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Blog

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

Monkey face rock

If you’re still unsure about what method to use to pay off your debt

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If you’re like most people, you’ve got some form of debt. It could be a car loan, it could be credit cards, or it could be “good debt” like student loans. No matter, it’s got to go. You need to get … Read More … Read More

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Crosshairs

Do you want to invest in a target date fund?

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In 2006, Congress passed the Pension Protection Act. It’s a scintillating read. Among much else, it provided statutory authority for employers to enroll workers in retirement plans automatically, and also established criteria of “safe harbor investments” to protect employers from … Read More … Read More

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Captain Obvious Reports: How not to have more credit card debt

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Sometimes I like to get deep into the rabbit role with details. The post I wrote immediately before this detailed the ins and outs of rebalancing your investment portfolio. An important topic to discuss, but it’s hard not to be … Read More … Read More

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Balanced rocks

Am I making a mistake by not rebalancing my portfolio?

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I believe that investing is a crucial step in your plan to become financially secure. So I recommend putting as much as you can into an investment portfolio like a 401(k) at work, or (especially) a Roth IRA that you … Read More … Read More

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Infinity pool

What to do when your account balance is different than expected

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Balancing your household budget might be difficult to do, but it’s not complex. You just make sure that the money you have going out is the same amount that is coming in. (In this way, Charles Dickens’ Micawber was only half-right, … Read More … Read More

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Parrot

How I saved $600 in a year on my internet service

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Ever since broadband to the home became commonplace in the 2000’s, the internet bill is one that most households can’t live without. As more and more people “cut the cord” on their cable bill, home internet service is as important … Read More … Read More

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Cherry Blossom

The worrying connection between long-term care insurance and the Roth IRA

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I talked last time about long-term care insurance (LTCI), and how it can be a great tool to hedge against the incredible medical costs of things like nursing home care. This is, of course, assuming that the insurers stay in business, … Read More … Read More

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Heavenly Bow of Stars

Is long-term care insurance still a going concern?

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Medical costs are scary. Medical needs definitely count as emergencies, but the costs can be incredible. I always recommend a savings of at least six months of bills and expenses in your emergency fund (here’s what that means for you), … Read More … Read More

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More about how not to get lost

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In my last post, I started talking about how not to get lost. I believe everyone can both know where they are, as well as figure out where they need to go. All it takes is a little focused energy, patience, … Read More … Read More

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How not to get lost

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People say I have a very good sense of direction. I guess so. I prefer to say that most people have an undeveloped (or rather, untapped) sense of direction. Just like I believe that anyone can become good with math … Read More … Read More

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