Disqus - Latest Comments for Writer's Coin

Re: People Will Judge You Based on Your Name

Writer's Coin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:35:45 -0000

I think about this all the time because my name is foreign. The thing is, I look as American as they come so when people see me I sometimes wonder if they're like "Whoa, not what I thought."

But I also have visions of HR people sifting through resumes going, "Hey Becky, look at how many letters this guy has in his last name!" before chucking it in the garbage. I never worried about it until a year or so ago because I've never been treated differently. I look just like everyone else, it's the name that might throw you off.

Re: Personal Balance Sheet, Net Worth, Income, and Expenses, August 2009

Writer's Coin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:28:19 -0000

Wait a minute...you made over 14k last month in "additional income"? Is that blogging only or another side business?

Re: How to Save Money at Baseball Games

Writer's Coin — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:20:54 -0000

Going to baseball games is a treat for me, so I usually don't worry about trying to save money by sneaking stuff in or moving down to a better seat. I go see the Cubs maybe twice a year and when I do I get there early (for the bleachers) and I try to go on a full stomach. But otherwise I don't worry too much about spending once I'm inside.

Re: Top Ten Highest Paid CEOs: What Would You Do?

Writer's Coin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:44:24 -0000

It's funny because I've thought of this a million times and whenever I break it down and say, "I"ll invest half in a conservative series of index funds," it hits me. Will I really invest hundreds of millions of dollars in index funds? It's scary. Yet I have no problem investing all/most of my Roth IRA money (which is nowhere near that amount, obviously) in those funds.

I guess I feel like, if I had that much money, I wouldn't "risk" it like that. I'd probably commit a cardinal sin and stash it in my house somewhere.

Re: How to Deal With a Low Salary Offer

Writer's Coin — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:22:23 -0000

I enjoyed that article too, very well put.
In theory.
When you want a new job and you like it, it's hard to feel "in control," especially if you aren't working at the time. I was nodding throughout the whole article but then later thought to myself, "Would I really say that if I were in that position?"

Probably not.

Re: New Study Outlines Importance of an Emergency Fund

Writer's Coin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:19:55 -0000

I will second this one. We're sitting on a huge pile of cash right now because of our wedding/down payment efforts and the feeling that pile gives us is like nothing else. We could both lose our jobs tomorrow and, while it would suck, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Re: Is “Buy and Hold” Still a Good Investing Strategy?

Writer's Coin — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:08:18 -0000

Interesting comments. I knew this topic sounded familiar so I looked it up and, sure enough, I wrote a post entitled Rethinking the Buy and Hold Strategy in July of last year. It seems I had some doubts about this theory I've held dear for so long.

But what else did I find? A post from October 2008 where I rediscovered my faith in buying and holding.

Just goes to show how the emotional side of investing is so important.

And yes, I too am still buying.

Re: The Paradox of The Paradox of Thrift

Writer's Coin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:44:01 -0000

I wrote about this at the end of January and I'm with Craig here: don't worry about what you can't control—your job is to deal with what you can control and that's your own spending and saving.

The theories will work themselves out (or not) on their own down the road.

Re: Senate Amendment to 2009 Stimulus Bill: First-Time Home Buyer Credit

Writer's Coin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:37:11 -0000

Nice! I thought your last post was good news for a first-time buyer like myself, but things keep getting better and better!

If I had bought in 2008 and didn't "need" help, I'd be pretty PO'd though....

Re: Senate Amendment to 2009 Stimulus Bill: 4% Fixed-Rate Mortgage

Writer's Coin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:29:46 -0000

Wow. 4% fixed rate? This is perfect timing for my wife and I....we've been looking for our first place to buy (that we can afford—no easy task) since last year and right now we feel like we're in the driver's seat.

Throw in that kind of a deal and in 20 years we'll look back and say "We were in the right place at the right time."

Re: How Will You File Your Taxes?

Writer's Coin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:10:33 -0000

I will file as I did last year: Federal for free online with any of the ones the IRS recommends on their site. And then State directly via the state.

Total cost: $0

Re: Keep Your Job Amidst Layoffs

Writer's Coin — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 09:02:25 -0000

I love talking about this stuff. I've posted my own set of tips to make you a better employee, which in my opinion is what can make you closer to irreplaceable, thought not totally (of course).

But the more I think about it, the more I draw the analogy with sports: who are the players that are worth so much on a team that you can't imagine getting rid of them? Bottom line: they have talents and abilities that other players don't. Some of them work harder than others, which you can do at work, but there's something about them that everyone pretty much agrees: "Wow, they are awesome at this."

Now, if you have that at work, you'll probably survive a few rounds of layoffs. At least.

Re: Smithee Update: January 2009

Writer's Coin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:51:15 -0000

You were right: you were rationalizing the whole time.

Re: Personal Balance Sheet, December 2008

Writer's Coin — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:28:08 -0000

I like the idea of listing your own personal balance sheet, it's a great way for people like me to learn and retain some of these terms for when I'm searching for good companies to invest in.

Re: Newer Credit Cards Are Less Secure

Writer's Coin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:42:46 -0000

I read about the whole mythbusters fiasco but in the end, my conclusion was that RFID is just as easy to hack into than any other method. Someone can always look over your shoulder and memorize your card, hack into a database, etc. Either way, it's how the provider handles it that matters.

