Monday, October 17, 2005

Frugal Review: Oct. Issue of Money


Yup. I read a lot! And on a regular basis, I will review and summarize some of the magazines, etc. that catch my attention.

Here are 10 reasons I enjoyed the October issue of
Money

10. Great (and) short piece about saving gas by Donna Rosato and Lawrence Ulrich. Good tips and not just DUH! information (p. 23)

9. Insightful piece about IBM professional who becomes public school teacher by Donna Rosato (another winner from Rosato.) Engaging details about how Susana Temprano downsized her life from that of a $200,000+ IBM sales executive to a NYC public school teacher ($40,000 salary) Can you say OUCH! (p. 35)

8. From that same piece: Great sidebar with info and websites for professionals seeking to jump from the office suite to the classroom. (p. 36)

7. Generational feedback about spoiled kids. In the "Your Money & Your Life" section, columnist Jean Chatzky interviewed senior citizens at two retirement communities in New York. The question: To Spoil or Not To Spoil (the grandkids.) Great answers. p.32

6. The Do it Now Plan: I've seen lots of information about how to get your free credit report, but this feature has one of the best rundowns on what
to do with the credit report. Great graphics and short blurbs in this 2-page feature: (p.45)

5. "Living on the Edge," by Tara Kalwarski. In the "Fix my Mix," feature, the writer offers a good snapshot of a young couple, with baby, seeking to retire early. This is news you can really use and a good read. (p.70) Hint: The couple needs to beef up their "meager" rainy day savings account.


4. I loved, loved, loved the piece called "Fear Factor" by David Futrelle. Here's the 411: This piece is a rundown of some of the worst-case financial scenarios (Early Death/Disabling injuries/Your job moves overseas) that keep you up at night. It's not just a trailer of your worst nightmares. The article provides triage. On the spot! p.85

3. The "How I did it Feature." The spotlight is on a Sept. 11 widow Dening Lohez, who tells how she is launching an educational foundation (scholarships) in the name of her husband Jerome, an engineer who worked at One World Trade Center. The piece was told to Janet Paskin and is on page 152.


2.Believe it or not: I loved this ad: "The Secret to Living Your Dreams." It's the opening ad for a special advertising section co-produced by the Financial Planning Association. The tips for targeting your real goals (page 2 of the ad) are succinct and cover the same ground as some of the popular self-
help books that cost $20 and up. This ad appears after page 138.

1. "A Long Way to the Goal" by Paul Keegan, This is a solid feature about a professional soccer player (Andy Williams), who has his eye on the ball. He's thinking about life after sports. This piece is helpful and entertaining. (p. 123)


There's lot more, but that's enough for now.
I read lots of mags, I'll review them as I get time.


www.money.com


Take care. Be Frugal and Have Fun

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