Products and companies can inspire a lot of passion. It’s always nice to see consumers forge lifelong relationships with products or brands they love. But there’s another way passion can play out. In some cases, a single bad experience can make a company dead to you forever. This post contains affiliate links. Read here for […]
TGIF: Plumbing Is Fun Read More »
I must start today with a confession: I would be considered a child of privilege by most of the world. I grew up in a solidly middle class household in one of the richest countries on the planet. I never lacked anything truly needed to be a healthy and happy little guy. However, that doesn’t
Thank You for Spoiling Your Child Read More »
There are many people who write about finance. There are also many people who write truly entertaining content. There are very few who do both. Nelson Smith, who writes at Financial Uproar, is their standard bearer. He combines authority, intelligence, and wit, and has been an inspiration to me since I’ve started writing. In what
Go To College. You Won\’t Regret It. Read More »
I have a good friend who went to West Point. I enjoy hearing his stories of his plebe (first) year. It was a little tougher than my freshman year of college. Life is hard for a West Point plebe. They’re at the very bottom of the social structure, and the workload is incredibly demanding –
When Necessities Become Luxuries Read More »
When I was a boy, our family installed a swimming pool in our backyard. This was a big deal. I remember my friends being excited, and all of our neighbors were a bit envious. There was one exception, though. A woman we knew delivered a frightening warning on the eve of construction: “There’ll be a
A Swimming Pool Is A Terrible Investment Read More »
Let’s say your next vacation is to Mogadishu. There’s tons of history and lots to see. You could tour a mosque or two, shop the Bakaara Market, and maybe even do a Black Hawk Down walking tour. Your Facebook friends would be jealous. Your thrill seeking wouldn’t come free, though. There’d be a pretty reasonable
Do You Really Need a Budget? Read More »
There’s a word for people who brag about their kids. That word is boring. You’ll pretend to care as you hear about “reading at age 3” or “5 goals in a single game” or “won a Nobel Prize”, but you don’t. You’ll mumble your go-to phrase (mine is a glassy eyed “That’s AWESOME!”) and hope
Skip the Training Wheels Read More »
A while back, I started to think about paying our mortgage off early. We were at or beyond the max equity exposure I wanted, I was loath to invest in long-term fixed income, and short-term yields were painfully low. How ‘bout using any spare change we had lying around to pay down the ol’ mortgage?
The Delights of Double Deductions Read More »
Debt has a pretty bad name, but there’s one shining exception: mortgage debt. It’s “good” debt, you see, because it not only helps you buy a home and achieve the American dream but also also has income tax advantages in the U.S. Note to non-U.S. readers, people who are big-time enough to owe the Alternative
Is Your Mortgage Tax Deductible? Read More »
I don’t really like roller coasters. It’s not that I’m terrified of them – it’s just that I get absolutely no enjoyment and feel like I’m exposing myself to a bit of danger (they’re maintained by high school kids, you know) and stomach lurching for no reason at all. Plus you have to pay for
Do You Feel Lucky? Read More »