Rhyan Finch is the Broker, Owner, and Founder of 1st Class Real Estate and leader of The Rhyan Finch Real Estate Team. He started on a small team at a nationally known franchise firm and quickly grew to learn the ins & outs of a functioning real estate team while realizing ways he could improve this business model to grow and better serve his clients and agents in this industry. He is a family man with a devotion to God, his beautiful and accomplished wife, and his two children. Rhyan has one goal in his heart – to change lives and to serve more clients with 1st Class service.
Join us as Rhyan shares his realtor mindset and a glance at his journey to becoming a Real Estate Rockstar by becoming a Top Seller in real estate!
Quotes To Live By
“Real estate is going to be an adventure!” – Rhyan Finch Click to Tweet
“You want to be doing things in business that have multipliers!” – Rhyan Finch Click to Tweet
“Failure is succeeding at the wrong thing!” – Rhyan Finch Click to Tweet
Rhyan’s Book
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In this Episode, We Also Talk About
How to start with something that is going to produce money NOW!
How to go from working with buyers to working with sellers
Looking at real estate as a business
Generating income producing people first!
How to get to the next level regardless of where you are!
How to break through your goals.
Plus so much more!
Thank & Connect with Rhyan
If you enjoyed this interview and would like to connect with Rhyan and thank him for his rock solid advice, you can do so easily by following the link below.
Click here to connect and thank Rhyan
Thanks for Rocking Out
Thank you for tuning in to Pat Hiban Interviews Real Estate Rockstars, we appreciate you! To get more Rockstar content sent directly to your device as it becomes available, subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher! Reviews on iTunes are extremely helpful and appreciated! We read each and every one of them, please feel free to leave your email so that we can personally reach out and say thanks! Have any questions? Tweet me, Facebook me and ask Pat anything. Don’t forget to head on over to Bare Naked Agent for Pat’s answers, and advice. Thank you Rockstar Nation, and keep rockin!
From a family robot assistant to a self-driving car, there are so many technological advancements to look forward to. In this article, we explore some of the most futuristic tech that could change your life in the next five years.
1. Enabot EBO X
The Enabot EBO X Family Robot is a versatile home assistant robot equipped with advanced features such as a built-in camera for home security, a speaker system and projector for entertainment, and functions such as vacuuming and mopping floors. It can also interact with voice commands and engage in conversations, making it a fun and interactive companion for your family. Overall, the Enabot EBO X is a cutting-edge technology designed to make your daily life easier and more enjoyable. The Enabot EBO X is expected to start shipping in 2023.
2. Hypershell Exoskeleton
You’ve always seen them in movies but it’s about to become a reality. With the Hypershell Exoskeleton, you’d be able to improve your mobility drastically. The Hypershell exoskeleton is a wearable technology designed to enhance human performance and mobility. It provides support to the legs, hips, and lower back, using advanced motors and sensors to provide assistance and reduce the risk of injury. The exoskeleton is controlled by a computer mounted on the waist and can be adjusted manually. It has the potential to improve the quality of life and independence for individuals with mobility impairments and those who perform physically demanding tasks.
3. SeeAir
The SeeAir tankless dive system is a portable and lightweight device that provides a nearly unlimited air supply for scuba divers. It uses a compact compressor to draw in air from the environment, eliminating the need for bulky tanks or hoses. The system is easy to use and maintain and features a rechargeable 5-hour battery, depth gauge, and timer. It is ideal for adventurous and novice divers and has a smaller environmental impact than traditional scuba diving equipment.
4. Geo Wallet
This is the world’s first MagSafe wallet with full Find My functionality. As they said on their product page, nothing ruins a vacation like losing your wallet with all your credit cards and IDs. The GeoWallet can hold up to 10 cards, features RFID-blocking technology, and is both scratch and water-resistant. With its GPS technology, it can be located using the Find My app, and users can activate Lost Mode to receive alerts if it is found. The Geo Wallet is a stylish and practical accessory for those who want to keep track of their belongings.
5. Heisenberg LawnMeister
The Heisenberg LawnMeister is an all-in-one robot lawn mower that uses Vision AI technology to create a detailed image of the lawn and guide the mower in a precise and efficient manner. It has a large-capacity battery, a built-in rain sensor, and comes with a user-friendly app that allows homeowners to set up a mowing schedule and monitor the mower’s progress. It also has plant-trimming and fertilizing capabilities and can mow up to one acre. The LawnMeister is a convenient and reliable solution for homeowners who want to simplify their lawn care.
6. TIMEMORE Electric Coffee Grinder
For all you coffee enthusiasts, watch out cause TIMEMORE is changing the Coffee grinding game. The TIMEMORE Electric Coffee Grinder is a high-quality coffee grinder that features a powerful motor and stainless steel burrs that produce a consistent grind size. It has adjustable settings for grind size, is easy to use with a user-friendly interface, and has a large capacity for multiple cups. It is durable, easy to maintain, and comes with a brush for cleaning hard-to-reach areas. Overall, it is a reliable and practical choice for coffee lovers.
7. AliSleep
AliSleep is a high-tech pillow that is designed to reduce snoring and provide a soothing massage while you sleep. It has built-in sensors that detect snoring and adjust the pillow’s height and position to reduce snoring, as well as built-in vibration motors that provide a gentle massage to the neck and head. The pillow has a memory foam core for optimal support and pressure relief and is made with breathable materials for temperature regulation. Overall, it is a potential choice for anyone who wants to improve their quality of sleep.
8. ARKH
ARKH is an augmented reality development platform that simplifies the process of creating AR applications by providing a visual editor, APIs, and SDKs. It is compatible with a range of devices and allows developers to add AR features to their existing applications. ARKH offers a powerful and flexible solution for creating cutting-edge AR experiences. With the ARKH AR controller, you could move around AR items in real-time.
