Hundreds of Americans received more than their fair share of government stimulus checks. According to a report by Newsday, about 1,500 tax rebate checks issued by the IRS were directly deposited into the bank accounts of people who already received their payments or others who were not supposed to receive the money. One-hundred and thirty million people are expected to receive rebate checks between early May and July. Some of those checks will be directly deposited, others mailed.

According to a source cited by Newsday, a Long Island man discovered $1,800 in his account. Newsday says the man checked with his bank and was told the money was supposed to have gone to a person with a different social security number. IRS spokesman Kevin McKeon admitted that there had been some payments deposited into wrong accounts, but it was merely a small percentage compared to the total number of checks already issued.

What do you do if you receive too much, or don’t get your money at all? Report it to your bank and to the IRS. You can find out how to contact your local IRS office here.

Now is a good time to get into the real estate market. Interest rates are very reasonable – even compared to the last several years. Home prices are down thanks to a shift from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market. There are just a couple of DON’Ts that you need to remember before you buy your first home.

DON’T be swayed by the way the house is staged. Always try to picture it completely empty. Very few houses include the furniture and accessories so you have to look beyond that. Walk through the house and try to picture you and your family living in it every day.

DON’T let emotions decide where, when and how you must buy. Walk away from the house for a couple of days. Look at some other comparable houses (in the neighborhood or in the price range). See what else is available to you for your money and get away from the emotions of the purchase. Keep in mind that houses are staying on the market longer so you have more time to make your choice.

DON’T use the computer to make this vital decision. Although the new online walk-thru’s that are available over the internet can be great for a first viewing, that should not be your only viewing. If you have to travel a long distance to look at houses then have your agent set up several viewings and go to the location to see them. There is nothing as valuable as walking through the house yourself.

DON’T buy a home that hasn’t been inspected – no matter how nice the owners are or the real estate agents have been. It is always worth the investment of having a professional inspect your house. They could save you thousands of dollars or keep you from making a monumental mistake.

There are so many things you need to consider before you leap into the real estate market. These few tips will help you begin your transition to home owner with the least possible problems.

Health Insurance can be a thorn in many people’s sides. The cost of the premiums seems to stay on the rise as the service continues to fall. One of the best ways to avoid the system is to get out of it. Health Savings Accounts let you get your medical treatment on your own terms.

At the very basic, a HSA is a tax deferred, interest baring account that is used to pay current and future medical expenses. Investors are allowed to contribute a limited amount of funds each year, but have the choice of using those funds or allowing the funds to grow from year to year for future use. Access of the money is similar to IRA’s (when used for any purpose than medical expenses).

Although starting a Health Savings Account will require that a catastrophic health insurance policy be purchased, the premiums on these are much lower than traditional health insurance. This means that you can have your cake and eat it to. You can have the comfort of health coverage if you need it but still have the money if you don’t. That’s something traditional health insurance just can’t do.

Health Savings Accounts are not for everyone. You will need to work with a certified HSA trustee (bank, insurance company or other government approved company) to determine the best path for your medical needs.

Appliances eat up a lot of your household’s energy- especially refrigerators. There are several things you can do to make sure your fridge is running efficiently and not using up more energy than it needs.

1. Give your fridge some breathing room. One of the easiest things you can do to increase efficiency is make sure there are a few inches between the wall and the refrigerator. This will keep air circulating around the condensing coils.

2. Keep the coils clean. Dust, dirt and pet hair can clog the coils and prevent them from working efficiently. To clean them, simply remove or flip up the grill. Use your vacuum cleaner’s brush attachment to gently remove any debris. Check your owner’s manual for details. If you have lots of pets you may want to do this step more often.

3. Check the temperature. If your fridge is too cold, you could be wasting energy. The recommended temperature is between 37 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer should be set to about 5 degrees.

All the ads promise the best features, the best services and the best prices around. But which one is best for you? The best cell phone can change from month to month and year to year depending on your particular needs. Shop wise today so that you can keep from getting robbed tomorrow.

DO NOT get your phone for free. There is really no such thing as a free phone. The company gets you to lock in to a service for around two years guaranteeing that they will get your money for that amount of time (more than making up for the cost of a phone that was probably outdated when they gave it to you).

DO NOT splurge on all the bells and whistles. No matter what business you are in, you do not NEED text messaging, image send capabilities or most of the “great features” that are available with cell phone service. Use your laptop for these instead. You can usually find a place to get free WiFi access instead of paying for the privilege.

DO read all of the fine print. Most of the companies require a one year agreement in the beginning. If you try to leave before that year is up then you will have to pay a cancellation fee (that will likely cost more than paying out the final months of service). However, once you have passed your initial plan period then you will probably be on a month to month service plan and free to change your service at any time free of penalties. You will only know what you can do and when you can do it if you read all the paperwork before you sign on the dotted line.

