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With more then 55 years in business, H&R Block is one of the most recognized tax preparation companies. Their do-it-yourself tax preparation with their online software, is one of the easiest ways to get your taxes done fast and accurately.

H&R Block online has a variety of support features and guarantees, making doing your taxes yourself worry free and simple.

Features of H&R Block Online Tax Prep Software:

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• free online support offered with each program
• one live tax advice session from an H&R Block tax professional included (fees apply for the Free, Basic and Deluxe products).
• help topics related to every tax situation
• simple language that you don’t need to be a tax professional to understand
• prompts to be sure you get every tax deduction for all of your life situations

H&R Block Guarantees:

Accurate calculations guarantee - If the H&R software makes a calculation error that cause you to to pay a penalty or interest to the IRS then H&R Block will reimburse you up to ,000 (see the site for specific details).

Maximum refund guarantee - If you find that another online tax prep. program provides you with a bigger return, or lower liability, then H&R Block will refund the fees you paid (of course you must have given the exact same data to the other tax preparation software).

Complimentary Worry-free Audit Support® – In the rare event of an audit, they do happen, you get free audit support from an H&R Block enrolled agent.  The agent will help you with all communication with the IRS or the State Department of Revenue; outline what to expect and how to prepare for your audit; and they can represent you before an IRS representative, if you wish.

onmouseover="window.status='http://www.hrblock.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;" href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/j4116cy63y5LOSRMRTNLNMROPONQ?sid=review" target="_blank"> /> class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" title="H&R Block At Home Online Tax Prep Software" src="http://www.awltovhc.com/dh108bosgmk58CB6BD7576B8987A" alt="Save 25% on H&R Block At Home Online Products" width="120" height="60" border="0" />You can visit href="http://freefrombroke.com/go/HRBlockAtHomeOnlineProducts/">www.hrblock.com for all of the details regarding the features and guarantees of the online tax preparation software.

Which Program to Choose?

H&R Block online offers four product packages, and you can choose the one that is right for you based on your tax situation.

These packages include:  Free Edition, Basic, Deluxe, and Premium.

FREE EDITION

The Free Edition is best for first time filers and those with basic tax returns.  This includes those filling form 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ.  This version still includes all of the features and guarantees of the paid versions, including live chat tax help and audit support.

It is free to prepare, print, and e-file.

(Learn more about the href="http://freefrombroke.com/go/HRBlockAtHomeOnlineFreeEdition/">Free Edition)

BASIC (.95)

This version includes everything from the Free Edition, but also offers the convenience of importing last year’s tax return data and an error check feature (this includes your W-2, 1099).

This edition is best for those with simple tax situations, but can also be used for homeowners and small business owners, such as those with direct sales or home based businesses.

(Learn more about the href="http://freefrombroke.com/go/HRBlockAtHomeOnlineBasic/">Basic Edition)

DELUXE (.95)

The Deluxe edition of H&R blocks tax software is designed for homeowners and investors.  This version includes everything from the previous two versions as well as a search for more deductions, information about stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, and helps with mortgage interest and charitable donations.

(Learn more about the href="http://freefrombroke.com/go/HRBlockAtHomeOnlineDeluxe/">Deluxe Edition)

PREMIUM (.95)

This version is for the most complicated tax situations.  The Premium edition is designed for self-employed persons (schedule C guidance included), those with rental income, and filers needing more tax guidance.  Included in this version is advanced tax calculators and tax law guidance, as well as everything supported in the earlier versions.

(Learn more about the href="http://freefrombroke.com/go/HRBlockAtHomeOnlinePremium/">Premium Version)

Not sure which version to choose?

You can do a side-by-side comparison of the features of each version.  Also, once you get started with one version, you will answer questions about yourself and your circumstances.  If the version you have chosen won’t work for you, a suggestion will be given for which version is better and the information you have already entered will be transferred to the other version.

Go through the preparation and see if you like the results.  If you’re satisfied with the results then go ahead and pay.

With the support of live tax professionals and years of experience, choosing to prepare your tax return with H&R Block At Home™ Online is a breeze.

