Value Laptops 2022

Value Laptops 2022

Want the best value for your money on a laptop in 2022?

This is targeted mainly at students and bloggers; people who need a do-it-all laptop that won't bust even a modest budget.

I'm very pleased with the direction that the industry has gone in the last few years. I've long recommended computers with an SSD, or solid-state drive, because they truly are that much better than the old spinning hard drives. It's like comparing a 1975 Cadillac Sixty Special Brougham (they called them 'land yachts' for a good reason!) to a modern Shelby Mustang - in terms of performance or reliability, there's simply no comparison.

I no longer need to make that recommendation, because you'll be hard-pressed to find a laptop without an SSD these days.

Links for September 2020

Link roundup September 2020

Are we still in a recession from COVID?
https://earlyretirementnow.com/2020/08/25/the-shortest-recession-ever-my-thoughts-on-the-state-of-the-economy/

A timely topic:
https://debtfreeguys.com/racism-and-personal-finance/

What's the difference between being 'rich' and being 'wealthy?'
https://www.personalfinanceforbeginners.com/rich-vs-wealthy/

Best current laptop deals, especially for students and bloggers:
    ASUS Vivobook F512DA; $515 on Amazon (reg. $679 for this version)
    

ASUS Vivobook F512DA, a great laptop for students and bloggers

    Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14-inch; $450 on Amazon 

Lenovo IdeaPad 3, a great laptop for students and bloggers

Here's a very good question, with no easy or universal answer:
https://retirementresearcher.com/how-much-should-we-depend-on-the-stock-market/

I've planned to make a post on this myself. Drat! I've been scooped!
https://www.inspiretofire.com/hedonic-treadmill/

An outstanding explanation of why the historic CAPE ratio is not necessarily a good guide for the future:
https://thereformedbroker.com/2014/01/12/leaving-cape-town/

Jose and Tatiana from CrucialWealth were featured on MarketWatch:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-couple-is-one-year-away-from-having-enough-money-to-retire-early-heres-what-they-did-2019-04-01

An outstanding series from LivingAFI:
Pt. 1 https://livingafi.com/2014/05/09/drawdown-part-1-the-basics/
Pt. 2 https://livingafi.com/2014/05/12/drawdown-part-2-simulation/
Pt. 3 https://livingafi.com/2014/05/18/drawdown-part-3-strategy/
Pt. 4 https://livingafi.com/2014/05/28/drawdown-part-4-examples/
Pt. 5 https://livingafi.com/2014/06/03/drawdown-part-5-validation/

Somebody who worked for Lehman Brothers was smart enough to start saving at 23, and saving by choice worked out well for him during economic downswings.
     Did you get a later start than he did? He says, 'that's fine, just start now, and choose to live with an austere budget.' Good advice:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/have-nothing-saved-for-retirement-follow-the-austerity-solution-2019-03-29?mod=article_inline

What should you be afraid of in retirement? Wade Pfau spells it out:
https://retirementresearcher.com/inflation-deflation-confiscation-devastation-the-four-horsemen-of-risk/

Worried about required minimum distributions (RMDs)?
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/these-rmds-are-driving-me-crazy-what-are-my-options-2019-03-27?mod=article_inline

Is your retirement in jeopardy?

Due to severe budget problems, Puerto Rico will have to slash its budget, as announced in February 2017 (see http://www.businessinsider.com/the-board-has-spoken-puerto-rico-to-be-hit-with-painful-austerity-measures-2017-2). This includes cutting 10% from the retirement system for government employees, since that system is on the verge of running out of money completely. Sound familiar, U.S. residents?...

Grad Student Blues: How I live on less than $10,000 per year

Grad Student Blues 

How I live on less than $10,000 per year

Your Next Phone

Your Next Smartphone

What to get for your next mobile device? With so many choices, it can be tough to make up your mind! When you consider all the possible options, you might get a facial expression like this guy:

Water balloon toss guy...the original image is hilarious! See it here: 

http://s191.photobucket.com/user/Gooey_GUI/media/water-balloon-toss.jpg.html

And, of course, the hype about the new devices being revealed at this year's Mobile World Congress (and the slew of commercials that are sure to follow) will muddy the waters for anyone looking to get a good deal on their next phone.

Here's a pro tip: If you haven't already done so, let your cell carrier's contract run out, get an unlocked phone and an off-contract plan, and enjoy paying under $50 per month--probably less than half of what you're currently paying!

There are a ton of devices out there for any budget...but not all of them are worthwhile! How can you tell which phones are a good deal and which are junk?

Never fear, the Froogal Stoodent is here to point you toward some of the best options for any budget!

Pretend to Be Poor: Contentment, not investment, is the secret to financial freedom

On the website Pretend to Be Poor, Neil and Kalie Brooks advocate the idea that contentment with one's life is the secret to financial freedom: http://www.pretendtobepoor.com/the-secret/ There's a lot of wisdom in this--the people who outspend their income are the ones who are trying to show off, or trying to please other people.

If you're content with your possessions and lifestyle, then you are truly free from having to worry about money!

In another post here: http://www.pretendtobepoor.com/mindless-austerity/, they discuss "mindless austerity." This works well in tandem with automating your finances. Many think you should pay your bills automatically so you won't be charged a late fee.

The corollary advocated in this article is that you should automatically adopt habits that encourage you to stay within your budget, like packing your lunch and shopping at discount grocery stores. I agree!

I encourage you to check out the Pretend to Be Poor website here: it has a lot of useful advice!

Value Laptops 2015

Value Laptops 2015

This is an old article and will no longer be updated. Please see my latest version here.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of laptops. However, I’m also a fan of saving money and living within my means. If you're looking for a great deal on a new computer, I've picked out some of the best deals around to include in this article. Isn't it nice to have someone else do your shopping for you? :)

from http://press.asus.com/content/201406021517165793.jpg

Froogal Consumption

Froogal Consumption

As promised in my previous article on Why Being Cheap Costs More, I expound here on how to shop frugally. Whereas conspicuous consumption focuses on image and flash, Froogal consumption focuses on getting the maximum value for a quality product.

Value, rather than price, is a critical concept here!

Why Being Cheap Costs More

Think being tight-fisted will save you money? Think again!

The difference between frugal and cheap is all in your head.

Well, more accurately, it's in your mindset!

College Hacks to Save Money

Froogal College Hacks to Save Money

Did your jaw drop when you looked at your bill for the semester? Have you wondered how you can save money on college expenses? Stressing over how you're going to pay for college?

Don't let this be you! 

Image courtesy blogs.cornell.edu

Financial Freedom

I want to take a moment here to defend the Millionaire Mindset that I've described before. The point of this approach is to be satisfied with having a few nice things that you can truly afford, guilt-free!

Example of the Millionaire Mindset

Keira Knightley apparently understands the Millionaire Mindset. According to an article at (of all places) Us Weekly, she only pays herself around $50,000 per year!

Headphones for less

Since the recent acquisition of Beats Audio by Apple (a perfect marriage of too-expensive, overhyped consumer products!), Beats is once again in the public consciousness.

A great Lifehacker article (link at the bottom) suggests some bass-heavy alternatives to the expensive (and not-so-great-quality) Beats headphones that many young people seem to own these days. However, even these alternatives are pretty expensive; there are better-value alternatives that I've listed here.

The "Don't buy stuff" budget

This SNL skit is both funny and accurate: https://screen.yahoo.com/dont-buy-stuff-000000884.html

I'm tempted to say things are more complicated than that, but it really isn't. Unless you're buying a house, if you can't pay for it--right now--and still have money left over to pay your bills, don't buy it!