the tools you need to be set free
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 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 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 […]
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. […]
A year ago, I was working a tough project. I would come home exhausted and wonder what’s for dinner. Tired and hungry, we ate a lot of chicken and rice. I talked to my friend about the conundrum and she shared her system. She plans every meal for the upcoming week the Sunday before. She showed me […]
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.
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 […]
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.