Everyone want to earn legitimate income from internet or from multi level marketing concept, but unfortunately lots of frauds and scam companies keep cheating peoples with fraud schemes and money rotating scams. Well, money rotating (or so called, chain scheme or pyramid scheme) is not a new concept in india. The recent example of fraud online MLM scheme is speakasiaonline, it was performing so well that they started showing advertisements…

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Make Money Online » ,

Stock trading has come a long way in just over a generation and title="Visit TD Ameritrade." href="http://freefrombroke.com/go/TDAmeritrade/">TD Ameritrade has been a part of that history for more than forty years. It was only thirty years ago that stock trading was still done by calling a stock broker who called a specialist who took part in an auction process that would eventually result in you, the client, owning stock.  Although this still happens today, much of the stock trading now takes place using computer technology.

To see how computers have had a remarkable effect on the investment markets, in 1961 the New York Stock Exchange reached trading days of 4 million shares sold.  Today, because of new technology, over 4 billion shares are traded on some days.

Because of this new technology, much larger volumes of trades can now take place and more trades means more business for brokers.  That extra demand has given rise to a virtually endless supply of online brokers that made the stock market accessible to all consumers at a price they can afford.

In the following TD Ameritrade review, we’ll see what makes this broker tick and why they may be a good fit for your investing needs. id="more-9950">

Who They Are

onmouseover="window.status='http://www.tdameritrade.com';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;" href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/mn97lnwtnvADHGBGICACBKDEECF?sid=reviewbanner125x125" target="_blank"> /> class="alignright" style="border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-width: 0px;" src="http://www.tqlkg.com/qo68vvzntrCFJIDIKECEDMFGGEH" alt="tda_general_value_general_superiorityclaim_offer_t" width="125" height="125" border="0" />While many of these companies are still in their infancy, TD Ameritrade has been trading on behalf of investors since 1971. It began as a small investment banking firm in Omaha, Nebraska and grew in size through a series of mergers and acquisitions that has turned it in to a firm with more than 6 million customers.

As well as its size, its customer friendly reputation has been recognized by companies like Kiplingers who declared TD Ameritrade the #1 online broker in 2011.  In addition, Barrons named it the best options platform and gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars for its tools catering to long term investors.

What They Offer

TD Ameritrade, like most online brokers offers a full range of investment products including stocks, etfs, options, bonds, and other more sophisticated products. At .99 per equities trade, they aren’t as competitively priced as brokers like Scottrade but TD Ameritrade offers an array of research tools, such as its thinkorswim platform and QuoteScope™, make the higher price more palatable.  Their highly praised Trade Architect helps to identify and construct trades based on real time data and their free level II real time quotes are just a few of the notable resources available to investors.

You can trade stocks, ETF’s (over 100 commission-free ETF’s available), mutual funds, options, fixed income products, futures and Forex.  Many of their online trades are a flat-fee .99 rate and the account has no maintenance fees.

TD Ameritrade Pricing

Do you fly Southwest Airlines?  Do you want to earn free flights as well as hotel stays, gift cards and more including international flights?  Then read on for my onmouseover="window.status='Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;" href="http://links.ncsreporting.com/redirect.aspx?cr=106034&of=1879&af=128438&ac=100&uv=review" target="_blank">Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase review and see if the card is good for you.

Let’s look at some basics Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card:

• Limited Time! Earn Two Free Flights after your first purchase.
• Get 6,000 Points every year on your Card member Anniversary – that’s equal to 0 toward a Wanna Get Away® Fare
• Now you can redeem for International Travel, Hotels, Gift Cards and more.
• Earn unlimited Free Flights – 2 Points per Spent on Southwest Purchases and 1 Point per Spent on everything else
• Your Bags Fly Free! No Blackout Dates, Points Don’t Expire, and Unlimited Reward Seats!
• No Change fees – if you need to change your flight, you won’t be charged a fee.

id="more-8881"> /> The Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card is offering up a great limited time offer!  After your first purchase with the card you earn 50,000 bonus points.  That equates to over 0 in Wanna Get Away® Fares (their rewards program) which can get you 2 free round-trip fights.  So for a new member, you are potentially getting a bonus of 2 flights right off the bat.

This card is part of Southwest Airline’s rewards program, Rapid Rewards®, rather than calling their points “airline miles.”  You still redeem your points toward airline fares but you can also redeem the points for international travel to over 800 destination on 50+ airline carriers; hotel stays at over 70,000 hotels worldwide; car rentals from major rental companies; gift card to some of your favorite brands (like Amazon.com, iTunes, The Home Depot, and more); and vacation packages.