9. Tesla Autopilot
If you’ve ever wanted to relax and let your car do the driving, Tesla has got you covered. Tesla’s self-driving technology, Autopilot, is a suite of advanced driver assistance systems that enables Tesla vehicles to operate semi-autonomously on the road. The system uses cameras, radar, and sensors to detect surroundings, navigate roads, change lanes, and park itself. Tesla’s Autopilot also includes safety features to prevent accidents and improve driver safety. The Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, currently in development, is designed to enable fully autonomous driving. It is expected to be ready and fully functioning in a few years.
10. Emake 3D Galaxy 1
The Emake3D Galaxy 1 is a large-scale SLA 3D printer designed for professional and industrial use. It offers a large build volume of 400 x 200 x 400 mm, a high-precision optical system that delivers a resolution of up to 25 microns, a user-friendly interface with a touchscreen display, and a built-in camera for remote monitoring. The printer supports a range of materials and features a resin management system with auto resin feeding for optimal resin usage and waste reduction.
The future is looking bright with these technologies on the horizon. From household robots to self-driving cars, cutting-edge technologies are poised to revolutionize the way we live, work, and play.
These are 10 Things That Completely Destroyed The Love in a Relationship
There’s no question that relationships can be confusing, but here are some of the top things to avoid if you want to keep your relationship healthy!
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We all have a favorite actor or actress, but most of us have a least-favorite as well. Check out this list of actors and actresses people never want to see performing again!
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Some inventions are world-changing, and some of them, well, they change the world in the wrong ways. Here are some of the worst inventions Redditors could think of.
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Every fad has its time in the limelight, but some of them come and go faster than others; and some just need to die out right away. Check out this list of fads of which people were happy to see the last.
Who’s the best villain you’ve watched in a movie or television series? After polling the internet, these are the top-ranked twenty-five villains of all time.
1. Ian McShane as Al Swearengen in Deadwood
One person suggested, “Al Swearengen from Deadwood, played by Ian McShane. It’s the story of a villain defending his village. He’s so good that the entire series pivoted to being about him.” “He’s a bad guy you’d want on your side, that’s for sure. My favorite TV character,” a second confessed.
2. Tony Dalton as Lalo Salamanca in Better Call Saul
“Lalo Salamanca in Better Call Saul. When he jumped down that cliff, I knew he was a maniac,” claimed one. A second said, “He was so well-written and a charming devil.”
3. Marc Alaimo as Gul Dukat in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
One user noted, “Gul Dukat in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He goes from evil Hitler type to loving father on the run from his government to crazy possessed madman in a single series.”
4. Darth Vader in The Star Wars Franchise
“Darth Vader” shared one. A second admitted, “I’m shocked I needed to scroll so far for this. He was only in the original StarWars for nine minutes and made a global impact.” A third agreed, “I’m astonished this isn’t the top comment. He’s one of the best-written villains, let alone a cultural icon.”
5. Hannibal Lector
“Hannibal Lector. Anthony Hopkins from the film franchise and Mads Mikkelsen from the series both did a fantastic job,” suggested one. “This was instantly my first thought. So unbelievably scary but equal parts intriguing, and the intelligence and likability of his character were so interesting,” a second added.
6. Andrew Scott as Moriarty In Sherlock Holmes
Someone shared, “Andrew Scott as Moriarty In Sherlock Holmes. I kept thinking, ‘I don’t like this actor,’ and then I saw him in other roles. Finally, it hits me that it’s not that I don’t like this guy. His specific acting as Moriarty is so good he is subconsciously bothering me in a way that no one had managed to do before!”
7. Walton Goggin as Boyd Crowder in Justified
“Boyd Crowder (played by Walton Goggins) in Justified,” shared one. “He’s not particularly strong in season one, but by season two, you want him to keep getting away to have more. That he’s Raylan’s frenemy and not just a generic evil guy was such a nice touch.”
8. Gary Oldman as Lord Shen in Kung Fu Panda 2
One person volunteered, “Lord Shen in Kung Fu Panda 2.” Another admitted, “I love the way they create characters in these movies. A literal bird was the villain; A BIRD.”
“He was somehow more terrifying and threatening than any other villain in the trilogy. Birds like him aren’t supposed to be so powerful, yet Dreamworks convinced me otherwise.” Finally, a third added, “That’s also the power of Gary Oldman.”
9. Vincent D’onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in Daredevil and Hawkeye
“Vincent D’onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in Daredevil and the Hawkeye Marvel series on Disney+,” shared one. Others noted he was also a fabulous villain in The Cell, Full Metal Jacket, and Men in Black.
10. Grey DeLisle as Azula in Avatar: The Last Airbender Series
“AGREED. I was searching for that comment. The way she NEVER looked into a mirror until the episode she went crazy and all those other tiny little details… She was, is, and always will be the best villain in cinematic history,” expressed one.
11. Eartha Kitt as Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove
“Eartha Kitt as Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove is a remarkable and underrated Disney villain,” suggested one. After several people quoted the film, one stated, “That whole movie is just so quotable. Eartha Kitt killed it as Yzma.”
12. Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained
“Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained was on point,” one expressed. However, “Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) was also pretty great, and if anything, was the real villain in that movie,” a second user argued.
13. Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore
One person suggested, “Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin in Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore is easily one of the best villains of all time.” However, another argued, “I would go further and say the caretaker (Ben Stiller) at the old folks home was worse.”
14. Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
“Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest just because of how implicitly she tortured the inmates. She was such a good, evil actress, and I instantly hated her as Kai Wynn in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, too,” one said. Another noted, “She apparently couldn’t watch the film for years because of her performance. Imagine playing a villain so well that it psychs you out.”
15. Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men
One person volunteered, “Javier Bardem, as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men.” “Chigurh is terrific not only because he’s a terrifying psychopath, but he holds the delusion of being an agent of fate – then the car crash which nearly kills him happens in the end. Chigurh isn’t immune to fate. He’s just insane,” a second added.
16. Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter
“Dolores Umbridge,” one replied. “The thing with her is that she is such a REAL, COMMON character to everyday life. For example, you’re not going to encounter a Darth Vader or Lalo Salamanca, but chances are that you have already met someone like Umbridge. She is almost the perfect definition of a lawful evil character.”
17. Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber in Die Hard
“Hans Gruber. Alan Rickman portrays him so well,” one noted. “This needs to be higher! Rickman was also an incredible villain like The Sherriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, but Hans Gruber in Die Hard is the greatest villain of all time,” a second professed.
18. Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto From the X-Men Comics and Films
“Magneto. There are times when you can sympathize with him, and his actions almost seem justified. The most likable villain,” said one. A second added, “How can you go wrong with Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender? The combination did an outstanding job as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, undoubtedly one of the best younger and older acting combinations ever.”
19. Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones
“Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones,” said one. “Let’s all be honest. Jack Gleeson did an outstanding job acting that we all hated him.” A second shared, “Joffrey, please put some respect on this tragically messed up character who made Jack Gleeson take an acting hiatus.”
20. David Tennant as Killgrave in Jessica Jones
One user admitted, “I found Killgrave in Jessica Jones to be a fantastic villain. David Tennant nailed the role! Which is strange after only seeing him play good characters like The Doctor.” A second stated, “Easily one of the best Marvel villains who doesn’t get enough attention.”
21. Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring in Breakign Bad
“Gus Fring helped me understand that Walt was genuinely evil. For example, when the villain is more honorable than the protagonist, there may be a problem with the protagonist (morally, not thematically),” one suggested. A second added, “I came here to say this, and more broadly, Giancarlo Esposito. He plays villains who are so nuanced and terrifying.”
22. Ellen McLain as GLaDOS From The Portal Video Game Series
Someone suggested, “Everything GLaDOS says is pure, sarcastic gold. She can pull all of it off so well. “A second confessed, “I’m playing Portal for the first time, and I’ve known how GLaDOS is pretty sarcastic, but I still got pleasantly surprised and just a little hurt by her dialogue. I wasn’t expecting the fat jokes.”
23. Antony Star as Homelander in The Boys
Someone volunteered, “Homelander from The Boys is one of them. Whenever I thought he couldn’t get any worse, he’d do something even more depraved. He is selfish and self-centered and gets away with it because he’s so powerful. Oh, and what makes him the most dangerous is that he’s pretty dumb.”
24. Matthew Goode as Ozymandias in Watchmen
One user quoted Ozymandias from Watchmen, “You don’t think I’d explain my plan if there were the slightest chance you could stop me, do you? I did it 35 minutes ago.” A second added, “This was a brilliant piece of meta-dialogue. They didn’t break the fourth wall entirely, but it was a great way to address what is often such a silly movie trope.”
25. Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds
“Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds is the first that came to mind,” confessed one. “Hans Landa was terrifying in so many ways. This actor is insanely good,” replied another.
What do you think? Did Reddit get this right, or is your favorite villain missing from this list?
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
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We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
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Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
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The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice. See Lexington Law’s editorial disclosure for more information.
Almost as soon as Americans learned to deal with COVID-19, new stress slammed into their lives: inflation worries.
A flood of COVID-19 government incentives, supply chain issues and the war between Ukraine and Russia pushed inflation to levels Americans haven’t seen since the 1970s. In August 2022, the Consumer Price Index reported that, while inflation had slowed down slightly due to lowering gasoline prices, the inflation rate was still 8.5% above July 2021, the most significant 12-month increase since May 1979. For instance, groceries are now 13.5% higher than in July 2021.
Lexington Law Firm surveyed 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 99 about their views and opinions on the current situation regarding inflation. Here’s a breakdown of some of the results.
1. 79% of Americans are panicked about inflation
The study found that most Americans are distraught about the current situation. Seventy-nine percent said they were panicked about inflation. That 79% breaks down into 40% who said they were “somewhat worried about inflation” and 39% who said they were “very worried.”
The difference can be explained by the two groups’ age and financial situation. The “somewhat worried” group is composed mainly of younger people less concerned about inflation and those who find themselves more financially secure. Those who are “very worried” tend to belong to groups that were less financially secure or have a lower income. While all Americans have been hit hard by inflation, this second group bears a much more significant burden. For instance, inflation hits seniors on a fixed income much harder than many other groups.
For all groups, inflation worries impact important factors like savings accounts, saving for college, making necessary home improvements and caring for elderly parents. Families can only stretch dollars so far when dealing with pressing expenses.
2. 1 in 5 Americans has experienced physical and/or mental health challenges because of inflation stress
Worrying about money can be one of the major stresses in a person’s life. The survey found that 21% of respondents said inflation “hurt my health,” while 20% said they were more “short-tempered,” which can lead to mental strain and problems with friends and family members. A separate survey conducted in March 2022 by the American Psychological Association found that 87% of those surveyed said inflation worries about everyday items like food, gas prices and energy bills created the most stress. Respondents also cited factors like supply chain issues and the war in Ukraine as other sources of stress.
Inflation worries can cause numerous health problems, including:
Low energy
Anxiety
Depression
Strained relations with a partner
Headaches
Loss of sleep
Difficulties concentrating
Muscle pains
Some symptoms can dramatically affect a person’s health if they continue over a prolonged period. It’s important to find ways to cope with inflation stresses, such as finding extra income, snowballing credit card payments or refinancing debt.
