Radical Finances

Balanced rocks

Am I making a mistake by not rebalancing my portfolio?

I believe that investing is a crucial step in your plan to become financially secure. So I recommend putting as much as you can into an investment portfolio like a 401(k) at work, or (especially) a Roth IRA that you … Read MoreRead More

Infinity pool

What to do when your account balance is different than expected

Balancing your household budget might be difficult to do, but it’s not complex. You just make sure that the money you have going out is the same amount that is coming in. (In this way, Charles Dickens’ Micawber was only half-right, … Read MoreRead More

Parrot

How I saved $600 in a year on my internet service

Ever since broadband to the home became commonplace in the 2000’s, the internet bill is one that most households can’t live without. As more and more people “cut the cord” on their cable bill, home internet service is as important … Read MoreRead More

Cherry Blossom

The worrying connection between long-term care insurance and the Roth IRA

I talked last time about long-term care insurance (LTCI), and how it can be a great tool to hedge against the incredible medical costs of things like nursing home care. This is, of course, assuming that the insurers stay in business, … Read MoreRead More

Heavenly Bow of Stars

Is long-term care insurance still a going concern?

Medical costs are scary. Medical needs definitely count as emergencies, but the costs can be incredible. I always recommend a savings of at least six months of bills and expenses in your emergency fund (here’s what that means for you), … Read MoreRead More

Light blobs

The problem with wanting “more”

“I wish I had more money.” I hear this at discussion groups, coaching sessions, and even just conversations with friends. I can’t help but remember that commercial from my childhood for a trade school, with Sally Struthers as spokesperson: “Do … Read MoreRead More

Roulette wheel

Where do you put short-term savings?

I was asked this question recently: “I have about $10,000 that I don’t need to touch for a while, and I was thinking of investing it so I could make the most of it. Where do you recommend I put … Read MoreRead More

Canadian flag

How to withdraw money from an ATM in a foreign country (and not get swindled)

So, purchasing something in a different currency when traveling out of the country isn’t as simple as it sounds. If you’re not careful, you can get charged extra, depending on what entity does the conversion. This is also starting to … Read MoreRead More

Bath bombs

What currency do you pay with when traveling abroad?

I just returned from a week-long excursion to Vancouver Island in Canada. I very much enjoy traveling to our health-care loving neighbor to the north, and not just because I have NEXUS (which can make the crossing much easier), but … Read MoreRead More

Inspectors

A Vanguard benefit for those without “elite” status

So Vanguard has “elite” status tiers with extra benefits for those who qualify. The tiers start at $50,000. But $50,000 is a lot of money to many of you. Me too. And while it’s nothing approaching the roughly $1,000,000 that … Read MoreRead More