A 401(k) debit card is deceivingly like the debit cards you're familiar with, except the money is drawn from your retirement savings and must be paid back to yourself with interest — essentially, it is a loan against your 401(k). You're responsible for making punctual payments, and if you miss one, you risk having to pay early withdrawal penalties.
While you'd be paying interest now, you'd really be borrowing from your future self. When you remove funds from your retirement savings it reduces the potential for compounding interest, therefore hurting your overall long-term savings goal and strategy. Do yourself a favor and pretend that 401(k) debit cards don't exist; you'll be grateful when you need to rely on those funds for living.
Most of you are well-acquainted with student loans — after all, 70 percent of you are still paying them off. But look on the bright side: The cost of college has been going up every year, and students entering this Fall will pay up to $1,400 more this year for tuition than last year. Think you're up on the cost of higher education? Take the quiz to find out! All of the answers pertain to the 2007-08 school year.
Comparison shopping is the name of the game when it comes to buying plane tickets, but I must say I'm delighted when JetBlue or Virgin America turn up on top of my search results. And if the flight is on the long side or a red-eye, I may be willing to pay a little extra for tickets on my favorite carriers. Do you prefer any particular airline to the others?
As the Olympic torch arrives in Beijing to tour the city before Friday's opening ceremony, the city is all decked out with images everywhere of the Games' sponsors. For global brands, the Olympics are an ideal venue because of the worldwide audience, though this year they may receive more enthusiasm from local consumers in China than viewers abroad.
Wondering what company is in charge of the clocks used to decide who takes home the silver or gold? Curious to see what the 2008 Olympic medals look like? Like any big production, it takes money to make it all happen. Click "start slideshow" to see the elaborate ads and hardly subtle Olympic supporters.
The average wedding guest list has 153 names on it, and 45 percent of a couple's wedding budget is spent on the reception venue, meaning this is one situation in which more is not always merrier. CNN published this list of 10 questions to ask about the people on your drafted guest list to aid in trimming it down.
The list's author says that a score of 50 percent or below allows you to cross that person off your guest list, those scoring between 50 and 60 percent are moved to a waiting list, and anyone scoring above 60 percent receives an invitation. She recommends throwing some of these questions into conversation during your engagement to get a feel for how well potential guests know you.
Name the city I'm living in now.
Name at least two of my closest friends.
Name my current employer and my past employer.
Do I have any kids?
Do you know the name of my fiancé? Bonus question: Where and when did we meet?
Do you know where my parents are and whether they are still alive?
Name at least two of my hobbies.
How old am I?
Where did I go to college?
Name my last boyfriend before this engagement. Bonus question: if you can name the last two and why we broke up. If you get the bonus question right, that might automatically get you in.
Yesterday, my fiancé tried to use his debit card at the gas station and was told by the machine that it couldn't authorize his card. He discovered a strange purchase on his online account, and when he called the bank, a customer service representative told him a freeze had been placed on the account because of the mystery transaction. Seems someone in another country somehow got ahold of his details, so thank goodness they immediately caught it.
He certainly is not alone — just this week, 11 men in five countries were charged with stealing more than 40 million credit card numbers from US retailers. Has someone ever stolen, or tried to steal, your card information?
A 401(k) debit card is deceivingly like the debit cards you're familiar with, except the money is drawn from your retirement savings and must be paid back to yourself with interest — essentially, it is a loan against your 401(k). You're responsible for making punctual payments, and if you miss one, you risk having to pay early withdrawal penalties. 
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