Written By Paula Pant
“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 […]
Written By Paula Pant
Pop quiz: You’re buying airline tickets to visit grandma for the holidays. She lives on the other side of the nation, too far away to drive.
You’ve budgeted $400 for holiday travel, but you can’t find airfare for less than $575.
What do you do?
a) Tell grandma she’ll have to spend Christmas alone.
b) […]
Written By Paula Pant
Bob Lotich was stranded.
He was 20 years old, living alone in a strange city. He didn’t know anyone. He was broke.
His checking account was empty. His savings account was nonexistent. His credit card was only $264 shy of hitting its limit.
He had a glimmer of hope, a faint light on […]
Written By Paula Pant
You’re trapped by debt.
You want to quit your suffocating job.
You feel stuck.
Or not?
Maybe you love your job. You’re debt-free. And you’re just trying to figure out how stay awesome.
Regardless of your situation, there’s a basic formula for taking control of your money.
This is a simple, three-step formula, ideal for people who want to keep […]
Written By Paula Pant
After I graduated from college and accepted an entry-level job, I received a starting salary of $21,000 per year.
Adjusted for inflation, that’s $24,100 in today’s dollars.
I was a diligent saver, even then. I directed 15 percent of my pre-tax income into my 401k and another 5 percent into a Health Savings […]
Written By Paula Pant
Shortly after Martin and Sierra Black married, they bought a beautiful 2,200-square-foot Victorian home near Boston.
From the outside, the couple looked like they had it all.
But something was wrong.
They were drowning in bills. They forked over $2,200 each month on mortgage payments, and another $600 per month on gasoline for their […]
Written By Paula Pant
What’s the purpose of money?
That’s not a rhetorical question. I’m inviting you to sit with this question for a moment. Ponder it. Pray / meditate / reflect on it.
Why do you want to create wealth on your life? What’s the ultimate purpose?
I’ve thought about this on a near-daily basis for the […]
Written By Paula Pant
Ready to rumble?
There’s a fight brewing. Two contenders have climbed into the ring.
Both are clawing for victory. Only one will survive.
In one corner: Crush Your Mortgage, and his team of anti-debt advocates.
In the other corner: Keep Your Mortgage, and his cheering crowd of leveraged investors.
Who will take home the […]
Written By Paula Pant
Finance nerds have strange habits.
Here’s one of mine:
Once a year, I lock myself in a room with nothing but a laptop, spreadsheet, and boatloads of determination.
The mission: Decipher my savings rate.
Am I saving 30 percent of my income? 40 percent? 60 percent?
As longtime readers might recall, my then-partner (now […]
Written By Paula Pant
Finish the following sentence:
“My dream is _____.”
Maybe you want to buy a house, or backpack Europe, or retire early.
No matter what you want, having a Big Ol’ Heap of Savings makes each these goals a million times easier.
“Gee, thanks Captain Obvious,” you’re probably thinking. “Easier said than done.”
Do you think […]
