Many ESI readers are friends of mine and know about a career move I made a couple years ago from Michigan to Oklahoma. Several have asked me to give an update on that move and how I ended up in my new state of Colorado. It's a story full of twists and turns (and some good learnings), so I thought the rest of you might want to hear it as well. Backstory Just to get … [Read more...]
Six Times It’s Easy to Ask for a Discount
A few years ago when my mom was ill she had to stay in a hospital away from her home. My dad got a hotel room for $89 a night initially, but when it was apparent that his stay would be longer than expected, he asked the manager if he could get a "long-term rate". The manager said he could and agreed to let my dad stay in the same room for $67 a night from that day … [Read more...]
How to Earn Thousands with Credit Card Rewards
As I noted in Earn Overview: How to Grow Your Income one way to pick up some extra funds is to look for small opportunities to make money here and there. Today we are going to talk about one of those opportunities: making money with cash back credit cards. The idea is as simple as using a credit card to make your purchases and earning rewards and signup bonuses for doing … [Read more...]
Do I Need to Add Physical Gold and Silver to My Portfolio?
A few years ago I read a copy of Buy Gold and Silver Safely: The Only Book You Need to Learn How to Buy or Sell Gold and Silver. I was considering buying gold and/or silver at that time, but the rest of the world was as well and prices were sky high. I decided I would not buy at that point but revisit the subject once prices normalized a bit. Fast forward a few years and … [Read more...]
Why I Use a CPA to Do My Taxes
When it comes to financial issues, I'm generally a do-it-yourself guy. I don't need a financial planner because I'm my own financial planner. I don't need an investment advisor because I'm my own investment advisor. And the list goes on. I figure that if I know how to do something, why do I need someone else to tell me how to do it? Besides, no one cares more about my money … [Read more...]
Why I Invest with Index Funds
I've commented here a few times that I have a good portion of my assets in index funds of various kinds (US stocks, international stocks, etc.) Today I would like to give the reasons I have used index funds as my primary investment vehicle for the past 15 years or so. Before I begin, I'd like to make a book recommendation. If you want a great and detailed read on why index … [Read more...]
The Best Personal Finance Books of All Time: The Millionaire Next Door
I have read hundreds of books on all sorts of financial topics -- general money management, investing, retirement, and on and on. Unfortunately the vast majority of them aren't worth the paper they are printed on. They are poorly written and contain little valuable information. That said, there are many books that stand out for one reason or another -- and I mean this in a … [Read more...]
Financial Details of My Real Estate Investments
Now that I've shared how I got started in real estate investing, I thought I'd give you the details on my rental properties. Before I get into the specifics, I want to share a few general comments: There are three properties with a total of 14 units. They are in-line with my real estate objectives and strategy. Before I purchase any property, I run financials … [Read more...]
My Road to Becoming a Landlord
I've talked a few times about the fact that I own rental real estate. Today I want to share with you how I got started in it several years ago. Basketball Connection It all started several years ago when my son began playing basketball. A couple years into the process, a new family joined the team. Their sons had never played basketball, but they were both over 6 feet tall … [Read more...]
Moderate and Selective Frugality
A couple years ago I was in need of an audiobook to listen to during a long drive, so I picked up Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving. To say the least, it was an interesting "read." In case you were thinking about reading this book, I'll save you the time and give a quick summary. Here's why the book says the … [Read more...]
