Month: April 2015

Is The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side?

April 30, 2015

I just changed to LED light bulbs, and here is why

April 28, 2015

One important aspect of frugality is energy efficiency, as this can save you a ton of money of the long haul and significantly lower your carbon footprint. Taking public transport or biking to work is a great way to limit your energy wastage, while making energy efficiencies at home can significantly help as well. In this regard, I just changed all my light bulbs in my new house from the old incandescent bulbs to LEDs. The reason is because Continue Reading

Should you save to buy House or build up your 401K?

April 26, 2015

I just bought my first house in November last year, and was definitely suffering from the dilemma of should I save up to buy a home or put the money in my 401K. If you have the same situation I would suggest that there are a couple of different questions you have to ask yourself before you can get a clear answer. The first revolves around are you looking to move soon? I.e. do you like your employer or do you think you can move onto pastures new that may have better opportunities. Continue Reading

Five Key Reasons for Not Buying a Home

April 25, 2015

Buying a home can provide many benefits beyond have a place to live that you can call your own, such as creating a forced savings plan. However, buying a home is not necessarily for everyone. For example, I rented for quite a while since coming to the US, as I wasn’t sure about my job and house prices where I lived in California were through the roof (excuse the pun) in the previous decade. I couldn’t see much value in buying a home at the time, and fortunately renting allowed me to escape this housing bubble. Thus, I would suggest it may not always be in your best financial interests to buy a home, and such key reasons for not buying include: Continue Reading

House hacking to live mortgage free

April 24, 2015

I very much enjoy listening to the bigger pockets podcasts as one of my strategies to learn more about real estate. I keep hearing the statistic everywhere that eight out of ten millionaires in the US made it through real estate. Also, ‘the trend is your friend’ so I guess getting into real estate in the correct manner potentially can bring you much wealth. Well one term that Brandon Turner who is one of the co-hosts of the bigger pockets show, uses a lot is “house hacking”, and what this means is Continue Reading

Protecting What Matters: Essential Tips for Recording Your Personal Property for Insurance

April 14, 2015

No one likes to think about disaster striking and losing their personal property, but it’s a possibility that we must prepare for. Whether it’s a natural disaster, fire, or theft, losing your belongings can be devastating. That’s why it’s important to have insurance to protect your assets. However, insurance companies require proof of ownership and the value of your possessions to process a claim. This is where recording your personal property comes in handy. It’s vital to accurately document your belongings to ensure you receive the proper compensation from your insurance company.

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The True Cost of Raising a Child: Debunking the USDA Estimates

April 7, 2015

Raising a child is one of the most rewarding experiences in life, but it can also be one of the most expensive. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) releases an annual report on the cost of raising a child, which is often used as a benchmark for budgeting for new parents. However, many parents question the accuracy of these estimates and wonder if they are truly reflective of the actual costs of raising a child. In this post, we will take a closer look at the true cost of raising a child and debunk some of the USDA estimates.