the money tools you need to be set free
In all of my early posts, you will only see shadows or my back in photographs. I started blogging anonymously because it seemed like a safe place to start. It definitely felt easier to share financial information if my name wasn’t attached. I have since shared my name and net worth numbers with the world, […]
I thought I understood the equation. Work Hard = Go To Dream School I thought I had done everything right, but when it came down to it, my parents told me I couldn’t go to my dream university. We Couldn’t Afford It I grew up in a middle class, one-income family. My parents had stashed […]
I was sitting at the table, pencilling out fluid dynamics equations as rain pattered down outside. It was the third day of rain. In the other room, my roommate Jamie* was washing dishes when the sirens started. She stepped into the living room and opened our door to figure out what was going on. The […]
Exactly one year ago today, I hit “Publish” on my first post. My purpose for this blog was simple: I just wanted to write. I set my expectations low. It would have been okay if no one read the words I wrote. In fact, at first I didn’t share my content in any way. I […]
Every morning my sister and I would wake up to the clatter of bowls set on our dining room table. We would roll sleepily out of bed, hair sticking out in every direction, and patter over to our seats. Our dad would get us ready, pulling my favorite 101 Dalmatians T-shirt over my head. He […]
Four years ago, I hit “apply” on a Software Engineering job posting despite my lack of a computer science degree. The demand for more developers is high, but the skills are tedious to learn. Yet out of all the engineering disciplines, software is the one most likely to open its doors to self-taught bootstrappers and […]
I was wondering what to write this week, but I could not think of a topic for love or money. Then it hit me– love and money! With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought I could cover how we handle money in our relationship. Mr. Mechanic and I met on vacation 10 years ago. Resolutely […]
There is so much baggage weighing down our money conversations. Taboos and complicated feelings make talking about money extremely difficult, even though it is important. There is shame, spite, and many strong opinions where money is concerned. The way we spend our money is a reflection of the way we want to live our lives. Everyone has their […]
The resounding advice for someone looking to control their finances is to know your finances. We all hear this advice: you should know how much money is coming in, how much money is going out, and ultimately where that money is going. Similar to many others, I did not follow this advice for a long time. […]
It is one thing to clock in to work every day, earning a paycheck and steadily working towards financial independence, but it is crucial to remember to enjoy life in the process. One way to avoid burn out is to make sure to intentionally take time off and unplug from the daily demands of work.