Posts Tagged With ‘ Gordon Stein ’

Looking for a way to reduce loan interest? In a perfect world, we would just pay cash for everything. But sometimes you just need a loan. Maybe you need cash for your business, or Elon wants you to invest on the ground floor of his new company. Perhaps you just need funds for a car or other asset. The compounding effect of borrowed loot is nasty, so it makes sense to look for a way to reduce loan interest. One obvious approach is to do a bit of haggling. On a mortgage or a car loan you might be able to shave off a quarter or a half a percent of interest. Worth a try. Or you could try shopping... Continue Reading

How cool would it be to get free iPhones for life? Dream with me for a minute. Imagine brand new free iPhones every other year. And hey, if we are dreaming anyway, how about a free cell phone plan to go along with it? Pretty sweet. Since everyone likes free stuff, let’s add in $200 gift certificates from Starbucks, Lululemon, Starbucks and Chipotle. Even better. But is this really possible? And why would these companies give all of this away for free? More important, how can you get in on the deal? Most personal finance writers would shoot down the idea of new iPhones every other year, fancy... Continue Reading

Slashing housing costs – a tale of two cities I was chatting with a neighbor here in Cleveland and she mentioned that a friend felt that he was shut out of the housing market due to rising prices. She leaned in for emphasis and added, “In fact, he got outbid by $25,000 on a house recently”. Being from Toronto originally, I had to suppress a snicker. Although I sympathize with her friend’s plight, it felt like her story was missing a zero. Toronto housing bids regularly jump by hundreds of thousands and often sell for $250,000 or more above asking price. That is more than the price... Continue Reading

How to retire richer the lazy way Ok I Didn’t Get That Job At Shopify So No Juicy Stock Options! There are lots of ways to retire richer. You could start selling products in a multilevel marketing scheme (downside: annoyed friends and a garage full of creme rinse, vitamins and car polish). Perhaps you could just pick a new employer with a great stock option plan ( I came in second for a job at Shopify once. Bummer – see stock chart below). Or you could move back home with your parents (Father: “Honey, what’s that smell upstairs?” Mother: “I think it’s our 30 year old.”) Not thrilled... Continue Reading

Earth day – time to fight some home energy thieves Welcome to Earth Day. It’s our worst one so far! The earth is heating up, oceans are rising and forests are ablaze. What a great blog post opening! Who’s still with me? It’s hard for us to totally solve these issues as individuals, but we can all do something. Let’s start by slaying some of those home energy thieves. Saving energy helps green the planet, and adds some green to our wallets. And while energy savings may not be the most exciting topic, some quick projects can improve your financial wellness without giving up anything important.... Continue Reading

Stay sane during Covid It began with a shock as the virus spread, everything closed and markets crashed. Then things got eerily quiet. For a while doom scrolling kept us busy. Then the scramble to set up a home office and learning spaces for the kids. Next came guzzling down Netflix episodes for light drama followed by a US election for even more drama. Most recently we’ve been comparing shots and reactions. But we are all getting weary and it’s time to find new ways to stay sane during Covid. Fine, I mean fun, dining No question our eating has changed a lot. Emphasis on the lot.  Where workday... Continue Reading

Build wealth like the pros! If you’re on a slower path to wealth than you would like, this is the post for you. No wealth whatsoever? Even better. Let’s get you started. There are the special hacks that will help a lot: marrying into money, inheriting a bundle, lottery winnings or working somewhere with a juicy stock option plan. If none of those are in the cards, not to worry. Turns out, there are just 4 factors to tweak to build wealth like the pros. Which one is the biggest issue for you? Read on and let’s find out! Factor 1 – Rate of return As you save money and invest those funds... Continue Reading

Why your investments aren’t growing What an awesome year for investors! The Dow Jones Index is up 58% in the last year. Rank amateurs are striking it rich. Your Uber driver, plumber and urologist are all making zillions! Investing has become a way better fad than the Macarena, the Ice Bucket Challenge and even fidget spinners. And everyone is crushing it except, maybe, you. Let’s look at the 5 reasons why your investments aren’t growing and everyone else’s are: 1. Everyone else’s aren’t growing It’s a bit like Facebook. Remember Ronnie’s post about getting demoted at work? No?... Continue Reading

Save big on home improvements In the olden days, pre 2020, we all paid scant attention to the condition of our homes. Back then, we focused on the snack we were grabbing in the kitchen, the dog we were leashing for a stroll and the barbecue out on the deck. Now that we are all held in house arrest without bail, we are starting to see the aging kitchen from which the snack came, the scratched floor underneath the dog and the rotting deck under the barbecue. At virtual dinner parties and Zoom wine hours, the conversations turn to home improvements. And with our Stimulus stipends spent, we are all... Continue Reading

Reduce bill anxiety! Ugh. There it is. That gnawing feeling that there is something not so good in your finances. Maybe you have a sense that you missed a past due bill? Perhaps a fear that those last few purchases put you into overdraft? Or maybe there is a masked money monster on your desk, lurking under a jumble of bills, bank statements, cat toys, tax receipts, charging cables and lint. Whatever the situation, let’s permanently reduce bill anxiety in your household. Let’s start by setting up your money into 3 pots: Reduce Bill Anxiety With 3 Pots Of Money Your Savings Pot Your Savings... Continue Reading