Saving money Archives - The Silicon Underground

Why are some books so expensive on Amazon?

October 22, 2020 by Dave Farquhar

Books are expensive, but some books are crazy expensive. There are generally three reasons for that. I don’t think I’m giving away any deep, dark secrets, so I’ll explain why some books are so expensive on Amazon. Like, $800 expensive, sometimes. Better yet, I’ll also explain how to know if the book you’re looking at is overpriced, or if it typically does sell for those high prices.

Some books legitimately are extremely valuable and expensive. But sometimes low-demand books get caught up in price wars that drive prices up due to short supply.

House money pit solutions

June 1, 2020 by Dave Farquhar

My coworker asked me for my honest opinion whether his house is a money pit. It’s actually a less complicated question than it might sound. Any house can become a money pit, but most houses won’t, if we don’t let them. Here’s how to keep house money pit issues under control.

In my experience, homes usually become money pits due to a combination of neglect and taking on too many projects at once. Both of these issues are manageable over the long term.

Is it cheaper to build a PC?

March 31, 2020 by Dave Farquhar

Years ago, I was having lunch with a friend. “You probably don’t save much money by building a PC. I know when I build a mountain bike, I end up spending more.” His logic makes sense. But it’s worth exploring. Is it cheaper to build a PC?

Do programmable thermostats save money?

March 9, 2020 by Dave Farquhar

Programmable thermostats used to be really expensive. But today, you can get one for as little as $25, about the same price as a non-programmable digital thermostat. But should you get one? Do programmable thermostats save money? Do they save energy?

If you have a conventional forced-air furnace and air conditioner, a programmable thermostat can save you $25 a month or more, especially in the summer and winter. But not if you have a heat pump. If you have a heat pump, you probably know it.

401(K) asset allocation

March 18, 2020February 24, 2020 by Dave Farquhar

When you’re enrolling in your employer’s 401(K) plan, one of the most difficult questions is your 401(K) asset allocation. They’re limited in what advice they can give you, so I’ll share what’s worked for me.

The key to 401(K) asset allocation is to get a good mix of stocks of large companies, medium-sized companies, growth stocks, international stocks, and bonds. This helps you to do well over the long term, even when the market has bad years.

Roth 401(K) vs traditional

March 3, 2020February 17, 2020 by Dave Farquhar

My employer started offering a Roth 401(K) option this year. I was pretty excited about it, but it confused most of my coworkers. I walked them through the Roth 401(K) vs traditional 401(K), and my explanation helped them enough that some of them opted to take that route. Let’s look at the differences so you can decide which is right for you.

A traditional 401(K) is tax-deferred, which means you get a tax deduction this year for contributing, and you pay taxes on it in the future when you withdraw it. A Roth 401(K) offers no tax deduction this year, but you owe no taxes when you withdraw it, no matter how much it grows.

Geothermal heating and cooling pros and cons

February 6, 2020 by Dave Farquhar

I know several people using geothermal heating and cooling. My neighbor really wanted me to switch to it. But what is geothermal heating and cooling? What does it cost? it didn’t make sense to me to replace a highly efficient furnace and AC that were working properly. Now that my furnace needs a costly repair, I’m looking at geothermal heating and cooling pros and cons. Here’s what I found out.

Geothermal heating and cooling is very environmentally friendly, and under the right circumstances, saves you a large sum of money every month. It’s not for everyone, but the people who like it like it a lot.

Are home warranty plans worth it?

January 30, 2020 by Dave Farquhar

Are home warranty plans worth it? Do you need a home warranty? As a longtime home owner and landlord, I have experience with home warranties. Here’s when I’ve found they’re worth it, and how I decide when to go without.

Offering a home warranty certainly makes your home more marketable when you’re selling. But when it comes to buying one myself, I don’t bother anymore. Here’s why.

Goodwill by the pound

October 17, 2019October 16, 2019 by Dave Farquhar

Goodwill operates thrift stores all over the country, but most major cities have one Goodwill Outlet as well. These stores, nicknamed Goodwill by the pound, sell merchandise by weight. It’s the last stop for merchandise before being recycled.

Goodwill by the pound offers tremendous opportunity for bargain hunters with a sense of adventure. If you’re willing to dig, and fix up what you find, you can save a ton of money at these stores.

Is debt a sin against God?

October 9, 2019 by Dave Farquhar

I had lunch with a new friend one recent weekend. We talked about a lot of different things, but one of those things was debt. Is debt a sin against God? I know where that idea comes from. It’s something we struggled through together a bit. Here’s why I push back against that argument.

The Bible talks about money a lot, but not nearly as much about debt specifically. The Bible speaks more about the sin of pride than it talks about debt, and I see lots of pride on both sides of the debt argument.