What are Stocks? Bonds? Mutual Funds? Index Funds?
In an earlier post, I wrote about index funds and why most of my retirement savings are invested in index funds. Here I want to […]
Doug's Methods of Saving Money
In an earlier post, I wrote about index funds and why most of my retirement savings are invested in index funds. Here I want to […]
In July 2019, my net worth was about $87,000 higher than last year. I have some cash that is ready to be sent off to […]
Have you heard of “The Micawber Principle”? Elsewhere on this blog, I quoted “Wilkins Micawber” in David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens: Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure […]
While reading Edward Gibbons’ The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire recently, I found two passages that might be taken as person finance advice. […]
Since last year, my net worth has increased by about $118,000. The value of investments were up $101,000. Additional contributions accounted for $14,000 of the […]
One thing — the essential thing — that (some) children* don’t understand is the way that savings grow over time. The only sure way to […]
Do you look forward to filing your taxes each year, in anticipation that the IRS will send you a big “tax refund” that you can […]
One of the milestones of financial literacy, hopefully an early one, is the realization that you need to earn something like $100 in order to […]
The value of everything you buy is either certain to decrease … or … there is a chance, in some cases a very good chance, […]
There are (at least) 3 different kinds of savings accounts at credit unions and banks. Regular or Basic Savings. Used to be called “passbook” savings […]
You’ve probably heard the old saying, A penny saved is a penny earned. As we use that saying today, it means that saving a penny, […]
Oftentimes, when it seems easier to do the wrong thing (like, it’s easier to spend some money now to get some immediate gratification) instead of […]
You need to be careful when you calculate how much you will save by changing some small habit. I’ve heard or read statements like, “Coffee […]
I don’t mean to imply that Dave Ramsey is wrong about a lot things. Generally, his advice is very good, and I like listening to […]
Credit-card churning. Is it for you? Many credit cards come with a sign-up bonus for just applying and getting approved and then using the card […]
Some days ago, a member of my household decided to move some furniture, which including moving our family computer. She said she was careful and […]
Perhaps it’s odd, as we approach the Christmas season, to come to the defense of Ebenezer Scrooge. But I think it’s fair to say that […]
Years ago I attended a talk about safety and crime prevention given by a local police officer. One thing he said led me to develop […]
If I took the time to think about it, I’m pretty sure I could find some things, especially things outside of personal finance, that Dave […]
Front-loading washing machines have filters (sometimes called “coin traps”) to prevent solid objects from getting into, and possibly damaging, the pump that moves water out […]
Bank of America, where I currently pay my mortgage, offered me a $300 bonus if I opened a checking account and deposited a certain amount […]
I’ve written about how easy and money-saving it is to wash shower curtains and liners in the washing machine, which does a good job of […]
In the old days, a householder just bought gas from the gas company. The gas came in a pipe, the bill came in the mail. […]
Thorstein Veblen was an economist and sociologist who coined the term “conspicuous consumption” several decades ago. Conspicuous consumption: spending money just to publicly demonstrate wealth […]