Almost exactly a year ago, my wife and I resigned from our careers as Foreign Service officers with the U.S. Department of State at the completion of our overseas tour in Islamabad, Pakistan. Having met our financial goals and ready to transition to new adventures, we returned to my home state of Maine to see friends and family before spending the winter in Mexico. During that trip, I decided that I wanted to spend the majority of the next summer outside. Though I was already doing some writing and instruction for various outdoor companies and outfitters, I wanted to immerse myself in the outdoor industry and get some more hands-on experience.
Becoming a whitewater raft guide seemed like the perfect fit for several reasons: it’s in-demand (outfitters are always hiring), has a relatively low barrier to entry (just a license, explained below), and you can work as little or as much as you want. It seemed ideal across the board, so I went for it. Having just finished up my season, I can attest to the fact that this is a fantastic seasonal gig for early retirees or those on sabbatical.
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We often recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card for anyone that is new to award travel, and for good reason: it has some of the best benefits, earns one of the most valuable transferable currencies, and comes with an extremely reasonable annual fee of just $95. Similarly, the Sapphire Reserve is a top contender for the best premium card on the market by providing Priority Pass lounge access, a $300 yearly travel credit, and enhanced travel protections. Currently, Chase is offering 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points as a welcome bonus on the Preferred card. Not only that, they have recently added additional benefits to both the Sapphire Preferred and the Sapphire Reserve to make them even more powerful.
Today, we’ll outline the changes made to these two powerhouse credit cards. (more…)
“Millionaires don’t buy new cars” is something I have heard countless times. This concept probably gained popularity with the book The Millionaire Next Door, in which the authors observe that many millionaires pay cash for quality used cars at discount prices…
…the implication being that if you care about accumulating and maintaining wealth, you too should buy used. And pay cash. It’s just math.
That’s all well and good, but I just bought a new car. And financed it.
