Earn, Save, and Live Joyfully.
If I had to sum up the #1 rule for personal finance it would be this: “Think about the stuff you buy.” I mean seriously stop, pause, take a deep breath, count to ten, slow your heart rate down and then think carefully about whatever it is you want to spend your hard earned money … Read more
For two and a half years I suffered in silence with infertility. As a very private person I didn’t want to share any information about my desire to have a child or my failed attempts to do so. When friends asked about having kids I’d say, “We’ll see what life has in store for us.” … Read more
When I was pregnant with my boys, I nested like crazy. I spent countless weeks moving and sorting things from one location to another. This shouldn’t have come as a surprise. When life feels overwhelming, I often clean my house and sort my belongings. It helps me clear my mind. But each time I moved things … Read more
Growing up girls were placed into two categories: Those who were popular and those who were not. In the 1980s if you were popular you most likely wore designer clothes, kissed a lot of boys and flung your hair from side to side a lot. At least that’s what it felt like. I was a … Read more
I wish I could say I was one of those philanthropic folks who always used her powers to better humanity. But nope, in my twenties and thirties, that would not have been an accurate assessment. In high school, I volunteered for all sorts of community efforts. I cleaned up streams, rallied for causes, volunteered at … Read more
It’s been a long two months with my mom in the hospital. The drive back and forth to see her is long and I’m both physically and mentally exhausted. We are told that life is short, but throughout our day to day lives we tend to forget that fact. Rather than embracing the hours ahead … Read more
Are you on the path to Financial Independence or FIRE? Do you feel the desire to save a large percentage of your income or stop yourself from wasteful spending? Have you read other personal finance blogs and listened intently for money-saving tips in podcasts? Are you excited to start on your adventure but not quite … Read more
Last weekend my husband and I sold our twenty-year old Jeep. I placed an ad on Craigslist and the very first buyer fell in love with that old hunk of metal. A day later I received an envelope full of cash in exchange for the title and a set of keys. I was sad to … Read more
When you think about inheritance what visions come to mind? Jewelry, bank accounts, prized possessions, homes and properties? Material objects that you can wear, hold and even live in, long after someone has died. My grandmother placed tremendous importance on the money she intended to pass on to her children. In her final years she … Read more
I’ve spent the last four weeks watching my mom suffer. She’s been laying in a hospital bed since mid-March. A sudden and unexpected intestinal perforation has shut down her entire digestive system. She is unable to eat or drink. A nasogastric tube is the only thing preventing her from aspirating. No one could have predicted … Read more