I've had a couple of incidents and my bank has given me very little grief about it, which I'm happy about. knock on wood

Re: First Five Days of 2009 May Indicate Stock Market’s Performance

Writer's Coin — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:01:28 -0000

Most definitely not! Relying on this kind of thing is baaaad news. Same as all the junk sports announcers always use: "Teams never come back when they're down 0-3 in a best of seven series."

Until it actually happens (see Red Sox). I would urge readers to try to ignore they even heard this.

Re: Evaluating This Year’s Progress Against My Goals

Writer's Coin — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:50:01 -0000

Congratulations on meeting the big goal! 100k in additional income is awesome, regardless of the tax bill. But I am curious about how that works. Do you know how much of it will get taxed?

Re: Visa’s Take on Debit Cards

Writer's Coin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:21:44 -0000

I think the only real advantage, in my eyes, is for those people that can't control their spending and don't want to fall into debt. But I think lots of those people will simply get hammered for overdrawing their accounts with debit cards.

As you may guess, I'm a credit card guy myself.

Re: November Cash Experiment: Successful, Perhaps

Writer's Coin — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:38:24 -0000

I'm really excited to see what happens for the rest of the year, although the holidays might skew your results too. But I'm jazzed you did this so that's great. I talked the talk but never actually walked the walk. You are my idol.

Re: Lessons Learned From Losing a Quarter Million Dollars

Writer's Coin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:44:36 -0000

Craig's onto something. Have you tried to write a script about all this? Someone may take a bite and you may have yourself a nice investment right there...

Re: The Battle Royale: You Versus Yourself

Writer's Coin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:55:02 -0000

This reminds me of that great book by Robert Cialdini: Persuasion. The one story I liked best was about these two old guys who sold suits. A man comes in and is getting fitted for a suit, he asks the guy how much it costs. So he yells to his partner in the store, "How much is this one?"
The reponse, "What??"
"How much for this grey suit?"
"$250!" He yells.
"What??" Struggling to hear.
"$250!" He yells again.
Then the guy turns to the customer and says "That's $150."
The customer, thinking he's getting a steal, buys the suit on the spot. The price of the suit the whole time was $150 (or even less!).

The book is filled with great stuff like that and I'm curious to see what new techniques or variations exist today.

Re: November Cash Experiment

Writer's Coin — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:41:25 -0000

You beat me to it! I was thinking of doing this for October because of the same research you cite here and because I'm a big proponent of credit card points and its responsible use. But anyway, I totally failed. Not even a day and I was using my card left and right—a classic example of how hard it is to change behaviors.

On a related note: I have a $250 check coming my way thanks to that very reliance on my credit card!

Re: Buying the Stock Market on the Dips

Writer's Coin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:54:33 -0000

@Dan: I agree that defining a "consensus comeback" is tough, but I was thinking something much broader than any one-day gains or string of days. I'm thinking more along a month of stability where, not only the stock market, but important numbers like job data and earnings start to take a turn for the better. Sure, it may be tempting to try to jump in beforehand and buy as low as possible, but you'll still be buying low when you compare to where the market was a few weeks ago.

Re: Buying the Stock Market on the Dips

Writer's Coin — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:15:17 -0000

Why not wait until there is a consensus "comeback" in the market? You won't buy in at the precise bottom (no one can), but you'll be in near the bottom and you won't feel bad about losing a few points right after your purchase. Either way, buying right now is a good call.

Re: Should the Bailout Money Be Used to Forgive Credit Card Debt?

Writer's Coin — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:04:40 -0000

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, what with the elections coming up and all. Where do you draw the line between helping people that have turned to credit cards for everyday needs and those that irresponsible paid for frivolous things they couldn't afford?

Sorry, a little off topic. I think the money may eventually have to go to credit-card debt, but for now don't we need every possible penny of this to address the mortgage mess?

Re: When Your Company Stops Matching Your 401(k) Contribution

Writer's Coin — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:54:03 -0000

That's a tough one. My company also does one-time matching once a year, so it isn't a continuous thing. Right now I contribute 8% but without the match I don't know what I would do. If you're not happy with the plan you're in I would say something to your HR department. If you can make a good case for it (index funds and low expense ratios are a great place to start) they might make some changes. I brought this up and it looks like we'll get more index funds. The expense ratios may not be as low on a similar index fund outside of a 401(k), but it's still way below the crazy 1% ratios some funds charge.

Re: Rich People are More Likely to Cheat on Income Tax Returns

Writer's Coin — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:35:11 -0000

The more is at stake, the higher the probability of trying to do something about it. I'm not surprised.

Re: Ben Bernanke Agrees With Congress: Second Economic Stimulus Package Would Help

Writer's Coin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:52:17 -0000

Seriously, where is the data on the first stimulus? I haven't read a single thing about that. Is it still too early? And what if people suddenly turned responsible and decided to save/invest a subsequent stimulus package? Wouldn't this totally mute any intended benefit? I mean, I for one didn't spend the first one, but does that mean I'm part of the reason it didn't work as well as it could've? As you can see, I have more questions that answers.

