Finance

Category Archives for Finance.

I Use Miles Because I Won’t Pay Revenue Prices… Right?!

by Harlan 10 Comments

Also see:

Correct me if I’m being thick because I definitely have my “forest for the trees” moments.

Meaning of value... are you in there? Oh, there you are.

Meaning of value… are you in there? Oh, there you are.

I read an article on Point Me to the Plane about a flight that got 2.5 cents per Delta mile.

Then the comments read: if you wouldn’t pay cash for the flights, that’s not how much the points/miles are worth.

But… I use points and miles for flights and hotels specifically because I won’t pay cash for them.

In fact, I’ve planned entire trips (like Hawaii, Paris, RTW/Australia, and Eurotrip 2014 in Lufthansa First Class) that I would’ve never paid for if it weren’t for points and miles.

a screenshot of an airline

I did NOT pay $7,243 for this flight… but I did pay 40,000 Avios + $453 in fuel surcharges. So what are the points worth?

I thought… that was the “point” of points and miles? 

Targeting aspiration AKA value

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SmarterBucks & Radius Bank Unlimited 1% Cash Back Toward Student Loan Debt

by Harlan 1 Comment

In my exploration of new MS techniques, I stumbled across something else that could be potentially useful for some.

I’ve written about the whole PayPal debit card/My Cash/RadPad combo.

As you guys know, the PayPal Business Debit MasterCard earns unlimited 1% cash back in your PayPal account. It does work with RadPad and does NOT work with Evolve Money (in the sense that you’re charged a 3% fee for using it).

But some peeps don’t like the PayPal-ness of it all, as they’ve been known to shut down accounts after sending warning emails.

So enter…

SmarterBucks and Radius Bank

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Airbnb: Us and Them

by Harlan 3 Comments

Also see:

Many strong opinions

Many strong opinions

I’ve been meaning to talk about this for a while because it seems like there’s a lot of opinions about Airbnb these days.

Specifically, I’d like to talk about what it’s like being an Airbnb host, how it’s been staying at Airbnbs as a guest, and all the others that think it’s a great thing… and a terrible thing.

The users

People who book lodging on Airbnb tend to be millennials who aren’t looking for a traditional hotel.

The downsides:

  • You won’t receive points for your stay
  • There may or may not be a “welcome amenity”
  • There are NO “upgrades” – WYSIWYG
  • There may or may not be breakfast included
  • You’re at the mercy of an individual

The upsides: 

  • If you need multiple beds or rooms, it’s much cheaper than a traditional hotel suite
  • You can stay in real neighborhoods as opposed to tourist areas, and feel like a local
  • When it’s good, it’s great. People I’ve met are open and kind, and I didn’t miss the hotel experience
  • It’s usually more private. No elevators and desk areas to pass through
  • More negotiation is possible, especially in the off-season or for longer stays
  • Lots of obscure locations where there might not be hotels – get a unique experience

Now, if your host doesn’t show up to let you in or leaves you hanging… that’s a pretty bad scenario. Fortunately, Airbnb has lots of verification systems, and heavily encourage reviews.

Bleep happens of course, but when you’re coming off a long flight, you don’t want an excuse, you want to get in and settled.

Most hosts I know have a Plan B. And a Plan C. And a… yeah.

When I’ve stayed at Airbnbs, I’ve never had an issue getting in.

Be communicative, give a heads up if you’re delayed, and stay in touch. It’s all about the little things, but they go a long way.

Considering a suite in a hotel can be over $1,000, you can save yourself a bundle of money by booking an Airbnb. Especially in expensive cities like New York or San Francisco.

The hosts

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Is Living In Cities Worth It?

by Harlan 6 Comments

I recently discovered a blog called Financial Samurai that got me thinking. Particularly the articles about living in cities:

I’ve mentioned before that living in New York forever might not be in the cards for me as part of my path toward FIRE.

It’s simply a shift in priorities.

The Good Things About Living in Cities

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A Few Apps + Sites I Like to Save Money

by Harlan 12 Comments

a close-up of a sign

Also see: 

I’ve been posting these piecemeal but wanted to get them all on the same page.

save money with apps

Yep, save real money

As you guys know, I’ve been getting into FIRE (financial independence, retire early) and am try to cut costs wherever possible.

So I’ve been exploring new websites and apps beyond the usual points and miles stuff, and wanted to share them.

Ibotta

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In Praise of Humble Beginnings

by Harlan 10 Comments

I was reading an article called “How to invest even if you’re treading water financially” via Get Rich Slowly and a certain part jumped out at me (bolding and links mine):

“Don’t despise small beginnings.
The first steps in any endeavor are humble. Gustave Eiffel, famous today for his tower in Paris and the Statue of Liberty, started as an unpaid assistant in a foundry. Setting aside $10 a month might feel meaningless: “What difference can that ever make?” That’s wrong. It makes a difference in many ways:

Start somewhere

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Getting FIREd Up

by Harlan 9 Comments

Also see: 

This is an out-of-control flaming emergency, according to Mr. Money Mustache

I have an out-of-control flaming emergency, according to Mr. Money Mustache

I recently wrote about life changes that I thought might happen… soon.

