Earn, Save, and Live Joyfully.
A fair amount of financial advice hinges on the belief that we have the power to control our financial situation, but is that true? How much of our financial success is attributable to our decision making and how much is determined by our circumstances? Are we making smart decisions, or is our prosperity circumstantial or … Read more
Every year I dream of a simple, minimalist Christmas. One where we can skip out on exhausting holiday festivities, social gatherings, and mounds of gifts in favor of a quiet, relaxing celebration at home. It’s not that I hate those activities; it’s just that I yearn for a less stressful holiday season without a hefty … Read more
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no extra charge to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I recently gathered the Christmas toy catalogs and presented them to my kids. My oldest son walked up to me a few minutes later with a … Read more
“Why do you blog?” a reporter recently asked me. “What made you want to start a blog about money?” “I didn’t start writing about money,” I said in response. “I didn’t create a blog to help others seek financial fortune or to document my journey. For the first few months, I didn’t write about money … Read more
Tracking your expenses is one of the best ways to control your finances, but tracking expenses isn’t just about writing down what you purchase and how much you spend. To truly change your financial habits you need more than the price and description of the items you buy. You need to know how you feel … Read more
If you feel down in the dumps this holiday season, you have every right to feel that way. 2020 stinks! Unfortunately, I can’t make all of your holidays brighter, but I can cheer up one reader with a special $50 NOVICA giveaway! I hope this contest will help spread the holiday joy and give one … Read more
The Internet is full of FIRE (financial independence retire early) articles. Before I started typing this post, I ran a quick Google search that returned over seventy million results. You can now read about coastFIRE, slowFIRE, fatFIRE, baristaFIRE, leanFIRE, and all other versions of FIRE that currently exist. Over time I’m sure new terms will … Read more
We often mischaracterize the term frugal as cheap or selfish. We envision images of miserly, old, rich men like Ebenezer Scrooge who refuse to part with their money, but being frugal doesn’t mean being stingy with money, tight-fisted or greedy. People who engage in frugal living can carefully manage their money in pursuit of happiness. … Read more
How much should I spend on groceries? Each time I buy food the total seems to grow. Unlike housing and transportation costs, our food bills are variable. We don’t prepare the same snacks and meals every day, so our out of pocket costs are rarely similar. Can I blame rising food prices or inflation for … Read more
“Your life is messy. Do you feel like you’re oversharing?” a long time friend asked after reading a recent post. “Yes,” I shouted, “without a doubt!” “Then why are you sharing the messy parts?” she asked. I’ve been pondering this question for a while. Over the years, I’ve written about infertility, chronic illness, a failed business, marital problems, … Read more