New York City seems to be the consumer capital of the US – everything seems to be defined by outward symbols of wealth. This might be a result of the industry I’ve chosen to work in and the type of people that are usually attracted to it, but even outside of my profession I have seen this trend. The default here is always to do things that cost money to enjoy life: go to a bar for a drink despite having a bottle at home, go out to a diner to eat regardless if you have the same bacon and eggs sitting in your fridge, go to a movie for $15 instead of watching something slightly older on the huge TV in your living room. I wasn’t even aware that different behavior was possible until I visited my partner’s family and they seemed to have a much happier life without a lot of these outings that have become normal for me. Not only do they often have people over for home cooked meals instead of being served in a room full of strangers, but they also obviously value people over things — time over money maybe. Continue reading “My Surprising Consumer Mindset” →
I’ve noticed that this blog of mine is pretty dominated by worry and anxiety. That seems like a serious change from the other FIRE blogs I’ve read. This might be because I’m going through the initial phases of discovering this goal is possible. The other blogs are all written by people that have it all figured out and have already or are very close to financial independence. Another reason could be that I’m currently writing this just for myself instead of for an audience, which includes a large group of people that do not see FI as viable.
I was reading Mr. Money Mustache the other day – about his anti-consumer ideals and alongside it, his promotion of the stock market as a wealth building tool when a strange thought hit me. How could this man critique our consumer lifestyle on one hand and consciously use that same system to make money through the stock market on the other? 
I started this blog by crediting 
I found myself falling into a familiar trap last night. I had talked to a friend who mentioned a large company in Seattle that she has recruited for that pays very well, but is almost notoriously difficult to work for. It is said that your experience there completely depends on the team with which you’re placed, which is not that different from most companies. However, when reading reviews of the company by actual employees the overwhelming feeling is very negative. 
Today I arrived home after a full, but surprisingly stress free day at work to find a “not a bill” from my insurance company. This document which stated that it was “not a bill” on the front page said that I owed $361 and change for a procedure I had in November that the insurance company assured me was completely covered. This made me unreasonably angry and resulted in me calling the insurance company and emailing/texting several people for information. Apparently I can’t contest this document, its supposed charge and the multiple pieces of incorrect information it holds until I receive the “real” bill. In the grand scheme of things even if I was lied to and end up having to pay these charges this seemed to represent a larger problem that’s been in the back of my mind: unexpected costs. 
I first decided I was interested in advertising in college, before