Whether it’s your first, second, or third, receiving a stimulus check is pretty exciting. So what exactly do you do with it? It depends on who you ask. For many Americans, it’s long-awaited relief that might cover a few bills. For others, it’s an opportunity to make creative purchases. While the original purpose of a … [Read more…]
How fast can I spend $1200? How fast can we spend $2400? In my mind, I can spend that money in a blink. (In a past life, I probably could have, too, on shoes alone!) But it turns out that we have only spent a fraction of our stimulus check so far. Personal finance is … [Read more…]
Six years ago, it was a late Thanksgiving. I know because we celebrated it with my nana the same as we did every year, and my mom ordered the biggest cheesecake anyone had ever seen. After all, it was Thanksgiving, and it was also my nana’s birthday. She turned 93. She squeezed my hand so … [Read more…]
For some of us, Veterans Day means a day off from work or school. For most of us, it also means a bombardment of sales, specials, and limited time only deals. I certainly don’t begrudge retailers offering perks to veterans or service people, but I do think that the rest of us can do much … [Read more…]
Happy April! The birds are chirping. The sun is staying out later. And it’s snowed, it’s rained, and it’s been 50 and sunny…all in the past week. Welcome to springtime in Chicago! With the arrival of spring (and the other three seasons that also sporadically burst onto the scene), I thought it was finally fitting … [Read more…]
Oh. You didn’t win the lottery? Bummer. Me neither. OK, fine. You don’t play the lottery. Neither do I. In fact, I have a really hard time doing anything other than sinking a few pennies in the slots in Vegas and cashing out right away. I like my money. Sue me. But still, it’s fun to … [Read more…]
Peanut butter and jelly. I eat it every day for lunch. After a recent interview on the FIRE Drill Podcast, that seemed to be the sound bite that stood out to most people. I could practically hear people’s sighs laiden with pity. Rather than write an ode about that the deliciousness of that simple sandwich … [Read more…]
It’s Friday! And it’s the first Friday of the month. A long month. If you’re like me, that means there is an automatic money win built into this magical month. (If you’re retired, well, that’s a whole different money win, isn’t it?) It’s a three-paycheck month for me! Woohoo! With back-to-school time just around the … [Read more…]
Every Thursday, I drive through my neighborhood absolutely mesmerized by the heaps of trash and recycle that line both sides of the street. Flat screen TV boxes. Old media stands. Towers of single-use water bottles. For nearly three years, I have worked furiously to minimize what sits in front of our house. In fact, I … [Read more…]
With #GivingTuesday right around the corner, thinking of others is likely to be at the forefront of many people’s minds. Unfortunately, the timing of Giving Tuesday and other holiday donations don’t always jive with people’s budgets time of year. While I would—and do—argue that everyone should include charitable giving in their budgets year round, it … [Read more…]