To Break Even My GPU Mining Rig, Ethereum Should Reach $5,153

| Crypto | 17 seen

It has been a while since my latest updates with my Ethereum GPU mining rig. In fact, Q1 2018 has been pretty dull for crypto investors, including miners.

Long story short - at the end of 2017 I decided to build a small Ethereum GPU mining rig, now in the middle of April 2018, in total, I have invested in this mining rig $1,661, though the total ROI has been just 11.63%.

In the past 4 months, I have mined humble 0.32 ETH, with today's ETH/USD ($515.83) exchange rates that would give USD 165.

I decided to make a quick math and find out what should be ETH price to break even my investment in this mining rig, if I would decide not to mine anymore (what I'm not planning to do), and found out that to break even now, ethereum should reach $5,153.

Now that is about 10 times more ethereum costs now. Could ethereum hit $5,000? Sure, at least I believe so. Could ethereum hit $5,000 in 2018? The devil knows that. At the end of 2017, I was looking on Ethereum to reach $2,000 by the end of 2018. I don't have a crystal ball and I might be completely wrong. 


Next stop - Station Dubulti (B&W Photography)

| | 9 seen

Black and White (B&W) is not the part of my favorite photo techniques, but sometimes a good B&W can add some drama to a photo story.

I don't call myself a drama expert (at least in photography), but I have tried in the past and sometimes love to experiment with this photo technique. See: Wandering In The Woods B&W Photography

In today's Piece of Life series - a single photo from my second 365 days photo project's second day - Next Stop - Station Dubulti

Lonely sign at Jurmala beach in Latvia

Shot at the start of April 2018


Thoughts about Upcoming Dividend Income From Baltic Stocks in May 2018 (Zemaitijos Pienas, Olympic Entertainment Group, Klaipedos Nafta)

| Investments | 16 seen

It feels like I'm losing ground under my feet when looking on the future dividend income for the month of May 2018.

At the start, Olympic Entertainment group announced it's intentions to leave Nasdaq Baltics (here I hopped for lucrative dividends) - I decided to sell my humble holdings of Olympic Entertainment Group and bought instead Kaunas Energijos and some other stock for the upcoming month of June.

Today Zemaitijos Pienas announced dividend cut (even worse no dividends for 2018), but proposed minimum buyback price per share. My first thought was - if there is no dividend - I don't need such share in my portfolio. Though I spent my time, did some analytics -  and I have been thinking a lot on if shares don't bring money, I must sell such share and put money into shares generating money.

Zematijos Pienas stock price for the past 5 years (Data source: Nasdaq Baltics)

During the last 5 years, the stock price for Zemaitijos Pienas has risen by more than 130%. After an announcement come about dividend cut for 2018, the stock price dropped by -7.26%. On Friday evening Zemaitijos Pienas stock…


Highest Deposit Rates in the World by Country 2018

| Macroeconomics | 79 seen

As a small and growing investor, I'm always looking for higher yield investments, and despite deposits doesn't fit in my wealth building strategy, I have made some pocket money in the past. 

Update: Highest Deposit Rates in the World by Country 2019

Personally, I would favor peer to peer lending marketplace like Mintos.com over the hustle of opening a foreign bank account in a distant country just to chase a higher deposit rate. 

Top Peer to Peer Lending Sites 2019 (Highest Yields)

Both individuals and entities can invest through Mintos. Individual investors must be at least 18 years old, have a bank account in the European Union or third countries currently considered to have AML/CFT systems equivalent to the EU, and have their identity successfully verified by Mintos. At the moment, US citizens or taxpayers cannot register as investors at Mintos.

Affiliate link here: Sign up to Mintos.com here. By using this affiliate link for registration both you and I will receive — 1% of your average daily balance which should be paid in 3…


Top Things to Do in Tbilisi in May

| Travel guides | 22 seen

There is a common opinion that spring does not exist in Georgia as far as cold March swiftly flows into desperately hot but rainy April.

After having celebrated Easter Georgia is getting ready for the most pleasant and long-expected May – the month that plays a role of a small introduction to the long-awaited summer. May welcomes not only tourists but the locals as well into its partially tranquil and in some places lively world where merging with nature, organization of excursions, and long nights of walking in the drizzling rains enchants all those longings for romance and natural beauty.

