Mortgage-free is not necessarily the best option, even if it feels more comfortable. A nest egg that is sunk into a house is illiquid and still subject to loss of value. Consider that 30 year fixed mortgages are currently 4% (tax deductible) and AT&T stock is paying a dividend of almost 6% (subject to a maximum 15% income tax). If I invest the money and take a mortgage I am not only more flexible, I'm ahead of the game.
One thing I do when using miles is fly into smaller airports. If I am footing the bill I usually fly into the closest international airport. However, since most domestic tickets use the same amount of points regardless of which airport you are flying into, you can often fly into smaller regional airports for the same "price." This has allowed me to skip rental cars, pricey cabs, or inconveniencing others by having them pick me up.
Three financial goals are to continue to pay extra on our truck payment, to pay for tile flooring in our kitchen, and to put $1200 towards savings on land.
Google will ask you to pick a number when you register on "GoogleVoice" if you currently do not have a land line. The Obi 100 runs through your router (have to have internet connection) and you plug in your basic phone to the Obi. No charges except for the internet service.
The Obi 110 is for people who have had an existing phone service (land line) previously.
I just made some great significant changes this year (and yes, we are barely through this year yet) but they are major. I canceled my long term major cell phone provider of 11 years and opted for a prepaid phone due to after further review of no contract plans through major carriers they still charge applicable surcharges and fees whereas prepaids do not. The perfect example is the prepaids $50.00/ month plan is unlimited talk/text and web and they use major carriers. I have better service coverage than I previously did with my major provider.
Opted out of landline service and instead went with voIP to utilize at home to reduce minutes used from cell phone in case I need to make calls that will take a good deal of time.
Just the cell phone switch alone will save me about $900.00 per year and now possibly quite more utilizing the voIP services.
These toys are not safe at all. Socks and ropes are terrible dog toys and are easily the top 2 items a veterinarian would say NOT to give to your dog.
I have seen too many socks pulled out of dog intestines and the suffering of themselves and their owners to agree with this. Think, 10 dollars for a toy or a 1,000$ for a exploratory laparotomy. Owch.
I want to simplify. Been "collecting" mutual funds with small balances. I want to settle on an appropriate allocation and have a minumum number of investments.
It is incredible! But This article describes the same situation that we got at home one month ago. Even I got angry with my husband because I though that he gave his information to somebody. How is possible that this company has gotten his information?
i went to er for a peice of metal in my eye doc told me that he didnt want to touch it and recomended eye doc he new he even made call i went there he removed metal and gave me meds for it and i payed him then hospital sent me a 485 dollar bill for exam even though they didnt do anything now its on my credit cause i dont think i should have to pay them when they didnt do anything i told them i had metal in my eye so i didnt need them to tell me that they said i still owe for exam not sure what to do a lawyer wants 500 to start anything
Canola oil is terrible! It is an industrial, man-made fat that actually raises cholesterol and oxidizes when heated. All fake fats are unhealthy. The best oil to cook with hands-down is coconut oil. There are unflavored types available if you object to the taste of coconut in everything. Butter is also a great one. Think back to what nourished our ancestors for many years. Then look at the last 30, when all sorts of "heart healthy" franken fats were created. It's no coincidence that the rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes have skyrocketed. Our great grandmothers were not obese; heart disease and cancer were infrequent. Going back to traditional, nourishing fats can restore our health, too. Check out the Weston A. Price Foundation web site for a myriad of information on this.
Just because a corporation delivers consistently does not equate that they are a good business or a good model. McDonald's IS at the heart of the obesity epidemic in this country, they prey on small children through their advertising campaigns, they are a huge lobbying force that Americans should be concerned about a they buy the FDA, the EPA, etc., etc. etc.. Wise Bread could stand to dig a bit more and highlight companies that are exemplary on all levels.
