WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog/media/feedlogo.gif WalletPop Blog http://www.walletpop.com/blog en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Podcast: How to job hunt during the holidayshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/17/podcast-how-to-job-hunt-during-the-holidays/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/17/podcast-how-to-job-hunt-during-the-holidays/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/17/podcast-how-to-job-hunt-during-the-holidays/#commentsFiled under:

When the holidays roll around, your first instinct is to take a break from the job search. After all, everyone's thinking about family gatherings, vacations, parties and gift shopping.

But Aaron Crowe, WalletPop editor specializing in careers and the job search, and Duncan Mathison, coauthor of "Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Succcesful Job Search When Times Are Tough" (FT Press), say don't stop. They offer tips on how to stand out from the crowd without being a holiday grump.

Podcast: How to job hunt during the holidays originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>holidayholidaysjob huntjob hunt secretsjob hunterjob huntersjob huntingjob hunting advicejob hunting secretsjob hunting tipsJobHuntJobHunterJobHuntersJobHuntingJobHuntingAdviceJobHuntingSecretsJobHuntingTipsJobHuntSecretspodcastLan N. NguyenTue, 17 Nov 2009 14:15:00 ESTTop Chef's Carla Hall cooks up dinner for $15http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/16/top-chefs-carla-hall-cooks-up-dinner-for-15/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/16/top-chefs-carla-hall-cooks-up-dinner-for-15/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/16/top-chefs-carla-hall-cooks-up-dinner-for-15/#commentsFiled under:

Carla HallTop Chef finalist Carla Hall thinks the simplest dishes can give us the greatest pleasure. Here is the Washington D.C.-based caterer's take on a roasted chicken with tomato-olive relish and roasted potatoes. Not only is the recipe easy, it clocks in at about $15.

Butterflied Chicken
  • 4-pound chicken
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 small onion, quartered

Continue reading Top Chef's Carla Hall cooks up dinner for $15

Top Chef's Carla Hall cooks up dinner for $15 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>budget cookingbudget mealsBudgetCookingBudgetMealscheap foodcheap mealsCheapFoodCheapMealsinexpensive mealsInexpensiveMealsLan N. NguyenMon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 ESTPodcast: How I made my first million with Mitch Freehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/16/podcast-how-i-made-my-first-million-with-mitch-free/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/16/podcast-how-i-made-my-first-million-with-mitch-free/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/16/podcast-how-i-made-my-first-million-with-mitch-free/#commentsFiled under:

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with Mitch Free, founder and CEO of MFG.com, a global online marketplace for manufacturing. A college dropout, Free started his career as a machinist. That background helped fuel his idea to create a Web-based market for manufacturing in 1999. He shares his story and what it took to make it.

Podcast: How I made my first million with Mitch Free originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>millionmillionairesmillionspodcastLan N. NguyenMon, 16 Nov 2009 13:30:00 ESTTips on how to avoid lawsuits at work, home and lifehttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/12/tips-on-how-to-avoid-lawsuits-at-work-home-and-life/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/12/tips-on-how-to-avoid-lawsuits-at-work-home-and-life/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/12/tips-on-how-to-avoid-lawsuits-at-work-home-and-life/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with Amy Epstein Feldman and Robin Epstein about how to protect yourself and your bank account from lawsuits.

When it comes to work, employers have a lot of leeway on what they want their staff to say, dress and act, so read that manual, say Feldman and Epstein, co-authors of "So Sue Me, Jackass! Avoiding Legal Pitfalls That Can Come Back to Bite You at Work, at Home and at Play" (Plume). They also offer tips on how to protect your financial assets, health and home.

Tips on how to avoid lawsuits at work, home and life originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>lawsuitspodcastPodcastsLan N. NguyenThu, 12 Nov 2009 13:30:00 ESTGot a personal finance question? Ask our expertshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/10/got-a-personal-finance-question-ask-our-experts/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/10/got-a-personal-finance-question-ask-our-experts/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/10/got-a-personal-finance-question-ask-our-experts/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The recession may be over, but many families are still feeling the effects. Unemployment is at a record 10.2% and wages are flat. The cost of gas is taking a bigger bite out of paychecks, and home foreclosures were one fifth of home sales in September.

To help, WalletPop is launching an occasional series in which your personal financial questions will get answered by our experts. Leave your questions in the comments section below.

