The Digerati Life

Don’t you sometimes wish you could clone yourself? How do you work smarter, not harder?

Photo by Tony M.

It seems like lots of folks have the same complaint as I do, which is that they always have a lot of stuff going on that they wish they could accomplish all at once. Or that they don’t have the time but have more than enough inclination to tackle several projects, tasks and errands simultaneously. Don’t we all just wish there were more than 24 hours in a day to do everything we’d like? Yeah, that’s why I’m about to order myself the book, “The 4 Hour Work Week” that everyone in the blogosphere’s been talking about and which I’d also like to chime in on, once I’ve gotten around to reading it .

It’s also the reason I haven’t yet actively gotten aboard Twitter — I can see myself losing many precious minutes / hours to it if I were to dip more than a few toes in this new community. Like a lot of you who live on the internet, I’d love to be able to expand my online networking efforts, but I worry about how much of a “time pit” the internet social gathering holes actually are.

I’m always on the lookout for ways to try to free up more time, which is something that remains elusive to me. I thought that by leaving the workforce, that I’d miraculously be sitting on an additional 8 to 10 hours that I could use any which way I’d like, and I’d have lots of time to relax. Of course, my life’s much more balanced now, so maybe all that extra time is going to more hours of sleep, that’s why I’m not noticing the extra hours during the day!

The issue here is that I’m a great planner, but not a good enough organizer and certainly one who’d like to get better at “working smarter” rather than harder. Hmmmm…. wonder if working on a productivity blog will help me get better at these things? Then again, it may be another “time pit”.

Any other suggestions for increasing one’s productivity levels? Maybe you can tell us what worked for you!

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Profiling the best company in the world.

I’ve had the fortune to work at some great companies, which offered perks that were almost as good as the salaries they gave out. What’s it like at these places? For successful, top-notch companies, rewards abound (to keep employees loyal); and here are some of the extras that can round out one’s compensation package:

• Free gym and pool
• Stock options (a piece of the equity pie)
• Bonus plans
• Referral bonuses
• 401K with matching
• Educational plan
• Child care services on work campus
• ESPP
• Health Reimbursement Plans
• Flexible Spending Plans
• Matching donations to charities and schools
• Relocation assistance
• Life and disability insurance

These benefits are awesome and can make many hours of toiling away in a cubicle much more palatable. But great as these benefits are, they’re just the tip of the iceberg for a company that has regularly captured the #1 title as “Best Company” in the nation. In Silicon Valley, this is where everyone (from accountants to engineers to web designers) wishes they could work, so I was curious to find out what it really was like to work at a place where nerds rule .

Profile of A Top Company

Fortune’s number one company to work for “sets the standard for Silicon Valley: free meals, swimming spa, and free doctors onsite. Engineers can spend 20% of time on independent projects. Their company is so stinking rich that it continues to ooze cash even while lavishing benefits on its staff. ” They’re also responsible for a good portion of California’s tax dollars.

These are the reasons why Google takes the title as the best place to work:

What’s it like?
Life for Google employees at the Mountain View campus is like college. It feels like the brainiest university imaginable - one in which every kid can afford a sports car (though geeky hybrids are cooler here than hot rods).

Fun, healthful activites
At Google you can work out in the gym; attend subsidized exercise classes; get a massage (by a masseuse or fancy massage chairs); study Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish and French and ask a personal concierge to arrange dinner reservations. Too many amenities to count, including lap pool, rock climbing wall, pool table. Or how about beach volleyball, Foosball, videogames, ping pong and roller hockey twice a week in the parking lot. Oh yeah, dogs allowed.

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A family member who is very close to me is leaving the United States for good to move to Singapore today. He’s leaving with his wife and two kids in tow to start anew in a foreign land, and the reason? Work opportunities.

Sounds a little strange, don’t you think? That someone who’s lived in the U.S. for over 20 years (that’s how long he’s lived here) has decided to up and go elsewhere to build his career. I find it somewhat odd that things are happening in reverse here, when most people are clamoring to come into this country for a piece of the dream.

He made this decision based on the skills both he and his wife possess: they feel that they can build a stronger clientele in Asia for the type of business they’re interested in developing. It’s a dreadful loss for us here, that’s for sure, as we’ve been very happy to have such a strong, extended family network in the Bay Area whom we see regularly for support, fun and good times. We’re breaking some physical bonds here, and gaining a lot of hand-me-downs in the process (the family has had to give away and sell off most of their belongings to prepare for the relocation and first dibs goes to relations). But really, I find no silver lining in this situation: freebies don’t matter, family does.

