Two interesting strategies for avoiding the SECURE Act’s revenue provisions
Become a Patron!One blog I keep an eye on is Michael Kitces’s website Nerd’s Eye View. The content is rarely very relevant to me personally, but they do a terrific
Episode 32: How to Salvage Travel Plans After AA Account Shutdown
We’ve not put out a free episode of the Milenomics² podcast since last year–The success of the paid show led us to focus on the thriving community of Patreon subscribers.
Ep. 128 – Cyprus, Jordan, and Amalfi Coast w/ Craig from Middle Age Miles
Episode Description
Craig from Middle Age Miles swings by to talk about Jordan, visiting Petra, the Amalfi Coast, and what exactly qualifies as “middle age.” He also teases his u..
I knew everything about the ACA, lost my insurance, and got sick
Since I’ve been self-employed almost as long as the Affordable Care Act has been law, I’ve had lots of opportunities to learn the finer points of the law. At its
My Experience Pursuing a Hotels.com Price Guarantee
I recently tried my hand seeking a price match from Hotels.com. I’ve never pursued a hotel price match through any booking channel, but especially since Hotels.com sells discount..
Surviving the gaunt cow
Note: I sent this as a newsletter last week. I’ll post newsletters that are relevant here from time to time, but please consider signing up for my newsletter and receive
Wage replacement is an important measurement, whether or not it’s good policy
Become a Patron!I’ve written before about the FAMILY Act, the leading Democratic initiative in the House and Senate to create a nationwide system of paid family and medical leave..
Manufactured spend with and without promotions and bonuses
On my way to the store the other day I realized that we hadn’t seen a really good grocery store promotion in a while. The beginning of December featured a
Ep. 127 – Bhutan and Traveling in Asia with Seth Miller
Episode Description
Seth Miller from paxex.aero, Dots Lines & Destinations, and much more swings by to talk about his extensive trip to Asia, the unique experience of visiting Bh..
The (weird) optionality of Series EE savings bonds
Become a Patron!There’s a cliche at least as old as I am, that while ATM’s were expected to reduce the demand for bank tellers, banks actually increased the number of
What you need to know about the idiotic “QBI deduction reduction” rule
Become a Patron!In the frenzy to pass the Smash-and-Grab Tax Act of 2017, a faction of Republican senators who, totally coincidentally, are the owners of passthrough businesses, ..
Smart people overestimate the difficulty of maximizing the interest earned on savings
I’ve been using high-interest rewards checking accounts and other “gimmick” accounts for so long, I had somehow convinced myself that everybody else was using them, too. So imagi..
Don’t buy Jetblue points (asthejoeflies #2)
Note: When appropriate, I’ll be posting some of my newsletters on the blog. I still have it, so might as well use it. Normally they will be shorter versions, like
Why even the perfect income tax can’t substitute for a wealth tax
Become a Patron!After they finish hemming and hawing about “constitutional” arguments, opponents of proposals for an American tax on very large fortunes typically make one of two..
Why a newsletter?
So, I’ve decided to try something out here at asthejoeflies. I’ve been “blogging” for almost eight years now, and I put that words in quotes because I’m actually not a
Ep. 126 – Miles and Points Resolutions with Becky Pokora
Episode Description
Becky Pokora of SightDOING joins the podcast and we discuss our miles and points resolutions for the new year. We chat about:
Miles we plan to earn
Miles we ..
The Frequent Traveler University Returns to Washington DC March 7-8
The Frequent Traveler University (FTU) is returning to Washington, DC March 7-8 in teaming up with the Travel & Adventure Show!
Old and New Speakers with tons of experience and k..
Biden is wrong about Social Security, but so is everybody else
In a bit of a surprising turn in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses, former Vice President and Delaware Senator Joe Biden has finally come under sustained criticism for his
Shop Talk: AA Locking/Shutting Down Accounts
American Airlines has been locking and/or terminating accounts, and cancelling upcoming award travel for some. The common thread seems to be people who have received a number of ..
Travel hacking in weak periods of manufactured spend
Sometimes it feels like the travel hacking community only has two speeds: greed and panic. It’s always either the golden age of manufactured spend or its funeral. Worse yet, it’s
Ep. 125 – 2020 Predictions
Episode Description
Trevor and Joe ring in the new year with some predictions for 2020. What do we think lies in store for the major airlines and banks? Will Hyatt stop
Direct indexing and shareholder democracy
The late Paul Volcker is famously said to have quipped that he hadn’t seen a worthwhile financial innovation since the ATM, which makes him slightly more cynical than even I
Prosperity, precarity, anxiety, and solidarity
Become a Patron!As we plunge into a second decade of economic and employment growth since the global financial crisis, I’ve noticed an interesting divide open between different m..