Clear Thinking About Investing, Markets, the Issues That Matter.
Hello, I’m Raymond J. Mills. I write about personal finance, corporate survival tips, life, retirement, politics — and the occasionally questionable decisions that tend to make all of them more interesting than they should be.
In addition to blogging, I write both fiction — Jell Space Engineer — and nonfiction, including A Summer Working for the Long Island Rail Road, a firsthand account of a summer that proved reality can be far stranger than anything you’d bother making up.
When I’m not developing Excel and Access applications for clients, I’m writing about real experiences — the kind that are ironic, instructive, and often unintentionally funny.
Blog Posts
-
Estate Taxes Don’t Start With the Middle Class—But They Rarely Stay That Way
Mar 22, 2026
This article argues that while estate taxes are often seen as targeting the wealthy, they can increasingly impact middle-class families as asset values (like homes and investments) rise over time. It highlights how changing thresholds and economic conditions may pull more “ordinary” households into estate tax exposure..
-
AI: A Blessing and a Curse
Mar 22, 2026
How AI is helping us work smarter—while introducing new uncertainty about what comes next.
-
How to Turn NYC into Detroit (Circa the Late ’80s)
Mar 1, 2026
A provocative look at what happens when city services crumble, property values plummet, and thriving neighborhoods fall into disrepair. Lessons from history with a sharp, satirical edge
-
“Investing Smarter: How Low-Cost Index Funds Can Outperform Fees and Guesswork”
Feb 20, 2026
Markets reward patience, discipline, and low costs. Here’s what the numbers say after 25 years. Professional management doesn’t always translate into better long-term results.
-
“The Corporate Worker’s Survival Guide
Feb 05, 2026
After nearly four decades in corporate America, I’ve learned a few things about surviving office politics, constant change, and the occasional round of layoffs. These simple strategies helped me not only survive—but actually thrive—over a 38-year career.
-
“Retirement Is Not the End — It’s the Beginning of a New Lifestyle
Feb 05, 2026
Discover how retirement can be more rewarding than you ever imagined, filled with time, hobbies, and simple pleasures. Reflections from a life well-lived and tips for making the most of this next chapter.
-
“Use-Your-Downtime-To-Protect-Your-Career"
March 09, 2026
What if the downtime at work could actually help secure your future? In this post, I explain how small pockets of time can be used to build skills and explore side hustles. In the age of AI, using idle time wisely may be one of the smartest career moves you can make.
-
“The Illusion of “Cheap Debt"
March 11, 2026
This article examines the risks and realities of using debt to finance investments, and what happened in 2008 to those that did. challenging the notion that borrowing is always a cheap way to grow wealth.
-
The Tipping Culture’s New Twist
March 17, 2026
A thoughtful, witty take on the new tipping culture—from $6 coffee tip screens to the real cost of daily habits. This piece breaks down how small expenses accumulate over time, questions modern tipping norms, and offers a perspective grounded in long‑term financial thinking.
Join My Reader List
A few short posts each month about writing, new releases, and behind-the-scenes notes from my projects.
I never share email addresses. Unsubscribe anytime.
From Jamaica Station to Montauk Point, follow a college kid’s chaotic, hilarious, and eye-opening summer working as a parlor car attendant on the Long Island Railroad. From rogue brake lines to ghostly bar cars, Montauk sprints to cockroach encounters, this memoir is equal parts coming-of-age adventure and behind-the-scenes glimpse into a bygone era of the rails.
[Read More →]