Life 101
325 posts
Tax Filing Preparation: What Documents Do I Need? What Key Deadlines Should I Know?
Reminder: The tax filing deadline for the 2019 tax season has been extended to July 15 (federal). For state deadlines, please check your state’s rules. Introduction After determini...
What to Do If a Gift Card Is Stolen: Be Careful When Buying Amazon Gift Cards at Grocery Stores
Using a credit card () with high bonus rewards at grocery stores to buy Amazon gift cards is one of the best ways to get discounted Amazon gift cards in large quantities. However,...
2019 Tax Season (Tax Year 2018): My Tax Filing Notes
Hi everyone—2018 was the first year the tax reform took effect, so there are many differences in filing taxes this year compared with before. Below I’ll share some of my experience...
My Experience Buying a Used Car on Craigslist in the U.S.
Buying a car on Craigslist can be a lot of fun and gives you the chance to meet all kinds of people. The prices can be much better than dealer prices. I hope this post provides som...
How to Get Chinese Consular Authentication in the U.S. [12/26 Update: Added sample results for each step]
Added sample documents from my latest three-step authentication process for reference....
Tips and Lessons Learned From an Interstate Move in the U.S.
After graduating and getting ready to start work, I said goodbye to beautiful Virginia at the end of August this year and moved across state lines to Wisconsin. The move went smoot...
My painful start to a U.S. job: Immigration, health insurance, and retirement account pitfalls
The author, just two months into a new job after leaving academia, ran into three major pitfalls—immigration status, health insurance, and retirement accounts—and ended up losing s...
My Swagbucks Account Got Locked and Unlocked Again [9/16 Update: Locked and Unlocked Yet Again]
After a few quiet months, Swagbucks deactivated my account once again. After some research and a carefully worded email, Swagbucks ultimately restored access to my account. It feel...
FreedomPop How-to Guide — 100% Free Mobile Service (9/8 Update: New Cards for Only 1¢, with 2GB Bonus Data)
The 1¢ + 2GB deal is back again (it had briefly risen to $20). If you want more data, feel free to leave your email in the comments—after adding each other as friends, you can get...
Amazon Baby/Wedding Registry Guide [4/19 Update: Buy $10+ for a Baby Registry and Get an Extra Gift]
If you’re an Amazon Prime member and set up a Baby Registry, spending a total of more than $1,000 on items in the registry earns you a $100 Amazon credit. This credit can only be u...
Credit Sesame Overview: 4/16 Update — You Can Check Credit Reports and Scores Without an SSN
A reader in DP said that even without an SSN, if you have a credit card or related credit information, you can still pull your credit report and an estimated credit score on Credit...