Blog Posts by CBS MoneyWatch.com

By Amy Levin-Epstein for CBS MoneyWatch.com

Are you on LinkedIn? I admit, I put in a lot more facetime with Facebook. And my experts tell me I'm missing out on opportunities. "Recruiters are using LinkedIn heavily now. You need to be professional - and findable!" says career coach Kimberly Schneiderman, founder of Career City Services.

-- 9 Great Job Interview Tricks

-- Dream Jobs: 6-Figure Salaries You Can Actually Get

-- 5 Toughest Interview Questions

-- How to Answer 'How Much Do You Make?'

-- 7 Ways to Get Paid More Now

By Kathy Kristof for CBS MoneyWatch

Only about one third of Americans opted into overdraft protection plans over the past year. That's significantly less than the near 50% that banks had previously claimed -- and the only good news in this story.

-- Scam Alert? Rocket Scientist Loses Thousands

-- Never Pay an ATM Fee Again: 6 Tricks

-- Stop Getting Ripped Off on Refills

-- Dumbest Things You Do With Your Money

-- Rant: Why I Hate My Bank

By Sarah Lorge Butler for CBS MoneyWatch.com

Until now I've been naïve about the cost of youth sports. But my eyes were opened recently, first by a mom in Georgia whose 9-year-old son plays travel baseball. Then by a dad here in Pennsylvania, whose three daughters play club volleyball.

-- Ban the Birthday Party Goodie Bag

-- Is Your Dentist Ripping You Off?

-- 5 Things NOT to Tell Your Kids About Money

-- Save Big at the Supermarket: 9 Tricks

-- 9 Ways Your Money Is Making You Sick

By Farnoosh Torabi for CBS MoneyWatch.com

We all know someone (or is that person) who drives miles upon miles in search of better gas prices, wasting time and money to save - at best - a nickel per gallon. Our focus on saving money can be so narrow at times that it can actually end up costing us down the road.

-- Strange but True: 10 Weird Ways to Save Money

-- 6 Prices You Should ALWAYS Negotiate

-- Cheapest Days to Shop Online

-- Dumbest Things You Do With Your Money

-- Save Big at the Supermarket: 9 Tricks

In business, it's all about the Benjamins, right? Certainly, we're all aware that securing salary increases are essential to career progression, but many of us don't know how to make it happen. Whether you're negotiating a new job offer or re-negotiating your salary at a current job, my experts have great ideas about how to earn what you're worth - ASAP. Because no matter how much you love your job, you'll struggle to be satisfied if you're not being paid your market value.

-- 9 Great Job Interview Tricks

-- How to Answer 'How Much Do You Make?'

-- Dream Jobs: 6-Figure Salaries You Can Actually Get

-- What People Earn: Lessons for a Salary Stalker

-- 5 Office Etiquette Rules You Need to Know

Wait Until You're Wanted

Particularly after an interview, you need to know they want you before they'll fight for you (in the form of more money). "Employers don't like to go back and forth

by Kathy Kristof for CBS MoneyWatch.com

Do you drive a nice car in an urban area? Then you'd better watch out. Crooks may be looking to crash into you to cash in on your auto insurance.

-- 5 Reasons Debit Cards Are Dangerous

-- What NOT to Post on Facebook

-- 9 Ways Your Money Is Making You Sick

-- Traffic Pain: 10 Cities with the Worst Commutes

-- 10 Cities with the Most Drunk Driving

Staged auto accidents are big business, costing consumers and insurers billions of dollars annually, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

The goal is to rip-off an insurance company, not necessarily you. But by staging an accident that's seemingly your fault, the crooks put you on the hook for both your deductible and potentially higher insurance premiums - not to mention possible injuries from the accident.

The crook profits by suing your insurance company for both injuries and

by Stacey Bradford for CBS MoneyWatch.com

Sometimes I wonder why I don't take a more active role in managing my money. Now I know the answer: I hate my bank. Is it just me or would you also rather undergo a root canal than have to sit down with a "professional" at your financial institution?

-- Consumer Reports: Best New Credit Cards

-- 9 Ways Your Money Is Making You Sick

-- Is Your Dentist Ripping You Off?

-- 4 Toxic Spouses to Avoid

-- How Long Should That Dishwasher Last?

My clarity came to me as I was trying to open a SEP IRA before the deadline for tax year 2010. I walked into my local bank, which I'll call Incompetence Inc., and was put through a thorough interrogation on what I do for a living and what publications I work for - by not one but two employees. (Not that it's any of their business.)

So while I'm paying a babysitter $20 an hour to watch my kids, I discover that

by Farnoosh Torabi for CBS MoneyWatch.com

A couple weeks ago I received my insurance estimate for an upcoming dental procedure and nearly fainted. Met Life tells me they will cover 60% of the bill, but that still leaves me paying approximately $1,250 to get an implant - with a silver crown at that. (A porcelain crown - which my insurance doesn't cover - goes for an additional $945.)

-- 9 Ways Your Money Is Making You Sick

-- Too Frugal? 6 Dumb Money 'Saving' Mistakes

-- Never Pay an ATM Fee Again: 6 Tricks

-- Cheapest Days to Shop Online

-- 5 Things NOT to Buy at CVS

Naturally, I tried to haggle. Some might call that strange, but what did I have to lose? So, earlier this week I stopped by my dentist's office for a 10-minute consultation, insurance estimate in hand. I tried offering to pay upfront in cash; I suggested bypassing insurance and cutting a deal directly with the dental