Digital Pianos (Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Kawai, Korg) - An introduction for Digital Piano Shoppers

Yamaha is the prolific manufacturer with over 200 different digital piano models. Casio clocks in a distant second with fewer than fifty models. Roland, Kawai, and Korg are much more modest in their options. There are several other minor manufacturers, but these five manufacturers control more than 95% of the digital piano market in the US. Yamaha bags the undisputed brand premium, the fruit of extensive investment in research and development over a long period of time.

A note on pricing:

Most digital pianos are available either online or through national retailers. This convenience allows consumers to do comparison-shopping and realize lower margins compared to acoustic pianos purchased through a dealer. Of course, for acoustic pianos, dealers provide valuable service – the weight of the piece (upwards of 500 pounds), the professional tuning they require and setup make online and national retailing take a rear seat. On the other hand, the weight of digital pianos rarely exceed 150 pounds (even the cabinet models that look like an acoustic piano), and requires no special tuning or setup thereby diminishing the services of the dealer. That said, for the high-end cabinet digital piano models, some consumers prefer the services of a dealer for a hands-off transaction.

While the Internet and national retailing has allowed for freewheeling for the consumer, the piano dealers have been hammered by revenue loss. With the market penetration achieved by the digital piano manufacturers, acoustic piano sales volume has declined. To stem the bleeding, piano dealers applied pressure on piano manufacturers for dealer-exclusivity. As a result, in the USA, only Yamaha’s portable piano models and the ARIUS/YDP cabinet piano models are available both online and through retailers. The remainder of Yamaha’s pianos (Clavinovas and MODUS) is available only through dealers. Similar agreements apply for higher end models of Roland and Kawai. In Europe and other parts of the world, this dealer-only policy is not applicable. In the comparison spreadsheets below, we include both the list price and the best price online – for higher end models, these prices are based on what these go for outside the US.

Variety and choices are aplenty in the digital piano models. Yamaha has 200-odd and counting digital piano models. Casio, Roland, Kawai, and Korg also have several models. In general, the manufacturers use a few brands/series to classify the offerings. The series/brand choices from each manufacturer are:

Casio (Privia PX, Celviano AP, and CDP) :

1. The Casio Privia PX (current models - 3S, 130, 330, and 830) series models are primarily portable digital pianos with the following exceptions: PX-830BK and PX-830BP and a variant of the PX-130 called the PX-130CSSPW (white) that all comes with integrated stands.
2. The Casio Celviano AP (current models - 220, 420, 620) is the Cabinet Digital Piano line which are non-portable home digital pianos.

Yamaha (P, Nocturne N100, YPG, CP, ARIUS YDP, Clavinova CLP, and CLAVINOVA CVP & MODUS) :

1. Yamaha P-series (current models - P-85/P-85S, P-95B/P-95S, P-155) series models are portable digital pianos.
2. Yamaha Portable Grand (current model: YPG-640) series are piano-focused portable keyboards and form the low-end of Yamaha's portable line.
3. Yamaha Stage Pianos (current models : CP1, CP5, CP50, CP300, CP33) are professional stage pianos and form Yamaha's high-end of the portable digital piano line.
4. Yamaha ARIUS (current models - YDP-C71PE, YDP-135R, YDP-161, YDP-V240, YDP-181, YDP-141, YDP-S31) are home (non-portable cabinet) digital pianos and form Yamaha's low-end of the home piano line. These are the only non-portable Yamaha piano models that are available from nationwide retailers & online stores.
   
5. Yamaha Clavinova Traditionals (current models - CLP-480, CLP-470, CLP-440, CLP-430, CLP-S408, CLP-S406B, CLP-465GP, CLP-380, CLP-370, CLP-340, CLP-330, CLP-320, CLP-295GP, CLP-265GP) series are traditional digital pianos (non-portable cabinet) and form Yamaha's low-end of home pianos sold exclusively through dealers.
6. Yamaha Clavinova Ensembles (current models - CVP509 CVP505, CVP503, CVP501, CVP-409GP, CGP-1000) series are ensemble digital pianos (non-portable cabinet) and are Yamaha's premium home pianos sold exclusively through dealers.
7. Yamaha MODUS Series Designer Pianos (current models - F01, F11, H01, H11, R01) are designer pianos (non-portable designer cabinet) and form Yamaha's high-end of home pianos sold exclusively through dealers.

Roland (RD, FP, RP, LX, RM, HP, DP, F, HPi, KR, and RG) :

1. The DigiScore Series (HPi7F, HPi-6F) which displays sheet music electronically and interactively.
2. The Stylish Series (DP990RF, DP990F, FP-7F, FP-4F, F-120) forming the low-end of Roland's line.
3. The VIMA Series (RK-300) incorporates state-of-the-art entertainment functions that support a wide variety of media and content.
4. The Stage Piano Series (V-Piano, RD-700NX) that have the "living piano" and SuperNATURAL Piano sound technologies.
5. The HP/RP Series (HP507, HP505, HP503, RP301, RP301R) pianos that feature high-quality sound, excellent touch, and simplicity.
6. The LX-15 that feature an organic piano sound.
7. The Digital Grand Series (V-Piano Grand, RG-3F, RG-1F) that offer the pinnacle of sound quality, touch, function, and design.

