2020 was quite the year. I started this blog in the same month that the accounting firm I worked for transitioned to a complete work-from-home arrangement. Blogging would have been a fantastic way to pass the time with businesses being closed, social gatherings banned, and a massive increase in time spent at home. As you … Continue reading The Greatest Gatsby

Just in case there are terms in some of my posts, I've decided to add definitions and/or examples here for your reference. Net benefit: The net benefit of something is the benefit you get after subtracting the drawbacks or the costs of getting that benefit. It's similar to net income for financially-oriented contexts. Example: you … Continue reading Definitions

Every person has spending habits that don’t make sense. Some people spend absurd amounts of money on clothing, other people spend wild sums of cash on concert tickets, and others insist on dropping all their hard earned dough on the latest and greatest version of whatever the popular technological gadget just hit the market. There … Continue reading Since I Already Own One, I Better Buy Some More, Just In Case

*The following is based on scenarios encountered in the United States, subject to the income tax system of the United States as of the time of this post. These ideas might not apply to you depending on where you live and work* Previously, I covered how you can reduce the amount of taxes you pay … Continue reading Taxes, Part 2: Deductions vs Credits

*The following is based on scenarios encountered in the United States, subject to the income tax system of the United States as of the time of this post. These ideas might not apply to you depending on where you live and work* I believe that most people would prefer to get money instead giving up … Continue reading Taxes, Part 1: Why I Would Rather Avoid a Refund

This topic is very near and dear to me. I prioritize security in a lot of areas of my life. Most people have experienced some kind of activity that left them feeling victimized, and the financial realm is rife with pitfalls and threats lurking around every corner. Credit cards provide you with the kind of … Continue reading Credit Cards, Part 7: Security

While the primary focus of my thoughts on the topic of credit cards has been to illustrate how beneficial they can be, I’m not blind to the potential for credit cards to result in increased costs in the form of interest payments. Interest is a tool used by banks and other institutions to mitigate some … Continue reading Credit Cards, Part 6: Interest

While credit card rewards save you money in a mostly direct way, credit card perks save you money or give you benefits in more indirect ways, or in special circumstances. Perks vary quite a bit more from one card to the next than reward point structure. Some cards have more perks than I can even … Continue reading Credit Cards, Part 4: Perks

Strategic spending, or financing, is something about which many people have strong opinions. I’ll just cover the basics in the context of credit card financing arrangements. Some stores and merchants give you the ability to apply for a line of credit and obtain 0% interest financing on a large purchase with them. Some of these … Continue reading Credit Cards, Part 5: Strategic Spending

The benefits discussed here are considered in the absence of annual fees for credit cards. Not all cards have annual fees, but the cards that do have annual fees will have to be evaluated and considered differently in terms of net benefit than regular cards. Even with annual fees, one of the most readily observable … Continue reading Credit Cards Part, 3: Reward Points/Cash Back