I know summer is coming to an end for most of the country, but here in San Diego, my favorite month of the year is coming up. September brings some great weather and the ocean water is usually at it’s warmest. I’ve tried to post twice a week since the beginning of summer and I’ve […]
Why Borrowing From Your 401k is a Bad Idea
A reader writes in: “Can you talk about when to take a loan from your 401k? I took one a while back and I think it would be a good topic for discussion.” There aren’t many loans out there that allow you to borrow without a credit check and pay yourself interest, but that’s what […]
A Guide to Buying on Craigslist
I’ve been looking for a refrigerator on craigslist for a couple months now and I finally found one. My current refrigerator was in good working condition, but it was pretty old and I wanted to get a nice stainless steel one for when I rent out my condo in a year or two. Renters and […]
Get Rich Investing in Human Capital
Instead of talking about stock or real estate investments today, I’ll be diving into an often forgotten investment. Human capital is the knowledge, skills or health that you have acquired in your lifetime. Most people think of capital as a CD account, retirement savings or property. But tangible forms of capital aren’t the only kinds […]
My Tax Efficient Investing Plan
If the Mayans are wrong and Dec 21, 2012 doesn’t bring the end of the world, taxmageddon is still headed our way in 2013. Income taxes are slated to go up for every single tax-paying American unless congress and Obama act. Regardless of whether you’re for or against the proposed tax increase, it’s causing a lot of […]
Should College Students Start Using Credit?
When I bought my first real estate property in 2010, I had excellent credit. My score was over 760, but my mortgage broker told me they couldn’t give me the best rate because my credit history was too short. At the time, I was 23, and the only credit card I owned was one that […]
Do You Have a Second Source of Income?
I know there are people struggling out there for a main source of income, but I think the job market has significantly picked up for college educated young professionals. If you’ve used any of my networking tips, you may have already landed your first job and started thinking about your next one. It’s human nature […]
Calculate Your Mortgage Interest Deduction the Right Way
With the large deficit our country is facing, politicians are starting to get creative. There’s actually been some talk about getting rid of the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners. If you don’t own property, then you may not know about one of the biggest tax deductions available. The mortgage interest deduction allows taxpayers who own […]
Credit Karma iPhone App Review
As many of you know, I’m a big proponent of do it yourself credit monitoring and score checking. I don’t think you should ever have to pay for something that is yours. Credit Karma is one of the only companies around that allows you to check your credit score absolutely free. I’ve been a member […]
How I Got My Comic Con Tickets For Free
The annual Comic Con convention was held this past weekend in San Diego, CA. 125,000 comic fans descended on San Diego and it was a pretty cool time to be walking around and exploring the city. I was able to get a Thursday and Sunday badge for the event by planning ahead and I sold […]
ARM vs Fixed Mortgage
As you know, I’m a big proponent of buying real estate right now. And after you’ve secured your property, one of the first things to consider is what type of mortgage you should get. There are all different types of loans and terms you can get, but fixed mortgages, followed by Adjustable Rate Mortgages(ARM), are […]
6 Month Anniversary and Site Re-Design
Site Re-Design You may have noticed that I completely changed the theme to the site over the past couple days. I wanted to make the site a little bit more aesthetically pleasing and easier to navigate so I added a logo, and a few other nifty options. Feel free to browse the new site and […]
Keep Your CD’s Liquid and Still Earn a High Rate of Return
Most investors probably don’t have too many high yielding ‘safe’ investments lying around from the high interest rate days. The 5% CD’s that we all took for granted in 2007-2008 are a thing of the past and I know most people wish they would have locked in a couple more 5 year CD’s at these […]
Active vs Passive Investing: The $1,000 Stock Market Challenge
I’ve always liked to gamble, but at the same time, it’s hard for me to willingly throw away my money when I know I have a disadvantage. When I go to Vegas, I never gamble more than a couple hundred bucks and think of it more as entertainment. How many free drinks can I get […]
Reader Question: Health Savings Account Explained
Reader JY writes in, “I was wondering if you have written anything regarding the Health Savings Account and high deductible health insurance plans. I have recently signed up for this through my new employer as the idea sounded really great. Previously I was paying for one of the more expensive plans, the Kaiser HMO. Now […]
401k Plans Only Work if you Contribute
From time to time, I’ll read about how bad 401k plans are for investors like you and me. Apparently, most people don’t even realize they’re paying fees on top of other fees to invest in certain funds. And while a minority of companies do it right, by providing low cost index and ETF funds, most, […]
10 Apps That Help Me Save Time and Money
When you’re not playing Angry Birds or Draw Something, your smartphone can actually be used to your advantage. Most of us take our phones for granted but there was a day when you had to print out directions from Mapquest or even look them up in a book. Now, all I have to do is […]
Is your Asset Allocation Too Risky?
Giving advice on asset allocation is one of the toughest things a financial advisor can do. How are they supposed to know how much risk another person can take? Asset allocation is an investment strategy that aims to diversify one’s portfolio holdings based on risk tolerance and time frame. Riskier assets generally include stocks (particularly […]
How to Save Money on Cable TV and High Speed Internet
Update(5/28/2013): My 6 month promotion just ended so I called in to see what their offer would be this time. The CS rep only offered me free wireless boxes(2 x $7/month savings) so I told them I wanted to cancel. They transferred me to retention department where a really nice CS lady gave me U200 […]
Buying a House or Condo in 10 Simple Steps
Two years ago, I saw a huge investment opportunity in the real estate market and jumped on my first property at the age of 23. I couldn’t be happier with the price I paid and what I got. The low sales price and mortgage rate have allowed me to max out my retirement accounts and […]