Credit cards get a bad rap - one that is not entirely deserved. I've got this working theory that it has to do with their name - the term 'credit' may mean 'ability to obtain resources based on a future payoff', but the card is named entirely wrong: If the only purpose of your credit cards is to purchase things on credit you are doing things completely wrong. The true beauty of credit cards is that they are a liquidity tool; credit cards allow you constant access to funding... whenever you need it.  So, let's look at the perfect strategy for turning your credit cards into liquidity cards!

Last time I angered all of you by asking if certain majors should pay higher rates for their student loans. Now I ask you a subtly different question: Should some majors pay more in tuition? I ask you this question on the weekend, as it is lighter on math (for reasons that will be explained), and the fact that I'm likely highly biased, being a Software Engineer and all. Let's not let that affect the daily editions of DQYDJ, okay?

From Occupy Wall Street to Bank Transfer Day it seems like every time I turn on the TV there is another protest. Occupy Wall Street began in New York City and has gone viral around the globe.

A guest post from Paul at The Frugal Toad, the newest featured link on DQYDJ!

As we occasionally point out here at Don't Quit Your Day Job, inflation expectations are an interesting indicator that can be calculated from market data. They become even more interesting when we combine them with other measures. It becomes yet more interesting if you are in the market to refinance a mortgage or purchase a home. Read on for an interactive chart on the 30 year mortgage and the market's 10-year inflation expectations.

Welcoming The Frugal Toad to our blogroll, linking great stuff, adding a Facebook page, an eBook from MD at Studenomics and so much more!

Thomas Jefferson once said, "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." Wise words from a man who died with the equivalent of $1,000,000 in today's dollars worth of debt - but his words still ring true today. I wrote this article on a whim when I tried to find data on the amount of hours worked per week broken down by individual income. Let me save you some time; that data is nowhere to be found. I can tell you this... the average American private sector worker works 34.3 hours in an week. I can also tell you that the average American worker making an income from $100,000 to $149,999 puts in 45.09 hours in a usual week, 34.3% more than the average worker making between $10,000 and $19,999. So I ask you, dear reader, how many hours a week do you work?

Carnivals submitted to, featured links, guest posts, oh my. Updates for the week of 10/31/2011.

We here at DQYDJ are constantly scouring the internet for gems which will help you with the financial aspect of your life. This post is no different and we even extend the courtesy to your family as well...

A very interesting study out of Texas Tech University asks the question: How is Financial Literacy Affected By Age? The results are very interesting. Even though the paper reports that households with ages over 60 years possess more than half of the wealth in the United States, a decidedly younger crowd, the 45-49 year olds, possess the most financial knowledge. The implications: while we know that there is a decline in physical and cognitive capabilities which comes with aging, we should also note that with those cognitive changes may come curious financial decisions as well.

Sorry to pick on the Art Majors, but all of this discussion about President Obama's Executive Order on student loans has pointed the country down an interesting path. Perform this thought experiment with me... The vast majority of student loans in the United States are federally backed. There are also $1,000,000,000,000 in student loans outstanding. This means that, in the event student loans aren't paid, the debt will be borne by the general fund of the United States (read: taxpayers paying private and public colleges). Should taxpayers demand lower paying majors pay higher student loan rates?

Interesting posts, updates, and carnivals and featured links for the week!