Best Asset Allocation Plan: 100% Stocks, Forever?

The NY Times had a provocative two-part series on portfolio asset allocation by David A. Levine, former chief economist at Sanford C. Bernstein & Company: Why Your Portfolio Needs Plenty of Stocks, Whatever Your Age How Much of Your Nest Egg … [Read the rest]

Real Estate Crowdfunding 10-Month Update – Patch of Land

Here's an update on one of my real estate crowdfunding experiments. In mid-April 2015, I invested $5,000 into a loan for a single family fix-and-flip in West Sacramento, California. The loan was supposed to be for 6-months (one of the main … [Read the rest]

Behavioral Economics on Bigger House vs. Shorter Commute

Inside a post about what economists think about buying vs. renting a house, Alex Tabarrok of Marginal Revolution ended with a nice sentence that I think applies to both buying and renting: One final point: behavioral economics tells us that we … [Read the rest]

Money, Sex, and Happiness: What is Worth $50,000 of Happiness Per Year?

Mid-Feburary is the time of year when writers everywhere tie their subject matter to Valentine's Day. Here's how mine came about. I was reading 23 Science-Backed Ways to Feel Happier at Mental Floss. #8 was "Twist the Sheets" which included the … [Read the rest]

Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card: 80,000 Bonus Points Review

Most travel cards offer an ongoing sign-up bonus, but it's even better when you snag them during a bump-up - this time it is the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card from Chase. Check out the highlights below, and remember that it is free and takes … [Read the rest]

Consumers Credit Union Free Rewards Checking Review: Up to 4.09% APY on up to $10,000

Updated May 2020. Consumers Credit Union (CCU) has a Free Rewards Checking account that offers a high interest rate between 2.09% and 4.09% APY if you meet certain requirements. As with similar accounts elsewhere, the catch is if you don't jump … [Read the rest]

Google Cloud Storage Promotion: Extra 2 GB Free w/ Security Checkup

February 9th is "Safer Internet Day". To help celebrate, Google will add 2 GB of free Drive storage to your Google account if you complete their Security Checkup. By default, free users get 15 GB to share across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google … [Read the rest]

Dilbert’s Financial Advice on an Index Card

Scott Adams continues to convert wise observations about the workplace into clever and funny comics. Occasionally, he tackles investing and personal finance, like in this recent Dilbert comic: This older comic is more subtle but reflective … [Read the rest]

The Big Short: Movie Notes and Real World Follow-Up

I managed to catch the movie The Big Short (trailer) before it left the theaters. Having read the book with great interest back in 2011, I wondered how it would remade for the big screen. Isn't it hard to believe that the events described started … [Read the rest]

NFL Extra Points Credit Card Review: Super Bowl Ticket Redemption Details

The NFL Extra Points Credit Card issued by Barclaycard is the only credit card officially co-branded with the National Football League. They are savvy too - the very first thing you do on the application is pick your team, so it can show you a credit … [Read the rest]

Got Annoying Monthly Subscriptions? Let Trim Cancel Them For You

You've heard the financial media (and me) talk about the importance of automated savings. Things like recurring 401(k) contributions that don't require flexing your willpower. Well, the other side of the coin is automated spending. Companies … [Read the rest]

Best Mosquito Repellent Study 2015: DEET vs. Non-DEET

The World Health Organization has declared Zika virus an international public health emergency. If you are concerned about exposure to mosquitos due to Zika, West Nile, Dengue, or other diseases, read this NPR article about a 2015 Journal of … [Read the rest]