Jacob's other journal
A couple of suggestions on the homebuying front:
1) Visit Anacortes at the rainiest time of year before making your decision. I was planning to move to the seattle area after spending several great summers there. Two weeks visiting in November changed my mind.
2) Have you considered buying a multi-family building instead of a single family home? It was the best ER decision I ever made. First off, it was hard to find a home as small as I wanted in an area I wanted, but with the 4-plex I've got the 900sqft back (quiet) unit, plus as much of the backyard as I want for shop and projects. Second, the income from the other 3 units covers all the building expenses (including mortgage, utilities, etc). If you calculate the "rent" I'm saving compared to the downpayment amount I'm getting about a 12% return. Third, the depreciation from owning a rental means that I haven't had taxable income in more than 6 years.
Fourth, since you're doing all your own maintenance you can write off all your tools and materials as business expenses.
If you choose your area and house rules well you can really minimize tenant issues. My 3 tenants right now are a single professional woman, a grad student, and a post-doc.
1) Visit Anacortes at the rainiest time of year before making your decision. I was planning to move to the seattle area after spending several great summers there. Two weeks visiting in November changed my mind.
2) Have you considered buying a multi-family building instead of a single family home? It was the best ER decision I ever made. First off, it was hard to find a home as small as I wanted in an area I wanted, but with the 4-plex I've got the 900sqft back (quiet) unit, plus as much of the backyard as I want for shop and projects. Second, the income from the other 3 units covers all the building expenses (including mortgage, utilities, etc). If you calculate the "rent" I'm saving compared to the downpayment amount I'm getting about a 12% return. Third, the depreciation from owning a rental means that I haven't had taxable income in more than 6 years.
Fourth, since you're doing all your own maintenance you can write off all your tools and materials as business expenses.
If you choose your area and house rules well you can really minimize tenant issues. My 3 tenants right now are a single professional woman, a grad student, and a post-doc.
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@Ego - Ha! You make a convincing argument. (Pt. Townsend also has a woodworking school featuring some big names as well as an active yachting community) I have to weigh it against DW wanting to do some accounting work (less choice with a pop. 7000 town, still some: there are a tax prep firms as well as a hospital and some businesses), the $100k land premium for similar houses, and it being somewhat further away from civilization (it's the biggest city within dozens of miles). A car makes for a bad commute/meetup. A ferry is even worse.
@susswein - I grew up in Denmark where clear skies are the exception. I think WA has a similar climate or better (less wind).
@susswein - I grew up in Denmark where clear skies are the exception. I think WA has a similar climate or better (less wind).
Well then... Here's a dream home in Port Townsend
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1934/Mo ... ted-States
Asking $82,000. Or find a cheap project. Right now it's a buyers market. Of course you'd have to pay the $290/month fee mooring fee plus another $65 liveaboad fee.
If you're gonna do it you might as well DO IT, right?
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1934/Mo ... ted-States
Asking $82,000. Or find a cheap project. Right now it's a buyers market. Of course you'd have to pay the $290/month fee mooring fee plus another $65 liveaboad fee.
If you're gonna do it you might as well DO IT, right?
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Bought a fishing license ($15). Caught a black crappie yesterday.
(We're fishing at Montrose harbor, outer seawall, in case locals are interested in joining up)
Signed up for the company table tennis tournament (free beer).
Aggregating the blog into a kindle book is proceeding so-so.
No current woodworking projects.
Reading books about robotics.
(We're fishing at Montrose harbor, outer seawall, in case locals are interested in joining up)
Signed up for the company table tennis tournament (free beer).
Aggregating the blog into a kindle book is proceeding so-so.
No current woodworking projects.
Reading books about robotics.
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Nope. Being clueless are we are, we threw it back into the lake. We overheard the family fishing next to us talking about it being a "bad fish". Besides, it was only 7" long. Hardly a mouthful.
In other news, today's elimination game loss means that I'm now out of the tournament. This means I get to drink more beer so all is not lost.
In other news, today's elimination game loss means that I'm now out of the tournament. This means I get to drink more beer so all is not lost.
