The nice thing about the occasional Polar Vortex is the unplanned bonus time you get to spend with your kids. Last week, school was canceled four out of five days due to the extreme cold. Sure, it was trying in some aspects. This is the time of year when projects start to get rolling at work. Taking a few half days off to watch the kiddos makes you wonder why childless people … [Read more...] about Frugal Unsung Heroes: LEGOs
Happiness is Being Your Own Boss
I sense a theme emerging of late: Cubert going off the deep end, pontificating on workforce rah rah crap. Cool! Buckle in for another one of those, cuz today I'm writing up some meaty two sentence paragraphs about BOSSES. We've all probably seen the studies or heard of them. If you've got a good boss, you're likely to like your job. If you've got an a-hole sitting across that … [Read more...] about Happiness is Being Your Own Boss
Simon Says: Work Hard, Be Patient
Simon Sinek. The one guy who might convince you to keep your day job and tuck away those grand notions of early retirement. You may have heard of Mr. Sinek, especially if you're employed in Corporate America. His TED talks are very popular on YouTube. And his books are best sellers. For those of us armchair psychology nerds, interested in the anthropological arena of our wacky … [Read more...] about Simon Says: Work Hard, Be Patient
The Airbnb Experiment: Results Are In!
VRBO isn't the devil after all. The Airbnb Experiment concluded in December with pretty good results. We made about $12K in net revenue for the year (revenue after expenses such as dues, utilities, taxes, maintenance and supplies). With a mortgage on the property (about $718 goes to the bank each month), the take-home cash for the full year was about $5.5K. From a cash-on-cash … [Read more...] about The Airbnb Experiment: Results Are In!
Summertime in Charlevoix: Northern Michigan’s Finest
This is the time of year we start to plan ahead for the summer months. I find this planning process something of a survival tactic for getting through tougher winters with sub-zero, polar vortex action. The kind of deep freeze that won't even allow for short runs, skiing, or winter biking... We've got our Airbnb condo in northern Michigan; specifically, Charlevoix, Michigan. … [Read more...] about Summertime in Charlevoix: Northern Michigan’s Finest