All jobs are not created equal. If you find yourself in the enviable position of being offered more than one job, it may come down to BENEFITS. Whatever you do, do not choose based on earnings alone.
Make sure your job has health insurance. It is too expensive to NOT have health insurance, and besides that, it is required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Beyond that, things are up for grabs... but the next thing I wouldn't work without is PAID TIME OFF. From vacation time to sick time to holidays, getting paid when you are not in the office make those days when you are in the office more bearable, no matter how much you love your job.
-At my job my annual paid time off includes: 3 weeks (15 days) of vacation time, 9 holidays, 12 sick days, and 6 personal days.
Next up is a retirement contribution. Some companies offer to match what you contribute up to a certain percentage of your salary. Since the market is down right now, and current students are looking at least 30 ye ... more »
Posted: April 7, 2009 6:21 pm | 1 comment
Tags: benefits, work
You knew it was coming... my blog about taxes.
Here is where I weigh in on the issue - taxes are a 'necessary evil.' I want things like public schools, police patrols, and safe drinking water, and I am willing to pay for these things through taxes. In fact, I might even pay a bit more if it meant fixing the pot-holes, and I don't even have a car.
The main problem with taxes is that the money goes into a black hole where we don't necessarily see the benefits in our day-to-day lives. One of the best satires of this is courtesy of The Onion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnX-D4kkPOQ
Now, since this is a Financial Tip post, I had better get my tip in here. When it comes to taxes, my main tip is: FILE THEM EARLY. Really, once you have all your ducks in a row, it only takes an hour.
You should file early for two reasons. First, most likely you are getting money back. Seems obvious enough, but still many people who have overpaid their taxes are waiting to file. Second, whether you f ... more »
Posted: April 15, 2009 4:31 pm | 0 comments
Tags: finance, money, taxes
I recently received a BJ's membership and thought I would share the benefits and drawbacks involved in buying in bulk.
The pros:
Savings. Buying in bulk means a wholesale discount. It isn't always significant and depends largely on the type of item purchased. But, this remains a main reason people shop at BJ's, Costco, Sam's Club, etc.
Quantity. As 'bulk' would imply, you get a larger size than is available at a grocery store. Quantity refers to larger sizes, but also to multi-packs. Either way, you don't run out as often.
The cons:
Storage. Buying larger quantities isn't always convenient if you don't have the space. People in apartments, for example, are at a disadvantage when it comes to where to put all those extra rolls of toilet paper.
Spoilage. Purchasing a larger quantity of specific food items can easily result in spoilage if it isn't consumed in a timely manner. Single people or even families of 2 or 3 can find themselves throwing out food because they couldn't fini ... more »
Posted: April 22, 2009 3:50 pm | 0 comments
Tags: money, personal finance, savings
If you were one of those who gasped at my freecycle and couchsurfing posts, just stop reading now - below is another idea that brings strangers together. Oooo, scary :)
Introducing Time Trading (or time banking), a way for people to have their needs met for FREE.
Think of it as bartering for the 21st century, where members trade services, rather than pay for them. Anything from knitting lessons to help with ebay, a ride to the airport or a bike tune-up can be found on the local time trade website: www.timetradecircle.org.
Using a web-based 'accounting' system, members post their services offered and requested. Once a match is made, the member who received the service logs into the bank account and pays the other member in hours. New members start with a 5 hour credit so they can begin participating right away.
Although based on the concept of reciprocity, time trading does not have to be between just 2 people. In fact, by involving members of the entire community, the Time Tra ... more »
Posted: April 26, 2009 5:28 pm | 2 comments
Tags: bartering, free, money, savings, time, trade
