H&R Block Bank is currently offering 2% APY on a 6 month (180 days) CD.  There is a $10,000 minimum deposit with no maximum.  This promotional offer is available from September 1, 2009 to September 30, 2009.

If you withdraw early the penalty is 30 days interest.  After the CD matures, you have a 10 day grace period to decide if the CD will be renewed.

For more information visit HRBlock.com/bank.

If you are looking for free anti virus software you may want to consider the six listed below. They include Avira AntiVir Personal, Alwil Avast Anti Virus Home Edition, AVG 8.5 Free, Microsoft Security Essentials, PC Tools Antivirus Free Edition and Comodo Internet Security. These free apps have been tested, rated, and reviewed by PC World.

Anti Virus Program	Site to Download	PC World Rating	Review at PC World
	Download	92 Superior	pcworld.com/63548
Avira AntiVir Personal
	Download	91 Superior	pcworld.com/63550
Alwil Avast Anti Virus Home Edition
	Download	86 Very Good	pcworld.com/63551
AVG 8.5 Free
	Download	86 Very Good	pcworld.com/63552
Microsoft Security Essentials
	Download	69 Fair	pcworld.com/63553
PC Tools Antivirus Free Edition
	Download	68 Fair	pcworld.com/63554
Comodo Internet Security

 

Keep in mind that free anti virus software don’t give you everything that paid anti virus software does. Most free apps offer little to no support if you run into problems. They may provide online forums or charge you for over the phone support. AVG offers paid telephone support for $50 which isn’t worth it. 

Also, free apps tend to have less frequent updates which in today’s world with new viruses popping up all the time this maybe a problem. Free apps also provide limited features. As an example, Avira’s paid anti virus will scan traffic before it’s downloaded to your computer, but it’s free version doesn’t. 

Some free applications also give you stuff you don’t want such as toolbars and will urge you to upgrade by purchasing the paid version. For many companies the free app are used to give you a test drive, but the goal is to have you upgrade eventually.

Some of the top rated selling anti-virus products are listed below:

Symantec	Kaspersky Lab
CA	Trend Micro

Currently, FreeVirusTrial.com is offering 30-60 days antivirus trials for Symantec (Norton Internet Security 2010), Trend Micro Internet Security 2010 and Avast Antivirus Professional Edition.

With all the debate lately about Healthcare Reform it seems many people are confused about the Public Option that President Obama is proposing.  Below is a video by Robert Reich that will hopefully clear things up.  Robert Reich was the U.S. 22nd Secretary of Labor and is a professor at the University of California at Berkeley.

Updated Post with Video of Senator Bernie Sanders on Healthcare

If you are in the market for a credit card, now you can search here on Money-Cake.com for credit cards based on credit card type, your credit rating and credit card brand. 

Additionally, you can sort credit cards based on Intro APR, Intro APR Period, Regular APR, Annual Fee and Credit Type. You can also “Mark as favorite” to save credit card offer for review later.

Below are the various search options:

If you have gift cards lying around valuing at least $25 that you don’t intend on using you maybe able to cash them in for up to 85% of the balance at PlasticJungle.com.  You may also be able to trade your gift cards.

On the flip side, if you want to save money at your favorite retailers and restaurants you can purchase discounted gift cards saving up to 40% at PlasticJungle.com.  

Signing up with PlasticJungle.com is free. If you are looking to sell a gift card,  you can review gift card redemption values with “Cash in Now” tool. This will list the redemption values to be paid by check, Amazon e-mail gift card or DonorsChoose.org Charity Gift Card.  (Note: DonorsChoose.org allows you to donate 100% of your card to a public school classroom of your choice.)

Redeemable amounts are based on which option you pick to get paid. For example, a $200 gift card from the Apple Store will pay $160 in cash, $168 for an Amazon.com Gift Card and $200 for DonorsChoose.org Charity Gift Card.

The site also has a tool called “Gift Guide” that helps you to pick the right gift card as gifts using gender, age and relationship to you.

For more information visit PlasticJungle.com.

Who do you think is better at money management, men or women?  According to Financial Finesse, a financial education company, in the first quarter of this year more than twice as many women as men called to a financial helpline regarding strategies to reduce debt.

Financial Finesse conducted a survey of over 3,000 responses to an online financial planning questionnaire and found the following:

From the data is does appear that men are better at money management.  However, from the survey maybe women are more open to reporting their flaws as opposed to men who hide their flaws.

What do you think?  Please leave your responses below.

This deal sounds too good to be true!  Darby Direct has a “36 Month Step Up CD” that pays an initial rate of 3.0% APY at account opening.  On 8/15/2010 the rate will adjust to 4.0% APY and on 8/15/2011 the rate adjust again to 5.0% APY.  Currently, the average 36 month CD only pays about 1.75% APY.

Kind in mind that there are substantial penalty for early withdrawal.  So be certain you won’t need the money for the next 3 years.   This is a high-yield savings account that you manage online. There are no monthly fees, no minimum balances, and you can access your money anytime. You can link your account to any other accounts to send money back and forth.

Unfortunately, this offer is only available to residents of the state of Georgia.

If you never heard of Darby Direct, they are the online division of 80-year-old Darby Bank and Trust Co., which has nine branches in southern Georgia.

For more information visit Darby-Direct.com.