Blog

Blog

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

Japanese Classroom

How I passed the HSA testing period

Posted by on | Featured

Last year, when I started my new job, I was given two options for health care: bad and worse. I went from having access to an “A1” and “B1” plan to a “B3” and “C3” plan. Without even knowing the … Read More … Read More

Tags: ,

Coinstar is for wimps. Count your own change.

Posted by on | Featured

Okay cadets, get in formation! We’ve got work to do. Fallllll in! Graaaaaab rolls! Coooooount coins! Sorry, I was just having fun for a change. (Sorry about that too.) … Read More

Tags: , ,
Lock and key

Why I can’t get myself to use a password manager

Posted by on | Featured

Data breaches have become so common that they are basically going on constantly. According to Teramind, in the time it takes you to brush your teeth, 19,280 data records have been stolen. And that’s not counting floss. If you haven’t … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,
Fin rock

“How I made $200,000 and grew my audience from 50 to 50,000 in 13 months!” and other things I ignored at FinCon 2018

Posted by on | Featured

I’m just getting back from FinCon 2018. What a blast! Some previous posts about FinCon: Is it already FinCon 2018? A confession of unintentionality Affiliate mania, problem companies, and bling: Notes from the exhibition hall at FinCon 2017 FinCon is … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,
Surprised sidewalk

What to say when someone you know makes a financial decision you disagree with

Posted by on | Featured

It’s not an infrequent occurrence that I get friends who apologize to me when they tell me about financial decisions they make. “I know you wouldn’t approve of this, but…“ The interesting thing is that more often than not, they’re … Read More … Read More

Tags:
Palm trees

Is it already FinCon 2018? A confession of unintentionality

Posted by on | Featured

I try to keep my posts here informative, educational, hopefully entertaining, and always vaguely nerdy. But this site is also a journey for me as well. I’m not sitting at the top of the mountain, throwing off wisdom to the … Read More … Read More

Tags: ,
Sailboat

You don’t need to wait until you’re old or rich to see the world

Posted by on | Featured

I’ve been in Scotland for the past week, the first time I’ve been here in about twenty years. The first time I was here was on a break from college. I had taken a spring semester off, and was planning … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,
Double rainbow

If you save $1 today, how much will you have in 10 years?

Posted by on | Featured

It’s better to save when you’re younger. I think most of us know that. The problem is that being younger is the time when it’s hardest to save. One’s younger years are the time when pretty much everyone has a … Read More … Read More

Tags:
Robot

Why not use a robo-advisor?

Posted by on | Featured

So as I mentioned in my last post, my day job started offering a 401(k) recently. Finally! It’s been very relieving, as it allows me to put more tax-advantaged money away for retirement, which, as you might imagine, is pretty … Read More … Read More

Tags: ,
401

Why a 401(k) is the most lucrative investment product for most people

Posted by on | Featured

Lord have mercy, my day job just recently started offering a 401(k)! When I switched jobs last year, I was dismayed, as one can imagine, that there was no employee-sponsored retirement plan offered to me. When I asked, as politely … Read More … Read More

Tags: ,