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@Ego - Good question. Why not make wooden boats or boxes? Because robotics is more about the design than abut craftsmanship. As such the design can be scaled into tens or thousands or units instead of being limited by my attention deficit disorder when it comes to repetitive processes. I'd rather separate my brain from production so I can concentrate on solving a new problem. The alternative is being so good that I can do good on one-offs.
Also, I simply find robotics interesting. (When I was younger, microcontrollers simply weren't available to the degree they are today.)
Also, I simply find robotics interesting. (When I was younger, microcontrollers simply weren't available to the degree they are today.)
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Re: Jacob's other journal
The kindle version of the blog isn't going anyhere. I guess I'm too concerned about good reviews and a direct blog->book is definitely going to ensure some "1 star, you can just get it for free". How I hate amazon's review system. They should remove the star system entirely. TL;DR --- I'm not very motivated here...
In other news, I've spent a lot of money this month
$336 on wood working tools. New too, because these particular ones are near impossible to get used. (I'm sure someone will correct me here).
I also spent about $150 on work-related books. I've found that buying books that can lead to new ideas is almost always a good idea whereas trying to save money on acquiring knowledge (e.g. waiting three months on the library or simply not getting the book) is almost always is really really dumb idea. Ideas are just so valuable and so cheap to acquire that it boggles the mind. Sometimes I forget that in the name of not spending money.
I'm not too concerned though. This spike could easily be followed by 6 months of not spending a dime. I think the last time I touched my credit card was in March.
In other news, I've spent a lot of money this month
$336 on wood working tools. New too, because these particular ones are near impossible to get used. (I'm sure someone will correct me here).
I also spent about $150 on work-related books. I've found that buying books that can lead to new ideas is almost always a good idea whereas trying to save money on acquiring knowledge (e.g. waiting three months on the library or simply not getting the book) is almost always is really really dumb idea. Ideas are just so valuable and so cheap to acquire that it boggles the mind. Sometimes I forget that in the name of not spending money.
I'm not too concerned though. This spike could easily be followed by 6 months of not spending a dime. I think the last time I touched my credit card was in March.
Re:
Puget Sound is remarkable, but I would second giving Oregon a look. It's really overlooked imo with CA and WA, but it's pretty great, although i'm in Houston; so i'm easily impressed.JoeNCA wrote:Many from Calif. moved up to WA near OR border and enjoy the benefits of WA's no income tax and OR's no sales tax.
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Re: Jacob's other journal
Really, not even for groceries? Does this mean you ordinarily make purchases in cash, or have you convinced Dear Wife to do all the shopping? If the latter, you owe it to men everywhere to share this trick. Such wisdom could be more valuable than all of ERE!jacob wrote:I think the last time I touched my credit card was in March.
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Re: Jacob's other journal
Given what we know about Jacob's spending habits, this does not surprise me at all.Spartan_Warrior wrote:Really, not even for groceries? Does this mean you ordinarily make purchases in cash, or have you convinced Dear Wife to do all the shopping? If the latter, you owe it to men everywhere to share this trick. Such wisdom could be more valuable than all of ERE!jacob wrote:I think the last time I touched my credit card was in March.
I am much less frugal, and I only use credit cards for online shopping (primarily Amazon) and refueling the car (because it's easier than going inside to the cashier.) Every time I go to an ATM, I withdraw $500 and I pay for most purchases in cash. I realize that many people in the US today would think this is strange, but I'm not interested in enriching the privacy-infringing databases about myself any more than necessary.
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Re: Jacob's other journal
Hey now, who's to say using cash over credit is necessarily more frugal? I get 5% cash back on groceries and gas, the only things I really spend money on, with the Sallie Mae WorldCard--paid in full every month, of course. IMO properly and responsibly utilized credit is better than cash and will save you money when you do have to buy something. You might counter that the most frugal choice would be not to buy anything at all, or buy so little that credit rewards aren't worth the effort. To which I would counter, if I have to buy something (again, groceries and gas) I might as well save 5%. The "effort" is minimal and I have yet to sign up for a card that didn't give me something like "instant $50 cash back!" for the fifteen minute's worth of work signing up.
