Category: General Topics

I fly a lot for work and have frequent flyer miles with several airlines around the world. I know the airline industry is being devastated now with all the coronavirus induced travel bans. But I was surprised when I got the following note from Virgin Airlines - You may be…

Answer: About 17 percent according to a report by the Tax Foundation. This figure is based on the average U.S. wireless bill and includes the amount for federal, state and local taxes and fees. Larger metros not surprisingly have higher than average wireless taxes on their residents. In New York City…

In this blog I mainly write about topics related to saving, making and spending money. But I don't write often enough about giving away money. Especially to people less fortunate than most. This was highlighted to me recently when I was at a downtown 7-Eleven where a number of people…

A pretty important debate is taking place at the highest levels of influence in America and it is around the roll-out of free Wi-Fi across the nation. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) supported by major technology companies wants to create a high-speed Wi-Fi network across the nation that will allow consumers…

I moved to the states over five years ago to pursue my graduate degree and for better career opportunities. Before this I was in Australia. Looks like I probably should have stayed where I was according to the latest OECD survey, which ranks Australia as the happiest industrialized nation based…

On a recent, beautiful and unseasonably warm, Saturday I decided to take my 6 year old son and 1 year old daughter to our local town center while my husband was out of town.   After watching the local kids show, part of a St-Patrick’s day festival, my 6 year…

When someone mentioned this proposal to me, I thought it was nuts. Selling the right to live in America for $500,000? But then a quick search revealed that the Senate is indeed considering such an idea as part of a larger bipartisan provision of immigration measures (VISIT-USA Act), co-authored by…

Busy week ahead as investors brace themselves for another wild ride in the markets. Personally, my 401K and investment portfolio have had their 2011 gains wiped out and are down over 10%. I keep telling myself not to sell in panic, but the fear of further falls is unsettling to say…

This site is focused on covering financial topics and the like where making money, saving money and spending money are key themes.  As I research the topics I write about I often come across various articles that talk about the important things in life, and in the vast majority of…

I recently visited some friends for dinner at their new apartment in a large 300 unit complex. After dinner, when I got back to where I had parked I saw the parking space was empty. After a feeling of utter dread and panic, I frantically searched around thinking that perhaps…

I remember getting married many years ago and was stunned by how much one night of dinner, drinks and dancing with 100 of your closest friends and family could cost. Fortunately my parents helped with paying for the wedding, and even thought it was a relatively modest affair it would…

Demand for luxury cars is returning around the world and especially in Wall Street as firms add jobs for the first time in two years and offer guaranteed payouts to attract top bankers. The return of big pay checks and even bigger bonuses (up 17 percent to $123,000 last year)…

We all procrastinate and it is the number reason for us not doing the things we want to get done. I am also guilty of procrastinating on things that I should have done. In this post, I will explore the reasons why I procrastinate, highlight some stuff that I have…