Recent comments

  • What You Need vs. What You Want and How to Tell the Difference   11 years 44 weeks ago

    In our marriage, I'm the penny pincher.

    To weight the necessity of an item, I usually ask myself, "What is the consequence of NOT having/buying something?" 99% of the time, the consequence is something I can easily live with. Hence I don't buy much or truly 'need' much. I've been able to save amazing amounts of money this way.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    don't drink and drive.

  • If You Want Your 401K to Grow, Stop Doing These 6 Things   11 years 44 weeks ago

    I have a TSP (DoD version of 401K) and fortunately I'm not making these mistakes. I'm not at the place where I can max out this year with $17.5K, but I have increase to get the 5% match, and I've taken advantages of something unique called a lifecycle fund.

    The default is the G-fund....which are very secure gov bonds that yield about 1%
    I'm not savvy enough to invest in the riskier high yielding funds myself, so what the lifecycle funds do is diversify your portfolio for you...putting more in the high risk / high return funds early in your investing, and each year, as you shift closer to retirement it automatically adjusts to safer options.

    I'd encourage anyone under TSP to check it out

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    dont drink and drive!

  • If You Want Your 401K to Grow, Stop Doing These 6 Things   11 years 44 weeks ago

    I retired 2 months ago and cashed out my pension AND 401(k) by rolling them into a Rollover IRA. Though I'm 57 and now cannot touch the money for 2.5 years, this was for me a far better choice. During the weeks before my decision to retire, I was blocked from accessing my financial information at the company. That I found to be unacceptable and it only fed a mistrust of their management of my finances. I'll get by, but I wanted to point out that you completelyl ignore the Rollover IRA option for not being withheld or penalized by IRS.

  • The Student Who Created a PR Nightmare Via Wikipedia   11 years 44 weeks ago

    Friends, this software is a good thing. However, this article turns the power equation on its head. Wiki is not an accredited source of any information, except by mere good fortune. It's tendentious claptrap. It's not chiefly at the mercy of corporations (who have names and are legally liable), but from trendy and formless political movements, whose militants hide behind aliases. Read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wadewitz_Tribute_Edit-a-thons, or look up an article titled "Attempting to Balance Wiki-Feminism: A Case Study," in the Springer academic database.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    Poke a hole in a plastic cup for the kids using sparklers so little hands don't get burned. Have a designated container for used sparklers so nobody steps on them.

  • 14 Things Insurance Agents Don't Want You to Know   11 years 44 weeks ago

    Hello Insuranceman,

    Thank you for your feedback.

    Best regards,

    Damian

  • 22 Supermarket Tricks You Haven't Heard Yet   11 years 44 weeks ago

    Always check the clearance shelves at the grocery store. You will find some great deals. Not every time, but often enough to make it worth your while.

  • $20 in Los Angeles: The 16 Best Ways to Spend It   11 years 44 weeks ago

    You speak the truth about "sore loser" New Yorkers and their endless bitterness towards LA because we've never seen a four-degree February morning or had to settle for second rate pastrami. I can attest to how great Amoeba is, and I thank you for making me love Nora Ephron again.

  • 51 Uses for Coca-Cola – the Ultimate List   11 years 44 weeks ago

    In a 7th grade science experiment, we put teeth in a glass of Coke and they dissolved overnight. But maybe the Coke in 1971 was more acidic.

  • The Only Fruits and Veggies Worth Growing Yourself   11 years 44 weeks ago

    If you have the space, then cantaloupe and honeydew are awesome. We grew cantaloupe for the first time last year, and we were instantly hooked. When you buy them in the store they're green and never develop full flavor. When you grow them in the garden, they pop off the vine when they're ripe and ready (no guessing required). Holy cow, yum!

  • 12 Side Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms and Dads   11 years 44 weeks ago

    what is there that a person in Belize Central America would be able to do and make money internationally as a SAHM?

  • 15 Wonderful Uses for Witch Hazel   11 years 44 weeks ago

    I'm going to start using Witch Hazel for my acne. And as a toner. I hope it works!

