Earn, Save, and Live Joyfully.
“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
I roll over and click the tiny button that illuminates my watch. The time is 2:33 am. I hate waking in the middle of the night. It’s too early to start the day, so I stare at the ceiling fan and count down the minutes until morning. Here we go again. 2020 has brought this … Read more
I don’t want a career anymore. I’m not interested in vying for raises, bonuses, or promotions. After my layoff, I thought I would return to my former profession, but now, I’m not so sure. It feels strange to say that. Is there something wrong with me? My mind keeps swirling with conflicting ideas. Aren’t we … Read more
What does the term financial freedom mean to you? When you hear those words, what do you picture? Close your eyes for a moment and reflect on that phrase. What do you see? When I think about financial freedom, I envision young, wrinkle-free faces, posing on exotic beaches, sailboats, and RVs. The media often presents … Read more