I have been using ixl.com with my 5 year daughter. We have fun solving it together. She always clap when she reaches challenge zone and receives awards. Not really a game but fun way to learn basic Math. Very highly recommend it for kids.
I totally agree. Getting something out in few weeks is amazing especially if you have a day job. I too released my first project http://caniafforditnow.com/ and it took around 2 weeks to get it out. But I had some ruby on rails experience.
It should be noted that Tim wrote this near the peak of the housing bubble in Seattle (Kenmore neighborhood). The house he identified for $425k in that piece would now sell for about $300k, which puts monthly costs at about 25% more expensive than renting instead of 78% more expensive.
In a completely average, non-bubble housing market, buying (counting insurance, taxes and breaks, maintenance, etc.) is about 20% more expensive than renting in the short term, but after 5-10 years of inflation and rent increases, renting becomes more expensive. There's a definite tradeoff between short-term savings with no equity but high flexibility vs. long-term savings with equity and permanence. That tradeoff was slanted heavily in favor of renting in Kenmore, WA in 2007, but as Tim's conclusion notes, it is not always so; whatever your situation, "run the numbers ... and do what works for you."
That is a good post, but as Christopher Mayer points out on the NPR piece, you have to be very careful about the market.
Cities with historically strong housing markets, such as Seattle and New York, have a very high ownership premium. Other cities with a more traditionally flat housing market, such as Pittsburgh or many rural communities, do not.
So if you live in Seattle like Tim, by all means, renting might be better for you. But in Madison, Wisconsin you might spend the same amount to own a house as you do to rent one.
Thanks for you suggestion. We have posted in facebook and buzz. Also called few friend personally. It is financial app and we ask for some data to make the decision. Since they are not users they don't feel that motivated to provide all the information. So we started targeting the financial blog to get real users.
If you can't find even 2 or 3 real users through your network of friends and acquaintances, you might be in trouble.
I'm trying to say: you should contact your first users personally. Find them. Ask them if they mind using it. IM them. Call them. Don't just rely on some blog comments.
Yes, but the real cost might affect your choice. E.g. two fridges in the store, one costs more initially, but uses less power. Knowing the real cost can be a win-win situation for you and the store here. They get more revenue and you get a smaller total cost of ownership.
The incentives for stuff apart from energy efficencies may be different, though.
I am in US only for few years (4) and it is hard for me to believe that someone can have such a huge debt. How can you have such huge credit card debt.
