There’s a really good chance that you’re heard a side hustle defined as a success once it crests six figures. That is not why I am writing this post. You see, I have no idea what it’s like to earn six figures from a side hustle. I don’t even know what it’s like to earn … [Read more…]
If you follow me on Twitter, you know I battled wicked heartburn thanks to a tasty but aggressive jalapeno ranch salad…and then promptly ate the rest for lunch the next day. This isn’t just a reflection of who I am (it is a compelling snapshot!); it’s also a reflection of my focus. For us, the … [Read more…]
2020 was a dumpster fire. I’m not negotiating on this. It tested me in ways that I didn’t want to be tested. My family suffered loss that still stings enough to make me cringe at the thought of mining the last calendar year for silver linings. The teaching profession that has seeped into every fiber … [Read more…]
The weather hasn’t exactly been cooperative. Normally by this time, we’ve seen several snowfalls. This year? We’ve had one dusting that lasted maybe an hour before snowfall turned to rain and snow turned to slush. Layer on the pandemic and COVID restrictions, and it’s easy to see why any family would feel like they have … [Read more…]
Small businesses are struggling. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. If it saddens you, though, there are some action steps that we can take to help some of these businesses survive. We’ve tried to adopt these practices into our lives throughout the pandemic, and it’s been important to us as a family to revisit them in order … [Read more…]
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday. It goes on and on. And it truly does. By my calculations this is actually the second full Cyber week because one week and certainly one day isn’t enough. After writing in defense of Black Friday shoppers and also encouraging people to shop in a way that is … [Read more…]
There’s a chill in the air and a battle over when Christmas music can be played. The start of the holiday season is unmistakable. With all the promise of glitter and gifts, there’s also plenty of advice that gets floated around. Only spend X dollars. Purchase precisely Y things. Make sure you have Z experiences. … [Read more…]
While we are no stranger to choosing time over money, starting the school year with my husband on a leave of absence was a hard choice. Now that his leave is winding down, I wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look at his leave and what we’ve learned. The Start of a Leave of Absence As … [Read more…]
Raucous holiday gatherings that I hopefully came in under budget for and could heartily enjoy. Moments of pause to reflect on goals I met and goals I didn’t. Way too much hot cocoa. And yet somehow, this year is shaping up to be very different. Given the bleak start to fall we are having in … [Read more…]
It doesn’t take more than a few clicks to find someone on social media shouting about how personal finance should be taught in schools. Usually, it’s people made cranky by tax time. While that’s definitely a discussion that’s bigger than this post, I did get the chance to squeeze in a lesson on financial independence … [Read more…]