How do you earn Rapid Rewards points?

onmouseover="window.status='Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;" href="http://links.ncsreporting.com/redirect.aspx?cr=312211&of=1879&af=128438&ac=100&uv=reviewart" target="_blank"> class="alignright" style="border: 0pt none;" src="https://img1.ncsreporting.com/e64521a3-9ffe-47b2-939a-7fd1de6b2aae.jpg?128438&100" alt="Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase" width="142" height="89" border="0" />You earn 2 points for every spent on all Southwest Airlines purchases.  You’ll also earn 2 points on all Southwest Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental partner purchases.  You earn 1 point for every spent on all other purchases.

Anniversary Bonus – Every year, on your anniversary, you earn 6,000 bonus points.  That’s like 0 that can be redeemed for a Wanna Get Away fare.

Balance Transfer Bonus – You can earn 1 point for each in balance transfers you make for up to 15,000 points.  This has to be done within the first 90 days of opening your account. [Be aware there is a 3% balance transfer fee.

Tier Qualifying Points Bonus – The Rapid Rewards program has different tiers (the higher the tier the better your benefits).  ell, you can earn 1,500 tier qualifying points (to get you to the next tier up) for every ,000 in purchases you make.  You can potentially get up to 15,000 points this way (yes, that is a LOT of spending, but some people do it).

Other Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card Benefits

No Change Fees – If you’ve ever needed to change a flight for some reason you know how annoying it is to have to pay fees that end up being a large percentage of the ticket price.  With Southwest Airlines there are no change fees if you need to change your flight.

Bags Fly Free – Your 1st and 2nd bags fly free.  Compare this with many carriers that are charging fees for your first bag.

No Blackout Dates, Points Don’t Expire, and Unlimited Rewards Seats – If there’s a seat on a flight that’s open then you can use your points for it.  And the number of flights you can redeem is unlimited.

Summary

If you fly Southwest Airlines already, then having the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card gives you additional ways to earn Rapid Rewards points with your airline purchases and everyday purchases.  The fact that you can also redeem points for international flights as well as for hotels and car rentals makes this a nice title="The Best Airline Miles Credit Cards" href="http://freefrombroke.com/2011/03/the-best-airline-miles-credit-cards.html">airline miles or a title="The Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards" href="http://freefrombroke.com/2011/01/the-best-travel-rewards-credit-cards.html">travel rewards card.

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There are over 453 Hyatt properties around the world. If Hyatt is a hotel chain you enjoy, you need to consider enrolling in Hyatt’s rewards program, Hyatt Gold Passport, which offers the flexibility to earn either hotel points or airline mile points.

Hyatt Gold Passport rewards are accrued at 5 points per dollar spent.  Alternatively, Hyatt has partnered with 35 airlines; instead of points, you could earn 500 air miles with one of their airline partners per qualified Hyatt stay.  In addition, if you are an event planner, you can earn one point per dollar spent on events at Hyatt by joining their Hyatt Gold Passport Planner Rewards Program.

Signing up for Hyatt Gold Passport is quite simple; you are required to give basic information such as your name, address, and e-mail address.  Now through June 30, 2011, they are running a special promotion:  earn 10,000 bonus points after 5 qualified nights; earn 5,000 bonus points for every 2 night stay thereafter through June 30.

Levels of Membership

All members are automatically members of the Gold plan.  Additional night stays could qualify you for the Platinum or Diamond level.

-Gold membership is earned after you join Hyatt Gold Passport.  Earn 5 points per dollar spent, redeem points for free night stays with no blackout dates, and get 20% off Avis car rental or 15% off Sixt car rental.

-Platinum membership is earned after 5 stays or 15 eligible nights spent at qualifying hotels within one calendar year.  In addition to the gold membership perks mentioned above, also enjoy 15% bonus points for each dollar spent, expedited check in at a dedicated area for platinum members, in addition to other perks.

Platinum members receive special perks after the third qualified stay.  You can choose from bonus points, food and beverage amenities, room upgrades and more.  For instance, on night 3 and 6, you can choose from 1,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points, 1,500 bonus points for dining, food and beverage welcome amenity, or a complimentary beverage.  Rewards increase after every 3 qualified stays.

