I try to consolidate trips as often as possible. I plan to go to the grocery store, drug store and anywhere else I need to go all at the same time. It actually saves me time and gas.
We have a fundraiser card that gives 0.04 off/gal at one major gas station. One grocery store gives cents off based on purchase. I use both which can save up to 0.14/gal. We also gas up early or late in the day because the price changes around 2pm.
While our vehicles are diesel and the prices are higher we do save at the pump. Doing repairs and upgrades to dad's house, my house and are shared garages we buy gift cards at the local grocery stores that offer fuel perks. Buy enough to get the 30 gallons free. we fill up 2 cars or one pickup. If it is a large ticket item we need, we buy enough for the free 30 gallons and I take the pickup with a 90 gallon fuel tank in the bed, get 30 free gallons, he purchases more gift cards, and I get another 30 gallons free. We have a tank we share that I transfer the fuel into at home. We have enough fuel for all summer now. All free.
yes, i'm guilty of multi-tasking...but i feel it's important for me b/c my life expectancy has been limited to "so many" years
realizing how fortunate i am, now w/time to do those things that i've put off...the main thing that drives me is knowing how important it is to "leave a legacy" for my son
...thank the Lord i have only one...
thanks for the "venting" procedure, gotta run & get my day started (it's almost 0700)
Many "financial advisers" are simply salespeople in disguise. Their main objective is to direct you to their brokerage and their firm's financial products where they make a commission, not provide you with objective, professional advice.
Do yourself a favor and follow these three tips:
1) Don't pay for a "financial plan" unless it deals with specific, complex issues. Many so-called "financial plans" are not much more than an asset allocation plus a recommendation of specific products being offered by that company. Most major brokerages will provide you with free materials that will guide you through the asset allocation process (Fidelity, Prudential). Get on Morningstar and learn how to evaluate a mutual fund.
2) When you need advice, go to a professional advisor, not a salesperson.
Good sign: They help you identify your financial needs, address specific financial topics that affect you, and deal with the behavioral issues (budgeting, not saving enough, your relationship with money) that are holding you back.
Bad sign: They want to tell you about a product they think is right for you (sales!).
Try a fee-only financial planner - there are lots of them!
3) When you know what you need, find the least expensive way to execute your plan.
Vanguard comes to mind here.
Trying to decide whether paying cash or getting a mortgage is best. If I buy a condo, it would take roughly 75% of all of my cash to do it. So, I'd be left with 25% of my cash and the condo. The condo would be in a relatively good real estate market - Manhattan, NY - so odds are good the property value will remain stable and then slowly rise in the future. Add to that one rental property (no mortgage) and a possible 2nd rental property if I can swing it (no mortgage).
Because of the threat of inflation, I would be inclined to get a 30yr., 4%-ish, fixed-rate mortgage and allow the debt to be diminished by inflation and enjoy the tax benefits of mortgage interest and property tax deductions.
The problem is I'm in transition. Going back to school full-time in the day. Planning to work a 4pm - 12pm schedule while in school. Currently unemployed. Even when I'm working, mortgage lenders seem to require a minimum of 2 years employment in the same position which means I'd have to wait at least 2 years for a loan (or am I wrong about that?). Not to mention the salary will be pretty low while I'm in school, probably around $25,000/yr. On the plus side, credit is in the 790s as of last check. So, if I do get a mortgage after a couple years of working/school, then 1) the rate will undoubtedly be higher and 2) the loan will be relatively small based on my income and will not cover anywhere near half of the cost of the condo.
So, the questions are:
1) is it at all possible to get a mortgage as a student? Even if I got a small mortgage now, that would still help a little with inflation.
2) If I can't get a mortgage at all, would it be worth it to purchase the condo in cash? I'm hesitant to lock so much cash up in one investment, but I would still have 25% of my cash left, plus salary, plus rental income.
Not to mention by paying cash, I'd avoid many fees and charges that add up big-time and of course all of the mortgage interest. Also, I'd get 75% of my cash into a tangible investment protecting it somewhat from inflation. Lastly, there is something to be said for the satisfaction and peace of mind of owning my home outright, especially during such unstable economic times.
To charge us for putting luggage in overhead bins is BEYOND ridiculous. That being said, my husband has taught me the art of packing light and packing well. I went on vacation for 5 days, and I was able to pack everything I needed into a bag that fit under the seat in front of me. I wear any bottoms (pants/shorts or skirts) at least twice while on vacation, and only pack one pair of shoes in my luggage. It really is all about utilizing all the available space when you pack. If you can put enough thought into it, you can beat the system (for now!). However, if you travel longer than 3 to 5 days, you might eventually be charged for storing your bag on board :(.
And no one else has your vision, I might guess! I find that people either buy in and have time or they don't, nagging usually doesn't move things forward.