Question: As a single, self-employed mother of two, I need to buy life insurance. How much should I buy?
--Laurie W., 51, psychologist

Continue reading Got a personal finance question? Ask our experts

Got a personal finance question? Ask our experts originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>529 plans529PlansAMTfeaturedpersonal finance expertsPersonalFinanceExpertstaxLan N. NguyenTue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 ESTWolfgang Puck's WalletPop special: a great homemade meal for under $15http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/02/wolfgang-pucks-walletpop-special-a-great-homemade-meal-for-und/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/02/wolfgang-pucks-walletpop-special-a-great-homemade-meal-for-und/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/02/wolfgang-pucks-walletpop-special-a-great-homemade-meal-for-und/#commentsFiled under: ,

Keeping your family well fed is becoming more of a challenge each day. Not only do you have to take into account what the kids will and won't eat, what's in season, and organic versus non-organic, there's the issue of cost. And according to the Agriculture Department, your grocery bill will climb even higher as the economy starts to recover.

To help, WalletPop will occasionally feature recipes from famous chefs and restaurateurs. The price tag: $15 or less to serve a family of four or more. To kick off the series, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck recommends this hearty but easy to make Southwestern Strata with sausage recipe.

Continue reading Wolfgang Puck's WalletPop special: a great homemade meal for under $15

Wolfgang Puck's WalletPop special: a great homemade meal for under $15 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>cheap mealsfrugal cookingfrugal mealsFrugalCookingFrugalMealsinexpensive mealsInexpensiveMealsWolfgang PuckWolfgangPuckLan N. NguyenMon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:00 ESTCosmetic surgery on a budgethttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/27/cosmetic-surgery-on-a-budget/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/27/cosmetic-surgery-on-a-budget/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/27/cosmetic-surgery-on-a-budget/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sometimes frugality takes a backseat to vanity. Despite unemployment hovering close to 10%, people are still willing to open their wallets for cosmetic surgery.

"Especially during troubled economic times, patients become even more concerned about their physical appearance, as a way to remain marketable and viable in a tough job market," says Dr. Andrew Jacono, a dual board certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon based in Great Neck, N.Y.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, cosmetic procedures increased by 3% in 2008 compared to 2007. Still, people are more selective about what they're having done, opting more for minimally invasive procedures (up 5%) over surgical ones (down 9%).

Continue reading Cosmetic surgery on a budget

Cosmetic surgery on a budget originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>plastic surgeryPlasticSurgeryLan N. NguyenTue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:00 ESTSwitching Careers: Finding a path in new mediahttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/26/switching-careers-finding-a-path-in-new-media/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/26/switching-careers-finding-a-path-in-new-media/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/26/switching-careers-finding-a-path-in-new-media/#commentsFiled under: ,

With unemployment closing in on 10%, many Americans are taking the time -- perhaps unexpectedly -- to reassess their careers and future. For some, that has meant rethinking their choice of professions entirely since certain industries were hit hardest by the recession while others appear to be flourishing.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, sectors that saw the biggest losses were areas like construction, retail and the government. Sectors that show enormous potential growth include health care related professions and technology oriented jobs.

In this monthly series, those who've made the decision to start over again share their stories with WalletPop.

Amy Berryhill: Writing her own a digital future

Amy Berryhill likes to take risks. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004 with a degree in advertising, she briefly took a job at a company that specialized in the little known area of search engine marketing and search engine optimization. When she saw in 2008 people getting laid off at her current workplace, Conde Nast Digital, she started plotting her exit strategy.

Continue reading Switching Careers: Finding a path in new media

Switching Careers: Finding a path in new media originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>careerLan N. NguyenMon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:00 ESTPodcast: Changing Careers 101http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/21/podcast-changing-careers-101/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/21/podcast-changing-careers-101/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/21/podcast-changing-careers-101/#commentsFiled under:

Do you want to make a career change but don't know how? Listen to Aaron Crowe, WalletPop editor specializing in careers and the job search, and Libby Gill, author of "You UnStuck: Mastering the New Rules of Risk-Taking at Work and Life" (Travelers' Tales/Solas House), talk about the first steps to take to be on that new career path.

Don't be afraid to seek advice and mentors, urges Crowe. Sit down and figure out what you're good and the market will bear, says Gill.

