Money section: Metro Weekly magazine, Washington, DC newspaper

Buying in Bulk

New coupon companies harness the power of group buying to reel in the deals

Published on December 17, 2009, 2:20am

Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or Solstice -- or you're simply a guest at a nondenominational holiday party -- it's the season to give gifts. When all is said and done, you may be left feeling a bit exhausted, financially speaking. And there's no relief in sight unless you're banking on a big refund from the IRS. Thanks to a new sort of cost-saving scheme that's going gangbusters, however, it's gotten quite a bit easier to commit a bit ...[more]

Domestic Dollars

When two hearts beat as one, save some restraint for the accounting

Published on October 22, 2009, 12:00am

In the mainstream, the milestones are more easily recognizable. Boy meets girl. Often, cohabitation follows. An engagement -- or accidental pregnancy -- may follow or precede the move-in. Then marriage, and its attendant benefits, from tax-free commingling of the wealth to a survivor's Social Security benefits. For the same-sex couple, it's a bit trickier. Trained to forge our way as taxpayers whose relationships -- from Vermont civil union to imported Provincetown marriage -- have no standing whatsoever from the federal ...[more]

Finding a Fearless Future

Masters of money to offer retirement advice for all ages and incomes

Published on May 28, 2009, 12:00am

Once upon a time, retirement was the obvious reward for the latter part of life's journey. Put in your years at the desk, on the assembly line, wherever you may be, then spend your golden years suckling the teat of your pension as you soak up sun in Boca Raton. A new understanding of the dangers of sun exposure alone is enough to send that notion into history's dustbin. Add to that the scariest economic downturn in a generation and ...[more]

Nuptial Know-How

Two local couples want to help you find gay-friendly vendors for your big day

Published on May 7, 2009, 12:00am

Planning a wedding can be expensive and nerve-wracking. And if you've decided to tie the knot with your other half and you just happen to be of the same gender, things can get even more stressful. Kelly Prizel and her wife, Natalie Prizel, got married in September 2008. They recommend gay couples find vendors who are gay or ''actively involved in the gay community.'' ''Your wedding is really the day about committing yourself to someone else,'' Kelly says. ''There's this ...[more]

Planning the Game of Life

There's no time like the present for new graduates to make plans for their futures

Published on April 23, 2009, 12:00am

As summer approaches, there is one thing on every senior's mind: graduation. Parents flying in, hats tossed, and the paralyzing fear of knowing you'll need a job. In this economy, it can get a bit overwhelming. But getting and keeping a job isn't the only thing those joining the professional masses should be thinking about. There are more than a few ''life-keeping'' practices you can start now -- some because they're age appropriate, some because they'll just make your life ...[more]

Vanquishing Vulnerabilities

Investing in insurance may provide premium peace of mind in troubled times

Published on January 1, 2009, 12:00am

A birthday is a good time to stop and take stock of one's situation. How's the body- The career- The relationships- And so on. Thinking of New Year's Day as a collective birthday for the world, the start of 2009 is a particularly good time -- what with the current economic bad tidings -- to assess your protection. Or, rather, your insurance. Sometimes insurance can mean knowing you're in rich Aunt Hester's will, or that you have all-wheel drive. It ...[more]

Dash to Crash

The rush for January housing hasn't started -- yet

Published on December 18, 2008, 12:00am

Psst -- wanna make an easy $3,000 or more by renting out your home, or even just your sofa, for Obama's inauguration next month? Well, have we got a deal for you! Oh, wait. Get rich quick? Uh, not so fast. Though Mayor Adrian Fenty has relaxed the usual rules for property rentals for the week -- the revenue will be tax free -- and though reasonably priced hotel rooms are impossible to come by, the hubbub about making beaucoup ...[more]

Career Finder

Find work with local, inclusive, temp agency

Published on October 23, 2008, 12:00am

If you hate your job -- or worse, you don't have one -- don't fret. Washington is home to several temporary-employment agencies. Picking the right one, however, can be just as hard as landing an interview. Some require that you be unemployed to begin with, meaning those looking for a job swap are out of luck. Others don't offer permanent placement, leaving you shuttling from one temp job to another. And others might leave you with an icky discomfort about ...[more]

Bears and Bucks

Where to invest when the economy heads south

Published on July 17, 2008, 12:00am

By most market measures, it's now official: We're in a bear market. Granted, a bear market doesn't mean bull to people just trying to scrape buy without getting deeper in debt. Still, there must be investments out there that make more sense than stuffing cash under your mattress. Should you invest in Chinese yuan? Buy an ethanol-primed cornfield? Real estate? The possibilities are seemingly endless. The advice is, however, more narrow in scope. ''Safe is cash. CDs are always safe. ...[more]

Abode Well

Making sense of the mortgage mayhem

Published on May 22, 2008, 12:00am

Once upon a time, the princes and princesses of metro D.C. lived in a fairytale land of easy money and easy profits, flipping a Logan condo here for a Columbia Heights row house there, all the while buying upward and leaving a trail of granite countertops and new bamboo flooring in their wake. That is, until that witch -- the one who flew around in a bubble? -- brought it all crashing down. Did she wave a wand of recession? ...[more]

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