Well, my mom just entered semi-retirement this week, joining my dad who has been fully retired for several years now. They had started to pick up more hobbies once their kids started leaving the house for college — tinkering with stained glass, bread-making, and making their own bacon for example. However, one thing that they have really enjoyed is the study of wine. My parents began by reading the New York Times Wine School column, which is a great, although somewhat intimidating starting point.
Author: Seth Munier
Traveling to China for Business? A couple of suggestions.
I recently got back from a week-long trip to China. The trip was great. Extremely productive. The travel was a bit grueling. United 835 from Chicago (ORD) to Shanghai (PVG) was right around 14 and a half hours. The flight home was less than 13. It was my first trip to Asia and here are a few tips that I would pass along to those traveling to China for the first time. Read more about Traveling to China for Business? A couple of suggestions. …
Cologne!
No, I’m not talking about how fresh I smell this morning. Cologne (Köln), Germany was a place I was lucky enough to travel to for work back in 2014. I was 27 at the time and really enjoyed myself.
Saving for Retirement as a Young Professional
Lucky for me, my parents taught me the importance of understanding my finances at an early age. I have memories of regular trips to the bank, as well as joining them while they were paying their bills at the kitchen table. I was taught how to do my own taxes after getting my first job at age 15. I didn’t start a retirement savings until I got my first job out of college, but I’ve picked up some useful advice that I hope you find beneficial. Here are my few pointers: Read more about Saving for Retirement as a Young Professional …
Hidden Home Ownership Costs
One piece of head wear that I don in my life is my Realtor hat. While I’ve only been in the business for a couple of years as a part-time gig, I have picked up a few tips that I like to pass along to friends and clients. One of them is that you really need to figure out what the true cost of home ownership is. I know that when I was looking to purchase my first home, I was really looking forward to a mortgage payment that was less than the rent I had been paying each month. But owning a home is so much more than that one number. Additionally, you will need to consider PMI, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, utilities, HOA’s, repairs, and upgrades. Sounds like a lot, right? Yeah, it can get overwhelming, but let’s dig in a little deeper. Read more about Hidden Home Ownership Costs …
Banks vs. Credit Unions
Before you run to your bank to check their rates, have you heard of a Credit Union? Credit Unions were brought over from Europe to North America in 1900 and the US more specifically in 1909, by Alphonse Desjardins. Credit Unions were originally set up to help poorer urban and rural communities that banks often […]
Hello World
Ok, so I’m starting this blog aged 30 years. I have a little catching up to do if I want to start at the beginning. I mean, don’t get me wrong, 1986 was one hell of a year. Not that I remember these things — you know — because I was a fetus for half the year, but here is a list of some things that happened in 1986. Read more about Hello World …