When you share finances with a partner, you can outsource the budgeting to the one who is most interested, but there are good reasons not to. After doing this for many years, I’ve learned a surprising fact: not everyone is … Read More … Read More
Blog
Blog
Musings on personal finance and more. Not written with AI since 2012.
Why a terrible savings account rate is actually just fine
Falling interest rates may seem like a concern, but it helps to illustrate what savings accounts are really for. I’ve also long talked about how you can use an online savings bank to get much higher interest rates than with … Read More … Read More
Are people fundamentally good or bad?
A false choice on judging people’s virtue is nonetheless responsible for whether we err on the side of helping too many or too few people. Oversimplifications are comforting. For some, the importance of saying, “this is right, and this is … Read More … Read More
Why I want to be the “Dave Ramsey for the heathens”
Dave Ramsey has helped millions, but he ignores LGBT, polyamory, and nontraditional communities. So I’m bringing the good ideas to everyone. Are you familiar with “The Five Love Languages” book by Gary Chapman? It’s a book that describes the different … Read More … Read More
Eviction in the pandemic: Owning versus renting
It doesn’t matter how much money you have. It matters how you feel.
We think that more money is the answer, but what we’re really seeking is a way to feel better. That’s what really matters. Everyone is selling success. You see this in people’s perfect lives on Instagram, their perfect bodies, their … Read More … Read More
How to take advantage of a student loan payment freeze
During the student loan payment and interest freeze, if you are able to make payments now, you’ll have a much greater impact on your loans. A lot of the benefits that were passed to ease the crisis for people dealing … Read More … Read More
No secrets: Why you already know everything you need to know about money
If you’re searching for a financial “secret”, you’re going to be disappointed. You’d be better served by a better understanding of yourself. I tend to roll my eyes at products that promise to tell you “secrets”. “Secrets of the ultra-rich!” … Read More … Read More
It’s time to create your own unemployment insurance
If you’re employed, you have the option to create your own unemployment insurance that’s even more flexible than what you get through work. Some people don’t seem to understand what “getting unemployment” is all about. Unemployment is a kind of … Read More … Read More
How to lose $600 a week and still survive
Millions of people who depend on unemployment just lost $600 in wages per week. Here are some tips on how to cope with a massive income loss. If you’re reading this from a place outside of the U.S., or from … Read More … Read More