MTA Subway Updates

Interested in getting updates on which trains are working (or better yet which ones actually are)? Check out the MTA's new Alert system here.

Is Blackberry's Storm a Dud?

Research In Motion's decision to remove its signature physical keyborad seems to have backfired. In fact, the new touchscreen looks and seems too much like the iphone without maintaining enough of the Blackberry brand. For morte info, click here.

The New York Times also had this to say.

Is Facebook Dead?

Tensions are rising between Facebook and inependent developers. In addition to working on ways to move beyond traditional online ads, Facebook is working with developers who create applications for the site. These startups make software people use on Facebook to discover new music, play games, or share slide shows. Facebook is considering taking a cut of money from these developers. For more information, click here.

Steep Discounts this Holiday

An article from the NY Times reports:

To preserve the sanctity of their brands and some level of pricing control, some Web companies are promoting discount sites separately from their main brands. Zappos.com, a shoe retailer based in Henderson, Nev., never runs promotions on its site. Instead, it quietly moves shoes that do not sell in six months to 6pm.com, a clearance site it acquired last year, but runs separately. This month, the company is buying more search ads for 6pm.com, where a pair of colorful slip-on Keds sneakers is on sale for $12.73 — 74 percent off the original price on Zappos.com.

Eleuthera, Bahamas

Eleuthera is 110 miles long with one main highway. As such your hotel's location is very important. The Cove, in the north, is a 26-room cluster of bungalows over a beach (242-335-5142). It's close to teh dock where boats leave for Harbour Island. It is also not far from the dive bar Elvina's.

Pineapple Fields is in the center of the island and consists of small condo-style rooms (242-332-2221). Tippy's is the resorts restaurant, and has a rustic menu of dishes like tuna and red snapper.

Beach Combing in the Bahamas

For the snorkeler: Fernandez Bay Village on Cat Island (fernandezbayvillage.com) with doubles from $260. You can swim or kayak out to rocky atolls teeming with life

For the Recluse: Tay Bay Beach in North Eleuthera, which is home to Preacher's Cave.

For those who want to Yacht: Try the Staniel Cay Yacht Club (242-355-2024), which was founded in 1959 and is no-frills. It has airy cottages and a marina.

Finally, for the chic, try Harbour Island off the Eleuthera. Spend the day on Pink Sandy Beaches and go diving with Valentine's (242-333-2080). Two guest houses are also availabel on Hick's compund (hibiscushillharbourisland.com) from $4,900/wk or try the Rock House in town.

Caribbean Travel

For more information on the Caribbean go to www.caribbeantravel.com - the region's official travel site with information on the individual island destinations, places to stay, things to do, festivals and events, plus news and features.

Or visit the island sites directly:

Bahamas www.bahamas.com

Belize www.travelbelize.com

British Virgin Islands www.bvitourism.com

St. Maarten www.st-maarten.com

US Virgin Islands www.usvitourism.com

Boca Raton Resort and Club

For more informationabout this 356 acre Art Deco palace, visit www.bocaresort.com

The resort will finish undergoing a $220 M renovation in November 2008. The resort is home to the first Morimoto sushi bar in South Florida, and Serendipity ice cream parlor.

Rates start at $169.

Air & Hotel Point Trader?

If your looking for a way to trade hotel points for mileage points (or vice versa), the following website maye help you out: Points.com

The website brings together Global Points Exchange, and Priority Club Rewards - the world's largest hotel loyalty program.

Need help streaming mobile video on your phone?

Before you give up on trying to get video on your handheld, try a new service called vTap. This free service not only helps you find content from multiple sources on the web, but it also converts the digital stream into something your handset can display. It even works with the iphone.

More more information about vTap, click here.

St. Croix Directory of Holistic Health

Looking for balanced health and well being in the USVI? If so, check out the following website: http://www.holistic.massagestcroix.com

Want to lower your cell phone bill?

Are you sure your bill is right? By using Validas you can guarantee that you are being accurately charged and that you have the best cell phone plan for you.

For more information about finding the perfect cell-phone plane for you and Validas, click here.

Beyond the suggestion box

Want to see corporate democracy in action? Visit Mystarbucksidea.com to view customer suggestions on how to make Starbucks better. Visitors can submit ideas or vote and discuss them. Dell computers launched a similar web site last year called Ideastorm, which was designed from a platform called salesforce.com.

Friendfeed

Want to bring together all of your online lives? Check out Friendfeed.com. This new site allows subscribers to pull together on one web page everything from Facebook, Myspace, Youtube and Flickr.

While it may seem overwhelming right now, the developers are working hard to install filters and other tools to make the site manageable. So, be patient!

PRBC

Who is PRBC? PRBC (Payment Reporting Builds Credit) is a national consumer reporting agency and credit bureau. PRBC collects, stores, scores and reports bill payment data for "permissible purposes" under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. It is the first credit bureau to give consumers and small businesses a way to build a credit file to demonstrate creditworthiness without the need to go into debt. For more information, click here.

The Big Leap

Looking to make a major career move? If so, check out the following link by Businessweek. This site includes advice about interviews, recruiters, and life transitions.

Road ID

Vist RoadID.com for the following:

If you are a runner, cyclist, triathlete or just a person who doesn't sit on the couch all day, Road ID is for you. This awesome piece of gear not only looks good but it could save your life. In the event of an accident, if you can't speak for yourself, your Road ID will. Available in 5 different styles. It's not just a piece of gear - it's peace of mind.

FICO: Credit Education

How are FICO scores created?

FICO Scores are calculated from a lot of different credit data in your credit report. This data can be grouped into five categories as outlined below.

1. Payment History
- Account payment information on specific types of accounts (credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, finance company accounts, mortgage, etc.)
- Presence of adverse public records (bankruptcy, judgements, suits, liens, wage attachments, etc.), collection items, and/or delinquency (past due items)
- Severity of delinquency (how long past due)
- Amount past due on delinquent accounts or collection items
- Time since (recency of) past due items (delinquency), adverse public records (if any), or collection items (if any)

2. Number of past due items on file
-Number of accounts paid as agreed
-Amounts Owed
-Amount owing on accounts
-Amount owing on specific types of accounts
-Lack of a specific type of balance, in some cases
-Number of accounts with balances
-Proportion of credit lines used (proportion of balances to total credit limits on certain types of revolving accounts)
-Proportion of installment loan amounts still owing (proportion of balance to original loan amount on certain types of installment loans)

3. Length of Credit History
-Time since accounts opened
-Time since accounts opened, by specific type of account
-Time since account activity

4. New Credit
-Number of recently opened accounts, and proportion of accounts that are recently opened, by type of account
-Number of recent credit inquiries
-Time since recent account opening(s), by type of account
-Time since credit inquiry(s)
-Re-establishment of positive credit history following past payment problems

5. Types of Credit Used
-Number of (presence, prevalence, and recent information on) various types of accounts (credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, mortgage, consumer finance accounts, etc.)

Please note that:
-A FICO score takes into consideration all these categories of information, not just one or two.No one piece of information or factor alone will determine your score.
-The importance of any factor depends on the overall information in your credit report.For some people, a given factor may be more important than for someone else with a different credit history. In addition, as the information in your credit report changes, so does the importance of any factor in determining your FICO score. Thus, it's impossible to say exactly how important any single factor is in determining your score - even the levels of importance shown here are for the general population, and will be different for different credit profiles. What's important is the mix of information, which varies from person to person, and for any one person over time.
Your FICO score only looks at information in your credit report.However, lenders look at many things when making a credit decision including your income, how long you have worked at your present job and the kind of credit you are requesting.
-Your score considers both positive and negative information in your credit report.Late payments will lower your score, but establishing or re-establishing a good track record of making payments on time will raise your FICO credit score.

For more information about your FICO score, click here.

Bento

From Apple: Organization made easy.

Meet Bento, the new personal database from FileMaker that’s as easy to use as your Mac.
Bento brings your important information together in one place to help you get organized. So you can manage your contacts, coordinate events, track projects, prioritize tasks, and more - faster and easier than ever before.

Metacritic

Wanna compare different critics for one movie?  Check out Metacritic.  This site will compare different reviews for each media.

Consumer Vigilante

Tried of call centers? Wanna talk to a live person? Check out Getuman.com for how to circumvent call centers and talk to senior executives.

A Pirate's Best Friend

Interested in dowloading a movie or song? Visit YouTorrent. Not only will it let you know which web sites have the movie, but also gives you information on which site will let you download it most easily.

Another source for downloading movies is from The Pirate Bay.

What is Buck Island, USVI?

Buck Island is considered a national monument, and consists of approximately 700 acres of Caribbean Sea and 180 acres of land. Several species of coral and approximately 90 species of fish inhabit the monument waters. When visiting the Monument you will be introduced to the Barrier Reef which is the single most outstanding feature. The Barrier Reef surrounds much of Buck Island as a submerged fortress-like wall rising ovre 30 feet from the sea floor to dominate the underwater scene.

A Lagoon is enclosed between the island and the barrier reef. Light aquamarine colors are produced by sunlight reflecting off of its shallow sandy floor.

The Marine Garden consists of the barrier reef and the lagoon. Regulations protect this very special and private place from all forms of consumptive uses like fishing, shellfishing, shell collecting, and coral collecting.

Patch Reef and Seagrass Beds are also found in the monument waters. These host and protect many juvenile species of fish from predation. Turtles are frequent visitors as are stingrays.

The Underwater Trail features signs that explain coral reef ecology as your snorkel along it. You will experience an infinite variety of shapes ,colors, patterns, and textures in this undersea fantasy world.

The Island has a summit rising just over 300 feet above the sea. It hosts picnic areas, hiking trail, and an observation tower for visitors to explore.

For more information about Buck Island:

National Park Service - Buck Island Info

University of the Virgin Islands

UVI is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools.

St. Thomas Campus - Admissions: (340) 693-1150

St. Croix Campus - Admissions: (340) 692-4158

For more information about the UVI, click here.

Schneider Regional Medical Center

Schneider Regional Medical Center – Three facilities, but one healthcare system operating with one vision – "to be the health care provider of choice to the residents of the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean."

Your Guide to America's Paradise

Traveling to St. thomas or St. john's and you don't know what to do? Well vist the following website:

http://www.virginislandsthisweek.com/

This guide provides Maps, Event Schedules, Transportation Information and Guides to the best Restaurants & Attractions in St. Thomas and St. John.

Book-it VI

Your complete St. John vacation planning consultants:

- St. John, US Virgin IslandsRental Villas and Condos
- Tours and Excursions
- Vehicles
- Weddings
- Charters
- Diving
- Daysails

Visit http://www.bookitvi.com/

Maho Bay, St. John

If you've been looking for an unforgettable vacation in the US Virgin Islands, where tree frogs and hummingbirds feel just as comfortable as you do, in a pristine, natural setting, you have to visit Maho Bay. Less than a three hour flight from Florida, or three and a half from NYC, in the Caribbean's gorgeous US Virgin Islands National Park, Maho has its own secluded, white sand beach, and plenty of water sports like sailing, scuba, wind surfing, and snorkeling for active guests.

For more information or to book online, visit http://www.maho.org/

Cinnamon Bay Campground

Located on S. John, this beach offers everything:

- Snokeling (rental gear located at beach)
- Windsurfing (with lessons)
- Campsites
- General Store
- Restaurant

Cinnamon Bay Campground
Box 720
St John, USVI 00831
(340) 776-6330
(800) 539-9998

For more information visit: http://cinnamonbay.com/

Seaborne Airlines, US Virgin Islands

Interested in flying bewteen Old San Juan and the USVI? Or maybe interested in getting to the British Virgin Islands from St. Thomas. If so, vist Seaborne Arlines. To book flights or to find out more information, click here.

How Can I Erase Old Debts?

1.  Order a free copy of your credit report from annualcreditreport.com;

2.  DO NOT PAY FOR A COPY OF YOUR CREDIT REPORT;

3.  Review your credit report and look for contact information for collectors;

4.  Mail a letter (w/ proof of mailing) to each agency asking whether it has a record of the debt and how much you owe, and keep a copy;

5.  If the agency claims to have a debt, state that you want to verify that the debt is valid but do not discuss repayment (to do so would imply that you believe the debt is valid!);

6.  DOCUMENT EVERYTHING BY LOGGING DATES & KEEPING RECEIPTS FROM THE USPO;

7  If you hear back within 90 days and the debt is valid (ie verified), reply (ONLY BY MAIL) saying that you willing to pay 30 cents on the dollar for the original amount owed and not the amount owed after fees and penalties;

8.  Agencies will try and settle for 50 cents on the dollar

9.  REMEMBER THAT IF THE DEBT IS OLD, TEH AGENCY PROBABLY PAID JUST 10 CENTS ON TEH DOLLAR

10.  If you don't hear back within 90 days, and you have documented your correspondence, you can ask the 3 credit agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to remove the black marks from your report, 

Cramer: 20 Stocks for Life

Here is Jim Cramer's list of 20 great stocks with long-term potential:

1. Caterpillar (CAT)

2. Glodman Sachs (GS)

3. ConocoPhillips (COP)

4. XTO Energy (XTO)

5. Transocean (RIG)

6. Hologic (HOLX)

7. Inverness Medical Innovations (IMA)

8. CVS Caremark (CVS)

9. McDonald's (MCD)

10. Freeport-McMoRan (FCX)

11. Hewlett-Packard (HPQ)

12. Corning (GLW)

13. Google (GOOG)

14. International Game Technology (IGT)

15. Pepsi (PEP)

16. Procter & Gamble (PG)

17. New York Stock Exchange (NYX)

18. Union Pacific (UNP)

19. Boeing (BA)

20. Sears Holdings (SHLD)

Click here for a current update on how there stocks are trading. For more stock advice from the Mad Man himself, visit Thestreet.com

Jim Cramer: Six Steps to Smart Budgeting for Life

hen trying to get their finances in order, people commonly ask "How should I go about putting together a solid long-term budget?" According to Jim Cramer, there are six (6) steps to smart budgeting for life:

1. Learn from the past: Put together a comprehensive record of your past income and spending;

2. Judge your past: How much could you have saved?;

3. Create your short-term budget (ie 3 months and 6 months);

4. Create your long-term budget by incorporating your future expenses like buying a house;

5. Hold yourself accountable each month, which is the single most important thing you can do to plan for long-term wealth; and

6. If you fail, take drastic measures. For example, automate your savings or drastically cut expenses.

For more information read Jim Cramer's book "Stay Mad for Life" (Simon & Schuster 2007)

Jim Cramer: How To Stop Yourself From Becoming Poor

According to Jim Cramer, everyone must do the following three things to avoid becoming poor:

1. You absolutely must create a budget for yearly, monthly, and even daily expenses;

2. You must have health insurance; and

3. You cannot carry a balance on your credit card

For more information about Jim Cramer, visit The street.com.

Vacation For Rent By Owner

Thinking of buying a ski condo pr possibly renting one you already own?  If so, you need to consider a few BIG questions according to Christine Karpinski, author of "How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner" (Kinney Pollack Press).

The first issue is location.  In a ski-condo market that means being on or near the slopes.  Also consider the extras (ie multiple bedrooms, hot tub, fireplace etc...).  According to Karpinski, the traveling public today wants more amenities like flat-screen TVs, hot tubs and big bathrooms.

The final big question is:  Who's going to be in charge of the rental process?  If your looking to do it through a property management service, it might be better to buy where there are managers on site with experience and history.  If you choose to do the renting yourself, you gain anywhere from 30 - 50% of what a property manager may charge.

Click here for more information (including useful links) about how to rent vacation properties from Ms. Karpinski or visit Homeaway.com.

Unexpected Wealth

The prospect of a new, expanded generation of unprepared heirs has spawned an entire industry of financial advisors and estate planners:

- Sudden Money Institute, who counsels those who stumbled abruptly into vast sums of money

- Family Wealth Alliance, which helps ultra-high-net-worth families find the right kinds of staffing;

- Relative Solutions, which helps heirs make sure their relationships don't destroy family-run businesses; and 

- Wealthbridge Partners for families whose net worths exceed $200 million

Rafting on the "Deliverance" River

Interested in whitewater rafting?  Although the Chattooga isn't the first river to have commercial rafting operations (see Green River, CO), it does have the aura of the ultimate rafting trip because of the influence of the movie "Deliverance."

Click here for more information about rafting down the Chattooga River, which starts in North Carolina and runs along the Georgia-South Carolina border.

See also the following New York Times article "Riding the Rapids on "Deliverance" River,"  which provides a background on how the 1972 Academy-award nominated film introduced millions of Americans to this stunning stretch of river. 

House-Hunting as Vacation

As the second-home market in Latin America has emerged, so has a cottage industry of tour operators eager to attract foreign buyers seeking vacation retreats and investment properties.  Part vacation, part real estate boot camp, the following agencies provide potential home buyers through the legal and financial particulars of overseas ownership:

- Tropical Pathways runs tours to Panama, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Honduras;

- International Living leads tours in Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua

- Simply San Miguel offers some 15 different vacation options for visitors to San Miguel de Allende in the Sierra Madres of Central Mexico, including a Real Estate Curios Tour

Topics addressed on the six-night trip - which costs $1,285 (double occupancy) with hotels, local transporatation and some meals - include health care and home insurance.  Tourgoers also meet architects and designers who can advise on how to comply with the local community's architectural guidelines.

IRAs: Do You Have to Invest in Stocks or Bonds Only?

No!  It may be surprising, but it's true: No law demands that retirement plans be invested in stocks, bonds or mutual funds.  In fact, the government allows investors to put the money in their I.R.A.'s and Roth I.R.A.'s into almost anything, be it condominiums or airplanes.  A growing number of Americans are doing just that, though so-called self-directed I.R.A.'s that steer clear of mainstream investments.

Most self-directed I.R.A.'s are invested in real estate.  Four of the largest custodians of self-directed I.R.A's are Fiserv, Sterling Trust, Equity Trust and Entrust.  Sterling Trust and Equity trust provide advice and processing checklist for those considering using their I.R.A. to hold debt-financed real estate, which is subject to a non-recourse promissory note.

Note:  The biggest risk of using a self-directed I.R.A. is breaking the law.  Generally speaking, I.R.A.'s cannot be used to invest in collectibles (stamps etc..) and life insurance.  And accountholders may not personally benefit from their investment in any way other than making legal withdrawals after the age of 59 1/2.  This means that you cannot live in a house you bought with your I.R.A., or put rental income anywhere but back into the I.R.A.  Finally, any transaction with a lineal family - like children, parents and grandparents - are prohibited.

Unified Court System E-Court Program for NY

The Unified Court System of New York has lunched a pilot E-Court program - WebCivil Local (www.nycourts.gov) - which allows internet access to the records of a limited number of courts.  So anyone who wants to check and see if any unquestionable lawsuits by credit card companies have been filed against you, I strongly suggest you click here.

Free Help for Starting a Business

More than 550,000 small businesses are launched each year. Unfortunately, a third of these start-ups fold withing two years. Rather than spend thousands for workshops to help improve your odds of success, you can get free advice from the following resources:

- The Small Business Administration, whose website provides information on how to market your business;

- Circle Lending: Circle lending handles services like electronic billing and payment processing on interpersonal loans fron family and friends, who most entrepreneurs turn to when looking for seed money; and

- Angel Capital Association: A professional association for angel investor groups, who are typically affluent people who fund early-stage start-ups in exchange for an equity stake.

5 Tips on Adversiting Basics

5 Tips on Advertising Basics

- Be consistent in your ad message and style including business cards, letterhead, envelopes, invoices, signs and banners.

- Newspapers, radio and TV stations are helpful in producing the advertising that you will be running with them.

- While word-of-mouth advertising has been around a long time, it usually falls short of being able to attract the number of customers needed to be successful in business.

- Promote benefits rather than features. A benefit is the emotional satisfaction your product or service provides, or a tangible performance characteristic.

- Know your competitors. Knowing everything about your competitors is just as important as knowing everything about your own business.

* From score.org, which is a network of more than 10,000 volunteers who mentor wannabe moguls in one-on one sessions.

NYT: A Little Guidance

Click here to read a New York Times article about the college admissions process, including the pros and cons of hiring a private counselor.

Top Ten Strengths and Experiences Colleges look for in High School Students

1. A rigorous high school curriculum that challenges the student and may include AP or IB classes.

2. Grades that represent strong effort and an upward trend. However, slightly lower grades in a rigorous program are preferred to all As in less challenging coursework.

3. Solid scores on standardized tests (SAT, ACT). These should be consistent with high school performance.

4. Passionate involvement in a few activities, demonstrating leadership and initiative. Depth, not breadth, of experience is most important.

5. Letters of recommendation from teachers and guidance counselor that give evidence of integrity, special skills, positive character traits, and an interest in learning.

6. Special talents or experiences that will contribute to an interesting and well-rounded student body.

7. A well-written essay that provides insight into the student’s unique personality, values and goals. The application essay should be thoughtful and highly personal. It should demonstrate careful and well-constructed writing.

