Complete Finance Blog

As predicted a couple of months ago, gas prices are on the march towards $5.00 a gallon, and in many places they are already there.

Its funny how things like this work it was just a couple summers ago we were practically crippled by $4.00 a gallon gas. This time, it took prices reaching over $3.60/gallon for anyone in the mainstream media to even mention it.

I guess thats how price increases go we sort of become immune to their effect as we absorb the increased costs into our daily lives.

We drive less. We dont idle while waiting for the kids to get out of school. We eat less, or eat out less as food prices increase. We also tend to eat cheaper food, which unfortunately isnt always the healthiest choice.

I drive a full-sized truck, so Im very aware of increases in gas prices. Hard to believe just a couple years ago I could fill up my truck for less than $50. Soon it will take more than $100 to fill it up.

While Ive considered downsizing, Im hesitant to go out and buy a new(er) vehicle to save money on gas. From purely a financial perspective, this doesnt make a lot of sense considering my truck is paid for.

For example, assume I bought something smaller and realized a $200 a month savings on gas.

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The US State Department has issued its final environmental impact and safety assessment on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, Reuters reported.

It says the $7 billion proposed project, which would pump 500,000 barrels a day of tar sands crude from Alberta, Canada to refineries and production hubs in Texas and Oklahoma, would have “no significant impact” on the environment.

Proponents of the ambitious 1711-mile pipeline say it would help guarantee US oil supplies from a neighboring ally, reducing our reliance on oil imports from volatile Middle Eastern countries. It would also create thousands of jobs and boost economic development and wealth.

However critics argue the pipeline is a potential environmental calamity. The

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Do you gasp in shock every time your optometrist offers you a pair of $300-$400 eyeglasses? Do you have more than one family member needing corrective lenses? If you don’t want to go into debt after every eye exam, you’ll want to pay careful attention to what I’m going to say next. It pays to shop around. In fact, anyone on a budget knows that there are some incredible deals to be had by ordering your prescription eyeglasses online.

Here are five places where you can find significantly discounted glasses. You’ll need a copy of your most recent eye exam and a credit card to order them with. It’s also helpful if you like their Facebook pages because that’s where you’ll find coupon codes, free shipping offers, and other opportunities for savings.

No matter what your style or prescription may be you’ll find a wide range of eyeglasses by visiting these five websites. Take advantage of special offers and make use of coupons to keep your eyecare needs under control this year.

To see if you and your family qualify for free eye exams, visit Vision USA. Income requirements and information about program eligibility is available on the organization’s website. Other companies t

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A $15 billion auction of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities this month drew the strongest demand since March even though yields on the notes average less than zero percent for the first time, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch indexes. Yields on all types of Treasuries are at or near record lows and, except for the 30-year bond, provide negative real returns after taking into account the consumer price index.

Investors are seeking the safety of U.S. debt as analysts cut their growth forecasts and Europe’s fiscal crisis deepens, helping the government borrow record sums to support the economy almost five years after the subprime mortgage meltdown led to worst financial disaster since the Great Depression. TIPS have returned 111.3 percent the past decade, beating the 73.4 percent for Treasuries not indexed to inflation. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index has gained about 33 percent, including dividends.

Even with real rates being negative, investors view TIPS as the optimal place to put your money if you do have to buy U.S. bonds because it is still government paper while also protecting you from long-term inflation, George Goncalves, the head of interest-rate strategy in New York at Nomura Holdings Inc., said in a Jan.

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