Kawai (CL, CN, EP, ES, CA, MP, and CP) CE, and CE - Digital Piano, CA - Concert Artist Digital Piano, CP - Digital Ensemble Piano) :

1. The EP3 & ES6 are Kawai's portable digital pianos.
2. The MP6, & MP10 are Kawai's portable stage pianos.
3. The CL26, CN (current models - 23, 33, 43, KDP-80, CS-3, CS-6), and CE220 are cabinet (non-portable) digital pianos and form Kawai's low-end of the cabinet piano line. KDP-80 is sold in Canada only.
4. The CA (current models - 63, 93) are Concert Artist series cabinet (non-portable) digital pianos and are Kawai's premium cabinet digital pianos.
5. The CP (current models - 119, 139, 179, 209) are Concert Performer series cabinet (non-portable) digital pianos and are Kawai's high-end cabinet digital pianos.

Korg (SP, LP, and SV):

1. The SP250, SP170, and SP170S are Korg's flagship portable digital pianos.
2. The SV1 is Korg's new Stage (portable) digital piano.
3. The microPiano, a compact, portable, and stylish grand piano at your fingertips. 
4. The LP350 is Korg's flagship upright (non portable) digital piano.

Summary & Recommendation:

Roland home pianos (non-portable) have the best warranty - 5 year parts and 1 year labor. The Yamaha's & Kawai's have a 3-year warranty and that compares very well with the Casio's, Korg's, and the Roland portable digital piano models which have just a one-year warranty. The Roland's and Korg's enjoy good reputation among piano enthusiasts. Yamaha's & Kawai's are the popular choice among institutions. The Casio's have excellent market share because of their value pricing.



Below is a summary of our best value recommendations from each category:

1. Best Value Portable Digital Piano: Yamaha P85.
2. Best Value Non-Portable Digital Piano: Yamaha ARIUS YDP-161.

For more research, please check out our best value comparative reviews of Portable and Home Digital Pianos by following the links below.

Related Posts:

1. Best Values in Digital Pianos (Portable) - A Comparative Review.
2. Best Values in Digital Pianos (Home - Non Portable) - A Comparative Review.
3. Digital Pianos (Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Kawai, Korg) - An introduction for Digital Piano Shoppers.
4. Best Values in Yamaha Digital Pianos (Portable) - A Comparative Review.
5. Best Values in Yamaha Digital Pianos (Home - Non Portable) - A Comparative Review.
6. Yamaha Digital Pianos - An Introduction to Different Models.
7. Acoustic Piano (Yamaha M-460, Cable Nelson Yamaha CN-116, Kawai K-15, etc.) - Review, Best Values, Pricing, & Shopping Experience.
8. Yamaha P65 & P70 Digital Piano Review.
9. Teach your kids Piano with learn piano online for free – well, almost!!

Last Updated: 03/2012.

Wrote Dec 35 Covered Calls on Plum Creek Timber Shares (PCL)

Today, as the market rallied, we sold covered calls on our Plum Creek Timber (TSM) shares – Dec 35 at $3.33 (PCLLG). We previously wrote November 35 covered calls that expired worthless last Saturday. The market rally resulted in the shares going well above 35 and enabled us to write the option with a good premium. If the shares get exercised, it would help our strategy to reduce our margin exposure. If it doesn’t, we plan to continue writing near-term in-or-near-the-money covered calls.

Below is our updated portfolio:

Stock	Buy Date	Buy Price	Current Price	Current % Of Portfolio	Unrealized % Return	Yield as % of BOY Portfolio Value Plus Deposits
Altria (MO)	Various	16.69	15.43	4.69	(7.52)	0.17
Philip Morris International (PM)	1/4/2005	32.19	41.83	7.54	29.94	0.24
Kraft Foods (KFT)	Various	24.03	26.96	5.46	12.17	0.12
Plum Creek Timber (PCL) – Call Value	5/12/2005	35.5	35	10.63	(1.42)	0.27
Pfizer (PFE)	Various	24.37	16.04	8.12	(34.17)	0.31
ICICI Bank (IBN)	5/18/2006 and 08/01/2008	25.28	13.94	7.06	(44.85)	0.14
Taiwan Semi (TSM)	7/27/2006	8.71	6.76	6.85	(22.28)	0.21
Advantage Energy Fund (AAV)	11/2/2006	11.22	5.11	3.36	(54.47)	0.38
SunTech Power (STP)	3/14/2007	36.73	6.69	1.35	(81.78)	None
Central Europe & Russia Fund (CEE)	Various	39.23	15.67	5.55	(60.05)	1.83
Patni Computers (PTI)	8/10/2007	20.85	5.46	2.76	(73.83)	0.03
Itron Inc. (ITRI)	11/07/2007	85.01	40.84	4.14	(52.01)	None
Anthracite (AHR)	11/09/2007	7.97	2.39	2.42	(70.01)	0.66
ClickSoftware (CKSW)	11/09/2007	4.61	2.25	2.28	(51.19)	None
Harvest Energy (HTE)	11/28/2007	21.01	10.56	4.28	(49.75)	0.55
iRobot (IRBT)	12/18/2007	18.65	9.24	3.74	(50.03)	None
MCG Capital (MCGC)	Various	10.86	0.73	0.59	(93.28)	None
LDK Solar (LDK)	01/22/2008	30.49	12.17	3.70	(60.09)	None
Aegon N.V. (AEG)	04/28/2008	15.99	4.15	2.52	(74.04)	0.31
LM Ericsson (ERIC) (AEG)	05/05/2008	11.83	6.63	5.37	(43.94)	0.18
TD Ameritrade (AMTD)	05/21/2008	17.68	12.03	4.87	(31.98)	None
Trina Solar (TSL)	06/06/2008 and 07/31/2008	45.61	7.96	2.02	(81.10)	None
Costco (COST)	08/01/2008	62.28	49.45	5.01	(20.60)	0.03
Frontline Limited (FRO)	10/06/2008	36.95	29.01	4.41	(21.48)	0.41
DryShips Incorporated (DRYS)	10/09/2008	11.66	4.50	2.73	(61.40)	0.19
Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (SID)	10/10/2008	11.47	9.95	3.02	(13.28)	0.01
Cash				(15.40)
Total Portfolio					(50.02)	6.02

• For Altria and Philip Morris International, assumed spin-off ratio of 30.83:69.17. Altria is yet to supply the cost-basis info
• For Plum Creek Timber (PCL), we wrote covered calls for 2008 December 35 on 11/24/2008 at $3.33.
• The yield column is current as of 11/21/2008.

