The failure of the Silicon Valley Bank – and subsequent other banks – garnered all of the headlines this week. Like many of you, I’m sure, my simple response was to double-check that none of our bank accounts had more than the FDIC $250K in them. I didn’t expect we had that much parked anywhere, but worth double-checking, I figured. We were, as expected, good. … Continue reading Banking Mess Involvement
I’m turning 57 this year, which certainly means I’m on the downhill side of the mountain. Not just in age / likely lifespan, but also in annual spending. This JP Morgan chart shows ‘the other side of the mountain’ in spending. The average American household slows spending quite a bit as they age … more than I would have guessed. I’m seeing a pretty steady … Continue reading Heading Down The Hill …
It’s been about three years since the start of the pandemic. I’m not sure if it’s officially over yet, but Americans have returned to their old financial behavior: save little & charge much. Here are two charts I came across recently that paint the ugly picture. First, the US Savings rate fell to 4.7% in December (well below the 8.8% pre-pandemic average) … Second, it’s … Continue reading Americans Less Financially Resilient Than Ever?
(This is NOT a sales pitch / associate link article) I’m back to trying the travel hacking again. I started rotating credit cards and banking miles before the pandemic interrupted everything, but quit when everything shut down. A few friends suggested I start again, and I just signed up for a new Delta/American Express Reserve Card. This is the first card I’ve had where I … Continue reading Taking Flight
In Celebration, Florida – not far from where we stay in Margaritaville resort – there is a great looking Italian restaurant. We have never eaten there. For me, Italian food is perfect for cold weather, not the Florida sunshine. I can think of a number of good comfort, food restaurants like that in Florida. Never been to any of them. For me, the four food … Continue reading Florida Four Food Groups
Our friends and us sometimes debate the “vibe” of snowbirding in Florida versus Arizona. I would guess that about 2/3rds of our friends opt for Florida and 1/3 opt for Arizona. We were undecided until a few years ago when my wife noted that although we’ve been to both many times, when we’ve chosen Florida over Arizona at about a 3:1 ratio for vacations over … Continue reading Sunshine State Snowbirding Vibe
The headlines are full of celebrities & athletes who blow through their millions and often end up broke. They live an indulgent & colorful lifestyle that quickly catches up with them. That’s why it’s great to see a colorful character like Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, who managed to save 80% of his NFL career earnings. To save money he even lived at the Cincinnati Bengals’ stadium … Continue reading Staying In The Pocket
My wife was appointed executor of her father’s Will after his passing earlier this month. It’s a daunting role that starts immediately and lasts until all bills are paid and assets distributed. For us, there is a lot to learn, but she is approaching it as her last opportunity to honor her father’s wishes. Here are seven key things we’ve learned that an executor of … Continue reading Executor Role Overview
Our January-March snowbirding trip was sadly interrupted by a family emergency two weeks ago. My wife’s father passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully. After the funeral, we decided to come back to Florida for a couple more weeks and flew back yesterday. In doing so, we found ourselves oddly packing for the same exact trip we packed for last month. I consider myself an expert packer, … Continue reading Packing – It’s Always Something
Mr. FireStation has been tied up with a family emergency over the last week. Coincidentally, regular reader, “Klaus” Wentzel offered to step in with a post, which was great. Klaus and I have never actually met in real life, but he often shares very insightful comments. This post is based on one of his observations from a couple years ago that is relevant today. Thanks, … Continue reading What is Your Household’s Largest Budget Item?
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