This Is What It’s Like to Get Hitched On The Cheap
I was listening to a Dave Ramsey podcast episode on my way to work when a caller asked: what’s a reasonable wedding budget for a couple on Baby Step 2? That’s Ramsey-speak for someone still trying to pay off debt besides the mortgage. And, one of the co-hosts, George Kamel, …
Is it Better to Visit a Dying Loved One or Just Attend the Funeral?
As I write this, I’m at Hamad airport in Qatar awaiting my flight to Manila for the third time this year. The last one was less than a month ago primarily to see my dying father alive for the last time. Then he actually died, which prompted me at the …
Last Instruction to My Beautiful Wife (maybe you should write one too)
When it comes to managing the household finances, there are two types of wives: those who want to always be on top and take charge, and those who would rather submit to their husbands. Since my wife falls into the latter category, I felt compelled to write her this letter. …
Should You Marry for Love or Money? Why Not Both?
If you are reasonably attractive, your shortest path to wealth could be to marry for money. But should you? The old joke is to marry some rich old man (or woman) and marry for love after they die. But that only makes you a glorified prostitute. Since Valentine’s Day just …
How to Teach Your Xbox Obsessed Kids About Money and Investing
My son once told me he someday wants to earn big bucks working for Microsoft. “So you want to be a software developer like me?” I asked. “No, I want to be a cashier; that’s where the money is!” he quipped. That’s when he was nine. Kids this age have …
Being in a “Position of F— You” Gave Me the Power to Say No
What is the best thing about being financially independent? It puts you in a “Position of Fuck You.” Once you have enough money, you don’t need a boss— nobody can tell you what to do. Or, if you wish to remain employed, nobody can tell you where to do your …
Why Married Couples Who Combine Finances Get Richer
When my wife and I first dated, I had to fly to Dallas to see her. She offered that I stay in her apartment while she goes back to work, which I accepted without hesitation. I was too cheap to get a hotel room. A whirlwind romance followed, I proposed, …
Why Would a Suicidal Man Murder His Family?
You’ve seen it in the news, especially during an economic depression. A man loses his job, gets into a big pile of debt, runs out of options, and then kills himself. In more tragic cases, he takes his whole family with him. If you think having a job is stressful, …
Money Taboo (or why people would rather share their sexual escapades than talk about money)
Not long ago, my wife asked me if she could share on her Facebook thread that we’ve paid off the house. My knee jerk reaction was a big N-O! Money is supposed to be taboo— people would rather share their sexual escapades than talk about money. Along with sex, religion, …
Life Lessons from the Korean Movie “Parasite”
If you haven’t seen the movie, Parasite, give yourself a treat and do so while you’re on quarantine. The Korean black comedy-thriller was the biggest winner at the Oscars this year, winning five awards, including Best Picture. The story is about an impoverished family, the Kims, who lived in a …