Covered Calls Expiry: Taiwan Semi (TSMKU) and Plum Creek Timber (PCLKG)

Our November 7.5 covered calls on Taiwan Semi (TSMKU) and the November 35 covered calls on Plum Creek Timber (PCLKG) expired worthless. The options netted a gain of about 10% each on our investments in Taiwan Semi and Plum Creek Timber shares. We are showing a realized gain of just fewer than 5% for the year on our transactions. We are about 18% on margin and will try to continue to liquidate some of our defensive holdings to avoid margin exposure completely by the end of the year. This should also allow us to realize capital losses for next year tax purposes. TD Ameritrade currently charges 9% on our margin amount, which makes being on margin especially unattractive.

Early next year, we plan to liquidate some long-term ESPP holdings were we adopted the long-term capital gains realization strategy discussed previously. That should allow us to infuse between 5-10% more cash to this portfolio.

The list of stocks/options sold during the year and the gain/losses are listed below:

Stock	Buy Date	Buy Price	Sell Date	Sell Price	% Gain (Loss)	% Portfolio Return*
LDK Solar (LDK)	11/21/2007	30.30	01/08/2008	40.83	34.75	2.64
Fannie Mae (FNM)	02/15/2008	30.70	03/10/2008	19.82	(35.44)	(2.18)
Navteq Inc.(NVT)	03/11/2008	73.32	03/12/2008	72.15	(1.62)	(0.06)
Suntech March 45 Call (STPCI)	10/15/2007	NA	03/22/2008	NA	NA	0.50
LDK Solar March 40 Call (LDKCH)	02/13/2008	NA	03/22/2008	NA	NA	0.44
Taiwan Semi April 12.5 Call (TSMDV)	10/18/2007	NA	04/20/2008	NA	NA	0.1664
Cypress Semi April 27 Call (CYDB)	04/04/2008	NA	04/20/2008	NA	NA	0.2137
Cypress Semi (CY)	04/02/2008	24.89	04/20/2008	26.95	8.26	0.4113
EMC Corporation May 16 (EMCEQ) Call	04/23/2008	NA	05/17/2008	NA	NA	0.1639
EMC Corporation (EMC)	04/08/2008	15.00	05/17/2008	15.97	6.48	0.2915
Suntech June 45 Call (STPFI)	04/01/2008	NA	06/05/2008	NA	NA	0.3538
Taiwan Semi Oct 12.5 Call (TSMJV)	04/21/2008	NA	10/18/2008	NA	NA	0.2061
Plum Creek Timber Nov 50 Call (PCLKJ)	06/03/2008	NA	10/21/2008	NA	NA	0.2028
Suntech Power Dec 50 Call (STPLJ)	06/06/2008	NA	10/21/2008	NA	NA	0.4656
Taiwan Semi Nov 7.5 Call (TSMKU)	10/31/2008	NA	11/22/2008	NA	NA	0.4682
Plum Creek Timber Nov 35 Call (PCLKG)	10/28/2008	NA	11/22/2008	NA	NA	0.3931
Realized Gain/(Loss) YTD	-	-	-	-	-	4.5311

• % Gain/Loss Relative to Portfolio Value at Beginning of Year + Deposits
• The table assumes realization of profits associated with selling options only after the option is exercised or expiry.
• Dividend returns are not included in the spreadsheet – they are expected to be about 4%.

Doubled Down on DryShips (DRYS)

We doubled down on DryShips (DRYS) yesterday at $4.08 per share. Previously we purchased DryShips at $19.30 on 10/9/2008. With this purchase, we are almost 20% on margin. The following risk factors contribute to the drop in the share price:

1. The company has around $2.5B in total debt and in the current credit environment that is a bad thing,
2. Concerns about the company breaking loan covenants as there collateral (value of the ships) have come down dramatically. The saving grace is that they have liquidity and cash flow to meet their loan obligations and so it is unlikely that they will be asked to pay it off immediately.
3. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) index plummeted over 90% in the last year. The charter rates are set based on this index and as such has a direct impact on the company’s business.
4. Concerns about whether the company will have problems collecting payments as the credit crunch has resulted in a liquidity crisis spanning the entire industry.

The reasons below that made us purchase these shares a month ago at almost 5 times the price still holds:

1. As one of the largest dry bulk carriers, DryShips owns a fleet of 54 dry bulk carriers,
2. They also own 6 UDW drilling units through their subsidiary Primelead, which is expected to be spun-off within the next six months,
3. The company took advantage of the spot market as the BDI increased between 2006 and 2008, but shifted to fixed rate contracts as the year progressed. At this point 61% of the vessels have an average remaining term of 5 years. The BDI index has plummeted but the fixed contracts should limit the decrease in cash flow,
4. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) should settle well above the current value as global trade resumes,
5. DryShips is a proxy for global economic activity.

