Back on December 28th, 2020, I published one of my first posts on FinanceThrottle.com. It was titled "How much did I make after 5 years with a Betterment Roth IRA?" I started my Roth IRA at 25 years old after I had just finished paying off my student loans. At the time I was already a real estate investor renting out each bedroom in my house. After some research, I decided to open my account with Betterment. Betterment is a…
In recent weeks, Door Dash has upgraded their app with the ability to Dash on the way back to your starting point or zone, chat with customers through the app, and get your pay sooner with a debit card. At the same time, gas prices soared an average of $0.75 in the wake of the Russian - Ukrainian war. While many Californian's have reported $7 per gallon, the east coast is seeing prices around $4.45 per gallon. Even Costco and…
It is a little known fact that cars were on the road in the late 1800's, way before Henry Ford came up with the first car produced on the moving assembly line, the Ford Model T. While steam power was the way to go in trains throughout the 1700's, the technology did not catch up to automobiles until the 1800's. Steam was impractical. Steam engines needed as long as 45 minutes to start up in cold weather and they needed…
The three main types of Retirement Accounts are the 401k, Traditional IRA, and Roth IRA. If you are or ever were employed in a full time salaried job, there is a good chance you already have a 401k account. But what about IRA, or Individual Retirement Accounts? Let's start off by seeing how similar these three accounts are. Similarities All of them allow you to withdraw money penalty-free at 591/2 years old. If you withdraw earnings before 591/2, all of…
I'm not sponsored by Betterment, but it is one of my favorite brokerages for passive investment. Betterment is a Smart Money Manager, meaning just about everything is automated. They are one of the early adopters of robo-advising and robo-investing. I have had my Roth IRA with Betterment for over 6 years and it has performed well. I also use Betterment for my HSA (Health Savings Account) investing and I use Betterment's Cash Reserve high interest account to hold my emergency…
There are many dashers out there that will not accept any order that pays less than $1 per mile. I am one of those dashers. If I had an order for $4.25 with a travel distance of 6 miles, I wouldn't accept it UNLESS I think there are hidden tips. Whether you are new to Door Dash or a veteran, you know that the pay could be more than advertised when you accept the delivery. How can you identify which…
Knowing your net worth is important in tracking your financial goals. To calculate your net worth, you simply add up the value of all of your assets and subtract all of your liabilities. Let's define these terms below: Assets are items of value. They include cash, crypto, personal items, and your properties. Calculating your total assets may involve adding up all of your cash on hand, cash in bank accounts, cash in investment or retirement accounts, pensions, and more. Liabilities…
Everyone with a mortgage has heard of refinancing, but did you know there is an alternative to lower your mortgage payments? While refinancing is the popular choice, recasting may be a better option depending on your circumstances. What is a Mortgage Recast? If you meet the criteria below, recasting may benefit you. You are well ahead of your loan re-payment schedule because you have made extra principal payments.Current interest rates are similar to your mortgage interest rate. Within 0.5%. You…
One of my most popular posts on my blog is "My Door Dash Spreadsheet" where I introduced the Dasher Tracker. The Dasher Tracker is my best selling spreadsheet available here in my Shop. Through feedback gained from several customers, I decided to upgrade the Dasher Tracker with new features. Introduction If you have not heard of the Dasher Tracker or if you are new to my blog, consider subscribing here. As a Door Dash and Grubhub driver myself, I wanted…
For years, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has been publishing data on how crash-avoidance technology has saved lives. As published on AutoTrader.com on December 22, 2021, "Every major automaker agreed to make automatic emergency braking standard on nearly all of their new cars by September 1, 2022." While I am all for safety, this tech will come with unintended consequences. The Brands in Compliance The following brands have been equipped more than 95% of their new cars with…
