What Does a Builder’s Warranty Cover?
Builders’ warranties vary greatly, so it’s important that homeowners take the time to learn what’s covered.
VA Loans
When rules bring freedom
While I’ve identified as a writer since I was eight years old, what I’ve written has changed significantly over time.
When I was very young, I was only interested in writing stories. These stories were child-like, to be sure, but they grew in sophistication as I did. By junior high, I was drafting large chunks of fantasy novels (mimicking the books I tended to read at the time). Then, in high school, I discovered a love for poetry.
In high school and college, I mostly wrote poetry. Some of it was actually good, too. (Seriously!) I won contests and scholarships with my poetry, and some of it even saw print in small magazines.
But somewhere along the way, I stopped writing poems. I’ve written a few songs with friends over the years, but that’s it really. The part of me that’s a poet â a part that once was integral â seems to no longer exist.
Anyhow, it occurred to me today that the spending moratorium I’ve set for myself in 2021 is, in a way, like writing poetry. Let me explain.
VA loan refinance scams and how to avoid them
Mortgage scams are real and they often veteran homeowners. Here are the most common VA loan refinance scams and how to avoid them.
The power of habit tracking
For decades, I’ve been a proponent of habit tracking. Habit tracking sounds and feels nerdy to a lot of folks, so many people avoid it. That’s too bad. Habit tracking is a powerful tool that can help you make better decisions about your life.
Let me share an example.
Over at Reaktor, Olof Hoverfält recently published a long piece about why he’s tracked every single piece of clothing he’s worn for three years.
That’s right: For 1000+ days, Hoverfält documented every garment he wore. (And, in fact, he’s continuing to document his wardrobe publicly.) Using the info he collected, he’s now able to make better decisions about which clothes to keep and which clothes to buy. I love it!
Hoverfält says people worry about how much time it’d take to do something like this but they shouldn’t. Most of the time investment is in the initial setup, in that first batch of data entry. Actually using and maintaining the system requires about one minute each day. And the rewards are far greater than the cost in time.
Hoverfält’s project is a perfect example of the power of habit tracking.
How to Protect Your Credit While in the Military
Around a third of active military service members in 2019 said they didn’t pay all their bills on time, and close to that number of military spouses said the same. Military service can require some serious financial planning. But many service members might not realize how joining the military impacts their creditâand how their credit… Read More
The post How to Protect Your Credit While in the Military appeared first on Credit.com.
Experimenting with ultra-light packing: How I packed light for 20 days on the road
Hello from Portugal!
Last Thursday, I returned to Europe for the fourth time in the past ten months. This time, I’m here for work. I’m speaking at yet-another chautauqua about financial independence and early retirement. As always, it’s fascinating — and the people attending the event are amazing.
For this trip, I decided to experiment with ultra-light packing. I am not a minimalist, but I like minimalist travel. I wanted to see if I could carry everything I needed for 20 days of travel in a single small backpack.
How to prepare for a natural disaster
My world is on fire.
As you may have heard, much of Oregon is burning right now. Thanks to a “once in a lifetime” combination of weather and climate variables — a long, dry summer leading to high temps and low humidity, then a freak windstorm from the east — much of the state turned to tinder earlier this week. And then the tinder ignited.
At this very moment, our neighborhood is cloaked in smoke.
Wishing for a walkable neighborhood
“You sure slept in late,” I said to Kim this morning.
“I know,” she said. “I was up for two hours in the middle of the night. I was thinking about you. I was thinking about everything we talked about at our family meeting.”
“For two hours?” I asked.
My spending goal for 2020: Spend less on food
I’m pleased to report that 2020 is off to a fine start. As I mentioned in my year-end review, 2019 sucked for me. I have high hopes that this year will be a vast improvement. So far, it has been.
The biggest change is that I’m not drinking alcohol. While this is meant as a January-only test, it’s possible that I’ll extend the experiment. It’s saving me money and making me more productive. Plus, it may be helping with my anxiety and depression. I like that. (Thanks to the GRS readers who sent me private notes about their own struggles with alcohol. I appreciate it.)
I’ve made other small changes this year too. While I didn’t make any resolutions — I rarely do — I’m using the new year as a prompt to alter some of my habits, to do things differently.
How much does it cost to drive? Driving cost calculators and tools
My girlfriend recently bought a new car. After 23 years, she sold her 1997 Honda Accord to a guy who’s more mechanically inclined than we are. Kim upgraded to a 2016 Toyota RAV4, and she loves it.
One of her primary considerations when searching for a new car was the cost to drive it. In her ideal world, she would have purchased a fully-electric vehicle but it just wasn’t in her budget. The RAV4 hybrid was a compromise. According to fueleconomy.gov, it gets an estimated 32 miles per gallon. (And actual users report 34.7 miles per gallon.)
Kim’s quest for a fuel-efficient car prompted me to revisit apps and online tools that help users track their driving and fuel habits. I’ve written about these in the past — and, in fact, this is an updated article from 2008! — but haven’t looked into them recently.
Here’s a quick look at some of my favorite driving cost calculators, tools, and apps.