Save Money On Your Next Meal

If you are looking to save money on your next date or family night out, check out EatDrinkDeals.com. The website provides information on the latest deals from restaurants like Applebees, Chipotle, Olive Garden, and KFC. The site also provides online coupons and happy hour specials. Komo News recently published a list of  websites that help consumers save on dining out. Aside from EatDrinkDeals.com, the list also included Restaurant.com and Bitehunter.com.

What is your favorite method for finding deals on meals from local restaurants?

*Jonesjustice Blog is not associated with EatDrinkDeals.com. No compensation was received for this recommendation.

FICO Scores Now Available in Spanish

For the first time ever, consumers will be able to access their credit reports and receive FICO scores in Spanish. Market Watch reports that FICO has just launched myFICO.com en Espanol. The site provides over 600 pages of consumer financial education materials and is the first website to provide complete access to credit scores in Spanish. FICO also helps millions of English speaking individuals manage their personal credit  through www.myFICO.com.

To get your credit report en Espanol, visit http://espanol.myfico.com

Free Financial Education Program for College Students

According to PR Web, The National Financial Educators Counsel (NDEC) is providing a free financial literacy program to colleges in an effort to teach students the importance of financial responsibility. Exposure to financial concepts at an early age can help young adults learn personal finance skills needed later in life. With student loan defaults on the rise, it is NDEC's goal to provide as much valuable information to undergraduates as possible. The initiative provides universities with a number of resources including workshops, awareness campaigns, video learning centers, and even interactive games.

What was the most important lesson you learned about money in college?

Walmart Offers Free Tax Prep

It's tax season again! Starting today, January 9th, Walmart is offering free simple tax preparation for its customers through a partnership with top tax companies, H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt. This is the second year that H&R Block is offering complimentary preparation of 1040EZ forms at kiosks in various Walmart locations. According to SFGate, the service will be available in stores through February 29th. Customers will have the usual options to receive their refunds via check, direct deposit, or as a prepaid card for those without bank accounts.

Will you be using a professional tax service or filing your own taxes this year?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Role in Protecting You

The White House Blog recently released information about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and its role in protecting consumers from unfair and illegal lending practices. Previously, this responsibility was divided among many different departments with no single Federal agency in charge of overseeing the whole market. The CFPB is now the single entity in charge of monitoring and regulating financial products including making credit card, mortgage, and loan agreements more user friendly.

The primary roles that CFPB plays are to educate consumers and ensure they understand the fine print on credit and loan agreements, enforce consumer protection laws and regulate lending institutions, and research consumer complaints and financial markets for new risks. For more information visit The White House Blog.

What other measures do you think the Government should be take to protect consumers from unfair lending practices? How much responsibility do you think falls on consumers to protect themselves?

Companies Offer New Credit Cards In Exchange For Promise To Pay Old Debts

There is a growing trend in the debt collection world. Although the practice has been around for many years, it is gaining popularity due to the large number of people with low credit scores that prevent them from obtaining credit. According to The Consumerist, banks and debt collectors are teaming up to offer credit cards to individuals with debt that has expired under the statute of limitations, in exchange for the promise that they will pay a portion of that old debt back. The problem is, once the consumer agrees to pay back even a portion of the old debt, it is renewed; thus allowing the collection company to make money on expired debts that they otherwise would be barred from collecting.

Would you be willing to sign up for a new credit card if it meant renewing your obligation to pay an old debt?

States Raise Minimum Wage for 2012

According to Bankrate.com, 8 states have raised their minimum wage. These states include Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Vermont. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that these raises will increase GDP by $366 million. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour or just over $15,000 annually. The elevated wages will amount to approximately $15 extra income per week.

During this economic climate, do you think these increases are sufficient?

New Company Launches Free ATM's

Tired of paying fees for using ATM's outside of your bank's network? Well, a new company has developed a way to deal with charges for automated teller transactions. Free ATMs NYC has created a machine that requires consumers to view advertisements during their transactions in exchange for the ability to use the ATM for free. According to CNN Money, the company plans to launch several thousand of these money machines by the end of next year. The only catch: consumers are still liable for any fees imposed by their own bank.

Would you be willing to view a few advertisements to avoid paying ATM fees?

