My Money Blog

Combining Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs & Personal Finance

Posted on July 30, 2015 // 30 Comments

Updated. You may or may not be familiar with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which is part of one theory explaining human behavior by psychologist Abraham Maslow. It suggests that there are five general levels of needs: … [Read the rest]

My Financial Account Tidying Up Checklist

Posted on July 29, 2015 // 11 Comments

I suppose it's not a good sign that in the middle of reading a #1 NYT bestselling book on organizing your stuff... you lose the book in all your stuff. In case you haven't heard of it yet, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of … [Read the rest]

Willing.com Review: Free, Legal Online Will Software

Posted on July 28, 2015 // 61 Comments

I must admit that I procrastinated on setting up a will, much like many others. Ideally, an experienced, skilled estate lawyer would create something customized to your situation. But it is not always clear how to find such a person, or know … [Read the rest]

Costco Pharmacy: Save on Prescription Drug Costs

Posted on July 27, 2015 // 21 Comments

While standing in line at the Costco pharmacy, I found myself in a discussion with another Costco member who apparently saves over a thousand dollars a year on her meds by buying them there instead of her neighborhood CVS. (I also got an earful … [Read the rest]

AutoSlash Review: Car Rental Price Drop Tracker

Posted on July 23, 2015 // 13 Comments

Here's a quick tip that I've been using regularly this summer for saving money on car rentals. A quick primer on car rental reservations. When you make a reservation at most car rental shops, you simply agree to a price and make a non-binding … [Read the rest]

4 Different Rules of Thumb For How Much House You Can Afford

Posted on July 22, 2015 // 66 Comments

Updated. Buying a house is always an exciting yet terrifying time. Deciding on how much we can "afford" is often limited by how much someone will lend us. Mortgage lenders use income size, income stability, credit score, down payment size, and other … [Read the rest]

Owning a World Market-Cap Weighting of Gold

Posted on July 21, 2015 // 10 Comments

Gold is an asset class that is part commodity, part currency, and part insurance policy. As I write this, gold prices are at a 5-year low. I own a little physical gold for cultural reasons, but I don't consider it part of my asset allocation and I … [Read the rest]

Alternative View: Keep Up With The OTHER Joneses

Posted on July 19, 2015 // 28 Comments

We've all heard the phrase "Keeping up with the Joneses". It even has its own Wikipedia page with competing origin stories. Perhaps the greatest marketing trick ever is making people equate social status with material goods. Instead of … [Read the rest]

Best Frugal Non-Stick Fry Pan / Saute Pan

Posted on July 17, 2015 // 8 Comments

I think it was Alton Brown's food show that first told me that all non-stick pans were pretty much disposable and simply weren't meant to last very long. Therefore, you should just buy the standard fry pan found at your local restaurant supply … [Read the rest]

Ally Bank Interest Checking Account Review

Posted on July 16, 2015 // 58 Comments

Updated. If you are looking for a flexible alternative to a megabank account with tiny interest but convenient ATM network, here is my review of the Ally Interest Checking Account which I use in conjunction with the Ally Online Savings Account and … [Read the rest]

Amazon Prime Day 7/15 : One-Day Sale for Prime Members

Posted on July 15, 2015 // 8 Comments

Expired: Sale is over! Amazon is holding something called "Amazon Prime Day" for their Prime members on July 15, 2015. Non-Prime members can sign up for a free 30-day trial to be eligible to participate. Here are the deals that caught my … [Read the rest]

Weight Management vs. Money Management: Taking the Long-Term View

Posted on July 14, 2015 // 16 Comments

I'm currently reading Smart People Don't Diet by Charlotte Markey. The book offers a "science-based approach" to weight management backed by academic research from scientists, doctors, nutritionists, and psychologists. Sounded good to me. The … [Read the rest]