All Forum Posts by: Olivia C.

Dishwasher.

I would never live in a place without a dishwasher.  Would you, OP?

Great article on HuffPost.  Thanks, OP.

Your Money or Your Life is great.  It has readers chart their progress.  I have a friend who hates that kind of thing so it wouldn't work for her.  But YMOYL has worked for tons of people.

Make the Most of your Money Now by Quinn is my first choice of money books.  It's like an encyclopedia of money and what is available with lots of good advice.

I didn't care for Anthony Robbins new book Money: Mastering the Game.  Quinn's book is far better.  But for my no-chart friend, it's perfect.  She works in Los Angeles and has met Tony a few times and thinks the world of him.  His book will get her motivated to become more aware of her money choices.

Do what this BP poster did:

https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/519/topics/23...

I do.  I pay bills by autodeduct or check.  EVERYTHING else is paid by cash.  Paying with cash makes you learn super quick what you spend on what.

The poster set limits for certain types of expenses and stuck to them.  

Lots of good money books recommend this, including Your Money or Your Life.

In total agreement with Dustan.

It's been my experience that tax attorneys make the best strategists.  

The fees are higher but the ones I've worked with more than paid for themselves.

Plus you get attorney - client privacy so you can discuss more things.  The attorney is loyal to you, not the IRS.

I do volunteer work plus donate to my alma mater, local food bank, local library new building fund, and CSI.

From their website:  "CSI has been working on the ground in Sudan since 1995 to liberate Christians and other non-Muslims forced into slavery by Islamist militiamen armed and directed by the Khartoum regime. Working through a local underground network, we have rescued tens of thousands of people from slavery. Still, thousands remain in bondage – over 35,000 according to a Sudanese government official."

http://csi-usa.org/slavery/

It only takes $50usd to save and repatriate a slave.

Good on you, OP!

Thanks for all your advice and links.  I am currently following up on each one.

There are great business forums out there but they are industry specific.

Mechanical engineers and fast food franchise owners and medical techs rarely talk to each other or have much in common.

Try using www.DogPile.com search engine.  Use boolean tools + - "" (see wikipedia) to find better results faster than using google, etc.

I have known for quite awhile that owning real estate would be a great addition to my portfolio. So I studied and studied but didn't get going until I found a way to join REI with social responsibility.

For me that means owning affording senior housing: assisted living units someone living only on social security could afford.

Not the bigger bucks I could earn by owning expensive AL, but now I am excited and making things happen.