I just got back from a conference for finance content creators (bloggers, podcasters, youtubers, etc). What a bunch of nerds! I was walking with my friends Zach (Four Pillar Freedom) and Becky (TwentyFree) when we jokingly threw out all the money advice we’ve heard lately. We may have repeated some of this advice ourselves. Then […]
It’s Time To Skip The ‘Must-Sees’ And Do This Instead.
You have looked forward to this rare slice of time away from work for weeks. You have spent hundreds of dollars to venture across state, national, or continental borders. You have planned each day meticulously to make every minute count. And now you are waiting in a line. “Surely it will be worth it,” you […]
Tackling the Money Taboo — How to Talk About Your Finances
How old were you when you had the talk? You know, the one where you sit down awkwardly with your parents, going red in the face as you both dance around a topic you would rather not broach? You know, the one where you talked about your family’s entire financial situation, including their income, debt, and net […]
“I am not a math person,” and other lies we tell ourselves
I cringe every time someone says, “I am not a math person.” You are many things, and one of them is a math person. You are an artistic person, a creative person, a dancing person, because you are human. The surest way to hamstring your growth as a human being is to peg yourself into […]
The Five Stages of FIRE – and how to keep it alight
The journey to FIRE– financial independence, retiring early– looks like a lot of things to a lot of different people. Some people retire to the countryside. Others retire to travel the world. Still others ‘retire’ to run their own business. No matter what the path, all the journeys have five things in common, and along […]
Cutting Hair (Out of Your Budget)
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. […]
The Mechanic’s Guide to Meal Planning
Four steps helped us set some goals, benchmark our spending, and make meal-planning happen.
Inertia: Financial Friend or Foe?
I do things in bursts. I let messes accumulate until one day I decide that is enough and clean everything. I don’t like making calls so I will wait all year for a burst of energy one Thursday afternoon when I book a dentist, doctor, and car maintenance appointment one after another.
How to Save For Joy: Drop Your Inner Money-Miser
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 […]
How Much You Need to Retire
It is easy to disregard retirement when it feels far out on the horizon. Imagine your financial life like a sailing adventure—the destination is beyond our sight, but we can at least set a destination and course correct as needed.