.573 Bank Failures: 3 more bring the total to 92 for the year Which Way Is the Wind Blowing? According to the Federal Reserve, consumers cut debt by record $21.6B in July. Get A Great Deal! How to find a cheap and tasty restaurant while you're traveling. Feedback: This week I covered five pieces of feedback from the past two weeks. Two each from the first two people and one from the third. Maria Isabel Shawno from the Hyper Nonsense Podcast Fresh Start
 If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0105/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0105/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:49:07 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=137 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0105/feed/ 3 14:00 This week's Labor Day Edition of Millionaire or Bust came out a day later in observance of the holiday. Here are today's segments and the associated ... This week's Labor Day Edition of Millionaire or Bust came out a day later in observance of the holiday. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers The Dow dropped 103 points from last week. Oil: Dropped $3.40/barrel in the past week to $68.75 from $72.15. Gas: Dropped 2.6 cents/gallon in the past week to $2.583/gallon from $2.609. 5 more bank failures bring this year's total to 89, so far. Which way is the wind blowing? Obama announces measures to make it easier to save more. Stick It to the Man Save Some Money! Property taxes: How to beat 'em! Great Deal! Recession drives U.S. restaurateurs and diners to food trucks. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0104/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0104/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:00:07 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=136 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0104/feed/ 1 14:10 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust gets right into it. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers Dow was up 38.24, ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust gets right into it. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers Dow was up 38.24, or 0.4%. SP was up 2.80, or 0.3%. Nasdaq was up 7.87, or 0.4%. Oil: $72.15/barrel down $2.03 Gas: $2.609/gallon down 1.8 cents 3 more bank failures makes 84 for the year. Which way is the wind blowing? The week ahead brings reports on manufacturing and the job market, as investors try to stretch out the advance. So, is September predicted to be another up month? It Could Work. But Not for You. The Mega Millions jackpot hit $333 million. You've Got to be Kidding Me! Family of 6 Eats Foracirc;euro;uml; About $4 a Week. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0103/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0103/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:13:04 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=135 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0103/feed/ 3 13:25 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust gets right into it. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers The Dow rose 185 ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust gets right into it. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers The Dow rose 185 points to 9,506. According to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report, gas dropped slightly. Oil surged $7.78/barrel. Four more bank failures. Which Way Is The Wind Blowing? Housing is up? Housing is down? Stocks may fly on housing, consumers. Watch out! You're hired! You move. You're fired! You've Got to be Kidding Me! California resort offers $19 'survivor' package. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0102/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0102/#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:00:42 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=133 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0102/feed/ 3 12:17 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is the first after my birthday week off. So, let's get right back to where we left off. Here ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is the first after my birthday week off. So, let's get right back to where we left off. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers: How the major stock indexes fared this week. Oil was down over $4/barrel form 2 weeks ago. According to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report, the average price of gas in the U.S.A. was up 10.5 cents from 2 weeks before. 5 more banks failed. A Great Deal: JetBlue offers all-you-can-fly plan for $599. Crime Punishment For Madoff's right hand, hearing ends in handcuffs. Man linked to alleged $53M fraud wants Ferrari. Attacks on US homeless are becoming a trend. And last we had some Feedback from "Fresh Start". They left a response to Christian's Feedback from Show #100 about missing out on the best days of the stock market. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0101/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0101/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:54 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=132 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0101/feed/ 2 19:30 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is the first after Show #100 and the first as I tweak the show's format. What does that ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is the first after Show #100 and the first as I tweak the show's format. What does that mean? Hopefully, a better show that is more focused on helping you to grow your wealth. It also means I need your feedback in order to mold the show into something that helps you all. So, drop me an email or give me a call. Here are today's segments and the associated articles and links: By the Numbers: The Dow, SP and Nasdaq were all up. So, since the coin toss was wrong again, it was retired. Oil was up almost $2 from the week before. According to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report, the average price of gas in the U.S.A. was up almost six cents from the week before. We also had 5 more banks fail. Which Way Is The Wind Blowing?: Housing is beginning a slow rebound. What to Watch For: Insurers are blaming rising home car premiums on the weather. Down With Entitlement: The largest California public union approves strike authorization. Jobless NYC woman sues college for $70K in tuition. And That's A Good Idea Why? West Virginia governor proposes $500 payments for state workers. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0100/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0100/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:00:08 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=131 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0100/feed/ 5 25:17 This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is our hundredth episode special. With some help from Talli from BeingHealthy.TV (who was also my former co-host) ... This week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is our hundredth episode special. With some help from Talli from BeingHealthy.TV (who was also my former co-host) I cover feedback from Carlos from Puerto Rico, Christian from Vilkri.com and Erk from erkpod.com.au. Then as usual, I get into the news! Oil at $68.75/barrel up from $63.56/barrel. U.S. gasoline prices fall to $2.48/gallon. Seven regional banks fail. Guaranty Financial, No.2 Texas bank, may fail. On Friday the federal minimum wage jumps to $7.25 an hour from $6.55. Economists differ as to whether that will hurt or help low-income workers. NJ woman's bake sale helps her make mortgage payment. Next week the format of M.O.B. is going to be changing, so keep your eye out for that. Thank you all so much for making this run off 100 episodes so special. Without you all, it wouldn't be possible. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0099/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0099/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:00:31 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=130 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0099/feed/ 1 20:58 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I talked about changing the way you think about shopping. But before that I updated you all ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I talked about changing the way you think about shopping. But before that I updated you all on the news of the week: The coin toss was wrong, the Dow was up 597 points from 8,147 to 8,744 . Average Gas Price: $2.468/gallon down 8 cents from last week. Oil prices rise after positive US housing data. Four more banks fail. CIT clinches deal to stave off bankruptcy. Then we had a segment I called: Felons Fugitives, which is actually made up of a trifecta of stories from Reuters: Madoff's prison life begins in North Carolina. Bayou fund founder gets 2 years for bail-jumping. Fugitive ex-CS trader arrested, faces new charges. Then finally we got to the main topic which was changing the way you think about shopping because we all have out little prejudices and sometimes it costs us money. Money we spend that we don't have to is money that could have been saved and invested. As part of the discussion, I discussed one last story. Back-to-school spending to drop 7.7%. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0098/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0098/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:57:44 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=129 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0098/feed/ 0 7:32 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I did a short news only show since Talli and I just finished a move to an ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I did a short news only show since Talli and I just finished a move to an apartment near Fresno for an assignment that will last a few months. So, here's the news update: The Dow fell for the fourth straight week last week. So, the coin toss was right. That's 9 for 13. Gas prices are down 10 cents in the last two weeks. Oil prices were also down from $64/barrel to $59.52/barrel. U.S. consumers credit card delinquencies are on the rise. Sen. Dodd warned banks on credit card rate increases before The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act goes into effect in February 2010. Madoff decided not to appeal his 150 year prison sentence. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0097/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0097/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:00:46 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=128 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0097/feed/ 1 19:59 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the topic was tricking yourself into saving. I covered this topic because sometimes it seems impossible ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the topic was tricking yourself into saving. I covered this topic because sometimes it seems impossible to save and we need to come up with some way to make it mandatory, regardless. But first, I covered the news for the week: The DOW went from 8,438 to 8,281, a drop of 157 points. The Oil Price: $64/barrel Average Gas Price: $2.611/gallon Seven banks fail, pushing 2009's total to 52. Bank employees are protesting 'anti-consumer' practices by banks. The bankruptcy judge approves the sale of GM assets. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison. Then I got into the topic of the week, which was inspired by an article about U.S. migrant money pools. The main thrust is that sometimes we have a hard time saving money, but by either having money automatically withdrawn from your account or by being responsible to someone else to save, you will be able to "trick" or force yourself into saving. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0096/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0096/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:35 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=127 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0096/feed/ 3 22:12 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I covered the news and dug into some neglected feedback. First, I covered the news for the ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I covered the news and dug into some neglected feedback. First, I covered the news for the week: Oil was at $69.22/barrel when I checked on Monday, June 29, 2009 at 5:23 am EST. With 5 bank failures, the bank failure total reached 45 for the year. I found out that most car shoppers will not benefit from the cars for clunkers law. Plus, people have to beware of 'Cash for Clunkers' scams. The water company tried to rob a 99 year old by increasing her water bill by almost 4000% Then I got into the feedback. First off, I had a voicemail from Shawno of Hyper Nonsense fame. Then I had an email from Carlos G. Salgado Schwarz, Esq, CPA. Finally, I had a comment on Show #95 from Shawno again. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0095/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0095/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:59:11 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=126 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0095/feed/ 3 15:48 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I talked about saving money by lowering your medical fees. But first I covered the news for ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I talked about saving money by lowering your medical fees. But first I covered the news for the week: The coin toss was right again, the Dow was down this week 260 points. It's been right 8 out of 10 times. Oil dropped to 69.15 as of Sunday Night. Gas was at $2.693. It was up 3 cents from a week ago according to AAA's fuelgaugereport. Bank Watch: U.S. regulators closed 3 banks, bringing the total to 40 for the year. Jobless benefit rolls posted their first dip since January. 'Cash for clunkers' coming soon, allowing consumers to get as much as $4,500 to trade in old cars for more fuel efficient vehicles. Then I closed with the main topic. I discussed how you can lower your doctors' fees, hospital charges, etc. This is one area where you can save yourself a ton of money, especially if you're uninsured or self insured. During this, I referenced an article from money.cnn.com. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0094/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0094/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:00:30 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=125 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0094/feed/ 2 23:18 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I talked about saving money by doing swaps rather than buying everything. But first I covered the ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I talked about saving money by doing swaps rather than buying everything. But first I covered the news for the week: The coin toss was right again, the Dow was up! It's been right 7 out of 9 times. 10 banks were cleared to repay the US Treasury $68 Billion in TARP funds. Gas prices were up again. Chrysler and Fiat made it official. The financial crisis spurred a spike in 'suburban survivalists.' Then I got into the main topic, which was swapping. I chose this topic because in a down economy, the best way to have more money in the bank is to save more money. For a lot of people who have lost jobs or taken pay or benefit cuts, that is difficult. This can help them. And for those who want to take this opportunity to invest more cheaply, this gives them an opportunity to have more money to invest. The article mentioned during the topic and some links inside that article are: Squeezed by the economy, shoppers become swappers. Meetup.com Swaptree.com Paperbackswap.com Totsswapshop.com freecycle.org craigslist.org If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0093/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0093/#comments Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:10 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=124 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0093/feed/ 1 12:28 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, we had a straight news show since I've spent the last two nights working on a video ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, we had a straight news show since I've spent the last two nights working on a video promo for Talli's new video podcast Being Healthy TV until 6 am and I want to finish early enough that I remain coherent. (And for those of you wondering, I'm actually in the promo. I'm the extra with the short hair.) Now, let's get straight into the news for the week: Dow finishes the week up 263 points, and the coin toss is at 75% now. Monumental news, but no surprise: GM and Citi were kicked out of the Dow. In bank news, regulators shut an Illinois bank. The US lost 345,000 jobs in May, which was a good sign. Oil falls slightly after touching a 7-month high. Gas prices rise above $2.60 after the 40th straight days of price rises. U.S. pending home sales surge 6.7%. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0092/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0092/#comments Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:00:16 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=123 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0092/feed/ 2 18:04 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was check scams. But, first I covered the news for the week: Oil prices are ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was check scams. But, first I covered the news for the week: Oil prices are rising. Saudi Arabia warns of dramatic, future oil price rises. Gas prices are up to $2.488 as of Friday, according to AAA . Chrysler's bankruptcy will hit a big milestone on Monday. One of Ford's suppliers entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Stocks have their best three month run since 2007. And the coin toss was wrong. That now puts the accuracy at 71.4%. With the news completed, I moved onto the main topic, which was check scams. This topic was inspired by someone I had to warn against one of these scams and a recent story from CNN. This was a very important topic to cover because 1.3 million Americans have been the victim of a check scam in some point in their life and the losses average in the thousands of dollars. So, learn how to protect yourself and tell others! If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0091/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0091/#comments Mon, 25 May 2009 09:00:15 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=122 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0091/feed/ 1 21:25 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was pooling resources. But, first I covered the news for the week: The coin toss ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was pooling resources. But, first I covered the news for the week: The coin toss called it again. The Dow was up last week. In bank failure news, we had the failure of BankUnited and two Illinois banks, making 36 for the year. Oil stayed above $61 with the weakening US dollar. We also had higher gas prices. GM received $4 Billion more from the US Treasury. Cattle rustling is on the rise in the U.S. as the recession bites. Amtrak cut some fares in the Northeast by 25% for the summer. With the news out of the way, I talked about resource pooling as a way to save money. That's a very fancy sounding way of talking about sharing and helping each other in order to save money on duplication of purchasing amongst your network. A little planning and sharing could save you and the people you know hundreds or thousands of dollars over time. For some people maybe hundreds or thousands per year. I also mentioned one new article that talked about neighbors sharing equipment. The links I mentioned from that article are available in the article itself. Before I wrapped up the show, I covered some feedback. The first was a comment from Shawno from the Hyper Nonsense podcast talking about the cost of landlines versus cellphones in reference to an article mentioned in Episode #89. The second was an email from Ryan Hafey from the Network of Money Makers podcast. He was recommending an iPhone Money Management app called "Accounts - Checkbook." - iTunes link - ($1.99) If you want to try out the app, there is also a free version called "Accounts Lite - Checkbook" that allows you to make up to 15 transactions. - iTunes link - (Free) If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0090/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0090/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 12:00:53 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=121 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0090/feed/ 1 18:49 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was the taboo of talking about money. But, first I covered the news for ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was the taboo of talking about money. But, first I covered the news for the week: How the major stock indexes fared The surge in gas prices US videogame sales down 17% in April A proposed Senate bill would allow a return to lower credit card rates An FDIC economist tries to rob bank Then I finally talked about the taboo of talking about money. I talked about why it is important to discuss money with others and some options you might have if you or your friends and family don't feel comfortable discussing money with each other. The personal finance site I mentioned that tracks all your financial information, compares it against others and shows you ways you can save money is mint.com. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0089/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0089/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 11:30:18 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=120 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0089/feed/ 6 21:38 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was educating kids about finances. But, first I covered the news for the week: The ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was educating kids about finances. But, first I covered the news for the week: The coin toss was right, Wall Street extended its rally. There were no bank closures. US unemployment hit 8.9%, while job losses moderated. Oil prices rallied again despite massive supply. US banks need to up capital to meet 'stress tests.' More cell phone users dropping landlines. Then finally I talked about educating kids about finances. I talked about what I think is the key topic to teach and reinforce and that is scarcity. I give some tips and tricks that might be useful in teaching kids about scarcity in order to prepare them better for the real world. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0088/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0088/#comments Mon, 04 May 2009 18:27:34 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=119 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0088/feed/ 4 17:33 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was emotional investing. But, first I covered the news for the week: The coin toss ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was emotional investing. But, first I covered the news for the week: The coin toss was right, the markets were up. Two more banks failed. Consumer sentiment soared as confidence returned. Oil prices hit their highest levels in a month. Important News: Tax credits mean some taxpayers will owe more money at tax time. Chrysler makes a deal with Fiat and files for bankruptcy. Then finally I talked about emotional investing. That included what to watch out for, what you can expect to see amongst pros, what you should do and a story from Science Daily saying that stress is not your friend when it comes to making good financial decisions. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/uprinting_givewaway/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/uprinting_givewaway/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:57:22 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=116 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/uprinting_givewaway/feed/ 10 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0087/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0087/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:25:07 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=115 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0087/feed/ 2 20:03 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was, "What's a value investor to do?" But, first I covered the news for ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was, "What's a value investor to do?" But, first I covered the news for the week: Police investigating death of Freddie Mac CFO Murder-suicide inquiry turns to father's financial dealings New US jobless claims rise to 640,000 Oil Gas Price Updates DOW down, but Nasdaq up for 7th week U.S. regulators close 4 banks and a credit union GM plans major summer shutdown Recession, health concerns get Americans gardening February home prices up House Introduces 401(k) Fee Disclosure Bill (sent in by Christian who has a post discussing it at his site Vilkri.com) And finally we get to the main topic, which is: What's a value investor to do? At a time when almost every stock is on sale, it's harder to sort out the real deals from the junk, so I give some tips from a Money Magazine article. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0086/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0086/#comments Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:00:15 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=114 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0086/feed/ 5 21:25 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was, "What should you do with your refund?" But, first I covered the news ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was, "What should you do with your refund?" But, first I covered the news for the week: DOW had it's sixth straight week of gains Two more U.S. banks close to bring the total equal with the count for all of 2008 JPMorgan Chase earns $2.1 billion Oil prices stage slight rebound New US weekly jobless claims slide 3% United Airlines is to charge obese people double Consumer prices in 1st annual drop since '55 And finally we get to the main topic, which is: What to do if you get a refund? I got into what I think you should do with your refund, what I am going to do with my refund and talk about an AP Poll that talks about how taxpayers are being more frugal with refunds If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give it a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot me an email and help me improve the show. I appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob085/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob085/#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:00:58 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=113 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob085/feed/ 2 14:56 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I covered the news for the week shortened by Good Friday: Five straight up weeks for the economy. The ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, I covered the news for the week shortened by Good Friday: Five straight up weeks for the economy. The Bank failure count for 2009 reaches 23. Wells Fargo shocks Wall St. by predicting record profit. 'Tax Freedom Day' arrives today. California's anti-tax crusaders talk revolt. Some job seekers invest in plastic surgery to compete in this economy. French "bossnappings" pose dilemma for Sarkozy. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0084/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0084/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:00:01 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=110 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0084/feed/ 3 21:18 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was retirement healthcare. Since so many people overlook saving for healthcare costs in ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was retirement healthcare. Since so many people overlook saving for healthcare costs in retirment, I thought it was important that I called it out as an important issue. But first, we started the show off with the news: No bank failures this week. That's only the second week this year. We had the fourth straight up week for the economy as the Dow ended above 8,000 in the best 4-week run since 1933. Tying mortgage modification to affordability lowers redefault rate, federal study finds. Two million jobs have been lost so far in 2009 and nine million people are underemployed as of March. Mortgage rates were at a record low for the second week. Factory orders rose for the first time in 6 months. One in ten Americans is on food stamps. A federal tax hike hits smokers. U.S. plans to ease GM into bankruptcy according to a report. And finally we get to the main topic, which is retirement healthcare. This is an important topic because saving for retirement isn't just about living expenses. You also have to budget for healthcare because Medicare won't cover everything. In fact, I have some scary numbers to give you. I also have some things you should think about as you save for retirement. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0083r/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0083r/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:14:28 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=109 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0083r/feed/ 3 17:04 (Sorry to anyone that gets this show twice. It had to be reloaded to deal with an issue with Feedburner.) In this week's episode of Millionaire ... (Sorry to anyone that gets this show twice. It had to be reloaded to deal with an issue with Feedburner.) In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, the main topic was the financial media. Since so many people get the financial education they use to make their financial decisions from the media, I thought it was important that we discussed the financial media a bit. But first, we started the show off with the news: Wall Street slid Friday at the end of its first 3 week rally of the year. In housing news, existing home sales spiked 5% and new home sales spiked 4.7% in February. In the bank failure watch, we had our 21st bank failure of the year. In auto news, General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner resigned. Shopping malls cut hours as Americans watched their wallets. And in world news, laid off French workers kept a 3M manager hostage to get a better severance. Then I talked about the financial media and some things you need to be watchful of when getting your financial education from them. To open your eyes a bit more, I assigned the homework of watching Jim Cramer being interviewed by Jon Stewart of the Daily Show. Some good points were made by Jon Stewart about how the financial media isn't properly educating people and in fact may be putting them in financial jeopardy. If you haven't watched the interview already, please do and tell me what you think by voicemail, email or comment on the shownotes of this episode. Censored Full Daily Show Episode Uncensored Daily Show Interview Clips Only (Warning: Contains Profanity) If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0082/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0082/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:00:47 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=105 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0082/feed/ 4 14:12 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, we started off with mixed news: The DOW closed up for the second straight week even though it ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust, we started off with mixed news: The DOW closed up for the second straight week even though it was down Friday at 7,278. May crude edged up 3 cents to settle at $52.07 a barrel. The price of U.S. gasoline was down for the first time in 3 weeks. Bank of America's CEO said that B of A could repay TARP funds in 2009. This week in bank failures brought us 3 banks failures, bringing us to 20 so far this year. Plus there were two big credit union failures. The number of new housing projects that builders broke ground on in February rose 22.2% from January. US Postal Rates are to go up to $0.44 on May 11. The Obama administration on Thursday launched a new Website to provide information to home owners about its mortgage modification and refinancing programs. The Website is makinghomeaffordable.gov. JoS. A. Bank Clothiers on Tuesday announced a program that offers a full rebate on the price of a suit if the purchaser loses his job. And, the consumer can keep the suit. Then, with the news out of the way, I go over five scams that are on the rise as a result of the recession. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0081/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0081/#comments Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:00:45 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=104 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0081/feed/ 2 16:09 In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust we focus on the good news of the week, which there was a lot of: This week all ... In this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust we focus on the good news of the week, which there was a lot of: This week all the major indices were up. Madoff plead guilty and was jailed for his $65 billion fraud. OPEC kept output steady to help heal the sick economy. Bank of America, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase said they are in the black for this year. A growing number of banks are already aiming to return TARP funds. This week I also received comments from: Shawno of hypernonsense.com Trevor of financialnut.com Matt from Stockton from the Pizza Go Here podcast and Podcast Stockton provided these links on identity theft: good graphs about identity theft identity theft by family kids identity being stolen If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0080/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0080/#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:00:42 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=103 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0080/feed/ 4 20:07 The main topic of this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is carving some savings out of your budget. But, before I talked about that, ... The main topic of this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is carving some savings out of your budget. But, before I talked about that, I had to give you this week's news: First off, we had the 17th bank failure of the year, making eight consecutive weeks with at least one bank failure. Then on Sunday, Circuit City closed it's doors for the last time. And while oil and gas prices were going up, the DOW, SP 500 and NASDAQ were all dropping. To combat that and the horrendous unemployment numbers that were released, the top ranking House Republican called for a spending freeze. Of course since people knew they were on their own to help themselves in this economy, workers started spending less on eating out according to a survey. For those of you looking to save a bit more money, I discussed a few ways to carve a little extra money savings out of your budget that I was thinking about as I poured through my bills while doing my taxes. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0079/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0079/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:30:46 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=102 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0079/feed/ 3 26:05 The main topic of this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is identity theft. But, before I talked about that, I had to give you ... The main topic of this week's episode of Millionaire or Bust is identity theft. But, before I talked about that, I had to give you this week's news: This week was the seventh consecutive week with a bank closure. This week regulators shuttered two more banks, the 15th and and 16th to fail this year. Also in bank news, Iberiabank was the first bank to pull out of the bank bailout program and payback all their loans rather than be subject to the restrictions introduced by the government. Then I talked about where oil was this week, which was up a significant percentage. While demand was weak for oil, it was also weak for steak as price conscious consumers ate more burgers. And in further food related news, US Airways stopped charging for non-alcoholic beverages on their flights. While businesses are being hit left and right by this economoy, I found an article about a company that is bucking the trend because of the service they provide. That company is Netflix. Then, since I read an article that said that 10 million Americans were hit by identity theft last year, I thought I should dedicate some serious time to discussing how to reduce your risk of it happening to you. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0078/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0078/#comments Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:00:38 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=101 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0078/feed/ 1 17:30 This is a short episode of Millionaire or Bust this week, for several reasons. We had some aggressiveness issues with our dog Hunter, so we ... This is a short episode of Millionaire or Bust this week, for several reasons. We had some aggressiveness issues with our dog Hunter, so we had to give him up, since we have a baby and that's just not safe. That was rough on the family. Immediately following that, we had a family party for my son's first birthday and then today I had to take my son in for a checkup and shots with the pediatrician. Then right before posting, I realized that some settings got completely messed up and destroyed the audio quality. Getting that fixed took awhile which is why the show is up about 9-10 hours later than usual. Sorry for any inconvenience everyone. I quickly covered the news today: The latest bank failure out of Oregon put us at 14 for the year in comparison to 25 for all of 2008. Japan's economy shrank at the fastest pace in 35 years. Hyundai sweetened their plan to assist car buyers that lose their jobs within 12 months of buying their cars. Americans drove fewer miles for the 14th consecutive month. As the U.S. downturn deepens, repair businesses thrive. Some U.S. states might eliminate the death penalty in order to save themselves money as they fight budget crises of their own. With all this negative news coming in, I thought I'd throw in a surprising story sent in by Tim (Orange Tim) of Australia. Apparently, in defiance of the global recession, Australians are spending more than ever on weddings with an average cost of wedding that is around 50% higher than ours after the exchange rate is taken into consideration. Then we covered a lot of feedback which we received from Matt from Seattle, Shawno from the Hyper Nonsense and Shawnogram podcasts and Christian from Vilkri.com. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0077/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0077/#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:00:50 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=100 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0077/feed/ 6 23:19 On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, I start off by announcing that I'll be doing the show solo for the foreseeable future. Talli ... On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, I start off by announcing that I'll be doing the show solo for the foreseeable future. Talli is on hiatus due to the demands of her other podcast and blog, Being Healthy for Busy People and work and the baby. So, I'm encouraging you all to take a more active part in the show and send me feedback comments that I can use on the show. This week's topic is "Should we spend or should we save?" I set the stage by discussing a few news stories, including the biggest news of the week that the Senate passed a $787 billion stimulus bill. Then I talked about an article that says that the average price of a wedding has dropped nearly $6,000 as couples scale back. Then in what looked like good news, I talked about the foreclosures easing in January by about 10%. Unfortunately, that was mainly driven by the foreclosure moratoriums of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. With that poor news, I jumped into a story that detailed the extreme measures some people have gone to earn some extra cash to make ends meet. With that extra cash, I guess Starbucks wants us to buy some of their new cheaper coffee-and-food combos. That seems less likely though since, US jobless claims were above 600,000 for the week. Luckily, retail sales rose unexpectedly in January, but only by 1%. The economy hasn't turned around yet though because closures in Nebraska, Florida, Illinois and Oregon bring the number of bank failures to 13 this year as the financial crisis continues. All this news led to the net worth of American families falling drastically according to the last story. It also led to my conclusion on whether you should spend or save in this economy. The answer? It depends. Give the show a listen to get the details. