Personal Finance
What Is an Emergency Fund and How Do I Start One?
I can’t tell you the number of times my emergency fund has saved me and my bank account. There was that time my dog got sick and I ended up with thousands of dollars in vet bills. And the year when my trusty old Subaru went on the fritz. Let’s also not forget the day…
How One ‘Van Life’ Couple Saved $600,000 and Retired to Full Time Travel
Van life has received a lot of attention over the last several years. Many of the people you hear about living in a van full time are part of the FIRE movement — financial independence and retiring early. If you’re not familiar with FIRE, consider the following. More and more people are taking a stand…
How to Buy a House for the First Time (2023 Homebuyer Guide)
Learning how to buy a house is an exhausting, confusing, and often frustrating procedure. There’s so much to understand and process, from selecting the right mortgage, to picking the right real estate agent, to financially preparing for homeownership. It’s easy to get intimidated. The best way to avoid that is to increase what you know…
Why Am I Poor? 10 Reasons You’re Bad with Money (and How to Fix Them)
Are you one of those people who is always asking yourself, “why am I broke all the time?” Forget about investing for the future, you need money now. I read a statistic a few weeks back that said 73% of Americans had less than $1,000 in their savings accounts, and I was astounded. How is it…
20 New Year’s Resolution Ideas to Make 2023 Your Best Year Yet
At the beginning of every year, over 74% of Americans come up with New Year’s resolution ideas meant to change their lives for the better.[1] A few common New Year’s resolution examples include losing weight, eating healthy, improving personal relationships, quitting bad habits, and making better financial decisions. And for those of you that have…
15 Home Improvement Projects That Add Value to Your Property
According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2017 Cost vs. Value Report, the most popular “mid-range cost” home improvement and DIY room decor projects only recuperate between 54-107% of the project’s cost.[1] In other words, expensive home improvements don’t always pay off. If you’re looking to sell your home now or sometime in the far-off future, or if…
How to Live on One Income When Money is Tight
Living on one income is hard, and it’s easy to feel trapped by circumstances. Many people long to do something new and different with their lives, but they just can’t miss work because that will mean missing a paycheck (even if it’s smaller than they’d like). Maybe more schooling will be needed to pursue further…
11 Steps to Achieving Financial Freedom at Any Income Level
For many people, achieving financial freedom is the ultimate dream. Financial freedom means being able to choose how you spend your time. It means you can decide whether or not to work. You could travel the world or be a homebody. Your closet could be full of designer shoes or you could spend every weekend…