Tipping During a Pandemic: Should You Tip More for Takeout?

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After I finished giving my take out order over the phone to a local restaurant, the voice on the other end asked, “Do you want to add a tip for the team?” I normally add 10% for takeout orders, which I viewed as an acceptable amount. But I wondered in the age of COVID-19, if and how the rules have changed for tipping during a pandemic. Before the pandemic, many viewed the social norm was tipping for takeout was appreciated but not necessarily expected. Readying an order for pickup isn’t as time consuming as checking in periodically with a table […] Read more »

How Difficult Is It to Predict the Economy and Why Bother Anyway?

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Couple of days ago I came across a study that made me ask myself the question ‘hoe difficult is it to predict the economy’. I realise that one reasonable response to this question is ‘why we care, anyway’. Before I tell you how, I believe, expectation regarding the economy affect our lives – and therefore predictions of economic conditions are important – let me tell you about the study I found. This study was carried out by ETX Capital and used Government statistics about GDP Growth Rate, CPI Inflation and the Sterling Index over three years. What the study aimed […] Read more »

Is Bitcoin a Financial Bubble and Does This Matter in All Things Money

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People who like money, and like talking about making it, are currently divided along an issue that is hard limit. It is called Bitcoin; or if we extend it a bit, it brings under the same umbrella many crypto currencies. There are the trusting optimists who dabble and believe crypto currencies are a splendid opportunity to make some money though not all consider these a viable, long term investment. There are also the doubting cynics who are standing on side-lines repeating that crypto currencies are a financial bubble. Which camp do you belong to? I am with the dabblers while […] Read more »

13 Essential Things You Must Do When You Lose Your Job

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13 Essential Things You Must Do When You Lose Your Job

It stinks to lose your job!  Losing your job is one of those things that can completely upend your life, causing tremendous stress and a loss of confidence if you let it. Conversely, sudden unemployment can also be an opportunity for a new direction or a whole new career.  Either way, you have to take control over your situation if you want to move forward successfully. In this post I’ll show you 13 essential things you must do when you lose your job.  You’ll also discover some awesome resources that’ll help you find your next job or transition into a […] Read more »

2 Ways to Make Your Money Work for You in Time of Financial Volatility

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Have you noticed that your money is making much less money than it used to? I’ve been watching this get more and more serious over the last decade or so. Even if you have no direct experience of that – though I do hope that you all have some savings and investments – you couldn’t have missed the mainstream media headlines. Inevitably these are dressed in drama, fear and exaggeration though there is a kernel of truth in them. See for yourselves: ‘Devastating’ blow for prudent Brits as almost 300 accounts have interest rates slashed Interest rate massacre: scores of […] Read more »

How to Get Ahead If You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck (Part 2)

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get ahead living paycheck to paycheck

In the first article in the series, I covered eight things that might cause you to end up trapped in a paycheck to paycheck life. In this second post, I’m going to show you a few things you can do to get your finances under control, stop spending more than you make, and end the paycheck to paycheck cycle for good. If you read the last article, at this point you’ve probably figured out some of the top reasons why you’re struggling financially. Once you understand those reasons, I explained that it was important to get your mindset right and […] Read more »

How to Get Ahead if You’re Living Paycheck to Paycheck

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get ahead living paycheck to paycheck

Some recent studies showed that more than two thirds of people are living paycheck to paycheck at least some of the time. That’s pretty incredible! It seems to be getting harder and harder to keep your head above water financially, and there is no lack of reasons why that’s happening. Some of it is because our attitudes about money have changed over the years.  Some of it is also because of the changing economy, and some of it is probably due to the fact that the world is rapidly changing, and some are getting left behind because they refuse to […] Read more »

5 Killer Ways to Make Money, Even in This Economy

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Make Extra Money

Are you needing to make some extra jack because you’re having trouble making ends meet in this difficult economy?  If you’ve already cut expenses to the bone and done everything else you can to use what you have wisely, then here are a few tips you can use to make some extra money that you can do immediately that can help get your bills caught up, and start paying down that debt.  Some of these are just common sense and some you might not have ever thought about, but all of them can make you some extra money to get […] Read more »

Weathering Economic Recessions – One Man’s Approach

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Many of us are wondering when we’re going to punch our way out of this economic recession we’ve been wallowing in for the past five years or so. It’s anyone’s guess, but I’d say we’re going to be in it for quite a while, and perhaps it will get even worse, simply because so many of us only learn the hard way. It seems we insist on repeating failed behavior patterns largely because they’re what we know and are comfortable with. Failure to obtain different results by doing the same thing again and again apparently has no bearing on the matter; we do it anyway. Read more »

Financial Asset Management – A Different Perspective

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Almost crayon level financial asset management

When it comes to my abilities in the arena of financial asset management, I don't consider myself to be more than a couple of notches above the crayon level. Although I've been free of debt for quite some time now, it's not because I'm a financial wizard, it's mostly because of my natural inclination to aim high and be financially conservative. If you listen to my sweetheart Ellen, she might also suggest that I have some sort of a crystal ball. Whatever the case may be, I'd like to offer a different perspective on wealth preservation in light of what I see as our ever-changing economic climate. I think you'll find much of this discussion to be applicable, regardless of where you might be in terms of debt. Read more »

How to Deal With Taking a Pay Cut

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In the last few years our economy has taken quite a hit.  This has resulted in pay cuts and layoffs around the country.  Perhaps you have been affected by this and are now struggling to live off of lower pay.  If readjusting to a less luxurious lifestyle is proving to be a challenge, there are a few simple things you can do to ease the strain. Try to offset your primary expenses by cutting back elsewhere.  This means that if you are still committed to a lease or are paying off loans and are unable to reduce the monthly costs […] Read more »

These Are the Times!

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“These are the times that try men’s souls!” These often remembered words of Thomas Paine were written in “The Crisis” a series of articles published during the American Revolutionary War. On December 23, 1776, when Paine wrote these words he described in detail the time of the revolution. He began the closing to this article with the following quote: “I thank God, that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear. I know our situation well, and can see the way out of it.” Despite the drastic and incomprehensible moves of the market, with all indices falling substantially […] Read more »

A Lost Decade, Really?

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We’ve heard so much about the “lost decade” we may feel investing for the long-term is foolish. Numerous articles suggest the tried and true method of asset allocation is dead. “Buy Gold!” “Buy gold, guns, and two years worth of food” “Time the market” “Buy bonds, sell stocks!” But, did investors really lose a decade? Most people, particularly those working off debt, invest mainly in their 401k or other retirement plan. Few limit their investments to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (30 stocks), or the S&P 500, both representing large US based companies. The fund choices within a retirement plan […] Read more »

Brad & J’s 2010 Christmas Stimulus WINNERS!

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Photo Credit: www.metaphoricalplatypus.com Merry Christmas everyone!!4 Days Left! I am so very happy to announce the winners of Brad & J’s 2010 Christmas Stimulus!! First, I’d like to thank each and every one of you for giving me a reason to continue blogging. It’s because of you that I have been able to do this for almost 3 years now! I NEVER imagined that I would ever have a blog, let alone end up with nearly 1000 subscribers! You ROCK! I LOVE YOU ALL! In 2010, I added 600 subscribers, and in 2011 I fully intend on stepping up my […] Read more »