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Browsing category: Uncategorized

  • February 26, 2013

    Unexpected benefits of couchsurfing (or, how to fall in love with your own country again)

    Unexpected benefits of couchsurfing (or, how to fall in love with your own country again)

    My initiation into the couchsurfing movement was back in about 2008. Our flatmate – a longtime friend of T’s who’d couchsurfed around North America – brought home first a couple (she was from the US, he from Brazil, I think) and later a sole Oregonian girl. I set up my own profile in December – and as it turns out, summer was the perfect time to do it. I thought it’d give us incentive to get out and do stuff around Auckland, and it definitely did – it’s easy to get lazy and lounge around at home, but showing visitors around was amazing.

    Views from a couchsurfing host

    Hosting couchsurfers gives you a new appreciation for your own country and invokes a bit of national pride. T is the opposite of me – so having people around to talk to was good for him. He’s the type of person that knows a little bit of everything, so as well as showing couchsurfers around and introducing them to local food, he was in his element sounding off about the culture, environment, places to go, history … heck, even explaining random facts about wildlife. And I love hearing about how other people live. And of course, we wanted to get active on Couchsurfing before heading off overseas ourselves (where we’ll hopefully be doing a bit, or a lot, of couchsurfing along the way).

    From my point of view, while couchsurfing is about saving money, it’s also about getting an insider’s view – local recommendations and insights you otherwise wouldn’t know about – which is a really important point for us. We did our best to integrate our couchsurfers into our lives, taking them to places we’d normally go – though once we were both back at work, we weren’t able to be so involved with our guests.

    I was amazed by how many requests we got straightaway. We’re not super central – 10 min drive from the city, about 20-30 min by public transport – yet the messages just kept coming! There were new messages every day – summer is peak tourist time, especially for northerners looking to escape winter – and New Year’s seemed a pretty popular time in particular.

    I had to turn down a lot, unfortunately – our calendar quickly filled up and I put a note on my profile to that effect. The requests (mostly) stopped coming, which saved me a lot of time in writing apologetic declines, though it hurt a little to not see new messages in my inbox each time I logged in.

    To start with, we basically hosted three lots of guests in a row for two weeks, then left ourselves a break (time at home with just us, to chill out in the buff, leave the toilet door open, spread our mess everywhere, etc) before hosting any others. Note to Couchsurfing: a calendar function for profiles would be ace! Much like some hotels have booking calendars showing availability, this would enable users to clearly show on their profiles what dates they can host, what dates they cannot, and what dates they already have couchsurfers booked in for. Result: surfers saved from writing out personalised requests to hosts for dates that are not actually available, and hosts saved the trouble of replying in the negative over and over again.

    I did tend to feel a bit bad when surfers would shuffle off to their next place if they were staying in the same city, but realistically we tend to need a break from houseguests ourselves. I state on my profile we can host people for up to four days, which is generally enough to see the best of Auckland and thus works pretty well for travellers with a time limit on their journey. That said, some travel VERY slowly; that first couple we had at our old flat stayed with us for quite a while and when I went to visit one of our friends at home shortly after they left our house, I was surprised to find them crashing at that friend’s apartment…

    We’ve had visitors from the US, South America, and Europe – Kansas, Vermont, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Sweden (and possibly others I’m missing off the top of my head). Our second guests were a couple from France – so lovely, so warm and so considerate. Not only did they make us some amazing French food (though my recreation of the fish recipe she gave me was a pale imitation) but they introduced us to slacklining (T is hooked; he wants to get his own and with any luck we can catch up with them when we visit France and show ’em how much he’s improved!) and I was quite sad when they left, really.




    Every couchsurfing experience is different. Where you take them and what you show them – and what you recommend they do elsewhere around NZ – varies accordingly. Hosts may cook for guests sometimes, or vice versa. (I’d say the reverse is more common, as visitors try to give back in exchange for their accommodation.) Some may take them under their wing, some don’t have the time. Some hosts may trust them to be at home alone or even give them a key. Some set pretty strict rules. Personally, I’ve been floored at the tales of some hosts and their generosity – if I had a nice fully furnished spare room, I’d be trying to make money off it, and ditto for a spare car.

    Some hosts seem to take it all too seriously and act a bit like the couchsurfing police – if they think your profile isn’t comprehensive enough or your request grovelling enough, will take it upon themselves to tear you apart (based on stories I’ve heard from guests/messages I’ve seen in open groups on CS). I’m a bit torn on this – ultimately this is about free accommodation, but for most of us it’s also about meeting people that you’re interested in. Heck, we could have couchsurfers 24/7, all year round, if this is the normal level of demand, but that’s not how I want to play it. That said, old-time couchsurfers grumble a lot about how the original spirit has been lost and that it’s much more transactional/mercenary now (a quick Google search will turn up all sorts of posts on this).

    How to find a couchsurfing host and increase your odds

    A hint: it’s not all about you.

    I don’t want to hear your sob story. A single sentence that shows there’s actually a reason you’d like to meet ME in particular, something we have in common, will go a long way. (Those who copy and paste and forget to change the name at the top? Yeah, good luck with that. I’m talking to you, Girl From England Who Called Me ‘Reuben’.) I think of CS as paying it forward – you help out those who come across your path, and while direct reciprocation might not be possible, you’ll find others willing to help you when you travel.

    As it turns out, giving has been HUGELY rewarding. So far, being a couchsurfing host has been an absolute blast. And this is coming from a die-hard non-people-person here at Introverts R’ Us. I’ve surprised myself at how much I’ve been willing to share. I’ve really enjoyed helping guests plan out their journeys and where they should go (and what’s not worth visiting). Without trying to be humblebraggy or anything, I think we’ve been good hosts – the kind we’d like to encounter ourselves. I initially imagined our couchsurfers would just breeze through our lives, stopping for a few nights on the couch, leaving first thing to sightsee and returning late … not really engaging too much with us. But to the contrary, they have been eager to give and so have we.

    Or at least, some have – others are travelling on a shoestring and will go to any lengths to save a buck. Which is fine, as long as they’re otherwise not mooching and don’t take anything for granted, which I think some budget travellers tend to do a little bit despite the goodwill being shown.