Podcast: Changing Careers 101 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>careercareer changeCareerChangepodcastLan N. NguyenWed, 21 Oct 2009 16:30:00 ESTPodcast: Kids and holiday spendinghttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/19/podcast-kids-and-holiday-spending/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/19/podcast-kids-and-holiday-spending/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/19/podcast-kids-and-holiday-spending/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with Neale S. Godfrey, founder of the Children's Financial Network and #1 New York Times bestselling author, about setting holiday budgets. Godfrey, who is also author of The Eco Effect, recommends holding a family meeting to talk about spending limits given these tough economic times and turning first to non-monetary gift ideas before getting that gift card.

Podcast: Kids and holiday spending originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>holiday budgetholiday budget tipsHolidayBudgetHolidayBudgetTipsLan N. NguyenMon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 ESTHow I made my first million with Scott Painterhttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/12/how-i-made-my-first-million-with-scott-painter/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/12/how-i-made-my-first-million-with-scott-painter/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/12/how-i-made-my-first-million-with-scott-painter/#commentsFiled under:

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with Scott Painter, founder of CarsDirect.com, Zag.com and TrueCar.com. Painter, who fell in love with cars at 14, has founded 30 companies, half in the automotive space, and raised $1 billion in capital. His advice: follow your passion, not the money.

How I made my first million with Scott Painter originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>podcastLan N. NguyenMon, 12 Oct 2009 15:30:00 ESTPodcast: Preparing for H1N1http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/08/podcast-preparing-for-h1n1/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/08/podcast-preparing-for-h1n1/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/08/podcast-preparing-for-h1n1/#commentsFiled under:

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with Office Depot's Disaster Preparedness Adviser Jon Toigo and WalletPop writer and editor Aaron Crowe on how people and businesses can weather the H1N1 epidemic.

Simple measures like sanitizing hands and teleconferencing can reduce exposure, says Toigo, who has written five books on disaster preparation, including Disaster Recovery 4th edition,

Another recommendation: get the vaccine, adds Crowe, who has posted about swine flu scams and self-diagnosing via the Internet.

Podcast: Preparing for H1N1 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Blogtalk radioBlogtalkRadioH1N1healthJon ToigoJonToigopodcastLan N. NguyenThu, 08 Oct 2009 11:00:00 ESTJob Interview 101http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/11/job-interview-101/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/11/job-interview-101/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/11/job-interview-101/#commentsFiled under:

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen talks with WalletPop editor Aaron Crowe and Linda Matias, author of 201 Knockout Answers to Tough Interview Questions (AMACOM), about how to ace the dreaded job interview. Matias, former president of the National Resume Writers Association, recommends writing a detailed follow-up letter if you stumbled during a question and not to panic if your meeting runs only 15 minutes.

Another tip: have 5% of your resume contain key words from that job posting in order to stand out from the crowd, says Crowe, who has been writing about his job hunt since being laid off from a newspaper editing position last year.

Job Interview 101 originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Aaron CroweAaronCroweBlogtalk RadioBlogtalkRadiocareerLan NguyenLanNguyenPodcastLan N. NguyenFri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 ESTPodcast: How I made my first million, with Matt Morrishttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/08/podcast-how-i-made-my-first-million-with-matt-morris/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/08/podcast-how-i-made-my-first-million-with-matt-morris/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/08/podcast-how-i-made-my-first-million-with-matt-morris/#commentsFiled under:

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with Matt Morris -- founder of Success University and author of "The Unemployed Millionaire: Escape the Rat Race, Fire Your Boss, and Live Life on YOUR Terms!" (Wiley) -- on how he became a self-made success story before he was 30.

Podcast: How I made my first million, with Matt Morris originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>podcastpodcastsLan N. NguyenTue, 08 Sep 2009 12:30:00 ESTBlogtalk Radio: The power of negative thinkinghttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/25/blogtalk-radio-the-power-of-negative-thinking/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/25/blogtalk-radio-the-power-of-negative-thinking/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/25/blogtalk-radio-the-power-of-negative-thinking/#commentsFiled under: ,

They say think positive. But too often, we overlook the negative, argues David M. Corbin, author of Illuminate: Harnessing the Positive Power of Negative Thinking (Wiley).