It’s interesting how economics and finances shape families. In our case, my kids will be missing out on building relationships and enjoying the companionship of other family members their age, whom we’ll probably scarcely see through the years. I’m guessing we’ll all be much older when we see them next, and that’s what’s sad. Do you ever stop to think about how many more opportunities you’ll have to see a close relation or friend who lives far away? If you see them once a year, could you count in one hand how many more chances you’ll have to be with them?

The stories of immigrants are never easy, but we can only do the best we can.

Are you overweight? Then you could be paying more to be this way. Lose weight to improve your health and your finances.

Ed: I am pleased to present this guest article by Weight Ladder, author of Weight Loss Journal (rss feed). If you like his guest post please check out his website and consider subscribing to his rss feed.

To find out if you’re overweight, try out this BMI calculator.

While most of us understand that being overweight is bad for our health, the fact that it can also be bad for our wallets is not something that many people consider. However, recent studies have shown that the overweight are at a definite economic disadvantage, and their employers are too. With many countries (like Japan) moving to regulate the size of waistlines in an attempt to save money, it has suddenly become very important to lose weight.

Let’s look at just a few of the ways that being overweight can affect your wallet, and what you could be doing with that money instead.

#1 Life Insurance Premiums

People who are overweight typically have to pay life insurance premiums that are twice to four times as expensive as the average person. Over time, this can add up to thousands of dollars. Life insurance is already expensive enough, and if losing weight can help you save money on your premiums, now is the time to get fit. The cost of insurance goes up every year, and if your waistline is also expanding, you could be in for some serious fees.

#2 Health Insurance Premiums

According to Business Week, employers pay more for their overweight employee’s health insurance. The average extra cost is around $2,400 every single year. If you’re paying your own insurance premiums, the cost can be even higher, especially if you don’t have the benefit of a group plan. The fact is, being overweight does lead to additional health problems and insurance companies need to charge more to cover that eventuality. Even if you are relatively healthy, on paper, you are a big risk.

#3 Higher Travel Costs

Most airlines are now charging overweight people for two seats, or even more. This adds up, especially as rising jet fuel costs are forcing airlines to raise their ticket prices. It’s embarrassing enough to have to pay for more than one seat, but if you are doing a lot of travel, you are spending thousands more than you should be every single year.

#4 Higher Costs for Everything

From clothes to food, overweight people usually end up spending more money for the every day necessities. Over time, this can really add up, especially if you continue to pack on the pounds. If for no other reason, this kind of hit to your pocketbook may be what it takes to convince you to lose weight.

When you add up all of these items, it has been found that overweight people spend at least $10,000 over the course of their lives than the average person. What would you do with an additional $10,000, and the longer life span to enjoy it? Now, let’s say that you invested that money — imagine the kind of returns that you could get? That kind of cash could mean the difference when it comes to retirement planning or special purchases. It may be a hard pill to swallow, but being overweight is costly, and for many, the costs are more than just poor health.

Besides, personally I am tired of being overweight… Aren’t you?

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Fire safety tips you shouldn’t be without!

Photo by DaveToo

I mentioned earlier how California’s wildfires have sprung up so much earlier in the season; even the Prosper blog has made mention of this phenomenon. Where I live, we have an imposing “Fire Danger” meter posted at a street corner and right now, it’s registering the highest warning possible “Extreme Fire Danger”. Not that this is a surprise (we see this every year, here in the suburbs of Silicon Valley, California), but I haven’t really noticed this indicator at this level so early in the summer.

Normally, it measures “Mild” or “Moderate” for risk. Oddly, even when the weather is fairly cool, foggy or even on the chilly side, I don’t see changes to that meter reading. We’ve got so much dry foliage around here that it probably makes no difference what the weather does anymore. That thing makes me nervous every time I pass it as it reminds me of the fact that I live in a tinderbox. So why do we live here? Because we take our chances anyway, with a decent school district and a nice way of life in general as I’m sure many folks say about where they reside, regardless of whatever risks their locations pose.

Not quite sure what to do about all the abandoned relics around the neighborhood or the home construction and development that’s been unceremoniously interrupted (halted?) by the limping property market. How many ghost houses can you count around your block? I worry that these homes can potentially be fire hazards. But I console myself by the fact that I’m still seeing “For Sale” signs popping up here and there, and rejoice when something gets sold….

