Financial Mechanic

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Frugal, Intentional Living, Money Tracking

How Much Does It Cost To Adopt A Cat? A Comparison of Three Families

April 27, 2020 9 Comments

It’s been 6 months since Mr. Mechanic and I adopted MechaniCat, so it seems like a good time to do an assessment of how much money we’ve spent on our first pet. As with everything, we went the frugal route, so it will be interesting to see if we spent more or less than expected. […]

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Frugal, Intentional Living, Opinions

Why You Don’t Want Nice Things

April 20, 2020 18 Comments

We stepped into our grandparents’ new condo, dazzled by the decor. They had just settled into a retirement community and finished furnishing their place. I had never seen a place like it– not because of the space, or the view, or the decoration, but there was something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Of […]

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Frugal, Intentional Living, Social

3 Easy DIY Gifts You Can Make At Home

March 23, 2020 2 Comments

If you catch yourself thinking, “I am not crafty enough to do that,” think again! I simply followed tutorials at home with limited existing skillset and managed to make four pretty cool things, if I do say so myself!

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Intentional Living, Investing, The Sunday Sharies

The Sunday Sharies: Volume 19

March 15, 2020 No Comments
woman one bed surrounded by books

Sunday Scaries (n): The Sunday evening dread that creeps in when anticipating work in the morning. Shut down Sunday Scaries with this series: Sunday Sharies! These are the articles, links, and content I’ve read this week that I think are worth sharing. Finance Articles What I Learned From Tracking Every Penny I Spent For A […]

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Background, Financial Independence, Intentional Living, Opinions

Why I Decided To Share My Identity and Go Non-Anonymous

March 6, 2020 25 Comments

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, […]

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Intentional Living, Money, Psychology, Social

The Psychology of Money, Part 2: Nudges

February 19, 2020 13 Comments

Recent developments in economics have increased retirement balances by an estimated $30 billion, increased organ donor enrollment by 40% and helped establishments reduce ‘spillage’ by improving men’s aim when using urinals.

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Intentional Living, Money, Opinions

We Were Airbnb Hosts For 3 Years– Here’s What We Learned (and Earned!)

February 7, 2020 8 Comments

As a renter, I haven’t had the opportunity to sign up to be a host on Airbnb, so I thought I would ask someone close to me who has– my parents! After three years of hosting, they have a lot to say about their experience.

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Background, Career, Intentional Living

I’m Glad My Parents Crushed My College Dreams

January 20, 2020 26 Comments

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 […]

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Background, Intentional Living, Money

When Disaster Strikes — The 100-Year Boulder Flood

January 14, 2020 13 Comments

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 […]

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Financial Independence, Guest Post, Intentional Living, Social

Financial Independence Let Me Walk Away From Harassment at Work

December 17, 2019 18 Comments

You may love your job now. You may love your company now. But one bad hire can change that. Financial independence gives you back your power when it would otherwise be stripped away.

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The Mechanic

I'm a mechanical engineer turned programmer with a pretty big DIY project: save enough money to become financially independent. I write about frugality, career climbing, and investing.

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Recent Posts

  • The Sunday Sharies: Volume 28
  • Every Penny of $20,000 I Spent in 2020
  • A New Foster Cat And Other December 2020 Expenses
  • Self-care and other November 2020 Expenses
  • How Financial Independence Changed Our Lives – Flipping the Script on Success, Feminism and FIRE
  • The Sunday Sharies: Volume 27
  • Turkish Coffee and other October 2020 Expenses

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Why You Don’t Want Nice Things

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