I think all this is a very good way of helping people lose weight. The only thing that i have to say is that, what if people don't have the money to do the weight loss programme? And what if their desperate to lose weight? Maybe because of health issues or because they want to look good in their wedding dress or something. Then there isn't a way for people to lose weight if they don't know how to, all because they won't be able to afford it. My arguement is, that, there should be at least one website on any of these diet programme's, where they could just write down how to lose weight and what to eat and what to avoid. Not pay to get the weight loss, but to just put it on the website and then all they have to do is cook it or something :) !!
Many prepackaged foods are unhealthy.
Eating leftovers all week long is boring.
Food left in office fridges gets raided or thrown out.
Grazing causes some people to overeat.
figures lie and liers figure. It cost about a grand to make your first bag of cotton candy, pay the help, ins. , bags, commision to show, marketing, tent and or trailer excluded!. I paid 380.00 for a wire to run from my stand to the power panel, just the wire!
This is all pretty good advice I think. I would disagree maybe a little bit with the clothes and shoes one though. I find that 99% of the time, when you pay more for clothing it's not for higher quality, it's for a name brand, and/or the CHANCE that it will be more stylish. You don't have to "buy fewer items of clothing" because you paid more for them, I just don't think that's correct.
A small detail I see overlooked a great deal is: An estate can be taxed upwards of 50% upon death. Investments saved can be taxed upwards of 30%. However, life insurance payouts upon death are not taxed. I think there is a limit to the non-taxed portion though. Something like the first $160,000.00. I'm not a licensed life agent, so I'm not sure. But this has to effect the values a great deal. Also, mutual investors always use 12%, which is the most they are legally allowed to cite. But what is the actual average rate of return on mutual funds investments? Again, I'm not a financial planner either. So I don't have the answer to that. But it seems on the surface that whole life has more value than professional funds investors seem to give it.
There are regularly coupons in the inserts for rice, both white and brown. Using them I often get one pound packages of rice for pennies. Also, coupons can be found for tuna, healthier alternatives like chicken sausage. Also, don't overlook coupons for health/beauty supplies and cleaning supplies. The more money that you save on the "non-food" items, the more you have to spend on better quality foods.
I don't understand the two-sided approach you take towards financial companies hiring, or holding cash. HSBC, for example, is a global bank that survived reasonably well through the downturn, but are now trying to trim assets (such as their North and South American businesses) to ensure less overhead through the downturn. Though they are not an American company, they still play into the 'Too Big to Fail' argument.
Central banks are forcing retail banks to hold enough assets and deleverage themselves so that they are better resilient through downturns. Thus, they cut jobs. Jobs are a sort of fixed cost and, in effect, are leveraging the future of the company, which is additional risk taken on by the company. There CAN be an argument made (in America at least) that those who accepted bail out money (those who some have deemed 'too big to fail') should as a requirement be forced to maintain job levels, though I don't know how you can enforce this.
For non financial companies, it is a difficult argument, but it still ties back to a remnant of the recent recession of not wanting to maintain overhead and leverage.
2. Although I don't end up buying to many deals on Groupon/LivingSocial, I waste to much time looking at the deals.
5. I actually decided to not have a TV part of last year, and it has done wonders. I don't waste as much time anymore. It has been great. However, I do miss watching ESPN every once in a while.
22. It seems like I never turn off my iPhone. I need to start doing this more. Working on the internet usually makes me want to check up on everything all the time.
I have a New Year's Resolution that I am incorporating. I am using Google Calendar to organize everything. It has been working great, and I enjoy being extra organized.
continue to live frugally. by the end of the year, i plan to have 10,000 in savings and pay off the rest of my car. it is going to be hard but it will be well worth it.
Glad to say I'm putting a lot of these into practice already! Have a shared wireless plan, dropped cable 6 months ago and haven't missed it - WatchEspn and Hulu cover just about everything for me. I have always made my own coffee.
Grocery Tip: If Publix is in your area, their weekly Buy 1 get 1 Free specials are great for stocking up on pasta + sauce, cereal, juice, and a whole lot more!
