Saving is Not the Same as Investing
The most common ways to earn interest are through investment accounts or savings accounts. So how different are they?
saving
How I Threw a Frugal(ish) Bachelorette Party
Welcome to wedding season, everyone! If you’re like my poor friend, Jenni, and had a wedding planned for 2020, I imagine things didn’t look quite like how you imagined. This particular couple opted for a smaller-scale backyard wedding and postponed the big event and all pre-ceremony activities by a year. And now here we are! … Read more
How I Spend $0 Per Day (excluding essentials & some days)
For many of us, it is all too easy to spend a little here and a little there without ever thinking too much about it. One way to become more intentional with your money is to track how often you are spending it. If you want to challenge yourself, the internet is full of advice … Read more
Lessons Learned From New Car “Junk Mail”
I Bought a New(ish) Car! A little over a year ago, I finally decided that enough was enough – I needed to get rid of my old clunker 2007 Ford Focus. What should have been a cheap car was costing me more than I’d like to admit in yearly repairs. While repair costs often work … Read more
Crash Course: How to Outsmart the Grocery Store
No matter who you are, food costs likely account for a large portion of your monthly spending. Cooking most of your meals cuts costs significantly – and being a smart shopper at the grocery store takes this to the next level! It is likely that you already know the most common grocery shopping tips: Make … Read more
Roth vs. Traditional: An Extended Take
What Are They? At the risk of sounding a little redundant: Join me for a deeper dive into the mechanics and logistics of the Roth versus traditional retirement account debate! First of all, it is important to know that the terms “Roth” and “traditional” are classifications used to describe retirement accounts. When you set up a … Read more
Planning For The Future
Working Until You Stop or Drop Not that long ago, the average life expectancy was considerably shorter than it is today. People worked until they died or became too ill to continue working (at which point they’d be cared for by a spouse and/or children), never experiencing the “golden years” of retirement that we’ve come … Read more
Trimming the Fat from Your Cell Phone Plan
My Cell Phone Origin Story When my parents decided to get involved with cell phones, they – like virtually everyone else we knew – selected Verizon as their carrier. I was eventually allowed to join their plan, which I stayed on throughout high school and college. After graduating from college and started my working life, … Read more
How I Track My Money
When it comes to money management, I try to strike a balance between maximum simplicity and maximum effectiveness. I care where my money is going and how it is growing, but at the same time, I am not interested in tracking every dollar spent. Instead of budgeting my money, I use a version of this … Read more
How I Manage My Money
My money management strategy has three major components: bank accounts, investment accounts, and credit cards. This is not unique – I hope that your financial life includes these three components, too! However, I take a few slightly unconventional and very effective approaches that I’d like to share with you today. If you are looking for … Read more