    And to all those blasting out last minute requests – remember that there are always more hosts than travellers. Nobody owes you anything, and if you can’t find a place to crash, it’s probably time to suck it up and book a hostel bed. Relying on the goodwill and hospitality of hosts alone is not a travel plan.

    Also, if you’re brand new, GET SOME REFERENCES!

    It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation, but people are less likely to take a risk on an unknown proposition (I’ve hosted a few Couchsurfing virgins, and that’s fun, but a lot of hosts won’t). If not through hosting, try meeting up with other couchsurfers on the road, who can vouch for you as a fellow traveller and give you your first reference. Read the CS guide for more newbie tips. And if you’re in Auckland anytime before May, let me know, our couch is available until we leave.

    Seeing as my post on what life in NZ is like got such a good reception, here’s a list of some of the things we’ve been showing them:

    Of course, there’s the typical tourist sights around the CBD like the waterfront/Wynyard Quarter, the Auckland Art Gallery, the museum and the Domain, Albert Park, Sky Tower, etc, and even over to Waiheke Island, but those are pretty easy to get to as they’re central. Places outside of the city are harder to get to without a car, so that’s where we come in.

    Our couchsurfing visitors have gotten a kick out of our media, too. Here’s one of my favourite music videos ever by Kiwi band Goodshirt:

    Trailers for a couple of Kiwi movies:

     

    And a couple of classic ads:


    We don’t normally have houseguests, so having couchsurfers has made us aware of some of our own quirks.

    • For example, we have no kettle (we don’t drink hot drinks – tea, coffee, etc – and don’t have much space in our kitchen, so we’ve made do without a hot water jug for YEARS).
    • If drinking water, we have a large water bottle around that we just scull from (which makes us sound quite uncouth, actually). If drinking something else (juice, Coke) we just use one of the random glasses or mugs we have. Having visitors spurred me to unpack the last four-pack of drinking glasses we bought a while ago but never opened, and the cups my mother gave me awhile ago that have been sitting in a box in the corner for months.
    • We have no set method for shoe storage. I keep most of mine on the floor of my closet. Otherwise, we kick shoes off just by the door, or sometimes in the living room or bedroom. Consequently, shoes are frequently littered all through the house.
    • I don’t own a hairdryer. Never have.
    • We don’t have a dining table – we either eat outside on the deck (we have deck furniture) when it’s nice, or off the coffee table in the living room (I originally wanted to get furniture that could be used either inside or out, but our outdoor set is definitely an outdoor set and quite large. But I fell in love with it and for $70 it was a steal.)

    I suppose every household does things in their own way, though. What does yours do differently?

    And if you’re a Couchsurfing member, what have your experiences been like?

  • February 25, 2013

    Picking up the tab when you’re out with friends

    who pays when youre out with friends

    Modified CC image, original by Flickr user khengsiong

    Is there anything worse than restaurants that don’t allow you to split the bill?

    I was out to yum cha with a group of friends from university the other day – one of those slightly awkward situations where we were all brought together by a central friend, the spoke in the wheel, so to speak. I wouldn’t really have hung out with any of the others of my own volition, but she was our mutual connection and our glue. And it was surprisingly fun.

    Come time to leave, we lined up at the counter to settle the account. The person who was up first went to pay her portion (let’s call her H) but after being told the policy was one bill per table, paid for the entire lunch. I had cash because I’d anticipated this might happen, and so did one of the others  – yet despite us practically throwing our $20 bills at her, H wouldn’t accept any of it. “You guys can get it next time!”

    Only thing is, if there IS a next time, it probably won’t be for another couple of years. I literally had not seen her since graduation.

    That said, among those of us there that day, she outearned us all by far. I mean, I don’t know how much she makes, but I would say anywhere from $15-25k more than the best paid among the rest of us (journalists are poor! She may not be using her degree, but she started on a much higher income straight out of uni, and she certainly earns the most money now). In comparison, she’d have been best placed to afford it.

    Some of my closer friends often do the same on a smaller scale (picking up a $10 meal or covering a drink or two, that kind of thing). Lunch for four of us, though, would probably have been between $50 and $80 (I wasn’t keeping a close track of what we ordered). I would definitely have accepted the cash.

    How big of a tab would you willingly pick up for others? Acquaintances? Close friends?

     

  • February 23, 2013

    Link love (Powered by early mornings and blog lovin’)

    link love nzmuse

    Thanks all for your outpouring of goodwill and support about our travel announcement this week! Now that my employer, parents and YOU guys all know, it now feels real. There’s no going back.

    There’s so much to look forward to, but still a lot to be done in the next couple of months. While our flights were all booked before the end of 2012, it’s been a slow burn since then, with me spending far too much time researching crap on the internet and not actually making useful progress. Typical.

    What you can expect here: the usual mix of posts going forward – personal finance, food, and yeah, probably a bit of travel talk, as well as more wedding posts as the day approaches.

    Beyond that, who knows exactly? The plan lends itself well to all the things I write about: money, food, and travel. I briefly toyed with the idea of starting another separate blog, but have decided to keep everything on here. Ah, the beauty of a personal blog. One thing I’m struggling with is whether to bring my dSLR. Yes, it’s bulky, but the quality is so much better. There’s the risk that I’ll spend too much time trying to take beautiful photos and not enough time actually SEEING things, too.

    Here’s a few links to tide you over this weekend:

    Mochi and Macarons tells it like it is in a diatribe against the wider PF community (a wakeup call that probably won’t be heeded)

    What is your time worth, and are you happy with the choices you’re making, asks Revanche?

    Indeed. Personal finance is personal, says Deena Dollars

    Amanda’s list of things her parents have said to her is hilarious

    If you too love cheesy boy bands, then here are five of the best songs that’ll take you right back in time

    Cauliflower pizza crust – now that’s intriguing (via Closet Cooking)

    I’ve made cheesecake from mixes before and it’s super easy. Maybe I’ll try a classic lemon cheesecake from scratch one day

    This casserole looks lovely and comforting, and is something a little different from the Joy of Caking

    Over and out…

  • February 22, 2013

    RTW trip planning: Preparing to leave everything behind (at least temporarily)

    rtw trip planning so you're off to travel the world

    By: oisa

    So you’re off to travel the world. What about your house?

    It’s no secret I hate our damp, ramshackle rental. At the time of last lease renewal, we were (to my best recall) unsure about our travel plans. I opted for a nice round number – six months – culminating in April, a few weeks before the wedding. We’re due to discuss renewal at any time now, given that it’s nearly March.

    Moving out, say, a week before the wedding and just staying with family is an option. That would save a little money and help streamline the logistics in the week following the wedding right before we leave. One less thing to worry about!

    But I’m not keen on staying with either of our families for two weeks, both pre and post wedding. I foresee a lot of stress being uprooted while still pulling together the loose threads of the wedding PLUS tying things up at work. So I’m leaning towards telling the agent that we’ll stay until, say, a day or two before we actually fly out. That gives us a couple of days to deal with post wedding stuff, finish packing and cleaning, and then staying with family who can then take us to the airport.

    I have no idea what we’ll do for housing when we come back. Kip on the floor with family? Meh, that’s ages away yet.

    And your STUFF?

    As I explained to one German couchsurfing couple we hosted, we’ve moved on average about every 18 months (financial reasons, escaping terrible flatmates, etc). I’ve never had much of a garden and we don’t really have nice things.

    Our fridge, washing machine and microwave are all on their last legs. I’m envisioning $1 reserve auctions on TradeMe, or else Freecycle. (Timing could be tricky, however, as we’ll want to keep those until JUST before we depart). Our couches were all freebies – hopefully we can give those back to the donors, or again, pawn them off for free.

    That really leaves four lots of furniture: TV and cabinet, desk, bed and coffee table. All these can be stored with family, though my mum urged me to sell the ancient bed and get another on our return (I was planning to replace it within a few years anyway). Then there’s all the little stuff – clothes and other crap, plus our treasured 3-way blender/food processor. Again, looking at you, family! And there’s always commercial storage, though I don’t think we’ll need it.

    And your car?

    I’d like to sell it and get some cash for the road. That said, we’ll still need a car when we get back. Unfortunately, while my family wants to buy another car, they don’t want ours. So, maybe we’ll list it and see if there are any bites, and if not, just leave it with family to look after/use until we return.

    And your jobs?

    T isn’t happy with his, and hopefully the trip will help him get some clarity and perspective about what he wants to do next.

    At this stage, as long as the bigwigs are happy to sign off on getting someone in on a short-term contract, I should have one to come back to. Touch wood.

  • February 21, 2013

    Travel trip planning: Our RTW itinerary

    The fun stuff!

    Our RTW trip consists of three main parts: Southeast Asia, Europe, and America. Yeah, it is a lot to pack into six months, but that’s double the time we would’ve had if we’d tried to fit these trips into four weeks of annual leave over the three years.

    Oh, and we’re chasing summer! Yeehaw! This pleases me no end, but I won’t tell you how much T hates the idea. I’ll confess I am a little afraid at to how he’s going to cope in the heat.

    Travel route planning has been both incredibly fun AND extremely frustrating/stressful. Our flights dictate how long we have on each continent, but within that, countries and dates are mostly flexible – restricted slightly by visa duration and certain obligations, like volunteering assignments. Of course, I have rough outlines but we’ll really be going with the flow and seeing what happens on the road.

    Travel, of course, is highly personal. I have a friend who doesn’t understand why anyone would want to visit western Europe (all her holidays are in the US or Australia). I have another friend who doesn’t see any appeal in southeast Asia (she is moving to Singapore soon however for work). I personally am not hugely interested in China, Nepal, India etc, although budget travelers and outdoorsy types – the majority of couchsurfers and RTW travelers it seems – adore those countries for the experience and the incredibly low costs.

    When thinking about the best places in the world to travel, it really comes down to your interests. Our travel trip planning (well, really it’s been 99% me) has been about fitting in some of the best travel spots in the world in terms of profile and popularity. Guess I’m just not that original. We’re mainly interested in cities, though there will be some countryside/small town time as well, moreso for volunteering/homestaying.

    Here’s the Google Map I’ve made, with the blue stops being sure or almost sure stops and yellow being more like wishful stops.


    View RTW in a larger map

    ASIA – May 10-June 20

    Route: Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam (then back to Thailand to fly out of Bangkok).

    We’ll be bussing around for the most part as trains are not common. I’m not sure how we’ll get back from Vietnam to Thailand – flights look expensive so land or boat travel is looking like the way to go.

    Asia will be cheap, so a nice way to start the honeymoon without pinching pennies on every corner. Once we get to Europe and America, it’ll be budget backpacking/couchsurfing all the way.

    UK/EUROPE – June 20- September 22

    Route: London, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, (maybe a day in Switzerland), Italy, Greece, France, then back to London. We also have three days in Iceland after London.

    We might try to make it to Ireland for a couple of days, and also, I’d like to visit Spain and Portugal but gosh, they’re so far away. Ditto Russia. Much as I want to see St Petersburg, visas are said to be a nightmare and also ridiculously expensive – hundreds each, from what I can tell.

    The plan is to get a Eurail pass (there are discounts for those under 26 or travelling in groups of 2-5). Careful planning and strategic booking might make it cheaper to buy individual tickets as we go, but I think for flexibility and convenience, a pass will be our friend.

    HOWEVER: I’m not sure how we’ll get to Greece; the ferry looks like a bit of a drawn out and painful journey, but again, flights are expensive. Looks like it will be cheapest to get to Athens from Rome. Anyone have any tips on travelling between Greece and Italy?

    Where we’ll be on my birthday, I know not. Possibly Amsterdam, or somewhere in Germany?

    We’re spending a week volunteering for food and accommodation at an English immersion programme in the Black Forest and I’m trying to line up a volunteering opportunity or two in Italy, as I’d really like to experience Italian culture first-hand.

    We have a few people I hope to meet up with in the UK (Auckland friends) and Europe (people we met and hosted through Couchsurfing – a post coming up on that!) so if I have any readers in those countries, holler!

    AMERICA/CANADA – September 22- November 5

    Route: Very, very fluid. The rough plan is to spend a few days in NYC, then rent a car, drive up through to Montreal/Toronto if we can (anyone done this? I need to check on car rental policies), then back into the US (possibly to Chicago, though it’s quite far, or else around Niagara Falls and through New York) and cross from east to west. Then we fly home with an overnight stop in Tahiti.

