Hank Coleman

Hank Coleman is the founder of Money Q&A, an Iraq combat veteran, a Dr. Pepper addict, and a self-proclaimed investing junkie. He has written extensively for many nationally known financial websites and publications about investing, retirement planning, and even how to find the best return on investment. Hank holds a Master’s Degree in Finance and a graduate certificate in personal financial planning. Email him directly at Hank[at]MoneyQandA.com. Hank has written over 750 articles on Money Q&A. Learn more about Money Q&A on Twitter @MoneyQandA and @HankColeman. Subscribe To Money Q&A If you want to learn more about taking back control of your money please subscribe to Money Q&A’s RSS feed or via email to receive all the latest articles! You can also subscribe to our Free Weekly Newsletter.

How To Break Your Addiction To Infomercials And Buying Stuff!

by Hank Coleman

I normally do not write much about my personal life here on Money Q&A. A part of me thinks that you really don’t care about it, and I don’t really blame you. I’m not one to tell you how I overcame a mountain of credit card debt after college like everyone else or bore you with tweets about what I had for breakfast this morning.

There are tons of other great personal finance blogs out there where you can follow the saga of people and their lives. I’m just not that into it, and you don’t see much of it here. But, I thought that I would break my own rule a little bit and share with you a little inside information. I’m addicted to buying things off of infomercials on late night television.

There…I have said it. And, now everyone knows a little bit more about me. But, I wanted to share with you how I kicked the habit of buying Snuggies, Magic Bullet blenders, and wholesale lot knife sets from the Home Shopping Network (my college roommate and I would have made a fortune reselling if we didn’t keep them all for ourselves).

Five Ways To Break Your Addiction to Infomercials

Stop Watching Television

I’m a huge Gary Vaynerchuk fan. One of the first videos I saw of him on YouTube was a speech that Gary Vaynerchuk gave at the Web 2.0 Expo (caution…a few curse words). In the middle of his presentation, he talks about how you can get ahead in life and in business.

What Is Upromise And Why You Need To Use It

by Hank Coleman

The Benefits Of 529 College Savings Plans

What is Upromise? Upromise is a service that helps individuals save money to pay for college or to pay down existing student loan debt.

The beauty of the program is that you save money for college by simply shopping at the normal stores you visit every day. Upromise was created in partnership with Sallie Mae and is designed to help save for education costs.

What Is Upromise?

It is not a college savings plan (like a 529 College Savings Plan). It does not see tax deferred growth. However, what the program does offer is a great way to save through partnerships with retailers. Similar to a cash back rewards card, this plan puts rewards from retailers into an account that you can use to save money for school or paying down current Sallie Mae serviced student loans.

How Upromise Works

Once you join Upromise, you simply have to shop at eligible retailers. You can shop online and get anywhere from 1$ to 25% back that is credited to your account. There are more than 600 online retailers, including Target and more, which will give you rewards.

Many stores link your Upromise account with your loyalty card. You can also get up to 8% back from participating restaurants when you pay with a credit card or debit card that you have registered on the Upromise website. There are over 8,000 restaurants to choose from including many nationwide chains like Subway.

Twenty Questions To Ask A Property Manager Before You Hire

by Hank Coleman

More homeowners are finding themselves as accidentally landlords recently. Whether you are moving for a new job or relocating to be closer to home, many Americans are finding that they cannot sell their homes for what they owe on their mortgages. But, do you know the right questions to ask a property manager?

So, if you are a landlord, the next question becomes whether or not you hire a property manager? A property manager will help you find tenants, fix problems with your home, and collect the rent or do you do it all yourself.

My wife and I have recently decided to rent out our home. And, we have decided to hire a property manager. We are currently interviewing three different companies that were recommended by friends and coworkers. Of course, this is not a decision to be made lightly.

Questions To Ask A Property Manager

Here are several questions that you should ask a property manager before hiring them.

How many properties do they manage? – One property manager than I interviewed limited the number of properties they handle per person so they can give your property the attention it deserves.

What are the costs? – Do they take an industry norm of 10% of the rent as a fee? Is there another feed every time the home is vacant and a new tenant is needed? Is advertising costs wrapped up in the monthly fee?

Did You Let Your New Year’s Resolutions Slide Already?

by Hank Coleman

We are officially one month into the New Year. How are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions? Have you been able to keep them? If you haven’t kept them, don’t worry. You are not alone.

In fact, it is estimated that 34% of those who set goals do not even keep their New Year’s resolutions into February. And, only 46% of Americans are still holding on their New Year’s resolutions after six months with only 12% finishing the year accomplishing their goals.

So, what should you do if you have let your New Year’s resolutions slide already? Here are a few tips to help you…

Start Fresh – Get Back On Track

Okay, you have had a slip with your resolutions and goals. It is no big deal. Get back up on the horse and go again.

Think back to that sense of drive and passion that you had on the first day of January and try to recreate that feeling. Forget that your slip ever even happened in the first place. Pretend that today is the very first day of the New Year and go again.

A Vanishing Deductible For Car Insurance May Cost You More

by Hank Coleman

You may have seen all of the advertisements on television for a vanishing car insurance deductible. But, you may not know exactly how it works or if it is even worth your time and energy to investigate adding it to your car insurance policy. You know doubt have car insurance questions and probably want to know how a vanishing deductible work. What Is A Car Insurance Deductible? Most people who own a car and pay their own car insurance to understand what a deductible is. The deductible for your car insurance is the amount of money that you pay out of pocket should you need to file a claim and you are at fault. For example, if you caused an … Read more

Review Of Peer-To-Peer Lending Site – Prosper

by Hank Coleman

Prosper is a Peer to Peer lending website similar to Lending Club that connects individuals who want to lend money to others who are looking to borrow money. It is appealing to both borrowers and lenders because it offers great rates for borrowers and great returns for investors. As an investor, Prosper allows you to skip the bank and deal directly with borrowers putting more money in your pocket. And, as a borrower, you can typically save several percentage points on your loan than what you would have received otherwise from a traditional lender. Investing With Prosper Prosper allows you to invest an amount of money, with which you can loan out to other individuals. The minimum amount to loan … Read more