Credit cards also have security and identity theft protections that cash and debit lack. At the very least, it's a month long interest-free loan when paid in full each month. I will also admit to a certain level of personal amusement and satisfaction in making these financial institutions pay ME interest (via cash back rewards) instead of vice versa.
I think "avoid credit at all costs" is good advice for average consumers and personal finance newbies, but breaks down in the face of even the most minor will power and personal control over spending. If you don't have to "trick" yourself to spend less with cash, there isn't much benefit to using it.
Privacy concerns related to what I buy to me are almost totally negligible in a world where an NSA guy somewhere is analyzing every bank transaction, internet post, and intimate text to my girlfriend I make. The worst thing that's ever happened in regard to corporate purchase tracking is I've been sent some (useful) coupons for items I routinely buy by my grocery store. (And that was probably from the store bonus card, not using my credit card.)
Just IMO of course.
Credit cards also have security and identity theft protections that cash and debit lack. At the very least, it's a month long interest-free loan when paid in full each month. I will also admit to a certain level of personal amusement and satisfaction in making these financial institutions pay ME interest (via cash back rewards) instead of vice versa.
I think "avoid credit at all costs" is good advice for average consumers and personal finance newbies, but breaks down in the face of even the most minor will power and personal control over spending. If you don't have to "trick" yourself to spend less with cash, there isn't much benefit to using it.
Privacy concerns related to what I buy to me are almost totally negligible in a world where an NSA guy somewhere is analyzing every bank transaction, internet post, and intimate text to my girlfriend I make. The worst thing that's ever happened in regard to corporate purchase tracking is I've been sent some (useful) coupons for items I routinely buy by my grocery store. (And that was probably from the store bonus card, not using my credit card.)
Just IMO of course.
Re: Jacob's other journal
I also use cash for pretty much every purchase I make in person. For pretty much the same reasons as others:
- Privacy concerns. I'd rather not have my spending analyzed. I'd rather not get more junk mail because of where I shop, etc..
- Fraud concerns. The fewer places my credit card information is stored, the lower the risk of it being compromised somehow. (this risk is highest with things like Netflix, PSN, and any autopayments to/from huge companies, probably not much risk at the grocery store)
- I just like using cash instead.
There are some places that I've NEVER paid without using cash. At the top of my list are bars. No way I'm handing over my credit card there. I don't get why people are so quick to do so. Then I see people complaining on Yelp reviews about getting overcharged.
Also, I've not used my Debit card to make a purchase ever in the last 5+ years. It is tied to the account that my paychecks go into (which I suppose would be easy to change).
That said, I have been starting to consider some rewards cards, primarily travel-related. I'm racking up travel points from actual travel for work and it might work well to get a extra points with certain chains. (hotels would be likely as it is difficult for me to consistently use a certain hotel group so my points are all spread out)
- Privacy concerns. I'd rather not have my spending analyzed. I'd rather not get more junk mail because of where I shop, etc..
- Fraud concerns. The fewer places my credit card information is stored, the lower the risk of it being compromised somehow. (this risk is highest with things like Netflix, PSN, and any autopayments to/from huge companies, probably not much risk at the grocery store)
- I just like using cash instead.
There are some places that I've NEVER paid without using cash. At the top of my list are bars. No way I'm handing over my credit card there. I don't get why people are so quick to do so. Then I see people complaining on Yelp reviews about getting overcharged.
Also, I've not used my Debit card to make a purchase ever in the last 5+ years. It is tied to the account that my paychecks go into (which I suppose would be easy to change).
That said, I have been starting to consider some rewards cards, primarily travel-related. I'm racking up travel points from actual travel for work and it might work well to get a extra points with certain chains. (hotels would be likely as it is difficult for me to consistently use a certain hotel group so my points are all spread out)
Re: Jacob's other journal
Using cash and increasing the number of payments increases the "pain of paying" for most people and thereby decreases motivation to spend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCujWv7Mc8o
Not that we don't have a naturally high "pain of paying" here regardless of the method or frequency.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCujWv7Mc8o
Not that we don't have a naturally high "pain of paying" here regardless of the method or frequency.