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    Have a serious safety talk with the youngsters around personal firework safety - I won't deny that I myself have been a part of a Roman Candle fight and loved it, but my brother seriously burned his foot when he fumbled lighting a firework. I think it's all about having a good, clear safety talk ahead of time

  • 25 Simple Recipes for 25 Delicious Veggies   11 years 44 weeks ago

    So what about tomatoes? You can't get decent tomatoes in grocery stores, and not everyone has practical access to a farmer's market. They're easy to grow and there is a variety to please every taste.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    Our family secret - relax, grab an inner tube and go swimming. We leave fireworks to the professionals - and that's not us!

  • Secret Lawn Tonic Recipe From Golf Course Groundskeeper   11 years 44 weeks ago

    i have seen similar recipes. one being two beers without the soda,and 1 being with half a cup of epson salt. either way i been just using organic fertilizer on grass, grow veggies and have a dog so just pre mixed a quart. gonna be hot tomorrow will try. thanks will let you know.

  • 9 Things You Don't Need to Clean   11 years 44 weeks ago

    You are definitely an anomaly. I have contacts that are monthly disposables that I can't tolerate unless I take them out at nights. My eyes get easily infected or ulcerated if I overwear them. Lucky you!

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    We host a pot luck dinner for everyone. After eating, we build a bonfire. Once it gets going, we all pull our chairs around the fire in a circle, cool lemonade in hand as the fun is about to begin! As I tell a story of our families adventures over the last year, (some of it stretched a bit) My oldest son throws "magic dust" onto the fire to make the flames different colors during action points in the tale. This is such a big hit! We buy the chemicals, like salt etc.. from the store cheap (look up campfire flames online) After story time, we pile up in cars & trucks to go see the city's firework display.

  • 14 Things Insurance Agents Don't Want You to Know   11 years 44 weeks ago

    There is a lot of incorrect information and state specific laws that are being grouped together. In Iowa, if you change your insurance mid term, you do qualify for a full refund for as far as you are paid up in your policy. There are short-rate states out there, but not every state is this way.

    Your slow claim payments and litigation comment in regardless to the missing airplane is a stretch at best. Of course that's going to take awhile. No remains found. Plane not found. A lot of unknowns on that case.

    Most insurance agents will also point out the credit score, if needed (even though we don't actual get their credit score number), and any agent that is trying to sell on low premium, high deds, and low liability coverages, will get what is coming to him with an E & O claim eventually. Educated insurance agents point out things such as this in apples-to-apples quotes or quoting against a competing company that has low limits where we, at the agency I work for, would never recommend state minimums. We won't even write state minimum liability requirements as it is not sufficient coverage and can leave the insured in much for of a bind than an extra $30 a month in premiums would.

    And it seems pretty logical that non-tobacco users would have cheaper premiums. Seems like common sense.

    You are right that captive insurance agents can't offer the lower prices all the time. That's why I'm glad that I work for an independent shop that has multiple companies that we can write business through.

    Also, there are several add on coverage's that can be attached to a homeowners policy. Sewer back up (not flood coverage, not even close to the same thing), refrigerated goods, etc. However, when you start adding these, the customer is usually reluctant because the premiums start to get more expensive and plus, "it'll never happen to us"

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    We always make sure to have a hose and a bucket of water near by. That way we can put used sparklers and other hand held fireworks in the bucket. We keep the hose close in case some of the fireworks catch on fire or if something fly's off of one on to the grass or bark chips.

  • 10 More Scams Everyone Should Know About   11 years 44 weeks ago

    On holiday in big cities, on busy touristy points, we are often approached to sign a petition for some good cause like " against animal cruelty" . It feels bad to ignore them, after all, who could be against such a cause? So you sign and show them where you keep your stuff so their friends can pick your pockets later on. Beware - and donate safely to a trusted cause when you get home.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    Please don't drink and drive. It's a bad weekend to be traveling period.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Fourth of July Safety Tips?   11 years 44 weeks ago

    Don't leave the house for fireworks!