Starbucks App and Chase Pay: Up to 475 Bonus Stars (Targeted)

Here is a targeted offer for Starbucks app users. Look on the Starbucks app homepage or inbox for a Chase Pay promotion that says "Reload 3x, Earn 475 Stars." If you load up your Starbucks account with at least $20 using Chase Pay, you can get … [Read the rest]

Frugal Trends: Keep Your iPhone For 3-4 Years + Switch to Cheaper Plan

If you've been holding onto that iPhone for longer than you thought you would, you are not alone. According to this WSJ article, the average consumer now waits 2.9 years to upgrade their iPhone (2.8 years for all smartphones). Horace … [Read the rest]

Libby App: Improved Access to Public Library eBook and Audiobooks

Public libraries have offered eBooks for a while, but I stopped using the service because it was too much work. There weren't that many popular titles available, and finding them was tedious with a waitlist of unknown length. When you did finally … [Read the rest]

Will We Ever Talk Openly About Income and Money?

I started sharing my net worth anonymously because it was so hard talk about it publicly. Even today, my site logo is a voice bubble with money inside. Fast forward nearly 15 years later, and it is still unlikely that you know your coworkers' … [Read the rest]

Consumer Report Car Brand Reliability Rankings 2018

Consumer Reports shared some results from their 2018 Car Reliability Survey in the public articles Who Makes the Most Reliable Cars?, 10 Most Reliable Cars and, 12 Models Lose CR Recommendation Over Car Reliability Issues. Here's a partial … [Read the rest]

Chase Bank Bonus: $600 Total Checking + Savings, 60,000 Point Upgrade to Sapphire Banking

Chase Bank has updated banking promotions for new customers without a Chase Bank account (closed more than 90 days ago and haven't gotten a bonus in the last 2 years). The first bonus is for their Total Checking and Savings accounts, and if you … [Read the rest]

Household Equity Ownership Percentage vs. Future Stock Market Returns

Below is a chart that tracks two simple numbers over the years, each with their own vertical scale (click to enlarge): The average household's equity ownership share, as a percentage of total equity and credit (bond) assets. (Left-axis) The … [Read the rest]

Bond Market Risks: Keeping It Short, Simple, and Safe

A recurring theme in my asset allocation philosophy is to stick with simple and safe bonds in your portfolio. The problem is, there will be other bonds that outperform safe, shorter-term US Treasury bonds and you might start to question your … [Read the rest]

My Money Blog Portfolio Income – October 2018

For a young person making a plan to reach financial independence at a very early age (under 50), I think using a 3% withdrawal rate is a reasonable rule of thumb. For someone retiring at a more traditional age (closer to 65), I think 4% is a … [Read the rest]

TopCashBack Existing User Promo: Free Fall-Themed Dish Towel ($2.99 Value)

If you shop at Target stores and are an existing TopCashBack portal member, grab a free $2.99 Thanksgiving Dish Towel at this link. Offer expires Sunday, October 21st at 11:59pm PST. Instructions: 1) Simply click the "Get Offer" button to go to … [Read the rest]

My Money Blog Portfolio Asset Allocation, October 2018

Here's my quarterly portfolio update for Q3 2018. These are my real-world holdings and includes 401k/403b/IRAs and taxable brokerage accounts but excludes our house, cash reserves, and a few side investments. The goal of this portfolio is to … [Read the rest]

Infographic: Where Did Housing Prices Crash the Most and the Least?

The Washington Post had an article looking back 10 years later: How the housing market has changed since the crash. Inside was an interesting map of where the home prices crashed the most and the least (click to enlarge): I wish they had a … [Read the rest]