Below is our updated portfolio:

Stock	Buy Date	Buy Price	Current Price	Current % Of Portfolio	Unrealized % Return	Yield as % of BOY Portfolio Value Plus Deposits
Altria (MO)	Various	16.69	14.45	5.34	(13.40)	0.10
Philip Morris International (PM)	1/4/2005	32.19	36.63	7.71	13.78	0.13
Kraft Foods (KFT)	Various	24.03	28.87	6.12	3.48	0.08
Plum Creek Timber (PCL) – Call Value	5/12/2005	35.5	28.31	10.46	(20.26)	0.16
Pfizer (PFE)	Various	24.37	14.45	8.90	(40.70)	0.22
ICICI Bank (IBN)	5/18/2006 and 08/01/2008	28.30	11.33	6.98	(55.17)	0.03
Taiwan Semi (TSM)	7/27/2006	8.71	5.90	7.27	(32.14)	0.09
Advantage Energy Fund (AAV)	11/2/2006	11.22	4.33	3.47	(61.42)	0.16
SunTech Power (STP)	3/14/2007	36.73	5.39	1.33	(85.32)	None
Central Europe & Russia Fund (CEE)	Various	51.03	13.19	5.68	(66.37)	0.45
Patni Computers (PTI)	8/10/2007	20.85	4.90	3.02	(76.52)	0.01
Itron Inc. (ITRI)	11/07/2007	85.01	34.43	4.24	(59.55)	None
Anthracite (AHR)	11/09/2007	7.97	2.07	2.55	(74.03)	0.15
ClickSoftware (CKSW)	11/09/2007	4.61	2.06	2.54	(55.31)	None
Harvest Energy (HTE)	11/28/2007	21.01	9.00	4.43	(57.17)	0.28
iRobot (IRBT)	12/18/2007	18.65	7.24	3.57	(60.85)	None
MCG Capital (MCGC)	Various	10.86	0.77	0.76	(92.91)	None
LDK Solar (LDK)	01/22/2008	30.49	9.95	3.68	(67.37)	None
Aegon N.V. (AEG)	04/28/2008	15.99	3.51	2.59	(78.04)	0.06
LM Ericsson (ERIC) (AEG)	05/05/2008	11.83	5.64	5.56	(52.31)	0.08
TD Ameritrade (AMTD)	05/21/2008	17.68	9.71	4.78	(45.09)	None
Trina Solar (TSL)	06/06/2008 and 07/31/2008	45.61	5.72	1.76	(86.42)	None
Costco (COST)	08/01/2008	62.28	44.99	5.54	(27.76)	0.02
Frontline Limited (FRO)	10/06/2008	36.95	25.19	4.65	(31.82)	0.54
DryShips Incorporated (DRYS)	10/09/2008	19.30	3.80	2.81	(67.41)	0.05
Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (SID)	10/10/2008	11.47	7.87	2.91	(31.40)	0.05
Cash				(19.94)
Total Portfolio					(58.70)	2.67

• For Altria and Philip Morris International, assumed spin-off ratio of 30.83:69.17. Altria is yet to supply the cost-basis info
• For Plum Creek Timber (PCL), we wrote covered calls for 2008 November 35 on 10/28/2008 at $2.75.
• For Taiwan Semiconductors (TSM), we wrote covered calls for 2008 November 7.5 on 10/31/2008 at $1.0.

Carnival of the road to financial independence #1

Welcome to the first edition of the carnival of "The road to financial independence". Hope you enjoy the posts as much as we enjoyed putting this together!

Passive Income:

Hank presents Dream More, Work Less posted at MiB Smarter Money, musings on quitting the day-job.

Carol Bentley presents Who is leaving cash on the table posted at Carol Bentley describing why it is important to diligently do sales follow-up as otherwise businesses loose a source of passive income.

Fatty presents Automated Day Trader: Double Moving Average Crossover, Test 1 posted at Fatty Fat Fat - an interesting day trading strategy that should be very effective in generating passive income in the tough market conditions that exist today.

Will presents Socially Responsible Investing: Go Green And Make Money At The Same Time posted at Money Galaxy - Socially responsible investing is the wave of the future and the kicker is that it promises to be a good sector to passively make money as well.

JCL presents A Move From 'Creative' Investing to More Traditional Methods posted at The Real Estate Investing Journey - a short synopsis of our road to learning how to gain passive income.

Frugal Living:

Benjamin presents How to Stop Cold Drafts in Your Home and Save On Energy Bills posted at Trees Full of Money - Imagine leaving a window open all winter long -- the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a clothes dryer, attic access hatch, a whole house fan, or a fireplace, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.

KCLau presents My Greatest Financial Fears posted at KCLau's Money Tips.

Kathryn Forster presents The virtues and rewards of online shopping posted at Comfort Blanket - Save money by shopping online, and save yourself lots of time into the bargain!

Heather Levin presents How To Set Up A Community Lending Library posted at The Greenest Dollar. Community lending libraries are great ways to save money and live green. Plus, they enable you to get to know your neighbors. Here's how to get one started in your own neighborhood.

Tom Tessin presents Debt Relief Holiday Guide posted at FSC Blog - learn how to live on a tight budget during the holidays.

FMF presents The Economics of Braces (And How to Save Money on Them) posted at Free Money Finance - Saving money on a big expense.

MBB presents Christmas Shopping Deals With 0% Credit Card Offers posted at Money Blue Book. Credit card deals during the holiday shopping season is rising - might as well make sure you take full advantage of all deals offered.

Valeria presents 10 Painless Ways to Escape Being Squeezed by Your Plastic posted at Timeless Lessons.

George L Smyth presents One Minute How-To - How To Avoid Junk Fees posted at George L Smyth. George L Smyth explains how to identify and avoid the junk fees that are added without your knowledge.

