-
Benefits of Being a Union Contractor
Featured Image by Freepik The Union Education Series **Updated for 2025** For over 20 years now, I’ve had numerous conversations with people who simply do not know the benefits of being a union member. For … Read the rest
-
Budgeting 101
The Budgeting Series ***Updated for 2025*** We begin this particular post with a scary word for some: budgeting. For one reason or another, budgeting seems to be a terrifying subject for many to discuss – and … Read the rest
-
The Ubiquitous 401k, Business, and American Wealth
Ahh, the ubiquitous 401k – as time passes it’s popularity grows. Since it’s inception in 1978, it has become the defacto retirement savings account for employers. If you do not know your history, though, you likely wouldn’t know that pensions … Read the rest
-
Why I don’t pay attention to percentages and you shouldn’t either
For much of my working career I have not focused on retirement. In fact, I wrote in an earlier post how fortunate I was that I had savings from negotiated contracts (CBAs) otherwise I would have a lot less. Saving … Read the rest
-
Right to work part 2: Financial ramifications
*NOTE: This is part 2 of a mini series in the topic of right to work. Click here for Part 1.* Right to work at the worker level The economic policy institute published an article back in 2015 and they … Read the rest
-
Conversations with Tradesmen – HVAC
I’m going to start a new category called “Conversations with Tradesmen” where I do primarily just that: I have conversations with tradesmen of all different crafts and discuss the pros and cons of their trade, location, work, etc. I find … Read the rest
-
Defined Benefit vs Defined Contribution
*Updated for 2023* It’s all in a name, right? If you have been around for any length of time you have most likely heard these terms before: defined benefit and defined contribution. And unless you speak in financial lingo, … Read the rest
-
Let’s talk about the skilled trades
This post is, in some ways, a sister to the post I did earlier on college and whether it was worth it or not. You can find that post in the link below. There is much more information to be … Read the rest
-
The vital importance of your health
As I write this I am coming off of one of the most terrible weeks I have had in well over a year. We don’t often reflect on our health until it’s limited, under attack, or generally gone and that … Read the rest
-
Pensions: what they are and why they have declined
In their hey day pensions were the premier benefit for gaining and keeping talent in an organization. Close to 40 years ago, around 60% of people had pension plans; now it’s an abysmally low 4%. In the meantime, other retirement … Read the rest