Re: Warren Buffett is Buying American Stocks Right Now, You Should Too

Writer's Coin — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:12:17 -0000

This is why I love Buffett: he walks the walk and talks the talk. He is a true maverick.

Re: Smithee Update: October 2008

Writer's Coin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:37:41 -0000

Congrats on the new job! I made a move similar to yours in January and it was the best feeling ever!

Re: John McCain’s Proposal to Ease the Economic Crisis

Writer's Coin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:41:50 -0000

The thing that bothers me about the cap gain thing is that so many CEOs that make millions of dollars won't pay taxes that we all do. They regularly have salaries of $1 or something like really low as a way to say "look, I'm not in it for the money." Instead, they use their capital gains as their salary. Cutting the cap gains tax means the government will be turning down 7.5% of these millions of dollars that are regularly treated as salaries. Why would you give that money up? How do you explain to taxpayers that millionaires will pay less in taxes when they already use this cap gain loophole to pay less taxes than we do?

Re: Economist’s Advice on the Local News Program

Writer's Coin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:35:02 -0000

This is the problem with getting your financial advice from the local news: they try to cater to too many people in a very short period of time. Telling everyone to put their money into treasuries is terrible advice. For some, it might be a good call, but not for everyone. I really feel for the people that never paid attention to their stock/bond/CD allocation and are nearing retirement because there's really very little they can do at this point. Hopefully people will take these events and learn from them instead of getting scared away and never investing in stocks, which has happened in the past.

Re: The Market Collapse in Terms of Champagne

Writer's Coin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:49:16 -0000

Very clever way of explaining an otherwise very complicated process. Thanks!

Re: 6 Tips for a Frugal Valentine’s Day (Reprint Plus)

Writer's Coin — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:13:21 -0000

True, spending money isn't necessary on V-day, but it can also be a reminder to actually spend some of that hard-earned money on someone you love every now and then. I did and it was one of the most memorable experiences in my life.

Re: Gibbled

Writer's Coin — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:08:56 -0000

Thanks for the link!

Re: linklings, field notes from a (mildly sunny) catastrophe

Writer's Coin — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:24:39 -0000

Funny, I recently wrote a post about this very topic of how routines can affect us positively and negatively:
http://www.thewriterscoin.com/2007/12/13/keeping-your-budget-with-a-routine/

Re: how to write gooder

Writer's Coin — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:26:55 -0000

This one's easy: David Foster Wallace. Read A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never do Again—he makes mundane topics interesting and funny. Plus he's brilliant.

Re: job jumper tip #1: create a WIDD file

Writer's Coin — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:42:58 -0000

Another thing to do is an annual "Why I should be making more file" that you present during your review. My manager asks for this and it's really helpful because it keeps you a) motivated to come up with good ideas that improve the way work is done and b) it reminds you to write it all down so you don't forget.

The what have you done vs what job did you have argument is so true. No one cares what the job is/was. What did you do there?

Re: credit card debt is not pandemic

Writer's Coin — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:58:14 -0000

Congratulations on the milestone!

Re: are you ready to own a company?

Writer's Coin — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:10:49 -0000

Well done. Not letting on that you were talking about investing from the start is a great way to get readers into thinking of investing as owning a business and not gambling.

Re: why I don’t talk about real estate investing

Writer's Coin — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:17:22 -0000

I can attest that Brip's advice is good and this is more good advice. For most people I think real estate investing is just too much work and too much stress.

How do you feel about REITs though? I'm looking at Vanguard's REIT index but maybe not for another few months.

Re: 101 thoughts on losing 100 pounds

Writer's Coin — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:20:35 -0000

I can't stand when everyone chimes in with their opinions on weight loss (or any other thing that's hard to change, actually). I'm curious what you think of this post on making gradual, real changes in our lives. I wouldn't know, but does it apply to weight loss too?

Re: The Carnival of Financial Goals III

Writer's Coin — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 21:05:42 -0000

My first ever Carnival!

Re: brutal honesty

Writer's Coin — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:55:58 -0000

I hate it someone is outright rude and defends themselves with "I'm being honest," like that was a catch all that makes rudeness OK. I'm with you Brip

Re: job jumper tip #4: leave on your terms

Writer's Coin — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:53:50 -0000

That's a good way to put it. It's like death, once you accept its inevitability, it's easier to deal with. So I hear, anyway.

Re: a clear and present danger: the humanities

Writer's Coin — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:30:45 -0000

The sarcasm brings up some valid points, however. I studied Philosophy and Communications in college. Then I got a Masters in Writing. Shortly after that I got interested in finance and read up on it, teaching myself a lot of the basics. Then the more advanced stuff. Then I got a job in the financial industry, which I didn't think was possible without a degree of some sort. It's a unique situation, for sure, but I think the PF Blog world has proven that you don't need a degree to know your stuff when it comes to finance and investing.

Re: preparing for the cost of dying

Writer's Coin — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:29:50 -0000

I think this is very important to talk about with several people. It may be uncomfortable, but the more people you tell directly, without any ambiguity of what you want (cremation, burial, service type, etc.), the better the odds are your wishes will be kept. We've all heard of situations where families fight over how things should be done because the deceased "said" something to someone and the other person had no idea about it.

