I'm not sure that I'm frugal for any of these reasons. I'm careful with my money because I know what it is like to be without it, and try to avoid that situation.
I am considering leaving my group plan through my employer and striking out on my own. How has it been using single coverage? I've heard horror stories about claims being denied, etc. Is there any truth to this? Also, how much have rates increased each year? It's getting out of hand with our group plan...
Any sort of medical degree since there are so many elderly now and, with the Baby Boomers getting to that stage too, the healthcare fields are never at a loss for business and probably will never be.
I may be biased, b/c this is my degree, but I say Finance. Not because it can get you an awesome job, but for the fact of how it can improve you life. It teaches you about capital, interest rates, growth rates, etc.
You can go very far with a Finance degree and a general understanding of how a business makes money.
I have used Netspend for almost four years and have yet to have a problem with it. The fifty cent is only taken out when you actually get your account balance but have never been charged to my account for anything else. I don't think thats bad when everything else you access is taxed with fees. For example my Credit union account has a fee for checking your account over the phone and it is a whole lot higher. Comcast charges you $3.00 to pay your bill over the phone, 2.00 to pay it with the automative system and suprisily free to pay it online. This is appauling because you are already giving them a boat load of money and the fees should be included in that.. Any way back to Netspend, I always since having the card put a portion of me tax money ( a sizeable amount) on it to have easy access to it without having to go into my bank account and have never had any problems with that. Believe me, I am deffinetly the type who checks everything little cent I spend and check it again before the next time I use my card.
What surprises me is how the lady reacted to reccieving a card that wasn't activated, there was no balance and could do nothing wrong. Real credit card companys send credit cards that are active with a balance if they feel your credit is worthy and all you have to do is call and enter a number thats is accesible to anyone who has the card in their posession to be able to use it. Those credit cards are tied into your credit and financial history. I don't think Netspend is wrong for advertising, because thats all it was. Some people need to live be my moto "DON"T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF" and I do mean SMALL STUFF!!!!!! What harm can a practically dead card do?
Most valuable degree? I'd say a tie between a degree in teaching or library/information science. The skills learned for either of those professions can be applied in so mnay ways, and in so many fields.
A degree is only as valuable as the demand for it, which can fluctuate wildly and depends on the geographical area you are in. One thing my husband and I have found is consistent in the San Francisco Bay Area where we live: a Masters, ANY Masters, garners a higher wage in professional work, no matter if it is in the field you are working in or not.
The most valuable university degree is RN, nursing. I worked in human resources in a hospital for a few years. I was amazed at how those with the nursing credentials were immediately hired without much question as to their previous experience or past job performance. The poor performers are shuffled, but they are not fired or laid off. The wages are high. Healthcare is a 24/7 business and creative people choose their shift and working hours to meet their current home situations, such as working 2 twelve hour all night shifts per week so that essentially a mom can remain nearly stay-at-home while making more income than comparative full time employment with a business degree would pay in our area. The employer pays to keep their licensing and training current. They have top of the line benefits, even for part-time work. You can move to a brand new town and be employed within a week. And there are hundreds of occupations within the healthcare field that have little to do with patient care, but you must have the nursing degree to access them - careers in statistics, administration, training, marketing, computer systems, etc.
Ugh. Good job, Yahoo, for making sweeping generalizations. As I see amongst my coworkers, the "alphabet chain" behind most of the names would suggest no single degree is sufficient. Personally, I think the degree counts for zip if you don't back it up with experience and passion. You can definitely spend the $$$$ and money and effort getting your MD and still be a failure as a doctor if you lack bedside manner or interest in humanity.
My engineering degree has been very versatile and lucrative. Engineers make a very good salary, but the versatility I experienced being drafted into consulting out of school made me realize that engineering students are trained to think and problem solve. Those skills can be transferred into multiple industries.
Nursing and teaching degrees have a good amount of job security, although the pay isn't always that great. JDs and MDs are a big investment, but if you get hired by the right firms/hospitals, you can generally recoup your "losses". On another level, the most valuable degree is one that allows you to do what you love while still being able to pay the bills and live comfortably and save a bit.
I disagree with the poster who suggested an MD. Unless you're very, very lucky, you will come out of med school with massive debts. It takes many, many years to pay those back plus many MDs feel compelled to play the status game. No. I think a Nursing degree (so much flexibility with type of work and location) and engineering - probably civil, electrical or computer. Having an M.S. in any of these increases pay quite a bit.
willie-boy
You might try using it to smoke the grains before you steep them. It will be like using smoked peat moss. It would add some notes to the aroma. I have not seen to much on aging other then oak. White American is the most popular, but some require a French Oak. Not sure the flavours the French would give off. As with any hobby, you could and should experiment. Small batches with all different types of wood with different levels of chardness. Make small batches and mark the well. You can taste them at different ages to see what is ideal. Ask a home brewer and he will start to tell you about recipes he has played with to get a flavour that he likes. It can only waste it and not hurt you. I stick with oak though.
