Money Mind Games: Is $100 Always $100?
Would you like to be $100 richer? It’s a no brainer. If you stroll down the sidewalk and lock eyes with Ben Franklin, chances are, you’re feeling pretty good about the walk you took. But is $100 always $100?
Clearing Clutter: Figuring Out What I Own
“I spent my 40th birthday touching everything in my house. And I haven’t done it since.” One of my in-laws shared that nugget with me last month. And while I don’t know her exact age, I do know that she isn’t 41. Did that make you shudder? Phew. Me, too.
Summer Money: June to July Goals
Somehow I blinked and now July is staring back at me when I look at the end of this week. While I took a break from a lot of my summer side hustles this year, it’s not been all quiet on the money front this June. Without further ado, here’s the often-promised, never-delivered goal recap … [Read more…]
What My Pregnancy Cost So Far: Part 1
Being pregnant can be pricey. But how expensive are we talking? It’s something I wondered often when we first found out we were expecting, so I decided to keep a running tally of what we were spending, both on ourselves (OK, mostly me, but I’m the one doing the heavy lifting whose pants don’t fit) and … [Read more…]
How to Know it’s Time to Bust Your Budget
Track your spending. Review your expenses. Keep a budget. These are the fundamental aspects of straightening out any money messes you may have gotten into and making your money goals happen. And for good reason. They work! But what if, just like rules, budgets are meant to be broken at times? How would you know?
How We Saved for Our First Baby
There is nothing in life that I’ve experienced quite like finding out you are bringing a new life into this world. Not a single thing could wipe the dopey grins from our faces. Not even the reality of the fact that kids are expensive. The smiles were there to stay. But we also knew that … [Read more…]
Money Lessons from Very Different Parents
There’s a lot to be said about being on the same page as your partner financially. Teamwork makes the dream work after all. But when I think about some of the best financial savvy that I learned growing up, I realize that much of it comes from the fact that I grew up in a … [Read more…]
3 Reasons I Should Turn in My PF Card
There are a lot of things that we do right financially. We save half of our income and max out our Roth IRAs. We both pick up extra work and bank the additional income. We brown bag our lunches and cook dinner at home almost every night of the month. But there are also a … [Read more…]
No, I Don’t Want Your $15 Writing Job
Call me a snob. Call me out of touch. Call me whatever you want, but I’m not chasing after that insultingly low-paying writing job. And you shouldn’t either.
Summer Money: Setting Goals for June
With the weather finally heating up, I thought I’d take some time to slow down and set some summer goals. I’m notoriously bad at goal setting in that I make goals for myself all the time, I just never post the follow-up. While I can’t promise that there will be a companion piece at the … [Read more…]