Monsters & Money In The Morning

Terry's Tips

Terry Savage has tips to help you make money, save money and be more savvy with your cash. Also, read Terry's columns and ask her questions at terrysavage.com

 It's not just homeowners who face foreclosure woes. Sometimes, renters get a big surprise when they learn their apartment building is in foreclosure, as has happened to more than 6,500 Chicago area buildings, with 21,000 rental units. But renters do have some protections, among them a requirement of 90 days notice about a foreclosure eviction.
To learn more, click here for the Metropolitan Tenants Organization

 Terry says savings bonds aren't such a good deal now. But if you have older bonds, you do want to keep them, as long as they're still paying interest.
To find out more about savings bonds, and what your old bonds are worth today -- go to www.treasurydirect.gov.

 Are you retiring and trying to figure out whether to take a lump sum payment? Go to www.immediateannuities.com and put in your ages and the lump sum amount, and see what various companies would offer on an annual basis if you just rolled the lump over to one of them.

Check Your Credit Report For Free: AnnualCreditReport.com. The site has links to the three major credit bureaus – TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.
 You can also check your credit score at MyFICO.com for $15.95. Scores run from 300 to 850, and a good score is over 760.

 ChooseToSave.org: find out how much money you should be saving for when it comes time to retire.

Do you have the right credit card?
 Find Out At LowCards.com

 Consumer Credit Counseling Services: (800) 388-2227.

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Links & Information

08/27/10: We talked a great deal on "Monsters & Money" about the housing crisis and how it's affecting Chicago. This morning, we talked with an expert, Ed Jacob, executive director of the Neighborhood Housing Services.
 For more on Neighborhood Housing Services, click here.

08/26/10: Were you following the Blackhawks' every march to the Stanley Cup? Chances are you got some help from Vibes Media when you got your updates on your mobile device. Vibes' Jack Philbin joined us again to talk about his company.
 For more about Vibes Media, click here.

It's the 90th anniverary of women getting the right to vote, and our next guest has made great strides in helping women in the workplace. Hedy Ratner is the co-founder and co-president of Women's Business Development Center, which for the past 25 years has helped women create, start and grow their own businesses.
 The Women's Business Development Center Conference is on Sept. 22 at McCormick Place. For more, click here.

Ra Sushi is among the restaurants that will be represented at the Taste of the Gold Coast. General manager Zach Huesgen joined us this morning with some samples.
The Taste of the Gold Coast is set for 6 to 9 p.m. tonight (Thursday, Aug. 26) at the Sutton Place Hotel, 21 E. Bellevue Pl. Proceeds from the silent auction and the $60 registration fee will benefit the North Dearborn Association.
 For more on Ra Sushi, click here.

And Billy Dec was one of our guest hosts this morning. When he's not out on African safaris and other adventures, Dec is a renowned Chicago restauranteur, whom you might know for his Rockit Bar & Grill.
 For more, click here.

08/25/10: In Tech Corner this morning, we took a look at how the number of trucks and freight trains can predict the economic forecast. Joining us was Doug Waggoner, CEO of Echo Global Logistics.
 For more about Echo Global Logistics, click here.

You might remember when the show first started, Terry had a ghost-picker for her NCAA bracket named "Spuddy." Today, Spuddy's true identity was revealed. He's Spence Siegel, who undertook a special cross-country mission with his father Jeff.
A decade ago when Spence was only 7, Jeff brought him on a spur-of-the-moment vacation that took them all across the southwest tier of NBA arenas. Soon afterward, Jeff decided he and Spence would visit every NBA arena and every Major League Baseball Park in the country. And they grew closer than ever.
 To learn more about Jeff and Spence Siegel's road trips, click here for My RelationTrips.

Rich Wierenga has been a franchise over for more than four years for Lindy's Chili and Gertie's Ice Cream, and he even owns the original restaurant at Archer and Western. He joined us this morning to talk about the trends and occasional dips in the ice cream business.
The original location for Lindy's/Gertie's is at 3685 S. Archer Ave.
 For more information, click here.