It's simple: if you want your wishes to be followed, be clear and explicit about them so when you die, everyone in your family will say "Of course that's how we'll do it, he talked about it all the time."

OK, maybe not ALL THE TIME, that would be a little morbid

Re: job jumper tip #5: take a break

Writer's Coin — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:43:02 -0000

I fully agree and I intended to live on a lake house for at least two weeks after my old job. But I was so happy to get the job (and leave my old one) that I didn't want to "start on the wrong foot" by waiting that long (two weeks notice, then two weeks to enjoy my time). I had the money but I just didn't follow through. I chickened out and who knows when I'll get the chance to do it again.

Re: 31 causes of failure: unfavorable hereditary background

Writer's Coin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:47:23 -0000

I read that a while back and I like a lot of the ideas in there. Then again, I'm an eternal optimist and a pitcher, so the mental edge of stuff is always at the forefront of everything I do. Plus I'm neurotic so there you go.

Re: the whole life sabbatical (part 2 of 3)

Writer's Coin — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 07:17:56 -0000

This is one of those "thrilling" things that I always think about but could never do. It just reeks of irresponsibility, whether or not it is or isn't. I think it's a mental block for me.

Re: the whole life sabbatical (part 3 of 3)

Writer's Coin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:30:27 -0000

I agree with you fathersez, this is one of those things that I think about after seeing a great movie or reading about an author that dropped everything to write and wrote something incredible.
But fear is the big one. For me, it's a fear of failure. If I had that conviction in me (which, who know, I might) that told me "I will not fail, I know it," then I might make the jump. But even then you risk failing and that's just plain scary. Love the idea of it though.

Re: why be rich?

Writer's Coin — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:30:39 -0000

It's probably not a lot of fun to get rich without any reasons either. Then what do you do?

Re: fat man and the comfort waistband

Writer's Coin — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:40:04 -0000

Agree 100%. If people stopped calling it "weight loss" and realized what a big, serious project it really is, maybe they would do better.

Re: brip blap getting zen things done

Writer's Coin — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:27:59 -0000

Nice to hear others not folding into the PDA temptation. I use a similar system to yours only with Yahoo. Has only failed me once. It's just such a nice "writerly" feeling with the Moleskine.

Re: 15 reasons why you might not want to be a consultant

Writer's Coin — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:58:58 -0000

You're right, I'm one of those people who knows little about consulting but sees it as something I would love to do at some point (which makes no sense). Can't wait to see what you have to add today!

Re: linklings: I am your father, Luke

Writer's Coin — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:49:28 -0000

Typically I don't like "best of" posts but I found some I really liked on here so thanks for that!

Re: the newest problogger on the block

Writer's Coin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:13:29 -0000

That's awesome Brip! Can't wait to hear about how it goes. Good luck! Are you going on a different schedule now? More posts, more projects?

Re: the newest problogger on the block

Writer's Coin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:03:34 -0000

Enjoy! You deserve it! This is one of those big ones that goes in the "why you DO want to be a consultant" category. How does it work in terms of getting paid? Do you hoard your money so that you can just spend as usual during this time?

Re: best financial move in college, part 2

Writer's Coin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:46:59 -0000

Great series! I was lucky enough to have a parent fluent in Spanish and another in ENglish, so I grew up knowing/learning both. So I am fluent in Spanish and English without even trying. But I picked up French with my parents' pushing for me to pick up a third language.

My French is to your Russian, a lot of people look at you different when you say you "know" three languages. It's definitely opened some doors for me and differentiated me from other people when it comes to work.

Re: 10 things to tell a graduating high school senior

Writer's Coin — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:37:43 -0000

College was the best. When I look at college people now I'm just like "guys, this is it. After you graduate you are entering into a world from which there is no escape. Enjoy the lack of responsibilities, and if you absolutely must puke on your shirt, try to keep it off anyone else's shirt."

That's using my inside voice though.

Re: 7 tips to simplify today

Writer's Coin — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:14:29 -0000

All good tips Brip, but number 7 is without a doubt the most important one, in my opinion. Everything else is easy to set up and get in the habit of, but those curveballs are what define your goals. If you can manage the unknown, you're on your way. I'm great at managing my money and keeping spending down, but when something unexpected comes up, I'm just not ready. It doesn't compute.

Once I get a hold of that I'll be much more streamlined, much more efficient, and much more in control. Be prepared for the unexpected!

Re: how to make money without a job and why you should

Writer's Coin — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:49:03 -0000

I needed this advice a few months ago when I wasn't generating any alternative income. Now I've crossed the $100 dollar mark and shooting even higher.

Re: the big present I gave my first employer

Writer's Coin — Wed, 14 May 2008 23:21:39 -0000

That's a great story Brip. I always feel a little guilty that I'm not working crazy hours and crazy days but this makes me feel a lot better. As long as I'm using my time wisely to pursue other ventures.

