If you’ve been on TikTok or other social media platforms lately, you’ve probably heard of the soft life trend. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, it’s a new lifestyle movement that involves rejecting hustle culture and embracing a slow-paced life full of self-care. While this sounds nice in theory, following soft life influencers and trying to emulate their lifestyle could wreak havoc
How Does Your Love Language Affect Your Finances?
Figuring out your love language can help improve your relationships by making you feel more connected to your loved ones. But have you ever considered how your love language may be affecting your finances? According to author and counselor Gary Chapman, there are five different types of love languages that dictate how we prefer to give and receive love: Words of affirmation Physical touch Acts
Why Women Invest Less And What To Do About It
Today I thought I’d discuss a topic I’m passionate about, but have never covered before—the gender investing gap. Although women tend to be more effective investors than men and earn higher returns, we don’t invest as often. Women keep up to 71% of our assets in cash, and some of us aren’t investing any of our money at all. About 66% of men currently invest
Why I Don’t Use Budgeting Apps and Prefer Paper and Pen
Many people swear by paid budgeting software like You Need a Budget. They say YNAB helped them get in control of their finances and save thousands of dollars, so it’s worth the cost. But I can’t justify spending money on budgeting software, no matter how many useful features it has. Budgeting is all about eliminating unnecessary expenses and saving more money for the future. So
Is Getting a Big Tax Refund Bad?
Every year my partner and I usually get a big tax refund. In total, we received about $4,500 this year, which is around $1,000 more than the average tax refund. Many personal finance experts say you should adjust your withholding if you receive large tax refunds to avoid giving the government an interest-free loan. However, getting a large tax refund has some underrated financial benefits.
My Favorite Personal Finance Advice From Celebrities
We all turn to celebrities for fashion and lifestyle advice. But did you know your favorite celebs can also teach you a thing or two about personal finance? Over the years I’ve picked up some great money management and business tips from famous stars like Will Smith and Jay Leno. Today I thought I’d pass on that knowledge by compiling some of my favorite personal
Why I’m Considering Buying An Investment Property
I wasn’t planning to buy an investment property so soon after purchasing my first house a year ago. With the real estate market booming and interest rates rising, it doesn’t seem like the best time to look for an investment property. But I was browsing on Zillow just for fun and saw a house down the road from mine that’s for sale. It’s in pretty
Why Financial Discipline Sometimes Isn’t Enough
Recently I heard a financial saying that was new to me online: you can’t out-earn bad spending habits. This is such a true statement. No matter how high your income is, if you don’t have financial discipline and try to live frugally, you can easily inflate your lifestyle to the point where you’re living paycheck to paycheck. After all, many lottery winners end up in
Should You Donate Money To Charity?
Deciding whether or not to give to charity is tough. You want to give back, but can you afford to donate if you’re in debt or having trouble saving for retirement? You may also be worried your donation won’t make a difference, especially if you can only make a small contribution. Some charities spend as much as 80% of donations on overhead costs. Depending on
Was Getting a Dog Worth It?
I’ve always loved animals, especially dogs. My family had several dogs while I was growing up and they were a huge comfort to me during hard times. I’ve dreamed of having a dog of my own for years, but I wanted to make sure I was financially stable before I took the plunge. Dog ownership is costly—in the first year alone, experts say you can