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The total amount of rental income on our beach home in the Outer Banks of North Carolina came to $24,600 this year. Of course, you have to subtract out Commission ($3,727.25), Laundry ($1,178.10), Maintenance Fees ($375), Pest Control ($50), and a couple other misc. fees and the result is $18,729.48. I can’t really complain about … Read more

I just read a pretty interesting article in MSN Money about why American taxes aren’t so bad. Apparently an organization called the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development took a look at the tax burdens of 30 countries around the world. The results of the Paris-based think tank demonstrate that the US tax rate is … Read more

We are currently remodeling a small bathroom in our house. As with any project you estimate the cost, then buy the parts, pay for the labor and determine how close the two figures match one another. If we’re lucky it looks like we might only go over budget by about $600. In order to cut … Read more

So last year one of my closest friends set a date and decided to get married. She asked four of us to become her bridesmaids, and we went ahead and ordered chiffon gowns in the glorious shade of party pink. The dresses were fairly pricey. I think mine cost $250. But of course money is … Read more

So it looks like my employer will be offering the new Roth 401(k) sometime this spring. Should I ditch my traditional 401(k) for the new Roth 401(k)? As always before making a financial decision I turned to the trusty Internet for answers. Most of the articles I came across suggest that I am better off … Read more

I’m about to find out how many women are out there reading this blog. I’ll be attending, (possibly throwing), a baby shower for a good friend of mine in the near future. I don’t have any children of my own, and despite working in day care centers for years, I have no idea what the … Read more

About a year ago I was struck with a major medical illness. Since that time I have spent time in and out of doctors offices and hospitals. I have had more scans than I can possibly count, and had fairly significant surgery. Thankfully I have an unbelievable employer with unbelievable benefits. I have up to … Read more

Here is a list of questions to ask yourself when considering to pay off your mortgage early. (They have been gathered from a number of websites discussing this topic.) Do you have other debts? – Obviously you should pay off all credit card debts before attempting to pay off your mortgage. Do you have an … Read more

Isn’t it funny, how we stereotype people by the cars they drive. As a college student I drove my father’s rusty, old, Toyota camry station wagon to campus. I’d park it alongside the shiny BMWs and SUVs of fellow students. I used to hate driving that old bomb to campus. Thinking back I relish the … Read more