3. Women are more worried than men about inflation
Our survey also found a gender difference in how men and women respond to inflation. The survey reported that 82.5% of women are worried about inflation, 11.8% more than men. Women expressed higher levels of concern in almost all categories.
Several factors arising from the pandemic may explain this difference. MarketWatch reported that more women left their jobs for pandemic-related reasons than men, and the work situation has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. A May 2021 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that concern about caring for children during school closures and unsafe workplaces were frequently mentioned as reasons that women left their jobs.
According to MarketWatch, this has resulted in an imbalance in household duties. Since women are more likely to be the household member who buys groceries, investigates childcare or plans for family events such as birthdays or holidays, they tend to bear the burden of stress more than their male partners.
Even women who remained in the workforce were more likely to be stressed by money and inflation. The survey found that 14.8% of men were more compelled by inflation to approach their employers about a raise, compared to 10.2% of women.
4. Adults 25 – 34 (18.3%) were least likely to rely on their credit cards
Another interesting result of our survey was that adults aged 25 to 34 were less likely to rely on their credit cards to help deal with inflation. One reason for this is that members of Generation Z and millennials often have lower limits on their credit cards, which prevents them from spending large amounts on items like groceries or gas. Meanwhile, credit card reporting company Experian found that members of Generation X, now middle-aged, and baby boomers in their 60s had the highest levels of credit card debt and the most credit cards.
It’s a bad habit to rely on credit cards to pay for increased costs during inflation. With the Federal Reserve rapidly raising interest rates, the cost of borrowing is becoming increasingly expensive. When people carry credit card debt, it increases a little every day.
Hefty credit card debt can lead to severe problems and impact the ability to buy a car, purchase or rent a house or pay for education. As a person’s credit worsens because of overspending on credit cards, it’s harder for them to undertake other critical financial transactions. As hard as it may be, working to reduce credit card debt, even during inflation, is the smartest move.
5. Adults 25 – 34 are the least concerned with inflation
The survey also found that members of Generation Z and millennials are the least concerned with the effects of inflation. One reason for this may be that many young people moved back in with their parents during the pandemic and thus don’t have the same living costs as other age groups. Pew Research found that between February and March 2020, 2.6 million young adults moved back in with a parent.
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve of Cleveland found that most young adults who moved back in with their families came from high-income groups. Only 10% of those who returned home came from families that earned less than $27,000 a year. Thus, many young adults are protected from the worst ravages of inflation and may be less worried about it. Challenges will arise when they finally leave their parents’ homes to buy their own homes, start a family or pay for basic expenses, and they may be unprepared to deal with the high cost of inflation.
How to protect your finances from inflation
Experts say no one can predict how long inflation will last. Some economists predict inflation may persist until late 2023 or even longer. Recent interest hikes by the Federal Reserve aim to slow down inflation. The downside to these Federal Reserve interest rate increases is that using credit cards to pay for even small things becomes more expensive.
Maintaining good credit and using personal finance tools is a great way to help protect your money against rising credit rates during inflation. Consider working with a credit repair consultant who can help you get your credit where it needs to be.
The trusted attorneys of Lexington Law can help you increase your credit score in several ways. We can assist you with challenges to or disputes with a credit bureau, offer ID theft insurance or provide you with a personal finance management tool to help you with your expenses, to name just a few of our services. You can visit our website to learn more about our services.
Methodology
Note: This survey was conducted for Lexington Law Firm using Suzy.com. The sample consisted of a total of 1,039 responses per question and is not statistically representative of the general population. This survey was conducted in September 2022.
Note: Articles have only been reviewed by the indicated attorney, not written by them. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice; instead, it is for general informational purposes only. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client or fiduciary relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website owner, authors, reviewers, contributors, contributing firms, or their respective agents or employers.
Reviewed By
Vince R. Mayr
Supervising Attorney of Bankruptcies
Vince has considerable expertise in the field of bankruptcy law.
He has represented clients in more than 3,000 bankruptcy matters under chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Vince earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Government from the University of Maryland. His Masters of Public Administration degree was earned from Golden Gate University School of Public Administration. His Juris Doctor was earned at Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco, California. Vince is licensed to practice law in Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado. He is located in the Phoenix office.
Last Updated: May 25, 2023 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner – 54 Comments
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Last month, I published Frugality And Ethics – When Is It Stealing? The post was very popular and everyone had an opinion on what was stealing and what was not. Also, many of you gave me new ideas, and I wanted to hear everyone’s input on the situations below. So, I, of course, wanted to publish a Part 2 to the post!
I don’t think that there is anything wrong with saving money (this is a personal finance blog after all), but I do wonder how far people will go to save money – whether it be $1 or $2 or a few hundred dollars.
No one is perfect, and I definitely am not. However, when does frugality or cheapness cross the line and turn into stealing?
Using another person’s wi-fi.
This is something that probably a lot of people are guilty of, or have been guilty of in the past. This is where you use someone else’s wi-fi so that you can get on the internet for free.
Some of you said that if there is no password to the internet account, that it’s free range for anyone to use.
However, I think that you should always pay for your own wi-fi. You might be slowing down the internet for someone else, and they might not even realize that their wi-fi isn’t password protected.
Always protect your wi-fi account!– I also remember discussing a case when I was in college about someone who had unprotected wi-fi and it turned out that their neighbor was searching something illegal. The SWAT team showed up at their door, created a huge scene, took the computers, and destroyed the person’s house all because the neighbor was searching something illegal.
Sharing accounts with others.
This is where someone has an account and multiple people/households share that one account so that only one person is actually paying for the service or product. I have heard of many people doing this with Netflix…
Netflix and other companies have specifically stated that it’s stealing, so yes, I believe it is stealing.
