As you probably know, an individual retirement account requires that you decide where your money is going to be invested in order to work with the retirement account. Essentially this is called a "custodian" for your investments. You should generally chose a safe custodian – some of the most common ones are mutual funds, savings accounts, and bonds. While you should definitely be careful as to which custodian you choose for your retirement account, don’t worry! You are not stuck with the same investment until you retire.

However, unlike a normal investment, you should keep in mind that you are only allowed to transfer or "roll over" your retirement account once a year. Also, there are some very specific rules that you need to follow. It is generally a good idea to find out how to transfer a retirement account before you even begin to invest in one. That way if you ever need to do a roll over in the future, you’ll be ready.

First of all, you should probably have a good idea of where you want to invest the money before you start the rollover process. The reason for this is that after you take the money out of your original IRA custodian, you’ll only have 60 days to put it into the new custodian fund. If you take too long, then you will be subject to a large penalty tax – and penalties are definitely not worth the few extra days that you take!

Something to keep in mind is that if you do a roll over, you will need to report that at the end of the year. Just like anything else that is involved with your finances, you should make sure that you keep track of which custodians go with your individual retirement accounts and how much money is in each account.

If you are going to do a smaller transfer from one existing IRA to another, then it is possible that you won’t even have to report your transfer. These transfers are also tax-free. This is a good idea if you do not want to change all of your money from one custodian to another, but you think that it would be a good idea to change how much money you have in each IRA.

Free Entertainment

Many libraries carry movies on DVD, and most at least have documentaries. We ‘ve even seen music videos on DVD in one library. The only cost? The time to get a library card.

Want free concerts? Festivals usually have some free musical entertainment. For example, the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan has free entertainment every night during the week-long festival, including many recognizable bands and (often) a Beatles tribute band. Go to Google and type in "festival" and the name of towns around you to find these freebies.

Free Vacations

In Hawaii, Costa Rica or Colorado, someone is just waiting for you to come and stay in their house while they are away. You may have to water the plants, and even get the mail for them, but you get to stay in a beautiful home in a sunny place. Sometimes you even get paid for these vacations. The only catch is that to find these opportunities, you may have to subscribe to one of the newsletters that list them.

We camped for ten days in our van, at Williams Landing, east of Tallahassee, Florida, on Lake Talquin. It’s a beautiful place, and even has hot showers. Our cost? Zero – and you can stay up to two weeks. There are many free campgrounds scattered around the country. To find them, buy a Woodall’s directory from any large RV dealer. Camping can be an essentially free vacation if done right, because you may spend less than if you stayed home.

More Ways To Get Free Stuff

Many states give away free road maps. Some also give away free legal forms, like statutory wills. Check the state’s online sites.

You can get free dental x-rays at some dental colleges. Be patient, as the students are just learning, but an experienced technician is always with them. When done, you’ll get the x-rays to take to your own dentist, which can save you $30 to $80. Some schools charge a small fee, but is always less than the regular cost.

Many utility companies offer free "energy audits." They’ll come to your home and find the places where you are wasting energy. Some even han out free kits for caulking windows and weather-stripping doors. call and ask.

Want free, confidential business advice from a business expert? Go to the website of "SCORE" (Service Corps of Retired Executives). These are successful business executives who volunteer time to help others in business.

Some restaurants will give you a free dinner on your birthday. Others give a free birthday cake. Bars will often buy your first drink for you if it’s your birthday. How do you find the ones that do this? The way you always discover how to get free stuff – just ask.

Home Buying Secret – Buy In Inexpensive Towns

Yes, there are still inexpensive towns that you might actually want to live in. In fact, there are still towns in this country where you can see a good movie, put the kids in a good school, go shopping, enjoy nearby natural beauty, and buy homes for under fifty thousand dollars. My wife and I bought a beautiful little home with hardwood floors, a full carpeted basement, and a garage, in a pretty mountain town, for $17,500, in 2002. You can still get homes for under $35,000 there.

What you can’t find easily there, is a good job. These towns with the cheapest homes usually have a bad job situation. They are great places to retire to, or to move to if you have a business or profession that isn’t location-dependent. Writers and internet entrepreneurs are beginning to discover them.

