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Blog

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

Ignore interest rates on debt

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  “This card has a 12% APR.” “My student loan is fixed at 5%.” “I can get a new car with a 0% interest loan.” Interest rates are talked about quite often when it comes to financial matters. Mostly, this … Read More … Read More

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Why cheap travel isn’t the best

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  I spent the night of my 23rd birthday on the floor of the Greyhound Terminal in San Francisco. … Read More

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Run the numbers after your trip

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  When I come back from a long trip, I tend to do three things: Sleep copiously (though not necessarily in the correct hours for my current time zone) Dump the contents of my bag either into the trash or … Read More … Read More

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Travel hacking to get free hotels

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  I stayed at the Holiday Inn in Gwangju, South Korea. The question that invariably popped up whenever I told anyone that I was staying in Gwangju (even Koreans all said this) was, “why!?” Yikes, do they know something I … Read More … Read More

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Accept when your plans are changed

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  It was to be a good day. I could make it to the ferry terminal with enough time not to have to rush (for once). The ferry would be a leisurely two hour ride to the island of Jeju, … Read More … Read More

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How avoiding conflict can ruin everything

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  Greetings from the Shinkansen. While on my travels, I got to talking with a guy who had lived in Japan for a while. We talked openly about our lives (in that way that happens surprisingly frequently in situations when … Read More … Read More

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How to feel like an infant (in a good way)

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  I approached the packed little restaurant with interest and apprehension. I say “little restaurant,” but it was really just a hallway with a kitchen and some chairs shoehorned into it. I tried to place an order via the universal … Read More … Read More

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How to enjoy your travels more (and come home less exhausted)

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  It’s a gorgeous Spring day here in Tokyo. Sunny, warm, light breeze. There’s a bird outside saying “‘Caw’” like it’s got scare quotes around it. “‘Caw.’ I’m a bird, it’s what I say. ‘Caw.’” And here I am, inside, … Read More … Read More

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How to determine how much money you need to travel

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  Warning: this post contains math. I want to expand on a point I made last time about reasons people don’t travel: namely not having enough money. I’ve been having an ongoing conversation where I’m trying to convince someone to … Read More … Read More

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Why you don’t travel more

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  “I wish I could travel more.” Oh, if I had a frequent flyer mile for every time I’ve heard this lament. Travel appears to be the universal wish. Even the usual mileposts of marriage, kids, and house don’t seem … Read More … Read More

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