The entrepreneur -- who also executive produced, directed and starred in the 2007 film Pass It On -- chats with WalletPop's Lan Nguyen on how highlighting problem areas can, ultimately, have a positive impact on your business and personal life. So face it, follow the negative to its core and then fix it.

Blogtalk Radio: The power of negative thinking originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Blogtalk RadioBlogtalkRadioDavid CorbinDavidCorbinnegative thinkingNegativeThinkingLan N. NguyenTue, 25 Aug 2009 13:00:00 ESTFunding a Small Businesshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/20/funding-a-small-business/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/20/funding-a-small-business/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/20/funding-a-small-business/#commentsFiled under:

Tim Ferguson, co-founder of merchant bank Next Street, chats with WalletPop's Lan Nguyen about the many ways entrepreneurs and small business owners can finance their dreams.

Ferguson, who started the bank in 2005 with fellow banking industry vet Ronald Walker, goes over the pros and cons of getting money from investors like banks, venture capitalists, and friends and family. If you can self-finance, do so as long as you can, he recommends. Another tip: find an investor that will help you through the tough, as well as the good, times.

Funding a Small Business originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Blogtalk radioBlogtalkRadiolendingpeer lendingPeerLendingTim FergusonTimFergusonLan N. NguyenThu, 20 Aug 2009 10:00:00 ESTTalking money with college studentshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/10/talking-money-with-college-students/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/10/talking-money-with-college-students/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/10/talking-money-with-college-students/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Before kissing your college student goodbye, you need have a serious talk about money, budgets and credit cards.

Neale S. Godfrey, founder of the Children's Financial Network and the New York Times #1 best-selling author of "Money Doesn't Grow on Trees," gives WalletPop's Lan Nguyen tips on what to do and what not to do freshman year.

Talking money with college students originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>collegeLan N. NguyenMon, 10 Aug 2009 19:00:00 ESTHow Cornelius Vanderbilt made his millionshttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/06/how-cornelius-vanderbilt-made-his-millions/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/06/how-cornelius-vanderbilt-made-his-millions/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/06/how-cornelius-vanderbilt-made-his-millions/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with T.J. Stiles, author of The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt (Knopf), on how the Commodore became one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in American history. Stiles recounts and explains how Vanderbilt catapulted himself from a working-class Dutch background to wealth so vast that if he sold all his assets at full market value at the moment of his death in 1877, he would have taken one out of every twenty dollars in circulation, including cash and demand deposits.

How Cornelius Vanderbilt made his millions originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>radioT.J. StilesT.j.StilestycoonvanderbiltLan N. NguyenThu, 06 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST10 ways to save on back to school shoppinghttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/04/10-ways-to-save-on-back-to-school-shopping/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/04/10-ways-to-save-on-back-to-school-shopping/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/08/04/10-ways-to-save-on-back-to-school-shopping/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with Michelle Madhok, founder of SheFinds.com and MomFinds.com, on 10 ways families can save when shopping for back to school items.

Our expert bargain hunter recommends checking out search engines like shopstyle.com and pronto.com to comparison shop.

Another great tip: take advantage of cash-back sites like Bank of America's Add It Up, which allows you up to 20% back on online purchases. And for iPhone users, couponsherpa.com sends you the latest coupons for stores like Gap and Macy's.

10 ways to save on back to school shopping originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>podcastschool shoppingSchoolShoppingLan N. NguyenTue, 04 Aug 2009 17:30:00 ESTBlogtalk Radio: Maximizing your 401(k)http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/27/blogtalk-radio-maximizing-your-401-k/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/27/blogtalk-radio-maximizing-your-401-k/http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/27/blogtalk-radio-maximizing-your-401-k/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WalletPop's Lan Nguyen chats with Mike Alfred, co-founder and CEO of BrightScope.com, an Internet-based 401(k) analytics firm, about how to make the right 401K choices.

Since its launch in January, the California company has examined and rated 4,000 plans from some of America's largest employers, including Boeing and McDonald's. As a result, Alfred recommends saving as much as you can afford in your 401(k).

Another recommendation: look at the cost of the fund when making a decision.

Blogtalk Radio: Maximizing your 401(k) originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>401k401k matches401kMatchesBlogtalk radioBlogtalkRadiobrightscopeMike AlfredMikeAlfredLan N. NguyenMon, 27 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST