401k

The 404 1,195: Where what the ETF? (podcast)

Listeners of The 404 Show have plenty of financial questions, so we look to our resident expert Jill Schlesinger from "CBS MoneyWatch" to make sense of it all. From ETFs to IRAs and everything in between, Jill and Jeff navigate the choppy waters of personal finance. They'll also talk about Apple in great detail, and whether the company's sinking stock price is a sign of things to come.

Jill hits up The 404 Show every three weeks, so if you've got a question you want answered on the show, be sure to send a tweet or e-mail us! … Read more

The 404 677: Where Aunt Jill teaches us a lesson (podcast)

Jeff's out sick today, so Aunt Jill drops by with a valuable life lesson about privacy and the importance of being kind--that's right, we're actually taking a serious look at Internet privacy today, starting with the Webcam tragedy at Rutgers.

We also discuss Paypal's new iPhone app that lets you deposit checks using the onboard camera, and Jill also answers more of your burning financial questions about the value of Timeshare, establishing good credit after school, and the importance of investing in a 401(k)--listen up!

PayPal's new iPhone app lets people deposit checks just by signing the back and taking a picture of the check using the camera on the phone.

Mobile check depositing isn't new, and chances are you've already seen Chase commercials advertising its similar functionality, but we understand if you're still hesitant to handle finances using your phone.

On the other hand, mobile apps are actually safer than using the desktop version with a scanner and an e-mail address, since cell phones aren't as prone to vicious malware that try to poach your information, and mobile banking still asks for the same precautionary information as a walk-up ATM machine; stuff like PIN number, bank account info, and more.

Don't take our word for it though, the PayPal app for the iPhone will be available in the next few days, so try it for yourself and let us know what you think!

Speaking of online privacy, the next story is about Tyler Clementi, the young Rutgers student who jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate secretly videotaped him "making out with a dude" online. His roommate, 18 year-old Rutgers freshman Dharun Ravi and classmate Molly Wei, were both charged with invasion of privacy for their role in the online distribution of the film and face up to five years in jail. Be sure to tune into this segment for an important lesson from Aunt Jill. The lesson is short: don't be a jerk.

Episode 677 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 Podcast 530: Where we do a cost benefit analysis of Wilson's bagel

Aunt Jill Schlesinger joins the show today to talk about the value of bagels. That's right, for the last two days, Wilson has started the show by munching down on his new brunch fave: an onion bagel with lox and vegetable cream cheese. She makes her recommendations for the best bagels in town, and you might be surprised to find out that she's in love with a bagel made by a Vietnamese guy. In the meanwhile, she tells Justin that given his meager investments of 16 cents in his IRA, he should just file the 1040EZ.

When we finally get into some questions, Jill spreads her financial love. First up was a question about whether you should pay down student loan debt first or shove cash under your pillow. Aunt Jill says the equation is simple. First, have about 6 to 12 months of living expenses saved up. Second, pay down your debt if the interest rate is higher on the debt than your savings, which more than likely is the case now.

Next, we had a question about whether to throw your money into a 401(k) account. One listener doesn't trust the market, but given his age, Jill says he should man up and put his money into the market. He has 40 years of work left and during that time the market is going to go up. There will be some downs, she says; however, she believes there will be more ups than downs. Jeff thinks at the rate Social Security is going, though, that he might have another 70 years left of working.

We got a lot more questions answered on this surprisingly educational episode of The 404. Just to keep it in the tech world, we asked Jill if there were any technology-related investments we should make. Jill points out that this is the ultimate "put all your eggs in one basket" for people who work in tech! Spread the risk! Wilson thinks that he should take all his money out of APPL right now.

As usual, we love having Jill on the show. If you have any more questions for her, be sure to add her on the Twitter at @jillonmoney. In the meantime, add The 404 at @the404, or the rest of the guys at @rhapsodyartist, @jeffbakalar, and @malusbrutus. Plus, you can check out her daily ramblings at CBS MoneyWatch. Call in and leave your Jill love at 1-866-404-CNET (2638). Tomorrow, we have the lovely Alison Rosen on the show to talk all manners inappropriate.