Don't Leave Money On the Table: How I Do Vegas

Each year in June, my wife and I take a trip to Las Vegas with her twin sister and her husband. Sometimes their other sister joins us as well. We have a gambling budget and a food / lodging budget. The problem is my wife and I don't agree on how a budget works. My wife thinks a budget is money we planned on spending, so if we spend it all, it's no big deal - we planned on it. On the other hand, I look at the budgets differently, at least the gambling...

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Prepare for Ludicrous Speed!

Elon Musk made three important announcements during the Tesla investor conference call on July 17th: A new Model S version - the Model S 70 - will sell for $70,000 and will feature at 70 kWh battery back. 90 kWh battery pack upgrade for 85 kWh Model S owners costing $3,000, which will give the car another 15 miles of range. Musk recommends holding off on this unless it's really needed as he says the range will only improve over time. New Model S vehicles will now feature ludicrous mode - one step beyond insane mode. Ludicrous mode will launch...

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The Difference Between APR and APY

If you've done any sort of comparison shopping to find the best rates on savings accounts or loans, you've likely seen the initials APR and APY after the interest rate. You usually see APR after interest rates quoted for loans, and APY after interest rates quoted for investments (savings accounts, checking accounts, certificiates of deposit, etc). What's the difference? Before we get into the differences, let's define what they stand for. APR stands...

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Model X Falcon Wing Doors - Supposed Design Flaw?

I read an article the other day by financial analyst James Sanford that claimed the falcon wing doors on the Model X, those doors that open upwards instead of out, are a major design flaw that will hinder sales of the Model X. The author states: Here's the problem with the Model X: The target consumer is women, according to Tesla, but the design has falcon-wing doors that open up, not out, precluding the ability to attach anything to the roof...

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Goal Update: End of June 2015

At the end of each month, I post an update of my goals, including a brief discussion of any notable events that might have occurred during the month. The latest month's figures can always be found under the Featured menu in the menu bar at the top of the blog. Last updated: End of June, 2015 Current value: $13,946 Change from last month: +$169 Percent of Goal:  12.82% Note that the funds in this account are invested in stock,...

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