For Southwest specifically, you could just transfer the points from UR to Rapid Rewards. Granted, the point value is somewhat unknown once you get on the Southwest side, depending on the flight. However, most flights I take on SWA are usually valued at 1.6-1.7 cents per point, thus making the points more valuable than…

If you’re going from an iPad to a Fire, prepare for disappointment. The OS is awful compared to iOS. I bought a Fire 7 on black friday last year to use for streaming music in my living room and kitchen. Music will stop playing if the screen turns off (I resorted to keeping it plugged in and leaving the screen on in…

I learned a long time ago that business is rarely a consistent “win-win” situation. If I expected something in return every time I gave advice to someone, I’d often be setting myself up for disappointment.

In the middle of this page, I see a blurb for another article entitled:

First thing I noticed also. Learning photography has spoiled me and I’m a snob with every photo I see.

Obsessions - any pre-existing condition or claims experience will have zero affect on rates for ACA plans. The ONLY time claims could affect a group is if it is a self-funded group. These are much more common in the 250+ employee market, however, they are getting more popular for smaller companies. I know that Aetna…

By now, insurance companies have already filed their rates for 2018, so even if some laws are changed in the next few months, it won’t affect premiums until 2019. The competition is already gone in many states! It’s already gone to hell in a handbasket. It’s all unsustainable and needs to change! (for the record,…

“DeGroat explains that this type of stress becomes magnified because you’re spending too much time and energy focusing on something you can do nothing about.” YES

One more comment I’ll add about not beating yourself up:

As for employers offering/requiring to offer healthcare - when did that become a rule? Who said an employer has to offer it? Let the job market fight among themselves for good employees. Don’t want to offer health insurance? Fine, but you might lose some good employees to another company that does have a good…

I recently started carrying one of each for longer trips. I have a carryon-sized luggage that I typically carry on (unless I’m bringing back liquid souvenirs and need to check it), and also bought a Flash 22 backpack from REI. It’s small and easily fits under the seat in front of you. Even if I carry on the other…

If I book a reservation, most likely it’s online through OpenTable. I always, always cancel a reservation as soon as I know that I’m not able to keep the reservation. Also, if I will be even 5 minutes late, I call ahead to let them know. Be a decent human being. It’s not that hard, and people greatly appreciate the…

Two great suggestions for anyone looking to curb their Facebook usage that I’ve done for myself: the first, if the app icon is on your primary phone app page, move it to the last page, maybe on its own page that requires a few swipes to get there. That way, it won’t always be right in front of you when you unlock the…

You should be OK, I do the same. I pay for medical expenses on a rewards credit card, then immediately cover that expense from my HSA bank website and make a payment to the credit card from the account. I’ve looked into this, and as long as you keep good records and aren’t using the HSA funds for non-healthcare…

Method #6: With a spoon.

Be sure that you have an HSA-compatible plan first. Just because it has a high deductible, it doesn’t mean it is automatically compatible. You’ll have to show that you have a compatible plan when you open the HSA at a bank.

I’ve been wondering about that too, thanks for the tip! That will take some getting used to.

COBRA allows people to take their health insurance plan with them if they leave. If it is “expensive,” that means you picked a really awesome, comprehensive plan (expensive!). So, if there are multiple options, and you pick the best one, know that you might be on the hook for the whole premium one day if you left the…

I looked into this, but the fine print on the DVD site says that the promotional material is intended for the sale of timeshares. If that’s the only DVD option, I’ll skip it.

If you want to exclude a driver, you have to explicitly instruct the insurance company to exclude them. So if someone has a driver with a DUI record, sometimes they will exclude that driver on the good driver's car so their rates aren't affected (but that person CANNOT drive the car, because they will be uninsured on…