Mainstream media articles lead people to believe that having a child will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars – in my opinion, mostly for hype. While it’s very possible that parents could spend this amount of money on a child it’s completely unnecessary. I don’t make a lot of money. I have virtually no debt. I have managed to save an emergency fund of nearly
Why I Stopped Using Credit Cards
Many credit cards offer great perks like cash back, travel discounts, and interest-free introductory periods. For a long time, I put as many of my expenses as I could on my credit card to get rewards. But when I paid off my credit card each month, I was often surprised by the balance I’d run up. I’ve always been able to pay off my credit
5 Frugal Habits of Self-Made Millionaires
Some personal finance gurus suggest that you shouldn’t clip coupons and pinch pennies if you want to save money. Instead, you should focus on increasing your earning potential to maximize your savings. However, self-made millionaires would disagree that frugality isn’t important. Many of today’s millionaires built their wealth slowly over decades by investing regularly and living below their means. And even after becoming rich, they
4 Healthy Habits That Save Me Money
It’s a common perception that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is expensive. But in my experience, unhealthy habits like drinking, smoking, and eating fast food are more costly than looking after your health, both in the short and long run. Buying sodas, cigarettes, and drive-thru burgers costs more than drinking water and cooking nutritious food at home. Plus, these lifestyle choices can put you at risk
4 Ways to Practice Maximalism on a Budget
It’s a common misconception that you have to be a minimalist in order to be frugal. However, you don’t have to break the bank to try out the maximalist decor trend that’s popular on Instagram and TikTok. There are plenty of places to get affordable decor, from thrift stores to estate and garage sales. You can also flex your DIY skills and transform old furniture
How I Plan to Teach My Kids Financial Responsibility
Growing up, my parents didn’t teach me much about personal finance or model good money behavior. Emergencies hit our family hard because my parents didn’t have much savings despite their high household income. Since I was never exposed to concepts like budgeting and compound interest, I felt unprepared to manage my finances as a young adult. Although I don’t have kids of my own yet,
How To Avoid Going Over Your Budget
Although nearly 75% of Americans have a budget, many of us stray from our financial plans and give into overspending. About 85% of people say they deviate from their budget sometimes and make unplanned splurges. Going over your budget can make it more difficult to save money and achieve your financial goals, so it’s important to reign in your impulse spending. Here are some strategies
3 Behavioral Tendencies That Could Hurt Your Finances
Behavior plays a big role in personal finance. In fact, there’s a whole field of study called behavioral finance that’s dedicated to figuring out how psychology affects our money decisions. Although we all have different personalities, there are some negative behavioral tendencies and biases humans share that influence how we approach personal finance. Here are 4 psychological principles that could be working against you if
Why I Choose Dream Jobs Over Stable Jobs
One of the biggest dilemmas people have when choosing a career is whether to go with a safe, stable field or a dream job. I think the reason why this is such a huge debate is because the answer is different for everyone. Some people are more motivated by money, while others are ok with living a modest lifestyle if they get to follow their
How To Make Money From Old Devices
It seems like a new must-have device comes on the market every day. If you’re always buying the latest and greatest gadgets, you probably have a bunch of unwanted devices laying around. Instead of letting them collect dust in your closet, here are some ways to make money from old devices you no longer use. 4 Ways To Make Money From Old Devices Trade Them