New York City

What happens when you don’t track your spending on vacation

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I love traveling. I love seeing new places, or even old places with a new eye. And vacations, those limited periods of time when we uproot our normal routines, are most often when we experience travel. While vacations are salutary, … Read More … Read More

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Umbrellas

How much is that cheap thing costing you?

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I’m a big fan of purchasing responsibly. I’m not profligate with my spending, but I do feel like it’s important to spend a little extra on certain things that provide a significant return, be it personally or financially. But I … Read More … Read More

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Dollar Store

The moment I learned that dollar stores aren’t a good deal

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In 2003, I was living in New York City, working a retail job where I made around $13 an hour. (That’s a $26,000 salary equivalent.) My rent was $675, which meant that I was spending 50% of my take home … Read More … Read More

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How to find better award availability on Alaska Airlines using connecting cities

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  I’m heading to Montreal next month, which is exciting, as I’ve only been there once before, and in December, not exactly an optimal time for visiting a Canadian city. I looked at using (Alaska) miles for the trip, but … Read More … Read More

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Why cities are better experienced on the surface

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  I talked about bike share in New York City, and how it has the potential to change the fabric of the street. But I also didn’t test it out myself, as I lacked a helmet. Lame, I know, but … Read More … Read More

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Why bike share will change cities (for the better)

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  New York City has recently rolled out a new bike sharing program. Bike share is something that even bike-crazy Portland doesn’t yet have, and as I’ve been in NYC this past week, I was very curious about it. Plus … Read More … Read More

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Why renting is better than owning

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  I was taught that everyone should eventually own a home.  Actually, like so many of these cultural imperatives, I didn’t so much learn this as much it was absorbed into my head through some kind of osmosis.  Owning is … Read More … Read More

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You can (and should) love where you live

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  In my post on managing the post-vacation blues, I identified three strategies that you can employ to reduce or manage the emotional let down that comes along with returning from a trip or vacation.  There was a fourth strategy, … Read More … Read More

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