Thursday, July 29, 2010
Personal Finance Editor & Columnist
For two years in a row, Detroit News Personal Finance Editor Brian O'Connor has won a top national award for humor columns published in large newspapers from the National Society of Newspaper columnists. O'Connor "makes finance fun," wrote the judge of the 2008 contest. "You're smiling and before you know it a potentially dry subject has become informative and entertaining." He can be reached at boconnor@detnews.com.
Brian's winning columns: 2008 (third place)
- It's Cinco de Mayo, and I feel just fined
- Weddings: Toss rice or roll dice?
- Credit crisis like bad sausage
Brian's winning columns: 2007 (first place)
In the blogs ...
Nolan Finley's Blog
Nolan Finley: Congressional Democrats and the White House ought to read Wednesday's front page New York Times story before allowing the nation to slouch into a major tax hike on upper … Continued
High School Sports Blog
Tom Markowski: After talking to a number of football coaches this month, it's obvious the 7-on-7 scrimmages that take place are worthwhile -- to a point.
Dearborn has one more … Continued
Neal Rubin's Blog
Neal Rubin: Peggy McDonough has multiple personal interests in one Republican primary race, which is why she allowed billboards for two opposing candidates to be planted in her … Continued
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Packing frugally to fly has its perks
I thought I'd scored a free checked bag on the flights for my vacation, thanks to a perk on Mrs. Your Money's Delta Skymiles card. But it turns out Delta was pointing directly at my wallet when the airline coined the motto, "We'll get you there." - 07/19/2010
Don't let the heat burn your wallet
I don't know what ran through the mind of that little mouse when he decided to nap on the electrical contacts of my air conditioner, but I do know what ran through his body when I turned it on last month -- about 240 volts. - 07/12/2010
Tips to minimize the impact of a flight cancellation
Travelers no longer need to fear being trapped in a coach-class seat on a hot, crowded airplane marooned at the end of a taxiway with no food, no toilets and no way out for hours on end. - 06/28/2010
Give finances a six-month check-up
All kinds of solstice traditions abound in the world, including all-night bonfires to ward off evil spirits. But Jonathan Anibal, chairman of the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, proposes starting a different midsummer tradition to ward off evil financial spirits: a six-month financial checkup. - 06/21/2010
Summer spending? No sweat
What's the sound of summer to you? Waves gently lapping at the lakeshore? The tinkle of ice being stirred into a pitcher of fresh lemonade? A garden sprinkler soothingly hissing away on the lawn? - 06/14/2010
Toss a check on the barbecue to foil identity thieves
June is the official start of grilling season and, if you're anything like me, you're ready to enlarge your carbon footprint for the next few months. - 06/07/2010
Brewing up savings in a recession is no java jive
A while back, I wrote about "the latte factor" -- the tendency we all have to fritter away a few bucks a day on fancy coffee and other little luxuries, even though that cash could add up to a big nest egg. - 05/31/2010
Riding the market's ups and downs
My boy, Li'l Money, loves to travel, and once he's strapped in his car seat, the adult who's nominally in charge had better get the kid where he wants to go using the quickest, most direct, route possible. And you'd best not pull off along the way for gas, a potty stop or a new roll of duct tape to hold the car together, lest the cries of "Are we there yet?" turn into big wailing sobs of disappointment. - 05/24/2010
