Posted in Infographics

They usually say cash is king, and they have a point.

Just take a trip down memory lane and try to remember all the bad presents you've received over the years. Well what if instead of those awful gifts, you received their cash value deposited into a savings account? You'd be surprised at how much a lifetime of bad presents amounted to.

Why Cash Makes the Best GIft

So remember if you're having trouble finding the perfect holiday gift, no one ever complains about receiving cash. Does anyone really need another Christmas sweater?

What would you rather receive than cash this Christmas?


Posted in Personal Finance

Have you ever wanted to live in the lap of luxury and buy everything you could ever want and more? Everyone at some point has platinum-coated dreams, but most cannot afford it.

But for just a few minutes, why now envision yourself as the super-rich jetsetter who might receive the following lavish Christmas gifts. Nothing wrong with dreaming, right?

spaceshiptwo

1. Shoot for the Stars on the Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo ($200,000)

If you've been dreaming of taking a trip into space - well, 63 miles above sea-level - you could make your dreams come true aboard the SpaceShipTwo.

For around $200,000, you get astronaut training and a stay on billionaire mogul Sir Richard Branson's estate (the spaceship is his, by the way). Only thing is that the ship won't be approved to fly out until 2011.

Well, at least that's not light years away.

twike

2. Drive Errr, Ride a Twike ($40,000)

A Twike may seem like one of the many useless gifts out there that cost way too much, but at least this one helps the environment.

This joystick-driven, human-electric hybrid vehicle is a mix of a three-wheeler and bicycle. While not very attractive, it allows you to take a buddy on an energy-friendly journey at speeds of up to 53 mph. And just think, you'd be one of less than 10 people in the U.S. to own one. Pretty cool, right?

mercedes-bens-mclaren

3. Upgrade to a Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 617hp ($495,000)

If the Twike isn't exactly your style, you might consider asking for a serious upgrade to the itty bitty energy-friendly machine with the Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 617hp.

Offering one of the fastest automatic transmissions in the world and unbelievable gulf-wing doors, this car offers class, style and luxury. If this car is out of your price range, you may want to rent it for $11,000 a week.

Why not?

gold-and-diamond-pot

4. Make Cooking Classy with a Fissler Gold and Diamond-Studded Pot ($420,000)

Feel like doing a little gourmet cooking? With a pot like this, boiling water with leaves and rocks could result in the meal of a lifetime.

These stainless steel pots decorated with 18-karat gold handles and 270 13-carat diamonds are not the only expensive gift(s) out there. At Tokyo's Takashimaya department store, you can find this and much more flashy cookware to make your Christmas special.

caran-dache-pen

5. Words are Priceless with the Caran d'Ache '1010' Pen ($174,000)

If you are the type of person who can't live without your good pen, you'd likely live forever if you could get your hands on the Caran d'Ache '1010' Pen.

Priced at nearly $175,000, this fountain pen has plenty of bling (18-karat gold, a diamond and a ruby). This just may be one of the greatest holiday gifts you could ever receive!

icon-aircraft-a5

6. Hit the Road, Water and Sky with the Icon Aircraft A5 ($143,000 - $235,000)

Yep, this is another mega-machine that can take you anywhere you want to go - literally.

Whether you want to drive to a friend's house, spend some time jet skiing or see your home from a satellite view, you can do it all with this aircraft. Currently, available in the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog (hint, hint), this aircraft comes with pilot license training for two people. This is one of many great gifts for two people.

elp-turntable

7. Go Old School with the ELP Laser Turntable ($15,000)

There's nothing like being able to listen to your favorite vinyl albums; however, with the eventual scratching, hissing and popping, the experience often diminishes - until now.

The ELP laser turntable plays LPs without even touching them, leaving your albums as perfect as the day you purchased them. Of course, for a $15,000 price tag, you probably wouldn't expect less than the best.

expensive-gifts-hermes-camera

8. Take a Picture Almost Worth a Million Bucks with Leica M7 Herms ($14,000)

Okay, so the camera isn't worth almost a million bucks, but with a price tag of $14,000, you expect the pictures to be very close to priceless.

Apparently, the photo-taking experience is very striking with this camera. Offering a calfskin shell and its own specialized film doesn't hurt either. If you want to add this camera to you dream list, however, you'd better hurry because only 200 are available.

parmigiani-wristwatch

9. Get a Free Car with the Parmigiani Bugatti Tourbillon Wristwatch ($1,470,000)

Okay, so the watch may actually come with the Bugatti Galibier 16C vehicle, but both are exquisitely lavish costing a combined $1.47 million.

The watch actually doubles as a dashboard clock for when you're driving the vehicle, but with the features that come inside this incredible car, a dashboard clock will probably be the last thing on your mind.

personal-submarine

10. Visit Your Sea Buddies in Your Own U-Boat Worx Submarine (avg. $800,000)

Running out of present ideas? Why not consider the U-Boat Worx?

In this personal submarine, you can take on recreational underwater adventures without the need for a tour guide. This cool gift can hold up to four people and averages $786,240 to $824,040. Very pricey, but probably worth every penny.

OK, so maybe you're not getting these under your tree, but maybe if you put some savings tips into play you can get your own lavish Christmas present.

What's the most luxurious gift you've ever gotten?


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Posted in Economy, Financial News

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Posted in Personal Finance

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  1. ...


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