I feel like my MBA really helped to jump-start my career. It's not only the skills and the degree though -- the school's career services is a huge help. Since most graduate business schools are rated by the placement and starting salaries of their graduates, they place a high emphasis on getting the best paying job. My school's career services put me in contact with an alum who was able to get a great job with 2.5 times the salary that I received before getting my MBA.
Also, the MBA skill set is applicable for so many types of jobs. I am considering a career change in the near future, and I feel that my degree allows me to explore other non-corporate careers that interest me.
This is an interesting question as we have 2 teenagers approaching college and needing to focus on majors. We are encouraging them to look at their interests and aptitudes and then to select a major that has some broad career opportunities at the end - our suggestions: engineering, math, business, etc. Both kids are good at math and science, but the older kid likes them more than the younger kid, so it will be interesting to see where they land. Despite some protests to the contrary, we suggest and direct, but don't dictate. I also think a nursing, MD, or veterinary degree would provide a solid living, but we come from a family with weak stomachs:).
I TRY NOT TO TURN ON THE HEATER
I COOK/BAKE IN THE EVENING TO WARM THE HOUSE
I IRON/VACUUM TO WARM UP (ALOT)
I USE AN ELECTRIC BLANKET
I PUT UP SHOWER OR REGULAR CURTAINS WHERE I DON'T WANT TO HEAT/COOL IE: HALLWAYS ETC...
LIVE ON SECOND FLOOR, NEIGHBORS DO WARMING FOR ME, FREE
HAVE FRIEND TURN OFF THE PILOT LIGHT:CAN'T TURN ON HEATER THEN FOR SURE
A medical degree. MD. It may not earn the highest salary, certainly nothing compared to that of some CEOs/entrepreneurs, but you are almost guaranteed a pretty good paycheck.
Never clean anything?? I really disagree with that.
Having pictures of a clean item over a dirty item can be the difference in earning top dollar or earning below value.
It's common sense in selling anything used to clean it if you want top dollar. When you have an open house the owners dont leave the house looking like a tornado disaster. Dealerships dont sell used cars with mud caked on and and old soda cans in the cup holders.
I've been selling on Ebay for 8 years now and my best tip in getting top dollar is to take many pictures. Take detailed pictures showing the condition of the item.
In the description dont worry about listing the features, in & outs, and details. People already know about the stuff they're searching on Ebay. Just describe the condition its in, if it comes with the original packaging, and if it comes with anything else.
Also dont get suckered into wholesalers and drop shippers. I've tried them and you'll be lucky to break even because all of the stuff they wholesale has already saturated Ebay. The hot brands and items dont just wholesale to everybody. Apple doesn't wholesell to individuals slinging on Ebay.
Finding stuff to sell and where to buy it is the real secret OF eBay success. Search garage sales, craigslist, and 2nd hand stores. If you think you've found a diamond in the rough check it on ebay completed listings first. You'll get an idea of how much it sells for.
Great post. My opinion is that debt-free living is definitely better than the alternative because your thinking flips. You think about what to save, spend and do instead of what payments to make and what's left over. Being debt free gives you more control over your money. You don't have banks or other companies telling you what you have to do with your money. You make more of those decisions.
My wife and I have my student loans and mortgages on a couple properties we own. The properties are rentals and (usually...) pay for themselves. But even with them usually paying for themselves, the uncertainty adds some stress. If we owed nothing on them and did not owe student loans (I have a plan for those - http://www.stepawayfromthemall.com/2010/07/january-15-2035.html) our financial certainty would increase and stress would decrease? Why? Because we live a simple life well under what we earn. Without that added element being debt free would not help.
I think it depends on location. I live in the northeast. Here there are a lot of hedge funds, investment banks and other high-finance shops. Based on headhunter calls, friends graduating undergrad and grad schools and a few articles I've read, degrees in statistics, engineering or mathematics are very highly regarded by places like this. And those are the places that pay a lot of money. They want people trained to think and analyze apparently. And those degrees apparently teach people how to think analytically. It's pretty interesting stuff - stuff I would never have considered as a high school senior (those topics interest me, but I always joked about a degree in "math" - until I was already out in the workplace). Fortunately I like what I do and am happy with the money.
I'm not sure that I'm frugal for any of these reasons. I'm careful with my money because I know what it is like to be without it, and try to avoid that situation.
So once rates go up, that $400k home will drop to $350k and they will get it then, it all evens out.