Re: sharpen your soft skills

Writer's Coin — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:29:18 -0000

This is a really good point that job seekers and currently employed people should keep in mind. But I also think that managers should pay special attention to this stuff. Why? Because many times these skills are ignored if they don't come with a certification, diploma, or some other "credential" that backs it up. If someone is a really sharp writer, speaker or "communicator" but doesn't have a diploma or degree in it, many times it will go ignored, which is a shame.

Re: The Cambrian Explosion

Writer's Coin — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:42:21 -0000

Funny how that book caused so many people to have their "explosion." I call it my "financial awakening" and I have to thank Kiyosaki for it as well. It was the first of many steps I took that eventually got me to where I am now: someone who invests, saves, budgets, and tries to continually expand his alternative income.

Re: 6 ways to become famous

Writer's Coin — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:43:55 -0000

I love it when someone else gives me an excuse to be crazy.

Whoaaaaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!

Re: Carnival of Careers #1

Writer's Coin — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:13:09 -0000

Hooray for the first Carnival of Careers!

Re: make money now versus make money later

Writer's Coin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:43:05 -0000

Good topic to discuss, but can't we have our cake and eat it too? As far as investing goes, I am a huge index fund guy. 90% of my ROth is in index funds, but I do dabble in individual stocks too. They are riskier, obviously, but I do my research and so far I've done pretty well (one of them is Berkshire Hathaway (a B share, of course)). I think we can automate our current lifestyle (the "sure thing") so that we're doing all the Get Rich Slowly stuff and then venture out into finding ways to make more money now, faster.

Does it work? I'll let you know.

Re: alas, problogger, we hardly knew ye

Writer's Coin — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:45:23 -0000

Welcome back! Do you think having your mind occupied on work now will get your mind going and give it more to write about?

Re: letting your emotions control your finances

Writer's Coin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:18:52 -0000

Talking about it is huge, too many people forget about that. It's one good way of working through any kind of problem.

Re: associating with the ‘appear-to-be-rich’ folks

Writer's Coin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:15:49 -0000

I'm embarrassed to say that I criticize the book and the movie, yet I haven't watched either. I'm all about positive thinking, but I think I read somewhere that this book insinuated that horrible things like the holocaust had to do with "negative thinking."

Why push it that far? Not necessary.

But I'll check out the link and at least give it a shot. I read Think and Grow Rich and, while it had some problems, I enjoyed it for the most part.

Re: 9 ways to save without breaking a sweat

Writer's Coin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:44:38 -0000

I am with you on all of those except for changing your withholding. This is something that I used to agree with but Ramit at iwillteachyoutoberich.com convinced me otherwise. Let's face it, how much are you going to make in interest by doing this? $10/year? For advanced savers this might be worth it, but for your average person, getting a tax refund once a year is THE best way to save automatically. Most people can't be trusted with a "raise." Instead, let them keep getting that one, significant check and stress that they put it into their high-yield account.

Re: how to be a location independent family, part 1

Writer's Coin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:59:54 -0000

Paris all the way baby!

Re: how to be a location independent family, part 3

Writer's Coin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:47:05 -0000

This is one of those things I'll think about a lot, daydream about, but never actually do. Too much stuff that would cause me to stress out and not enjoy the process. I did some of this when I was younger (as we all did, I'm sure), so at least I don't feel like I "missed my chance." I do love to hear stories of people that manage to do it.

Re: 25 quotes on ambition

Writer's Coin — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:11:39 -0000

I love reading this kind of stuff. Who was it that said "Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result" ?

Re: guest post: who am I?

Writer's Coin — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:14:13 -0000

True, but once you've gotten that far you still have to take action and lists are one way of making it happen. Let's not get lost and wrapped up in the philosophical part (which I thoroughly enjoy) and forget about the action.

Re: learn to think bigger

Writer's Coin — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:22:06 -0000

I think the way that "think bigger" applies to investing is to start off learning with index funds but go past that. Learn to invest in individual companies, learn about dividend stocks. But I still think index funds are the way to go for most people — they just don't have the time or energy to learn the details and nuances of stock investing.

Personally? I have around 90% index funds in my portfolio. The rest is individual stocks (where I'm trying to find a great company that will grow in the short term). For long-term investing, index funds are the way to go. Do you really think you can pick stocks successfully for the next 30 years?

Re: a desperate addiction

Writer's Coin — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:50:36 -0000

You're ashamed? When I was in college I saw my first Bill O'Reilly show and thought, "This chap and I share a lot of similar views." Then the more I watched I realized how awful the man and his show really are. But for a while there I was a fan and watched a TON of Fox News. I'm glad I got out before it did any permanent damage...I think.

Re: night guy and morning guy

Writer's Coin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:25:50 -0000

Nice post, love the Seinfeld tie-in.
This actually ties in pretty well to the literal angle of actually turning yourself into a morning person. Get up before everyone else does, get something done — whether it's writing, exercise, reading, whatever — before you even start your work day. That way you've already done something productive and you don't have to put the pressure of acting when you're tired and cranky after work.

Re: 5 signs your job sucks

Writer's Coin — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:10:44 -0000

The last thing I want to catch up on is office gossip. Good lord, that's as good a reason as any to check out at 5:01. I don't want any part of all that drama.

