Buying Christmas Gifts for Myself

Buying Christmas Gifts for Myself

This December, I did something I haven’t done in a very long time. I bought Christmas gifts for myself! Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I devoted time to creating a wish list, but I jotted down some ideas and began the search for holiday bargains. So what did I buy? A Fitbit Watch … Read more

Want Need Wear Read

Want, Need, Wear, Read: 4 Gift Rule for Christmas + Printable

Have you heard of the Want, Need, Wear, Read Christmas gift-giving strategy? It’s an approach to Christmas that helps us appreciate holiday traditions while minimizing the cost and complexity of the holidays. Do you want to simplify Christmas or celebrate a minimalist Christmas this year? Check out the simplicity of the four-gift-giving rules. Want Need Wear Read: Christmas Gift … Read more

$40 Cash Back Bonus When You Shop Online

This may be the shortest post I’ve written in a decade! I just bought my kids a one year membership to the Maryland Science Center through Groupon. Memberships were on sale for 50% off, plus I earned 12% back by shopping through Rakuten. I haven’t written about cash back websites in forever, but in case … Read more

Simple Pleasures

Simple Pleasures: Finding Joy in the Ordinary

It’s easy to spend inordinate amounts of time and money pursuing happiness while forgetting that joy can exist at any moment on any given day. When we think about happiness we often picture expensive outings and special occasions. We imagine traveling to exotic locations or spending money on extravagant meals, but the greatest gifts in … Read more

find joy in the journey

Find Joy in the Journey

Do you find joy in the journey, or are you constantly delaying happiness? Maybe you’ve thought, I’ll be happier when I get my next promotion, or elated when I get that next big raise. Perhaps you’ll be happier when your bank balance reaches $100,000, or you retire. Years ago, I met a woman whose kids … Read more

minimize your life

How to Minimize Your Life to Maximize Your Enjoyment

In my younger years, I believed more stuff would make me happy—more events, activities, clothing, friends, and, of course, more money. But as time passes, I recognize that minimizing my life leads to more enjoyment.  The law of addition by subtraction brings happiness in ways that more stuff never could. By reducing the excess in my life, … Read more

Why do I want to get rid of everything?

Why Do I Want to Get Rid of Everything?

There have been times when I wanted to get rid of everything, when I thought of grabbing a set of garbage bags, throwing everything I owned into the car, and driving it far from home. Some people turn to alcohol, drugs, or gambling, but when I’m stressed and overwhelmed by life, I turn to organizing … Read more