I know sometimes some of my ideas are a little extreme. I realize this could be one of those, but I thought it would be worth asking. Otherwise, I’ll just keep thinking about it. Forever. Literally. I’m a big fan of the Lending Club business model to eliminate the bank, (which reminds me – don’t […]
What Do I Need to Know About Camping?
Posted byWe’re planning a camping trip. Well, let me rephrase that, I’m planning a camping trip. Scott’s idea of vacation revolves around nice hotels, hot showers, and eating at restaurants. Apparently his parents took him camping so much as a little kid, that he’s scarred for life and never wants to do it again; however, he […]
The deadline for one of my favorite deals is just around the corner. The College Advantage $25+ Sign Up Bonus ends on June 30. Be sure to read through the comments to see how to score hundreds of dollars from this deal! June 30 is also the current deadline for the tax credit for existing […]
We had a crazy idea last week. We might sell our house and build a new one. Yes, I know, this is just one week after we almost bought a vacation home. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a bit impulsive… ok, I’m a lot impulsive. But don’t worry, once I get an idea […]
We Almost Bought a Vacation Home
Posted byWe’re back from vacation. Perfect weather. Perfect boating. We couldn’t have asked for anything more… except maybe a better realtor. As you know, we were checking out vacation homes, and we found one we liked. It was a little bigger than we originally planned (doesn’t that always happen?), so I wanted to run some more […]
Getting Ready for Vacation Home Shopping
Posted byVacation time is here! We’re busy getting packed to head out for vacation. Readers were on both sides of the fence when I asked Should We Buy a Vacation Home? Since then, I’ve been busy doing a ton of research on buying vacation homes: past sales, rental statistics, talking to current owners, break even points, […]
We caught an interesting story on our local news recently. Local homeless advocacy groups are helping homeless families squat in homes in foreclosure. The idea is basically, why should people be homeless when there are vacant homes available? The groups locate homes in foreclosure, enter the home (most recently through a broken back door), then […]
Should We Buy a Vacation Home?
Posted byNow that summer is almost here, and we’re scheduling our vacations for the summer, we have the itch to buy our own vacation house…. again. (This happens every summer). Every time we rent a place, my financial brain starts spinning. What if we buy our own vacation house, and rent it out when we aren’t […]
Tax Freebies, Amendments, and Credits
Posted byHappy Tax Day! As I’m finishing up the last few returns for clients today, here are some fun tips to get you through your return. Tax Day Freebies. Check the list of free food and specials for tax day at Slickdeals Tax Freebies. Check Your 2006 Return. Today is the last day to file an […]
Time to Add Some TIPS
Posted byWhen I decided to make our Asset Allocation Update to Include More International Exposure I spent a lot of time reevaluating our entire portfolio. Currently our non stock holdings are split between cash and the total bond market. The cash is actually in CD Ladders, but I’ve found the ladders renewing at such low rates, […]