I’ve written before about whether going to college is worth the debt that you’ll inevitably take on in order to graduate. The conclusion was that it at least partially depends on the type of degree you get, as that dictates your future salary. So which college degrees lead to financial success? Which majors earn the […]
I was recently researching the Japanese concept of Kaizen for an article when I came across another Japanese word I was unfamiliar with: Kakeibo. I dug a little deeper, and ended up in possession of the first-ever English translation of the Japanese ‘household budgeting book’, Kakeibo, by Fumiko Chiba. What is Kakeibo? The kakeibo was originally […]
Not everybody loves a challenge, but for those who do, they can work wonders. Try these five money challenges, in whatever form gets you most fired up, to improve your finances. 1. The Savings Challenge This can take many forms. The only rule is that it has to involve saving, and like any challenge, it […]
Along with your cellphone provider… And insurance carrier… And doctor… And pharmacist… And gas station… Etc. Ah, Vacation! Getting away from it all may be more challenging during these scary pandemic times, but if anything, the stress and anxiety we all feel day in and day out make it even more crucial. The problem is […]
If you want to reduce financial stress, you might be focusing on reducing your outgoings, increasing your income, and paying down debt. All admirable aims, but in the long-term, some of the things that will reduce financial stress involve your mindset and emotions, as much as what you actually do with your money. Build Your […]
It’s surprisingly easy to live life broke on a relatively high income. One of the reasons some high earners have no money is a simple concept known as lifestyle inflation. Put simply, the more they earn the more they spend, so their financial situation never really changes, although it certainly appears to. Their houses get […]
There’s no doubt about it. Living a nice life in the United States costs money. But how much exactly? How much money is enough to make you happy? That seems like an impossible question. Not least because there are a few things that make the concept hard to standardize. For a start, there will be […]
As I shared elsewhere, when I was 30, a financial advisor looking to sign me on asked me when I’d like to retire. Given that I loved what I was doing, my answer was, “Never.” Why would I ever want to stop doing what I loved (as long as I was able to continue)? He […]
In my mind, PMI is legally sanctioned theft – you pay tens of thousands of dollars for something that brings you no benefit, and that you could avoid by structuring your mortgage in a smarter way at a fraction of the cost.