We’ve already had 2 snowstorms this week and there’s more snow on the way today. It’s only the first week in December and by tomorrow we will already have a foot of snow! Good thing I like snow! If you are stuck inside today too, here’s some great reading:Â
Our accessible net worth is down -1.6% since last month. However, it’s still up 18.2% for the year. Meeting our goal of 21.6% for the year is still possible. Here’s our best and worst holdings in annual % returns for stocks and funds held all year:
I wanted to take some time out so you can get to know me a little better. I have a short bio about me, but didn’t go into much detail. Here’s some more things you might find interesting. Your topics cover a very broad range of personal finance, why? I like to write about anything […]
We recently set up a special needs trust for for a family member. It is an important part of planning for the future of a disabled individual and has large consequences if done incorrectly. Special Needs Trust Special needs trusts, or supplemental needs trusts, provide the means to care for a disabled child (or adult) after the […]
Use a theme! Each person in our family has a designated holiday theme. Angels, snowmen, etc. This keeps the shopper in me in line, even when there are discounted decorations after the holidays. It used to be easy to get carried away, but now I have a rule that we can purchase one item in […]
2007 is coming to a close and it is time to start making goals for 2008. New Years Resolutions are all over the place, but I think they are often forgotten by the time February rolls around. Luckily we have our finances planned out for the next nine years, making this task somewhat easier, and […]
As I flipped the calendar to December, I had a note that one of the intro rates on our credit cards expires this month. I have a balance of $58,980 on my IN:CHICAGO Card from American Express at 0%. I looked at the terms, which I store in an excel spreadsheet, and read the following: 0% through billing […]
This weekend our local university hosted their annual ski and snowboard sale. It’s a great way to pick up new and used equipment at discounted prices. We will need to purchase skis for our kids soon and I want to make sure that we aren’t spending unnecessary money. As with all things kids, the equipment is quickly outgrown […]
I often end up on subscription lists for various newsletters. One I noticed in my mailbox today was from Little Grad. It’s the Little Insights Newsletter. It had some great tips on energy savings: College Saving Tip: Heating Water Energy Consider installing a drain water waste heat recovery system. A recent DOE (Dept Of Energy) […]
In Roth IRA Conversion Rules Highlighted Russ commented that his employer is starting a Roth 401k plan. The Roth 401k plans are relatively new and many people haven’t heard of them yet. Employers are slowly starting to offer them to employees. Let’s explore how the Roth 401k works, the benefits over the Roth IRA, and […]