This may not work for you, of course. If you already have determined where you will be living, or if you need a town with high-paying jobs, try the following ways to save money.

Home Buying Secret – Buy Inexpensive Houses

One way to save when buying a home is to find a less expensive alternative that still fits your needs. This can mean buying in the inexpensive parts of town, or buying the inexpensive types of homes. Don’t set your mind on one type of home or one neighborhood before you know what all the alternatives are.

This isn’t about buying a cheap dump to save money, or buying in a dangerous part of town. It is more about a philosophy of defining your true needs so you can find the least expensive way to meet them. You may be surprised at what is available for less.

Home Buying Secret – Negotiate A Lower Price

No matter what you buy, you can save a lot if you know a few basic negotiating techniques. You’ll find easy-to-learn techniques in any good book on negotiating. Is it worth a few minutes reading and an hour or two of practice to save thousands of dollars?

There are simple negotiating techniques that are used by the masters of negotiation. They are used in all areas of business and real estate. You don’t need to become a master, though, to knock a couple thousand off the price of that next house. In fact, a little knowledge goes a long way in home buying.

Firstly, know your current financial status. This can be a little intimidating for some but it is essential to a better financial future. This entails knowing three important things: your expenses, financial problems and financial desires.

Be aware of how much you spend in order to find out how much you can afford. Write down your monthly expenses if you have time, or use a personal finance program. Make allowances for problems that may arise such as unexpected doctors bills, school uniforms, tax returns.

Knowing your lifestyle aspirations is just as important. Taking note of your desires will help you decide which ones are reasonable and which ones are not. Focus on the reasonable ones as they will provide the motivation to manage your personal finances.

Honesty is another key attitude to managing your personal finance plan. If you decide not to accept the facts surrounding your current financial status, you are not likely to move ahead. Be honest with yourself in how much you can afford and how much you owe, otherwise your financial plan will most likely end in financial trouble.

Discipline is perhaps the most important when managing personal finance. Once you have discovered what you truly can and cannot afford, you must learn to say no when needed. This is easier said than done, but if you are determined on having a financially secure future, discipline is imperative.

Knowledge is most definitely power. You must be wise in your investments if you wish for success in your personal finance. Consult accountants and financial planners, research on trends on the market or speak with your friends and co-workers about their investments. This research is sure to pay off whereas lack of it will surely lead to more debts and deviating from your personal finance plan. Also, diversify your investments to reduce risk and leverage out your financial investment.

Very simply, the most effective method to improve your personal finances is to spend wisely. Do not spend more than you can earn. Make sure all your expenses are covered first. Understanding this will allow you to manage your personal finance a little better.

• Keep the tires of your vehicle properly inflated. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that underinflated tires increase fuel consumption by up to 6 percent and one study estimates that 50 to 80 percent of all tires on the road are underinflated. By these estimates, the U.S. could save up to 2 billion gallons of gas each year simply by properly inflating tires.

• Regularly replace your air filter. A clogged air filter can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10 percent. An added bonus: Air filters keep impurities from damaging the interior of the engine. Replacing them won’t just save you gas. It could save your engine, too.

• Upgrade your motor oil. According to multiple independent university tests, Royal Purple motor oil improves fuel economy by as much as 5 percent and produces notable horsepower and torque improvements. That means motorists could save gas without giving up performance.

• Follow the maintenance recommendations in your vehicle’s owner’s manual. An out-of-tune engine can increase fuel consumption by as much as 15 percent. Always follow your car manufacturer’s suggested tune-up schedule.

• Lighten your load. Don’t carry extra weight in your vehicle. Doing so burns extra gas and could cost you money. Only carry sandbags, tools and other heavy items when you think you’ll be needing them. Also, don’t forget that carrying lots of small, light items can be the same as carrying one heavy item. Be sure to clean your trunk and backseat out regularly.

The first thing you need to do is create a budget. Creating a budget does not have to be restrictive, but it should be a guideline to help you manage your income and your expenses each month. The first thing you want to do is list all your expenses on a month-to-month basis. The next thing you want to do it list all of your income on a month-to-month basis. Then compare. Many people who have trouble saving find that their expenses are very close to their income. So what can you do?

