One of my relatives would give away a lot of money — and give away a lot of her labor without pay. This isn’t a bad thing by itself, but one of the motivations she had was that she was afraid of being put into a higher tax bracket. It wasn’t the only reason, but … Read more
Usually, a promotion at work is a good thing — more money and more prestige — but it’s not always welcome. It could infringe on family time with extra hours, or take a toll on health and well-being with added stress. Or, it could place people in hard ethical situations. What should you do if … Read more
Each week at church we have “children’s church” for kids up through fifth grade. This gives the kids a church experience that’s a little bit more suited for their age so that the grownups can concentrate on the message without constantly telling their young kids to be quiet. And just like the parents’ church, the … Read more
Last week on the way to church I was listening to a radio broadcast. I have no clue who the speaker was, nor do I even remember which station or show it was. The part that I heard was a discussion of the welfare state, immigration, and personal financial responsibility. The points about immigration, illegal … Read more
Not doing so can cost you. Allow me to explain how it cost me. I have had a fair amount of dental work, and opted for supplemental dental insurance through my employer. It’s not cheap insurance, but it does allow for coverage on “the expensive stuff” like crowns, multi-face fillings, root canals, etc. My health … Read more
Sun’s Financial Diary posted a graph on the uptick in the US national personal savings rate. It’s reached a 7-year high, breaking 3%. This is a far cry from the 1970s and 1980, when the savings rate was north of 10% of disposable income. Over the past fifty years we really haven’t excelled at saving, … Read more
Today I celebrate seven years of being married to the best woman in the world. (Even though the traditional wedding gift for the seventh wedding anniversary is copper, I decided against giving my wife a bunch of pre-1982 Lincoln cents.) I’ve certainly grown up a lot about how I interact with my wife regarding money … Read more
We all need food, clothing, and shelter. Here are actionable tips to save money on these basic needs … We may think that we need a lot of things. We may think we need cable TV, our morning coffee and bagel, a couple of pints at the pub each Friday, or a really big house … Read more