-Diamond membership is earned after 25 stays or 50 nights spent at qualifying hotels within one calendar year.  For each dollar spent, you earn 30% bonus points, receive a free breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres, receive a room upgrade four times annually with paid stays, and book reservations through an exclusive Diamond line, in addition to other perks.

Additional Ways to Earn Points

In addition to hotel stays, you can earn points a variety of other ways, including the following:

-Use the Hyatt Card and earn 3 points per dollar spent at qualifying hotels.  In addition, earn one point for every dollar spent elsewhere.  There is no limit on the points you can earn.  Earn two free nights the first time you use your card.  (There is a annual fee for this card.)

-Book a car rental through Avis or Sixt using your Hyatt Gold Passport account and earn 300 points.

-Earn 2,000 bonus points by staying at designated Hyatts abroad.  These special offers change every 3 months.

Ways to Redeem Points

-Free night stay. Hotels are ranked 1 through 6.  Category 1 hotels only require 5,000 points for a free night while category 6 hotels require 22,000 points.

-Airline miles and car rentals. You can convert your points to airline miles or car rentals (6,000 points for one day free rental)

-Donate your points to the Make-A-Wish Foundation (minimum of 5,000 points to donate)

-Upgrade your room.  Use 3,000 points to upgrade to Regency/Grand Club or 6,000 points to upgrade to a suite.

If your account is inactive for 12 months, your account may be automatically closed and all earned points will be forfeited.

As you can see, if you stay with Hyatt with any frequency then it’s worth it to join their Passport Hotel Rewards Program.

Are you a member of the Hyatt Gold Passport?  Would you recommend it?

Copyright © Free From Broke – A Personal Finance Blog Please visit for more great content!


Hyatt Gold Passport Hotel Rewards Program – A Review

Free From Broke

The Visa® Black Card is touted as the “world’s most prestigious and versatile credit card.” For years, American Express has had this market to itself with its wildly successful Platinum Card®. Visa® has entered the upscale luxury card market with its Black Card (the card is backed by Barclays Bank Delaware).  The Visa Black Card is trying to differentiate itself from other credit cards with its appearance and exclusivity.  The Visa Black Card is made completely out of carbon graphite and is only being made available to 1% of the United States population (no, you shouldn’t concern yourself with how a card looks but it is kind of neat that’s it’s carbon graphite – maybe it could come in handy in a MacGuyver situation?).  That’s a big distinction from most of the plastic credit cards on the market today.  Here are a list of the features and benefits that the Visa Black Card offers.

Visa Black Card Benefits

Concierge Services

One of the primary benefits of being a Visa Black Card customer is the 24 Hour Concierge Service, backed by their Black by Black Card™ Concierge Service.  Cardholders will get access to their own personal concierge via telephone or email.  Concierges are valuable in assisting with travel plans, hotel stays, recreational activities, dinner outings, business outings, and entertainment options.  A concierge is like having a personal assistant to handle all reservations and arrangements.

For those with a busy schedule, using the concierge service can be a huge time-saver, making your time more efficient.

Here are some examples of how their concierge service can help you:

- Entertainment planning. From information to referrals, to making the reservations or getting the tickets for you, you can contact your concierge and get things done.

- Business services. Check this out, they will assist you with foreign protocol if you are traveling overseas.  They can also help secure conference rooms, provide a message service, or help you procure equipment to get your business taken care of.

- Travel assistance. Get hotel information and have them make reservations for you.  Find out where everything from restaurants to ATM’s are in the city you are traveling to.  They can make flight reservations and help you with car rentals as well.  Find out where to go and what to see and get tickets to events as well.

- Gifts and specialty services. How many times have you forgotten to get a gift?  Or you are stuck scratching your head because you can’t find the perfect gift?  Or you want to get that impossible gift you don’t think you have a shot at?  Call up the concierge!

Exclusive Rewards Program

The Visa Black Card offers a rewards program that pays customers back for whenever the card is used.  Airline and travel miles can be redeemed for future airline tickets (any airline) and travel stays (no blackouts or restrictions).  You can earn a flight worth up to 00 with only 25,000 points.

The Visa Black Card has a 1% cash back option so that consumers will earn cash rewards for each point accumulated.  The card can be used in over 170 countries around the world.  There is also a gift program in which cardholders qualify for free gifts from a variety of luxury retailers – yeah, free gifts from top brands.

Annual Fee and Balance Transfers

A 5 annual fee is pretty hefty but it’s a lot lower than the ,500 annual fee that American Express charges for its own Black Card (The American Express Platinum Card’s annual fee is 0).  The American Express Black Card has a ,000 initiation fee just for joining.  The 5 annual fee gives VIP Access to over 600 airport lounges through Priority Pass™, the world’s largest independent airport VIP lounge program (if you travel a lot this can be a HUGE benefit).

The card comes with an introductory balance transfer APR of 0% that lasts for the first six billing cycles.

Consider also, that you get their concierge service with the annual fee.  Use the service enough and the annual fee may be a lot cheaper than a virtual, or real, assistant.

Protection Benefits

The Visa Black Card offers full liability protection against any fraud and unauthorized use.  Visa promises to replace, repair or reimburse for any purchase problems up to 0 per claim.  All Black Card holders receive 0,000 of travel accident insurance.  Cardholders receive free automobile rental damage coverage, lost luggage reimbursement, warranty registration, and extended protection.  Cardholder benefits include travel, emergency assistance, roadside dispatch, and trip delay insurance.

There’s also trip cancellation/cancellation insurance included where you can receive up to ,500 in the event of a qualifying trip cancellation or trip interruption.

Is the Visa Black Card all hype?

It really depends on how you use and your spending habits.  If you travel a lot for business, say, then I can see the hefty annual fee paying for itself with the VIP lounge access.  (This can make for an interesting travel rewards card).  If you are an executive or run your own business and you put the concierge service to good use then the Visa Black Card can save you time and money in research and planning.  There are a lot of great benefits  to this card that could easily outweigh the annual fee.

If you want the card just to say you qualify and want to look cool with a carbon card then I think it’s a waste. Credit should be used wisely.  If you aren’t going to truly use the benefits then you are better off finding a better credit card that suits your spending and needs.

Funny thing about timing — So while I’m writing this what do I receive in the mail?  Yup, an application for the Visa Black Card!  No, I’m not some kind of big-spending executive.  What I do have is a very good credit score, which I would guess is why I received an application.  If you are considering the Visa Black Card then make sure your credit is top-notch.

Still interested?  Check out more of the Visa® Black Card details and their application.

*As you always should, make sure you read through the card details to make sure this card fits your needs and you understand the terms and conditions. Be aware that terms may change after this article’s publication.

Copyright © Free From Broke – A Personal Finance Blog Please visit for more great content!


Visa® Black Card Review – A Carbon Card That’s Expensive But Full of Benefits

Free From Broke

I just finished reading Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuck. The full title of the book is actually Why NOW is the Time To Crush It! Cash In On Your Passion.  I kept hearing about this Gary Vaynerchuck guy all over the place and hearing about this book (Inc. listed it as one of the top books for business owners in 2009).  I would also hear people talk about how they “crush” this or that.  I figured if I can get a copy at the library then I’ll give it a read.  Glad I did.  Awesome read!

This book is a primer on how to build your own personal brand and why you have to. It’s a quick and inspiring read that is well worth you time, whether you aren’t happy with the work you are doing or you are looking for ways to really grow what you are about.

Who is this Gary Vaynerchuck?

Gary’s background comes from working at his father’s wine store.  He worked diligently to learn everything he could about the business and about wine from the ground up, eventually building up the company to million in annual sales.  That might make for a nice story right there but that’s just the beginning.

Gary V then built up the immensely popular Wine Library TV using his know-how, his passion, and today’s social media tools that are available such as Twitter, Facebook, and video blogging..  He then leveraged that success into VaynerMedia, with his brother, AJ, which led to book deals, keynote speeches, and consulting jobs.

Oh, his goal is to buy the NY Jets too.

What does this book say?

The main message throughout the book is to live your passion.  When you are doing something you love, it’s no longer work.  You don’t mind putting in the crazy hours to grow your business and you brand because it’s more than just a job – it’s part of who you are.

The book is parts inspirational, parts biographical, and parts how-to.  Gary really makes you think you can, and SHOULD, go out make your own brand, following your passion so you too can “crush it!”

According to Gary V, building up your brand is something every person should do these days, no matter what your current job.  Get started using social media and talk about that which you love, really love.  It can be accounting, law, comic books, or brushing cats – if it’s your passion then leverage what the internet has to offer and make a name for yourself.

