AMB Blog

Contributed by  www.consumerreports.org, compliments of Betsy Marvin, Franklin American Mortgage

Most homes, including yours, waste energy.  That inefficiency is costing you plenty, but it doesn’t have [...]

Contributed by: Dan Matejsek, www.realestatechampions.com, Compliments of Betsy Marvin, Franklin American Mortgage Company

The CARD Act goes into effect on Feb. 22 and with it come stronger consumer protections.  Banks will no longer be able to raise interest rates during the first 12 months after opening an account — or hike rates on pre-existing balances altogether.  [...]

Rob Chrisman offered sage advise on how to get great information on banks.

First, you can visit www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/enforcement/neworders.html and learn about recent moves by FDIC against unsafe banks. There were over 25 cease and desist orders in December, 2009! This doesn’t mean that a bank closed but it was highly criticized.

Rob also reported that the FDIC [...]

Contributed by Chuck Tannert, Compliments of www.editorials.autos.msn.com

Last summer, gasoline prices surged to record highs, causing Americans to stay at home and rethink their love affair with the automobile.  Jump ahead a year: Fuel prices are down nearly 40 percent and the Automobile Association of America’s travel and auto group is forecasting that trips by automobile [...]

Last night Tricia introduced me to Pandora, a free music web site, which I enjoyed a lot! It is the brainchild of Tim Westergren and has been a labor of love for him for the past decade.

As CNET reported, “The Music Genome Project may sound like a scary government-surveillance program involving your iPod, your DNA, [...]

Kim Gonsorek recommended me to this site when I was planning a trip to attend the Las Vegas Business Plan seminar I attend annually. It is pretty cool since it shows the lowest price on any date you want to travel. Check it out!

Is this really cake?

You bet it is! Visit Ciao Chow Linda for the recipe and instructions.

Contributed by Gregory Karp, Compliments of Nightingale Conant’s AdvantEdge Newsletter

Could you save $10,000 in a year? Sounds good right about now, doesn’t it. Many households could. And they could become millionaires as a result.

The average four-person American household spends more than $66,000 a year, according to the federal government’s most [...]