Well, even though Mercury was retrograde, nothing stopped chugging along. In fact, everything got a swift kick in the butt. And now life is different.

I’ve been getting used to the new rhythm. It feels so different. And it’s given me a chance to review where I’m at and how I want to move forward.

What is FIRE?

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Ibotta: Get Cash Back When You Shop

by Harlan 4 Comments

a group of plastic bottles with a pump

So… I’ve been getting into coupons lately. And ways to get cashback or maximize my spend as much as possible. I recently wrote about Paribus, which has already saved me some money on Amazon purchases.

And today, in my internet wanderings, I kept seeing this app mentioned over and over: Ibotta.

ibotta review

Loving Ibotta

I’ve already added it to the Services I Like page, but wanted to do a quick article about it, too.

What the hee haw is Ibotta?

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Is the Fidelity Amex the best cashback card in the universe?

by Harlan 22 Comments

<3

<3

Sorry for the hyperbole slash clickbait-y title. I thought I was being on trend.

But seriously, I love this card. I’m close to being obsessed with it:

We all love our points and miles. But I’ve been reading about straight cashback cards for a sec now, and the poor Fidelity Amex always gets swept under the rug.

Well no longer. This card is a gem. It has so much going for it. And it might just be the ace in the back pocket of cashback cards, which by default makes it the best cashback card in the universe.

Let me extoll the ways

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Use Paribus to Get Money Back If There’s a Price Change

by Harlan 14 Comments

I forget where I saw the link. I think I clicked through something from Twitter and fell into the rabbit hole of the internet. But it ended up being a good thing, because I found this new service called Paribus.

What it is and how it works

paribus service

How Paribus works

Paribus is a service that monitors price changes for you at 18 (so far) popular merchants. If there’s a price drop, Paribus submits a price adjustment claim on your behalf. And the merchants included are some good ones:

  • Athleta
  • Banana Republic
  • Best Buy
  • Bloomingdale’s
  • Bonobos
  • Gap
  • J.Crew
  • Macy’s
  • Newegg.com
  • Nordstrom
  • Old Navy
  • Piperlime
  • Sephora
  • Staples
  • Target
  • Walmart
  • Zappos.com

To get started, you can sign up for free. You connect the email account where you get your receipts. It monitors your inbox for receipts and keeps a log of your purchases.

All my Amazon purchases

All my Amazon purchases

If there’s a price change on anything you bought, they ask for an adjustment for you. The service is free to use. You link a credit or debit card to your account and they’ll issue the refund in the form of a statement credit (they use Stripe as a payment processor).

This can be easy – and maybe unexpected – money coming your way.

The fact that it’s free to sign up makes it a no-brainer. And I must say I’m impressed with the merchants they are starting with.

I could see this being super useful around the holidays when so many prices are being slashed left and right for Black Friday shoppers.

Keep in mind that Paribus still has to follow the price adjustment rules of each individual merchant.

The CamelCamelCamel angle

CamelCamelCamel is a website that tracks items for sale on Amazon.com. They keep records of historically low prices for everything. So you plug in the item you have your eye on and it tells whether or not the price might drop based on previous trends.

If you buy your things from Amazon while they’re at their lowest, you won’t have to even utilize Paribus. You’d simply save the money upfront, which is always good too. But even if the price of something you bought drops even more, Paribus would be there to get a price adjustment for you.

I can see these 2 services being super useful for savvy web online shoppers when used in conjunction with one another.

Bottom line

Thought I’d share what I learned about Paribus. It’s free and easy to sign up, so you really have nothing to lose.

Does anyone else already use Paribus or CamelCamelCamel to track prices and shop? Would love to hear thoughts about either service as I am still new to both.  And of course any others that are super handy slash in the same vein as these. Let me know in the comments below!

The 10% Plan: Save 10 Percent of Everything You Make

by Harlan 10 Comments

10% of everything!

10% of everything!

I’ve started a new savings routine that is blowing me out of the water. That sounds weird to say, but it’s true. It’s an idea I directly lifted from a book called “The Automatic Millionaire” by David Bach.

The crux of the idea is that you put 10% of everything you make into a savings or retirement account. Everything.

If someone hands you a dollar, you put a dime into savings. You make $1,000, well, $100 goes into your savings account. 10%, all the time. From the savings account, you can distribute the money in a few ways:

  • Leave it in there to serve as a cushion (it’s a good idea to have 3-6 months of expenses saved)
  • Transfer to IRA
  • Save up for a goal (down payment on a car/house, repairs/renovations, etc)
  • Pay down student loans or other debts
  • Simply save it for peace of mind

After I read “The Automatic Millionaire” I started putting this into practice. It’s been about 2 months by now, and I’m kind of amazed at how much I’ve already been able to save – automatically.

It also signaled a shift in my mindset.

Why 10%?

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