Tbilisi opens its doors to every single person and furnishes its narrow and winding streets with greenery. Flowers bloom almost everywhere in parks and by the road creating an unforgettable ambiance. The country seems to be like a small kingdom that never leaves its place under the sun and it is difficult to believe that cold weather had just left a couple of weeks ago. In order to have fun at its fullest, there are several places in Tbilisi that could be marked with ‘must visit’ sign. Before going out it is better to stock up with water…


Easter Egg Painting 2018

| | 6 seen

The Christ is risen! 

Though we already celebrated Easters last week, the Orthodox Church (including Georgia) is celebrating Easters on April 8th, 2018. In today's Piece of Life series - our  already annual tradition - Easter egg painting (from the last week)

Easter egg painting 2018

Egg decor for 2018 

Cat enjoying painted Easter eggs

Easter egg and chocolate candy basket 2018

Happy Easters!


Farewell to Winter (Sunrise at Jūrmala beach)

| | 5 seen

It was in the early April morning, I couldn't sleep, and decided to grab a camera and catch a lovely sunrise at the nearby Jūrmala beach. I remembered the times we use to live in Batumi, Georgia and went out for a walk just shortly before sunrise. Jūrmala ain't no Batumi, but still, can I get some mood out of it?

After this morning's short photo walk I decided to start my second 365 days photo challenge, that said - Farewell to Winter.

Jūrmala beach before sunrise

As they say, to make an interesting landscape, you should include a strong foreground. I took what I got this morning.

Reflections on water

Another interesting photo element - reflections.

Melting ice

Strong foreground, sunrise, hdr and water reflections. This photo goes as DAY 1 for my second 365 days photo challenge


Top Hotels in Torremolinos when Traveling with Kids (Family Friendly)

| Hotel reviews | 45 seen

Torremolinos is a municipality in Andalusia, southern Spain, west of Málaga. A poor fishing village before the growth in tourism began in the late 1950s, Torremolinos was the first of the Costa del Sol resorts to be developed and is still the most popular in the region.

We have stayed at Torremolinos hotels twice (Hotel Parasol Garden Review in Torremolinos, Spain and Hotel Zen Airport Torremolinos, Spain) during our latest trip to the region of Andalucia.

Now, when planning our next travels to Spain I decided to look again on hotel offers in Spain, this time looking to travel with a little baby girl. It's interesting to observe that family friendly hotels are in fact more expensive than hotels for couples.

In today's article - top 10 family friendly hotels in Spain's Torremolinos. 

Disclosure: hotels listed below contain links to Booking.com, by clicking on links on this page and by making a reservation on Booking.com site, I might earn an affiliate income, at no cost to you.

Apartamentos Bajondillo

This property is 1 minute walk from…


March 2018 Dividend Income Report - $52.88

| Investments | 10 seen

March is finally over. The last March was really uncomfortable and in fact, it was the first month from my short investor experience when my total net worth actually decreased. Many things happened to my portfolio last month, in total, I lost about $3,000 in value for crypto investments. One company from the Nasdaq Baltics announced its intentions leaving the exchange.

When writing these dividend income reports, I usually love to write how I enjoy doing nothing much and still get a nice passive income at the end of the month. Now, in the case of the last March, this is not the case. And I'm glad March is finally over. That said, welcome to the eleventh (#11) dividend income report, covering earnings I've made from dividend-paying stocks, peer to peer lending (both fiat and cryptocurrencies).

For March, there was no dividend paying stock in my portfolio and the lions share for the earnings in March comes from the Mintos.com peer to peer lending operations.

Both individuals and entities can invest through Mintos. Individual investors must be at least 18 years old,…


Mintos.com Peer to Peer Lending Review 2018

| Peer to Peer Lending | 15 seen

I first heard about Mintos.com peer to peer lending marketplace back in 2016, starting with 2017 I decided to invest some chunk of money on this platform.

Now in 2018, Mintos.com is the top performing passive income revenue stream for me.

I keep investing also in stocks, mutual funds, and cryptocurrencies. 

At the end of Q1 2018, mintos.com took the second largest position (after stocks) in my portfolio with 28.6% of my funds invested in Mintos.com marketplace.

