Decisions

Why it’s better to be a volunteer than an attendee

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  Within a space of two weeks, I have volunteered at two events: World Domination Summit and Northwest String Summit. (Interesting coincidence how both events happen to use the word “Summit” in their title.) The two events couldn’t be more different: … Read More … Read More

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Is the Starbucks Rewards program a good deal?

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  Starbucks is one of those chains that people love to hate. Some may scoff entirely, preferring (arguably better) local coffee shops, while others go there five times a week minimum. Sometimes people complain about Starbucks while in line for … Read More … Read More

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Is it worth it to purchase lounge access?

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  As mentioned in the discussion of my failed attempt at extending my airline lounge access, I had purchased lounge access for a year, and had enjoyed the experience. But I balked at renewing my membership. It just seemed like … Read More … Read More

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Why I don’t care about rental car loyalty

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  I’ve been renting cars for years. Some people are often surprised to know that I rented my first car at the age of 20, five years before the supposed “lowest” age of 25 (and even lower than the “lower … Read More … Read More

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What else could you keep track of?

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  One of the quickest ways to get control of your finances is to keep track of your expenses. It is both the simplest task (requiring a pen and paper, alternately a text file on your phone or laptop) and … Read More … Read More

How to determine the ethics of a situation

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  I’m no ethicist. Or rather, I’m no different in my qualifications than anyone else to make these kind of judgments. Chuck Klosterman, who at some point while I wasn’t looking became the writer of the New York Times The … Read More … Read More

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Is it possible to be an ethical investor?

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  “Vote with your wallet.” “Put your money where your mouth is.” Where we spend our money matters. I’m assuming that there are certain companies that do not align with your personal ethical code, so you would not want to … Read More … Read More

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How (and why) to avoid taxis when traveling

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  I have a few informal rules when traveling. One of them is to never take a taxi. Taxis, to me, equate with a kind of failure. Harsh? Perhaps. But it’s nothing personal, I just see it as a personal … Read More … Read More

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How to plan for Social Security

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  Here in the US, we actually do have a small safety net for the elderly and disabled. It’s called Social Security (technically called “Old-age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance” or OASDI) The idea is that when you reach a certain … Read More … Read More

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How to live without a smartphone

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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

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