Spend Now or Spend (More) Later

In my financial literacy class for teachers we spend a lot of time discussing the balance between spending money now and saving in order to spend money in the future. And I want to be perfectly clear, this is an important balance to achieve. Some folks (myself included) may delay gratification too much, always saving … Continue reading Spend Now or Spend (More) Later →

Our New Secondary Solar Panel System (and Battery Backup)

We originally installed solar panels on our roof in December of 2009 (activated and producing energy by the end of January 2010). We did it partially because it was the right thing to do (climate change, air pollution, safety of energy workers, environmental justice), but also because it was going to be a great financial … Continue reading Our New Secondary Solar Panel System (and Battery Backup) →

Our Current Portfolio and Recent Returns

Last April I shared our portfolio and some of the different ways we look at it. I thought it might be nice to update it each January. That previous post has a bit more descriptive verbiage, so refer back to it if you need to. Asset Location Like many people, by necessity we have our … Continue reading Our Current Portfolio and Recent Returns →

Can I Interest You in a Combination Can Opener/Wi-Fi Hotspot?

Have I got a deal for you! What if you could own a combination electric can opener/wi-fi hotspot? You can use it to open cans, of course, but in an emergency you could also use it as a wi-fi hotspot. Why settle for just an electric can opener or just a wi-fi hotspot when you … Continue reading Can I Interest You in a Combination Can Opener/Wi-Fi Hotspot? →

Updated College Invest First Step and Matching Grant Program Information

Two days ago I wrote about the College Invest Matching Grant Program, which also referenced an earlier post about the First Step Program. As a result of some questions I was asked by readers (thanks!), I dug a little deeper into the terms and conditions and then also called College Invest to confirm some important … Continue reading Updated College Invest First Step and Matching Grant Program Information →

Why You Should (and How To) Transfer Your HSA to Fidelity

I've written previously about why I think an HSA is not only great in general, but is especially great if you have the ability to use it as a stealth retirement account. But for folks who want to use it this way, the HSA provider that they are with is not always the optimal choice. … Continue reading Why You Should (and How To) Transfer Your HSA to Fidelity →