Ibotta and Checkout 51 are 2 of my hobbies. Tracking the cashback rewards from my various credit cards is another.
I will never get rich by spending money and getting rebates/cashback, but it is money I get for doing nothing taxable.
I will be credit card debt free one day. We've carried a debt long before we bought our house. It has gone down a lot, but stuff happened and it bounced back up.
I think we're technically still paying off our trip to Disney from '11.
No interest, since I take out new cards and can transfer without fees most of the time.
I sweet the small stuff now so I can work towards something grand.
I will break down our cash flow one day for it amazes me how easy it is to have opportunity to make more cashback.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Monday, October 1, 2018
accusations and truth aren't always the same
Accusations of rape are serious.
A friend of mine once told me about being at a college party and waking up to a guy trying to get into her pants. I was appalled and asked if she was okay. She didn't seem too bothered. Said the guy was more afraid of having his coach finding out.
I had known her since she was in HS. My dad had me run with her while I was home on spring break my freshman year. Something about the way she spoke made me think she was different from most people from my hometown. I had my dad give her my address and we soon started writing each other.
I still have the letters. They're well over 20 years old now. She ceased writing after she had an AOL account.
I used to write quite a bit. I loved getting mail. Not sure what I wrote, but I would get replies to which I replied.
I miss writing, but I associate the act with smoking. I think I used to smoke my camels mostly when I wrote. I didn't smoke much beyond a half a pack a day at most.
I never smoked around my parents. Sometimes I miss smoking, but I think I miss the solitude I associate with it.
Regardless, my friend was 16 when I got to know her. I forget when it happened, but I was visiting her once and her mom went nuts. Turned out my zipper was down, so she thought she walked in on something. Frustrating, given I had no sexual intentions toward her daughter. I had an obsession with someone else and was a virgin.
I was always passive with regards to kissing and such. I was content with being a guy friend. I never dated. I just went along with circumstances. I had no idea what I wanted from a partner until I found myself someone who knew me better than I knew myself. Life isn't perfect, but we have a fair understanding of each other.
I quit smoking and consuming alcohol because of my wife. She frowns upon those habits.
People who know me know would never guess I ever drank like I did during my college days.
I don't think I should be considered the same person, either.
A friend of mine once told me about being at a college party and waking up to a guy trying to get into her pants. I was appalled and asked if she was okay. She didn't seem too bothered. Said the guy was more afraid of having his coach finding out.
I had known her since she was in HS. My dad had me run with her while I was home on spring break my freshman year. Something about the way she spoke made me think she was different from most people from my hometown. I had my dad give her my address and we soon started writing each other.
I still have the letters. They're well over 20 years old now. She ceased writing after she had an AOL account.
I used to write quite a bit. I loved getting mail. Not sure what I wrote, but I would get replies to which I replied.
I miss writing, but I associate the act with smoking. I think I used to smoke my camels mostly when I wrote. I didn't smoke much beyond a half a pack a day at most.
I never smoked around my parents. Sometimes I miss smoking, but I think I miss the solitude I associate with it.
Regardless, my friend was 16 when I got to know her. I forget when it happened, but I was visiting her once and her mom went nuts. Turned out my zipper was down, so she thought she walked in on something. Frustrating, given I had no sexual intentions toward her daughter. I had an obsession with someone else and was a virgin.
I was always passive with regards to kissing and such. I was content with being a guy friend. I never dated. I just went along with circumstances. I had no idea what I wanted from a partner until I found myself someone who knew me better than I knew myself. Life isn't perfect, but we have a fair understanding of each other.
I quit smoking and consuming alcohol because of my wife. She frowns upon those habits.
People who know me know would never guess I ever drank like I did during my college days.
I don't think I should be considered the same person, either.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Nothing seems to matter for too long
Given the circus portrayal of the Trump administration, how is it anything gets done?
Obviously, smoke and mirrors... President Trump tweets and golfs too much to actually be doing anything meaningful, right?
The media has given him a pass on little things but are being absurd on larger things. He probably gave Senator John McCain cancer. He created Florence. People are dying, regardless of tragedy or old age.
News cycle has become tabloid-like. It'll be interesting how history enshrines this golden age.
