Fab Picks of the Blogosphere: Week 2
As I combed through the PF blogosphere this week, I found myself starring articles from the same blogs more than once. Coincidence maybe, but I think it just goes to show that we have quite a few resourceful people in the PF blogosphere. Here’s what caught my eye:
J.D. answers a reader’s question, should I prepare my own taxes or go to an accountant? I found myself wondering the same thing lately. With the move and half residency in two states, new job, employer relo package, sign on bonus, borderline Roth eligibility with potential over payments, rental property although I resided in the house for half the year, business income/expenses, two W-2s and bunch of 1099s - ugh, it’s all too much!! I love personal finance, but taxes are not my forte.
J.D. also shared ten money saving vacation and travel tips. This article was very timely because I just started researching for our trip to Paris. There’s so much information and it’s all a bit intimidating. I’m actually having second thoughts about a single destination to Paris and may hop on an international cruise ship or something. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing but planning stresses me out.
Johnathan explains (with an illustration) why it’s better to save more (i.e. reduce expenses) than to earn more. He has a very compelling argument too. Of course I think one should do both, but if I had to choose, I’d say earn more. I can only save so much before reaching the bare minimum but my earning potential is unlimited.
Johnathan also shows us how to invest in real estate through REITs. I think this is a smart way to leverage risk while still owning a piece of the American pie. However, I must admit that I own several shares of an REIT (IYR to be exact) and its declining value makes me squirm. The bright side though, I can dump an REIT much faster than I can dump an actual property on the verge of foreclosure.
At Free Money Finance, there was an interesting discussion about government welfare versus personal charity. Who’s responsibility is it to help the needy? Good question. Most people will probably reveal their political affiliation based on the way they answer.
FMF also shares 11 great ways to earn more money. Another timely article since my 2008 goals require that I save half my income. The other half is just enough to cover required living expenses, so Single Ma will be on the grind this year and creating multiple streams of income.
And finally, I ran across this interesting article titled, Yours, Mines, and Ours. My commentary won’t do it any justice, so I’ll just quote pretty Mir, “I don’t care if you work or you stay home; I don’t care if your spouse is a jerk or up for canonization; if you are married, you still need to have at least one bank account and one credit card in your name only.” And let the church say amen!!! LOL
That’s all folx. I’m going to unpack some more (blog) boxes.
~*~*~*~*~*~Work to achieve, not to acquire.
And as always, BE FABULOUS!
4 comments:
-
Fab Picks of the Blogosphere: Week 2 (Pingback), 20 January 2008, 22:51
[…] Fab Picks of the Blogosphere: Week 2 I can only save so much before reaching the bare minimum but my earning potential is unlimited. […]
Write a comment:
Want an image next to your comment? Get your Gravatar here!
Have you read the Fabulous Financials comment policy lately?
RSS Options
Hey SM, I work in the airline industry and I gotta tell you it’s always better to go w/ a cruise. You can save hundreds of dollars on a room, food, and you don’t have to do much research on sightseeing since you can purchase land excursions on the ship. I went last year to Hawaii for $299 a person on Norwegian Cruise Lines. The only extra I paid for was the excursions and other minor expenses. Of course the plane ticket was free for me, but you include that plus a cruise of 4 Hawaiian islands for a week and the price can’t be beat. Since most ships leave domestically you will be saving on a plane ticket, you sleep on the ship, and get unlimited food (or your choice of different restaurants, depending on the ship), and the sightseeing at your fingertips with the purchase of an excursion. And the best part is you usually go to two or more destinations! So if you want to get more bang for the buck, do a cruise.
Hey single ma, with the save more vs earn more article… He is using 50,000 salary as the baseline. I think with Social Security Tax, earnings over 102,000 is no longer taxes. So if you are a high earner you are probably already maxing out your Social Security tax payments.
I think cruises are great if you primarily want relaxation. However, they’re not so great if you actually want to see/experience your destination(s). Most cruises are in port for less than a day (12 hours if you’re lucky) so there isn’t much of a chance to explore. Also, the ports are usually in a “tourist area” which is fine if all you want to do is buy overpriced souvenirs and be able to say you went to X place.
I wouldn’t give up on Paris if I were you but if you find the planning too intimidating or taxing, a travel agent would be a good option. However, don’t just go with any agent. You want to search for someone who specializes in Europe and/or Paris. Otherwise, you’re just paying them to take a shot in the dark which is something you could do on your own.