For many Americans with typical jobs, this is a long holiday weekend. I could use the break from my day job, which is becoming increasingly stressful with many co-workers out of the office at various times this summer. Frankly, I’d rather be spending the time working on my own projects. As readers know, I’ve been very conservative about my decision about leaving a full-time corporate day job to strike out on my own.
How will you be spending the weekend? If you are looking for reading material I have a few suggestions aside from the articles at Consumerism Commentary.
Priceline Users Be Careful: Name the Wrong Price and You May Go To Jail. Not real jail, but Priceline will temporarily suspend your ability to bid if they determine you are trying to game the system. Unfortunately, as Len Penzo discovered, you could easily get trapped without acting nefariously.
The Billionaire Secret: Avoid Ordinary Income, Acquire Capital Gains. Jim from Bargaineering has discovered that income from investing is better than ordinary income. Here’s why: as of now, taxes on gains from investments are much lower than taxes on ordinary income. Also, ordinary income usually requires people to trade time and effort, and that can certainly get tedious if you’re not doing something you love. (See my comment in the first paragraph above.)
Here are two more:
Don’t forget I am now writing a column for US News and World Report’s usnews.com. Yesterday, I increased my contribution there to two articles a week. Here are the highlights so far.
- How to Double Your Retirement Nest Egg
- Pay Off Mortgage Faster — Or Invest
- How to Manage and Unpredictable Income
- 10 Simple Steps to Freedom From Credit Cards
- When to Go Generic — and When to Pay More
- 10 Unusual Ways to Save Money
Published or updated July 2, 2010. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @flexo on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.
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Luke Landes founded Consumerism Commentary in 2003 and has been building online communities since 1990. Luke, also known as Flexo, has contributed to PC World Magazine, US News, Forbes, and other publications. 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
It is sometimes difficult to juggle all the ideas I have with the “real” job. But does keep life exciting.
Thanks for including me. Have a great 4th!
Dean
I looked at your article at US News on buying generics, and thought the comments about gas were interesting. I’m afraid to use cheap gas and get either Shell or Chevron. Years ago when I got a new Camry, I tried a variety of gas stations, and found that a certain name brand caused the engine to ping. I don’t really know the truth as far as what the differences are between gas at different stations beyond that, but feel safer with Shell or Chevron. A guy at the car dealership told me those were the best, and for a change, I just believed someone ;)
Also thought it was cool that you are still Flexo at US News, and not your real name.
Cartalk discussing “top tier” gasoline: http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/2007/September/04.html
A full list of top tier gasoline brands are here: http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html.
Len Penzo’s post is a little sensationalist, he put in the same bid twice in a row. It wasn’t that it was too low, it was that he was wasting his time and Priceline’s.