About the internet.  He talks about how the internet has changed media for all time.  The traditional outlets — radio, TV, print — are fading away and are too difficult to get into anyway.  The internet is this child media that has unknown potential for growth and can make anyone an expert in their field.

At first I thought the book was going to be all inspiration, telling me to go out and do my best and everything will follow.  That all sounds good but without substance it doesn’t really do anything.

Fortunately he goes deeper than that.

Gary goes on about what drove him to build up his father’s company and then his brands.  He talks of the hard work and patience he put in to get where he is.  But he also shows you what you can do to get started yourself.

Besides passion and hard work, Gary show you the steps you should take to build your online presence.  He goes into finding the medium that works best for you and how important it is to create awesome content.  He also tells you steps to go out on the internet and build up a community.  I won’t go into details here (that’s what the book is for) but I can tell you it makes a lot of sense and I’ve already been doing some of what he talks about so I can see where he’s coming from and the power of what he is saying.

You must engage your readers, viewers, listeners with your story.  When your expertise is infused with your passion people will be interested.

Of course, the hardest part is figuring out that which is really your passion in life.  That he can’t tell you.  But once you figure it out then you can find a market out there that will listen to you.  And even if you guessed wrong you may just stumble onto what it is that makes you, you and follow that.

I have a few ideas already of things I want to do and incorporate, both with freefrombroke.com and outside.

Here are a few passages and quotes from Crush It! that got my attention:

“Live your passion.  What does that mean, anyway?  It means that when you get up for work every morning, every single morning, you are pumped because you get to talk about or work with or do the thing that interests you the most in the world.  You don’t live for vacations because you don’t need a break from what you’re doing — working, playing, and relaxing are one and the same.  You don’t even pay attention to how many hours you’re working because to you, it’s not really work.  You’re making money, but you’d do whatever it is you’re doing for free.”

“Are you living, or just earning a living?”  This was certainly me not that long ago.  I did my job well but it wasn’t my life.  I think that’s a major reason why I didn’t excel more — I just didn’t have the desire to keep doing what I was doing.  Thank goodness I was able to start Free From Broke and do something for myself!

“Your latest tweet and comment on Facebook and most recent blog post?  That’s your resumé now.”

“My feeling is that no matter how much you like your job, you should aim to leave it and grow you own brand and business or partner with someone to do so, because as long as you’re working for someone else you will never be living entirely true to yourself and your passion.”

“Anything insane has a price.  If you’re serious about building your personal brand, there will be no time for Wii.”  Man, how many hours upon hours of my life and potential were eaten up with video games and TV?  I can honestly say I SO prefer working on Free From Broke over sitting and watching TV.

Do I recommend Crush It!

Hell yes! Like I said, it’s a quick read but a powerful read.  The only thing holding you back from success is you.  I’m seeing this book’s words in play all over the internet.  Maybe not exactly like Gary lays it out, but there are so many out there that are living their passion and you can see it and that’s why they have the following they have (I’m talking about you Adam Baker and Jeff Rose – truly inspiring).

I’m thinking of buying a couple of copies of the book to give to friends and family who I KNOW it will help them build their businesses up (I got mine from the library but I might need to have one on hand at all times).

Ask yourself this – “Am I happy doing what I do?”  If the answer is remotely no then grab this book.

If you want to see more you can check out Crush It! on Amazon.

Have you read Crush It?  What do you think?

Copyright © Free From Broke – A Personal Finance Blog Please visit for more great content!


Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuck – Review

Free From Broke

When you travel, do you ever stay at a Hilton Hotel? If you find yourself staying at one of over 3,600 hotels that are part of Hilton on a regular basis then you need to know about the Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Visa Signature® Card.

With a Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Visa Signature® Card, you earn Hilton HHonors points for your spending that can be redeemed things such as free nights in the Hilton HHonors network (free nights can range from 7,000 points to 80,000 points depending on the hotel), Experience Rewards (Hilton’s special packages which offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences like flying a fighter jet), car rentals, or airline miles at participating airline partners.

What hotels are part of the program?

You may have stayed at a hotel that was part of the Hilton network and not even know it.  Here are the brands under the Hilton umbrella: Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts, ConradHotel and Resorts, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Doubletree Hotels, Embassy Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, Home2 Suites by Hilton, and Hilton Grand Vacations.

