Out of the Red

"Red" is signing off.

I wrote my last "Out of the Red" column for yesterday's MoneyWise section. After 10 years as a business writer -- the last three with the "Red" column and last two also with this blog -- I wanted to try something new. I am going to write about the Charlotte region's newcomers and what makes the area a unique place to live.

I will miss "Red." I learned about personal finance -- mine and yours -- and hope you did too.

Click here to read my final column.

Also on Sunday, I wrote about what some people are doing with their tax rebates and what financial pros say you should do with that found money. Click here to read that story.

Stay tuned for my newcomers column, which will start next month, and my newcomers blog, which is coming soon. Are you new to Charlotte or have a newcomer-related question or story idea? If so, let me know. My contact info remains the same: abaldwin@charlotteobserver.com, 704-358-5179.

Spending, saving or investing your tax rebate?

This week President Bush plans to sign into law a $168 billion economic stimulus package that will put cash -- in the form of tax rebates -- in the hands of people and businesses.

The rebates, due to start hitting mailboxes in May, will be equal to taxes paid -- up to $600 for singles and $1,200 for couples, plus an additional $300 per child.

What are you going to do with your rebate check?

Have you already spent the cash several times over? Or will you save it, use it to pay off some debt or invest it?

My husband and I will put ours in our savings account, offsetting money we took out to complete this year's home improvement project -- a home office face-lift.

I'd love to hear what you are doing with your rebate. Please post here or email me at abaldwin@charlotteobserver. Leave your name and daytime phone number in case I want to catch up with you for a story. Thanks.

Lots of tips for scaling back spending

Last Sunday, I wrote about how to scale back spending, because unlike recession, inflation and stock prices it is something well within your control.

I listed a few ways to cut back -- i.e. eating in more and not trying to keep up materialistically with your friends and neighbors. Just don't forget to reward your frugal efforts -- i.e. after 20 dinners you get to have one modest-priced meal out. Click here to read the story.

Great personal finance minds think alike. The brains over at U.S. News & World Report have a story on eight painless sacrificing running on Yahoo! now. My husband just pointed it out to me, noting that we pretty much follow all of these. "We are good," he said in an e-mail. Click here to read that story.

If you have money-saving tips to share, please post them here.