Yes, I know… I wrote an article one or two weeks ago about why it makes sense to spend Christmas at home, yet I am planning a trip around this time of the year; I live in Frankfurt, and my family lives in a smaller town in The Netherlands, so I decided to visit my family for Christmas. So I though. Just as I was about to get on a delayed flight at 13h10, the flight crew anounced that Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has cancelled all flights and is closing its …

This morning, as I was drinking my coffee and waking up slowly, I watched a report about a new type of scam which involves unauthorized bank transfers. Although the report mainly applies to the German banking system, this could also apply to other countries where law permits it.
Basically, fraudsters will generate a random bank account number, and they will try to transfer 1 cent to that account number. If the transfer bounces, it means that the account number is non-existent. However, if the transfer is accepted, fraudsters will know that …

The winter period can be quite romantic, with frozen lakes, frosty trees and landscapes, and the cold inviting for a short refreshing stroll alongside the river, after which the cozy home invites for a warm bath or a night at the fireplace. However, if you intend to drive your car during winter, especially snowfall and ice on the road can be quite tricky. Especially around Christmas and New Year’s Eve, where so many people are traveling and on the road, it takes only a small misfortune to become involved into …

Author: Jim Roche NJ
“Flying by the Seat of Your Pants” might have worked just fine while you were employed, but ignorance or mistakes in early retirement planning can cost you dearly. Retiring early, choosing the wrong investments, withdrawing too much money or failing to plan for health-care costs can all turn your golden years to brass.
Although there is no guarantee you’ll avoid unpleasant surprises if you plan — but you can probably tip the odds in your favor. Here’s a checklist to get you started. (As you get going, your …

We continuously hear about how people make unwise financial decisions, and how we rely too much on our emotions. We tend to think “this will not happen to me, I am a smart and educated person”. A documentary I saw yesterday demonstrated the exact opposite. Below, I would like to take the opportunity to recap two scenarios of yesterday’s documentary, and the results.
5 Euros now, or 40 Euros in six weeks
Different random people on the streets were offered a 5 Euro bill on the spot, or they had the option …