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2million's Personal Finance Blog
My Journey To Financial Freedom |
Hanoi, Vietnam We just wrapped up our temporary assignment in China and arrived back in the US before the end of the year. Its amazing how time flies, it seems like just a few days ago that we began...
Continue reading "Wrapped China Assignment, Round 2" »
My young family is on the move - we are currently living in China on a 6 month work assignment. With the exorbitant cost to ship additional stuff to China we were incented to only bring what we could fit...
Continue reading "Packing Tips for Extended Family Travel" »
We didn't have much experience traveling with our young kids prior to our current assignment in China. We did lots of reading in preparation, but we were unprepared for both how exhausting and rewarding it has been for us. Here...
Continue reading "Survival Guide to Traveling with Young Kids" »
As part of our planning for our international journey to China with our kids, I wanted to find a convenient way to keep the families passports organized. I can barely keep up with my own, but the best solution...
Continue reading "Frugal Family Passport Holder" »
Here is a list of ideas of trip activities/toys we've been collecting for our long international plane ride with our preschool age daughter (total journey time door to hotel will take ~25 hours) for our upcoming trip to China. Crayola...
Continue reading "Travel Activities for Young Kids on Long Flights" »
My wife and I have decided to mix things up and accept a work assignment in China for at least 6 months with our family in tow. We've been contemplating this move for several months. We still are not sure...
Continue reading "Shaking Things Up - Another China Assignment?" »
Its good to get back to China. I'm finally back here for a bit on a business trip. It has been almost 3 years since my wife and I wrapped up our assignment in Shenzhen, China. Time Flies! It is...
Continue reading "Back in China for a Business Trip" »
I have recently had the restless itch of feeling I have been stuck in one place for too long and want to do something different. I need a jolt to my system if you will. My wife and I have...
Continue reading "Time For A Mini Retirement or Sabbatical?" »
Not really getting any bottom line benefit, but trying to negate the impact of taxable benefits from our overseas work assignment that ended in 2008. Since our China assignment ended in 2008 it would make sense I wouldn't get any...
Continue reading "Squeezing the Last of the Assignment Benefits" »
Perhaps the most clearest sign for me yet that our economy is starting to pick up is that I was actually approved for a business trip at work to China this month. Since I returned from my assignment in China...
Continue reading "A Sign the Economy is Improving" »
A couple weeks ago my employer offered me an engineering management position back home in Raleigh, NC that lined up nicely with my career goals and after talking with my wife decided the time was right to take it. The...
Continue reading "Headed Back To The US A Few Months Early" »
When my wife and I first arrived in China for our assignment our priority was adjusting. I knew it was going to be a big change for both of us and whatever we could do to make the transition easier...
Continue reading "Even China Has Bargain Bins for Expats" »
I recently had a coworker from the US localize in China. He is the first in our organization - someone from the US who decided that he would benefit more by quitting the US organization and hiring into the China...
Continue reading "Localizing in China - A Sign of the Times?" »
We were asked at the beginning of this month to extend our assignment for an additional 6 months. We had a number of issues to resolve when we were asked to extend, but somehow everything came together. I was able...
Continue reading "We Are Extending Our Assignment 6 More Months" »
Not completely unexpected, I was asked today if we could extend our international assignment till the end of 2008. With only 4 weeks left, we are starting to look forward to everything that is going to happen when we get...
Continue reading "We Were Asked To Extend Our Assignment In China" »
My wife and I have been having a lot of life planning discussions recently. Now that we are married it is time for us to start putting together "our" big picture. Of course we have talked many times about this...
Continue reading "Planning Our Life Together and Reaching Our Financial Goals" »
My wife and I are beginning to wrap up our assignment here in China. In less than 90 days we should be headed back to the US unless there is an unexpected change. I thought it would be a good...
Continue reading "Why Take An International Assignment?" »
Per a reader request I put together a little list of items/services that has a signficantly different price point in China (at least in Shenzhen, China) compared to what I pay in the US: Walmart - Walmart does not seem...
Continue reading "What Costs A Lot and What Costs Little in China" »
I have made some progress with my Skype service after initially finding the Skype service offerings very confusing. I decided to upgrade to Skype Pro. Its a bundled service for $36 a year. The confusing thing is the bundle changes...
Continue reading "Upgraded to Skype Pro" »
Since I have begun my China assignment, the most cost-effective tool I have been using is Skype. I tried it out on a business trip earlier this year before I moved to China and found it worked very well...
Continue reading "Love Skype But Confusing Options to Upgrade" »
I am still getting settled in, but off to a good start on my assignment to Shenzhen, China. Once things settle down I hope to resume postings in more regular fashion. This assignment is something I have been working toward...
Continue reading "Off to China for My Assignment" »
Since I am leaving the country for an extended assignment, I wanted to see what I could do reduce my US cell phone expenses. My top priority is to keep my phone number, but I have little use for a...
Continue reading "Cingular Reduced Rate Suspend" »
Earlier I highlighted the major deductions available (as misc unreimbursed business expenses) available to me as a result of my temporary assignment for work. However, there are still lots of other "grey" areas that are on the fence as to...
Continue reading "Sketchy Temporary Assignment Tax Deductions" »
Amazing as it is to me, I am already halfway through my temporary assignment at work. NY has been nice (especially the cooler evenings), but being the tightwad I am it also been tough getting use to the higher prices...
Continue reading "Midpoint in Temporary Assignment Expenses" »
One of the hidden gems of my temporary assignment is I may be able to deduct many of my expenses from the temporary assignment on my income taxes. While this is a sizable opportunity to reduce my income taxes, there...
Continue reading "Temporary Assignment Tax Deductions" »
Whew! After getting over the sticker shock of rental prices in NY, I have reached an agreement to rent a room for $800/month. This is above the most likely estimate I was shooting for paying in rent, but I think...
Continue reading "Finalized Temporary Assignment Living Arrangements" »
Even though I have agreed to take a temporary assignment for my employer which will significantly increase my living expenses during the period, I have a couple ideas on how I can minimize the damage:1.) My employer will cover the...
Continue reading "Even though I have agreed" »
As I previously mentioned I am going on a temporary assignment to NY for the rest of this year. I know this going to affect my monthly expenses for the rest of the year, but how bad will it be?I...
Continue reading "Planning My Temporary Assignment" »
I will be taking a temporary assignment in Poughkeepsie, NY for the remainder of the year! This will be a big change with huge impacts both in my personal life and my financial goals.I will be taking this assignment as...
Continue reading "I'm Headed to Poughkeepsie, NY!" »
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