AirHelp, Refund.Me, AirTaxBack: Get Money Back For Cancelled, Delayed, or Missed Flights

Have you been on a delayed, cancelled, or overbooked flight to/from Europe within the last within the last three years? Ever just missed a flight? You could be entitled up to $800 from the airline, or a refund of your taxes and fees. AirHelp … [Read the rest]

Portion Distortion: Change Your Perspective, Eat Better, Spend Less

I've got one month left on my $600 in weight-loss bets, and an important tool that has helped me success is portion control. This way, I can still enjoy most of my favorite foods while still losing 1-2 pounds a week. Even naughty things like … [Read the rest]

Home Improvement Receipts: Scan Now, Save Indefinitely

For many people, when they sell a home they don't even consider taxes. But over time, especially if you live in a relatively expensive area, more and more people will bump up against the federal capital gains exclusions of $250,000 for individuals … [Read the rest]

Howard Marks on Assuming Less Risk and Lowering Expectations

Observer has an interesting profile of respected investor Howard Marks, excerpted from the book The Great Minds of Investing (found via Abnormal Returns). I enjoy the writings of Howard Marks because his observations are logical and rational, and … [Read the rest]

Snagshout: Discounted Amazon Products In Exchange For Honest Reviews

If you're like most Amazon shoppers, you don't like buying anything unless it has a lot of positive 4 and 5 star reviews. But that makes it really hard for new brands and products to gain traction. Good ole' capitalism has created a new breed of … [Read the rest]

Global Asset Allocation Book Review: Comparing 12+ Expert Model Portfolios

I am a regular reader of Meb Faber's online writings, and volunteered to received a free review copy of his new book Global Asset Allocation: A Survey of the World's Top Asset Allocation Strategies. It is a rather short book and would probably be … [Read the rest]

My One-Page Financial Plan: Why Is Money Important To Me?

I've already shared two nuggets from the book The One-Page Financial Plan by Carl Richards - the importance of getting started and the true value of a human advisor. But what about the title itself? Before even reading the book, I was impatient … [Read the rest]

Why I Hold TIPS in My Portfolio (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities)

EconompicData has a nice, relatively brief post about the relationship between US Treasury bonds, TIPS, and inflation. I would hold either Treasuries or TIPS (or both) because they have the highest credit quality available, and that is a big part … [Read the rest]

Best Frugal Chef’s Knife – America’s Test Kitchen (For 20 Years In a Row!)

Update: ATK just sent me a new review that considered newer chef's knives that have come onto the market, and the same knife won again! They say it has now been on top for 20 straight years. You can see the methodology and full rankings here, but … [Read the rest]

Early Retirement Portfolio Income Update, Mid 2015

The closer I get to the reality of living off of my portfolio, the more I like the idea of living off dividend and interest income. However, you can't just buy stocks with the highest dividend yields and junk bonds with the highest interest rates … [Read the rest]

Early Retirement Portfolio Asset Allocation Update, Mid 2015

Here's a mid-year update on my investment portfolio holdings for 2015. This includes tax-deferred accounts like 401(k)s and taxable brokerage holdings, but excludes things like physical property and cash reserves (emergency fund). The purpose of … [Read the rest]

The Most Important Factor To Maximize In Your Portfolio

When it comes to constructing an investment portfolio for yourself, there are many things you could tweak and maximize. Obviously, you can look back at historical data and maximum past annual returns while minimizing volatility. For some, this … [Read the rest]