Fill in PDF's!

Although we do not normally talk about computer software as much on this site, we wanted to let you know about a great program online. It's called Fill Any PDF and the purpose of it is exactly as it sounds: it lets you fill in pdfs and then upload them and save them online.  In addition, you can upload the forms and share them with other people that you want to be able to have access to the forms too.  I needed to fill out a pdf the other day and it was one of those pesky forms that would not let me save the form after I filled it in.  Sure, it would let me type in the form and then print it out, but then for me to send it, I had two options: scan the printed form and then send it attached in an email or print it out and then fax it.  I ended up just faxing it, since it was more convenient that scanning in the forms (16 pages!), but it was such a hassle.  If I had just used this program online, it would have saved a lot of time.  The best thing about this program is that it is easy to use, efficient and FREE. Check it out on FillAnyPDF.com.

College Can Be Cheap?

For those of you affected directly by college tuition rates, you have most certainly noticed that tuition has gone up a lot over the past several years. I read an article over on www.walletpop.comWalletPop, that talks about some colleges offering extremely low tuition or free (!).  Some notable exceptions they point out include a few engineering schools or attending a military college in exchange for military service.  These can prove to be very viable options for students wanting a degree, but unwilling or able to take on a large amount of college debt. Their opening sentence and premise that if America is the "land of the free" then why isn't college free...is a bit misleading at best.  Scholars normally agree that "land of the free" is a reference to social rights and not economic status.  It seems that few things are free in this country, but there are notable exceptions.  A common term applied in economics is: "there is no such thing as a free lunch." How true that is.

College = Degree?
 My main caveat always when considering colleges, unless they are well known public or private universities, is to be sure to check the accreditation of the university.  Universities that lack accreditation, such as University of the People (which is noted on that article's page), are not accredited universities.  This so called University of the People institution (if we can call it that) almost seems to be obviously lacking credentials.  This particular "college" does not grant degrees, although it does appear to offer some kind of coursework.  It may also bring up some doubts in the mind of future employers when putting on your resume that your attended "University of the People."  It seems hard to believe that an institution with legitimate credentials would call itself something as far-out as that. For this reason, it is important to always check the university out before shelling out a lot of money only to find that your degree is not from a reputable source. 

When Does a Necessity Become a Toy?

This post is inspired by a great Wall Street Journal article that I just read entitled, "I Won't Buy Toys. Unless I Really Want Them."  Kreider brings up the important issue and balancing act in parenting when trying to set a good example for your kids when it comes to the purchase of your goods/luxuries and the kind of message that it sends to your kids when you buy them.  It's true that we have more goods than ever that in some ways seem to blend necessity and luxury.  At what point does an iPhone become a luxury?  For some people, just having one is a luxury, whereas others are required to have in in their work.  His son even becomes a writer and explains what he thinks of his father's purchases. The article is certainly worth checking out and it's one that fosters important discussions that we need to be having with our kids. What kind of a balance in buying items should there be when you are raising your kids?

Chase still hasn't pulled the plug on me...

You may recall a while back when I expressed concern over the concept of Chase pulling the rewards on my Freedom card and the positive news is that they still have not taken off my rewards that I have been accruing.  To be honest, I actually thought they would have removed the program rewards by now, but thankfully they have not.  I will keep you posted if there are any changes. They have, however, rolled out their new popular Chase Slate Card, which has 0% intro apr (for 12 months, subject to Elite and premium pricing!)  and no annual fees.   If you are in the market for a new card, this looks like a promising one.

Help for Chile

It seems that it was not that long ago that I asked if you could help any the situation in Haiti at all it would be appreciated.  Another natural disaster has struck the earth, and now Chile is seeking desperate help.  The good news is that Chile is in many ways much better prepared. Although their earthquake was over 500 times stronger, (recall that the scaling of earthquake magnitudes is logarithmic), their buildings withstood the shaking much better due to the fact that they were reinforced from previous earthquakes.  If you can donate through the Red Cross or your favorite organization, please help.

Help for Haiti

The condition in Haiti is not only heart-wrenching but also leaving many people in desperate need.  If you are able at all to give, please give to a reliable organization, such as the Red Cross, or to find good charities, check out my post.  Also, your donations to Haiti will be tax deductible for your 2009 return.  As you know, the conditions over there are extremely desperate and anything can help.  Please help in any way that you can.

Banking for the Poor

As an avid reader, I am always interested in a good read, and an excellent book that I just finished was "Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty."  World poverty is a huge issue confronting the world and it seems until recently the battle against poverty has been all but impossible.  Well, enter Muhammad Yunus with his unique idea of micro-lending to the poor.  In his book he details the effort he put into creating a bank that offer micro-loans to people that are desperate in need.  The book is not only inspiring, but also a quick read.  Check it out!