Peter Falk insists his “Just One More Thing” is NOT an autobiography. It’s rather a collection of amusing short stories from his life, and who am I to argue with Columbo? No matter how you categorize the book, it is amusing, entertaining, insightful, and very easy to read. It’ll make you want to see his earlier works. (Please note, this article contains affiliate links. If you order the item from one of these links, I make a little bit of money, and it doesn’t cost you anything extra.)
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Where Bulgakov Developed ‘Master and Margarita’
Mikhail Bulgakov developed his classic “Master and Margarita” in this house in Moscow.
Continue reading‘Anne of Green Gables,’ ‘Anne of Avonlea’ Improve Imagination and Compassion
(Note: This review contains affiliate links; if you make a purchase using the affiliate links, I get a commission. You still pay the same rate you would without using the link) In the same vein as “Winnie the Pooh” and “A Christmas Carol,” “Anne of Green Gables” and “Anne of Avonlea” are stories that everyone should take the time to read and savor. The two books are full of melodrama, comedy, tragedy and the daydreams and love of a young girl and here neighbors. Here, everyone is accepted for who they are, even if they all have their faults.
Continue reading‘The Terror’ Brings Extreme Exploration to Life through Fictionalizing Real-life Events
Dan Simmons’ “The Terror” (affiliate link) is more than just a tale of supernatural horror based on actual events. It is an exploration of possible Inuit beliefs. Though because this is a work of fiction, it’s hard to know what is fact and what is fiction. Still, the penultimate chapter is a masterpiece, and what the book has to show about ignorance, savagery, ugliness and nobility is true to human nature.
Continue readingTips for Becoming a Super Saver
In her book “Rich Enough? A Laid-back Guide for Every Kiwi,” Mary Holm, “New Zealand’s Most Trusted Money Expert,” gives several suggestions for becoming a super saver. By following this advice, you should be able to save more than you think you can in a shorter time span.
Super Saver Rules
The first rule is to set yourself a goal. If you play point and click games, or old-school video games, you know that racking up points is good, but having a destination is better. You can do the same thing in your savings. Have a goal, so that you can motivate yourself to get to the next level. Just be sure it’s a SMART goal.
Know what you’re saving for. What is it that you want to achieve through savings? Find a pictorial representation and put it where you can see it. Use that as your motivation.
Start small. Even if you’re just putting away $10 a month at the beginning, you’re doing something for your future. As soon as you have enough to open an interest-bearing account, get your money in there. Choose an account that will penalize you for withdrawing funds.
Use a mental trick. Holm suggests imagining your job paid you 5 percent less. Where would you cut back? Make those cuts and put that 5 percent into your savings.
Pay off a loan? Find a cheaper company for services like Internet, cable, or electricity? Paid less taxes? Got a tax refund? Take half the savings that you realize and put it into your long-term account. Do the same thing if you get a raise; put half of it in savings before you adjust your lifestyle to the increase in funds.
Any one-off payments can be put into your savings account as well. If you get an inheritance, you can use some of the money, but put most of it towards your goal. Follow these suggestions, and you’re on your way to becoming a super saver.
Use Dean Graziosi’s ‘Millionaire Success Habits’ to Make Success Habitual
Yes, I broke down and ordered Dean Graziosi’s “Millionaire Success Habits.” If you’re not familiar with Graziosi, he has made his money in real estate, motivational speaking, and is working on what he and Tony Robbins call “The Knowledge Industry Business,” and he wants to share everything he’s learned with you.
Continue readingThe Most Important Thing to Know when Investing in Funds? Fees.
One of the pieces of financial advice that “New Zealand’s Most Trusted Money Expert” Mary Holm gives in her book “Rich Enough? A Laid-Back Guide for Every Kiwi” (affiliate link) is to look at the fees when investing in funds of any type. Holm cites a plethora of data to support this claim.
Continue readingFor New Zealand History Grab McNab’s ‘Murihiku’
Robert McNab’s “Murihiku” (affiliate link) is a history of the southern islands of New Zealand that focuses exclusively on the European experience of discovery and interactions with the sea, land, and sometimes, the Maori. Even though this book was published in 1907, McNab points out the flaw of not exploring the Maori experience. He is aware that his research only examines white man’s exploration. McNab traveled the world looking for documents related to New Zealand’s early history. He found newspaper accounts in Australia and log books in America. He also researched information from Russian and Spanish sources.
Continue readingImprove Your Savings through Wise Use of Credit Cards
In her book “Rich Enough? A Laid-Back Guide for Every Kiwi,” “New Zealand’s Most Trusted Money Expert” Mary Holm points out that there are only three ways to get more money into your savings account: Earn more, save more, and be smarter about your savings. She urges people to start saving now, even if it’s only a little bit. The sooner you begin, regardless how small, the better off you’ll be in the future. But the first place to start with savings and credit cards is high interest debt.
Continue readingHow to Set and Achieve SMART (Financial) Goals
In her book “Rich Enough? A Laid-Back Guide for Every Kiwi,” “New Zealand’s Most Trusted Money Expert” Mary Holm talks about setting goals and achieving them. She uses the SMART acronym, but changes up one of the letters for her theory.
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Penguinate! Positive Creativity 