Earn, Save, and Live Joyfully.
I spent much of my life trying to fit into an ill-fitting mold. Rather than learning to embrace the person I am, I continued to reach for the person I thought I should be or the person I thought I would become. In doing so, I failed to be true to myself. For many years, … Read more
Invest in yourself was my motto at the start of the new year. I planned to eat healthier, get fit, and gain new skills. The sky was the limit as I sat down at my computer with a long list of self-improvement goals. When you invest in yourself, you spend time and money, improving your skills, … Read more
The calendar will soon flip from December to January. Although the pandemic won’t disappear overnight, the changing year signals a new hope that this will soon be over. How are you reflecting on this awful time? I’m trying to be optimistic. I’m searching for silver linings. The Need for Silver Linings The effects of COVID-19 … Read more
I hate to make mistakes. I mean undeniably and unequivocally hate it. Rather than moving past the errors, I flip them over and over in my mind. Of course, I don’t like to make mistakes, but financial ones are the absolute worst for me. When I make a financial mistake, I struggle to move past … Read more
The personal finance community is full of people claiming to provide the best advice. Many so-called experts shout from their soapboxes, “Here do this. Don’t do that. Listen to me. You are doing it all wrong!” It’s easy to dish out advice, but what if we tried to listen with understanding and empathy instead? What … Read more
A fair amount of financial advice hinges on the belief that we have the power to control our financial situation, but is that true? How much of our financial success is attributable to our decision making and how much is determined by our circumstances? Are we making smart decisions, or is our prosperity circumstantial or … Read more
Every year I dream of a simple, minimalist Christmas. One where we can skip out on exhausting holiday festivities, social gatherings, and mounds of gifts in favor of a quiet, relaxing celebration at home. It’s not that I hate those activities; it’s just that I yearn for a less stressful holiday season without a hefty … Read more
Tracking your expenses is one of the best ways to control your finances, but tracking expenses isn’t just about writing down what you purchase and how much you spend. To truly change your financial habits you need more than the price and description of the items you buy. You need to know how you feel … Read more
We often mischaracterize the term frugal as cheap or selfish. We envision images of miserly, old, rich men like Ebenezer Scrooge who refuse to part with their money, but being frugal doesn’t mean being stingy with money, tight-fisted or greedy. People who engage in frugal living can carefully manage their money in pursuit of happiness. … Read more
How much should I spend on groceries? Each time I buy food the total seems to grow. Unlike housing and transportation costs, our food bills are variable. We don’t prepare the same snacks and meals every day, so our out of pocket costs are rarely similar. Can I blame rising food prices or inflation for … Read more