Blog

Blog

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

On poverty and self-description

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  When you’re offering advice, it’s sometimes hard to know what kind of tack to take to be most effective. Would it be best to offer some gentle hand-holding, or do they need a swift kick in the pants? I … Read More … Read More

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Spend more for food

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  When I lived in New York City, money was a big concern, and food was a big part of that. I never went out to restaurants, and in fact the once-monthly trip to the grocery store was a big … Read More … Read More

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Flex your discomfort muscle

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  What am I doing right now to challenge myself? I usually like to have some kind of challenge for myself in my life, some kind of project to embark on or task to accomplish, so periodically when I feel … Read More … Read More

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The benefits of venturing out alone

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  Out at dinner recently, I was making small talk with the waiter, and when he asked what my plan was for the weekend, I said that I was heading off to an amusement park. (I am a huge fan … Read More … Read More

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Why you have something to hide online

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  Google’s Eric Schmidt famously said that “If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.“ I get writer’s block thinking about all the ways that this statement … Read More … Read More

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The four questions to ask yourself before posting anything online

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  Hi everyone. Read about any compromising pictures of famous people being leaked online lately? Pardon me while I bang my head against the wall. I’m not sure if I’m more angry at some people or mortified for others. I … Read More … Read More

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Can you help make places more people-friendly?

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  (200th post! Thanks everyone for your support.) I talked before about the pain of being in a place that isn’t designed for you. It might have seemed a bit heavier than the usual fare here, but then again, if we … Read More … Read More

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Why no one walks (or, this land was not made for you or me)

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  Recently, I spent some time in a small city in the US Southeast. Stationed in a hotel a few miles from the center of town and without a car, I spent a few days negotiating the area on foot. … Read More … Read More

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Why the Home Depot and Target breaches aren’t an argument for using credit cards

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  Another month, another major retailer announces that their internal records have been hacked, and their customer credit/debit card accounts stolen. This time it was 60 million accounts, making it the biggest breach ever. I was at dinner the other … Read More … Read More

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Become a Trusted Traveler with NEXUS (and get your eyeballs scanned)

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  A few months ago, I wrote about my experience signing up for NEXUS, the joint border clearance program between the US and Canada that allows for expedited travel in, out, and between the two countries. The process for getting … Read More … Read More

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