I am considering leaving my group plan through my employer and striking out on my own. How has it been using single coverage? I've heard horror stories about claims being denied, etc. Is there any truth to this? Also, how much have rates increased each year? It's getting out of hand with our group plan...
TIA!
Tom
Any sort of medical degree since there are so many elderly now and, with the Baby Boomers getting to that stage too, the healthcare fields are never at a loss for business and probably will never be.
I may be biased, b/c this is my degree, but I say Finance. Not because it can get you an awesome job, but for the fact of how it can improve you life. It teaches you about capital, interest rates, growth rates, etc.
You can go very far with a Finance degree and a general understanding of how a business makes money.
To Simply put it................I love your post. It is exactly how I felt. I feel they are over exaggerating the situation.
I have used Netspend for almost four years and have yet to have a problem with it. The fifty cent is only taken out when you actually get your account balance but have never been charged to my account for anything else. I don't think thats bad when everything else you access is taxed with fees. For example my Credit union account has a fee for checking your account over the phone and it is a whole lot higher. Comcast charges you $3.00 to pay your bill over the phone, 2.00 to pay it with the automative system and suprisily free to pay it online. This is appauling because you are already giving them a boat load of money and the fees should be included in that.. Any way back to Netspend, I always since having the card put a portion of me tax money ( a sizeable amount) on it to have easy access to it without having to go into my bank account and have never had any problems with that. Believe me, I am deffinetly the type who checks everything little cent I spend and check it again before the next time I use my card.
What surprises me is how the lady reacted to reccieving a card that wasn't activated, there was no balance and could do nothing wrong. Real credit card companys send credit cards that are active with a balance if they feel your credit is worthy and all you have to do is call and enter a number thats is accesible to anyone who has the card in their posession to be able to use it. Those credit cards are tied into your credit and financial history. I don't think Netspend is wrong for advertising, because thats all it was. Some people need to live be my moto "DON"T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF" and I do mean SMALL STUFF!!!!!! What harm can a practically dead card do?
Most valuable degree? I'd say a tie between a degree in teaching or library/information science. The skills learned for either of those professions can be applied in so mnay ways, and in so many fields.
A degree is only as valuable as the demand for it, which can fluctuate wildly and depends on the geographical area you are in. One thing my husband and I have found is consistent in the San Francisco Bay Area where we live: a Masters, ANY Masters, garners a higher wage in professional work, no matter if it is in the field you are working in or not.
For society - a science degree. For you, an engineering degree, any engineering degree. Learn to analyze and solve problems, get challenging work.
Nursing is defintely a good one.
The most valuable university degree is RN, nursing. I worked in human resources in a hospital for a few years. I was amazed at how those with the nursing credentials were immediately hired without much question as to their previous experience or past job performance. The poor performers are shuffled, but they are not fired or laid off. The wages are high. Healthcare is a 24/7 business and creative people choose their shift and working hours to meet their current home situations, such as working 2 twelve hour all night shifts per week so that essentially a mom can remain nearly stay-at-home while making more income than comparative full time employment with a business degree would pay in our area. The employer pays to keep their licensing and training current. They have top of the line benefits, even for part-time work. You can move to a brand new town and be employed within a week. And there are hundreds of occupations within the healthcare field that have little to do with patient care, but you must have the nursing degree to access them - careers in statistics, administration, training, marketing, computer systems, etc.
Ugh. Good job, Yahoo, for making sweeping generalizations. As I see amongst my coworkers, the "alphabet chain" behind most of the names would suggest no single degree is sufficient. Personally, I think the degree counts for zip if you don't back it up with experience and passion. You can definitely spend the $$$$ and money and effort getting your MD and still be a failure as a doctor if you lack bedside manner or interest in humanity.
My engineering degree has been very versatile and lucrative. Engineers make a very good salary, but the versatility I experienced being drafted into consulting out of school made me realize that engineering students are trained to think and problem solve. Those skills can be transferred into multiple industries.
Nursing and teaching degrees have a good amount of job security, although the pay isn't always that great. JDs and MDs are a big investment, but if you get hired by the right firms/hospitals, you can generally recoup your "losses". On another level, the most valuable degree is one that allows you to do what you love while still being able to pay the bills and live comfortably and save a bit.
I disagree with the poster who suggested an MD. Unless you're very, very lucky, you will come out of med school with massive debts. It takes many, many years to pay those back plus many MDs feel compelled to play the status game. No. I think a Nursing degree (so much flexibility with type of work and location) and engineering - probably civil, electrical or computer. Having an M.S. in any of these increases pay quite a bit.
willie-boy
You might try using it to smoke the grains before you steep them. It will be like using smoked peat moss. It would add some notes to the aroma. I have not seen to much on aging other then oak. White American is the most popular, but some require a French Oak. Not sure the flavours the French would give off. As with any hobby, you could and should experiment. Small batches with all different types of wood with different levels of chardness. Make small batches and mark the well. You can taste them at different ages to see what is ideal. Ask a home brewer and he will start to tell you about recipes he has played with to get a flavour that he likes. It can only waste it and not hurt you. I stick with oak though.