    Our exact route is flexible. Places we are definitely hitting are NYC, Boston, DC, New Orleans, Vegas, SF and LA.  (T turns 25 a few days after we land in NYC; I’m assuming that as long as we pick up a car after that, even if we actually make the booking before then, we won’t get slammed with underage penalties. Obviously I need to check on that.) We also met a really awesome couple from Vermont through Couchsurfing, so will probably pause through there on the way to Canada. You guys convinced me it’d be a shame not to visit Canada. (I’d really like to do Vancouver, Portland and Seattle, but just don’t think we’ll have time to make it all the way up the west coast as well.) And obviously, there’ll be other stops along the way too.

    Anyone keen to meet up for a coffee, share tips and advice, show us around for an hour, offer us space on your floor, whatever, I’m open to all proposals. Thank you to all those who have reached out so far! I’ll send you guys emails this week – there’s a couple of you I am dead set on meeting in person 🙂

  • February 20, 2013

    Ch-ch-ch-changes afoot: Why we’re upping sticks and going off to travel the world for six months

    I’ve grown up in Auckland. I probably will live out my life here. I’ve loved building up savings and a financial foundation. I love what I do.

    But I want more.

    MORE.

    (Typical bloody Gen-Yer.)

    Tons of my friends have already gone off on their OEs; some have already returned. And others are about to leave. “Is this the OE you never had?” my boss asked. (Way to make me feel over the hill, dude. But my response, in a nutshell, was yes.)

    Putting an end date on our time here has had the added benefit of making me appreciate everything I do have a little more. But the impending change, excitement, freedom, is definitely dominating it all.

    I don’t believe in waiting till you’re old to travel (have you seen Up??!!). And I simply wasn’t sure if my job would be conducive to taking the big annual international trips that were in the original five year plan (at my old workplace, yes, but things are less flexible here). It was a case of deciding, what would I regret more? Doing this, or NOT? And the answer was clear.

    <via>

    It’ll never be easier to do this. We’re young, healthy, energetic (relatively). We’re not chained down by golden handcuffs; it’s not like either of us is tied to a Wall St desk raking in the big bucks (I just finished reading Bond Girl. ‘Nuff said).

    Our wedding is in May, and it wasn’t a crazy leap from contemplating a European honeymoon to considering a full blown RTW trip, particularly once STA Travel came out with its earlybird RTW tickets.

    So, come May 10, for the next six months we will be nomads.

    <via>

    Fly, little kiwi.

    So, there’s a lot to say! I’ve got more travel posts coming up, including a full itinerary (I hope to meet up with some of you along the way!) – is there anything in particular you want to know? Tell me, and I’ll cover it!

  • February 19, 2013

    Relationship dealbreakers, financial or otherwise

    It would be really nice to attend a wedding in which the couple was made for each other and we as guests fully supported the union. It’s sad to say that of the two I’ve been to (and one that I had to miss due to being out of town), none quite meet this benchmark.

    “Non crazy chicks are boring” is a line I actually heard at the most recent one. Not surprisingly, this is a couple who thrive on drama – or at least, their entire relationship is built upon it. That, and the child they have together. But there’s a lot to be said for stability, especially when you already have a family. And while a little craziness can be fun, abusiveness is never kosher.

    Because objectively, that’s what that relationship is. Abusive. While he’s not the only guy we know to be in a seriously unhealthy relationship – my female friends thankfully all have good taste, apparently – the other three I can think of have at least had the sense to get out. This one decided to commit for life.

    And somehow, I get the feeling that saying a few vows in front of a pastor is not going to magically fix things. Just an inkling.

    Abusive = overly controlling (whether that’s born of insecurity or something else, I don’t know. I’m talking setting arbitrary curfews like a parent rather than a partner, taking all your partner’s money, and so on), as well as physical abuse (manifested through blows, attempted choking, smashing of all your possessions, etc). Not all of these apply to the guy in question specifically, but these are all things that have happened collectively to the four friends I’m thinking of who’ve been in unhealthy relationships at one point or another.

    Making things slightly more tricky is when mental illness plays a part. (To my knowledge, it was/is a factor in some of these cases, though I’m not of course saying mental illness is or should be a barrier to happy relationships. Please don’t think that’s what I’m getting at. What I am trying to say is that being a human punching bag, literally or figuratively, is not helping either of you). But it is not an excuse to put up with abusive treatment.

    Guys (and gals). You deserve to be in a healthy and loving relationship, one that makes you feel good about yourself more of the time than not. When a restraining order is part of the mix (and you STILL go back?!), if you’re being regularly thrown out of the house, if your possessions are being unceremoniously dumped on your best man’s lawn while you hide inside his house, ALL IS NOT GRAVY.

    Despite anything we say or do, sometimes they hang on in there – it’s hard to watch and stand by but sometimes that’s all you can do. Is there anything more frustrating than hearing a friend justify their partner’s unacceptable behaviour?

    Though of course you can never really know unless you’re put in a situation yourself, these would be my dealbreakers:

    • Lying about finances
    • Prohibitive amounts of debt (subjective, I know)
    • Other irresponsible money habits
    • Not accepting you for who you are
    • Being overly controlling OR dependent on you
    • Doesn’t put you first (or second. Sorry, I’m still putting on my lifejacket first if the plane goes down
    • Violence of any kind. T is more than twice my size, so this would be an absolute non-negotiable. (The odd bruise caused by him picking me up with too firm a grip, – I’m delicate like an overripe fruit and was basically one giant walking bruise the year I played soccer – is excluded.)

    And that’s about all I have to say about that.

    With a slightly heavy heart, I ask you – what would your relationship dealbreakers be?

  • February 18, 2013

    Yakezie Carnival: Back on the bandwagon

    Confession: I haven’t been closely tracking our spending for, er, a few months now.

    Surprise: some of it has been trickling away and I don’t know where all of it’s gone. I do know we’re not saving as much as we need to be.

    Without trying to shift the blame too much, I am going to mostly point the finger at the boy. I’m still on my no shopping kick and I literally do not spend money during the week. He tends toward little purchases (even though he has an allowance just for him, sometimes he’s been dipping into the account) and we’ve had some expenses for a friend’s wedding, which thankfully is now over.

