Category Archives: Consumer

Is Rooftop Solar Losing its Luster?

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Solar Power Purchase Agreement

 

As I’ve mentioned here before, I’ve had a Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) since July of 2013.

So far the system has produced almost 2000 kW-h, which is in line with the contract proposal from the Solar PPA provider (approximately 4000 kW-h produced per year).

The overall utility bill for the GubMints family has dropped by 20-35 dollars per month (on a total bill of 120 - 200 dollars per month). Not too bad for not having any skin in the game!

Sadly, for those still sitting on the sidelines waiting to sign a rooftop solar PPA, the salad days may be over. Continue reading →

10 Reasons Structured CDs Suck

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TSP Hardship Withdrawal Costs

(Gubmints Note: This is part of a multi-part post, which will also extoll the virtues of Structued CDs and Structured Notes, and provide strategies on how to use them. At the time of this writing I hold an S&P Index-linked Structured CD in a Retirement Account).

With bond and bank CD rates near zero, investors have been scrounging everywhere they can to find respectable yields (Note, if you’re a Govvie the best place to park cash is the TSP’s G Fund- It gives you returns of long-term bonds with the liquidity of a Money Market Fund. You can’t find a product like this anywhere). Folks without a G Fund generating their current income may resort to chasing yields in complex products like Structured CDs.
A Structured CD allows you to purchase participation in an index (like S&P 500 or DJIA, but it could be any index) up to a participation ‘cap’. Your initial investment value is guaranteed by FDIC insurance (which, per Dodd-Frank, is up to $250,000 per bank/instutution). No downside with huge potential upside? Sounds too good to be true!
Here’s Ten Reasons Structured CDs and Structured Notes Suck:

War Stories, featuring Amazon Prime

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AmznPrimeLogo

In a recent post, I touted the virtues of bunching together potential Amazon purchases using Amazon’s “Wish List” function. This is a technique to get you free shipping on Amazon.

Turns out this Technique was a ‘Gateway Drug’ for the GubMints family. We did the 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime, and we’re hooked!
60-days in, here are some Amazon Prime War Stories: