Radical Finances

Limbo

Why a new job might be best treated as an emergency

I just got a new job! (Don’t worry, I’m not shutting down this site.) Getting a new job is an exciting and terrifying time, one of the big life transitions. As it’s not a stretch to say that we spend … Read MoreRead More

Exxon

Emergencies are the worst time for using debt

Not long after I got my drivers license, my mom gave me an Exxon card to carry around with me. “For emergencies, in case you run out of gas and are stranded.” I never used it. It’s not that I … Read MoreRead More

Pool water

What if you can’t contribute to a 401(k)?

In my previous post, I talked about what to do if you’re ineligible for contributing to a Roth IRA. This most commonly is due to having an income over the limit set for those contributions. But just like you could … Read MoreRead More

Sand

What if you can’t contribute to a Roth IRA?

Roth IRAs are awesome. There’s just no other way that I can see that regular folks can invest in a way that lets money grow tax-free, without any Required Minimum Distributions or anything like that. Plus, a retirement account where … Read MoreRead More

Jumper cables

How I handled my most recent impulse purchase

Once every six months or so, I drain my car’s battery. This isn’t an intentional thing, mind you. It’s just that I leave my car’s internal dome light on, and then go about my day, sometimes a few days, before … Read MoreRead More

How to know when to make an impulse purchase

Ramit Sethi, the I Will Teach You To Be Rich guy, has a rule about books: If you’re “thinking about” buying a book, just buy it. Don’t waste 5 secs debating. Even 1 idea makes it worth it. I may … Read MoreRead More

Space Mountain

Here’s how I’m going to get a Tesla

I’m not a “car guy”. I understand that there’s an aesthetic about “acceleration” and “handling”, and how a car “feels”, but I’ve always just wanted one to get me from A to B in relative comfort and without breaking down. When … Read MoreRead More

72

Why I love the Rule of 72

WARNING: This post contains math. (But you knew this with a title like that.) How long will it take an investment to double? It’s a good question. And while doubling itself isn’t the most important aspect of an investment, it’s a … Read MoreRead More

Orange

In defense of rounding

If you’re used to just “not worrying” about money (which can ironically make one pretty anxious) or just wanting to “let things happen”, my suggestion that you track all of your spending (all of it, every purchase, every month, forever) … Read MoreRead More

Ghosts

8 mistakes people make that can drastically affect their financial health

At almost 500 posts here on this site over the past five years, you might be forgiven for feeling like you are drinking from the fire hose. Watch this video on YouTube So here is an opportunity to keep it … Read MoreRead More