SUMMARY SUNDAY IS A WEEKLY POST WHERE I PUT OUT A SHORT LIST OF THE PERSONAL FINANCE BLOG POSTS AND ARTICLES I LIKED THE MOST THROUGHOUT THE PREVIOUS WEEK. LINKS TO EACH POST ARE IN THE HEADERS. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM TOO!
Reader Suggestions: Defending Your Frugality Without Sounding Defensive
Frugalwoods – June 26, 2017
I don’t value a lot of the same things other people value. I couldn’t care less about designer clothes. My favorite pair of pants was purchased at an REI Garage Sale for, like, $28. I owned the same Honda Civic for exactly 12 years and 1 day and was really sad when it came time to sell it.
On the other hand, I’m closing in on being financially independent in my early 40s. And I enjoy multiple 5-10 day vacations every year, because that’s what I value and put my money towards.
But there are definitely a lot of people who don’t understand what I am doing. People who question why I bother looking for deals or don’t want to spend $100 going to an event I won’t like. And sometimes, people who mock me for being frugal and not spending every dime I have. If you are reading this blog, you might have experienced the same things.
Mrs. Frugalwoods asked her Facebook group for ways they deal with people making negative comments on their frugality. My favorite is “I prefer to spend my money and my time on things that really bring me happiness.” That’s the closest to my own answer, which is “that’s not something I value/care about.” What’s your response to these kinds of questions?
The 4 Most Important People to Know When Homebuying
Young Finances – June 26, 2017
How do I get approved for a loan? Who will help me find the right home? Who can help me? Don’t panic! Here are the top four people you need to know when it comes to buying a home.”
I was recently asked to write a post on buying a first home. While I work on that, I thought I’d throw in this quick post from Young Finances.
I’ve purchased two houses so far, and sold one. Having a good team is a very important step in making sure you are making a smart purchase. I think that’s a pretty recognizable idea. But it’s also important to have that good team to make sure you don’t go crazy while in the homebuying process.
Sometimes you get surprised by unexpected expenses or delays that could have been avoided or at least planned for. If you have a good team, they will look out for you to make homebuying as easy as possible. You don’t want to get to your expected closing day and find out the paperwork isn’t done. Been there! Or that there is a lien against the house that you didn’t know about. Been there, too! Make sure you are choosing reliable people with a good reputation. This isn’t the place to cheap out – it’s one of the most expensive things you will do in your life!
How We Went to Europe for Free
Mr. Crazy Kicks – June 27, 2017
I thought our travels would be limited after I gave up my cushy salary, but thanks to travel hacking, we’ve been going on more trips than ever. Over the past year, we’ve travel hacked close to $10,000 in flights and accommodations. Just recently, we flew to Barcelona and road tripped around Catalonia – our flights and Airbnbs were all free.”
I’ve been meaning to get into the travel hacking game for awhile, and I’m planning my strategy now. Don’t worry, I’ll share it with you as I go so you can learn from my mistakes. One of the things I’m doing to prepare is reading a lot of other blogs that talk about travel hacking. This one caught my eye right away this week!
Not only did Mr. Crazy Kicks use credit card travel hacking to make this trip possible, he also used free vouchers they earned for volunteering to take a later flight. This is one of my favorite travel hacks. If there is a later flight that will still get me home at a reasonable hour, I volunteer every time. So far, that’s always been the case for me – I’ve never had to stay overnight. In fact, I’ve actually gotten home earlier than planned a couple times by volunteering to give up a seat on a connecting flight in exchange for a direct flight. And I earned several hundred dollars worth of flight vouchers in the process. You can’t beat that!
This post inspired me to kick my travel hacking plans into gear. I’m hoping to use the long weekend to finalize my strategy and start applying for cards. Stay tuned!
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