8. Demonstrated enthusiasm, often exhibited by campus visits and an interview, showing an interest toward attending the college.

9. Out of school experiences, including work and community service that illustrate responsibility, dedication, and development of areas of interest.

10. Demonstrated intellectual curiosity through reading, school and leisure pursuits, and more.

This list is based on a 2006-2007 survey of Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) member consultants. For more information about IECA click here.

Looking for an Estate Planning Attorney?

"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."
-- Pablo Picasso

There is no reason why you should die without having planned your estate. Not only will it make life easier for those you'd leave behind, you will also save money by avaoiding costly litigation or estate tax. Covering the basics (i.e., Will, Trust and Health Care Proxy) shouldn't cost you more than $2,000.

The best way to find an attorney is to ask friends and colleagues for referrals. Otherwise click here.

For tips on didiving emotion-laden personal belongings check out the following website: Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate.

America's Search Engine for Best Rates

Looking where to park your cash, and make real money?  Visit Bankingmyway.com in order to find the country's best rates on CDs, Money Market accounts, Mortgages, and Auto Loans.  In addition to following bank and credit yields, Bankingmyway.com also will help you manage your money and find a bank/ credit union in your state.

If you are looking for a credit union, also try ncua.gov or creditunion.coop.

New to Blu-ray

Blu-ray is the term for the next generation DVDs.  Blu-ray is a high-density optical disc format for the storage of digital information, including high-definition video.  A single layer blu-ray disc can hold over 25 GB of data, which is six (6) times the storage capacity of current DVDs.  For those of you who already have a high definition television, and are willing to invest in an HDMI cable, the picture could never look better!

For more information click here or to order Blu-ray movies go to Amazon.com

FAQs about Blu-ray:  click here.

Day Care Council of New York, Inc.

The Day Care Council for New York (DDC) is a non-profit organization offering child care information and professional development to the general public in the five boroughs of New York since 1952.  The DDC can offer free child care referral information on:

- The location of a licensed Child Care Center;

- Infant/ Toddler Programs;

- Nanny Services and Nursery Schools;

- After School Programs; 

- Summer Camps; and

- Head Start Programs 

For more information contact The Day Care Council of NY at the following address:

12 West 21st Sreet, 3rd Floor

New York, NY 10010

(212) 206-7818

www.dccnyinc.org

2008 HSA Contributions

According to information listed on the Treasury Departments website, 2008 Maximum HSA Contribution limits are as follows:

-  $2900 for individual, $5,800 for families;

The Minimum HDHP Deductible is $1,100 for individuals and $5,800 for families.  There is also a Post age 55 "Catch-Up" limit of $900.  Individuals with a $1,100 HDHP can contribute up to $2,900 to their HSA in 2008.

For more information about Health savings Accounts, please click here.  

What Would Babe Ruth's Salary Be Worth Today?

According to the website www.measuringworth.com, "Determining the relative value of an amount of money in one year compared to another is more complicated than it seems at first." In fact, there is no single "correct" measure, and economic historians use one or more different indicators depending on the context of the question.

Click here for a calculator that will provide six indicators for making such comparisons in US dollars between any two years from 1790 to 2005. They are the CPI, the GDP Deflator, the Consumer Bundle, the unskilled wage rate, the GDP per capita, and the GDP.

Should I Prepay My Mortgage or Invest?

Paying off your mortgage early is always tempting, especially when the stock market is volatile.  Paying off your mortgage (like any other loan) is an investment, and your return is essentially the interest rate on the loan.  If you have 25 years left on a 30 year mortgage with a fixed rate of 6.2% and you deduct the interest payments on your taxes, you'll earn 4.5% by prepaying the loan assuming you're in the 28% tax bracket.  If you invest your spare cash in stocks instead, you'll have to pay a 15% tax rate on your long-term capital gains and dividends.  So to beat the 4.5% return you'd get from prepaying your mortgage, you'd have to earn just 5.3% a year on your stocks before taxes.  The odds of you doing that over the 25 years remaining term of your mortgage are excellent:  Historically a portfolio of 80% stocks and 20% bonds has returned 7.5% a year after taxes. 

Tools:  To see how much interest you'd save by prepaying your mortgage, use the payoff calculator at Dinkytown.net.  To run the numbers on how much money you could end up with by investing, use the savings calculator at CNNMoney.com

The Bottom Line:  Investing Wins!