Sometimes I can’t help but shake my head that we as a society feel compelled to buy crap just because we feel we “need” it. There are millions of people here in the U.S. that, although not by choice, manage to live on $2 a day. But when it comes to the middle class, even with increasing salaries, most families buy and buy and still feel like they need more stuff. Why? Why do people love to waste their hard-earned …
Once upon a time, there was a guy who wanted to save money and heard that buying in bulk would help him with that. So he bought a Costco membership to reach that goal. It was glorious! He saved a ton of money, enjoyed loads of free samples, and took advantage of all the amenities it had to offer. There were unicorns, pixies, pots of gold, and all sorts of other wonderful things that don’t really exist anywhere but here. All this …
Well, this is it – the last post of the year. I hope all of you had a great holiday and are looking forward to the new year! I thought this would be a good time to do a year-end review and look back at what I got accomplished throughout the year (and what I didn’t!). Let’s start with the 8 Financial Goals we had set at the beginning of the year for ourselves… 1) Build back up our online savings …
The Line Between Frugality and Deprivation A lot of people on the quest for financial independence aim to trim their expenses. This works great… until it doesn’t. Sometimes the line between frugality and deprivation becomes blurred. It’s possible to cut your expenses too much where you can make yourself miserable. I was listening to a great podcast that the Mad Fientist put together from a Q&A at Camp Mustache which had Pete aka Mr. Money Mustache, Paula Pant from Afford Anything, Doug Nordman from The Military …
It’s funny how priorities seem to change as you age and as your income changes. Years ago, I never would have thought about paying for something I could do myself… nowadays though, that line isn’t always so clear. Time versus money is a topic that I think we’re all familiar with. When you’re young and scrappy, you likely have a little more time on your hands and little less money. Eventually though, life catches up to you and things like a …
You’re reading this article, so you obviously care about your finances. Hopefully, you’re on track with your money or working toward that goal. Getting out of debt, saving and investing have been beaten into you by every financial outlet in the world. Maybe you’re even on the path to financial independence or early retirement. But have you taken the time to figure out what you need by looking at your post-retirement multiplier? What is a Post-Retirement Multiplier? When I talk about your post-retirement multiplier, …
You’re doing your best to get yourself on the right track with your finances. You’re working your way out of debt and have turned your eye toward reaching financial independence. But the media wants you to focus on the money you have coming in. I want you to focus on your expenses instead. First of all, know that your income is important – no doubt about it. In my article The Steps to Wealth, the first thing I talk about is getting a …
When I was a kid, I was a good saver. Every penny I got was definitely a penny I saved. I wasn’t necessarily cheap and still bought candy and toys, but I was just good at saving. As I got to high school, the trend continued and I continued to be careful with my money, especially once I got my first job and learned the importance of hard work. Then things changed. That’s not to say that I didn’t have a …
Just got back from a great vacation in Texas. My brother and his wife moved to Austin about a year ago so we went to visit them. They just built a really nice house with a pool, hot tub, cabana, outdoor kitchen, etc. – how can you pass up a visit with all this good stuff?!! So we stayed at their “oasis” for a little over a week and had a great time. Unfortunately, I was so relaxed that I realized I had …
I just finished reading The Richest Man in Babylon. I had a lot of recommendations to read this and I’ll tell you that, for as old as this book is (originally published in 1926!!), the content still holds strong. Great book if you’re trying to find your way to wealth. There is some very sound advice that stands the test of time, such as saving at least 10% of what you make and that you can live off your income, but you …
