Some people resist the idea that they should track their spending forever. But what else gives so much benefit for a small amount of work? … Read More
Blog
Blog
Musings on personal finance and more. Not written with AI since 2012.
There is no shame in filing for unemployment (or other benefits)
We need to de-stigmatize utilizing public services such as unemployment or SNAP benefits (food stamps) when times are tough. … Read More
Would you rather: buy a new car or own a home?
I argue that for most people, you can choose to buy a new car or own a home (if you can have either of them at all), but not both. … Read More
Self-care is not doom spending
Self-care is an important part of life, and it’s okay (not reckless, and certainly not doom spending) to allocate money for this purpose. … Read More
Are you doom spending?
A phrase, doom spending (or doomspending) gets to the heart of the hopelessness people face about their finances and their future. … Read More
The Buy/Rent Calculator tells it like it is
The New York Times calculator showing whether to rent or buy a home is more cost-effective has a lot of wisdom, even with unhappy news. … Read More
You aren’t smarter than the timeshare people
You aren’t going to make money on a timeshare purchase. A timeshare will cost you forever, and you won’t even get to use it much either. … Read More
Was the 401(k) a mistake?
The 401(k) is the best option that most people have for saving for retirement. But its introduction may have been a mistake. … Read More
You’ll want to keep your car even longer now
Due to rising costs, people are keeping their cars longer and not replacing them as often. This is actually a good thing. … Read More
Secure 2.0: Can you save for retirement while paying off your debt?
I used to believe you couldn’t pay off debt and save for retirement, but new legislation through the Secure 2.0 Act is making me reconsider. … Read More