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0076/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0076/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:00:34 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=99 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0076/feed/ 3 23:22 On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, Talli is out sick, but I'm still standing, so I bring you the news, some listener generated content ... On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, Talli is out sick, but I'm still standing, so I bring you the news, some listener generated content and then some tips on how to save money on your monthly expenses to help get you through this economic downturn. For the first story, I talk about Denny's free breakfast grand slam. Then I talked about the buyout offers GM extended to all its hourly workers. In my penultimate story, I talked about the job losses in January which were the worst in 34 years. Finally, I covered the closing of 3 more U.S. banks. Two were in California and one was in Georgia. Next, we had a comment that was sent in by Erk the train driving podcaster from Australia whose various podcasts you can find at channelerk.com. Erk was talking about the travel shows that we did recently and mentioned the following websites: wotif.com lastminute.com.au In response to Erk's admonition to be careful when surfing the internet outside your home network where your passwords and credit card information could be compromised, I suggested a VPN such as hotspotvpn.com to encrypt your data and keep you safe. For the last segment of the show, I covered price comparison sites that were specifically geared towards recurring monthly costs, so that we can all save some money without compromising our lifestyles: Cell Phones Credit Cards - billshrink.com Insurance - insweb.com or esurance.com Loans - bankrate.com or lendingtree.com Prescription Medication - drx.com Get your free credit report - annualcreditreport.com If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0075/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0075/#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:00:03 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=98 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0075/feed/ 1 22:37 This is the first show that we've recorded since we returned from our vacation, so this week on Millionaire or Bust we recapped some major ... This is the first show that we've recorded since we returned from our vacation, so this week on Millionaire or Bust we recapped some major stories that occurred in the last couple weeks in a quick summary. Then we focused on a couple stories around housing saving money. But first, we discussed our trip a little and how we saved a bit of money with a few choices we made. Then we launched right into the news summary: 6 bank failures (25 last year) Gas prices are up 14% this year The Dow is down 775.53, or 8.8% The SP is down 77.37, or 8.6%. The Nasdaq is down 100.61, or 6.4%. 100,000 job cuts this week The Post Office is considering going to 5 days a week. Best Buy is making some layoffs but is eying vacant Circuit City locations OPEC is warning of further oil production cuts later this year. After finishing the news summary, we discussed how the podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0074/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0074/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:00:33 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=97 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0074/feed/ 4 31:15 This is our second episode of a special two part travel edition of Millionaire or Bust. We'll be focusing on how to plan for ... This is our second episode of a special two part travel edition of Millionaire or Bust. We'll be focusing on how to plan for trips while still trying to stay on track with your goals of building wealth. We'll give you tips on how to save money or just have the ability to have a better trip with the money you do have. In this show, we dicsuss ways to budget for and save money on lodging, food, tours and admissions, souvenirs and tipping. Some links we mentioned on the show were: Economical Traveler by Simone di Santi of A Road Retraveled Expedia.com Hotels.com frommers.com LonelyPlanet.com Fodors.com We also discussed various insurances that are commonly linked with travel, some ways to save money on them and things to watch out for if you decide to opt out of them. So, hopefully this two part series helps you plan a trip that fits your budget or is possibly a little nicer than you can normally afford for the same price. Becoming a millionaire is all about making the right choices with your money. For a lot of people, trips can be a very large part of their budget. So, that's a good place to look at controlling costs without compromising your lifestyle. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0073/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0073/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:00:31 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=96 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0073/feed/ 4 29:09 This is our first episode of a special two part travel edition of Millionaire or Bust. We'll be focusing on how to plan for ... This is our first episode of a special two part travel edition of Millionaire or Bust. We'll be focusing on how to plan for trips while still trying to stay on track with your goals of building wealth. We'll give you tips on how to save money or just have the ability to have a better trip with the money you do have. We start the show off by giving an overview of those things you need to look at when planning for a trip. We'll discuss traveling on a budget, some things you need to consider when planning your trip and some things to think about when you consider the costs and modes of transportation you intend to employ. We talk about lots of ways to save money by planning ahead, knowing your traveling companions and shopping smartly. Some sites we mentioned during the show were: Orbitz Expedia Hotwire Priceline Gate1Travel ShermansTravel.com TravelZoo Wikitravel Article on Eurail Eurail If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0072/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0072/#comments Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:00:44 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=95 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0072/feed/ 2 25:29 This is our last all news episode of Millionaire or Bust, at least for the foreseeable future. The next two weeks will be a ... This is our last all news episode of Millionaire or Bust, at least for the foreseeable future. The next two weeks will be a two episode series about travel that we put together before taking off for some vacation. We wouldn't leave you without content. After those two episodes, we'll be changing the format back to a half and half mix of a topic and news, so you can look forward to that. This week, we tore through quite a bit of news. We talked about the major layoffs that happened during the week and there were a lot of them. We also talked about how the unemployment numbers might not be so far off from those during the Great Depression as we previously thought. Not a happy thought, but it helps us to put things into perspective. And because it could lead to a lot more job losses, we talked about the fact that Circuit City needs to find a buyer by the end of the week, or they will probably have to go into liquidation. Then, because things weren't gloom and doom enough, we talked about the suicide of German Billionaire, Adolf Merckle. Then, because we figured we needed to find a silver lining to the financial crisis, we talked about the fact that homes are easier to get than ever because mortgage rates are at an all time low and there are houses in some parts of the country going for as low as under $1,000. And, if renting is more your thing, rents are down for the first time in 5 years. We also briefly mention that GM is likely to get the concessions necessary to qualify them for the loans the government is providing, which is good news if a lot of autoworkers don't want to end up unemployed. We also talk about the fact that oil is back down at around $40/barrel, although gas prices have jumped up a little bit. We're hoping that's mostly related to the season. Then we talk about some positive retail numbers. Although Costco's numbers were announced in a negative light, we talk about how they are actually pretty positive. We also talked about the positive numbers posted by Walgreen's and the surge in sales at thrift stores and resale shops around the country. And we couldn't leave Hyundai out because they're offering to take back new Hyundais if you lose your job in the first year of ownership. Then before we wrapped up the show, we jumped into a couple of voice mails from Matt from the Pizza Go Here podcast. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0071/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0071/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:40 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=94 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0071/feed/ 2 25:29 This is the first episode of Millionaire or Bust for 2009. We covered a lot of ground in this show. Even though the ... This is the first episode of Millionaire or Bust for 2009. We covered a lot of ground in this show. Even though the week on Wall St. was shortened for the second straight week, there was a lot of news. We talked about the Santa Claus rally which led into the first day of trading on Wall Street helping the Dow close up above 9,000 for the first time since November. We also talked about oil and gas because, just like America is addicted to oil, we're addicted to talking about the prices of oil and gas. Then we got into the completion of the mergers of Bank of America with Merril Lynch and Wells Fargo with Wachovia. With the economy being bad, we talked about two of the more popular purchases this holiday season, the piggy bank and the personal safe. Plus, we got into the potential for thousands of stores to disappear in '09 due to the failure of some major big box retailers in 2008. Then we warned Macy's shoppers about Macy's reports of overcharging their customers' debit cards for just under 2 hours on Saturday, December 20. We also couldn't miss discussing the $4 billion loans that both GM Chrysler received last week. Then we talk about why now might be the best time to buy a car and how to decide which of Detroit's cars and trucks are worth buying. Since it's a New Year, many of you might be making resolutions. If you want some tips on how to keep them, check out an article on Talli's blog about "Achieving Your New Year's Resolution." It's on Talli's health site, BeingHealthy.tv, but it is applicable whether the resolution is health or finance related, so check it out if you're interested. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0070/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0070/#comments Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:00:11 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=93 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0070/feed/ 0 30:10 This is the last episode of Millionaire or Bust for 2008. We covered a lot of ground in this show. Even though the week ... This is the last episode of Millionaire or Bust for 2008. We covered a lot of ground in this show. Even though the week on Wall St. was shortened, there was a lot that happened. Of course, we had to start off by talking about oil, which bounced back above $37 despite the U.A.E. announcing their plans to make their portion of the cuts necessary to meet the oil production reduction announced last week by OPEC. Then we decided to go with more good news and discuss Amazon's announcement that 2008 was their best holiday season ever. We also discussed why that was the case. Then, before we all started flying too high on good news, we talked about the mixed news of the bankruptcy judge approving Circuit City's financing. Then we got into two plans that were designed to stimulate the economy. The first is an energy conservation plan the incoming administration might consider implementing and the second is three periods of national sales tax holidays that the National Retail Federation is calling for in 2009. In case you have an appliance break, we discuss what you should do when an appliance breaks. Should you fix it? Or replace it? If you need a place to access to thousands of reviews of local service providers, the article recommended Angieslist.com, which is a consumer rating site that charges $5 to $10 a month for membership. If you're looking for free DIY instructions or to order parts they recommended RepairClinic.com. And if you're looking for a second opinion on what to do with that broken appliance, they recommended Applianceguru.com, which is an appliance repair forum. Then, in case you were considering buying a house, we discussed the ten worst real-estate markets for 2009 and falling mortgage rates which reached a new record low. And before wrapping up the show, we took a look at a CNN poll which says that 74% of Americans think behavior like Bernie Madoff's (the guy with the $50 billion fraud we discussed recently) is common. And no, I didn't forget. Here's the Rent vs. Buy Home Calculator I promised, to help you decide if it's a better idea for you to buy a home or keep on renting. Talk to you all again in 2009! Have a great New Year's Eve and New Year's Day everyone! If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0069/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0069/#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:00:44 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=92 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0069/feed/ 1 29:51 On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we covered the big three stories. We discussed the Fed reducing the benchmark rate to as low as ... On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we covered the big three stories. We discussed the Fed reducing the benchmark rate to as low as zero, Bush providing loans to save the automakers and how oil did when OPEC announced a major production cut. We then discussed how gas prices edged lower after going up for four straight days. Then because of Talli's question in a prior show about whether the luxury car manufacturers were suffering in this economy, I pulled a story about Porsche sales falling as the crisis reduced demand for their cars. Next, we talked about the housing market and how new housing starts fell more than expected last month. Then we talked about a survey of employers that showed that about half of businesses will cut back on raises, citing the weak economy. We discussed how, despite the way they feel about their jobs, workers are afraid to change jobs during this economy. We talked a little about why switching jobs might be a good move for some, even though it can be risky in some circumstances. Then we discussed whether or not these are tough economic times. People are stealing Christmas trees and selling their gold and jewelry for cash. You be the judge. Then, since we were fed up with hearing about bonuses for the heads of failing companies, we talked about the fitting bonuses given to the executives at Credit Suisse this year. Finally, bonuses that we can get behind! Then, in case you wanted to fly to Switzerland to congratulate the board for their choice of bonuses, we discussed how jet fuel prices dropped, but airfares haven't yet and why that is. Before we wrapped up the show, we had to call out a country for a Millionaire or Bust Gold Star award. We talk about how Portugal told its banks to lend or else they would have to give back their bailout loans. About time someone in some part of the world actually made the banks use the money they were given for the purpose it was intended. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0068/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0068/#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:00:20 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=91 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0068/feed/ 2 30:01 On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we give you the bad news before we give you the good news. This week, two more regional banks ... On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we give you the bad news before we give you the good news. This week, two more regional banks fail. One is in Georgia and the other is in Texas. We also discuss the state of the auto industry, the White House's intention to bail them out and what effect the current and potential issues the automakers are experiencing are having on government tax revenues and expenditures. With all these bankruptcies, foreclosures and job losses occurring, we discuss what seems an inevitable rise in homelessness. Times are tough, so if you can help out someone in need through donation to a charity or through volunteering your time, consider doing so. From a financial stand point, it's a write off. From a personal standpoint it'll make you feel good and improve your health. Don't believe me? Check out Talli's article on it at BeingHealthy.tv. Then we discuss the largest fraud since Enron, which was allegedly perpetrated by Bernard Madoff to the tune of $50 Billion. We also discussed what areas of the economy were experiencing job growth, the public transport boom and the 10% rise in U.S. Video Game Sales. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0067/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0067/#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:00:30 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=90 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0067/feed/ 0 34:57 On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we dive right in with an update on the state of the recession. And yes we've been in ... On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we dive right in with an update on the state of the recession. And yes we've been in a recession for a year now according to the announcement by the NBER. Of course, that was obvious to everyone who saw that Georgia Community Bank became the 23rd bank to fail this year and that employers cut 533K jobs in November, which is the most since 1974. Of course, the fact that November auto sales sank to the worst level since 1982 might have been a clue as well. So, we discuss that as well as the UAW's agreement to make concessions to help automakers, which must have been helpful because it preceded President Bush and the Democrats reaching a deal to extend enough aid to tide the automakers over until the next President takes office. Then we discussed Obama revealing his five part job-creation plan. Since the show was feeling a bit too heavy, we discussed PNC Financial Services Group's Index of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. Unfortunately the song items' cost rose 10.9% in 2008 and yes we did sing...badly. So if you need a laugh, this might be the part of the show designed for you. Maybe next time we need to practice first. Then we discuss an article that details how you can use this down economy to your advantage, to get the home remodeling that you've put off for cheaper. Then we quickly check in on the dropping prices of oil and gas. Before we end the show, we listen to some feedback from Bill from Ohio about the idled GM workers. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0066/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0066/#comments Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:45:48 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=89 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0066/feed/ 0 25:23 On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we have plenty to talk about, as always. The majority of it revolves around shopping and Black ... On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we have plenty to talk about, as always. The majority of it revolves around shopping and Black Friday. So, we jump right into discussing how the holiday sales are for the small retailers. Then we get into buyer behavior on Black Friday including how consumers are spending. Unfortunately, it seems that the holiday buying season is off to a slow start, but we do touch on a couple bright spots in online sales. Then we discuss what seems an unlikely group that might be helping Black Friday sales, foreign shoppers. We take a look at how US retailers are slashing prices to drive sales, but we're uncertain whether that will be enough to drive sufficient sales. We also dispense some advice regarding which gift cards to avoid. While this episode is mainly about shopping, we couldn't leave without discussing the large drop in mortgage rates and OPEC's thoughts on raising oil prices and how that might affect you. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0065/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0065/#comments Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:30:47 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=88 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0065/feed/ 3 31:23 On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we have plenty to talk about. We start off by discussing how the DOW did this week ... On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we have plenty to talk about. We start off by discussing how the DOW did this week and how President-Elect Obama's nominations for cabinet positions may have affected it. We also discussed the still falling gas prices. Then in banking news, we discussed three more bank failures, Citigroup's slashing of 52,000 jobs, Genworth's deal to buy a bank in a bid to receive TARP money and GMAC filing for bank holding status in order to get TARP money, as well. Then of course, we had to discuss GM hitting it's lowest price since the Great Depression and their desire of a bailout. Before we left the subject of GM, David had to get in a rant about how they earned their spot near bankruptcy. Since Thanksgiving is coming up this Thursday and Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year follows it, we covered two stories. The first talked about how households intend to spend less this year on Christmas gifts than last year and how the sale of gift cards will also be down this year. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0064/ http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0064/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:25:28 +0000 David van Sunder http://www.millionaireorbust.com/?p=87 http://www.millionaireorbust.com/archives/mob0064/feed/ 4 26:11 On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we cover the week after the US election (which also happened to be a one week trip up ... On this episode of Millionaire or Bust, we cover the week after the US election (which also happened to be a one week trip up to the Yosemite area for us). The financial markets were pretty volatile again this week. So, we had to discuss that volatility a little bit. We also touched on the current mortgage rates. Of course, we had to mention that GM closed under $3 for the first time since 1946 and had their lowest close since WWII. We talked a little about what they were trying to do about it, what the government is thinking about doing to help them and the stance of the UAW on concessions. Unlike General Motors, not all companies are suffering. Both Walmart and McDonalds reported increases in sales. We discussed why that was and who it was at the expense of. We also discussed how U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Friday that recapitalizing banks would be the most effective use of a $700 billion financial bailout war chest rather than the purchase of "toxic" assets held by the banks. Speaking of the financial bailout, the Fed OK'd American Express being reclassified as a bank holding company in order to make them eligible to receive bailout funds. Then, despite signals from OPEC that it may slash production again, the price of oil continued to decline. That of course has been accompanied by the continued fall of gas prices, which has been welcome to consumers. Finally, we discussed the Commerce Department's Friday report that we had the largest ever October plunge for retail sales and a sharp drop in business inventories. If you enjoy Millionaire or Bust, please head on over to iTunes and give us a nice review. If you have some feedback on how to make the show better, shoot us an email and help us improve the show. We appreciate all your comments. Thanks for listening everyone! podcasts Flying Squirrel Media no No