The past forty-five days have been a whirlwind of events. We bought a house, packed our belongings, sold our place, and moved. Clearing out the old house was more difficult than I thought it would be. “I’m a minimalist,” I always tell myself, but the truckload of boxes we lugged suggest otherwise. Reducing Moving Costs While […]
Negotiating Closing Costs: The Easiest Ways to Save
Are you buying a house in 2021? It’s been a wild ride for us. But, thankfully, after facing limited inventory, ridiculous bidding wars, all-cash offers, and nearly purchasing the wrong place, we finally found a home we love. So what comes next? A race to the settlement date, which includes applying for financing for the first time […]
Time Freedom: Choosing How to Spend Your Time
What if we measured success in terms of time rather than money? What if we stopped focusing on how much we earned and instead paid attention to how much we loved, laughed, and enjoyed the moments that make up each day? In the world of personal finance, we often write about financial freedom and FIRE. We formulate plans […]
Appreciation for All That We Own
The last time I prepared to move, I was an eager, twenty-three-year-old with a station wagon’s worth of belongings. Two decades later, I need a moving truck and a three-person crew. Moving is tough. Gathering boxes, packing our belongings, and lugging heavy containers around the house is back-breaking work. As I yank piles of possessions […]
Buying a House in 2021
Last June we had a wild idea. After nearly twenty years of living in the same house, we decided it was time to move. Despite limited inventory and wildly escalating prices, we vowed to find a new place. With flexible work options, we can finally move out to the countryside. How hard could it be […]