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The real estate market hasn’t been kind to expensive homes for sale but there’s one mansion that deserves a second look. It’s not just any ordinary 6,500 square foot mansion with 5 bedrooms, 8 fireplaces and an elevator.

It’s a family’s dream home that they’re turning into dreams come true for others in a different part of the world. Ghana, to be exact.

The family who owns this historic 1912 house is from Atlanta, Georgia, and they’re doing a noble and truly novel act. This house is listed for sale for almost $1.8 million and the owners (the Salwens include two kids and their parents) have pledged half the proceeds to an international cause for the opportunity to make a difference.

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I haven’t been to a real live carnival in a while but I’ve just been subjected to a carnival-like atmosphere. Last night I attended my first concert in a long time and it wasn’t even a real concert. It was the American Idol Poptarts concert in the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Not that I attend concerts often either, because I don’t. The three concerts I’ve attended in the last 6 years have all been American Idol concerts. Goes to show you how far my obsession with reality shows can run.

We spent exactly $163 on two tickets plus $20 for parking and some extra change for a couple of pretty good turkey sandwiches and drinks on location. My spouse is a trooper since he’s not really into this stuff but he comes along for the ride. And over the last several years, these tickets have gotten more and more inflated with the times. I’ve noticed that these concert tickets and paraphernalia are to soccer moms and their kids, as sports events are to men and their kids. And we all know how much those season tickets can cost.

Anyway, despite the ticket inflation and all that money spent, the experience was definitely worth the price. David Cook as the new American Idol winner made it all worth it. The guy is the most polished Idol performer I’ve seen live and a consummate professional. I predict he’ll sell well and I’ll be out more money when I buy his albums.

Now on to our online financial carnivals! Here’s what we’ve got:

The Carnival of Personal Finance made a visit at Mighty Bargain Hunter. I found the neat and simple layout of this American Flag edition of the carnival quite refreshing. Here’s what I caught over there:

• Credit Card Rewards - Are they really worth it? @ Bible Money Matters
• The Permanent Portfolio (PRPFX): An Interesting Alternative @ Amateur Asset Allocator
• The Other America - Commentary on Food Stamps and the Economy @ Cash Money Life

You can find the Carnival of Money Stories #67 at The Baglady. I was incredibly honored to find my personal story about a friend’s million dollar bad real estate investment highlighted as her Editor’s Pick of the Week. Thank you Bag Lady! So do visit her site to check out many more stories on personal finance like the following:

• A Bad Week (or better; A Bad Month!) @ Dollar Frugal
• Dealing with a Chronic Condition @ Almost Frugal

And if you want a fun and unique carnival, do check out The Carnival of Real Estate at Transparent Real Estate, where Pat Kitano brings us an enjoyable slide show that summarizes all the entries.

A few more lists worthy of your review: a discussion about the several personal finance blog networks in existence and Prosper’s latest roundup.

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Despite all the tough economic stuff we’ve been dealing with lately, what say we take a moment to think about what makes America special to us?

I’m a first generation immigrant turned naturalized American who came to this country almost 25 years ago to get an advanced education in the field I wanted to specialize in. I had planned to return to my home country soon after finishing my studies, but that didn’t pan out. I ended up staying in the United States because of the job opportunity I was soon afforded and the financial benefits I received by staying here. I’ve often wondered how my life would have turned out if I had stuck to my original plans. Do you ever wonder what your alternative life could have been like?

All I can say is that America has been a wonderful, incredible place to live in. I went through some pretty big adjustments to get settled here, but it was all worth it. Thanks to America I can:

• Drive by myself. The stereotype is true (not elaborating), I’m not a good driver and it was impossible for me to learn how to drive anywhere else.
• Drink water from the tap.
• Stop worrying about mosquitoes.
• Have a fast internet connection.
• Work at home.
• Use Tivo. I haven’t quite warmed up to online television.
• Invest in the stock market without having as much fear of being wiped out.
• Have a solid chance at success even while starting from scratch (or nothing). I guess that’s why they call it “The American Dream“.
• Start a business without paying lots of random fees that don’t have anything to do with the business.
• Do many things without having to pay anyone off first.
• Hole up at home and never EVER get bored!

I could go on and on… but I’ll spare you the details.

What I don’t like about this place so much? Sometimes things get too politically correct for my tastes… and we don’t have these available to the masses.

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