Carrie Smith enjoyed her full-time accounting job, but she wanted to make extra money on the side. Who doesn’t, right? She landed a second job in a tax office, working 9-to-5 for one employer and 5-to-9 for the other. She earned decent money, but her schedule had no flexibility … and she felt unhappy. This needs to change, she…
Steve Chou’s wife used to work grueling hours at a job she dreaded and despised. When she became pregnant with their first child, she decided to quit. The problem? She earned six figures, and their family needed that income. She opened an online store, buying handkerchiefs wholesale from China and retailing these online at a significant markup. She and…
After serving in the Navy for 20 years, Doug Nordman, then age 41, retired from his military career. Most of his peers started second careers in the civilian world. But Doug didn’t. He had an ace up his sleeve: he had spent his military career saving 40 percent of his income. By the time he turned…
In this week’s episode, Paula takes your calls: Should you sell your stocks, given that we might be heading for a market downturn? What are the downsides of index funds? Should you invest in out-of-state rental properties, and if so, how can you figure out where to look? How should you manage money from an…
It’s time to wave the truce flag over one of personal finance’s greatest battles. One of the most spirited debates in personal finance circles is the classic “earn more” vs. “save more” standoff. The “earn more” crowd argues that raising your income is the best way to reach financial independence. There’s no upper limit to…
Jim Collins, also known as popular blogger JLCollins, has been financially independent since 1989. He achieved this in the simplest way possible: he saved half of his income and invested in index funds. That’s it. Jim says that if your goal is to build financial freedom, the simplest possible approach is the best. “The great…
When Jim Wang was 29, his life changed forever. Jim started an online company (a blog) in his mid-20’s. His website grew to several hundred thousand readers and he eventually sold it for $3 million. He experienced: That crazy era when a business grows beyond wildest expectations. The fear that the good days might not last….
Flights into Vegas are fascinating. Most of my fellow passengers are exuberant about their upcoming weekend of debauchery. They order beers after takeoff, slosh their way across the airspace and holler crazy-isms like, “if I win big, I’m upgrading to first class coming back!” (Don’t they know it “stays in Vegas”?)
Today I release the first “Ask Paula” episode. I’m rockin’ the mic solo, answering your questions about index funds, credit card debt and socially responsible investing. One listener has “crapton” of credit card debt. He’s thinking about hanging onto his debt, though, and using his savings to make a downpayment on a house. Is this…
Let’s open the books … again. Every month I reveal my income, expenses and bottom-line results from my real estate investments. This month’s update is long overdue (it’s a 2-for-1!) because I’ve been trying (unsuccessfully) to write a deep-dive lesson to accompany this article. I don’t want to merely publish numbers; I want to add insight like “how to…