12 Days of Christmas: First 4 Days

My first four days of suggestions for your holiday learning and enjoyment are below.
Our brains love experiences more than stuff, (#1) but some of us (1 in 4) also have a gene which may stimulate the wrong impulses (#2). It feels good to give, so help a friend or family member find missing money (#3). Learning about personal finance, our brains on money and planning ahead isn’t boring; and can be done in less than an hour (#4).
Great program to watch with the family, including the middle schoolers with allowances or the college kids home for the break.

#1 For more anticipation and satisfaction Buy Experiences Not Things. http://theatln.tc/1xJSKtw

Phillies Baseball-2013

 

 

 

 

 

#2 Better Living Through Chemicals? Why Buyagra might be impacting your shopping style…http://ti.me/1HCMGqZ

#3 Help someone else with an unexpected gift (or return of their own long lost money)  this season. Seek unclaimed funds in any US state here. I’ve known people who located $75 to $134; and $4,000-$6,000 on one of these sites. Search on behalf of a nomadic relative, old friend, or even yourself. Utility deposits, last paychecks or uncashed dividend checks…http://bit.ly/YDCwkw . Also, this link will take you to a page where you can hunt for uncashed savings bonds (issued after 1974). http://www.treasuryhunt.gov/

All electronic now, but they used to look like this!

 

 

#4 Put this one on the calendar http://youtu.be/Sv0cyyhAc7k This two-minute trailer for the new documentary Thinking Money will air on KCTS (Western Washington) on Sunday, December 28th, at 2pm.

Seattle’s Original Victrola Coffee 2012 by DCT

Related blog post: https://nodollarleftbehind.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/bright-shiny-objects-2-holiday-traditions-or-shoulds/

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Missing Money: Some May Be Yours!

A dear friend of mine alerted me to this great website www.missingmoney.com. (Thanks E.A.) It has been such fun to let people know about this site. Also in my state-Washington, there is a website that leads you to a site called ClaimYourCash.org .

A relative of mine found an old paycheck here for $134, someone else I know found $321 and another person found more than $4,000! These include stale checks (more than 182 days old-six months) from insurance companies, last paychecks, deposits refunded from the local utility, etc.
Here’s how these funds become “missing money”. Someone owes you money   and the funds stay “on file” or “in suspense” somewhere.

• Could be a check that you failed to cash for some reason, maybe a perfectly good one.
• It could be from an inheritance
• Or a missing pension benefit
• Long-lost refund from a business

Companies, organizations and governments have certain rules they must follow to segregate these funds to give you time to claim them. In Washington state the law says this:

“State law protects unclaimed property until it can be returned. There is no time limit for filing a claim and rightful owners or their heirs can claim property reported since 1955. The state may auction the content of safe deposit boxes, however, if not claimed within five years.”

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal covered what some states are doing with three types of accounts that may surprise you. They are DRIP’s, (Dividend Reinvestment Plans) IRAs, CDs and education savings accounts. See that article here. See link for lost/missing pension benefits here. If you believe a government owes you money, check here! Here’s to a successful search and some surprise cash in your bank account!

Related articles

• Illinois Unclaimed Property Database (chicago.cbslocal.com)
• Pennsylvania Officials Post List Of Unclaimed Property (philadelphia.cbslocal.com)
• Does This Unclaimed Property or Money Belong to You? (tulsage.wordpress.com)
• http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/Finding-unclaimed-cash-Dont-just-check-once-or-twice-164689606.html