The Nintendo Wii video game console has taken the world by storm since its release last year. Not only is it being played by youngsters, but many older professionals like myself are getting in the action. The highly sought-after, hard-to-find platform comes at an attractive price point and provides some serious fun for both serious and casual gamers alike. This of course, made the Wii a hot-ticket item from the get-go and millions of people snared up the units upon release.

Myself, and personal finance blogger David of MoneyNing, have waited it out for months of debate on whether or not to purchase the highly praised toy. I had bought a couple and flipped them on eBay for profit, but never kept one for my own enjoyment. David recently bought one though, and explains why it’s a good investment. He details many valid points as to why a Nintendo Wii will save money in the long run.

If you’re on the border of dropping 200+ for a Wii, or already have, read this post. Remember folks, it’s important to keep it fun outside the workplace!

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As the weekend fast approaches, I’d like to direct you to some reading that will fatten your wallet and introduce some new ways of thinking when it comes to handling finances on your days off the job. 5 thoroughly enjoyable articles by none other than MoneyNing…

• Opportunities Are Everywhere, Even at Chick-Fil-A
• Why Do We Read and Follow Money Tips But Never Become Rich?
• Bangkok People’s Great Use of Space For Their Market
• Does Always Thinking About Money Really Make Me Happy?
• Reduce Your Taxes Forever

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If you’re reading this, you’re obviously connected to the Internet. This means, among other things, that the data on your computer can possibly be accessed. Chances are there are receipts and other sensitive documents you’d rather not have fall into the wrong hands. It’s time to lock down “E-dentity” the same way you would secure your car and house doors!

Here’s the cold, hard reality of your life online… Approximately 9.3 millions Americans felt the brutal pain of falling victim to identity theft in 2005. Fortunately, the number has been falling (somewhat) over the past couple years, however the threat of e-scams is still very real.

There are services you could enroll in to protect yourself from unsavory punks snatching personal info, and it is wise to research these, however there are additional ways you can pro-actively take action in instantly defending yourself today.

Be aware of phishing - Educate yourself on how to spot an e-mail that is attempting to pose as a bank, online service, etc. These scam e-mails which snare log-in names and password are referred to as “phishing attempts”.

Lock your wi-fi - Millions of homes are equipped with wi-fi routers these days, and a large portion of them are wide open for public use. If a router isn’t locked down by a secure key pass, it opens the doors for prying eyes.

Public computers are public billboards - If you must access the web via a public computer such as the ones inside libraries, take caution and do as little personal work on them as possible. Entering credit card numbers on a computer used by hundreds or thousands of other folks defies common sense.

Only order from trusted sites - Amazon is a good example of a trusted online vendor. Their site is secure and encrypted, via SSL and various other security layers. Don’t enter your info into a site you feel isn’t on the up-and-up.

Uphold strong passwords - Don’t recycle passwords and make sure to include a mix of letters, numbers and symbols when possible. Please, don’t use your cat’s name.

QOTD: What measures do you currently take to secure your personal info online? 

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Computer viruses and e-mail deception (known as phishing) are at a yearly high, hrrmm. The not-so-welcomed statistics (as reported by messagelabs) show that September has seen the most illegal action online since the beginning of 2006. So, what does this mean for you?

Well, for one, I recommend further familiarizing yourself with phishing. The Wikipedia entry on the widespread e-mail scams is a good starting point.

“…is a criminal activity where phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. eBay and PayPal are two of the most targeted companies, and online banks are also common targets. Phishing is typically carried out by email or instant messaging, and often directs users to give details at a website, although phone contact has been used as well. Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques used to fool users. Attempts to deal with the growing number of reported phishing incidents include legislation, user training, and technical measures. ” - Wikipedia.com

Regarding viruses, do a system scan to see if you’re currently harboring some Trojans or other malicious bugs/viruses. Some free applications to do this are available at the following sources…

Spybot

Symantec

Panda Security

Additionally, remember to never open suspicious e-mail messages. Common sense if your best weapon in defending your computer’s well-being.

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If you’re one of the millions of people who want to advance in a career but also stay family oriented, then you’ll want to read Trent Hamm’s post “Seven Ways To Advance Your Career Or Small Business And Spend Time With Your Family” at The Simple Dollar personal finance blog.

The Simple Dollar is self-described as…

“The Simple Dollar is for those of us who need both cents and sense: people fighting debt and bad spending habits while building a financially secure future and still affording a latte or two. Our busy lives are crazy enough without having to compare five hundred mutual funds - we just want simple ways to manage our finances and save a little money.”

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