Blog

Blog

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

VCR

How to prevent the end of history

Posted by on | Featured

Hidden among the latest catastrophes and tragedies was a little-heralded story about how the last VCR was finally being produced. “I didn’t even know that VCRs were still being made,” said mostly everyone. Indeed, it’s been a while since I’ve … Read More … Read More

Tags: ,
Blurry people

Even if I wanted a smartphone, how would I use it?

Posted by on | Featured

Smartphones aren’t evil, but for me, the cons far outweigh the pros. I don’t need a map to get around, I don’t need email everywhere I am, and apps don’t seem like they would qualitatively add to my life. For … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,
Ask graffiti

Have you lowered your bills recently?

Posted by on | Featured

This week, I managed to lower my phone bill by over 25%. It was easy, and didn’t even require a call into the (dreaded) customer service. But there’s nothing special about me and my situation, and you can do the … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,
Superman

Enter the retirement mutant hybrid: the Roth 401(k)

Posted by on | Featured

When people think of employer-based retirement accounts like 401(k) plans, people often think that that implies pre-tax contributions. It’s only your own self-directed retirement accounts (IRAs) that have the post-tax (Roth) option. I used to be one of those people. But … Read More … Read More

Tags: , , ,
Match heads

Seriously, take the employer match

Posted by on | Featured

What if I told I could get you an immediate 100% return on an investment? Would you believe me? According to the American Benefits Council, 80 percent of full-time workers have access to a defined contribution plan such as a 401(k) … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,
Homemade Enigma machine

Financial cage match: ETFs versus mutual funds

Posted by on | Featured

I want everyone to be an investing expert. Thankfully, I also believe that simplicity in investing is best. Create a Roth IRA, put money into low-cost index funds, and repeat this every month. When I say “low-cost index funds”, I’m … Read More … Read More

Tags: , , , ,
Newspapers

Is it time to turn off the news?

Posted by on | Featured

My mom assures me that this is a true story. Around the age of 5 or so, reflecting on the content on the local news show on TV, I asked my mom why they didn’t call the show “Bad News” … Read More … Read More

Tags: , , ,
Bullseye

A photo finish is a good thing when budgeting

Posted by on | Featured

If you’re like me, you may procrastinate, but you don’t like it. You don’t enjoy waiting until the last minute to get things done. And in general, it feels better to have some leeway, rather than cutting things close. However, … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,
Falling sand grains

Does savings count as a bill or an expense?

Posted by on | Featured

I talk a lot about making plans for spending money, because you want to spend your money intentionally and not just let it happen. Moreover, the objective is not to spend as little as possible, but just the right amount … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,
Lightning in the desert

Would I have done college differently if I had wanted to avoid debt?

Posted by on | Featured

I’m annoyed when I think about debt. It’s a thing that I want to get away from, like a snoring person in the room, or a screaming baby on the plane. I want it gone. When I was in high school, … Read More … Read More

Tags: , ,