Know what you are getting into before you get into it and you will be able to avoid penalties, cancellation fees and overage costs.

Finding money around the home is always a treat. When you can find hundreds or thousands of dollars it is time for a celebration. Everyone has hidden money in their home, the key is to find it and make use of it.

1. Thin out your closets. As the kids outgrow cloths that can’t be passed down to siblings or as your own closet fills to overflow it is time to release the extras. Pass them on to a charity for the tax write-off or take them to a consignment shop for some cash in hand.

2. Take it to the recycle center. That old lawnmower that hasn’t worked since you first moved into the house or that pile of aluminum cans is money just waiting to be cashed in. Call ahead to see what variety of items they take and you can get off your hands and out of your way.

3. Let go of the clutter. Get rid of things that you don’t love or use (even if your great aunt gave it to you on her death bed). There may be someone out there that has dreamed all her of life of owning that particular item. Take your unwanted items to an auction and let them find loving homes where they will truly be appreciated.

Finding money around your home is as simple as letting go of things that are just cluttering up your life. As you simplify you will find that your bank account gets fuller along the way.

Gas prices are jumping. Airline ticket prices are soaring. But don’t let your dreams of a summer vacation fly away. Good deals and summer bargains are everywhere. Here are a couple of ways to save on your summer vacation.

1. Do you have a Bank of America credit card or debit card? If you do, you’ll get in FREE at over 70 museums around the country. It’s happening the first weekend of every month for the next year. For example, you can get in free at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, a ticket that would normally set you back $20. Check out this website for a list of all the participating museums.

2. Look for gas rebates. Some vacation getaways eager for your business are offering gas rebates. At BnBFinder.com many bed and breakfasts are offering to deduct the cost of a tank of gas from the price of your room. On this site you can also find a long list of “one-tank trips.” Just click on the city you live in and they’ll give you a list of Bed and Breakfasts you can get to on a tank of gas.

3. Set your alarm early. Leaving on the first flight out of town or hitting the road before the sun is out is a great way to save some money. You’ll avoid spending an extra night in a hotel and according to AAA, that’s no small amount of cash. According to a recent AAA survey the average cost for lodging in North America is $164 per night for double occupancy. Plus you may be able to find a better deal on that early morning flight.

Saving money is great, but getting something for free is even better. If you like free stuff as much as I do, this Thursday May 15 is your day. Start your morning with a trip to McDonald’s. With the purchase of a medium or large drink participating McDonald’s restaurants will offer a free Southern-Style Chicken Biscuit. You can even head back there for lunch or dinner. Afternoon and evening customers will get a free Southern-Style Chicken Sandwich with the same drink purchase.

Rather than drop a few bucks on coffee, head to Dunkin Donuts. They’re handing out free 16 ounce iced coffees between 10am and 10pm on May 15. Doesn’t free stuff just taste better?

Why wait to enjoy your retirement. Retirement is all about leaving the traditional workforce and choosing a path that is designed by you and for you. With the right planning and the right mindset you can retire now and start enjoying the life you have been planning towards.

1. Talk your desires over with the people involved in your life.
2. Get on a budget and stay on it consistently.
3. Pay off your debts (including your mortgage).
4. Cut back on unnecessary spending.
5. Build up your emergency savings (3 to 6 months of payments).
6. Establish a health savings account.
7. Make a plan for what you will do with the time that you have.
8. Discover ways to make money with the things that you want to do.
9. Take the leap and begin enjoying the life you’ve always wanted.

Choosing a life of retirement does not have to mean that you give up on making an income. The best retirement is one that takes you out of the “normal grind” and establishes you in your dream position. By looking over your life, your finances and your abilities you may be surprised to find that retirement is just a day away.

Credit Card Companies are not evil ogres hiding under the bridge to your future waiting to claim your first born. For many people feel that way because of the web of debt they managed to fall into along the path. The truth is that most of the problems centered around credit cards stems directly from the lack of consumer knowledge.

This is truly a “consume now” society. Most people gauge their financial success on how high the credit line runs. A really successful person is able to borrow $50,000 for a new boat without any hassles. Credit cards have merely latched on to that mentality and exploited it the great benefit of their stockholders.

Most people get into credit card trouble because of the things they DON’T do.

They don’t read the contract for the credit line (including how the interest rate works) before they sign the papers.

They don’t read their bills when they come in (the payment date CAN change and you should always examine your bills for changes or discrepancies).

They don’t pay off the credit card each month.

They don’t pay the credit card bill on time.

They don’t use the card wisely (using it as an ATM card, buying things they can’t afford, or just building up a HUGE balance that they can’t pay off).

There are credit card companies that are taking advantage of people to make a buck for the company. The majority of problems are likely caused by the lack of understanding on the part of the consumers. The two groups need to get together to help make the credit card situation easier to understand and easier on the bank account.