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Blog

Musings on personal finance and more...

How to live without a smartphone

I’ve talked before about how I’m a great fan of the dumbphone, that is, a mobile phone without internet/web capabilities. I’ve never owned a smartphone, in fact, and don’t plan to get one, at least as long as I can … Read More … Read More

Why I like the Roth IRA (though it’s not why people think)

  So I hope you’ve done your taxes for the year. I used a certain online program to do my taxes, and one of the questions asked was “Did you contribute to an IRA [Individual Retirement Arrangement] this year?” If … Read More … Read More

Taxes, or the opposite of simplicity

  Each year for me, tax season goes pretty much the same way: I fire up one of the big online hosted tax programs, enter in my info, take the Standard Deduction, get something approximating zero dollars back (I try … Read More … Read More

How badly do you want it?

  Stop for a second and think about what you want most. It could be worldly or ethereal, it doesn’t matter. And to be clear, I mean the first idea that came to mind. Don’t skip over it because you … Read More … Read More

Your fear is someone’s security (and vice versa)

  I was engaged in a conversation about guns. On one side, the need for owning guns to protect oneself and one’s family seemed unassailable. On the other side, horror. On one side, the importance of safe, responsible gun ownership, … Read More … Read More

What’s wrong with the American vacation?

  Over the past few weeks, I’ve been in four different countries, three of them for the first time. I’ve flown, taken long distance trains over mountain passes, rented a car and driven around (and around and around) fjords, stayed … Read More … Read More

Is it better to travel alone or with others?

  Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the great pleasure of being able to travel internationally with two friends of mine. This is a treat, as it’s been almost a decade since I traveled internationally with anyone, and never … Read More … Read More

The mindset you need for traveling

  Greetings from another new country. I’m in Norway right now, on my grand tour of the Great European North. I’m seeing new things, challenging myself, and am generally having a blast. Travel prerequisites After having been on many trips … Read More … Read More

What you never hear about traveling

  The hostel room was approximately seven feet wide by twelve feet long. Somehow, they had managed to wedge three beds in there. Even with two of the three of us being a couple, this was going to be tight. … Read More … Read More

Why I still opt-out at airports

  (Update: I don’t need to opt-out anymore because I have NEXUS.) In response to the terror attacks of 2001, airport security came under intense scrutiny. In the US, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was formed, which was mandated to … Read More … Read More

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