money

Zillionz is a toy line that's meant to teach kids how to keep track of their money. It features toys like cash registers, digital piggy banks, and electric coin jars, all of which use kids' real money to help them manage their personal finances and save up. It's kind of a cool idea, even if the private plastic ATM is a little weird.

The latest edition to the lineup is the Zillionaire, a personal-savings machine. It's like a trio of savings jars, each one assigned to a different child or fund, like "new bike," "… Read more

Financial software might not be the type of thing to make your knees go weak, but a good program is a control freak's dream come true. Such is the case with Intuit's latest offering in the form of Quicken 2011, which is available starting today in a choice of three versions: Starter Edition ($29.95), Deluxe ($59.95), and Premier ($89.95).

It's immediately apparent that Intuit's acquisition of Mint last year has had a positive effect on the Quicken update. For one, the start-up process has been noticeably streamlined when compared with the previous version. … Read more

Jeff's out sick today, so Aunt Jill drops by with a valuable life lesson about privacy and the importance of being kind--that's right, we're actually taking a serious look at Internet privacy today, starting with the Webcam tragedy at Rutgers.

We also discuss Paypal's new iPhone app that lets you deposit checks using the onboard camera, and Jill also answers more of your burning financial questions about the value of Timeshare, establishing good credit after school, and the importance of investing in a 401(k)--listen up!

PayPal's new iPhone app lets people deposit checks just by signing the back and taking a picture of the check using the camera on the phone.

Mobile check depositing isn't new, and chances are you've already seen Chase commercials advertising its similar functionality, but we understand if you're still hesitant to handle finances using your phone.

On the other hand, mobile apps are actually safer than using the desktop version with a scanner and an e-mail address, since cell phones aren't as prone to vicious malware that try to poach your information, and mobile banking still asks for the same precautionary information as a walk-up ATM machine; stuff like PIN number, bank account info, and more.

Don't take our word for it though, the PayPal app for the iPhone will be available in the next few days, so try it for yourself and let us know what you think!

Speaking of online privacy, the next story is about Tyler Clementi, the young Rutgers student who jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate secretly videotaped him "making out with a dude" online. His roommate, 18 year-old Rutgers freshman Dharun Ravi and classmate Molly Wei, were both charged with invasion of privacy for their role in the online distribution of the film and face up to five years in jail. Be sure to tune into this segment for an important lesson from Aunt Jill. The lesson is short: don't be a jerk.

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office in southern New York announced charges today against 37 people accused of being part of an international crime ring that stole $3 million from bank accounts by infecting computers with the Zeus Trojan and other malware.

Between federal and state charges, more than 60 people total are being charged in the operation, officials said.

Ten people were arrested today by federal and New York law enforcement officers and another 10 were previously arrested in the U.S. as part of a coordinated takedown, authorities said. Seventeen people are still being sought … Read more

Aunt Jill Schlesinger of CBS MoneyWatch is back again on the show today, and admits that she wants to marry CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric.

So, what does today's show title mean? If you're a news junkie, you probably already know, but to Jill and Wilson's surprise, even in the financial capital of the country, nobody really knows who the heck Elizabeth Warren is. (In case you don't know, she's the Chairman of the TARP Oversight Committee and will likely be appointed as a "Special Adviser to the President" to run and build the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency.)

Warren has been a leading advocate for consumer financial protection for decades and was the person who initially came up with the idea for the CFPA. But what's interesting is that it was really the Internet, "The Daily Show", and social media that has made her into the "Money Momma." Unfortunately for Jill, "Money Aunt" doesn't seem to have the same ring to it. We won't get into other M-related alliterations.

As usual, Aunt Jill has some great advice for anyone who needs a little financial guidance in these trying times. For the tech enthusiast, there's Mint.com to manage and track your personal finances, and the best feature is its capability to automatically categorize your spending on your credit and debit cards. But keep in mind that you are giving up your personal financial information, user names, account numbers and passwords to a third party.

Some bullet points also to follow:

Don't buy actual gold; buy gold-based traded funds.  In general, don't buy gold unless you know what you're doing.

Follow Jill at @jillonmoney for daily financial tips.  We're still thinking of a Twitter hashtag for her to use.  Send us your suggestions.

The First Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit has expired.

Only consolidate your student loans (and loans in general) if you're going to get a lower rate.

You're probably "SOL" if you bought a brand new car a few years ago, are still making payments, and want to get a new car.  Jill's advice is to buy used always.  She even did, and she definitely makes more money than any of the guys.

Finally, couples who want to start a joint bank account together should find a bank or network that is close by.  If you're adventurous look into credit unions.  And there are a few banks that don't really have branches but will refund all ATM fees.

If you have any financial questions or just want to send your love to Aunt Jill and The 404, feel free to send us an e-mail at the404 [at] cnet [dot]. Or call us at 1-866-404-CNET (2638) and leave a message. Jill demands that you follow her on Twitter @jillonmoney, or follow us at @the404, @rhapsodyartist, @malusbrutus and @jeffbakalar.

It's no surprise that everyone wants in on PayPal's successful payments strategy, and MasterCard is no exception. On Wednesday, the credit card giant launched a version of its MoneySend mobile app for BlackBerry.

Similar to the iPhone version, MasterCard MoneySend for BlackBerry can settle peer-to-peer balances by sending money to friends and family, and purchasing goods from an informal vendor. The app's tool lets you request cash (via text message) that others owe you and receive credit and debit card payments made to your account.

Since MoneySend operates as a form of prepaid credit card, you can … Read more

Natali can't make it on the show today because she's busy taking care of little Justin Junior, but Jill Schlesinger saves the day and joins us to answer some of your most pressing financial quandaries.

Our first order of business is figuring out how Jill can get 3,000 Twitter followers before the end of this year. She hasn't been on Twitter very long and already has 1,627 followers, but we're thinking a funny new profile picture could help increase her online presence. We know that all you 404 listeners are handy with the Photoshop, … Read more

PHILADELPHIA--Staring at the bin in front of me, stacked high with thousands of dollar coins, it's hard not to make like Scrooge McDuck and jump in headfirst.

Except, of course, that security would grab me and I'd have to deal with having a felony on my record for the rest of my life. Also, there's this small detail: These aren't actually dollars. Yet.

I'm at the U.S. Mint here, the largest mint in the world, and a place big enough--at around 600,000 square feet--that all the rest of the American mints could fit … Read more

WASHINGTON--I'm staring at $38.4 million in cash, and it's hard not to drool.

I'm here at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, which, as is probably best described by its official Web site, is America's "money factory."

More specifically, this is where the U.S. Treasury Department prints its paper money, and as part of Road Trip 2010, I've come here to see how the bureau makes the brand-new, next-generation $100 bill. The bureau's mission is emblazoned in red, white, and blue neon on a wall near where I … Read more