I will be 68 years old in 2034. That’s the year that the latest Social Security budget forecast says it will start to run out of money and be unable to pay its full benefits. I will only have been receiving the benefits for 1 year at that point. Related: Social Security Running Out Sooner Than Expected It may not seem like an urgent matter, … Continue reading Social Security Waning
Our puppy chewed up the corner of one of our bath mats this week. He doesn’t do that too often anymore. We’re not sure why he suddenly gnawed it up. It wasn’t a big loss as it gave us a chance to look for a new one. We went to Macy’s at the mall yesterday because they seemed to have a big selection. It’s hard … Continue reading Pricing Too Good To Last
In investing, it is often better to be lucky than right. I was very lucky with some predictions that I made this exact week last year and doubly lucky that the market didn’t behave the way I thought it would! Simply put, I predicted that Biden would win the Presidency, that there was a good chance the Democrats would take Congress, and they would work … Continue reading Great Timing (Accidentally)
Not a lot of time to write today – we’re heading to California this week to see our son. I thought I would just relay this short story about our restaurant bill this weekend that borders on fraudulent – but is becoming more & more common. Our tab came to a little over $50 – with tax – on Saturday night and we noticed a … Continue reading A Good Meal Spoiled …
I went to buy a Coke at a convenience store this week and the clerk accidentally said “good morning” when it was already pushing 1pm. When she realized her mistake, she happily said, “I guess time is going by fast … which is good for me!” Such is the nature of selling your time to your employer (or your clients). Time going by fast should … Continue reading Don’t Wish Your Time Away
That’s a picture of the pool house in our neighborhood. Our development is a great place for raising kids, although we are out of that business now. Other people our age are starting to move to smaller places. Sometimes we feel like we should downsize too, but I don’t think the benefits play out very well for us in today’s housing market. We’ve looked around. … Continue reading No Benefit To Downsize
Every few months, my wife will have me transfer money into our main ‘household’ checking account. It’s the account that groceries, utilities, and everyday expenses get paid out of, so it’s always running dry. I have a few accounts to pull $$$ from, including our one big money market savings account. Our smaller accounts have gotten so small over our first five years of retirement … Continue reading Sweep Up Loose Accounts
Among the financial tasks I never seem to get to dealing with is a fun one: spending gift cards that I’ve thoughtfully been given. I heard on the news the other day that half of Americans have unspent gift cards at home – averaging $116. I’m part of that group, although I would guess I have more $$$ tied up than the average. Many of … Continue reading Gift Card Procrastination
If you are like me, you have seen first-hand the struggle many businesses – especially restaurants – are having hiring enough employees right now. An acquaintance who owns a prestigious restaurant company in our metro area said they are so short-handed, they are running at only 50% capacity. As a result, I’ve been tipping extra since the pandemic began last year. I like restaurants and … Continue reading Eating Out & Tipping Trends
For someone that writes a personal finance blog and loves driving, you would think I would be more attuned to gasoline prices than I am. My wife can always tell you what the current gas prices are, but I seldom even notice how much I’ve paid to fill the tank. If you also haven’t been paying attention, gas prices are up almost a full dollar … Continue reading Concerned About Gas Prices Yet?
MrFireStation 