When my grandma was alive, one of her favorite things to do was to marvel at the cost of everything in the grocery store. We’d scoot up and down the aisles, and she’d rattle off the cost of a loaf of bread, a sack of sugar, or a pound of butter from her Depression-era childhood. … [Read more…]
Looking to get started as a tutor? Tutoring is a terrific side hustle that can net you anywhere from $20 an hour to over $90 an hour, depending on the areas of your expertise and the going rate in your town or city. In fact, at one point, I was earning over $1000 a month … [Read more…]
In the middle of the week, I received the most exciting–and irritating–voicemail ever. Well, maybe not ever, but I can’t really remember all the way back to my middle school crank phone call days*. After thirty-six seconds, a tinny voice disconnected, and I realized that I had finally heard my first IRS scam. That’s right, … [Read more…]
Earlier in the week, I penned a call to giving. Of course, volunteering time and talent makes a difference. I’d like to think that Mr. P and I both know that well from firsthand experience. But charitable giving matters just as much–maybe, in some ways, even more. As a result, Mr. P and I work … [Read more…]
The oxygen mask on an airplane analogy is a cornerstone in life lessons. It essentially boils down to the notion that we need to help ourselves before we can effectively help anyone else. I get it. What I don’t understand, though, is the fact that so many people feel that they not only have to … [Read more…]
When it comes to making a donation to a food pantry or a food bank, I used to think it was a no brainer. My mind mapped out a Venn diagram of sorts that considered what my dietary staples included, what I knew to be non-perishable items, and then I tried to scoop up whatever … [Read more…]
My heart started to hammer as I unloaded my grocery cart items onto the conveyer belt and I started to mentally run the numbers. We might not make it under our $200 grocery budget for the month. How could this be? What was different? Did I buy too much fresh produce? Should I put something … [Read more…]
The first time I mentioned the revolutionary concept of financial independence early retirement (FIRE) to my mom a few years ago, I was met with a scoff. She applauded the idea of financial independence. But early retirement? It was met with pursed lips, a decided frown, or the click of her tongue behind her teeth … [Read more…]
Latte factor: the total cost of your regular, nonessential spending to show how much you could be saving each year. “Look at all that money!” A student gasped, staring at her calculator in disbelief. Sure enough, that burst of excitement flagged the attention of several other students. “Money?” “What money?” “Whose money?” “Where did it … [Read more…]
There’s a fine line between being polite and being a pushover, and it’s a line that I’ve danced along for the majority of my life. Chaulk it up to a consequence of my incredible awkwardness, but speaking up for myself in person has always been more than just a little bit challenge. Like, a whole … [Read more…]