I feel like my MBA really helped to jump-start my career. It's not only the skills and the degree though -- the school's career services is a huge help. Since most graduate business schools are rated by the placement and starting salaries of their graduates, they place a high emphasis on getting the best paying job. My school's career services put me in contact with an alum who was able to get a great job with 2.5 times the salary that I received before getting my MBA.
Also, the MBA skill set is applicable for so many types of jobs. I am considering a career change in the near future, and I feel that my degree allows me to explore other non-corporate careers that interest me.
THERE IS ELECTRIC TAPE FOR WATER LINES TO USE WHEN TEMP GOES LOW
This is an interesting question as we have 2 teenagers approaching college and needing to focus on majors. We are encouraging them to look at their interests and aptitudes and then to select a major that has some broad career opportunities at the end - our suggestions: engineering, math, business, etc. Both kids are good at math and science, but the older kid likes them more than the younger kid, so it will be interesting to see where they land. Despite some protests to the contrary, we suggest and direct, but don't dictate. I also think a nursing, MD, or veterinary degree would provide a solid living, but we come from a family with weak stomachs:).
I TRY NOT TO TURN ON THE HEATER
I COOK/BAKE IN THE EVENING TO WARM THE HOUSE
I IRON/VACUUM TO WARM UP (ALOT)
I USE AN ELECTRIC BLANKET
I PUT UP SHOWER OR REGULAR CURTAINS WHERE I DON'T WANT TO HEAT/COOL IE: HALLWAYS ETC...
LIVE ON SECOND FLOOR, NEIGHBORS DO WARMING FOR ME, FREE
HAVE FRIEND TURN OFF THE PILOT LIGHT:CAN'T TURN ON HEATER THEN FOR SURE
A medical degree. MD. It may not earn the highest salary, certainly nothing compared to that of some CEOs/entrepreneurs, but you are almost guaranteed a pretty good paycheck.
Never clean anything?? I really disagree with that.
Having pictures of a clean item over a dirty item can be the difference in earning top dollar or earning below value.
It's common sense in selling anything used to clean it if you want top dollar. When you have an open house the owners dont leave the house looking like a tornado disaster. Dealerships dont sell used cars with mud caked on and and old soda cans in the cup holders.
I've been selling on Ebay for 8 years now and my best tip in getting top dollar is to take many pictures. Take detailed pictures showing the condition of the item.
In the description dont worry about listing the features, in & outs, and details. People already know about the stuff they're searching on Ebay. Just describe the condition its in, if it comes with the original packaging, and if it comes with anything else.
Also dont get suckered into wholesalers and drop shippers. I've tried them and you'll be lucky to break even because all of the stuff they wholesale has already saturated Ebay. The hot brands and items dont just wholesale to everybody. Apple doesn't wholesell to individuals slinging on Ebay.
Finding stuff to sell and where to buy it is the real secret OF eBay success. Search garage sales, craigslist, and 2nd hand stores. If you think you've found a diamond in the rough check it on ebay completed listings first. You'll get an idea of how much it sells for.
Great post. My opinion is that debt-free living is definitely better than the alternative because your thinking flips. You think about what to save, spend and do instead of what payments to make and what's left over. Being debt free gives you more control over your money. You don't have banks or other companies telling you what you have to do with your money. You make more of those decisions.
My wife and I have my student loans and mortgages on a couple properties we own. The properties are rentals and (usually...) pay for themselves. But even with them usually paying for themselves, the uncertainty adds some stress. If we owed nothing on them and did not owe student loans (I have a plan for those - http://www.stepawayfromthemall.com/2010/07/january-15-2035.html) our financial certainty would increase and stress would decrease? Why? Because we live a simple life well under what we earn. Without that added element being debt free would not help.
I think it depends on location. I live in the northeast. Here there are a lot of hedge funds, investment banks and other high-finance shops. Based on headhunter calls, friends graduating undergrad and grad schools and a few articles I've read, degrees in statistics, engineering or mathematics are very highly regarded by places like this. And those are the places that pay a lot of money. They want people trained to think and analyze apparently. And those degrees apparently teach people how to think analytically. It's pretty interesting stuff - stuff I would never have considered as a high school senior (those topics interest me, but I always joked about a degree in "math" - until I was already out in the workplace). Fortunately I like what I do and am happy with the money.