Just imagine how everything will be once the vicious news cycle ends and gets back to dull everyday reporting of events without mind reading or demonizing groups by lumping them with other groups that share a single overlapping interest.
Obviously, smoke and mirrors... President Trump tweets and golfs too much to actually be doing anything meaningful, right?
The media has given him a pass on little things but are being absurd on larger things. He probably gave Senator John McCain cancer. He created Florence. People are dying, regardless of tragedy or old age.
News cycle has become tabloid-like. It'll be interesting how history enshrines this golden age.
Just imagine how everything will be once the vicious news cycle ends and gets back to dull everyday reporting of events without mind reading or demonizing groups by lumping them with other groups that share a single overlapping interest.
Thursday, September 13, 2018
an update on my Fidelity IRA hobby.
Last month, I said that I expected the my Fidelity mutual fund for gold to dip to $15.37 and that it was undervalued whenever it was beneath $18.50.
It hit $15.39 and I was tempted to buy the allotted amount of shares I had sold back in in 2016 when it was well above $27, but I told myself $15.37 was the magic number to go all in. I sold 5 SPHIX to buy FSAGX, and the price dropped to $15.36. I hedged that it may jump, so sold 85 SPHIX to buy FSAGX. I was correct. I figured it would slide again, so I sold another 25 SPHIX to buy FSAGX. It dropped a few cents, so I figure another 25 SPHIX is safe to sell for more FSAGX. The stock market is strong and the dollar is not terribly weak.
I doubt a BLUE WAVE is coming, but if one comes then I expect FSAGX to surge out of speculation of impeaching POTUS which would dent the markets more than the shrugs of Mueller and Manafort drama.
A lot can happen. I expect the Dow Jones to be on the rise a bit.
It hit $15.39 and I was tempted to buy the allotted amount of shares I had sold back in in 2016 when it was well above $27, but I told myself $15.37 was the magic number to go all in. I sold 5 SPHIX to buy FSAGX, and the price dropped to $15.36. I hedged that it may jump, so sold 85 SPHIX to buy FSAGX. I was correct. I figured it would slide again, so I sold another 25 SPHIX to buy FSAGX. It dropped a few cents, so I figure another 25 SPHIX is safe to sell for more FSAGX. The stock market is strong and the dollar is not terribly weak.
I doubt a BLUE WAVE is coming, but if one comes then I expect FSAGX to surge out of speculation of impeaching POTUS which would dent the markets more than the shrugs of Mueller and Manafort drama.
A lot can happen. I expect the Dow Jones to be on the rise a bit.
Monday, August 27, 2018
economic variables are garbage, pt. 2
As I drove to Ace Hardware to fill my propane tank before grilling steaks Saturday, I listened to the radio.
Weekend radio is usually junk. Crank doctors and crank money managers fill the airways with gibberish. I find myself listening just to know of what to be skeptical.
Hearing the substance of the program saying: Trump is popular, but how long will the stock market record highs? GDP, Low Unemployment and other variables are meaningless until you consider 2008 and how the bond market was weird... like it is today.
Seemed odd coincidence considering how dismissive Bob Sullivan was of GDP and other variables just the day before, but Bob was hung up on savings being an indicator, rather than government bond yields.
I see a housing bubble. I don't think Twitter and Facebook are going to be strong companies long term. I hate Amazon for I see it as being the reason Sears, Kmart, and Toys "R" Us have declined or disppeared. I am very skeptical of cryptocurrency.
Imagine Twitter without Donald Trump. That's the end of Twitter.
Weekend radio is usually junk. Crank doctors and crank money managers fill the airways with gibberish. I find myself listening just to know of what to be skeptical.
Hearing the substance of the program saying: Trump is popular, but how long will the stock market record highs? GDP, Low Unemployment and other variables are meaningless until you consider 2008 and how the bond market was weird... like it is today.
Seemed odd coincidence considering how dismissive Bob Sullivan was of GDP and other variables just the day before, but Bob was hung up on savings being an indicator, rather than government bond yields.
I see a housing bubble. I don't think Twitter and Facebook are going to be strong companies long term. I hate Amazon for I see it as being the reason Sears, Kmart, and Toys "R" Us have declined or disppeared. I am very skeptical of cryptocurrency.
