This has been a big week: I had dinner with my biological sister, whom I haven’t seen in 7 years. (I was adopted.) But this isn’t a blog post about cross-country family reunions. It’s a post about a magical thing called discretionary income, the key to a portal of incredible opportunities. Discretionary money lets me…
How often have you heard people defend flagrant spending with the following words: “Ah, c’mon. It’s only $25!” Hogwash. That’s the wrong way to think. The better mental shift is to think: “That cost one hour of my life.” **** Unless you’re magical, $25 doesn’t appear out of thin air. You get that money in…
Should you pay cash for a car? That question isn’t just a hypothetical anymore. We need to buy a car. And that means we need to make a five-figure decision. It’s been almost two months since Will’s car got stolen, and it’s time to buy a replacement. His last car, as you may recall, was…
Guess what? We did it again. We bought House #4, which represents our 6th rental unit in total! “Whoa, Paula, this is getting ridiculous.” Yeah, I know. Let’s meet the new rental, shall we? NOTE: This article was last updated in 2015 (and all numbers reflect that year). The Rental House First, the stats: It’s…
I’ve endured 18 years of bad vision. I’ve worn glasses or contacts since elementary/middle school. In prehistoric days, bad eyesight might have been a death sentence. I couldn’t hunt prey, forage for berries or spot predators. In 21st century America, though, blurry vision is a minor inconvenience. It’s also an expense that adds up faster…
One of the things I love most about travel is stepping into an environment that shatters your assumptions and norms, forcing you to re-consider your life. Here are five things I’ve learned during the last 3 weeks in Paris: #1: Own REAL Things. Last week I walked past an umbrella repair shop. Let’s think about…
I’ve been in Paris for more than a week, and I’m reminded of how little money you need to have an amazing experience. This morning I ate a fresh baguette (88 cents) with cheese and olives, and sipped a homemade cappuccino in my living room. This afternoon I’m taking a long walk to a local…
My 72-year-old dad just announced that he’s learning to drive a stick-shift. Why? Because he wants to drive – instead of relying on taxis or buses – when he travels to countries that only have manual transmissions. And he goes to a lot of other countries. Last year he and my 72-year-old mom flew to…
Here’s a recent reader question that grabbed my heart. One reader said: “I am a single woman with children who believes I can live a great life traveling and making life grand, in spite of the statistics out there. Do you think its possible? Can you offer some saving/investing tips?” I’m so glad you wrote…
Imagine staring down the road, seeing dozens of half-built houses. I’m not talking about houses that are actively under construction. And I’m not talking about decrepit old houses that need to be torn down. I’m talking about houses that were partially built … and then nothing. No active construction. No wheelbarrows or cement mixers…