Re: how your education and lifestyle keep you from changing

Writer's Coin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:21:06 -0000

I think I agree with most of what you're saying, but the "inspirational/motivational media" that is out there is just too damn salesy for me. It's annoying, it's cheesy (like you said: "you can do anything!") and it tells people exactly what they want to hear. I think that good blogs (like this one) do so much more for people. They give the actual first step needed to go in the direction people want to go. This guy in the video wants to sell something. The people in the blogosphere want you to read their stuff — that's a big difference.

Re: the truth about passive income

Writer's Coin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:05:07 -0000

Passive income is checking my adsense account on Sunday night after not doing any blogging over the weekend and seeing that I made $1.04 on Saturday and Sunday.

It's pennies, but it's passive!

Re: searching for water on mars

Writer's Coin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:05:35 -0000

I like these posts, especially the titles. As for this one, I've got the first two and want more, but the spirituality one is where I don't think I"ll ever get a hit. I have my own brand of "faux spirituality" right now, but maybe it's because I'm "young."

Re: college student finance tips

Writer's Coin — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:57:36 -0000

Try as hard as you can to make it work without going into debt. If you can't, then rethink it. But if you REALLY want to go to Stanford, find a way to get it paid for.

Re: when does intellectual curiousity stop?

Writer's Coin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:56:07 -0000

Whenever I find myself in a rut, be it creative or otherwise, I usually find that I haven't been reading as much as usual. So that's a clear sign right there of how reading affects me.

Re: 5 ways to take time off work

Writer's Coin — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:01:27 -0000

Ditto on this. Sometimes taking a day off like this to just enjoy the summer is a great idea. Just make sure you don't sleep in, stay at home and do nothing! Go out there and make it a day you'll remember.

Re: this food and this life

Writer's Coin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:41:13 -0000

My wife and I were just talking about how lucky we are that the both of us feel the same way about food and cooking. You're right when you say: "I think if you are serious about money, you will be serious about food." That's how we both started getting into cooking — we were trying to protect our money.

Re: timing the bottom

Writer's Coin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:19:57 -0000

THere will never be a "perfect" time to start any new project or idea. You got that right. It's all about saying, "F*** if, I'm making it happen NOW."

Re: frugality versus self-sufficiency

Writer's Coin — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:28:34 -0000

Among my best investments of all time I have a magazine subscription and an online workshop — nothing to do with actual money. But like you say here, I spent it smart and it's definitely paying off.

Re: even my barber

Writer's Coin — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:52:08 -0000

Any kind of drastic tip like this that comes with earth-shattering stuff like "this is like nothing we've ever seen" or "this will change the market forever" is all hot air. Hopefully something good will come of this, but I doubt it. Things will get better and in 15 years the same things will happen again with different companies/industries. Better be ready for it.

Re: oh no they di’int

Writer's Coin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:49:56 -0000

Seriously, people worry way too much about all these things they have no control over, while their finances sit in the corner, neglected and suffocating.

Re: have MBAs been devalued by the crisis?

Writer's Coin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:49:21 -0000

I don't think they'll become less popular. MBAs are closely tied to earning power (at least in people's minds), so they will always chase after the money. And Wall Street types always feel the same way about these kinds of events: "I wouldn't have messed up."

Re: ostrichism

Writer's Coin — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:17:42 -0000

I think everyone agrees with you, even up to that last line. And that's where people's problems lie.

"If you were happy with what you were doing..." Now people see the market tanking and feel like they did something wrong, didn't pick the right funds or stocks, etc. So they have to do something else. When all they should really do is stick their head in the sand.

Re: 7 mistakes not to make in a crisis

Writer's Coin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:41:56 -0000

Tell me about it with the pundits. All you need to do is find one instance of pundits saying something ridiculous and you'll find it a lot easier to get over their supposed expertise. It's like sportscasters—some are good and some suck. Listen to one that sucks and it's all you need to realize that just because they're on TV it doesn't mean they know what they're talking about.

Re: how to enjoy life, or not

Writer's Coin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:48:46 -0000

Sundays used to be my day to reflect on this when I was younger and in grad school. I would usually be hung over and I'd start to think to myself "why am I studying writing? Who cares Why don't I just get a high paying job that'll get me oodles of money so I don't have to scrape anymore?"

Thankfully, Monday would come and everything would go back to normal.

Re: minding the little things

Writer's Coin — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:52:28 -0000

You are spot on with #5. It's so easy to get wrapped up in the politics of the presidency but we don't pay nearly enough attention to the people who can actually help us out with our problems.

Re: the math hurts

Writer's Coin — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:47:23 -0000

My portfolio sounds similar to yours: index funds of the same exact kind almost. I'm also curious how you are down 65%. Did one particular fund slow you down more than the others? It sounds like we have similar allocations but I'm not down nearly that much.

Either way, I wouldn't be worried. Let's just keep plowing more and more into it.

Re: late link roundup…

Writer's Coin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:47:34 -0000

Thanks for the link! Oh and the cartoon is priceless. I have to go refresh my inbox now though.

Re: what has changed in personal finance?