Imagine Twitter without Donald Trump. That's the end of Twitter.
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Economic variables are garbage?
The other day, journalist Bob Sullivan pondered whether the economy would tank if Trump news was truly bad.
Just kidding, he seemed amazed the markets aren't tanking because Trump is on the verge of impeachment.
Perhaps the latter is mind reading, but he said he suspects the markets don't care about Trump's legal issues or the matters are already baked into the markets, hence the shrug.
Today, Bob wrote a confusing piece about the economy's strength or weakness being impossible to say based on standard indicators.
Maybe, I am mind reading, but I get the impression Bob doesn't think the economy is doing well. He dismisses the stock market, low unemployment and GDP... Perhaps his being a journalist is why he is not convinced the economy is doing well.
I'm not saying it sucks to be a journalist, but print media is vanishing, aside from The Athletic, I mean.
Just kidding, he seemed amazed the markets aren't tanking because Trump is on the verge of impeachment.
Perhaps the latter is mind reading, but he said he suspects the markets don't care about Trump's legal issues or the matters are already baked into the markets, hence the shrug.
Today, Bob wrote a confusing piece about the economy's strength or weakness being impossible to say based on standard indicators.
Maybe, I am mind reading, but I get the impression Bob doesn't think the economy is doing well. He dismisses the stock market, low unemployment and GDP... Perhaps his being a journalist is why he is not convinced the economy is doing well.
I'm not saying it sucks to be a journalist, but print media is vanishing, aside from The Athletic, I mean.
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Modern slavery in America
I saw the other day a prisoner strike was planned throughout the USA. Prisoners were uniting to protest slavery. Prison reform is an interest of mine, so I bookmarked the story. It's easier to blog on the desktop but my bookmarks are on my phone, so google brought up the most recent strike related story, meh. The slavery gist is there in the content, but the headline is about caging people like animals. The argument seems to mock the undocumented child separation situation at the border, considering no one wants known criminals being free to rape and kill innocent women and children.
Regardless, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery but excluded punishment for crime. Given the cost of incarcerating criminals is obscene, I don't consider their argument about working for "slave wages" sound when they cost the taxpayer a teacher's salary while not compensating those they harmed.
Prison reform is very much needed, but at the same time, I want my family to not be the victim of a crime. When I saw the news that the body of Molly Tibbets was found, I was sad. When I heard that she had in fact been stalked and murdered, I was angry. The whole immigration status of Molly's murderer is a moot point to me, for what happened to Molly and her family is horrible. Anyone capable of taking another person's life in such a manner probably deserves to be locked up like an animal. I might even turn a blind eye to such a monster being dragged out into the street and publicly executed.
I have a bad feeling that the immigration status of the Molly's killer will conflate the "build the wall" argument with prison reform. Prisons have walls. America is not a prison state. I have nothing against immigrants coming to the country legally. Maybe the porous nature of our borders gives the illusion immigration laws don't exist? If there are continuous walls, then there can be gates where documentation can be taken upon entrance. If documentation exists, then the illegal element gets eliminated.
Regardless, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery but excluded punishment for crime. Given the cost of incarcerating criminals is obscene, I don't consider their argument about working for "slave wages" sound when they cost the taxpayer a teacher's salary while not compensating those they harmed.
Prison reform is very much needed, but at the same time, I want my family to not be the victim of a crime. When I saw the news that the body of Molly Tibbets was found, I was sad. When I heard that she had in fact been stalked and murdered, I was angry. The whole immigration status of Molly's murderer is a moot point to me, for what happened to Molly and her family is horrible. Anyone capable of taking another person's life in such a manner probably deserves to be locked up like an animal. I might even turn a blind eye to such a monster being dragged out into the street and publicly executed.
I have a bad feeling that the immigration status of the Molly's killer will conflate the "build the wall" argument with prison reform. Prisons have walls. America is not a prison state. I have nothing against immigrants coming to the country legally. Maybe the porous nature of our borders gives the illusion immigration laws don't exist? If there are continuous walls, then there can be gates where documentation can be taken upon entrance. If documentation exists, then the illegal element gets eliminated.
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