Investment portfolio structure at the end of Q1 2018

The overall impact on the total portfolio for Mintos has decreased from all time height at 100% in January 2017 to little less than 30% at the end of Q1 2018. And I'm glad. The reason is simple:

  • My investment portfolio started just in 2017
  • I have diversified it in Stocks, mutual fund, crypto, cash and peer to peer lending

A diversified portfolio helps. Never put all eggs in one basket, as they say. 

Both individuals and entities can invest through Mintos. Individual investors must be at least 18 years old, have a bank account in the European Union or…


3 Day Tour in Georgia (Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Kazbegi & Lopota Lake Resort)

| Travel guides | 20 seen

Discover Georgia just in 3 days, taste delicious Georgian cuisine and get acquainted with Georgian traditions and historical heritage.

DAY 1 Tbilisi - Mtskheta

Airport pick up,  Accommodation to the hotel

Sights to visit: Holy Trinity Cathedral, Metekhi Church, Europe Square, Narikala Fortress, Sulfur Baths, Leghvtakhevi Waterfall

Georgia’s large heritage underlies in its religious dogmas and holy monuments that are scattered all over the country paying tribute to centuries-old customs. Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) differs from other churches and cathedrals as it is one of the youngest spiritual masterpieces in Georgia. This is the highest church in Georgia (101 meters high). Holy attributes including stones from Mount Zion and Jordan River and ground from Jerusalem were buried in the foundation of the Cathedral. Dome is covered with gold leaf that shines proudly even in dull weather. When entering the church you feel both museum and eclectic atmospheres under the dome. All the icons have small notes with the names of the saints. You…


10 Awesome Places To Visit in Georgia and Tbilisi

| Travel guides | 12 seen

In this article, I've listed 10 awesome places some should visit while traveling across Georgia


Entering Negative Value For Ethereum Investment - Crypto Bear Market 2018

| Crypto | 11 seen

The cryptocurrency bear market which has started in 2018, has finally hit my humble cryptocurrency portfolio and have vanished all the huge gains I made at the end of 2017. Ethereum (from my portfolio) has been hit the most. 

Since the begging with 2018, I have lost about $3,000 virtual money - January and March have hit portfolio the most. It's not that I wouldn't be aware that cryptos are volatile, in fact, from my short crypto investor experience (joined the game in July 2017) I have observed a few ups and downs.

Back in 2017, after just 2 weeks I lost about 50%, soon I regained what has been lost and even got a sweet 340% value growth by the end of 2017. Here is how I could describe crypto in short - Denial, Anger, Depression and Acceptance. Right now I believe we are in the Depression Zone.

Here are few articles about the negative experience:

  • Cryptocurrency volatility lost -54.42% in just two weeks
  • Bitcoin Price Increases Altcoin Market Bleeding
  • Cryptocurrencies are Volatile - Here is How I Lost $1,000 in Value in a couple of days

It was around…


Waiting For The Spring (Sunset HDR)

| | 2 seen

A tranquil evening, remote road and beautiful sunset. I was prepared, backpack with the gear was in the backseat, and here you go - tranquil mood, lots of clouds and my beloved HDR photography technique.

In a couple of weeks (days) it will start blooming, but for now, there is even some snow leftover in the ditches.  Shot in Latvia, at the end of March 2018.

Sunset in Latvia

Sunset HDR


Documentary Around the World by Graf Zeppelin (1929 footage)

| Documentaries | 51 seen

Documentary Around the World by Zeppelin is a film by Dutch director Ditteke Mensink made first aired on BBC Four in 2010.

This was one of the most interesting and quality films I've watched lately. The story is about Graf Zeppelin flight around the world in 1929. The route is following  New York - Friedrichshafen - Moscow (didn't stop here) - Tokyo - Los Angeles - New York.

The story is told through the letters and diaries of Lady Grace Drummond-Hay

In 1929, for the first time in history, a Graf Zeppelin circumnavigated the globe. Beneath the enormous airship hung a gondola to accommodate the lucky passengers and crew for the duration of the 21-day voyage, among them the young journalist Lady Grace Drummond-Hay, reporting for the Hearst media empire. Based upon her letters and diaries and told exclusively through archival and newsreel film from the time, this film relives the incredible voyage.

As a crew of forty kept the zeppelin in the air, Lady Grace feasted her eyes on the world's major cities, white alpine peaks, oceans, and swamps, and fell in love with a married man. The rare archival footage gives…


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