Writer's Coin — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:59:05 -0000

Good reminder that the basics and the essentials still apply. Nothing has changed on our end and it's likely nothing will. I also share your optimism about the future president and I think it's amazing to see how other people are also feeling so euphoric about it. When I saw video of people crying and cheering in the streets, it was like the whole country had just won the World Series only everyone was sober and orderly.

Re: one more time

Writer's Coin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:44:43 -0000

You were right, that was very enjoyable. I missed this due to a family trip (did vote early though), so it was tough not being in Chicago when it all went down. Thanks for posting though!

Re: what desperation looks like

Writer's Coin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:17:52 -0000

Brip, you seem to be railing on "regular paycheck" jobs in this post, but at the same time you've expressed how you're going to have to adjust now that your consulting gig is over.

I agree that a lot of people are hooked into the "Security" of their jobs and live beyond their means, but someone like myself is simply hooked on stability. I can't travel somewhere if I don't know I have a reservation to sleep somewhere and so consulting would be tough for me. Not knowing that there is at least a little stability is tough for me. Sure, having a cushion with which to live off makes it easier, but some people just aren't wired for it and it doesn't necessarily mean that we're at the other extreme.

You know?

Re: linklings, rush hour 11 edition

Writer's Coin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:52:40 -0000

Hey Brip, I was taken aback by your stinging comment about the Onion. I was like "Jeez, take it easy, it's all a big joke." Then I went on and read the article...what the hell were they thinking? It's not funny and I can't imagine who greenlighted it. Terrible...

Re: what is ROWE and how does it affect the workplace?

Writer's Coin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:19:49 -0000

This drives me crazy because I'm a HUGE fan of efficiency and I consider myself extremely efficient. But I feel no guilt leaving at 5pm because I know how much I've done and how well I've done it.

I first heard about ROWE from an article about Best Buy and I thought it was the best thing ever. What I've realized is that, as you go further in your career, an informal style of ROWE starts to appear. You have so much work and people "trust" you more (or are just aware of how "good" of a worker you are) so there's less attention paid to your hours and more paid to the results you get.

Re: one more hill

Writer's Coin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:14:54 -0000

I thought you were going to say something like "because we wanted to get to that next hill, we missed the sunset." But I get your drift here. It's a delicate balance between pushing yourself to the limit and enjoying what you've accomplished. Awesome photo by the way. Creative Commons rocks!

Re: do you need a bailout?

Writer's Coin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:45:25 -0000

I think a lot of this goes back to that poor person's mentality of "woe is me." It's easy to shirk responsibility and blame the big, bad corporations when stuff like this happens. I hear this kind of stuff too, and it drives me nuts.

Re: why you’ll be richer without kids

Writer's Coin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:52:18 -0000

This is something M and I discuss a lot. We want to travel and we want to enjoy our "youth," and then we'll be ready to have kids. But you're right, even if people don't want to hear it: you will be financially better off without kids.

Re: rebuilding the idea of elitism in America

Writer's Coin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:02:18 -0000

Why would I want to do the dishes? No, but seriously, I think you have a point about people reacting to a word they know is "bad" without thinking it through. Kind of like "ignorance." All it means is that you don't know something, but now it's used as an insult.

Re: linklings, a cold wind blows through Jersey edition

Writer's Coin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:43:00 -0000

Thanks for the link Brip!

Re: getting published

Writer's Coin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:48:00 -0000

It's definitely a different feeling to have an ebook in your hand vs. a real book. I mean, look at how easy it is to churn out a blog post versus a magazine article. Someone has to approve, want, and pay for your article at a magazine. Whereas in the blog world all you have to do is publish it yourself. Obviously, in fiction it's way different than publishing something like a personal finance book, but I still think fiction is wayyyyy tougher to publish than anything else.

Re: are you fit to be a citizen?

Writer's Coin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:14:31 -0000

That's an interesting oath. I was born and raised outside the US but my mother is American so I was granted citizenship automatically. But the oath is weird because I have a passport and am a citizen of the US and the country I was born in. So the oath doesn't really hold water...

Re: wait until tomorrow to change

Writer's Coin — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:15:23 -0000

I think a lot of young people struggle with this, but in the end I always feel as follows: it's much easier to say "I should've taken the other way" when the way you took brought in some serious money. Does that make sense? I mean, when you're not making money, even if you're doing what you love, you constantly feel like you should've just gotten a job that pays well, then do what you love on the side or after you've accumulated some cash.

I guess in the end it's all about things looking greener on the other side.

Re: how to soothe a crying baby

Writer's Coin — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:07:18 -0000

This is a great post Brip. Not only when it comes to parenting (I was just talking about this the other day), but life in general. My wife and I spend a lot of time together but we also know the importance of having our own individual selves. As for the baby thing, do you think you would be able to have treated your first child that way? I think it's human nature to not take anything for granted and be more careful than you need to when you're having a first child. What do you think?

Anyway, one of your finest posts in recent times...

Re: what to do if you like your job but hate your career…

Writer's Coin — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:32:16 -0000

I used to work at an office where I loved coming to work. The day-to-day stuff was great: awesome co-workers and a relaxed atmosphere. But management was a nightmare and salaries were purposefully kept way down low. Which created unrest, so people left often. It was a shame because they were really good at hiring great, smart people. They just didn't want to pay them.

