Goodbye, physical US savings bonds! Per this TreasuryDirect announcement, the US Treasury will no longer allow to you to buy an additional $5,000 in paper Series I savings bonds each year with your tax refund, effective January 1st, 2025. (If you … [Read the rest]
Paper US Savings Bonds with Federal Tax Returns Eliminated
Posted on September 8, 2024 // 2 Comments
Last updated: September 8, 2024
DirecTV and Disney Dispute: Request $30 Service Credit
Posted on September 8, 2024 // 3 Comments
If you have DirecTV and are affected by their failed contract negotiations and subsequent loss of ESPN and other Disney-owned channels, they are quietly offering a $30 bill credit, supposedly enough such you can sign up for Sling TV via this special … [Read the rest]
Last updated: September 8, 2024
Stock Valuation Methods – Are They Historically High in 2024?
Posted on September 5, 2024 // 4 Comments
US stock returns have been doing quite well, and my brokerage statement numbers keep going up. Should I be worried? Here are some ways that people try to measure whether stock valuations are cheap or expensive, along with some current numbers as … [Read the rest]
Last updated: September 5, 2024
Acknowledging Our Feelings About Stock Market Wobbles
Posted on September 4, 2024 // 2 Comments
I read far too many parenting books, and now I know it is important to acknowledge our feelings. That doesn't mean we can respond however we want, be we should be conscious and identify the feelings when they arrive. Adults could extend this the … [Read the rest]
Last updated: September 4, 2024
Mint Mobile Security: Improve Login Security with Authenticator Apps & Number Lock
Posted on September 2, 2024 // 1 Comment
I still use Mint Mobile for cell service, now paying $240 a year ($20 a month) for 15 GB of data each month. (There is usually a promo for new customers, I think 3 months free if you buy 3 months.) I upgraded from the lower 5GB tier in order to let … [Read the rest]
Last updated: September 2, 2024
Easy, Free Delta SkyMiles for Washington State Residents
Posted on August 29, 2024 // 2 Comments
Back again for new NFL season; Everyone must re-enroll. If you are a resident of Washington state and age 18+ (as indicated by your Skymiles account), you can register at www.12status.com and receive the following perks from Delta … [Read the rest]
Last updated: August 29, 2024
Morningstar Target Date Retirement Fund Report 2024: Highlights for DIY Investors
Posted on August 28, 2024 // 1 Comment
Morningstar recently released its 2024 Target-Date Strategy Landscape Report (free download with e-mail address). This is mostly targeted at industry professionals as opposed to individual investors, but I still like to read through it each year. … [Read the rest]
Last updated: August 28, 2024
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Credit Card Review: 75,000 Bonus Miles (Limited-Time Offer)
Posted on August 26, 2024 // 7 Comments
Limited-time offer increase to 75k. The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is the co-branded American Airlines card from Citi. Here are the updated card highlights: 75,000 American Airlines miles after $3,500 in … [Read the rest]
Last updated: December 12, 2024
IRS Identity Protection PIN: Opt-In to Prevent Tax Return Scams
Posted on August 26, 2024 // 9 Comments
The next step of my "hardening" against identity theft was to obtain an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) from the IRS. The common scam here is that someone with your name, address, and Social Security Number will file a tax return before you do, and … [Read the rest]
Last updated: August 25, 2024
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Review: 90,000 Bonus Points worth $1,125 Towards Travel
Posted on August 24, 2024 // 2 Comments
Business credit cards can be used by self-employed or side-gig workers with eBay, Amazon, Etsy, Uber/Lyft, DoorDash/Grubhub, Adsense or other 1099 income that make you a sole proprietorship. The card_name has an improved 90,000 point bonus for new … [Read the rest]
Last updated: January 16, 2025
Berkshire Hathaway Asset Allocation: What’s Inside a Share of BRK.B?
Posted on August 22, 2024 // 9 Comments
Whether you are a Berkshire Hathaway shareholder or just curious about what Warren Buffett's "masterpiece" looks like today, here is an interesting graphic from Sherwood News. Essentially, this is the asset allocation of BRK.B, broken down into … [Read the rest]
Last updated: August 22, 2024
Why I Finally Froze All of My Credit Reports
Posted on August 21, 2024 // 19 Comments
For the first time in forever, I have frozen all of my credit reports at the three major credit bureaus (Equifax Freeze, Experian Freeze, TransUnion Freeze). The balance between the guaranteed hassle of maintaining a credit freeze and the potential … [Read the rest]
Last updated: August 20, 2024
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