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Blog

Musings on personal finance and more. Not written with AI since 2012.

How to find the sweet spot for paying extra on a debt

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If you have debt, some of the mandates are clear to you: Pay it off, obviously. Pay down a single debt at a time. Pay either the highest interest rate debt first (which makes sense on paper) or the lowest-sized … Read More … Read More

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You can save more (and not have it hurt)

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I’m a big fan of Ramit Sethi. (He’s the “I will teach you to be rich” guy.) I bought his Advanced Personal Finance course, and I don’t buy personal finance courses often. (I still do plan on reviewing that product here.) … Read More … Read More

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Why having a million dollars might still not make you a millionaire

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I’ve long talked about the necessity of being a millionaire. We all pretty much need to be at least a millionaire, give or take, if we want to have a comfortable retirement, because it’s only in that way that we … Read More … Read More

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When you’re asked to buy a protection plan, do this instead

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I have a pretty nice laptop. It was bought for me as part of my previous job, and when I left, I negotiated to be able to take it with me. Along with ownership of the laptop came the warranty, … Read More … Read More

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How that new tax law is working out for you

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Last year, I talked about the new tax bill, albeit reluctantly. I don’t like to wade too much into political realities, especially now. I think that what we all need more than anything right now is empathy, which includes a … Read More … Read More

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Should you do your own taxes?

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I remember being a kid and watch my dad do the family’s taxes. I remember our dining room table covered and overflowing with various papers and documents. It seemed like he was there for weeks. In the U.S., assuming that … Read More … Read More

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Make your bills less lumpy

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There is a difference between bills and expenses. A lot of people who talk about personal finance don’t distinguish between them. They say it’s all your “outgo” or just “what you spend money on”. But a car insurance payment is … Read More … Read More

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How to learn your money story

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You have a story you tell yourself about your relationship to money, and becoming aware of this money story is the first step to changing it. Our finances are such an everyday part of life that we may not feel … Read More … Read More

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Dark waiting

One day, you too may not receive a paycheck. Here’s how to prepare.

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Unless you live under a rock (and even rocks seem to have good WiFi these days), you know that as of the time of writing, the United States is undergoing the longest partial government shutdown in history. About 800,000 federal … Read More … Read More

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