If you, like most Americans, are fed up with the banking system, then social lending might be for you. I believe social lending is the way of the future for both borrowers and investors. And today, when bank savings rates are tiny, the stock market is up and down, and few banks are making loans to even well-qualified borrowers, there has never been a better time to look at social lending networks like LendingClub and Prosper. [...]

Today is April 1st. And that means you have 15 days left to file taxes if you haven’t already! It also means you still have until April 15th to make individual retirement account (IRA) contributions that can be counted, for tax purposes, as being made last year (2008). Why does that matter? [...]

I have written a lot recently about my strong belief in the concept of social lending—including my own experiences as a borrower with Prosper.

Now that my Prosper loan is almost paid off, I decided to get some experience on the other side of the social lending coin as a lender. Since Prosper is temporarily not accepting new accounts as it awaits SEC registration, I decided to open a lender account with another big player: Lending Club. For those considering doing the same, here’s a step-by-step look at what it takes to open a Lending Club lender account. [...]

You need to be contributing money to a Roth IRA! If don’t have a Roth IRA, aren’t sure, or simply don’t a clue as to what a Roth IRA is—please read on. [...]

Pertuity Direct is a new social lending site where consumers can lend and borrow money directly without the involvement of a traditional bank. In this Pertuity Direct review, I’ll take a look at some of the features and explain how Pertuity compares to other social (or peer-to-peer) lending networks like Lending Club and Prosper. [...]

There is already speculation that this past Monday will mark the bottom of the stock market in our current recession. What do I think? I don’t care. And, if you want to consider yourself a savvy investor, neither should you. In fact, when asked recently where he thinks the stock market will go over the next few years, investor demigod Warren Buffet retorted that he didn’t know, and that it doesn’t matter. [...]

Deciding what to do with your 401(k) retirement plan when you leave a job can be intimidating. Unless you have an extreme hardship and need to cash out your 401(k), it’s almost always best to rollover your old retirement plan into a rollover IRA. Once you understand why—and how—to rollover your old 401(k) into an IRA, the process is easy. [...]

I’m excited to announce a $100 giveaway from Lending Club, the peer-to-peer lending site, here at Money Under 30. One lucky winner will receive $100 deposited into their Lending Club lender account. Here’s how to enter…and win! [...]

Rivka asks: I’m 25 and switching jobs. My old company didn’t match 401(k) contributions, so I put 6% of my salary into a Roth IRA. My new company, however, matches 100% on the first 3% of my salary that I contribute to their 401(k) and 50% of the next 2%. Should I contribute 5% to my 401(k) and then a little more to the Roth IRA? Or should I just let me IRA sit for the time being and not contribute? What about a savings account? (I currently contribute $300 a month to a high yield savings account.) [...]

Did the stock market rattle your nerves in 2008? Although I’m a firm believer that last year’s record declines in stock prices means 2009 is a great time to beef up your stock investments and buy, buy, buy—I understand that some folks are looking for some alternative investments to round out their strategies. And diversification is always a good thing. Here are five alternative investment ideas to consider this year: [...]