    And I’ve been slack at keeping on top of things. Why? Just tired of it. Of spending so much time thinking about money. See, I’m bad at this balance thing. Being busy with a ton of other things this summer, this took a backseat. It’s time to get back on the bandwagon.

    On that note, here’s this week’s Yakezie carnival with a whole bunch of personal finance posts for your reading pleasure…

    Marvin @ Brick By Brick Investing writes Selling Options — How To Start Your Own Casino – A brief description detailing the benefits of selling options.

    James Petzke @ This Is Common Cents writes Financial Superpowers: The Automagic Climate Controlled Super Suit – By acclimating to different temperatures, you can save hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars on heating and cooling costs.

    Mich @ BeatingTheIndex writes Twin Butte Energy: Setting Up for a Heavy Oil Contrarian Trade? – Twin Butte Energy was one of a few dividend paying stocks able to afford its dividend and remains a free call option on the price of Canadian heavy oil.

    Robert @ The College Investor writes Better Know a Millionaire Investor – Chris Huse – To start the series, I’d like to present Chris Huse, who is the co-founder and CEO of Media Strike, which is the largest sports ad network in the United States. He is essentially an online entrepreneur, and has been working in the ad network space for about 10 years. Let’s get to know Chris Huse a little better…

    Robert @ My Multiple Incomes writes Onboarding Your First Virtual Assistant – Now that you think you’ve picked out the right candidate, here are the next steps to take to hire and onboard your virtual assistant.

    Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes How To Read Your Investment Statements – You have a college degree from a good four year school. Perhaps you went on to get an MBA from a fantastic post graduate program.

    Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes Pay Your Mortgage or Invest It – Do you pay your mortgage down first or do you invest? Which one gets you ahead further?

    Mary Rhodes @ Fine Tune Finances writes Are you Saving Money Just to Save? Or are You saving With Purpose? – Human nature dictates much time and money is wasted when we don’t have a goal. This also applies to our financial life, in short your goal your reason for saving, or purpose. If you are saving money just to build up a bank balance you are not likely to be successful at it.

    Jason @ Work Save Live writes Best Online Tax Preparation Software – H&R Block, TurboTax, TaxACT, FreeTaxUSA – To take the guesswork out of which online tax software is right for you, we’ve taken a tremendous amount of time to examine the best – and most popular – online tax preparation companies to determine which has the best software for your particular tax situation. See the differences between TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxACT, and FreeTaxUSA.

    CAPI @ Creating a Passive Income writes Playing the Inheritance Game for Passive Income – When it comes to inheriting money, there is no other way to do less, or in some cases, more work for what will be considered a passive income. For those who are blessed to be part of a family that has a fortune to pass on, then your entire job in life becomes maintaining your place to inherit the goods.

    Mike @ Personal Finance Journey writes Liability in a car accident – Simple easy tips on liability in a car accident to help you minimize your financial loss and keep on the financial journey.

    Scott Skyles @ Mortgage1a.com writes Tips-on-improving-your-credit-score-fast – In today’s world, a good credit score is extremely important. Whether you are looking to obtain a mortgage loan or simply apply for apartment tenancy, your credit score is almost always considered, and the decision between granting and denying credit often depends greatly on this number.

    A Blinkin @ Funancials writes 99 Problems: Are You a Sort-Of Good Saver? – You may remember me (and other bloggers) mentioning the $999.99 giveaway. Believe it or not, the dollar amount is not completely random. There is a purpose for it.

    Paul Vachon @ The Frugal Toad writes Winter Storm Nemo and the Importance of an Emergency Fund – What does the massive Winter Storm Nemo have to do with the need to have an emergency fund? In short, everything. Nemo is symbolic of any un-foreseen event that may disrupt one’s income or cause a financial hardship. From a simple power outage to a long-term illness, being prepared to handle an emergency can mean the difference between peace of mind and having your family’s world turned upside down.

    Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes My Frugal Resume: Contributing to Our Household’s Finances in More Ways than Earning – It’s no secret that I enjoy funneling as much of our income as possible into our savings accounts.

    Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes Preparing To Buy A House: The Score – Buying your first home can be an exciting and stressful experience all in one. When we bought our first house, I really didn’t know what to expect. Maybe I should have done a little bit of research ahead of time, but what’s done is done.

    Jen @ PF Carny writes Steps to Determine If You Are Ready to Open Your Own Business – If you are working for “the man” at a 9 to 5 job, you may dream of nothing more than venturing out on your own and being your own boss. This is the true American dream, and in this age of the Internet, it has become a reality for many people.

    harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes My First Default With Lending Club – With today’s pitiful interest rates, it’s hard to sit there and invest your money in CD’s that are returning 1 or 2 percent. So if you’ve been searching for alternative investments you may already know about Lending Club. But if you’re new to the peer to peer lending scene, you can read my first review of Lending Club here.

    Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes Why I Use a Credit Card (And How To Leverage Yours) – If you can’t be disciplined enough to pay off your balance in full every month, then you probably shouldn’t have a credit card. But it works for me.

    Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes What Was Your First Passion Project? – My first passion project was my blog that I worked on for 40 hours a week while bored at my day job. What was yours?

    Michelle @ The Shop My Closet Project writes Dear Mr. Postman – For the last few years I’ve noticed that the U.S. Postal Service has been having some difficulties. With the introduction of the internet people have embraced online banking, e-filing, and basically internet everything. We get our bills sent to us through e-billing and it’s a good thing because using less paper is good for our forests.

    Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes Money and Relationships: Some Advices to Keep in Mind – Talking about money with your spouse can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many successful strategies to broach the topic.

    Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes $100 Giveaway!! Finding your loved one the right gift at the right price. – Finding your loved one that right gift at the right price! Perhaps my giveaway can help?

    Bryan @ Gajizmo.com writes Best Short Term Investments – Even multi-billion dollar corporations are always trying to maximize the returns of their cash and short term investments, so why shouldn’t you? Here is a comprehensive list of all your short term investment options, from money market market accounts and Treasuries to “I-Bonds” and property tax certificates. Find where you feel comfortable parking your cash for the short-term before you invest it at higher yields.

    Tushar @ Earn More and Save writes Getting Engaged? Be Sure that Ring Is Covered – Getting or giving an engagement ring is a special moment. It symbolizes a promise of two people to make a life together.