Drinks at a restaurant.
There are three different situations that I would like to share with this one…
1. Paying for one drink and sharing it between two people. The first person might order a soda and the second person orders a water. However, the second person never actually touches the water and only drinks the soda. – I think this is stealing.
2. Asking for a water cup but filling it up with something besides water (such as a soda). – I think this is stealing.
3. Asking for water, a bowl of lemons (I’m talking 4 or 5 whole lemons), and sugar so that you can make your own lemonade. – I think this is being cheap/frugal. I wouldn’t do this though… I know waiters and waitresses hate it when customers do this.
Signing up for something to get something for free.
There are a couple of situations that this applies to. This is when you sign up for something knowing that you won’t buy anything, so that you can get a product or service for free for trying something out. Since Wes used to work in sales, I wouldn’t do either of the situations below just because I don’t like to waste people’s time…
My first example applies to timeshares. Many people listen to timeshare presentations even though they know they will not buy a timeshare, so that they can get whatever it is for free that the timeshare workers are pitching (free movie tickets, free vacation, etc.).
My second example applies to getting professional makeup done. Usually makeup counters/companies at the mall and/or department store will offer free makeup applications as long as you buy something for from them. Some require that you pay upfront, whereas others give you the “option” to pay at the end. I have heard of some people getting a free makeup application knowing full well that they do not plan on buying any makeup afterwards.
Learn more at How To Get Rid Of A Timeshare – Stop Wasting Your Money!
Taking condiments.
This is where you go to a restaurant and take a bunch of condiment packs so that you can bring it home and put it in your fridge.
I have received extra packs before (such as from a takeout order), but I have never gone out of my way to take condiments.
Disputing items on your credit card.
In many cases, you can dispute a transaction on your credit card bill that is less than $25 and your credit card company will just automatically refund you because it’s not worth their time to investigate the problem.
I have heard of people who dispute many transactions each year and take advantage of this…
I don’t do this. I believe it is stealing. I have only ever disputed one item on my credit card bill before, and that was because a restaurant accidentally charged me twice for the same meal.
Have you ever done any of the above? What do you think of these situations?
For over five years now, I’ve spent most of my waking hours reading and writing about money. I’ve learned a lot. Using this knowledge, I’ve been able to get out of debt, build savings, and even begin pursuing my passions. What’s next? As time passes, I find myself thinking more about financial independence and early retirement.
No surprise then that over the last couple of months I’ve been obsessed with Jacob Lund Fisker’s Early Retirement Extreme blog. And no surprise that my first book review since September is of Fisker’s book, also called Early Retirement Extreme.
Early Retirement Extreme
Imagine a personal-finance book written by a theoretical physicist. What would it be like? Full of formulas and figures, right? Well, that’s what you get with Early Retirement Extreme. But you get more, too.
Fisker’s story and style are unique. After graduating with a PhD in theoretical physics, he worked for five years as a research associate. For that five years, he saved 75% of his net (after tax) income. Fisker reached financial independence at 30 and then, at age 33, he retired. (How does Fisker define financial independence? By the time he was 30, he’d saved the equivalent of 25 years of living expenses. That’s a 25-year emergency fund.)
While many people think you need to earn big bucks to retire early, Fisker did it differently. Instead of boosting income, Fisker cut costs drastically. While drawing an average salary, he learned to live on less. Much less. He started to do things himself. (He wrote, edited, and published this book, for example.) His pre-retirement lifestyle and post-retirement lifestyle are essentially the same. Except now he doesn’t have to work.
Early Retirement Extreme feels like a book written by an engineer for other engineers. This isn’t a bad thing, but it is unique. Some people will love it; others will hate it.
Here’s a scan from page 111 to show what I mean:
While this sort of thing isn’t on every page, there’s still plenty of it in the book. Because Fisker is (or was) a theoretical physicist, his book is filled with formulas and figures. If this bugs you, Early Retirement Extreme probably isn’t a good choice. I found these passages amusing. Instead of letting the math intimidate me (my only college math course was behavioral statistics, and that was over twenty years ago), I glossed over it looking for the core concepts the book was trying to convey. (In the example above, “spend your time and energy on the things that will give you the biggest returns”.)
Note: Fisker notes that the book only has about twenty equations, and sixteen of them belong to one argument about investing. This is true. But Early Retirement Extreme does read like a textbook, and there’s other math, even when there aren’t complex calculations involved.
Fisker’s technical mind manifests itself in other ways. When writing about how to save money in the kitchen, for instance, he approaches it as an optimization problem. How do you choose what food to buy? Fisker writes, “The most optimal method is to shop for ingredients, and then, based on the ingredients one has available, determine a recipe.” In other words, start with what you have (or what’s on sale) and go from there. Learn to improvise. And optimally, you wouldn’t have a stovetop or a refrigerator. (You would have a slow cooker and a chest freezer, though.)
But Early Retirement Extreme is more than just a personal-finance book filled with formulas and figures. It’s also philosophical.
Philosophical Extreme
In many ways, Early Retirement Extreme is a book of philosophy. Fisker doesn’t set out to give you a step-by-step map to wealth; instead, he tries to give you the tools to draw your own map. He wants readers to think about their choices and about the world around them. He wants to challenge their assumptions about what’s financially feasible.
When I say this is a book of philosophy, I don’t mean that in some vague metaphorical sense. I meant it literally. To challenge his readers’ assumptions, Fisker begins the book by exploring Plato’s allegory of the cave.
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Plato’s allegory of the cave — like The Matrix for ancient Greeks
We’re like prisoners chained in a cave, Fisker says, except that we’re chained to our jobs, our expensive homes, the things we own. We don’t even realize there’s any other way to live. But it doesn’t have to be this way. “By taking the other end of the bargain, saving as much as other people are spending on wants, it’s possible to retire and live on invested savings after just five years of full-time work.”
