linklings, rumors of winter edition

We’ve finally had the first touch of cold here in Florida – it was actually down in the 60s this morning. I have no doubt we’ll be back up into the 80s later in the day, though. I think for the first time we’re starting to appreciate that we won’t have to deal with winter. I’m sure I’ll miss autumn eventually, but for right now the reports from up north of snow and cold are making me quite happy to be in sunny Florida.

On to the links…

Wealth, Greed, Envy and Shame: Money is morally neutral, in an of itself. How it is used is what makes it “good” or “bad.” Rich people are neither “good” nor “bad” as a class; individuals are. I did have an issue with the comment in the article though: “Unless you amassed your wealth by stealing it from others, I do not understand why anyone would feel guilty.” Stealing is a vague term. Should someone who amassed wealth by an accident of birth feel guilty? If I got rich as a landmine manufacturer, should I feel guilty? Dunno. But I do know that if you want to be a successful person in this life you have GOT to get control of your emotions about money.

Solo 401k Versus SEP-IRA: I’m finding this continuing series very interesting – as Curmudgeon mentioned in the comments in last week’s linklings, it’s a subject even many banks and accountants might not be familiar with.

Crush It! and The Best Books on Boosting Your Income: Eh, I’m getting a little bit burned out on the “do your passion” stuff. I listened to a few of Gary’s talks on work and realized that some of these “Web 2.0″ types or however you classify them think of a passion as a 24/7 driving, overwhelming passion. I have my passions, but (especially with children) life is not always about following YOUR passion 24/7. You can be other-directed and not be a bad person.

The Early Adopters Tax: It is true that early adopters pay through the nose for techy items. Doesn’t $800 for an iPhone seem like a lot, today? The speed with which gadgets are improved and made less and less expensive is amazing. I’d like a Kindle, for example – feel free to buy me one if you’re feeling generous – but I don’t mind being a late-adopter. I do want an iTouch after reading this review, though. A completely unrelated point, though, is that with all of the gadgets coming out now you have to think of which ones incorporate your most-needed features. I’d like an iTouch, but I’d like something on which I could easily read ebooks. I like the Kindle, but I also want something that can fit in my pocket. Something has to give.

Extracting the Child Who Stayed in the Nest Too Long: I won’t spoil the answer, but I like the idea for prodding post-collegiate types out of the nest.

Seek Discomfort: Here’s a new productivity tip: every day identify the one item you really, really don’t want to do and do it.

How do you Spend Your Time?: I shudder to think of how my time is spent; I am not good at optimizing my days. This part of the article made me smile, though:

“Hopefully I’ll recreate the incredible time I had in Paris all those years ago when all I had was a stack of books, a mattress on the floor, and a couple of windows. It was awesome. I would literally read until I fell asleep. Then I’d wake up, have a glass of water, write for an hour, and read for another hour. Then I’d fall asleep again, wake up, and go out for a walk in the streets of Paris.

Paris is still there, and I’m willing to bet you can still get mattresses there, too. Walking and water are still quite cost-effective. Trust me, I do this mental exercise sometimes: “oh, I wish I could play lacrosse again someday.” No, I don’t. If I really did, I would do it. If someone dreams of visiting Mars, that’s most likely unrealistic. Other than far-out wishes like that, though, most wishes are relatively obtainable.

You should feel pain when unclear: Great point. You should feel good when you’re clear, and aiming towards a goal. If you aren’t aiming toward a goal you should feel uncomfortable.

A few more links:

• Quicken 2010 Review and Quicken WillMaker Free with Purchase of Quicken 2010
• No Costco Membership? Shopping At Costco Still Saves Money
• What I Like About Kijiji
• Setting Goals to Get What You Want
• Four Fiscally-Fit Financial Roadblocks
• Ask The Readers: Should Pottery Barn Give Us a Refund?

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photo: by bbjee