the tools you need to be set free
Imagine this: You are on stage trying to look out at the audience, but the spotlight blinds you. As you stand there, you realize that you can’t remember what comes next. “Uh, what’s my line?” you ask, to which an offstage whisper answers, “Get a job.” Phew, okay, you can do that. You go through […]
Pardon me, but your passwords are leaking. Like, all over the internet. The companies that store our information are selling it, losing it, and just plain giving it away. From security breaches at Target to Equifax, millions of passwords, social security numbers, and credit cards are now on the web. Account takeovers in 2017 resulted […]
When I first found out that financial independence was possible, I tore through several blogs about the subject. There were just a few that kept me clicking back. On Monday mornings, I would refresh the page to see if there were any new well-researched posts and dazzling photos of the outdoors on the site OurNextLife. […]
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 […]
Today I am very excited to feature a guest post from Gwen of FIERY MILLENNIALS. On her blog, Gwen chronicles her adventures in real estate, solopreneurship, and her musings on navigating adulthood. She is a vocal advocate in the FIRE community for young adults, and I have followed her blog since I discovered the concept […]
In the garage of every financial mechanic tools are carefully arranged across the wall. If someone were to walk by, they would hear the sound of constant tinkering. If they were to peek inside, they might witness ideas sparking across the room. In the center, there would be an intent, mask-wearing mechanic welding their fiscal […]
The size of the average house in North America has nearly tripled in size from the 1950s to today, growing from 983 square feet to a spacious 2,349 square feet. I am in my early twenties with no future family on the near horizon. I currently rent a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment in Portland, […]
The average American woman spends $44 on a haircut. Add 20% tip, the total rises to $53. If she goes to a salon the recommended 4-8 times a year, she pays $212-$424 per year on haircuts. The average American man will spend $28 on a haircut. Add 20% tip, he will pay $34 every visit. […]
Every day my routine around food was the same: I would come home exhausted and root around in the fridge, scrounging up something to tide me over. I ate a lot of frozen meals and huge plates of simple chicken and rice, but I knew this wasn’t healthy in the long run. I talked to […]
Cheapskate. Miser. Scrooge. These words describe people with an unhealthy relationship with money and often other people. Frugal people often walk this line– how can we be mindful money managers without being misers? The distinction got me thinking about the balancing act between the future and now, saving and spending, and the relationships we have […]