Month: August 2018

Washington State Ferry terminal signage
Ferry Rides, Fireplaces, and Other July Spending

Ferry Rides, Fireplaces, and Other July Spending

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A quick reminder: these spending reports are an effort to keep myself accountable to the idea that doctors do not have to spend a totally ridiculous amount of money to live well and love life. We’re trying to do these spending reports for every month of 2018.

As I have mentioned before, we do not do traditional budgeting. You absolutely should do traditional budgeting if that works for you as a way to control your spending.  More on this topic here. …

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Coffee and baby bottle on airplane tray table.
Tips and Tricks for Air Travel with Infants

Tips and Tricks for Air Travel with Infants

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My husband and I travel a lot with our kids, one of which is pretty tiny. Apparently we don’t seem too beat up by it, because people keep asking us for advice on traveling with infants. Here’s what I’ve got:

Check Bags Like it’s Going out of Style

Most airlines allow strollers and carseats to fly free. We always check these at the ticket counter (although you can often check strollers at the gate too) and carry Baby the rest of the way. Call your airline to confirm policies on checked and over-sized items.

When flying with the kids, we like to pack everything we need and not worry about checked baggage fees (shout-out to Southwest Airlines, which allows us to not worry about them anyway).

I recommend you embrace the checking of whatever amount of luggage makes traveling with your kids easier. Your days of spending a month in Europe with one carry-on suitcase and a messenger bag are over, and that’s okay. …

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How We Accidentally Saved $5,000 on Cell Phones

How We Accidentally Saved $5,000 on Cell Phones

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Looking for the link to save you $20 getting started on Google Fi? It’s right here! If for some odd reason that link is not working for you, you can use referral code RTP49J at checkout.

I’ve been hearing complaints from a lot of people about the cost of their cell phone and/or cell phone service.

I’m not sure why it’s not already common knowledge, but more people should know this: cell phones do not need to be expensive. …

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kid alone on bench in ferry
Where We Go When We Can’t Leave the USA

Where We Go When We Can’t Leave the USA

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One of the many complexities of being foster parents is that we have to get written permission from the Department of Child Services to leave our state with our foster kids, and we have to get written permission from a judge to leave the country.

For a couple that once considered themselves to be travel-savvy globe-trotters, this restriction has been a bit of a challenge. In the years between when we started dating and when we started fostering infants, our airplane adventures looked something like this: …

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"world's okayest employee" mug by laptop
Teaching Your Employees How to Ask for a Raise

Teaching Your Employees How to Ask for a Raise

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I believe that we should be teaching our employees how to be successful – not just in their specific roles in our business but also in their own career paths as the professional men and women they are. This means they need to know how to ask for raises and negotiate pay.

I don’t do raises or performance reviews just because another calendar year has passed. I meet with my employees when I need to or want to. I have an “open door” policy that allows my employees to schedule time to meet with me when they feel the need. This has worked well for my particular business.

I want my employees to love their jobs. I want to empower them to ask for the things they want out of their job, including raises.

The instructions below were written with the help of an excellent employee of mine who has been with me for four years.

Here is what I ask my employees to do when they feel they have earned a raise:

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