Dealing with an emergency – whether it is a family member getting sick, your car breaking down, or getting laid off from your job – is stressful enough. These emergencies get even worse when you don’t have enough money to get you through a difficult time. Unfortunately, anything can happen, no matter how carefully […]
Save
Saving money is the other half of the financial independence equation. Cutting costs where it matters will make a world of difference when it comes to affording your ideal lifestyle. These articles discuss new ways to reduce your expenses while still living your life to the fullest.
Budget Cheat Sheet: How to Make a Brand New Budget in 6 Easy Steps
Wouldn’t it be great if someone would tell you exactly how to create a new budget – for your first time, for the new year, or when your old one just isn’t cutting it? That’s what this post is all about – six straightforward steps that will help you put together your best budget ever. […]
5 Actionable Budget Tips for the Perfect Spending Plan
Do you want to create the perfect budget that is easy to follow and helps you achieve your financial and lifestyle goals? If you implement these five actionable budget tips, your budget this year will be better than ever. By perfecting my budget, I managed to pay off over $70,000 of student loans and save a […]
How to Simplify + Improve Your Budget in 8 Easy Steps
A better way to budget: a Spending Plan gives you a framework for how and where to spend your money in order to achieve your goals and live your life in alignment with your values. Want some background on what a Spending Plan is (hint: it’s better than a budget!) and how to create one? Read this post, Spending […]
Spending Plan 2018 – Save $15k, Invest $24k, Live on $1k per month
A Spending Plan gives you a framework for how and where to spend your money in order to achieve your goals and live your life in alignment with your values. Want some background on how to create a Spending Plan? Read this post, which discusses: The top 2 reasons to create and follow a spending plan (one is definitely […]
2017 Review – $27k Student Loans Paid Off + $17k Saved + $950 Spent Per Month
In this post, I’ll discuss the strategies I used to: Pay off $27,600 of student loans this year; Save a $10,000 emergency fund in 4 months; Increase my net worth by $40,000 this year; Live on less than $1,000 a month, while traveling and enjoying life; and Save $6,900 for investing in 2 months. […]
Q4 2017 Financial Review – I saved $11,400 in 3 months!
In this post, I’ll discuss the strategies I used to: Live on $530 a month; Save $4,500 for my emergency fund, reaching a $10k goal in 4 months; Earn an extra $3,430 this quarter (and why that might not be a great thing); Save $6,900 for investing in 3 months; and, Why I’m investing […]
Q3 2017 Financial Review – $4k of Student Loans Paid Off + $5k Emergency Fund Saved
In this post, I’ll discuss the strategies I used to: Make my final $3,800 payment on $67,000 of high-interest student loans; Save $5,000 for my emergency fund in 3 months; Spend less on travel when I visited South Carolina and Cape Cod; Get a “like new” computer for less than $100; Live on $800 […]
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I Just Paid off $67,000 of High Interest Student Loans in Less than 2 Years – and Saved $23,600 in Interest!
Goodbye High Interest Debt, and Good Riddance. There has been a giant smile on my face all week because I just reached a HUGE milestone in my journey to becoming debt free. On July 28th, I paid the final $3,815 balance due on the high interest portion – originally totaling $61,800 when borrowed – of […]
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Spending Plan 2017 – Pay off $31.8k of Student Loans, Live on $850 per month
A Spending Plan gives you a framework for how and where to spend your money in order to achieve your goals and live your life in alignment with your values. Want some background on how to create a Spending Plan? Read this post, which discusses: The top 2 reasons to create and follow a spending plan (one is definitely […]
STOP Budgeting! Do This Instead & You Can Spend Your Money AND Achieve Your Goals
Outside of the personal finance world, the b-word is a dirty word. No, not that word. I mean BUDGET. When someone says you should budget, you probably have visions of eating a bland peanut butter sandwich every day for lunch; having to shamefully text your friends that no, you can’t go for drinks after work, […]
2016 Review – Paying Off $33k in Student Loans + Living on $4,500
In 2016, my expenses were less than $4,500, but I still had a lot of fun – after all, my main priority is enjoying my twenties while aggressively paying off my student loans. I went to a few festivals, including a brew festival, a music festival, and a chowder festival (who knew that was a […]