On the way to our camping trip this past weekend we stopped at a few yard sales and a flea market. We picked up: A bread maker for $6 A plastic 5-gallon jug for 50 cents Some free magazines like Writer’s Digestand ADDitude Two unopened packages of child safety latches for a dime each A … Read more
Over the past weekend my family and I went to West Virginia to camp with my wife’s parents. We went to Blackwater Falls State Park. The rest of the folks stayed a couple of days longer than I did because it was crunch time at work. Okay, that wasn’t the entire reason. I had to … Read more
In the never-ending parade of books on how to give your finances a makeover, jump-start your net worth, etc., it’s difficult to find something new to talk about on the subject. The Millionaire Maker is next in line, perhaps, but with enough fresh looks and enough guidance on question-asking to be worth a look. As … Read more
A colleague of mine, a computer programmer, was recounting his midyear review with his supervisor recently. He was a bit astounded that the best thing his supervisor said he did during the period was to bring some work in for three of his colleagues. (He overheard another one of my colleagues saying. during a phone … Read more
This third and final post, commenting on the MSN.com article 20 ways you waste money on your car, will focus on the money-wasters that have nothing directly to do with the performance of your vehicle. (Plus a couple of my own!) First, there’s the financial stuff related to insurance and the like: Not complaining when … Read more
Given all of the talk about gas prices, you’d think that nothing else about your vehicle mattered except the mileage it got! This article on MSN.com gives 20 ways you waste money on your car. I’ll comment on these needless expenses and toss in a few more for good measure. This post will talk about … Read more
Mortgages that outlive you. The truest kind of mortgage, since a root of the word is mort — French for death. They’re all but guaranteed to build very little equity during the first years and put people at almost as great a risk as those with interest-only loans of going upside-down on their mortgage should … Read more
With all of the hype about gas prices of late, most other vehicle expenses haven’t gotten the press they deserve amongst all of the talk about mileage, carpooling, hybrids, and oil-related politics. This article on MSN.com gives 20 ways you waste money on your car. I’ll comment on these wasteful ways and throw in a … Read more