Somewhere in the swirl of a pandemic, long overdue protests, and a slew of personal ups and downs, we paid our taxes. We also made a really exciting discovery during the deepest financial dive we do all year. A money milestone that I’ve been pursuing relentlessly unfolded: we could pay off our mortgage. But we … [Read more…]
I used to be really good at decluttering. So good, in fact, that I landed myself on a minimalism podcast (Tiny Bites rocks!). But things came to screeching halt at the end of last year, and I’ve been struggling to embrace decluttering like I once did. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what happened. In fact, … [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…]
Over the past year, I received two remarkable gestures from two Internet heroes. While I’ve certainly thought about their actions, I haven’t quite been able to find the words to tell the stories. I’m still not sure I have those words. But I want to share their gestures now for two reasons. I want to … [Read more…]
I’m not entirely sure how it happened, but mattress sales on Memorial Day are ubiquitous across the United States. Then, there are the home good sales. And the linen sales. And the lawn furniture. And the list goes on. While I have nothing against scoring a bargain on something you actually need, no one should … [Read more…]
Don’t be a Scrooge. Shockingly, this might be the one thing you read today that has nothing to do with the holidays. While Scrooge’s bad behaviors juxtapose most dramatically with Christmastime, it’s safe to say that he was a miser all year. Which is exactly what this post is about. It’s no secret that the … [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…]
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…]
Chocolate or vanilla? Cake or ice cream? Beach or mountains? Either/or questions might have their place when it comes to icebreakers or dating profiles, but they have also become incredibly pervasive in personal finance. Pay down debt or invest? Grow your income or cut expenses? Donate time or donate money? Focus on little leaks or … [Read more…]
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?