Perfect -- getting the agreement upfront is great, and perhaps working out the details, especially those that you anticipate to be a problem based on experience. Then you can avoid the clashes about expectations and just "remind" as you mentioned.
My mom is Chinese so in my house, we never wore shoes inside. I actually feel so uncomfortable when I do (honestly, I hate going to people's houses when I have to leave my shoes on) and I usually ask people to take their shoes off when they come inside my house. It's just something that's normal for me.
I like your idea of getting tablecloths to cover couches - I try to keep mine covered with something because I have 4 cats but for some reason, never thought of tablecloths. I think I'll have to go out and buy some cheap ones just for that purpose!
Make sure you get your PD (pupilary distance) from your optometrist. This is required to make accurate Rx lenses, but it's often not noted on the Rx slip you get from your doctor. This can be measured yourself, however, if you don't have a complicated prescription and some of the online eyeglass sellers actually provide instructions for doing so.
Well this just has me wantin' to take a road trip. Maybe follow the Lincoln Highway or Route 66 this summer.
I like how you said "grab a MAP," too. No mention of GPS. While these devices have their place when you've got somewhere to BE, I think they take some of the romance and fun out of vacations and road trips. I still get a new Rand McNally's every five years or so (although using an outdated one can lead to adventure as well). There's something extremely...I dunno, American?...about being lost-but-not-really-lost under that wide blue sky. It's like being Lewis & Clark and Kerouac and a pioneer and a punk all at the same time.
I will add one thing: to properly undertake any road trip vacation, "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" by ZZ Top MUST be listened to at some point while driving. Load your MP3 player, make a disc or (if yer old school) make a tape, but never let a road trip go by without it.
I try to remember to Google myself about once a month to see what might be out there. So far I haven't found anything negative. On Facebook my privacy is set to friends only. Also, I don't share anything I wouldn't want an employer to see.
Very interesting article. I would love to housesitting especially in big cities where the cost of renting is high such as Sydney, Tokyo, Moscow, etc. I love animals and gardening and I am in good health. I will have plenty of time soon as I will retire next year at 54 with a small pension (my job will be cut). Do you think that home owner may be interested in an older man for this kind of business? Or do they prefer young people? How long are the housesitting contract on average? Considering the cost of plane tickets I would prefer to housesit for at least a month.
In regard to passwords, I've started using LastPass (http://lastpass.com/), which makes it easy to securely store and manage all of your online login info. Plus you don't have to remember every new password you make, which is especially nice for sites that make you change your password regularly.
Nice! And appreciated. Food safety and FDA approved processes for disinfecting fresh cut produce is well established. The conspiracy theorists can feel free to believe otherwise.
I wish I could take my shoes off at the door, but my doctor says I have to wear shoes all the time (except for the shower and when I am in bed). People with diabetes or who otherwise have foot problems cannot go without the protection and support of shoes.
To combat the dirt, dust and dog hair in my own home, I invested in a decent rechargeable bagless stick vac that is effective on both carpet and bare floor and runs for 17 to 24 minutes on a charge. A few minutes a day of zipping this thing around cuts my heavy duty vacuuming time with the "big" vacuum cleaner (and saves me in the expensive HEPA bags, too).
"Every time you take something from its rightful place, you're always returning it to where it belongs when you're done using it."
This is what makes the biggest difference for me. I'm pretty busy, and I sometimes have a bad tendency to throw clothes or other things around when I'm rushing out the door. I am proud to note, though, that my apartment has remained (mostly) clutter free for the last couple of months.
I had a bad experience with NetSpend I went into Usa Checks Cashed in San Bernardino,Ca I thought they would have a Westren Union there but they didn't and thinking to save $12.50 I purchased prepaid for the $14.95 these are start up fees that the women started to tell me about only after.While I was there they had trouble loading the payment onto the card and I cancelled it because I felt that since the rep on the phone for Net Spend didn't know what he was doing my $400.00 may not get refunded but as I asked for a refund the lady said I would have to do it in the mail then changed her mind did a partial refund I did get $400.00 back plus the $8.00 but I lost $6.98 because in order for her to do the refund it's considered a transaction so I had to pay $2.00 for fee to use and I had to keep the card so there went the rest of that.I was lucky to get out of there with the rest of my money and just lose $6.98 let me tell you Westren Unions $12.50 didn't sound soo bad at all from now on.Beware NetSpend seems like a scam with added fees here and there to use it.
Bringing clothes that can be cleaned and planning to wash them once or twice while on a trip can make a world of difference, not just on reducing the amount of luggage you bring, but also on the amount of time you spend managing it.
I try to consolidate trips as often as possible. I plan to go to the grocery store, drug store and anywhere else I need to go all at the same time. It actually saves me time and gas.
We have a fundraiser card that gives 0.04 off/gal at one major gas station. One grocery store gives cents off based on purchase. I use both which can save up to 0.14/gal. We also gas up early or late in the day because the price changes around 2pm.
