People - don't forget about bonds! Everyone is going nuts over cryptocurrency and the stock market, but bonds have been a viable investing vehicle since 2400 B.C. (here). And, crowdfunded bonds are becoming a thing. Title III of the 2012 Jobs Act made crowdfunding bonds legal, so a number of companies are offering these products. These are: worthybonds.com (Pays … [Read more...] about Don’t Forget About Bonds
IRS Pushes Back 2020 Filing Date To May 17th
Since it's March and you're reading a personal finance blog, you're probably considering starting on your taxes. Well, it looks like you may have an extra month to file your returns. According to Bloomberg, the IRS is allowing an additional month in which to complete your taxes. From Bloomberg.com: The Internal Revenue Service is delaying the April 15 tax-filing deadline to … [Read more...] about IRS Pushes Back 2020 Filing Date To May 17th
James’ 2021 March Wealth Update
So, it's mid-March, which means it's time for a monthly update. This month hasn't been too sexy, mostly I focused on consistent debt and cost reduction. Here is the breakdown of what I've been up to. Canceled Services & Reduced Bills This month I spent some quality time on the phone with Comcast/Xfinity. I got autopay set up for a total savings of $10 per month, or $120 … [Read more...] about James’ 2021 March Wealth Update
SMBX: Bonds for Socially Conscious Investors With an Appetite for Risk
Long-time Dinks readers will know that we're not shy about FinTech investing opportunities. A few weeks ago, I found a neat little start-up in California called SMBX. It is building a crowdfunded marketplace for small business bonds — a historical first. It's an interesting company, so we're covering it in depth here. Before we launch into this, here's what you need to … [Read more...] about SMBX: Bonds for Socially Conscious Investors With an Appetite for Risk
Rough Times: Pay Off Your Debts
If you're like us DINKs, you're probably wondering how to improve your financial bottom line. The recent covid related economic slowdown has torpedoed some people budgets, so some options for seeing immediate gains to one's net worth are limited. One way to immediately improve your bottom line is to pay off your debts. There are several advantages in doing so. First, … [Read more...] about Rough Times: Pay Off Your Debts
How Much Should You Budget?
I was chatting with a friend the other day, and her sister messaged her on Skype. Her sister was curious as to about how much she should be spending on common household expenses. Well, I was also curious and decided to hit the books to see what good rules of thumb are. According to the Motley Fool, you might consider the following very rough guidelines: Housing and … [Read more...] about How Much Should You Budget?
The Grass Is Greener Where You Water It
The phrase “the grass is greener where you water it” means that the more you work on your personal romantic relationships, the better they become. However, properly watering the grass requires significant time and investment in your relationship. … [Read more...] about The Grass Is Greener Where You Water It
Couple has $232,000 In Debt – How Does That Happen?
I spend a lot of time on the internet, especially on personal finance blogs. Over this weekend I came across this posting. Evidently its written by a couple from Alaska. The interesting thing is...they have a lot of debt. Not just like a few thousand on a couple of credit cards, they owe about $232,000 in multiple vehicle loans, student loans, credit cards, and personal … [Read more...] about Couple has $232,000 In Debt – How Does That Happen?
Don’t Forget The Basics
Everyone is looking for a fast buck in the stock market these days, but they forget there just isn't any substitute for following good basic advice. So here is a list of personal finance advice that works. 1) Pay Off High Interest Debt. If you have any credit card debts, payday loans, title loans or other high interest garbage, pay it off. Credit cards will charge you … [Read more...] about Don’t Forget The Basics
Personal Finance Advice From 1758
In 1758, Benjamin Franklin, the original blogger, wrote an essay called The Way To Wealth. The essay is basically a collection of advice and adages from 25 years of Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac. I'm presenting it here because most of what Franklin said in 1758 is still applicable today. Especially the themes of hard work and frugality. Here are some notable … [Read more...] about Personal Finance Advice From 1758
