I have heard similar things about LoL. When my son, who is a Boy Scout, wanted to donate his hair we did our research. We thought about Pantene but instead chose Children With Hair Loss. Because they make wigs for free for children that have lost their hair for whatever reason! Great cause & good company.
Our family has been investing in notes from both Prosper Marketplace and Lending Club for about 2-3 years. I is nice having both accounts because it allows us to be a little more selective with the notes we choose to invest in. From our experience, peer-to-peer is a great investment alternative. We actually plan to eventually use these two accounts to replace our emergency fund. Since investors receive steady monthly payments from each note they have invested in, and the payments are liquid, one can theoretically use the cash flow from the payments to live on for a decent length of time. But for now, we are re-investing those payments so we can build up the monies in both accounts.
I'm on the fence about the price increase. I've been a prime subscriber for two years, so while they may be raising it after 9, for me it seems like only after two. Additionally, the streaming was a nice novelty the first year, but after that I didn't find much left that was still free I was interested in watching. As for the Kindle owners lending library, I've found so many great free books over the last couple of years that I could never add another book to my kindle and still would have enough to read the rest of my life. So for me the only benefit is shipping. Since they already offer free shipping on purchases over $25, I'm asking myself whether I can bundle my purchases, and how big a hurry I'm in. I buy dog food from Amazon every 6 weeks that's nearly $50 by itself. I could just stick other stuff in my shopping cart until time to order the dog food. We'll see when renewal time comes.
In terms of a great sharp knife, I'd like to recommend looking out for a couple of the following:
1. Lee Valley Peasant knife--at $30, it's a steal with great steel ( I think it's O1 steel).
2. R. Herder Windmill knife--the paring knife is a bit funny looking, but cuts incredibly well due to the thin blade.
3. Opinel paring knives--better steel than Victorinox. Costs about $10, or 2 for $15.
4. Chinese chef knife--looks like a big scary cleaver, cuts like a Nakiri on steroids. It'll out prep pretty much anything from Shun or Henckels for a lot cheaper. Try to get the thinner ones in carbon steel.
These are my fav's....
1st I keep a backpack with small cosmetic bags filled with, (1st aid, eye drops, nail file etc... in #1), (change of socks & underwear in #2), (shampoo toothpaste & brush, grooming stuff in #3), (Batteries, tiny notepad & pen, tape etc..#4) ( a down laprobe pressed down into a ziplock bag. Can be used as a Pillow or to keep me warm) Now all I need to do is throw in a change of clothes for that season and some pocket change and I'm good to go on a quick trip.
2nd... I keep a mug in my microwave. When I need to warm up 2 items, I place #1 bowl or plate on the bottom, then place bowl/plate #2 ON TOP OF THE MUG. (layered effect). Now I can cook 2 items at once.
3rd.. I keep a small cooler in my car in warm weather. That way all my frozen and cold foods STAY that way until I get home.
I'm not so certain this is a great idea. You need some kind of life insurance to cover a mortgage. I saw first hand what can happen when you don't. My father was taken from us at only 56 years old, and he did not have any life insurance. My mom struggled to pay the mortgage and now lives on social security. I just got a life insurance policy from LifeAnt and it is only $19 a month, so there really is no excuse not to have it. For the peace of mind, its worth it.
One great app for freelancers is Proofhub.com. It's been a great and easy to use tool for project management and time tracking. It's free too so there's nothing to lose in trying it out.
If you have a necklace with a knot in it, use the pointy ends of two earrings against a hard surface as your tools for getting it out. It saves so much time, frustration, and beautiful jewelery!
My bank doesn't have any local branches but will reimburse all ATM fees up to a certain amount. Every month when I get them back I pretend they are not in my account. It's only a few dollars every month but it adds up after a while. It makes for a nice buffer in case of a small emergency or I forget to add a receipt to my ledger.
Being intentional is our biggest life hack -- we are still learning, but writing down our dreams, making time for what is truly important, and being intentional with spending keeps us thankful and optimistic.
More specifically, line drying our clothes is a way I can do all three -- daydream, be mindful while I enjoy a few quiet minutes at home before I head out the door to continue my day, and prolong the life of our clothes to save money. It causes me to slow down and be thankful for the beautiful day and the blessing of having plenty of clean clothes to wear.