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe that's why all those people were "great"—they definitely weren't lured in by the money...

Re: how to judge compensation

Writer's Coin — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:07:21 -0000

I'm going to say that #2 is the most important from that list. Especially for people that will chase the highest compensation no matter what. Without that balance, work will inevitable absorb your whole life and enjoying it will be nearly impossible.

Re: how to succeed at your job

Writer's Coin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:06:09 -0000

I like this concept of "net enjoyment," never heard of it before but I like it. I think most people live at the extremes (or try to): "I love my job" or "I hate my job," when in reality you just need to be "in the black."

It's all we can ask for.

Re: buy American

Writer's Coin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:11:16 -0000

Funny you should mention this now...I heard this for the very first time (yes...ever!) over the weekend. It was the photographer from our wedding. We were looking at different albums and we agreed on which one we wanted. She said, "And plus, it's also good that they're an American company."

That, along with all the buzz going around that people are going to start saving more money and being more frugal, made me feel like I was in the Fifties or something.

Talk about time machine...

Re: who is the hero of your life?

Writer's Coin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:39:47 -0000

I can see people coming down on you for sounding selfish, but my answer is also me. It has to be. No one else in your life has more of an impact on who you are and what happens to you than yourself.

That's my opinion, anyway.

Besides, don't they say that even when you have kids, that you're spouse should come before them? For the sake of the marriage? So if something like your child, which came from a physical part of you, isn't even number one, then it has to be yourself.

Re: lending club, my best investment of 2008

Writer's Coin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 08:46:37 -0000

Diversify is right, but I'm curious how comfortable you feel investing in P2P in the current environment. Do you still feel confident in the ratings and that people will pay you back?

With so many people losing jobs and things going haywire, it seems like we can't trust our banks. But can we trust ourselves?

Re: a view of a grim economic future: Braddock

Writer's Coin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:42:45 -0000

Wow, good stuff. Thanks for highlighting this article and the video too. It's spooky and the first place it made me think of is Detroit. Steel industry back then and the auto industry now. I sure hope not because I know a lot of good people over there and that would be terrible.

Re: how to check out a hoax

Writer's Coin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:11:03 -0000

I LOVE getting these spam emails. Especially after reading through scambaiter.com. Those guys are hilarious. But I've tried engaging a few of them and never hear back. Maybe they have a way of filtering our non-scammable people?

At least that's what I keep telling myself...

Re: our family has an opportunity for startling change - and links

Writer's Coin — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:03:18 -0000

Wow, good luck with this Brip! Sounds like exciting times are ahead of you. I hope it all works out for what you guys want!

Re: the pursuit of wealth for the sake of others

Writer's Coin — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 07:41:12 -0000

Sounding very Warren Buffett, which I admire. And I only believe it coming out of his mouth. And yours, of course.

Re: preparing for snap decisions

Writer's Coin — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:00:06 -0000

Tough call, but like you said it's an opportunity and you have to investigate it further. Glad you got to make it work after all...and good luck with the position!

Re: giving up on your career

Writer's Coin — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:56:55 -0000

This is tough man...not an easy decision at all. Some people will tell you that money isn't important, blah blah blah. But seriously, you can't do if you aren't making a living.

Could you still get a job in your field and try to set something else up on the side? Or are you ready to jump in headfirst all the way into something new?

Maybe a job in your field that has a unique angle or spin that would allow you to do different stuff?

Good luck with this one Steve...

Re: how to pay less income tax

Writer's Coin — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:49:02 -0000

I'm totally with you on this one... I hate it when people that make more money complain about paying more in taxes.

Fine. Go back to making $30,000 then. See how you like it.

Re: getting a job on wall street, circa 2009

Writer's Coin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:09:11 -0000

This is a great look at how Wall Street has changed but also a reminder of what it was like to be young, naive, and willing to dream big. There was a really good article on Yahoo Finance (I think) yesterday about how this might free up some of the minds that typically go to Wall Street and enrich other fields.

More entrepreneurship too. All of which I think sounds better than what you described was the case 12 years ago.

Re: Money Hackers

Writer's Coin — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:20:24 -0000

Thanks also for the mention

Re: Personal Finance Brain Trust - What Rights Should Debtors Have?

Writer's Coin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:44:53 -0000

I second that motion. The quality of responses (and questions) makes us all look pretty smart.

<abbr>Writer's Coins last blog post..Hooking Up Your PC to Your Stereo</abbr>

Re: John McCain Has Bad Credit Card Rates

Writer's Coin — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:44:55 -0000

If this is true, that's very frightening. What kind of financial irresponsibility is this? How would he defend this? Ouch.

<abbr>Writer's Coins last blog post..Chicago Urbanathlon 2008</abbr>

Re: Friday Linky Love

Writer's Coin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 08:27:03 -0000

Thanks for the link!

On the whole traffic discussion—I tried the traffic-only schtick and I'm off it. I'd much rather have more subscribers that actually read the content instead of just hit the page and leave.

Re: Happy Links for a Rainy Day

Writer's Coin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:07:00 -0000

Thanks for the mention! I'm in Chicago too and today was pretty bad. Where's the summer at?