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Archive for July, 2006

My Home: Personal Observation Of the Housing Market In Hawaii

27 Jul

My Home: A series about the home buying process through the eyes of a first time home buyer.

I’ve been receiving daily email updates on the housing market in Hawaii through a site called PrudentialLocations.com, and recently, I’ve noticed a sharp decline in the number of updates I’ve been receiving.  By sharp, I mean just last month I saw about 4 or 5 houses per daily update, this month it’s dropped to 1, if even that.  Some days I don’t even get an update.  These updates include changes in status (new to market, ACS, sold), price updates, etc.  I get notified on everything.  So it’s a good indication of activity in my local market.    

Here are some sample status updates in the past couple of weeks:

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2 Comments

Posted in General on July 27, 2006

 

Are You Rolling Over a 401(k)? Did You Know It Might More Sense to Cash Out?

27 Jul

…That’s only if you have company stock in your 401(k).  I never knew this until I read this Q&A in SmartMoney Magazine, where the reader’s asks, “Is it true that stock held in a 401(k) can be withdrawn and placed in a taxable account and ordinary income tax would be due only on the cost basis of the stock?”  (SmartMoney magazine, August 2006, page 42)

A couple of caveats:

  • Own substantial amounts of company stocks.
  • Have a substantial increase in value of these stocks.

Hah.  Good luck figuring that out…What is substantial?  Well, there is a point where paying the tax penalties for early withdrawl still makes sense because of the amount of money you would get because the stocks would qualify for the longterm tax status.  I didn’t think about this at all, but even still I think I’ll just leave it in my retirement fund.

 
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Posted in General on July 27, 2006

 

Please Support

26 Jul

If you have some free time, please check out the following organizations.
 


How do you know non-profits are using your money on programs that count rather than on ridiculous salaries, various unnecessary expenses, fancy excessive technology, etc.?  Here’s one site you can use to double check…Guidestar.org.

A few more links:

 
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Posted in General on July 26, 2006

 

Contact Me

26 Jul

You can write me an email, or if you’d rather use an online form, then just fill out the form below.

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Posted in General on July 26, 2006

 

About Freedumb <- Start

26 Jul

I’m an almost 30 male anonymous personal finance blogger. I talk about my mistakes and successes. I would like to learn about yours. I hope we can help each other achieve financial freedom…and have some fun along the way! If it’s crazy, spontaneous, fun, random, and beneficial (I hope) information that you’re looking for, then this is it!  Click to contact me or leave a comment!  It’s much appreciated…

FYI, I try to update regularly, but just to warn you, on somedays I can post 5 times, and then on other days nada.  If it’s scheduled programming that you’re looking for, this is probably the wrong site.

Financial Freedumb was started on February 23, 2006.  Here’s my first post @ my old site, financialfreedumb.blogspot.com…

 

FF Start

 

Yeah, not the greatest, but honestly that was one of the main reasons I started blogging.  In addition to that, I just had so many questions about how I was doing financially–am I saving enough, should I have more invested, where should I be financially at this point in my life?  The questions go on and on.  The bottom line is that I started blogging:

1. To share my knowledge of finances,
2. To gain insight from others, aka get criticism/feedback, on my personal and financial decisions,
3. To log my personal finance journey, like tracking my net worth, and
4. To hold myself accountable.

Here are some ”best of“ type posts with a bunch of links to various posts I’ve written.  It’s a good place to start if you’re visiting for the first time.

Check out Brownie’s about page and my series, especially my Thank You series.

Some quotes I live by and/or like:

  • Smart is all relative.  It depends on what we’re talking about.  There’s always someone smarter.  (Smart can be replaced by dumb)
  • Life is like a rollercoaster, fly as high as your wings will take you, fall as fast as gravity will pull you, but buckle up, it’s a bumpy ride.
  • Imagine if you were that one person who could NOT say, “at least I know someone has it worse.” – My friend
  • Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes. – Walt Whitman
  • Of those to whom much has been given, much is expected.  -John F. Kennedy, Oliver Wendell Holmes, God (Luke 12:48)

Well, that’s it for now.  This site is constantly changing and evolving, hopefully for the better.  Just like life, this site is a work in progress.  Let’s help each other make our way through this journey to achieve financial freedumb freedom.

Best Regards,
Financial Freedumb & Brownie 

 
1 Comment

Posted in General on July 26, 2006

 

My Very Best Money Saving Tip

26 Jul

Okay, I don’t know if it’s really my “very best” money saving tip, but that’s the topic…Credit NCN for getting this “link-a-thon” started!

My tip:  WAIT.

If it’s a big ticket item (my definition of big ticket would be over $100), then I would put it down on my wishlist (a text document).  I would then do research on it.  Then I’d wait.

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7 Comments

Posted in General on July 26, 2006

 

Shortest Ladder Ever? GMAC 6 Month CD Ladder, 5.5% APY.

26 Jul

So I’m planning on opening a CD ladder…if you can even it call it that.  It’s composed of a 3 month and a 6 month CD.  Interest rates at GMAC are currently at 5.2% (3 month) and 5.5% (6 month) APY.

I’m just waiting to get everything settled.  I haven’t opened a CD at GMAC yet, but it looks like it will be a straightforward process.  I just sent in my signature card, so I’m just waiting for access.  Has anyone gone through the process of opening CDs at GMAC?

By the way, I originally opened the GMAC account to be my “fun fund,” but I don’t think I’m going to do that…one problem with a high interest yield account and the idea of a “fun fund,” is that you start wanting to put more money in it to save again…maybe my account should be at something that doesn’t pay as much interest…I may go back to my credit union.

 
2 Comments

Posted in General on July 26, 2006

 

Before You Take Fido To That Expensive Obedience Class…

26 Jul

From what I’ve read, seems that a number of folks take their dogs to well marketed obedience classes (Petsmart anyone?) that cost at least around $100 for six 1 hour classes.  Where I live, they actually cost $140 for six classes.  Well, there is an alternative, generally every state has a number of American Kennel Club (AKC) local chapters.  These AKC chapters offer a variety of dog interests, but my favorite is obedience.  In my state, a 13 week class costs $40–MUCH better than the private offerings.  So before you sign Fido up for private schooling, consider AKC chapters in your area.  Here’s a link to search the AKC site for local chapters near you.

 
4 Comments

Posted in General on July 26, 2006

 

Woohoo! RSS Feed Is Working. I Hope.

25 Jul

If you see this, you’re reading the latest on financialfreedumb.com.  Feels good.  I can get back to blogging about money! By the way, I didn’t get rid of anonymous commenting.  I can’t figure out how to turn off moderation…so your first post is moderated, and then following posts are supposed to work without moderation.  I think.  Let me play around with things more…drop me a line if you find any problems.  I hate problems.

 
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Posted in General on July 25, 2006

 

Aloha! Welcome to the new financialfreedumb.com

24 Jul

Talk about some headaches…one issue after another…what I thought would be a “smooth” process ended up being a little rough with some remaining issues left to be resolved.

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6 Comments

Posted in General on July 24, 2006

 
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