Awareness

Remember: income and wealth aren’t the same thing

Managing your money effectively matters so much more than your income. Which is better to have, high wealth or a high income? The question isn’t a good one, and lacks nuance, but it’s a good test, in case you think … Read MoreRead More

Why your goal is to not care about credit cards (if you even care today)

As you build wealth, the reasons to use credit cards fall away even more. Recently I wrote about my own revelation that, while I love collecting (and using!) frequent flyer miles, eventually, with my own financial goals in place, I … Read MoreRead More

Why you need to work with a digital fiduciary

It’s not just your financial advisors who need to be fiduciaries too. We need to be able to trust people’s online words and suggestions as well. Trust is hard. How do you know who has your best interests in mind? … Read MoreRead More

How could you make $100,000?

I’m challenging you to think big about your income, so big that it’s beyond what you might ordinarily think is possible. … Read More

Do you really want to know what other people do with their money?

In my last job, there was a grassroots push to publish everyone’s salaries. A document was circulated in a clandestine fashion, and everyone was encouraged to enter their own salary details. This went around for a little while before it … Read MoreRead More

Learning about my Social Security with “my Social Security”

When I was first starting out in the workforce, once a year I would get these forms from the Social Security Administration (SSA). It talked about stuff that felt largely irrelevant to me, but it did include a listing of … Read MoreRead More

Is the 15% rule for investing before tax or after tax?

Once you’re out of debt, you’re ready to start saving for retirement. (Before you’re out of debt, you’re probably better off just focusing on that, though I think an exception is fair for extremely large debts like mortgages). A good … Read MoreRead More

I’m going to FinCon, because you are not a money nerd

Why I’m going to FinCon 2019, and the difference between money nerds and the majority of people who just want to make money work for them. I admit it, I’m a money nerd. I read money blogs, read books about … Read MoreRead More

If you’re looking forward to payday, you’re probably doing it wrong

I overheard a conversation recently about how someone was looking forward to payday, because they had “run out of money”. As always, I tend to wince when I hear people make financially questionable assertions: student loans are “good” debt, “I … Read MoreRead More

How to plan when you have irregular income

Respect to all the freelancers, DIYers, and people out there without a steady paycheck. Also, your life is, shall we say, more complicated. With irregular income comes anxiety. How much will you make this month? Will it be more or … Read MoreRead More