While our vehicles are diesel and the prices are higher we do save at the pump. Doing repairs and upgrades to dad's house, my house and are shared garages we buy gift cards at the local grocery stores that offer fuel perks. Buy enough to get the 30 gallons free. we fill up 2 cars or one pickup. If it is a large ticket item we need, we buy enough for the free 30 gallons and I take the pickup with a 90 gallon fuel tank in the bed, get 30 free gallons, he purchases more gift cards, and I get another 30 gallons free. We have a tank we share that I transfer the fuel into at home. We have enough fuel for all summer now. All free.
yes, i'm guilty of multi-tasking...but i feel it's important for me b/c my life expectancy has been limited to "so many" years
realizing how fortunate i am, now w/time to do those things that i've put off...the main thing that drives me is knowing how important it is to "leave a legacy" for my son
...thank the Lord i have only one...
thanks for the "venting" procedure, gotta run & get my day started (it's almost 0700)
IMHO, #4 is the most important one on the list.
Many "financial advisers" are simply salespeople in disguise. Their main objective is to direct you to their brokerage and their firm's financial products where they make a commission, not provide you with objective, professional advice.
Do yourself a favor and follow these three tips:
1) Don't pay for a "financial plan" unless it deals with specific, complex issues. Many so-called "financial plans" are not much more than an asset allocation plus a recommendation of specific products being offered by that company. Most major brokerages will provide you with free materials that will guide you through the asset allocation process (Fidelity, Prudential). Get on Morningstar and learn how to evaluate a mutual fund.
2) When you need advice, go to a professional advisor, not a salesperson.
Good sign: They help you identify your financial needs, address specific financial topics that affect you, and deal with the behavioral issues (budgeting, not saving enough, your relationship with money) that are holding you back.
Bad sign: They want to tell you about a product they think is right for you (sales!).
Try a fee-only financial planner - there are lots of them!
3) When you know what you need, find the least expensive way to execute your plan.
Vanguard comes to mind here.
Trying to decide whether paying cash or getting a mortgage is best. If I buy a condo, it would take roughly 75% of all of my cash to do it. So, I'd be left with 25% of my cash and the condo. The condo would be in a relatively good real estate market - Manhattan, NY - so odds are good the property value will remain stable and then slowly rise in the future. Add to that one rental property (no mortgage) and a possible 2nd rental property if I can swing it (no mortgage).
Because of the threat of inflation, I would be inclined to get a 30yr., 4%-ish, fixed-rate mortgage and allow the debt to be diminished by inflation and enjoy the tax benefits of mortgage interest and property tax deductions.
The problem is I'm in transition. Going back to school full-time in the day. Planning to work a 4pm - 12pm schedule while in school. Currently unemployed. Even when I'm working, mortgage lenders seem to require a minimum of 2 years employment in the same position which means I'd have to wait at least 2 years for a loan (or am I wrong about that?). Not to mention the salary will be pretty low while I'm in school, probably around $25,000/yr. On the plus side, credit is in the 790s as of last check. So, if I do get a mortgage after a couple years of working/school, then 1) the rate will undoubtedly be higher and 2) the loan will be relatively small based on my income and will not cover anywhere near half of the cost of the condo.
So, the questions are:
1) is it at all possible to get a mortgage as a student? Even if I got a small mortgage now, that would still help a little with inflation.
2) If I can't get a mortgage at all, would it be worth it to purchase the condo in cash? I'm hesitant to lock so much cash up in one investment, but I would still have 25% of my cash left, plus salary, plus rental income.
Not to mention by paying cash, I'd avoid many fees and charges that add up big-time and of course all of the mortgage interest. Also, I'd get 75% of my cash into a tangible investment protecting it somewhat from inflation. Lastly, there is something to be said for the satisfaction and peace of mind of owning my home outright, especially during such unstable economic times.
Thoughts and advice most welcomed.
To charge us for putting luggage in overhead bins is BEYOND ridiculous. That being said, my husband has taught me the art of packing light and packing well. I went on vacation for 5 days, and I was able to pack everything I needed into a bag that fit under the seat in front of me. I wear any bottoms (pants/shorts or skirts) at least twice while on vacation, and only pack one pair of shoes in my luggage. It really is all about utilizing all the available space when you pack. If you can put enough thought into it, you can beat the system (for now!). However, if you travel longer than 3 to 5 days, you might eventually be charged for storing your bag on board :(.
I suppose someone could reserve a clean pair of shoes for indoor wear only to change into.
And no one else has your vision, I might guess! I find that people either buy in and have time or they don't, nagging usually doesn't move things forward.
Perfect -- getting the agreement upfront is great, and perhaps working out the details, especially those that you anticipate to be a problem based on experience. Then you can avoid the clashes about expectations and just "remind" as you mentioned.