Michael presents Consumer Debt Worst Offenders: Banks, Advertisers, and Advisors posted at Small Business Blog. When on your journey to financial freedom, you're going to get tempted into the world of consumer debt - there are people that really want your money! Here's a blog post on the big culprits of this major problem.

Wenchypoo presents Annual Rerun for 2008: Why We Skip the Holidays All Together posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Joe Manausa presents Discover The Secret To Making A ?Perfect? Home Buying Offer posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog. There are so many infomercials and advertisements claiming that you can buy a home for mere pennies on the dollar that many potential homebuyers are confused about what they should do. The goal of this short article is to help you develop a mindset that will allow you to buy the home of your dreams without paying too much for the home.

The Shark Investor presents How YOUR Saving Advice Caused The Financial Crisis posted at The Shark Investor. How frugal living can turn the things to worse?

Reducing Expenses:

Carlos Sera presents A Taco Tale; Financial Tales posted at Financial Tales based around an incident in which Bank of America charged $35 per overdraft for 6 overdrafts that happened on a single day-trip.

Hanna Kassis presents It’s Not Too Late To Fund Your Child’s Education posted at College Finance 101. The post dwells into ideas on reducing children’s college education expenses.

Charles Chua C K presents Financial Freedom - 7 Successful Steps posted at All About Living with Life. The post emphasizes the need for debt reduction as a first step.

Credit Shout presents Best Gas Credit Cards posted at CreditShout. Three cards that give the best rewards for gas purchases.

Dave presents Save on Health Care - Quick Tips posted at Cheapo Groovo - an informative article on the options available when trying to reduce healthcare costs.

Beating Inflation:

Sherin presents Economic Recession and Preparing for a Recession posted at Investment Internals - A study on the preparation for recession time. Focused on Savings, Portfolio and Job security. An educational article to help build self-defense against problems from economic slowdown.

Thursday presents 6 Ways to Fight Inflation posted at Wealth Junkies - Inflation is definitely on the rise in the U.S. and it is making it harder to stretch a dollar these day. There are ways to ensure that your money goes at least a little further even during inflation, though. While your bank account may not be able to keep up with inflation, you can still keep up with your needs.

Market Breaker presents It?s Been A Brutal Year posted at Stock Investing Tips. This year has been the worst year for the stock market since the Great Depression.

Covered Call Strategies:

Greg Group presents How to Make Money by Laddering Covered Calls posted at Associated Content - discusses a laddered covered call strategy that involves writing near-term covered calls at strike prices just above the current price and cash-secured puts just below the strike price. The strategy provides extra income in a volatile market in a protracted sideways market, but has very limited protection against sharp upward or downward movement of the stock price.

All Others:

Robert D Flach presents THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN posted at THE WANDERING TAX PRO, a compilation of end-of-year tax saving tips.

TheMoneyHawk presents How an $800 Tax Bill Taught Me Not to Be a Greedy Idiot posted at The Money Hawk. Through a personal example, TheMoneyHawk establishes why it is a bad idea to fund retirement plans without funding your emergency fund.

Mr. CC presents Being Organized During Bankruptcy Can Save You Thousands of Dollars posted at Ask Mr Credit Card's Blog - real-life experience of how thousands of dollars were saved in the face of bankruptcy by staying organized with finances.

FIRE Finance presents A Road To Financial Security - Introduction posted at FIRE Finance - a call to action to save now for future financial security.

Raag Vamdatt presents Understanding a Fixed Maturity Plan (FMP) :: RaagVamdatt.com :: Financial Planning demystified posted at RaagVamdatt.com - A comprehensive introduction to Fixed Maturity Plans (FMP).


Silicon Valley Blogger presents Keep Your Money Safe: Online Bank Accounts and More Savings Options posted at The Digerati Life - A post on money management.

The Smarter Wallet presents Manage Your Risk: Check Your Company's Financial Ratings posted at The Smarter Wallet. It's pretty important to manage risk well in order to be financially successful.

3 Moms presents Finding Happiness in a Simple, Debt-Free Life posted at Happy to be at Home. An inspiring post about getting completely out of debt and choosing to lead a simple contented life.

Khan presents Getting Personal About Your Finances posted at Higher Education and Career Blog - a call for action to youngsters on the need to understand and talk about personal finance.

Elementary School Guides, Workbooks, and Assessment Resources – ISBN, Used, and List Prices

This is part three of the series of posts on the course materials and textbooks used in the Public Schools, Teacher’s Editions, and Home School Editions. There are the following other categories that are of interest to most parents and teachers:

• Guides,
• Workbooks, and
• Assessment Resources

As with the other categories, yet again options abound and this list touches the more popular ones.

One category left unaddressed is books published by Kumon and other similar nation-wide tuition programs – they have their own workbooks and usually supply their clients (elementary school students) with the necessary resources they consider grade or level appropriate.