Get ready for an evening with the stars on Sept. 25 – specifically former Bears greats Gale Sayers, Dick Butkus and Franco Harris. And the host is our good friend Dan Jiggetts.
The event benefits an after-school program Sayers founded with his wife, the Gale Sayers Center. The event will be held at the House of the White Eagle, at 6839 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Niles. Tickets are $150.
 For more information, click here.

08/20/10: Our guest hosts this morning were college basketball expert Jerry Palm, Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, and former White House Director of Events and author Laura Schwartz. Click the links for their Web sites. Also, check out the Baseball Prospectus postseason odds page.

Do your winter clothes just take up space in the closet during the summer? Are your business records taking up space where you could put a desk? Storage by the Box can help. The firm will pick up and store boxes of materials you want to store, and you can manage them from home. Storage by the Box's Phil Murphy joined us this morning to talk about the firm.
 For more about Storage by the Box, click here.

It's been a tough year for the Chicago Police and Fire departments; they've both lost several members in the line of duty. That makes this weekend's charity baseball game more important than ever.
Police Sgt. Eric Diaz, captain of "the Finest" baseball team, and firefighter Tony Budvaitis, captain of "The Bravest," joined us this morning to talk about the game.
The game is tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 21), at U.S. Cellular Field. For tickets, go to their Web site by clicking here.

08/19/10: From the Illinois State Lottery to the White House, and now back to Chicago, Deisree Rogers is now the new chief executive officer of Johnson Publishing. She joined us this morning to talk about her new post.
 More About Johnson Publishing
And speaking of Johnson Publishing, the wardrobe of Ebony founder and fashion icon Eunice Johnson will be auctioned off next month. Leslie Hidman Auctioneers will conduct the sale on Sept. 16 at 1338 W. Lake St. They will have a tag sale in advance from Sept. 11 to Sept. 15.

We were also joined all morning long by Maya Gavin, the recent winner of a contest on WSCR-670 AM The Score sports radio, where she will soon be hosting her own morning show. After a discussion you might have seen about changes and updates in Facebook, here, as promised, is Gavin's Facebook page.

08/04/10: We often hear that banks are sitting on their money and not lending, but here's one that is. The Green Choice Bank is focused on sustainability and lending to small businesses. Co-founder Steve Sherman joined us to explain.
 For More On Green Choice Bank, Click Here

08/03/10: With all the problems in the housing market, who would go into the home-building business right now? Karen and Brian Brunhofer have done just that. They're the founders of Meritus Homes.
 For more on Meritus Home Builders, click here.

08/02/10: It has been a busy weekend for the Cubs and White Sox, who spent the weekend wheeling and dealing. Joining us by phone with analysis was Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.
 Click Here For Baseball Prospectus

Bears training camp is well underway, and analyst John Crist joined us with his first Daily Bear Report
 Click here for Crist's Bear Report

Venus Williams has won three Olympic Gold Medals and 21 grand slam titles. She joined us by satellite to talk about her new book, and the upcoming U.S. Open.
 Tide is doing a promotion with Venus Williams, in which you can design a fresh look for her. For more, click here.

07/30/10: A new superstore is coming to Chicago, and that means jobs, jobs and more jobs. Joining us to talk about it was Chris Straele, one of the heads of the Forman Mills factory superstore, which is opening in south suburban Lansing.
 Click here for more about Forman Mills

Vibes.com is taking mobile marketing to a whole new level. Joining us to talk about their company and strategy were founders Jack Philbin and Drew Green.
 Click here for Vibes.com

And the Major League Baseball trade deadline is this weekend. For a look at all the deals, we were joined by Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.
 Click here for Baseball Prospectus

07/29/10: Rise' N Roll Bakery, an Amish-operated company, has taken Chicago by storm. General Manager Tom Hart joined us this morning to discuss the uniqueness of their business.
 Rise 'N Roll Bakery has locations at 42 S. Clark St. and 233 N. Michigan Ave. To learn more, click here.

