Radical Finances

When your life changes, change your emergency fund

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  An emergency fund is a vital tool, not just in your financial situation, but also for your sense of emotional grounding. But no kidding. I like to joke that a fully-funded emergency fund is like anti-anxiety medication, but without … Read More … Read More

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My mortgage principle that I broke (sort of)

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  Finances and emotions. They go together like one explosively codependent couple. Don’t be fooled by my focus in the numbers side of the situation; I’m not immune to fear and anxiety either. I’m going through the process of becoming … Read More … Read More

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Why I’m going back into debt (or why I was never really debt-free)

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  I’ve long railed against debt. Debt slows you down from achieving what you want, and forces you to pay companies that don’t have your best interests in mind. I paid off my last debts four years ago, and I … Read More … Read More

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Why not pay cash for a home?

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  WARNING: This post contains math. There is definitely something compelling to owning your own home, from both a psychological standpoint but also a financial standpoint. But I’m not a fan of debt. You know this by now. And in … Read More … Read More

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How to live rent-free

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  If you rent your living space, it’s probably your largest recurring bill. By a fairly significant margin. (Or, at least I hope it is. If it’s not, either you’ve got a great living situation, or you’re in big trouble. … Read More … Read More

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What do “social insurance programs” have to do with personal finance?

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Last time, I wrote about someone who claimed that all of the important personal finance tenets could fit on an index card. And who then produced that index card. It contained nine ideas or suggestions, eight of which I tackled in … Read More … Read More

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Can everything you need to know about personal finance fit on an index card?

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  Two years ago, there was an article about someone who wrote down all of the important personal financial advice onto an index card. The theory being that everything important that you needed to know was simple, and that all the … Read More … Read More

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Why not to get the London Pass (or any multiple attraction ticket)

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  It’s a standard part of the American vacation: We only have limited time, so let’s try and see as much as possible! It’s an understandable impulse, especially if you don’t assume you will return. However, there are of course … Read More … Read More

The surprise I got from spending only cash for a month

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  For the past month, I have spent nothing but cash for all my expenses. (Bills were paid automatically.) You can read about why I did this in greater detail, but more than anything, I basically just wanted to see … Read More … Read More

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Income, Bills, and Expenses: a glossary

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  I often capitalize three specific words when talking about personal finance: Income, Bills, and Expenses. I’ve defined these ideas in different posts throughout the history of this site, but I’ve found that I haven’t actually devoted a place to … Read More … Read More

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