We all know that we ought to be paying ourselves first — by building a healthy emergency fund, investing in our retirement accounts, and saving for important future purchases. However, it can feel like paying ourselves first will end up shortchanging our other financial obligations. How can you pay yourself first when you barely have […]
Many people are tired of the shutdown caused by COVID-19. That’s why people around me are starting to slowly return to normal life because things seem just fine for them after so many months of hearing about the devastation of the pandemic on the news. I can understand that too. After all, it’s hard to […]
It’s easy to lose sight of the simple things when it comes to finances. More often than not, we start to focus on complex strategies for growing wealth or try to get involved in the latest fad. The reality, though, is that the foundation for long-term wealth is built from the basics. That’s why it […]
Personal finance experts often warn against “keeping up with Joneses” or splurging on unnecessary items. Latte factor anybody? Stop going to Starbucks and have a million bucks more by the time you retire! And though this is good advice, what about the other side of the equation? Do you ever feel guilty for spending money […]
Our waitress wasn’t very courteous to us today. We asked for an empty plate and she never acknowledged the request. When she came by 15 minutes later, she just slid the plate on the table without stopping. This got me wondering — do waiters/waitresses always deserve a tip? It’s a widely accepted American standard to […]
One of the most difficult situations to deal with is a drop in income, as most people adjust their lifestyles to use up all of what they bring in. In fact, too many of us live right up to the limit of what our income buys, allowing lifestyle inflation to strangle our budgets no matter […]
