Decisions

Why I don’t care about rental car loyalty

  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 MoreRead More

What else could you keep track of?

  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 MoreRead More

How to determine the ethics of a situation

  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 MoreRead More

Is it possible to be an ethical investor?

  “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 MoreRead More

How (and why) to avoid taxis when traveling

  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 MoreRead More

How to plan for Social Security

  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 MoreRead 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 MoreRead 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 MoreRead 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 MoreRead 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 MoreRead More