    Suba @ Broke Professionals writes How to Watch Your Expenses Like a Hawk – You’ve heard it before, saving money – like losing weight – is as simple as watching your inputs and outputs.

    Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Start a Pension Early to Prepare for Retirement – Start investing now if you want to retire someday. It’s too serious of a subject to ignore for that many years.

    JP @ My Family Finances writes Net Worth TV on How All Business Can Leverage the Global Economy – Here at Net Worth TV with Terry Bradshaw we look at and discuss all aspects of business. Today lets look at how you can leverage the global economy.

    MMD @ My Money Design writes Believing In Yourself After Finding Out That You Suck – Despite what other people think of you, believing in yourself will have to come from your own hunger and ambition. Only you know what you’re capable of accomplishing.

    MMD @ IRA vs 401k Central writes Taking An Early Withdrawal from Roth IRA Contributions – You’ve heard you can take an early withdrawal from Roth IRA contributions after five years, but did you know there are specific rules that come with it?

    MMD @ IRA vs 401k Central writes Taking An Early Withdrawal from Roth IRA Contributions – You’ve heard you can take an early withdrawal from Roth IRA contributions after five years, but did you know there are specific rules that come with it?

    Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Seeing Personal Finance Bloggers Just Treading Water Bums Me Out – There is nothing that bums me out then rediscovering or even just watching a personal finance blogger treading water.

    Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes Money and Child Raising: Preschool, Yay or Nay? – If you’ve been reading the past several weeks of these Monday posts here at The Amateur Financier, you’ve noticed that I’ve been covering some of the choices

    SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes 4 Money Management Tips For College Graduates – You have just graduated from college, and you are about to join the working class. Here are 4 Money Management Tips to set you up on the right path.

    Nick @ A Young Pro writes What I Learned From My First Day on the Job – A few lessons that I learned from my first day at my first professional job.

    John @ Married (with Debt) writes It’s Time Again – Shopping for Car Insurance – My car insurance premium increases every 6 months even though I’ve never been in an accident, so I shop for new car insurance quotes regularly.

    Alice @ Hurricanes, Panties & Dollars writes Shopaholics are like Superheroes – I ended up spending around 9 hours shopping (with an official shopaholic) by my side. When I finally got home, I was freakin’ exhausted; not to mention broke as…

    Jason @ Live Real Now writes Making Extra Money: Niche Selection – The “make money” niche is far too broad for anyone to effectively compete. The “make money online” sub-niche is still crazy. When you get to the “make money buying and selling websites” micro-niche, you’re in a territory that leaves room for competition, without costing thousands of dollars to get involved.

    Pauline @ Reach Financial Independence writes Big city life, is it worth it? – With an average salary, does it make sense to live in a big city?

    Bryan @ BryanMaltier.com writes How I Plan To Generate Passive Income This Year – This article is a guest post from MyMoneyDesign.com and is focused on detailing his plans this year to generate additional passive income. In it, MMD discusses his 4 main opportunities – to continue building up his blog, build a niche site, write an E-Book, and invest in dividend stocks.

    Tony @ We Only Do This Once writes We Are All Experts – Many people have spent a ton of life energy in a quest to discover their passion. And for many of them, once they found it, that was enough. Finding the thing that lights them up inside satisfies the quest. But some people want more than that—they want to live their passion.

    MR @ Money Reasons writes 2013 Late To The Stock Market Strategy – I’m going to share my Late to the Stock Market Strategy that I’m hoping will make 2013 a block buster year for me!

    Matt @ Living in Financial Excellence writes The Wow Factor: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck – When you think about making a purchase, have you ever thought about rating it on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 barely moving the needle and 10 being a big, exciting WOW?

    Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes It’s Expensive to Become a Firefighter – The thing that my husband spends money on–and the reason for the biggest re-occurring argument about money that we have– would probably shock most of you: My husband spends a lot of money on food.

    Ray @ Squirrelers.com writes Every Hour Counts: Knowing How You Spend Your Time – If the saying is, “Time is Money”, then it makes sense to understand how we are spending our time! This post examines this topic.

    TTMK @ Tie the Money Knot writes How Much Do You Really Need in Your Emergency Fund? – Having an emergency fund is an oft-discuss personal finance topic. But while we can agree it’s important to have one, the bigger question is: how much should we keep in such a fund?

    DPF @ Digital Personal Finance writes Don’t Pay Cash – Just Charge it on a Credit Card Instead! – While credit cards can be a source of temptation for many, if they’re used with discipline, they can be a great way to pay for everyday expenses. This post explores the benefits of using credit cards.

    Steve @ 2012 Taxes writes E-Filing Your Taxes With TurboTax 2013 – We are in the midst of the 2013 tax filing season. Every year since 1993; Americans have increasingly used e-filing software to file their tax returns. TurboTax 2013follow has perfected the process of contemporary electronic tax filing.

    PPlan @ Provident Plan writes How to use stoplosses and limits in spread betting – If you’re a novice in spread betting or any other form of trading, one of the biggest anxieties you probably have is losing money.

    Hank @ Money Q&A writes Ten Ways To Break Your Texting While Driving Habit – There are ways that you can can work to break your texting while driving habit. As you drive, consider when you become bored behind the wheel and inattentive.

    Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Protecting Your Home Investment – Buying a home is a big step for any family or individual. Not only is it difficult to save up a down payment, but it can also be hard to take care of a house for the first time. Proper maintenance and general upkeep is an important part of home ownership. It takes a lot of work, but it is essential to protect your investment.

    Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes Video: Reaching Your Goals – Hey there! I have another video for you today. Today I’m reviewing a great tool I’ve been using that will help you reach your goals.

    Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes 3 Secrets to Retiring Well – I read an article recently in Money Magazine regarding retirement. The author pointed out three secrets to retire well. They include: Embrace Change: As life happens, sometimes our plans need to change and we have to rethink retirement.

    Edgar @ Degrees and Debt writes Side Jobs: Snag A Job Review – Review of website SnagAJob to obtain a side job for diversifying income streams.

    TDB @ Tax Deduction Blog writes Before You Say I Do : How will marriage affect your taxes? – Before you get married, you should take the time to learn how marriage will affect your taxes. What is this so-called marriage penalty? Is there really such a thing as a marriage tax?

    Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Guerilla Gardening and Seed Bombing – Participating in guerrilla gardening is civil disobedience without all the “going to jail” parts that so often come when trying to do the right thing for the environment. No one really suffers, the environment comes out ahead, and city lots get a makeover and are filled with beautiful flowers or edible gardens. Sounds pretty civil indeed, if you ask me!

    Joe @ Midlife Finance writes Money Secrets – Have a bad money secret in your life? Confessing feels great…but what are you doing to make it better? (Feel free to comment anonymously — we’re all friends here.)

    Luke @ Learn Bonds writes The 10 Year Treasury: Where to Next? – Here is my 10 year treasury rate forecast for 2013. A look back at where we have been, the recent rise in the 10 year treasury rate, and where we are headed.

    Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Expanding Your Home’s Footprint Out of Doors – Since I’m maybe 2 years away from purchasing a house of my own, and knowing that it probably won’t be my “dream home” but instead rather on the small-ish side, I’ll have to make the most of every square foot, including the out doors. Using the out doors properly, with the help of a porch, deck, or slab, can expand the interior footprint by quite a lot.

    Kyle @ The Penny Hoarder writes 5 Mortgage Saving Ideas – When it comes to cutting your budget, you probably start with incidental expenses like eating out or having digital cable. But it’s also important to pay attention to what kind of money you can save even on the necessities, like your housing payment.

    BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes HOW TO MEASURE RISK & PROTECT AGAINST IT – Measure investment performance, investment risk, & protect against investment risk.

    Corey @ 20s Finances writes Five Ways to Achieve Your Financial Goals – Very rarely do I meet someone who doesn’t care about achieving financial success. Simply put, everyone wants to have more money than they know what to do with. Who doesn’t right? That’s why so many people waste their money on lottery tickets. Yet, as we all know, very few achieve this goal. But, it isn’t for a lack of trying.

    Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Why is Printer Ink Expensive? – Why is printer ink expensive? While all other IT manufacturers are fighting for market share, ink jet providers keep ripping the consumers off.

    Grayson @ Debt Roundup writes The First Step to Recovery is to Admit You Don’t Have a Budget – When you have any problem, the first step to recovering is to admit the problem. The same goes with money. The first step to getting your finances in order is to admit that you don’t have a budget.

    krantcents @ KrantCents writes I Am a PF Coach and I Should Be Fired! – That’s right, I should be fired! Where is Donald Trump when you need him? I think of myself as a personal finance (PF) coach that helps you achieve your goals and I am batting under 500. My percentage stinks and I should be fired.

    Tushar @ Start Investing Money writes New Year, New Financial Goals? – We are now a little over a month into the New Year. The festive season may seem long gone, as is the time for setting New Year’s Resolutions. But it doesn’t mean it is too late to make strides in the right direction when it comes to achieving your financial goals.

    L Bee @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes House Guest Rules: Who Pays for Dinner? – Then I got to thinking about house guest rules. There are of course the rules nearly everyone follows when guest is in town:

    Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes Weekend Reading, Winter Edition – The forest is situated south of the Loch Achray Hotel.

    NoTrustFund @ Where’s My Trust Fund writes Financial Wisdom From A Nonagenarian – Words of wisdom from a lady who has been around the block a few times.

    Tushar @ Finance TUBE writes Our Top 3 Financial Tips for Generation Y – Today I will be talking about Top 3 Financial Tips for Generation Y. Gen Yers are often being perceived as an unmotivated and entitled. It may have something to do with incredible amount of things that they want to have.

    Girl Meets Debt @ Girl Meets Debt writes Getting Personal: Dating with Debt – I am getting personal in this post. Dating with debt from the point of view of someone who is in debt.

    William @ Quote Me A Price writes Annuities and Structured Settlements: What�s the Difference? – Annuities and structured settlements have many similarities, and you might even make the mistake of thinking they are the same thing. Sure, they both pay regular payments to the people they are owed to over a specified time period, but the way state and federal laws see these two types of payments confirms that they are indeed different things.

    Maria @ The Money Principle writes My Father’s only investment – My Dad made only one investment in his life: my education.

    Christina @ MLIQ101 writes Compare Types of Term Life Insurance Coverage – Before picking a term life insurance policy, consumers need to figure out exactly what type of coverage they needs. Term life protection comes in the form of no load, decreasing term, guaranteed, level term, return of premium, convertible, and adjustable, among many others. This article details the basic difference between each type of policy to help you compare types of term life coverage.

    Carmen @ MBCI101 writes How To Find The Best Car Insurance and Quotes – How can you tell if you’ve got the best car insurance? First, we provide you some background on the factors that affect your premiums, then explain the types of car insurance available and when you should purchase them, after which you get a list of tricks and discounts you should be applying to lower your rates. Getting the lowest car insurance rates with the best coverage isn’t hard, but you should know what to look for.

    Jules Wilson @ Fat Guy,Skinny Wallet writes Not Just Another Diet Book: Never Say Diet by Chantel Hobbs – A review of Never Say Diet by Chantel Hobbs.

    Jules Wilson @ Faithful With a Few writes Why You and Your Spouse Need a Regular Date Night – Date night for married couples can be pretty elusive at times. However, it can be the key to keeping your marriage fresh, especially if you have children.

    Jon @ Novel Investor writes Compare The Best CD Rates – With interest rates at their lowest levels in years, CDs are actually a great alternative to treasury bonds and bond funds.

    John S @ Frugal Rules writes Why You Should Say No to Refund Anticipation Loans – Refund Anticipation Loans are marketed as a way to get your tax refund quicker and just in a few days. The main problem is that they’re full of fees as well as the desire to spend the money once received.

    Darwin @ Darwin’s Money writes These Mutual Funds Actually Beat The Index. And “The Market” – Mutual funds rarely beat their index, but in this niche, managers returned over 20% in 2012 while besting their index as well – is it worth switching back from ETFs to mutual funds?

    Dividend Growth Investor @ Dividend Growth Investor writes The World’s Best Dividend Portfolio – For my retirement strategy I am relying on dividend growth stocks, which will provide dependable income, which increases over time and protects its purchasing power from inflation. I have a quantitative and qualitative process, which allows me to screen the hundreds of dividend growth stocks and narrow the list of candidates to 30 -40 individual companies.

    Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Becoming a Single Homeowner- The Plan – Becoming a single homeowner has been a trend lately with the ladies leading the way. Learn about the unique requirements of how the single person approaches buying a home.

    KK @ Student Debt Survivor writes My $30,000 Student Loan Mistake – If you’re human, chances are you’ve made a money mistake at one point or another in your life. Come read about my $30K student loan mistake. It might make you feel better, or worse, or both.

    Mike @ Wealthy Turtle writes 5 Ways to Work From Home with Young Children – Working from home can be a challenge when you also have kids running around. These tips will help you balance family and work.

    Steve @ Grocery Alerts writes How to save money on beef without using coupons – Saving money on beef doesn’t have to involve sales and coupons all the time. Money shouldn’t be an excuse to stand in the way of a well balanced diet. By implementing some of these tips below you will be on your way to have beef on your plate for less.

    Glen Craig @ Free From Broke writes TurboTax Online Tax Software (2012 Return) | Review – TurboTax has become the industry standard for online tax preparation. See what TurboTax offers and which TurboTax Online edition is best for you.

    FMF @ Free Money Finance writes Real Estate 101: Summary – Throughout the Real Estate 101 Series my goal has been to introduce prospective and beginning investors to the world of real estate investing. Specifically I have tried to answer some basic questions, dispel some myths and misconceptions, and give actionable advice that can be used to move towards becoming a successful investor. As I finish the series I hope that the information provided here has mostly met that goal.

    Jason Hull @ Hull Financial Planning writes Inflation and the Cost of Your Mortgage – Inflation, in general, is not good for consumers. There is one exception to this rule – your mortgage. This article explains why that’s the case.

    Jason @ PT Money Personal Finance writes 5 Card Act Loopholes You Need to Know About – The Card Act of 2009 created a bill of rights for credit card holders, but companies found loopholes around it in at least 5 different ways.

    Michelle @ Making Sense of Cents writes $2,420 in Extra Income, Life, Wedding Updates – This weekend we did a lot. We looked around on Sunday to try and think of possible areas that we want to buy in, and we found a couple that we like. We pretty much know what kind of house we want (we are pretty open, but love older styled and southern style homes).

    Emily @ Evolving Personal Finance writes Is Your Blog on Your Resume? – Is your blog or self-employment venture on your resume? Under what circustances would you include it and how do you think potential employers would respond?

    PK @ Don’t Quit Your Day Job… writes Is Dave Ramsey’s Investment Advice Misguided? – Dave Ramsey’s advice to save something towards the future monthly is definitely sound. His predicted returns? Likely not going to happen for the average investor.

    Arnel Ariate @ Money Soldiers writes Why is it Essential to Invest in Gold and silver? – for https://www.goldeneaglecoin.com/buy-silver/silver-bars and says, “Of all the precious metals on earth, gold is the most popular investment. Generally, investors worldwide purchase gold as a hedge or harbor against economic crises including inflation, investment market declines, and the burgeoning national debt. But with various gold price predictions, many neophytes in the investment market are thinking whether investing in gold is still a great idea. Many are asking, will silver go up?”

    Rich @ Money Wise Pastor writes 15 Best Paying College Majors – On average, college graduates earn more money than those without a degree. But some majors are worth more than others. Today I’ll share the 15 best paying college majors.

    The Yakezie Carnival is brought to you to by the network of personal finance bloggers of the Yakezie. You can submit articles at Blogger Carnivals.
  • February 16, 2013

    Boyfriend in the kitchen: Lamb rack and raw salad

    lamb rack and raw salad

    The best days of all are the days when you come home to freshly made dinner. All you have to do is sit, chew and swallow. Life’s good.

    You’ve probably noticed a bit of a pattern here. The trend is that of meat + veggies – a classic formula.

    Here, there’s lamb rack cooked to crispiness, with a fresh salad of capsicum (bell pepper for Americans), red onion, feta, coriander and courgettes.

    The courgettes were boiled, and the rest of the veggies rested in some vinegar in lieu of cooking. Mixing through the cooked courgettes = steam for further cooking and an interesting mix of temperatures.

  • February 15, 2013

    A few more thoughts on house buying

    I have a cousin who’s only a year older than me, but has always been light years ahead of me in every other aspect. Nationally ranked swimmer. Newly minted doctor. And now, a homeowner. If he wasn’t a really nice guy, I would really resent him for showing me up.

    Seeing as I’m getting married in May, the adults of the family invariably turn to talk of property. Yes, I’m still renting, and plan to do so for quite a while yet.

    my house my castle, some more thoughts on home buying

    Unlike in many places in the US, it’s basically never cheaper to buy than rent here (maybe in the smaller towns?). To buy a comparable place to our current dwelling would be about double our rent – and our rent is NOT cheap, either. We wouldn’t, however, be buying a comparable place, but a much cheaper one – an entry-level house in the $300,000s, hopefully, which would only be another $100-200 a week.

    As I was telling my other cousin, it’s not so much the mortgage payments that are hard to swing (according to my bank’s home loan calculators) but that massive hurdle of the down payment.  I always wanted to put down 20 percent. That’s the responsible thing to do. But to be honest, it’s quite likely that we’ll only end up putting 10 or 15 percent down (“That’s what everyone does!” Yeah, because prices start at about 4x household income and go up from there…).

    Say we’re in a position to buy in 2016. We should both be able to get the full Kiwisaver first home buyer subsidy ($10,000 altogether, assuming the government doesn’t scrap that part of the scheme)

    Who knows where prices will be by then, though? We had a slight dip in prices during the recession, but they quickly shot right back up to new heights. I don’t see the housing shortage ending anytime soon (not helped by lack of council/government planning and the traditional quarter-acre dream, which yes, I want a piece of too). And unlike in the US, our interest rates can only ever be fixed for a maximum of five years. Right now they’re in the 5-6 percent range (which is low for us, but not compared to the 3-4 percent outlined in this mortgage rates guide in the US) but lots of homeowners felt the pain a few years ago when rates climbed into the 8 percent.

     Well Heeled, though, is making it a mission to buy a house in 2016. I will live vicariously through her!

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