About Us
Hans grew up learning the financial basics from his parents, but truly developed an interest in personal finance during early adulthood.
Hans’ friends often poke fun at his encyclopedic knowledge and his dedication to saving for retirement… but they also look to him for advice when they need it!
Despite his status as a full-blown money nerd, Hans isn’t afraid to spend money on certain things that bring him enjoyment – such as biking, skiing, and video games. Life’s too short to trim ALL of the fat!
Mikayla has always had a tendency to save rather than spend.
This natural inclination was very useful during her AmeriCorps/nonprofit days! During this time, Mikayla learned how to have fun, travel, and cook yummy meals on a tiny budget.
After Mikayla completed her AmeriCorps service, Hans shared his financial knowledge to kick-start her journey toward financial independence. She has since transitioned into the tech world and doubled her starting nonprofit salary, but that only fuels her desire to continue living a balanced life and saving for the future.
We're Frequently Frugal
It can be really tricky to navigate life the information-overloaded, capitalist society that we live in. This website aims to document and share what we have learned early in our lives, in hopes that our little strategies and observations can help others.
We try to see things a little bit differently than the norm, focusing on the powerful impact that small decisions can make over an extended period of time. Things like budgeting or dieting, for example, aren’t really our style; instead we aim for balance and intentionality.
If any of this appeals to you, please poke around our site to find content focused on money, travel, food, and life. Whether you’re hoping to cut down on expenses, figure out how the heck taxes or investments work, eat tasty and healthy food, or get the most out of your vacation days, we hope that you’ll find what you are looking for.
A few of our favorite tips:
- We use credit cards to pay for everything we can (unless there is a fee for doing so) – and make sure to pay them off in full every month. Hello, free rewards!
- We don’t default to buying lunch/dinner out; instead, we cook at least enough for dinner and the next day’s lunch. When cooking for yourself, it is not difficult to get your spending down to an average of $3-5 per person per meal, or even less. Check out Mikayla’s meal planning post to learn more.
- We rarely buy meat. Instead, chickpeas, black beans, and tofu are the staple sources of protein in our house. We eat a lot of delicious curries, rice bowls, and soups/stews without the expensive price tag (or the finicky cooking time) that comes with meat.