August has come and gone, and fall is right around the corner. Our August paychecks (26¢!) finally made it to our checking account, and we’re a little sad. Why? August represents our final paychecks from our latest “crappy job.” We still have health and dental insurance for one more month, but on October 1st we’re officially … [Read more…]
I have an important family issue to take care of, so I’m just going to post a net worth update. I’ll let the numbers do the talking. The take away is that last month we added $9,450 to our 457 ($6,000) and 403b ($3,450) accounts. As always, hardcore savings saves the day. We will have three more … [Read more…]
Nota Bene: This is a post that I wrote for Dan Otter at 403bwise.com back in 2013. Dan has led the charge in the area of 403b / 457 reform at the K-12 level. His site is a must for all teachers; check out our podcast interview below. Other 403b reformers meriting a visit are: Scott Dauenhauer and Steve … [Read more…]
Around 1992 I had a great plan. First, I was going to graduate school to earn two degrees: an M.B.A. and an M.A. in TESOL. After that, I figured that I would go to Brazil and open up a language school. Eventually, I would find a beautiful Brazilian wife, and we’d live happily ever after. … [Read more…]
Crappy Jobs or Bust! Summer greetings to my dozens of loyal readers! As you know, no one loves a “crappy” job more than this guy. Unfortunately, over the last two years I’ve been very busy with my latest job, and it severely cut into my blogging. Well, last week I worked my last day at … [Read more…]
Like my buddy the Mad Fientist, I’m a huge advocate of front-loading. If that’s a new term for you, this post is going to show you the hidden power of your paycheck. A quick search of the term “front-loading” offers this definition: the process of “distributing or allocating (costs, effort, etc.) unevenly, with the greater … [Read more…]
As a teacher, I value education to the utmost. Over my lifetime, I have earned four degrees, learned a few languages, and read a ton of books. In my eyes, obtaining knowledge is fun, motivating and life-changing. However, these days I have a real problem with higher education and its runaway costs. In its current form, higher … [Read more…]
Like most inhabitants of Earth, we love technology in all its forms. We have computers, smart phones, tablets, a Roku (for our 2002 unsmart TV) and a Wii. Of course, we need an Internet connection to bring the world into our home, so an Internet connection is a must. After enjoying a one-year introductory rate … [Read more…]
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my trillions of readers out there! With 2015 almost gone and 2016 right around the corner, it’s time to 1.) see how we did last year and 2.) establish some goals for the upcoming year. 2015 Results A year ago I wrote that our goal was … [Read more…]
Greetings to my dozens of readers out there. Because of the surging stock market, our high savings rate, and our frugal lifestyle, we’re slowly approaching our goal of amassing a net worth of $1 million. Currently, we have a net worth of approximately $900,000, so, barring a total meltdown of the U.S. economy, it looks … [Read more…]