Former Phildelphia Eagle and Chicago area native Cecil Martin is now with the National Collegiate Scouting Association. He joined the Monsters this morning to talk about his efforts to motivate young athletes.
 For more on the NCSA, click here.

07/28/10: This morning, we were talking about loan modifications, and how they work. Joining us was attorney Dennis Bordyn, who discussed the programs designed to help keep families in their homes.
Do you have questions for Dennis Bordyn about foreclosure, home loans or loan modifcations? You can reach him at dbordyn@aol.com.

Starfruit Café brings a healthy option to the world of frozen treats, in the form of kefir, a dairy product that has been around for some 2,000 years. Vice president Todd West joined us this morning to talk about the company's success, and how they've managed to stay afloat in today's tough economy.
 For more about Starfruit Café, click here.

07/26/10: The originators of the cupcake craze that has swept America are opening a location right in Chicago's backyard. Candace Nelson is the owner of the gourmet cupcake shop Sprinkles and she joins us now.
 Sprinkles' Chicago location is at 50 E. Walton St. For more information, click here.

07/23/10: Mortgage specialists are working some heavy overtime these days. Right now, a 30-year fixed mortgage is at 4.56 percent, a rate on an order that hasn't been seen in nearly 40 years.
But refinancing isn't as easy as you think. Joining us for some advice this morning was Mary Glavin of Wintrust Mortgage.
 For more about Mary Glavin, click here.

For Tech Corner this morning, we learned about mPayy, a service that allows you to secure electronic payments directly from your checking account to pay your bills, send money to others, or shop – all from your cell phone. Founder Conrad Sheehan was with us this morning.
 For more on mPayy, click here.

White Sox alum Michael Huff is now vice presdient of the Chicago Bulls/White Sox Training Academy helps kids all over the city learn the fundamentals of sports. He joined us to talk about it.
 For More On The Bulls/Sox Training Academy, click here.

07/22/10: Last year, extreme sports made over $100 million. Dave Mirra is recognized as one of the premier athletes in the sport of extreme BMX, and he joined us to talk about it - and a BMX competition coming to Soldier Field.
Mirra will be among the competitors in the Dew Tour's Dew Tour's Nike 6.0 BMX Open, this coming Friday and Saturday (July 23 and 24) in the South Festival Lot at Soldier Field. 
 For more information click here.

Cubs starter Randy Wells joined the Monsters to talk about the rather disappointing 2010 season, and the search for a new manager upon the announcement that Lou Piniella is retiring.
Wells and his teammate Ryan Theriot are taking part in a special event early next month to benefit Children's Memorial Hospital. The Red Dirt Fest at Joe's Bar, 940 W. Weed St., features live country music, and silent auctions of sports memorabilia and experiences. It will be held Aug. 4.
 To learn more, click here.

07/21/10: The stock market is a roller coaster with the new financial reform bill, and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's upcoming address on Capitol Hill. What can we expect on Wall Street. Scott Sheridan of Think Or Swim has analysis.
 Click here for ThinkOrSwim.com

Bears training camp opens in just a week. Bear Report Magazine publisher John Crist joins us with a look at what to expect.
 More About Bear Report Magazine

07/20/10: Small businesses are always the biggest job generators. Blue Buddha Boutique is one company that's succeeding, with online jewelry sales in 30 countries. Founder Rebecca Mojica joined us to talk about it.
 More About Blue Buddha Boutique

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is July 31. Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus joins us to talk about what may happen in Chicago.
 More About Baseball Prospectus

07/19/10: Will the market rebound this morning? Talk of low earnings reports have Wall Street nervous. Keith McCullough, CEO of Hedgeye Risk Management, joined us with analysis.
 More About Hedgeye Risk Management

Tiger Woods fell short to Louis Oosthuizen in the British Open over the weekend. Here to discuss the tourney was Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.
 Fred Mitchell's also has an award for outstanding placekicker. Click here for more.