Fisker notes that there are plenty of people who will dismiss this idea as crazy:
The most frequent objection to casting off the chains is that living on something corresponding to every third paycheck, or even every fourth paycheck ($6,000 to $10,000 a year), as opposed to living paycheck to paycheck, must be a boring life. Not knowing any better, I must admit that I started my own adventure with such assumptions.
[…]
As a lifelong consumer used to spending large amounts of money to obtain food, stuff, and entertainment, it’s hard to imagine how it’s possible to spend practically nothing on furniture, a few dollars on clothing, very little on food, almost nothing on transport, and generally less on rent/mortgage. However, it’s possible to live on a third or even a quarter of the median income, putting one solidly below the government defined poverty line, without living in austerity and eating grits.
This philosophical underpinning sets Early Retirement Extreme apart. The book (and the blog) are unlike any other financial material I’ve ever read. Yes, some books — including Your Money or Your Life or even my own Your Money: The Missing Manual — contain bits of philosophy, but not like this. At times, the philosophical bent is overwhelming.
Note: Think Early Retirement Extreme sounds too extreme? Check out these journals over at the ERE forums. Here’s where other people are documenting their experiments with this lifestyle.
Putting Theory into Practice
The first half of Early Retirement Extreme establishes a philosophical framework with which to evaluate your relationship to money. After he sets the stage, Fisker spends the last half of the book explaining how to put this theory into practice, how to work toward extreme early retirement.
In some ways, for instance, Fisker is like the opposite of Tim Ferriss. In The 4-Hour Workweek, you’ll remember, Ferriss advocated “outsourcing” as much of your life as possible in order to give yourself more time to do the things you want. Fisker thinks this is nuts.
“People spend eight hours a day for 30 years to buy electric can openers,” Fisker writes. (An electric can opener is one degree of outsourcing.) “The solution is to reverse the outsourcing of ordinary life skills and gradually insource skills that were previously acquired in the marketplace.” He urges readers to mend their own clothes, grow a garden, cook their own food, walk and bike for transportation, and so on.
Some parts of Early Retirement Extreme are brilliant. For instance, the six pages on “construction methods” (by which Fisker means using life skills to solve problems) are some of the best I’ve ever read about the value of doing things yourself. Fisker doesn’t actually tell the readers how to do anything; instead, he provides a framework for problem solving.
And I love the section on deciding which things to own. Fisker says that the stuff you buy should:
Have “appropriate quality” and a low lifetime cost.
Be durable.
Be easy to dispose of.
Be small and lightweight.
Be easy to make.
Be easy to service.
“For commonly used items,” Fisker writes, “a higher quality tends to pay off in the long run.” After years of frugality, I finally figured this out. Yes, it hurts to pay more for a quality item. But if it lasts, it’s worth it. (As Fisker notes, being willing to pay for quality is one of the differences between being frugal and cheap.)
Fisker also writes, “Only a fraction of the things we own contribute to our actual quality of life. These are the things we use on a daily basis.” Instead of owning lots of Stuff, why not focus on making sure the the things we use all the time are well made and a pleasure to use?
Note: My real millionaire next door is an example of someone who adheres closely to the lifestyle Fisker describes. Coincidence? Evidence that this works? Something else entirely?
Not Without Flaw
My chief complaint with Early Retirement Extreme is that the book could use an editor. Fisker writes well, but he tends to repeat himself at times. He uses long paragraphs. There are (minor) contradictions and typos here and there. An editor would help smooth some of these things — but an editor is anathema to Fisker’s philosophy.
Also, although Fisker writes with an authoritative and persuasive voice, I’m not convinced he’s always correct. (Fisker dismisses the need to cite his sources, but I think that makes the book weaker rather than stronger.)
The third chapter of Early Retirement Extreme, for instance, discusses “economic degrees of freedom” and includes a financial framework of Fisker’s own creation, which divides people into four categories:
The salary man — A wage earner with one source of income.
The working man — A freelancer or consultant with variable income.
The businessman — A business owner.
The Renaissance man — A generalist who makes a little money at many different things.
I’m sure these classifications make sense to Fisker, but they don’t make sense to me. I read this section several times and still the labels and differences between the groups seem arbitrary and not based on reality.
Despite my complaints — which are mostly about the book’s style, not its message — I loved Early Retirement Extreme. I don’t agree with everything, but I agree with much of it, and I admire the rest.
Early Retirement Extreme is about strategies, not tactics — it’s about the Big Picture instead of the day-to-day actions needed to retire early. As a result, some readers will be frustrated. But if you’re up to the challenge of filling in Fisker’s framework with your own details, this book could be a life changer.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today called for a halt to foreclosures in the state so mortgage lenders and loan servicers could conduct a thorough review to determine if “robosigners” were used in foreclosure processing.
A “robosigner” refers to an employee or agent who signed off on hundreds or thousands of foreclosure documents in a short amount of time, essentially proving they didn’t do their due diligence or follow protocol.
They have also been accused of signing affidavits which falsely claim personal knowledge of facts, or that they reviewed the attached documents when in fact they failed to do so.
Additionally, there have been accusations that robosigners notarized documents prior to getting the signature, and/or when the signer was not present.
All this, of course, led to widespread mistakes and errors, which put a halt on foreclosures in 23 states (minus Texas) for Ally Financial, Bank of America, and Chase.
Both the California AG and Connecticut AG have called for similar foreclosure freezes.
