Here's a drawback to US savings bonds that you might not have considered: Savings Bonds are easy to forget about. Paper savings bonds are often left in safe deposit boxes and forgotten. Electronic savings bonds do not generate a paper trail … [Read the rest]
Best Brokerage and IRA Transfer Bonuses – October 2019
Posted on October 10, 2019 // 7 Comments
Fidelity, Schwab, TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, Interactive Brokers, Ally Invest all now offer free stock trades. Vanguard offers free trades on all ETFs, not just their own. The new differentiators are things like user interface, customer service, and … [Read the rest]
Financial Freedom and New Car Loans Don’t Mix Well
Posted on October 9, 2019 // 22 Comments
Apparently, my rule of thumb about affording cars isn't exactly going viral. If you are serious about financial freedom, you shouldn't be taking out loans for luxury items. A new car is a luxury item! Basic transportation will cost you under … [Read the rest]
Robinhood’s New Savings Account is FDIC-Insured! 2.05% APY
Posted on October 8, 2019 // Leave a Comment
Robinhood brokerage has finally re-launched the high-interest cash sweep option after their failed (and illegal?) 2018 mash-up of checking accounts and SIPC-insurance. Robinhood Cash Management is basically what many other places like Betterment … [Read the rest]
S&P 500 Return Breakdown: Earnings, Valuations, Dividends (2015-2019)
Posted on October 6, 2019 // Leave a Comment
The financial news industry loves to provide constant updates of the S&P 500 along with endless guesses as to why it blipped up or down. I like reading about finance and it still drives me crazy! It just makes people focus on the short-term and … [Read the rest]
Best Interest Rates on Cash – October 2019
Posted on October 2, 2019 // 2 Comments
Here's my monthly roundup of the best interest rates on cash for October 2019, roughly sorted from shortest to longest maturities. Rates are lower across the board due to the recent Fed rate cut. I track these rates because I keep a full 12 months … [Read the rest]
Fidelity, Schwab, TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, and Interactive Brokers Now All With $0 Stock, ETF, and Options Trades
Posted on October 2, 2019 // 16 Comments
Update: Fidelity, Schwab, TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, Interactive Brokers, Ally Invest all now offer free stock trades. The new differentiators are things like user interface, customer service, and interest on cash sweep accounts. Original … [Read the rest]
Breaking Down the Components of Financial Advice
Posted on October 1, 2019 // Leave a Comment
Vanguard has been relatively quiet after an SEC filing revealed their plans for a new digital-only advisory service called Vanguard Digital Advisor Services (VDAS). They have yet to send out any press releases or direct announcement about their new … [Read the rest]
Yes, Health Insurance Costs Impacted My Early Retirement (FIRE) Plans
Posted on September 29, 2019 // 22 Comments
When the topic of early retirement comes up, a common question is "Are you concerned about health insurance?" I could be a cheerleader and say "nah no big deal", but to be honest it has impacted my early retirement plans. Not only are the costs … [Read the rest]
How To Lose Your Money Investing
Posted on September 27, 2019 // 1 Comment
Sometimes the best solution to a problem comes by approaching it backwards. Charlie Munger often spoke about the principle of inversion. Instead of looking for things that you should do to achieve a goal, make a list of things you would do to make … [Read the rest]
Chase Sapphire Banking: $1,000 Bonus For New/Existing Customers ($75,000 Assets)
Posted on September 26, 2019 // 6 Comments
New bonus. Chase has a new $1,000 cash bonus offer if you upgrade to or open a new Sapphire Banking account. To qualify, you must transfer a total of $75,000 or more in new money or securities into eligible Chase checking, savings and/or … [Read the rest]
Capital One Walmart Rewards Mastercard Review: 5% Back, But With Restrictions
Posted on September 24, 2019 // 7 Comments
Today, Walmart launched their new Capital One Walmart Rewards Mastercard (credit card) and Walmart Rewards Card (store card that only works at Walmart). Here are the highlights, which unfortunately include some hoops and hurdles to jump … [Read the rest]
The Best Credit Card Bonus Offers – 2025
Big List of Free Stocks from Brokerage Apps
Best Interest Rates on Cash - 2025
Free Credit Scores x 3 + Free Credit Monitoring
Best No Fee 0% APR Balance Transfer Offers
Little-Known Cellular Data Plans That Can Save Big Money
How To Haggle Your Cable or Direct TV Bill
Big List of Free Consumer Data Reports (Credit, Rent, Work)