Would you rather:
Save $12 per year? Save $1,045 per year?
Go ahead, think it over. Consult with your family. I’ll wait.
[…]
Author: Paula Pant
How Erin Saved One Years’ Worth of Expenses, Quit Her Job, and Enjoys More Flexibility
“I only earn enough to make the minimum payment on my loans.”
“My boss doesn’t pay me enough, so I can’t save a dime.”
“I’d love to quit my job, but I don’t think that’s realistic.”
The Naysayer Brigade makes statements like the examples above — statements that give power to their bosses and the economy, […]
Does Your Lack of Savings Halt Your Dreams?
Several weeks ago, I invited new email subscribers to share their answers to two deeply personal questions:
What’s your wildest dream, and what’s preventing you from getting there?
The answers poured in to a degree I couldn’t believe. My Inbox flooded with hopes and sorrows. Some people shared brief-but-honest answers; others wrote memoirs. People from all walks […]
10 Lessons I’ve Learned as an Airbnb Host
This article is Part 4 of The Airbnb Series. Before you read this, check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
Almost one year ago, I took the crazy leap into becoming an Airbnb and VRBO host.
Since then, I’ve earned $28,268.35. I’ve met some fascinating people from around this world. And yes, I […]
Investing, Reduced to Its Core
Myth: Wealth comes from living below your means.
Fact: Frugality is the first step, not the last.
I’d like to tell you about one of the most interesting couples I know.
They were apartment-dwellers when we met, and I don’t mean the New York City variety. Their dark, musty apartment festered in an area where land is plentiful and square footage is cheap, where apartments […]
How Sarah Quit Her Job, Launched an Online Business, and Now Travels As Much As She Wants
Five years ago, a Canadian woman named Sarah embarked on a series of life-changing steps.
She moved 215 miles away from her hometown. She returned to college (after initially failing a few courses) to finish her degree. After graduation, she landed a cushy job with a pension and plenty of benefits. She got engaged. They bought a house.
[…]
Mini-Retirements, Semi-Retirement, Early Retirement — What’s the Most Awesome Lifestyle?
This recent reader email struck a chord:
I’m a software engineer trying to plan my plunge [into freedom]. I’m young, so I figured I would grind it out, save a lot, and retire early.
But after a health scare, I realize mini-retirements might trump early retirements, and I want to […]
Think You Can’t Pay Off $147,106 in Debt? Guess Again.
There are Conformists, and there are Rebels.
The Conformist Majority says: “I have a 30-year mortgage, a 20-year second mortgage, a 10-year student loan and a 5-year car loan.”
“I’ll pay the minimum, and hold those debts for 30, 20, 10, and 5 years. After all, why deprive myself while I’m young?”
Worse, they’ll ask:
[…]
Gear Up for the One Percent Challenge!
“I’m scrounging dollars to fill my gas tank. I don’t make enough money to save. At the end of the month, there’s nothing left.”
If this feels like you, gear up for a radical shift that will change your life.
Last month I announced the One Percent Challenge, a quest for Afford Anything Rebels that can […]
The Next Financial Challenge: 20 Contenders in a Fight to the Top
Last year I blindfolded myself, threw darts at a list of stocks, and bought the first 10 that I hit.
I let them ride for a year and showed you the results.
This year I’m embarking on a ploy that’s a tad less crazy, but far more heated:
I’m competing against 19 financial writers in […]
