Written By Paula Pant
Imagine this:
You hop on a flight to Brazil or Costa Rica or Thailand. You spend a month reveling in the sand and surf. You taste new foods. You discover new music. You spot wildlife you’ve never imagined.
You don’t check email the entire time. Heck, you don’t even post photos to Facebook. You’re radically offline — […]
Written By Paula Pant
Five years ago, Julia Kelly earned $8.50 per hour as a caricature artist at an amusement park.
Today she charges $250 per hour for the same service.
“But … that’s just one or two hours a month, right?”
Guess again. Julia’s art business grosses more than $100,000 per year … and thanks to the […]
Written By Paula Pant
Would you rather:
Save $12 per year? Save $1,045 per year?
Go ahead, think it over. Consult with your family. I’ll wait.
[…]
Written By Paula Pant
“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, […]
Written By Paula Pant
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 […]
Written By Paula Pant
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 […]
Written By Paula Pant
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 […]
Written By Paula Pant
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.
[…]
Written By Paula Pant
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 […]
Written By Paula Pant
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:
[…]