The foreclosure suspension letter was sent to 30 lenders, including:
American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc. American General Finance, Inc. AmTrust Mortgage Corporation Aurora Loan Services, Inc. Bank of America Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC Cenlar, FSB JP Morgan Chase & Co. CitiMortgage, Inc. EMC Mortgage Corporation First Horizon National Corp. Ally Financial, Inc./GMAC Home Loan Services HomEq Servicing, Inc. HSBC North America Holdings, Inc. Litton Loan Servicing, Inc. MGC Mortgage, Inc. Midland Mortgage Company MorEquity, Inc. National City Mortgage c/o PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Nationstar Mortgage Company Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC OneWest Bank Group LLC PHH Mortgage Services Corporation Saxon Mortgage Services, Inc. Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc. Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc. Washington Mutual Wells Fargo & Company Wilshire Credit Corporation
Mortgage industry newcomer Ally Home is getting into the price match game with its just launched promotion called, you guessed it, “Price Match Guarantee.”
If you’re not familiar, Ally Home got into the mortgage business late last year, essentially rising from the ashes of GMAC Bank/ResCap.
Now they want to separate themselves from the crowd by ensuring you get the best price on your mortgage, or at least equal to what you may have found elsewhere.
They’ll Match Rates and Points
Ally Mortgage is offering a Price Match Guarantee
Like several other mortgage lenders out there
Where they’ll match the offer of another bank or lender
But is matching enough? And what about lender fees?
In a nutshell, Ally Home will match the interest rate and points (if applicable) of another lender if it happens to better what Ally Home offers you.
All you have to do is let your Ally Home loan advisor know you’ve got a better offer and they’ll match it.
That entails sending over the competing lender’s completed Loan Estimate, which must be dated within the past five business days, at the time you wish to lock your loan with Ally.
In order to be eligible, the loan programs have to be the same too, obviously.
There is a bit of a gotcha here, at least in my opinion. Ally Home will only match the mortgage rate and points. There’s no mention of fees.
So it’s possible, if I’m interpreting this correctly, that Ally Home could match the rate and points, but charge more for underwriting and processing, along with other third-party fees.
That’s why you have to go through each Loan Estimate with a fine-tooth comb to ensure you don’t miss anything.
It’s also somewhat disappointing that Ally Home is simply matching the offer of another lender. You think they’d improve it somewhat. But perhaps they believe they’ll offer a better home loan experience.
Ally Home Still Offering a .125% Rate Discount
Ally Mortgage has a .125% rate discount special (which may come and go)
Where they’ll give you a slight mortgage rate discount on a purchase or refi
But even an .125% of a point can add up to big savings
Over the long life of a home loan
I’ll add that the company still has a special offer going at the moment whereby you get a .125% interest rate discount, though not for much longer.
It applies to both purchases and refinances and the rate must be locked by July 31st, 2017.
I’m not sure if you can combine both offers, but if so, you could actually beat out the competition, as opposed to just matching them.
Ally Home provides an example where the savings could be more than $7,500 over the life of the loan on a typical 30-year fixed mortgage.
It assumes a conforming loan amount of $300,000 if the rate were lowered to 3.875% from 4%. The savings are substantial and illustrate the power of an eighth.
Late last month, Better Mortgage launched a similar promotion where the company will give you $1,000 if they’re unable to beat another competitor’s price. The trick with them is that they don’t charge lender fees and keep third-party fees low, making them hard to beat.
For the past two months, I’ve been conducting an informal experiment looking at commuting costs. Spurred by the high cost of gas — $4 per gallon to fill my Mini!?! — I decided to use alternate transportation: my feet. In May, I walked over 200 miles. In June, I’ve walked less but biked more.
Related >> My Mini and the Power of Saving
Walking and biking takes more time, it’s true, but not as much as I’d feared. Besides, walking and biking give me additional exercise, so there’s a cost benefit there (both in terms of time and money). Plus, I’ve discovered that I’m pretty good at multitasking while walking. Sometimes I just relax and enjoy the journey, but other times I’m able to read as I walk or even write rough drafts of blog posts.
For longer trips (such as the 8-1/2 mile jaunt into downtown Portland), I’ve been using my bike. Portland has one of the country’s best biking cultures, so this is easy to do. And fun. And it’s cost effective.
How cost effective? That’s the real question, isn’t it? Bike advocates often point out how much people can save by driving less, but their general numbers are tough to translate to a personal level. Well, Michael Bluejay, who runs the outstanding Saving Electricity site that I’ve mentioned many times before, has come up with an Owning a Car vs Not Owning a Car calculator that lets folks plug in the numbers for their personal situation.
Bluejay’s calculator takes into account commuting costs, including gas, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation. On the “not driving” side, it includes the cost of a bicycle, as well as costs for buses, taxis, and car sharing. It also allows you to change your assumptions about how much you’ll earn on the money you save by not driving. (This is nice. Instead of just assuming an 8% return, you can opt to assume a 1% return.)
At his site, Bluejay writes:
Riding your bike can make you a millionaire! You’re paying more for your car than you think. A typical American who goes car-free for 35 years can save nearly a million dollars, even adjusted for inflation, and even if they pay for taxi, bus, and car-share trips often. Use the calculator to find how much you can save in your particular situation.
Now, I’m an advocate of walking and biking, but I think Bluejays’s claims are a little unrealistic. Yes, driving is expensive. Yes, biking (or walking) can save you money. But it’s unlikely that the average person has the ability to simply give up their car.
Instead, I think it’s more practical to do what I’ve done: find ways to drive less and reduce your driving costs. I don’t have the ability (or desire) to give up my Mini completely, but I’ve enjoyed looking for ways to drive it less. It’s fun to walk to the gym and the grocery store. I enjoy biking into Portland or over to my friends’ houses. These things are liberating, and they save me money.
While shopping for a home loan, you may have come across “LoanLock,” a SoCal-based mortgage company that wants to make lending simple.
In fact, their one goal is to deliver stress-free loans to every borrower, every time.