Now to the Hilton HHonors Points:

You can start off with a bonus 30,000 Hilton HHonors points after you spend 0 within 4 months of opening your account (that’s already enough for a free night at a participating hotel!).

Then you can earn 6 bonus points for every spent at participating Hilton hotels.

You get 3 bonus points for every dollar spent at supermarkets, drugstores, and gas stations.

Finally, you get 2 Hilton HHonors bonus points for every spent every place else.

Other bonuses with the Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Visa Signature® Card:

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*As you always should, make sure you read through the card details to make sure this card fits your needs and you understand the terms and conditions. Be aware that the terms may change after this article’s publication.

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Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Visa Signature® Card – Review

Free From Broke

I had the fortune to read Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. I first heard of the book by seeing an ad for it in Inc magazine.  In the ad was a recommendation by Seth Godin, whose blog I occasionally read (I don’t read it near enough).  I looked up the book on Amazon to see what the book was about and check out some reviews.  I was intrigued to say the least.

Who wrote Rework?

The authors are from the software company 37signals.  The book is pretty much their business guide to what has worked for them as a company and why it will work for you.

What’s Rework about?

I should go into what the book is.  It’s a business book.  But not one of those overly boring, technical business books that talks terms and concepts that are over your head.  Rework is an easy read that I think anyone who has a business, or is thinking about starting a business, would do well to read.  It’s full of easy-to-understand advice to get you on your way to running a successful business.

Why read Rework?

The advice given in the book makes sense.  Reading the book, I kept thinking to myself how simple the concepts where but also how powerful and “right” they sounded.  If you feel like the way you run your business is bloated and not working, this just might be the read for you.  If you have an idea for a company that you are afraid to start on, this might be a great read for you.  If you are looking for an efficient way to work, then check the book out.

In the book, Jason and David tell you what has worked for their software company.  They also give plenty of examples of other companies that have become successful.  They do this in a way that sets off light-bulb after light-bulb in your head.  I found myself highlighting and making lots of notes.

Here are some of the ideas I’ve highlighted and notes I took:

p.19 “These People scratched their own itch and exposed a huge market of people who needed exactly what they needed.  That’s how you should do it too.” – The point here is that a company can spend too much time worrying about the customer’s needs.  Figure out what YOU need and create that.  If the product is good, other’s will want it as well.  There are examples of people who created something to fits their own needs that later translated to the market in general such as Vic Firth the drum stick maker and Bill Bowerman of Nike.

p.20 “When you want something bad enough, you make the time-regardless of your other obligations.  The truth is most people just don’t want it bad enough.”

p.26 “Great companies start in garages all the time.  Yours can too.”  You don’t need a lot to start a company.  Don’t think you need a big office, lots of money, or huge corporate backing to get going with your ideas.  Start!

p.32 “Whenever you can, swap ‘Let’s think about it’ for Let’s decide on it.’  Commit to making decisions.  Don’t wait for the perfect solution.  Decide and move forward.” … “Decisions are progress.” … “You’re as likely to make a great call today as you are tomorrow.”  I tend to be one who gets stuck in analysis paralysis so the section spoke to me.

p. 36 “Use whatever you’ve got already or can afford cheaply.  Then go.  It’s not the gear that matters.  It’s playing what you’ve got as well as you can.  Your tone is in you fingers.”  Anyone who is a musician understands this.  Yet, I still get stuck sometimes thinking I need something else or something upgraded to get going.

p.37 “When you impose a deadline, you gain clarity. It’s the best way to get to that gut instinct that tells you, ‘We don’t need this.’”

p.41 “If you’re constantly staying late and working weekends, it’s not because there’s too much work to be done.  It’s because you’re not getting enough done at work.  And the reason is interruptions.”  Yup, that’s me.

P.91 “Inspiration is a magical thing, a productivity multiplier, a motivator.  But it won’t wait for you.  Inspiration is a now thing.  If it grabs you, grab it right back and put it to work.”

I have a bunch more notes and things I highlighted but I think you get the point. Either the book seems interesting to you by now or it doesn’t.

I found the book to be really inspiring and it made a lot of sense to me.  If you get a chance, find a copy somewhere and thumb through it.  See if what’s being said can help you.  I think you’ll be pleased reading it.

You can get Rework and check some reviews on Amazon.

Have you read Rework?  What did you think?

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Rework – Book Review

Free From Broke