Radical Finances

Look sign

Start checking your investments!

When I started at my last job, I signed up for the 401(k). (A 401(k) is one of the most lucrative ways that you can invest in a tax-advantaged way with scale.) I picked some investments, a reasonably diversified set … Read MoreRead More

Brake lights

Stop checking your investments!

I own a home, but I don’t think of it as an investment. I know many people do, and with the crazy housing market that exists in some places (including, let’s be honest, my own city), it’s understandable. But as far … Read MoreRead More

Elevators

Why not just increase your income?

I believe that the single most important task you can perform to increase the amount of money you have is by tracking and optimizing your expenses. The most common counter-suggestion is, “why not just increase your income?” As in, instead … Read MoreRead More

Lynn Cove Viaduct

Why not just track all of your spending as a single category?

I believe that everyone can optimize their spending habits, and without much in the way of sacrifice. I didn’t say “zero sacrifice”. We can’t all jet off to Hawaii whenever we want it. (Not without consequence, anyway.) But I also … Read MoreRead More

Queue ticket

How do you figure out how much money you need in retirement?

I had a little fun with our fictitious shopping trip on the luxury eBay. While I enjoy toys as much as anyone, I think the desire for ultra-rich luxuries seems less about desire for luxuries and more of a need … Read MoreRead More

Grim reaper

If you think you can get out of paying back your student loans, think again

Student loans are a big problem today. With the 68% of bachelor’s degree recipients graduating with student loan debt, and the average being $30,100 per borrower (in 2015), this feels like it’s no longer just “one of those things” a … Read MoreRead More

Rain window

Here’s the risk tolerance we ought to be talking about

I was a little hard on people who have a low investment risk tolerance. But that’s not because I’m a mean person. I have very good reasons. I get that the idea generally is that we want to protect against … Read MoreRead More

Scary hand

Why it doesn’t matter what your risk tolerance is

When investing, whether for retirement or for any longer term goals, there is often a discussion of “risk tolerance”. Risk tolerance in this context means how much variability in the investment return process that an investor is willing to withstand. … Read MoreRead More

Gift cards

How to offload (or combine) unused gift cards

After the debacle of trying to use a prepaid card to anonymously purchase VPN service, only to find that I couldn’t use it for purchases outside of the U.S., I decided to just buy the VPN service outright. But I … Read MoreRead More

Shadow selfie

I want you to be your own insurer

As I’ve stated before, I have a natural built-in aversion to many insurance products. Mainly, this is because they are so heavily marketed and advertised (and you know how I feel about that). I just am usually not convinced that … Read MoreRead More