Money Tips Network

Two years ago I wrote about how I was “winding down”, whatever that means, after selling Consumerism Commentary, in the sense that I was looking to involve myself in new projects. I was considering, among other things, investing a portion of my assets in start-up companies. In fact, I signed up for a service called AngelList that pairs potential investors with visionaries looking for capital.

I never took the next step. Although I continue think it’s a good idea to diversify my portfolio across a variety of investing possibilities, I’ve maintained a mix almost exclusively of stock and bond index funds. Several potential investment opportunities came to me from friends, but in the end, each opportunity didn’t progress to the final stage. I’m not so sure investing with friends is such a good idea anyway.

Note: This article is from J.D. Roth, who founded Get Rich Slowly in 2006. J.D. recently launched the Get Rich Slowly course, a year-long guide on how to master your money.

Last Sunday, I shared the transcript of a recent conversation between me and Mr. Money Mustache. We talked a lot about retirement and what it takes to get there.

“You and I are both supposedly retired, and yet we’re doing this work here where we’re talking to each other about money,” I said at one point. Pete and I have both accumulated nest eggs that would allow us never to work again. We both considered ourselves retired. Still, both of us have elected to continue doing work for money.

Looking for a unique way to save money on flights and get free hotels? How about car rentals, bus rides, and even restaurant meals? You can save big bucks on travel by becoming a mystery shopper.

I recently took a flight from Canada to Peru for a 50% discount. And this summer I expect to fly to Switzerland (also for 50% off), and later in the year possibly to Australia — or maybe even Japan — for another 50% off.

I did this by flying as a mystery shopper. So it wasn't a discount for nothing. But overall, it's great value. Here's how to get started.

At this moment, my husband and I are both unemployed. And although this sounds nuts, we are actually trying to maximize the duration of his unemployment. I want my husband to be able to find a job that makes him happy, not just the job that comes along first. This means we may have to live on a scary tight budget of unemployment insurance for all of 2014.

The question we are answering almost daily is, "Are you OK?" Not "Are you OK financially?" "Are you OK mentally, living check to check?"

Our answer is, "Yes, we're doing fine. We have frugal friends."

A corporate career was once the dream for middle class America. It provided financial security, social respect, and a shot at reaching the upper class.

Today, the corporate career track is profoundly different than in the past. Billion dollar startups and average-joe media sensations have robbed the corporate life of its glamour. Ever growing classes of college graduates have undermined its promise of accessibility. Generations of disgruntled middle-management employees have undone the hope of upper class mobility. And finally, massive layoffs over the last decade have completely disassociated the concept of financial security from the corporate ideal.

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The internet provides an absolute mountain of recipes for people who want to find them. There’s a recipe out there for almost anything you want to cook.

So why do I still love cookbooks?

Honestly, I haven’t found a better system for browsing cohesive organized recipe collections. I can get close to that experience by browsing the archives of a specific food blog, but even then, it’s harder to browse. I can annotate recipes, bookmark them, see techniques (in good cookbooks, anyway), and also be inspired to try something new.

I’m almost always thrilled to find an interesting cookbook at a used bookstore or to receive one as a gift, even with the millions of recipes one can find online. They just inspire me to try cooking things at home.

I can't resist. I know I've covered the cost of weddings previously, but every year when the new numbers come out, I'm astounded once again.

Here are the highlights for 2013:

Job interviews are tough, if you're lucky enough to get one. A recent study found that 80% of the available jobs in the US are never advertised. And only 20% of people who apply for any given job actually get an interview.

So, if you do have an interview lined up, congratulations; you've already beaten the odds. Now, you have to get through the interview, and once again the odds are stacked against you. First impressions count, and doing your homework on the company you want to work for is a given. But what else can you do, or not do, to improve your odds of getting the job?