Mortgage-free is not necessarily the best option, even if it feels more comfortable. A nest egg that is sunk into a house is illiquid and still subject to loss of value. Consider that 30 year fixed mortgages are currently 4% (tax deductible) and AT&T stock is paying a dividend of almost 6% (subject to a maximum 15% income tax). If I invest the money and take a mortgage I am not only more flexible, I'm ahead of the game.
Mileage is also good one to reimburse for.
One thing I do when using miles is fly into smaller airports. If I am footing the bill I usually fly into the closest international airport. However, since most domestic tickets use the same amount of points regardless of which airport you are flying into, you can often fly into smaller regional airports for the same "price." This has allowed me to skip rental cars, pricey cabs, or inconveniencing others by having them pick me up.
Three financial goals are to continue to pay extra on our truck payment, to pay for tile flooring in our kitchen, and to put $1200 towards savings on land.
Google will ask you to pick a number when you register on "GoogleVoice" if you currently do not have a land line. The Obi 100 runs through your router (have to have internet connection) and you plug in your basic phone to the Obi. No charges except for the internet service.
The Obi 110 is for people who have had an existing phone service (land line) previously.
http://obihai.com/googlevoice.html
I just made some great significant changes this year (and yes, we are barely through this year yet) but they are major. I canceled my long term major cell phone provider of 11 years and opted for a prepaid phone due to after further review of no contract plans through major carriers they still charge applicable surcharges and fees whereas prepaids do not. The perfect example is the prepaids $50.00/ month plan is unlimited talk/text and web and they use major carriers. I have better service coverage than I previously did with my major provider.
Opted out of landline service and instead went with voIP to utilize at home to reduce minutes used from cell phone in case I need to make calls that will take a good deal of time.
Just the cell phone switch alone will save me about $900.00 per year and now possibly quite more utilizing the voIP services.
WooHoo!
These toys are not safe at all. Socks and ropes are terrible dog toys and are easily the top 2 items a veterinarian would say NOT to give to your dog.
I have seen too many socks pulled out of dog intestines and the suffering of themselves and their owners to agree with this. Think, 10 dollars for a toy or a 1,000$ for a exploratory laparotomy. Owch.
I want to simplify. Been "collecting" mutual funds with small balances. I want to settle on an appropriate allocation and have a minumum number of investments.
It is incredible! But This article describes the same situation that we got at home one month ago. Even I got angry with my husband because I though that he gave his information to somebody. How is possible that this company has gotten his information?
i went to er for a peice of metal in my eye doc told me that he didnt want to touch it and recomended eye doc he new he even made call i went there he removed metal and gave me meds for it and i payed him then hospital sent me a 485 dollar bill for exam even though they didnt do anything now its on my credit cause i dont think i should have to pay them when they didnt do anything i told them i had metal in my eye so i didnt need them to tell me that they said i still owe for exam not sure what to do a lawyer wants 500 to start anything
Canola oil is terrible! It is an industrial, man-made fat that actually raises cholesterol and oxidizes when heated. All fake fats are unhealthy. The best oil to cook with hands-down is coconut oil. There are unflavored types available if you object to the taste of coconut in everything. Butter is also a great one. Think back to what nourished our ancestors for many years. Then look at the last 30, when all sorts of "heart healthy" franken fats were created. It's no coincidence that the rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes have skyrocketed. Our great grandmothers were not obese; heart disease and cancer were infrequent. Going back to traditional, nourishing fats can restore our health, too. Check out the Weston A. Price Foundation web site for a myriad of information on this.
Just because a corporation delivers consistently does not equate that they are a good business or a good model. McDonald's IS at the heart of the obesity epidemic in this country, they prey on small children through their advertising campaigns, they are a huge lobbying force that Americans should be concerned about a they buy the FDA, the EPA, etc., etc. etc.. Wise Bread could stand to dig a bit more and highlight companies that are exemplary on all levels.
I think all this is a very good way of helping people lose weight. The only thing that i have to say is that, what if people don't have the money to do the weight loss programme? And what if their desperate to lose weight? Maybe because of health issues or because they want to look good in their wedding dress or something. Then there isn't a way for people to lose weight if they don't know how to, all because they won't be able to afford it. My arguement is, that, there should be at least one website on any of these diet programme's, where they could just write down how to lose weight and what to eat and what to avoid. Not pay to get the weight loss, but to just put it on the website and then all they have to do is cook it or something :) !!