07/16/10: Drank is everything Red Bull isn't. It's one of those beverages to buy when you don't want "wings." Drank is a grape relaxation drink, made with melatonin, rose hips and valerian root. Creator Peter Bianchi joined us this morning to talk about it.
 More About Drank

We were also joined this morning by Leena Rao of TechCrunch.com for a chat about the problems plaguing the iPhone 4.
 Click here to visit TechCrunch.

And Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El was a prep star at Thornton Township High School in the southern suburbs. He is back in town for a football camp at his alma mater, which he joined us to talk about.
 For more information, click here.

07/14/10: The All-Star Game is over, 15-time All-Star Tony Gwynn joined us this morning for a breakdown. Gwynn is also leading up the Pepsi Refresh Project, in which members of each Major League Baseball team have created an idea for improving their community that will be put up to a vote by fans. Jenny McCarthy is also participating.
 The Pepsi Refresh Project is on through Aug. 17. To vote for a project and learn more, click here.

07/13/10: Managing college costs can be a burden for even the sharpest parents, but one of our guests this morning has made it his business to help educate parents with how to manage those costs. Student counselor Frank Palmasani joined us to talk about managing costs and student loans.
 For more information, click here for ManagingCollegeCosts.com.

John Rogers Jr. is the founder, chairman and CEO of Ariel Investments. He joined us this morning with some advice on investing in this volatile market.
 For more on Ariel Investments, click here.

07/12/10: Keith McCullough, founder and CEO of Hedgeye Risk Management, joined us again this morning, this time to talk about the best week for stocks in a year last week. For more on Hedgeye, click here.

Former Major League Baseball great Andy Van Slyke wrote a book predicting the Cubs will win the World Series. Unfortunately, the book is a work of fiction. He joined us this morning to talk about the book, The Curse.
You can meet Andy Van Slyke tomorrow night (Tuesday, July 13) at Harry Caray's Restaurant, 33 W. Kinzie St., between and 6 and 8 p.m. The book is available at local bookstores or at Amazon.com.

07/09/10: Sitter City matches local families all over the country with babysitters and nannies, as well as dog walkers, senior care providers and tutors. Parents just enter their ZIP codes and see a long list of sitters right in their own backyards. Founder Genevieve Thiers joined us this morning.
 Click here for Sitter City

07/07/10: White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko is one of five players with a chance to be voted into the All-Star Game based on fan polls. And it doesn't matter if you're a Sox or Cubs fan – Paulie deserves to be in the game, and we here in Chicago know how to turn out the vote.
Just go to MLB.com or WhiteSox.com and vote for Konerko.

Tuesday's market is a microcosm of how it's been over the last few quarters. Its volatility is mind-boggling. Market Expert Brian Battle joined us this morning to make sense of it.
 More At PerformanceTrust.com

07/02/10: The Taste of Chicago wraps up after this weekend, and this morning, we were spotlighting another restaurant there for the first time. Pegasus, at 130 S. Halsted St. in the heart of Greektown, has been open since 1990. But this is the first time they've had a booth at the Taste. Owner Caesar Melidis joined us this morning.

And who's the No. 1 vendor at the Taste? Why, none other than Robinson's No. 1 Ribs. Owner Charlie Robinson was with us this morning.

07/01/10: How time flies. It's Day 7 of the Taste of Chicago. This time, we spotlighted another tasty new addition -- Iyanze West African restaurant, at 4623 N. Broadway in the Uptown neighborhood. Owner Emmanuel Abidemi joined us to talk about it.

And the No. 2 most popular restaurant? Manny's Deli on the Near West Side, the guys reponsible for the turkey legs. Proprietor Ken Raskin was with us today.