Mortgage Complaint Hotline for Borrowers

The Consumer Protection Bureau has created a new mortgage complaint hotline to help borrowers deal with unresponsive lenders. According to the Los Angeles Times, the hotline went live on Dec. 1 but has not been widely publicized. The program is developed similarly to agency's credit card dispute hotline where customers submit a complaint which is forwarded to the lender. The lender then reports back to the bureau with a resolution that is sent to the consumer for review. Throughout the process, borrowers will be able to log into a portal or call a toll free number to receive updates on their case. The complaint hotline is accessible online at http://www.consumerfinance.gov and by toll-free phone between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern at (855) 411-2372.

With the number of pending foreclosures today, do you think this hotline will be effective in resolving mortgage dispute issues?

AT&T Ranked Lowest in Consumer Reports

AT&T has ranked last in a customer service survey conducted by Consumer Reports. According to Wired.com, the mobile carrier also came in last place in 2010. Although the company has improved its dropped call performance by 25 percent, it was not enough to overcome a history of coverage and service problems or to remove it from the bottom position. Verizon took the top spot with Sprint in second. The survey rated carriers on overall value, satisfaction with voice, data services, and customer support.

Who is your mobile carrier? Do you agree with these survey results?

Free Online Tool to Teach Kids Money Management

It is important to teach good spending and saving habits from an early age. A new website helps parents do just that with a few simple clicks. The site, kidworth.com, allows the parent to set up an account on the child's behalf. Next, a savings goal like a new bike, college savings, or investment fund is specified. The child gets his own webpage describing the goal which can then be shared online.

Kidworth provides other innovative ways to share goals with relatives and friends like birthday and holiday e-cards containing links to the page with the ability to make a gift directly online. Thank you cards can even be sent for contributions. When the goal is reached, the parent is able to withdraw the funds and have a check sent to their home.

What tools do you use to teach kids about money?

Holiday Deals Continue After Black Friday

After a record breaking Black Friday and Cyber Monday, many stores continue their focus on offering big discounts to holiday shoppers. CNNMoney reports the following upcoming sales events by popular retailers:

Toy Sales:
Target- December 4 through December 10 buy one get one half off all toys
Toys R Us- "Super Sale Saturday" December 3 featuring $30 off Razor Scooters

Electronics:
Best Buy- Free smart phones with the purchase of a 2 year plan
Amazon- "Holiday Flurry Deals Week" starting Sunday December 4
Wal-Mart- Layaway and free shipping options

The largest sales revenue this year seems to be from consumers purchasing luxury items from high-end department stores. Will you be making any big purchases this holiday season?

5 Money Saving Apps for Holiday Shopping

According to MSN Money, about 60% of holiday shoppers will use online tools and mobile applications to find discounts on gifts. Below is a list of tools to help consumers save time and money this Christmas Season.

Shop Savvy- Compare prices on an item simply by scanning its barcode. This app. also provides product reviews, and the ability to share potential purchases with friends.

Gift List- Allows the user to set a budget for and list out each gift they want to buy. Also keeps track of when a purchaser is reaching his or her spending limit.

Catalogue by TheFind- An aggregated catalog from major retailers. The buyer is able to find what they want and make purchases directly from their Ipad.

Price Check by Amazon- See if the item is being sold for cheaper on Amazon by scanning the products bar code, taking a picture of it, or typing the name of the product in the search bar.

FastMall- Creates a virtual map of the mall allowing the shopper to navigate the quickest path to their favorite stores.

Daily deal sites like Goupon and Living Social are also gaining popularity for their ability to alert consumers of sales going on in their local area. What tools will you be using to find the best deals this holiday season?

No Change? The Salvation Army Now Takes Plastic

This season you will be able to donate to the Salvation Army using your debit or credit card. With more people carrying plastic rather than cash, the non-profit organization has equipped bell ringers with credit card readers to accept donations. According to Bankrate.com, the mobile card readers provided by Square are intended to make it easier and faster for Americans to donate even when they aren't carrying cash.

Will you be donating to a non-profit organization this holiday season?

5 Free Financial Education Resources

According to NY Daily News, parents play a huge role in the financial education of their child. Below are 5 free resources to help you and your family learn about money management.

MyMoney.gov- Retirement and debt calculators, budgeting worksheets, and consumer guide to credit cards

Smartaboutmoney.org- Financial tips, quizzes, and articles

LearnVest.com- Free 10 day financial boot-camp

Mint.com- Keep track of all of your finances in one place

Bankrate.com- Numerous articles and tools for managing investments, credit cards, and mortgages

What other personal finance resources do you use?