Looking back I think I’ve always been fascinated by money. I tried to negotiate prices with the tooth fairy (proof below), was a bank for my siblings (a bad one) and loved collecting foreign currency. My aunt and uncle would often bring me coins from wherever they were living at the time. I also bought fake foreign currency with the little chore money I received. I was such a normal kid 🙂 .Continue reading “Have I Always Loved Money?”
It’s been 3 years since I’ve had any type of salon, beauty maintenance. Prior to that I would have my eyebrows plucked every month or so and hair cuts whenever things got out of hand. When I got into financial independence I started cutting all unnecessary expenses and as a result started doing these things myself. I didn’t see the point anymore despite my eyebrows costing maybe $40 a year and hair $50 every few years. It was still wasted money. Instead I started just plucking my eyebrows when they got unruly and cutting my hair a little when the ends looks raggedy. I’m lucky it’s hard to see weird cuts in curly hair 🙂 . Continue reading “Breaking The Unofficial Beauty Ban”
I’ve mentioned that part of my morning routine is catching up on the financial blogs that have been published since the following morning. I find which blogs I’ll read through twitter. I have a twitter list that only includes my financial bloggers and it’s very helpful to keep up not only with their blog posts, but latest news. It’s how I found out one of my favorite and most inspiring bloggers was having a meet up in Seattle and I ended up hanging out with him (and others) all night. It was amazing. Continue reading “$500 for 10 Minutes of Work”
On this 4th of July I’m reminiscing on this crazy country I live in. Despite my pessimism it’s a pretty great place to live. We do have a large amount of opportunity and diversity that slightly combats all our issues. I’m happy to live here and wouldn’t roll the dice again if given the chance. That’s one way to show someone’s true feelings 🙂 .
We’re halfway done with 2017 and this year is flying by. Let’s check in on my goal to decrease my spending from $22,491.86 last year by $4,491.86 to $18,000 this year. These are my averages for the first half of 2017:Continue reading “H1/Q2 Budget Check-In 2017”
I feel like we were just here celebrating $150,000 net worth. It was only 3 months ago. Money is compounding stupid fast it seems. As of today I have $177,746 in net worth thanks to my last paycheck and the stock market hitting a new all time high. $175,000 seemed impossible when I started seriously saving and investing 3 years ago. I kind of can’t believe it. Going from leaving college with $5,000 to my name to now doesn’t even seem real. Having 25% or 1/4 of my retirement net worth goal at the beginning of the year and now having 33% or 1/3 is crazy. I feel incredibly grateful that I was able to learn the power of saving and investing early and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring. My goal for the end of 2017 is to have $200,000 in net worth. If the market holds steady that seems doable. I’m half way to my goal of investing $60,000 this year and simply investing the rest will push me past that $200,000 goal. That number also doesn’t feel real. Oh well: Let’s do this.
When I find a product or company that I love I’m all about representing it. If someone asks for my advice, I tell them. When my partner’s brother and wife asked about our cheap phone plans I recommended Republic Wireless. However, apparently there is a large difference in service that we receive in the middle of a metropolis and that they receive in their 2,000 person rural town. I was sad to learn that they had infinite problems with the service and later their phones. In the end they moved and I feel like I failed them :(. However, I now have an additional data point to add to my recommendation. They might be my only friends that live in a rural area, but it’s good to know the limitations of companies I recommend. Continue reading “A $30 Phone and That New Gadget Feeling”
WARNING: If you don’t want to hear about blood you will not like this story 🙂
I’ve been known to do a few weird things to save money. The most recent one involved bleeding all over our living room. I was perusing the website for my new health insurance (through my job) and noticed something awesome: they offer $100 if I get a blood test and health assessment. To combat my laziness they even send it right to your home. Hmm! Not only did I want the money, but I was also was curious. I have very small veins (there’s your weird fact for the day!) and people literally can’t take my blood. Even the…blood professionals…is that what they’re called? I haven’t had my blood successfully taken since I was in high school and as a result I have no idea what’s going on in there. Continue reading “Literal Blood Money”