Blog

Blog

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

Did I take my own mortgage advice?

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  So the papers are signed and the move is complete. I’ll be living out of boxes for what feels like forever, but that doesn’t matter. I’m a homeowner now. I’m also back into debt, as I have a mortgage now. … Read More … Read More

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The best time to travel is coming up soon!

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  It’s getting to be my favorite time of the year in the US for flying! Planes will be empty, fares will be cheap, airports will be a breeze to get to and around in. I’ve already booked a flight, and … Read More … Read More

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One surefire way to pare down your possessions

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  There’s a lot of talk these days about minimalism. Apparently, we’ve all gotten so good at acquiring stuff that there now is a trend toward pairing down. It used to be that whoever had the largest house, the biggest amount … Read More … Read More

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The mortgage: debt’s final boss character

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  My friend Rami talks about many facets of life from the perspective of certain video games. And certain video game tropes do occassionally leak into other forms of art and even real life. For example, can anyone really read … Read More … Read More

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The homeowner’s “garden”: a little equity grows

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  Have you ever bought a home? Well, if you only have a single full time job, and want another one on top of it, well, this is the plan for you. Everything in this process seems to have resulted … Read More … Read More

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Important versus urgent: Applying the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to your finances

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  I’ve increasingly found it important to determine whether something is important or whether it is just urgent, as I think that we all (myself included) tend to confuse the two. I just recently learned that the matrix of the … Read More … Read More

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You don’t need a data plan

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  I willingly raised my cell phone bill by 17% recently. That sounds punishing and predatory, until I tell you that it went from $30/month to $35/month. While my new plan had a limit of minutes and texts per month, … Read More … Read More

What to do first when you get an unexpected windfall

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  Some situations are outside of our control. An unexpected job loss. An unexpected medical situation. These are all situations when you really need an emergency fund to get you through. But perhaps I’m too focused on the negative. While … Read More … Read More

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How to have an emergency fund when you’re still in debt

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  Some of you have already paid off their debts and are well on your way to becoming wealthy enough to feel safe, live easy, and accomplish anything. But some of you are knee-deep (or neck-deep) in debt, possibly living … Read More … Read More

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When your life changes, change your emergency fund

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  An emergency fund is a vital tool, not just in your financial situation, but also for your sense of emotional grounding. But no kidding. I like to joke that a fully-funded emergency fund is like anti-anxiety medication, but without … Read More … Read More

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