Life Lesson #24: The importance of wearing safety eyewear when playing with your kids You don’t have to look very hard to find countless articles about the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. A few years ago, Martin Shkreli made headlines when he sparked outrage by raising the price of a drug used to treat parasitic […]
The Walk of Shame: Salary Negotiation Blind Spots
Life Lesson #23: Avoiding misguided salary negotiation strategies Will Rogers once said, “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.” We’ve all been witness to incidents of misplaced judgment, ranging from minor slip-ups to the foolhardy competing for the next Darwin Award. While I’ve always strived to avoid life’s […]
When Etiquette and Hygiene Collide: Investing in an HSA
Life Lesson #22: Optimizing benefits – the Health Savings Account (HSA) I’m a germophobe. This is especially challenging with two young children whose fingers are invariably stuck in their noses and mouths half their waking hours. Kids get sick – a lot, which means parents get sick. And this vicious cycle can easily lead to […]
Doggie Bag-gage Inspection: Eating Out for Less
Life Lesson #21: The high cost of leftovers It’s easy to grab a bite at a restaurant instead of preparing a meal at home. Sometimes we don’t have time or energy, or even want to cook. But eating out is an expensive habit that can easily spin out of control and blow up your budget. […]
Piss-Poor Customer Service: Asking for Compensation
Life Lesson #20: Making your complaint work for you…and never assume everyone is potty-trained I was on a flight many years ago where a gentleman with one arm situated himself in the row behind me. A woman sat down beside him and after exchanging a few words, he said, “I guess we aren’t going to […]
Coffee Break: Cost-Conscious and Caffeinated
Life Lesson #19: Add a shot of caffeine to your coffee routine with these cool espresso products This post breaks from the traditional Richonomics format so I can talk to you about espresso, the sweet nectar of the Gods; and some related products I recently discovered that I’m excited to share with you. This Christmas […]
A Recipe for Disaster: Online Dating Subscription Options
Life Lesson #18: Understand subscription costs (a Match.com online dating case study) We all have at least one friend with a severely restricted diet: vegetarian, vegan, gluten intolerant, etc. Sometimes it’s not self-imposed, like a nut or shellfish allergy. Either way, while sometimes a hassle, it’s always important to accommodate their dietary requirements. The Story: […]
Jackpot: Deliberating Childcare Alternatives
Life Lesson #17: Balancing economic and qualitative options (a childcare case study) I’ve seen several articles crop up recently about the cost of having children. The recurring message: it costs on average over $250,000 to raise a child to the age of 18. As a father who is exceptionally sensitive to expenses (e.g., FlowBee), one […]
Chipotle Overload: Extreme Couponing
Life Lesson #16: Read the fine print How many times have you redeemed a promotion without reading the terms-and-conditions? How many times have you signed a contract without reading the fine print? Did you know what you were agreeing to? Were all of the details accurate? Most people, in fact, don’t read these obtuse and […]
A Mining Town Curse: Reviewing Life Insurance
Life Lesson #15: Make sure it’s portable We’ve seen this story unfold time and again: a Hollywood movie where the antagonist finds vast riches in a tomb or vault, but is unable to escape with the treasure. His fate is to either flee with his life or be buried forever with the jewels. The Story: […]