Earn, Save, and Live Joyfully.
“Your life is messy. Do you feel like you’re oversharing?” a long time friend asked after reading a recent post. “Yes,” I shouted, “without a doubt!” “Then why are you sharing the messy parts?” she asked. I’ve been pondering this question for a while. Over the years, I’ve written about infertility, chronic illness, a failed business, marital problems, … Read more
I roll over and click the tiny button that illuminates my watch. The time is 2:33 am. I hate waking in the middle of the night. It’s too early to start the day, so I stare at the ceiling fan and count down the minutes until morning. Here we go again. 2020 has brought this … Read more
I don’t want a career anymore. I’m not interested in vying for raises, bonuses, or promotions. After my layoff, I thought I would return to my former profession, but now, I’m not so sure. It feels strange to say that. Is there something wrong with me? My mind keeps swirling with conflicting ideas. Aren’t we … Read more
What does the term financial freedom mean to you? When you hear those words, what do you picture? Close your eyes for a moment and reflect on that phrase. What do you see? When I think about financial freedom, I envision young, wrinkle-free faces, posing on exotic beaches, sailboats, and RVs. The media often presents … Read more
In February of this year, my husband, two sons, and I walked into the bank and paid off our mortgage. Then we drove home, ate cupcakes, and celebrated the beginning of our mortgage free life! I’ve been dreaming about paying off my mortgage from the moment I signed up for it. My dad planted the … Read more
Ding dong. The doorbell rang, and I darted to the front door to greet my best friend for a sleepover. “Check out my new clothes,” K screeched as she twirled in a circle. “My mom took me shopping this morning,” she said as she pointed at her off-the-shoulder Benetton sweater and acid-washed Guess jeans. “Then … Read more
What is the greatest key to success? Ask a group of people and you’ll hear many different answers. Discipline, hard work, intelligence, persistence, confidence, race, ethnicity, privilege, and luck usually top the list. I hear this question time and again and I often ask myself the same thing. Did one characteristic lead to my success … Read more
Can money buy happiness? Psychologists have been investigating this question for decades. Are we happier when we earn and spend more? What do you think? I think we can let researchers continue to run their surveys and experiments. In the meantime, we can use a spreadsheet full of emoticons to decide for ourselves. Tracking our … Read more
This post feels like a confession. It feels like a deep, dark secret that I want to keep in, but feel the need to let out. Have you ever read Post Secret? It’s an ongoing art project created by Frank Warren back in 2005. When this project first started Warren asked people to send him … Read more
Find a penny, pick it up. All-day long, you’ll have good luck. Have you ever heard that rhyme or sang it while you picked up pennies? Here are a few other versions of the lucky penny poem: See a penny, pick it up; all day long you’ll have good luck. Find a penny, pick it … Read more