Workbooks, Guide Books, and assessment resources for Kindergarten:

	ISBN-10, ISBN-13	List Price	Best Online Price**
DK Publishing - Math Made Easy: Kindergarten Workbook	978-0789457202	$14.99	$5
Fisher-Price Kindergarten Workbook: Beginning Math	978-1561449231	NA	$4
Harcourt Math Practice Workbook: Kindergarten	978-0153364723	NA	$7
Reading & Math Jumbo Workbook: Grade K	978-0439785990	$14.99	$3
Master Skills Reading, Kindergarten	978-1561890002	$6.95	$3
Brighter Child Reading, Kindergarten	978-0769676708	$3.99	$3
Jumpstart Kindergarten Reading Readiness Workbook	978-0439164207	NA	$3
Veritas Press - Kindergarten Workbook – Phonics K Student Kit	978-1932168600	NA	$19
Brain Quest Workbook – Kindergarten	978-0761149125	$12.95	$7
Math Assessment Tasks: Kindergarten	978-1596731349	$24.99	$14
Essential Kindergarten Assessments for Reading, Writing, and Math	978-0439529785	$21.99	$16
Reading Assessment Tasks: Grade K	978-1596731387	$24.99	$4
Pre-Decodable Takehome Books: Level A, Set 1 (Open Court Reading)	978-0026839266	$18	$6
Reading and Writing Workbook , Level K (Open Court Reading)	978-0028310749	$26	$6
Open Court Reading: Language Arts Skills	978-0075695158	$17	$12
Open Court Reading: Sound and Letter Skills	978-0075719021	$17	$6
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Language Arts Skills Workbook, Grade K (Spanish)	978-0075791645	$25	$9
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Sounds and Letters Skills Workbook, Grade K (Spanish)	978-0075792079	NA	NA
Health and Wellness: Big Ideas Book Kindergarten (Mcgraw Hill)	978-0022803902	$25	$20

Workbooks, Guide Books, and assessment resources for First Grade:

	ISBN-10, ISBN-13	List Price	Best Online Price**
DK Publishing - Math Made Easy: First Grade Workbook	978-0789457202	$14.99	$4
Beginning Math: Grades K-1 – Home workbooks	978-0887243417	NA	$4
Harcourt Math 1 Practice Workbook	978-0153364730	$11.95	$7
Reading & Math Jumbo Workbook: Grade 1	978-0439786003	$14.99	$5
Master Skills Reading, Grade 1	978-1561890019	$6.95	$6.95
Brighter Child Reading, Grade 1	978-0769676715	$3.99	$3
Jumpstart 1st Grade Jumbo Workbook	978-0439164092	$14.99	$4
Brain Quest Workbook – Grade 1	978-0761149149	$12.95	$6
Math Assessment Tasks: Grade 1	978-1596731356	$24.99	$14
Reading Assessment Tasks: Grade 1	978-1596731394	$24.99	$4
Harcourt Assessment Guide: Grade 1	978-0153237058	NA	$4
Selection Assessments Grade 1 (McGraw-Hill Reading)	978-0021869220	NA	$9
Scott Foresman Science: Grade 1 Assessment Book	978-0328333929	NA	$22
Harcourt Math Grade 1, Assessment Guide and Performance Assessment	978-0153365379	NA	$12
Open Court Reading Decodable Takehome Books: Level B, Set 1, Book 1	978-0026839273	$18	$6
Open Court Reading Decodable Takehome Books: Level B, Set 1, Book 2	978-0026839280	$18	$6
Open Court Reading Level 1-1 (Hardcover)	978-0028309491	$52	$4
Open Court Reading Level 1-2 (Hardcover)	978-0028309514	$52	$4
Open Court Reading and Writing Workbook Level 1 Book 1 (Hardcover)	978-0028310640	$27	$7
Open Court Reading and Writing Workbook Level 1 Book 1 (Hardcover)	978-0026613651	$27	$5
Open Court Reading Phonics Skills Workbook	978-0075701989	$19	$9
Open Court Reading Comprehension and Language Arts Skills Level 1 Workbook	978-0075695165	$18	$14
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Comprehension and Language Arts Skills Workbook, Grade 1 (Spanish)	978-0075791676	NA	NA
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Phonics Skills Workbook, Grade 1 (Spanish)	978-0075792109	$30	$25
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Student Anthology Vol. 1, Book 1, Grade 1 (Spanish)	978-0075761327	$30	$10
Houghton Mifflin History-Social Science, California Edition: Grade 1 - School and Family [STUDENT EDITION]	978-0618423804	$55	$12

Workbooks, Guide Books, and assessment resources for Second Grade:

	ISBN-10, ISBN-13	List Price	Best Online Price**
TimeLinks: Second Grade, Complete Student Editon Set (All 5 Units) (Social Studies)	978-0021525218	$40.00	$40.00
TimeLinks: Second Grade, Student Practice and Activity Workbook	978-0021517381	$3.00	$3.00
DK Publishng - Math Made Easy: Second Grade Workbook	978-0789457288	$14.99	$4
Harcourt Math 2 Practice Workbook	978-0153364747	$11.95	$7
Reading & Math Jumbo Workbook: Grade 2	978-0439786010	$14.99	$5
Scholastic Success With Math Workbook Grade 2	978-0439419666	$3.99	$3.99
Master Skills Reading, Grade 2	978-1561890422	$6.95	$6.95
Brighter Child Reading, Grade 2	978-0769676722	$3.99	$3.99
Jumpstart 2nd Grade Jumbo Workbook	978-0439164139	$14.99	$3
Brain Quest Workbook – Grade 2	978-0761149156	$12.95	$6
Math Assessment Tasks: Grade 2	978-1596731363	$24.99	$7
Reading Assessment Tasks: Grade 2	978-1596731400	$24.99	$13
Harcourt Assessment Guide: Grade 2	978-0153365386	NA	$30
Selection Assessments Grade 2 (McGraw-Hill Reading)	978-0021869244	NA	$10
Scott Foresman Science: Grade 2 Assessment Book	978-0328126309	NA	$11
Harcourt Brace Math Advantage Grade 2, Performance Assessment: Teacher’s Guide	B000OJHW5S	NA	$11
Open Court Decodable Books Take Home: Level C, Set 1	978-0026839297	$15	$7
SRA Open Court Reading Grade 2 Book 1 (Hardcover)	978-0028309521	$60	$7
Open Court Reading: Book 2: Fossils - Courage - Our Country and Its People (Hardcover)	978-0028309538	$60	$5
Reading and Writing Workbook Open Court	978-0028310657	$20	$5
Open Court Reading Inquiry Journal Level 2	978-0028310015	$20	$4
Open Court Reading Level 2 Book 1	978-0075692447	$55	$7
Open Court Reading Comprehension and Language Arts Skills Workbook	978-0075692447	$25	$8
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Student Anthology Book 1, Grade 2 (Spanish)	978-0075761389	$50	$30
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Comprehension and Language Arts Skills Workbook, Grade 2 (Spanish)	978-0075791706	$25	$15
Neighborhoods CA Edition, Grade 2	978-0618423811	$50	$8

