Earn, Save, and Live Joyfully.
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Many of us get trapped by the day-to-day monotony of our lives. We’re not happy, but we’re not miserable either, and in this state, we are often unwilling to change. But if we are reluctant to create a new path, our future is guaranteed to remain the same. So here’s the question: If nothing changed, and … Read more
I pour a cold glass of water, find a comfy spot to sit, and start to write. I pull out my journal and watch the ink flow onto the paper resting on my lap. For a few minutes, I immerse myself in the task. Then, I check my phone, get up to make my kids … Read more
Do you think money is evil? Do you struggle with a scarcity mindset or believe that you will always be in debt? Have you convinced yourself that you are unlucky or that you can’t achieve financial success? If you assume any of these beliefs, a money block may be to blame. What is a money … Read more
The English language includes more than four dozen synonyms for the word stingy: tightfisted, cheapskate, selfish, uncharitable, curmudgeonly, iron-fisted, miser, selfish, penny-pinching, tightwad, and greedy all make that list. While we often think of saving money as a noble goal, these words reflect the negative aspects of building wealth and keeping it all tied up. … Read more
Last summer, we decided it was time to move. The global pandemic created new work from home opportunities for my husband, and the desire to move to an area with more green space was suddenly too hard to resist. Moments after making the decision, I hopped online and created watches on Zillow, Realtor.com, and a … Read more
The emails trickle into my inbox. “I want to quit my job to stay home with my kids,” one reads. “I want to be a stay-at-home mom so badly,” another begins. Each email tells a unique story, and while the details are different, the resulting question is almost always the same. Should I become a … Read more
My husband and I purchased our first house at the age of twenty-four. When we signed the loan papers, the closing agent looked me straight in the eye and said, “You are the youngest couple to ever sit across the table from me. You should be very proud of this accomplishment.” I remember feeling a … Read more
My oldest child is afraid of monsters and the dark. He races up from the basement so he won’t be the last one left down there and still struggles to fall asleep on his own. He’s always been a bit fearful of things, but lately, it felt like his fear was growing. I wanted to … Read more