Personal Finance

hands holding a piggy bank with emergency fund cash

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…

Megan Robinson 29 Nov
Van Life with Matt and Alli Owen

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…

Megan Robinson 05 Nov
how to buy a house

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…

Cat Alford 23 Oct
Man looking at his phone with a stressed look on his face

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…

Ben Huber 04 Jul
young people celebrating the New Year

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…

Megan Robinson 08 Dec
diy room decor

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…

Megan Robinson 04 Oct
family learning how to live on one income

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…

Ben Huber 15 Jul
Man Celebrating Financial Freedom

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…

Cat Alford 16 Feb