They’re also big on transparency, with a promise to never charge “credit check, application, or lock-in fees.”
Since inception, the company has funded more than $8 billion in home loans and has served over 40,000 borrowers.
They also boast excellent customer reviews, with an average 4.9/5 rating across review sites. Let’s dig into the details.
LoanLock Fast Facts
Direct-to-consumer mortgage lender
Founded in 2009, headquartered in Santa Ana, CA
Licensed in 20 states and the District of Columbia
Offers home purchase and refinance loans
Originated nearly $1.5 billion in home loans last year
Bulk of their business is refinance loans from home state of California
LoanLock is a direct-to-consumer mortgage lender, meaning they operate a call center staffed by loan officers, along with an operations team.
Because they run a lean operation, they should be able to pass the savings onto you, so hopefully they offer low mortgage rates with limited lender fees as well.
LoanLock is actually a dba of Ony Glo, Inc., which also operates OGI Mortgage Bankers. It seems they are the techy consumer facing brand.
Based on their 2019 volume, the company focuses primarily on mortgage refinances, with such loans accounting for about 96% of their total business.
They also offer home purchase loans, but seem to be more concerned with offering low rates to borrowers seeking a rate and term refinance, and in some cases a cash out refinance.
And that may be a good thing if you’re looking to refinance your mortgage, since they should provide a very streamlined process.
At the moment, they appear to be licensed to lend in just 20 states and the District of Columbia.
Those states include AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, MD, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NV, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VA, and WA.
It’s unclear if and when they might expand to additional states, but stay tuned.
How to Apply for a Mortgage with LoanLock
You can either call them directly and speak with a loan officer
Or fill out a short lead form on their website, at which point you’ll be contacted
They say you can apply for a mortgage over the phone or securely online
Borrowers can scan and upload documents and eSign most documents for a faster, easier experience
While LoanLock is a bit light on details, they do appear to offer a digital mortgage application, as they say you can apply for a home loan “securely online.”
And that you can scan/upload documents like pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements.
Additionally, they note that most documents can be signed electronically, which is a plus if you want to get through the loan process faster.
Once the loan is submitted, there is likely a loan portal borrowers can access to see real-time updates, documentation requests, and overall loan progress.
LoanLock does say it processes and underwrites loans on-site, which can lead to quicker approvals and faster closings.
Loan Programs Offered by LoanLock
Home purchase loans
Refinance loans: rate and term and cash out
Conventional loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Government loans backed by the FHA and VA
Jumbo loans – Loan amounts up to $3 million available (interest only option)
Fixed-rate loans – 30, 25, 20, 15, and 10-year loan terms available
ARM loans – 3, 5, 7 and 10-year initial fixed terms available
LoanLock is a no-frills mortgage lender that focuses on a somewhat narrow selection of loan programs that should satisfy most borrowers out there.
As noted, they mainly originate refinance loans, with such transactions accounting for more than 95% of their business.
They also offer home purchase financing as well. But since they’re an online mortgage lender, they might be better-suited for an existing homeowner simply looking to refinance an existing loan.
In terms of loan types, you can get a conventional loan backed by Fannie/Freddie, a government home loan backed by the FHA or VA, or a jumbo home loan that exceeds the conforming loan limit.
LoanLock also apparently offers interest-only home loans, which are somewhat rare these days.
With regard to specific loan programs, you can get a fixed-rate mortgage or an ARM in a variety of different loan terms, ranging from three to 30 years.
One major loan type they do not offer is USDA loans, though these only apply to homeowners in rural areas and make up a very small percentage of the overall mortgage pie.
In summary, most borrowers should find what they’re looking for, though homeowners with tricky scenarios may be better off going elsewhere.
LoanLock Mortgage Rates
While their mortgage reviews indicate that their mortgage rates are attractive, they don’t post them on their website for us to see.
As such, it’s impossible to know how competitive they are relative to the other companies out there unless you get a quote.
It’s possible to fill out a free rate quote form on their website, or simply call them up directly to get pricing.
While you’re at it, also inquire about lender fees to see what they charge, such as a loan origination fee, processing/underwriting, and so on.
There’s no mention of lender fees on their website other than them saying you “never pay credit check, application, or lock-in fees.”
LoanLock Reviews
LoanLock comes highly-rated, with excellent feedback across all the major ratings websites.
For example, they’ve got a very impressive 4.99-star rating out of 5 on Zillow from nearly 2,700 customer reviews.
I’m not sure I’ve seen a higher rating, especially for a company with so many reviews.
A good chunk of the Zillow reviews indicated that the interest rate was lower than expected, and some of the LoanLock loan officers have perfect 5-star ratings.
So take the time to filter the reviews by individual loan officer if you want to work with someone truly exceptional.
On Bankrate, LoanLock has a 5.0 rating (seemingly perfect) from nearly 300 reviews, with 99% saying they’d recommend this lender.
On Yelp, they’ve got a 4.5-star rating from about 130 reviews, and on Google a 4.8-star rating from roughly 200 reviews.
The only possible negative I came across was a ‘B-’ rating from the Better Business Bureau for its parent company, which is based on complaint history.
The parent company also isn’t accredited with the BBB, though that in and of itself isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing.
Bottom line, LoanLock appears to be a good fit for an existing homeowner looking to refinance since that’s pretty much all they do.
And their many positive reviews across several ratings websites indicate that they are competent and likely easy to work with.
Just pay attention to the interest rate offered and the lender fees to ensure they are competitive pricing-wise with other lenders out there.
LoanLock Pros and Cons
The Pros
Can apply for a mortgage online or by phone
Offer a digital and paperless loan process
Stellar customer reviews from past customers
Specialize in mortgage refinances (good for existing homeowners)