If you are a coffee drinker, put water and coffee into the coffee maker just before going to bed. The next morning, just turn it on. I can't prepare coffee before I've had coffee, it's impossible. ;o)
My favorite lifehack has become a android app called Any.do. I have it set to remind me daily to take my vitamins and also can add shopping lists and daily to-dos. I have it set to prompt me to run through my to-dos every morning and then it gives me a little "good job" quote after which is always a nice way to start the day!
Mr. Rox, thanks for the advice and article. I do think that more research and thought could have been put into this, however. On your very first point, it's incredibly important to distinguish between high interest debt (e.g., credit card debt that isn't paid off monthly) and low interest debt (e.g., a home mortgage). This is important because the first is typically bad for most people, whereas the second is actually good debt. The same is true of student debt (assuming the debt was used to acquire a worthwhile degree that will help you reap higher earnings).
This is an important point, because you don't want people to throw away potential earnings by paying extra off on a low interest mortgage while that same cash could have been used to earn a higher return in another place (e.g., investments).
I just got in this game about a year ago! Rewards helped pay for my honeymoon, and booking my honeymoon with Hotels.com is getting me a free night in a super swanky hotel in Seattle in June. My wife and I each got Marriott Rewards credit cards and are staying 5 nights for free in downtown Anchorage in June just using the sign-up bonus points.
My favorite lifehack is shopping at the dollar store for food. Often times overflow brand items and test food items are sold at dollar stores. They are good quality items for a dollar. It has saved me tons of money and I'm extremely grateful.
I have heard similar things about LoL. When my son, who is a Boy Scout, wanted to donate his hair we did our research. We thought about Pantene but instead chose Children With Hair Loss. Because they make wigs for free for children that have lost their hair for whatever reason! Great cause & good company.
Our family has been investing in notes from both Prosper Marketplace and Lending Club for about 2-3 years. I is nice having both accounts because it allows us to be a little more selective with the notes we choose to invest in. From our experience, peer-to-peer is a great investment alternative. We actually plan to eventually use these two accounts to replace our emergency fund. Since investors receive steady monthly payments from each note they have invested in, and the payments are liquid, one can theoretically use the cash flow from the payments to live on for a decent length of time. But for now, we are re-investing those payments so we can build up the monies in both accounts.
Great article...I consider myself a frugal, goal-oriented dreamer...so does that mean my chances of become rich increases with every trait?! ;)
A band aid shouldn't cost 100$ no matter who puts it on
I'm on the fence about the price increase. I've been a prime subscriber for two years, so while they may be raising it after 9, for me it seems like only after two. Additionally, the streaming was a nice novelty the first year, but after that I didn't find much left that was still free I was interested in watching. As for the Kindle owners lending library, I've found so many great free books over the last couple of years that I could never add another book to my kindle and still would have enough to read the rest of my life. So for me the only benefit is shipping. Since they already offer free shipping on purchases over $25, I'm asking myself whether I can bundle my purchases, and how big a hurry I'm in. I buy dog food from Amazon every 6 weeks that's nearly $50 by itself. I could just stick other stuff in my shopping cart until time to order the dog food. We'll see when renewal time comes.
In terms of a great sharp knife, I'd like to recommend looking out for a couple of the following:
1. Lee Valley Peasant knife--at $30, it's a steal with great steel ( I think it's O1 steel).
2. R. Herder Windmill knife--the paring knife is a bit funny looking, but cuts incredibly well due to the thin blade.
3. Opinel paring knives--better steel than Victorinox. Costs about $10, or 2 for $15.
4. Chinese chef knife--looks like a big scary cleaver, cuts like a Nakiri on steroids. It'll out prep pretty much anything from Shun or Henckels for a lot cheaper. Try to get the thinner ones in carbon steel.
My favorite "life" hack is to take a vacation every year and to spend time with the family :)
These are my fav's....