My mom is Chinese so in my house, we never wore shoes inside. I actually feel so uncomfortable when I do (honestly, I hate going to people's houses when I have to leave my shoes on) and I usually ask people to take their shoes off when they come inside my house. It's just something that's normal for me.
I like your idea of getting tablecloths to cover couches - I try to keep mine covered with something because I have 4 cats but for some reason, never thought of tablecloths. I think I'll have to go out and buy some cheap ones just for that purpose!
Make sure you get your PD (pupilary distance) from your optometrist. This is required to make accurate Rx lenses, but it's often not noted on the Rx slip you get from your doctor. This can be measured yourself, however, if you don't have a complicated prescription and some of the online eyeglass sellers actually provide instructions for doing so.
Well this just has me wantin' to take a road trip. Maybe follow the Lincoln Highway or Route 66 this summer.
I like how you said "grab a MAP," too. No mention of GPS. While these devices have their place when you've got somewhere to BE, I think they take some of the romance and fun out of vacations and road trips. I still get a new Rand McNally's every five years or so (although using an outdated one can lead to adventure as well). There's something extremely...I dunno, American?...about being lost-but-not-really-lost under that wide blue sky. It's like being Lewis & Clark and Kerouac and a pioneer and a punk all at the same time.
I will add one thing: to properly undertake any road trip vacation, "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" by ZZ Top MUST be listened to at some point while driving. Load your MP3 player, make a disc or (if yer old school) make a tape, but never let a road trip go by without it.
I try to remember to Google myself about once a month to see what might be out there. So far I haven't found anything negative. On Facebook my privacy is set to friends only. Also, I don't share anything I wouldn't want an employer to see.
Very interesting article. I would love to housesitting especially in big cities where the cost of renting is high such as Sydney, Tokyo, Moscow, etc. I love animals and gardening and I am in good health. I will have plenty of time soon as I will retire next year at 54 with a small pension (my job will be cut). Do you think that home owner may be interested in an older man for this kind of business? Or do they prefer young people? How long are the housesitting contract on average? Considering the cost of plane tickets I would prefer to housesit for at least a month.
Thanks,
Richard
Vodka mouthwash. Now you're talking! Just maybe not right before work. Or driving.
Okay,
I liked all of them, well almost all of them. Something about mouthwash in the toilet just seems wrong, lol.
We eat out at noon and usually still take home half of the meal. Never order dessert and usually drink water.
In regard to passwords, I've started using LastPass (http://lastpass.com/), which makes it easy to securely store and manage all of your online login info. Plus you don't have to remember every new password you make, which is especially nice for sites that make you change your password regularly.
Nice! And appreciated. Food safety and FDA approved processes for disinfecting fresh cut produce is well established. The conspiracy theorists can feel free to believe otherwise.
I wish I could take my shoes off at the door, but my doctor says I have to wear shoes all the time (except for the shower and when I am in bed). People with diabetes or who otherwise have foot problems cannot go without the protection and support of shoes.
To combat the dirt, dust and dog hair in my own home, I invested in a decent rechargeable bagless stick vac that is effective on both carpet and bare floor and runs for 17 to 24 minutes on a charge. A few minutes a day of zipping this thing around cuts my heavy duty vacuuming time with the "big" vacuum cleaner (and saves me in the expensive HEPA bags, too).
"Every time you take something from its rightful place, you're always returning it to where it belongs when you're done using it."
This is what makes the biggest difference for me. I'm pretty busy, and I sometimes have a bad tendency to throw clothes or other things around when I'm rushing out the door. I am proud to note, though, that my apartment has remained (mostly) clutter free for the last couple of months.
I had a bad experience with NetSpend I went into Usa Checks Cashed in San Bernardino,Ca I thought they would have a Westren Union there but they didn't and thinking to save $12.50 I purchased prepaid for the $14.95 these are start up fees that the women started to tell me about only after.While I was there they had trouble loading the payment onto the card and I cancelled it because I felt that since the rep on the phone for Net Spend didn't know what he was doing my $400.00 may not get refunded but as I asked for a refund the lady said I would have to do it in the mail then changed her mind did a partial refund I did get $400.00 back plus the $8.00 but I lost $6.98 because in order for her to do the refund it's considered a transaction so I had to pay $2.00 for fee to use and I had to keep the card so there went the rest of that.I was lucky to get out of there with the rest of my money and just lose $6.98 let me tell you Westren Unions $12.50 didn't sound soo bad at all from now on.Beware NetSpend seems like a scam with added fees here and there to use it.
Bringing clothes that can be cleaned and planning to wash them once or twice while on a trip can make a world of difference, not just on reducing the amount of luggage you bring, but also on the amount of time you spend managing it.
Thanks for the compliment Candice! Long live Aldi! ~ minus the hot dogs and the soups ;)