Hacking My Half-Million Dollar House

Living in a house has always been my preferred lifestyle choice, and getting paid to live in my house is even better.  When I moved down from Michigan, I had already been researching my area for 8 months.  The houses were extremely expensive, so I intended to get roommates to help with the cost initially and figured a partner could split the cost with me later.  The roommates turned out to be a disaster, and only brought in $1200/month anyway, so I decided a change was needed.  I tried hosting in my house for AirBnB in June, and found that it was far preferable to roommates, so I invested in the necessities to turn it into a solid business.

Guide to International Travel

International trips can be extremely eye opening.  You are able to immerse yourself in a culture unlike your own.  However, there are a couple things you have to remember before you can jet away to exotic new locales.

Amazon Prime Perks You Might Be Missing Out On

I have a subscription for Amazon Prime, and I find it extremely valuable for more than just free two-day shipping.  I end up saving more than the annual fee just from the extra services, so it’s worth it for me.  You still should always shop around when making purchases, and you can use CamelCamelCamel.com to check the historical price of your Amazon purchases.  If you won’t use any of the other perks, I still recommend just using free standard shipping for Amazon purchases over $25.

Cutting the Cord for Airbnb?

Cutting the cord is a sensitive topic for people who “need” it, and fortunately or unfortunately, a lot of people see lazily watching TV for the week as one of the best parts of their vacation.  It makes cutting the cord much harder when your goal is hacking your house for maximum profits.

Cleaning After Airbnb Guests

Someone has to do it.

AirBNB Photography Tips

You only have one chance to make a good impression before someone will move on to the next listing. The photos of your space make up a huge part of it.  Listings with great photos have significantly higher traffic, which leads to higher bookings.

My Worst AirBnB Hosting Experiences – And the Lessons Learned

I’ve had some great experiences meeting guests, from wine nights to Elf on the Shelf.  Overall, I find guests are respectful of my space.  Many leave my house as clean as they found it.  I regularly get asked about any negative AirBnB experiences, so I’ve decided to keep a running list.  None of the following are bad enough that I’d hesitate to continue hosting.

The Pool I Didn’t Want / Pool Maintenance 101

I had a very specific list of wants when I was buying my second house, including no pool.  Then I picked a fancy area where over 95% of the houses have pools and found a foreclosure for 77% of market value.  “I guess I’m about to learn how to maintain a pool!”

I Finally Paid Off My 401k Loan!

Before closing on my second house, I would balk at even the idea of a 401k loan.  That money is earmarked for retirement and is supposed to be growing tax free.  The loan is almost always a slippery slope that leads to less savings, especially since it’s mentally easier to take a second loan after the first.  The momentum from compounding/investing is lost when the money is taken out of the account.  There were small fees for my administrator.  I didn’t mind paying myself interest, but still.  Additionally, if I wanted to quit or was laid off from my job, I would have to repay the loan in full.  With great trepidation, I decided to take out the loan anyway so that I could purchase my house.

Your Debt is Dragging You Down

Debt may not seem like a big deal, but having debt deeply affects your lifestyle.  Even small amounts of debt cause people to lose sleep, weigh on the mind, and can impact your relationships. Large debts can lead to large monthly payments which can lead to even more debt.  Job loss can wipe out a debt-laden family.  Even if you only have a small amount of debt, it needs to be addressed now before it becomes a big problem.