I try to make the shopping trip by myself! Big savings!
I like your suggestion the best.
Many prepackaged foods are unhealthy.
Eating leftovers all week long is boring.
Food left in office fridges gets raided or thrown out.
Grazing causes some people to overeat.
figures lie and liers figure. It cost about a grand to make your first bag of cotton candy, pay the help, ins. , bags, commision to show, marketing, tent and or trailer excluded!. I paid 380.00 for a wire to run from my stand to the power panel, just the wire!
This is all pretty good advice I think. I would disagree maybe a little bit with the clothes and shoes one though. I find that 99% of the time, when you pay more for clothing it's not for higher quality, it's for a name brand, and/or the CHANCE that it will be more stylish. You don't have to "buy fewer items of clothing" because you paid more for them, I just don't think that's correct.
A small detail I see overlooked a great deal is: An estate can be taxed upwards of 50% upon death. Investments saved can be taxed upwards of 30%. However, life insurance payouts upon death are not taxed. I think there is a limit to the non-taxed portion though. Something like the first $160,000.00. I'm not a licensed life agent, so I'm not sure. But this has to effect the values a great deal. Also, mutual investors always use 12%, which is the most they are legally allowed to cite. But what is the actual average rate of return on mutual funds investments? Again, I'm not a financial planner either. So I don't have the answer to that. But it seems on the surface that whole life has more value than professional funds investors seem to give it.
There are regularly coupons in the inserts for rice, both white and brown. Using them I often get one pound packages of rice for pennies. Also, coupons can be found for tuna, healthier alternatives like chicken sausage. Also, don't overlook coupons for health/beauty supplies and cleaning supplies. The more money that you save on the "non-food" items, the more you have to spend on better quality foods.
I don't understand the two-sided approach you take towards financial companies hiring, or holding cash. HSBC, for example, is a global bank that survived reasonably well through the downturn, but are now trying to trim assets (such as their North and South American businesses) to ensure less overhead through the downturn. Though they are not an American company, they still play into the 'Too Big to Fail' argument.
Central banks are forcing retail banks to hold enough assets and deleverage themselves so that they are better resilient through downturns. Thus, they cut jobs. Jobs are a sort of fixed cost and, in effect, are leveraging the future of the company, which is additional risk taken on by the company. There CAN be an argument made (in America at least) that those who accepted bail out money (those who some have deemed 'too big to fail') should as a requirement be forced to maintain job levels, though I don't know how you can enforce this.
For non financial companies, it is a difficult argument, but it still ties back to a remnant of the recent recession of not wanting to maintain overhead and leverage.
2, 5, and 22 are right on.
2. Although I don't end up buying to many deals on Groupon/LivingSocial, I waste to much time looking at the deals.
5. I actually decided to not have a TV part of last year, and it has done wonders. I don't waste as much time anymore. It has been great. However, I do miss watching ESPN every once in a while.
22. It seems like I never turn off my iPhone. I need to start doing this more. Working on the internet usually makes me want to check up on everything all the time.
I have a New Year's Resolution that I am incorporating. I am using Google Calendar to organize everything. It has been working great, and I enjoy being extra organized.
Any others?
continue to live frugally. by the end of the year, i plan to have 10,000 in savings and pay off the rest of my car. it is going to be hard but it will be well worth it.
To spend less on unnecessary things and don't be an impulsive buyer.
Glad to say I'm putting a lot of these into practice already! Have a shared wireless plan, dropped cable 6 months ago and haven't missed it - WatchEspn and Hulu cover just about everything for me. I have always made my own coffee.
Grocery Tip: If Publix is in your area, their weekly Buy 1 get 1 Free specials are great for stocking up on pasta + sauce, cereal, juice, and a whole lot more!
Nice post, but in #9 I think it should be baking SODA, not baking powder.