Workbooks, Guide Books, and assessment resources for Third Grade:

	ISBN-10, ISBN-13	List Price	Best Online Price**
DK Publishing - Math Made Easy: Third Grade Workbook	978-0789457295	$14.99	$5
Harcourt Math 3 Practice Workbook	978-0153364754	NA	$7
Reading & Math Jumbo Workbook: Grade 3	978-0439786027	$14.99	$4
Scholastic Success With Math Workbook Grade 3	978-0439419673	$4.99	$4.99
Master Skills Reading, Grade 3	978-1561890439	$6.95	$6.95
Brighter Child Reading, Grade 3	978-0769676739	$3.99	$3.99
Brain Quest Workbook – Grade 3	978-0761149163	$12.95	$7
Harcourt Science Grade 3 Assessment Guide	978-0153436291	NA	$34
Harcourt Math Assessment Guide Grade 3	978-0153206863	NA	NA
Harcourt Health and Fitness Grade 3 Assessment Guide	978-0153390784	NA	$15
Your Health Assessment Guide Grade 3 – Harcourt	978-0153113451	NA	$28
Selection Assessments Teacher’s Annotated Edition Grade 3 (McGraw-Hill Reading)	978-0021869275	NA	$5
Scott Foresman Science: Grade 3 Assessment Book	978-0328126316	NA	$28
Harcourt Brace Math Advantage Grade 3, Performance Assessment: Teacher’s Guide	978-0153111808	NA	$5
Harcourt Trophies: Reading and Language Skills Assessment (Grade 3)	978-0153249631	NA	$34
The Path to Math Success Assessment Guide Grade 3	0382372972	NA	$23
Mathematics Grade 3 Assessment Source Book	978-0328055227	NA	$9
Practice Book Grade 3 Changing Patterns (Trophies) - Houghton Mifflin	978-0153235160	$10	$8
Spelling Practice Book Grade 3 (Trophy) - Houghton Mifflin	978-0153235009	$10	$8
Trophies Practice Book Grade 3 - On Your Mark - HSP	978-0153235177	$10	$7
SRA Open Court Reading / Decodable Takehome Books/ Full Color Version / Level D Set 1	978-0026839310	$20	$4
Open Court Reading: Anthology Level 3-1	978-0028309545	$65	$9
Open Court Reading and Writing Workbook	978-0028310664	$20	$4
Open Court Reading Inquiry Journal Level 3 Workbook	978-0028310022	$18	$4
Open Court Comprehension and Language Art Skills Workbook	978-0075706830	$18	$8
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Student Anthology Book 1, Grade 3 (Spanish)	978-0075761488	$20	$10
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Comprehension and Language Arts Skills Workbook, Grade 3 (Spanish)	978-0075791737	$50	$50
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Inquiry Journal, Grade 3 (Spanish)	978-0075792161	$20	$15
History Social Science CA Edition Houghton Mifflin	978-0618423828	$50	$10
McGraw Hill Health and Wellness Grade 3 CA Edition	978-0022806026	$40	$23

Workbooks, Guide Books, and assessment resources for Fourth Grade:

	ISBN-10, ISBN-13	List Price	Best Online Price**
DK Publishing - Math Made Easy: Fourth Grade Workbook	978-0789457356	$14.99	$5
Harcourt Math 4 Practice Workbook	978-0153364761	$11.95	$11.95
Reading & Math Jumbo Workbook: Grade 4	978-0439786034	$14.99	$10
Scholastic Success With Math Workbook Grade 4	978-0439419680	$4.99	$4.99
Master Skills Reading, Grade 4	978-1561890040	$6.95	$3
Brighter Child Reading, Grade 4	978-0769676746	$3.99	$3.99
Brain Quest Workbook – Grade 4	978-0761150183	$12.95	$7
Harcourt Science Grade 4 Assessment Guide	978-0153436307	NA	$34
Harcourt Math Assessment Guide Grade 4	978-0153365409	NA	$30
Harcourt Health and Fitness Grade 4 Assessment Guide	978-0153551482	NA	$38
Your Health Assessment Guide Grade 4 – Harcourt	978-0153113468	NA	$15
Selection Assessments Teacher’s Annotated Edition Grade 4 (McGraw-Hill Reading)	978-0021869299	NA	$26
Scott Foresman Science: Grade 4 Assessment Book	978-0328126323	NA	$54
Harcourt Brace Math Advantage Grade 4, Performance Assessment: Teacher’s Guide	978-0153110443	NA	$4
Harcourt Trophies: Reading and Language Skills Assessment (Grade 4)	978-0153249648	NA	$21
The Path to Math Success Assessment Guide Grade 4	978-0382372988	NA	$37
Open Court Reading Anthology Level 4	978-0028309569	$80	$5
Open Court Reading and Writing Workbook	978-0028310671	$20	$4
Open Court Reading Inquiry Journal	978-0028310039	$20	$4
Open Court Reading Comprehension and Language Art Skills Level 4	978-0075706861	$20	$9
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Comprehension and Language Arts Skills Workbook, Grade 4 (Spanish)	978-0075791768	$25	$15
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Writer's Workbook, Grade 4 (Spanish)	978-0075791973	$25	$14
Houghton Mifflin History Social Science Grade 4 CA Edition	978-0618423927	$72	$33
McGraw Hill Health and Wellness Grade 4 CA Edition	978-0022806033	$52	$27

