Lou Carlozo

For job seekers and employers alike, LinkedIn provides a valuable service. While many features are free, the professional social networking website dangles an array of additional tools — for a price. For those on a budget, is a LinkedIn Premium account worth the money?

Open enrollment for benefits ends today at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Jason Rothstein, 40, has just finished all the needed paperwork. Once again, his health insurance premiums will go up - about 5 to 6% in 2012. And, as an employee with earnings in the $61,000 to $76,000 range, he'll pay more for his insurance than colleagues at a lower salary level.