One option you have is to reduce your expenses. This might mean going out with friends a little less or giving up on some luxury that you typically enjoy. Another option you have is to increase your income. Unfortunately, for many people, this is easier said than done.

One way that you can reduce your expenses and increase your income is by using a debt consolidation loan. By consolidating many outstanding debts that are due throughout the month into a single loan with a single monthly payment you will be accomplishing several things.

First, you will be reducing your monthly payment because you will be securing a larger loan and is spread out over a longer period of time. Second, you’ll be reducing the amount of interest you pay because you will be consolidating your many debts into one debt from one provider. Reducing your interest not only helps to reduce your expenses but also increases your income!

And if you are able to find some assets that can help you get a secured loan, you’ll be able to spread out your payment over a longer period of time and you will likely qualify for a lower interest rate because you have some security to offer the lending institution to back up the loan.

Now that you are actively pursuing a budget, you will need to find a way to continue to reduce your expenses over time. A secured loan will help you do that. But don’t forget that there are many ways you can also increase your income.

Congratulations! You are assembling a budget and getting control of your finances and at the same time you are reducing your expenses and increasing your income.

Seal The Envelope Before Sending the Bill

Homeowners should seal windows and doors "like an envelope" -or otherwise risk air-conditioning the entire neighborhood. In fact, it’s estimated a full 50 percent of annual utility costs stem from homes’ heating and cooling systems. To check that doors and windows aren’t drafty, look for light under or around the door and condensation around the windowpane, which is an indication of cooling loss. Also, check the attic to make sure it’s properly insulated and not letting air escape.

Quick Tips:

• Install thick, durable weather-stripping under your garage door to reduce this common energy leak. Polyurethane insulation or fiberglass duct wrap are both good options.

• Weather-strip and caulk all cracks between the wall and the window trim. Replace broken glass and putty any loose window- panes to help secure the windows for harsh wind.

• An inexpensive solution to drafty windows is the Shrink & Seal Window Kit, available at Lowe’s stores and lowes.com. It fits standard windows and is installed with a hair dryer that literally shrinks and seals a crystal-clear film over the window.

• Upgrade that old refrigerator to the only ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator engineered specifically for the garage: Gladiator GarageWorks’ Chillerator, by Whirlpool Corporation. It’s 15 percent more energy efficient than current federal energy standards, saving an average of $487 in energy costs over its lifespan.

"One of the simplest ways to save on utilities is to make wise appliance upgrade decisions," said Richard Karney, Manager of Energy Star at the Department of Energy (DOE). "Most people cannot imagine the energy drain associated with older appliances." ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances are part of a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and DOE to help consumers save money and the environment.

According to a survey by Whirlpool, 42 percent of Americans have an old refrigerator in the garage. Studies show that a 10- to 15-year-old refrigerator costs an average of $82 more a year in utilities compared to an ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator purchased today.

www.reuters.com WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The US Senate approved a 6 billion military spending bill on Saturday that funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and also includes money to extend jobless aid and Medicare payment rates for two months. Barack Obama By a vote of 88-10, the Senate approved the bill and sent it to President Barack Obama to sign into law. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Wednesday. The bill covers Pentagon operations through September 30, 2010. But the …

inflation. Those who receive a paycheck for a non-productive health care or government job, compete against all Americans for the purchasing of consumer goods, without an increase in the supply of goods. This means after excess inventories of goods are done being worked off, prices of all the goods we consume will increase at an astronomical rate that is unimaginable to most Americans today. Many Americans with jobs are not concerned about inflation because they believe if the prices of …

,[18] * A limit or repeal of the itemized deduction for medical expenses,[19] * A limit on the Qualified Medical Expense definition,[20] * An increase in the payroll taxes on students,[21] * An extension of the Medicare payroll tax to all state and local government employees,[22] * An increase in taxes on hospitals,[23] * An increase in the estate tax,[24] * A tax on drug companies,[27] * An increase in the corporate tax on providers of health insurance,[28] and * A 0000 deduction …