Last week was a blur. I met up with the family, who had preceded me by two weeks, in Japan, and we made a quick visit through Tokyo for 6 days until we returned on the 4th of July. A number of observations: 1 week is the optimal trip length to Asia to maximize jet […]
How Does Tokyo Disney Charge Less, but Make More? Read More »
I have been blogging for one year. And what a year it’s been! Good News I’m a Blogging Machine! I have 22 posts (let’s be generous and count this one too, so 23). That, my friends, means an average of almost one post every fortnight. Boom! Bad News Apparently the Blogging Gods say you need
In Like a Lamb, Out Like a Sheep Read More »
Summer is here. Warm weather, the grill, vacations galore. But each summer I also cringe, because I know I’m going to starting seeing stories about kids being left in cars and dying. Before I became a parent, I couldn’t understand how this could happen. How could you possibly leave a kid behind in a car?
A Low-Tech Fix for Hot Car Deaths Read More »
I just received my second 50K airline miles bonus for this year on the world’s biggest airline for getting an identical credit card from the issuing bank. For those who are new to travel hacking (and trust me, this is just the minor leagues*), here’s the step by step: I applied for a “platinum” card,
The Art of Cream Skimming Read More »
When I started organizing my will a long time ago, the attorney I planned to use started referencing a bunch of other documents that would be included in the package. I was, of course, suspicious of some complex legal upsell, but I listened. As she explained all of the other documents and why there were
Estate Planning: Beyond the Will Read More »
I just filed my taxes, and I noticed two things: My taxes continue to get more complicated I paid a lot in taxes last year I may be unique, but I really don’t mind doing or paying my taxes. Sometimes it’s a lot of work and a lot of money, but I stop way short
The Good Thing About Income Taxes Read More »
Every once in a while, something related to home maintenance actually goes your way. Let’s start our story with toilets. Used to be, I didn’t give them a whole lot of thought. Once in a blue moon they stopped up, and even more rarely you’d need to replace a flapper if it started to fail.
Leak Detector 1, Overflowing Toilet 0 Read More »
will noun \\ˈwil\\ law : a legal document in which a person states who should receive his or her possessions after he or she dies Source: Merriam-Webster There’s really no guarantee of the payback for many of the personal finance decisions you can make. Perhaps…. Your careful 529-plan savings are for naught when your son
Great News! You Already Have a Will! Read More »
If I were to offer you several hundred dollars, or perhaps even a cool thousand, to turn off the water main to your house in 30 seconds or less, would you be able to do it? I’m not actually offering, mind you, but there’s a chance that offer may be made to you somewhere down
Utility Shut Offs: A Lesser Known Personal Finance Skill Read More »
Houses are wonderful things. They give you a place to stay comfortably out of the elements, to store stuff, and even to cook a meal or two. Then there’s the financial side of things. A house is commonly cited as the biggest and most important purchase of your life, and it’s often presented as a
Your House Is a Liability Read More »