1st I keep a backpack with small cosmetic bags filled with, (1st aid, eye drops, nail file etc... in #1), (change of socks & underwear in #2), (shampoo toothpaste & brush, grooming stuff in #3), (Batteries, tiny notepad & pen, tape etc..#4) ( a down laprobe pressed down into a ziplock bag. Can be used as a Pillow or to keep me warm) Now all I need to do is throw in a change of clothes for that season and some pocket change and I'm good to go on a quick trip.
2nd... I keep a mug in my microwave. When I need to warm up 2 items, I place #1 bowl or plate on the bottom, then place bowl/plate #2 ON TOP OF THE MUG. (layered effect). Now I can cook 2 items at once.
3rd.. I keep a small cooler in my car in warm weather. That way all my frozen and cold foods STAY that way until I get home.
this article is a little misleading... you can live cheap in these countries if your frugal but 50 bucks a month in Thailand to eat?
What about Costa Rica? I read that it is the most stable. Isn't Chile experiencing riots and such things?
I'm not so certain this is a great idea. You need some kind of life insurance to cover a mortgage. I saw first hand what can happen when you don't. My father was taken from us at only 56 years old, and he did not have any life insurance. My mom struggled to pay the mortgage and now lives on social security. I just got a life insurance policy from LifeAnt and it is only $19 a month, so there really is no excuse not to have it. For the peace of mind, its worth it.
One great app for freelancers is Proofhub.com. It's been a great and easy to use tool for project management and time tracking. It's free too so there's nothing to lose in trying it out.
If you have a necklace with a knot in it, use the pointy ends of two earrings against a hard surface as your tools for getting it out. It saves so much time, frustration, and beautiful jewelery!
It has not to be the exact same product. You can normally choose an alternative.
My bank doesn't have any local branches but will reimburse all ATM fees up to a certain amount. Every month when I get them back I pretend they are not in my account. It's only a few dollars every month but it adds up after a while. It makes for a nice buffer in case of a small emergency or I forget to add a receipt to my ledger.
Being intentional is our biggest life hack -- we are still learning, but writing down our dreams, making time for what is truly important, and being intentional with spending keeps us thankful and optimistic.
More specifically, line drying our clothes is a way I can do all three -- daydream, be mindful while I enjoy a few quiet minutes at home before I head out the door to continue my day, and prolong the life of our clothes to save money. It causes me to slow down and be thankful for the beautiful day and the blessing of having plenty of clean clothes to wear.
I cut vegetables and store them for quick cooking.
If you are a coffee drinker, put water and coffee into the coffee maker just before going to bed. The next morning, just turn it on. I can't prepare coffee before I've had coffee, it's impossible. ;o)
I like to use a used dryer sheet to dust with. Thank you!
My favorite lifehack has become a android app called Any.do. I have it set to remind me daily to take my vitamins and also can add shopping lists and daily to-dos. I have it set to prompt me to run through my to-dos every morning and then it gives me a little "good job" quote after which is always a nice way to start the day!
Mr. Rox, thanks for the advice and article. I do think that more research and thought could have been put into this, however. On your very first point, it's incredibly important to distinguish between high interest debt (e.g., credit card debt that isn't paid off monthly) and low interest debt (e.g., a home mortgage). This is important because the first is typically bad for most people, whereas the second is actually good debt. The same is true of student debt (assuming the debt was used to acquire a worthwhile degree that will help you reap higher earnings).
This is an important point, because you don't want people to throw away potential earnings by paying extra off on a low interest mortgage while that same cash could have been used to earn a higher return in another place (e.g., investments).
I just got in this game about a year ago! Rewards helped pay for my honeymoon, and booking my honeymoon with Hotels.com is getting me a free night in a super swanky hotel in Seattle in June. My wife and I each got Marriott Rewards credit cards and are staying 5 nights for free in downtown Anchorage in June just using the sign-up bonus points.
My lifehack is shopping at thrift store. There's so many great things to find there especially at low prices.
Doing the toughest thing first each day. Usually, the thing you are avoiding. Once complete, it provides tremendous momentum for the rest of the day!
My favorite lifehack is shopping at the dollar store for food. Often times overflow brand items and test food items are sold at dollar stores. They are good quality items for a dollar. It has saved me tons of money and I'm extremely grateful.