When I was thirty, before we had kids, we adopted an 8 or 9 year old beagle named Tobey. There was a local shelter hosting an event outside of a Petco and we wanted to rescue a dog, so we went. Tobey was a stinky old beagle who immediately leaned up against my shins and … Read more

For decades, if you wanted to get a good credit score, you had to demonstrate your ability to use credit. To do that, you had to borrow money. Borrow money, pay it off regularly, and wait. But while frequently using revolving credit products can help you build credit, you also risk overspending and being unable … Read more

Employee stock purchase plans, or ESPPs, are an employee benefit some employers offer. Though not as popular as health insurance and 401(k) plans, they can be a valuable source of additional income to supplement your regular earnings. Here are eight things to know about your ESPP if your employer offers one. Table of Contents 1. … Read more

Reader Mike sent me an intriguing certificate of deposit offer from Navy Federal Credit Union – their Limited-Time Offer: 18-Month EasyStart Share Certificate. It’s a no-penalty add-on CD with an 18-month term, coupling two features I’ve never seen together (yet). I have no relationship with Navy Federal Credit Union, so I can’t speak to the … Read more

One of the great things about getting paid via PayPal is that it’s easy to convert your money to cash. Companies deposit money into your PayPal account when you visit various sites and complete simple tasks. Of course, there is some effort required. But if you’re willing to put in that effort, you can increase … Read more

Before we had kids, we would travel internationally a lot. Twenty years ago, online banks were just starting to become mainstream so most of our options were brick and mortar banks. I took some local currency with us but I also relied on the partnership between Bank of America (my bank) and Barclays. You could … Read more

I have a Solo 401(k) at Vanguard for many years and it has served me well. The small business portal, when you manage the account from the employer side, looks a bit dated but functions just fine. I’m able to quickly make contributions once a month (I’d have loved a way to automate it but … Read more

We have two HVAC systems in our home that are likely within the last few years of their working lives. They’re both A/C only using coolant that’s been “outlawed” (R-22) and were installed in the 1980s. They work fine, with the occasional replacement of their coke can sized capacitors, but we’re getting close to needing … Read more

Personal finance fads come and go. For many years, the FIRE “movement” was extremely popular. It was a repudiation of the traditional “work 40 years and then retire” idea that had been made popular in the “good ole days.” Then the hot topic was “quiet quitting,” where you do the bare minimum at work to … Read more

Drop servicing is a business that sells services to clients and hires external contractors, such as freelancers or agencies, to complete the work. If you’re a freelancer, switching to a drop-servicing business model has benefits. If you’re efficient, it can be less time-consuming than handling all client work on your own. Of course, managing other … Read more