Workbooks, Guide Books, and assessment resources for Fifth Grade:

	ISBN-10, ISBN-13	List Price	Best Online Price**
DK Publishing - Math Made Easy: Fifth Grade Workbook	978-0789457417	$14.99	$6
Harcourt Math 5 Practice Workbook	978-0153364846	NA	$19
Scholastic Success With Math Workbook Grade 5	978-0439419697	$4.99	$4.99
Master Skills Reading, Grade 5	978-1561890057	$6.95	$5
Brighter Child Reading, Grade 5	978-0769636757	NA	$5
Harcourt Science Grade 5 Assessment Guide	978-0153436314	NA	$81
Harcourt Math Assessment Guide Grade 5	978-0153365416	NA	$24
Harcourt Health and Fitness Grade 5 Assessment Guide	978-0153390807	NA	$6
Your Health Assessment Guide Grade 5 – Harcourt	978-0153551499	NA	$18
Selection Assessments Teacher’s Annotated Edition Grade 5 (McGraw-Hill Reading)	978-0021869312	NA	$14
Scott Foresman Science: Grade 5 Assessment Book	978-0328333967	NA	NA
Harcourt Brace Math Advantage Grade 5, Performance Assessment: Teacher’s Guide	978-0153111822	NA	$9
Harcourt Trophies: Reading and Language Skills Assessment (Grade 5)	B000GHERTM	NA	$49
The Path to Math Success Assessment Guide Grade 5	978-0382402852	NA	$10
Assessment Options Grade 5 United States History: Early Years (History-Social Science) - Houghton Mifflin	978-0618618293	NA	NA
Harcourt Math Performance Assessment Grade 5	978-0153368592	$25	$25
Harcourt Math: Practice Workbook Grade 5	978-0153207853	$14	$9
Harcourt Math: Challenge Workbook Grade 5	978-0153208218	$16	$11
California Science Assessment - Macmillan	978-0022842499	$80	$40
Open Court Reading Student Anthology Book 5	978-0028309576	$80	$8
Open Court Reading and Writing Workbook	978-0028310688	$20	$4
Open Court Reading Inquiry Journal	978-0028310046	$18	$6
Open Court Reading Comprehension and Language Skills Workbook Level 5	978-0075719052	$18	$10
Open Court Reading Writer's Workbook Grade 5	978-0075695493	$10	$5
SRA Foro abierto para la lectura (Nivel 5) Spanish	978-0075762348	$50	$33
Foro Abierto Para LA Lectura: Comprehension and Language Arts Skills Workbook, Grade 4	978-0075791768	$25	$10
Houghton Mifflin United States History: Early Years Grade 5	978-0618423934	$80	$37
McGraw Hill Health and Wellness Grade 5 CA Edition	978-0022806040	$90	$40

General guidebooks, workbooks, and assessment books that apply to multiple elementary levels:

	ISBN-10, ISBN-13	List Price	Best Online Price**
Three Rivers Press - Home Learning Year by Year: How to Design a Homeschool Curriculum from Preschool Through High School	978-0609805855	$14.95	$10
Three Rivers Press - The Complete Home Learning Source Book: The Essential Resource Guide for Homeschoolers, Parents, and Educators Covering Every Subject from Arithmetic to Zoology	978-0609801093	$29.95	$12
Three Rivers Press - The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12	978-0761563600	$16.95	$12
W. W. Norton & Company - The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, Revised and Updated Edition	978-0393059274	$39.95	$25
B&H Publishing - 100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum: Choosing The Right Curriculum And Approach For Your Child's Learning Style	978-0805431384	$21.99	$14.99
Three Rivers Press - The First Year of Homeschooling Your Child: Your Complete Guide to Getting Off to the Right Start	978-0761527886	$16.95	$8
Three Rivers Press - The Unschooling Handbook: How to Use the Whole World As Your Child's Classroom	978-0761512769	$16.95	$10
New Society Publishers - Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling	978-0865714489	$12.95	$9
Home Schooling for Dummies	978-0764508882	$19.99	$8
Hooked on Phonics: Learn to Read K-2 deluxe set	978-1601438768	$199.99	$159.99
3-Minute Reading Assessments: Word Recognition, Fluency, and Comprehension: Grades 1-4	978-0439650892	$14.99	$12
Oral Reading Fluency Assessment Grade 1-6 (Harcourt Trophies Reading)	978-0153409677	NA	$4
Mathematics Assessment Sampler, Grades 3-5: Items Aligned with Nctm's Principles and Standards for School Mathematics	978-0873535793	$45	$40
Mathematics Assessment Sampler, Prekindergarten-Grade 2: Items Aligned with Nctm's Principles and Standards for School Mathematics	978-0873535915	$40	$37

Frugal Tip: Previous versions of some textbooks are much more affordable compared to the latest version and inn many cases, the content is not substantively different. To make an informed purchase decision, your best bet is to check with the instructor.

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Last Updated: 05/2013.