I got similar advice from my boss when I started my first job out of college 15 years ago.  He advised that long term it's better to own than rent but at best a personal residence is a bad investment and would best be viewed as an expense...so would you rather have a big expense or a small expense?

Tim, I'm assuming since you made a comment like this that everything you purchase is made in the USA...good for you!  So I'm curious where did you find your made in USA computer & TV?  I put off buying a new flat screen for about 5 years after our old tube set failed b/c we couldn't find a TV made in the USA.  Please t...more

I think most posters are missing the fact that the vast majority of social security recipients (over 65%) don't pay any tax on their benefits.  If social security is someone's only source of income then they don't owe any tax on their benefits.  The wealthiest of social security recipients pay tax on the maximum 85% of...more

This isn't a proposal; it's the current law and has been for years.

I've bought and sold several homes since 2006.  What I've found is when buyers ask for us to pay for all the closing costs and downpayment assistance it likely indicates that unless they find a seller who'll agree to pay for all of this then the buyers can't afford to buy a house.  With these types of offers we agree t...more

My siblings and I weren't allowed to return gifts when we were kids because our parents said it was rude.  They'd say it's not about what you want to receive but what the giver wants you to receive.  To this day I seldom return a gift and my wife thinks it's crazy.

Along with various models from Subaru, GM, BMW, and Mercedes I've also owned many Saab models ranging from the mid 80's 900 to an '07 9-3 Convertible.  The older models were a little quirky but they were the most fun front wheel drive cars you could own and had features like heated seats that didn't become mainstream o...more

I started investing in my current 401k in 2001 at age 26.  Since then I've accumulated right at $200,000 of which only $115,000 was contributed by me, $47,000 was added as a match by my employer, and I've earned around $38,000 of gains during one of the worst if not the worst decade to be in the market.  I've done very...more