Whether you agree or disagree with the new tax reform bill (or believe that really the only people winning are the really wealthy and tax professionals), it will be beneficial to do some tax planning before the old tax rules go away in just a few more days. Most Americans expect to have noticeably lower […]
My Checklist For Creating a Budget for The New Year
Checklists, new year resolutions, and budgets. Three of my favorite things! And today we’re bringing them all together. As a self-proclaimed money nerd, I enjoy setting up my finances for a brand new year. There’s something about being able to start all over and improve the process each time that motivates me. Regardless of whether […]
Why Your Goal For the New Year (and Every Year) Should be Financial Independence
Occasionally, I think back to the time before I had my personal finances together and I’m amazed at how much my life has improved by taking charge of my money. And I still have lots of financial goals that I haven’t yet accomplished. While there is no single number that I would pinpoint to say […]
Actionable Tips to Keep Holiday Spending On Track (And Save 100’s!)
I hope you truly find the holidays to be the “most wonderful time of the year”, just as the song goes. It may not be the best for your wallet or your waistline, but it’s definitely my favorite season! And, it can still be wonderful without breaking the bank. I’ve found a few helpful tips […]
3 Quantifiable Ways Being Grateful Will Make You Rich
It’s that time of year. The leaves have fallen off the trees, the weather has turned cold (at least in Michigan!) and the gratitude challenges have started up on Facebook again. The holidays are in full swing. As a millennial, I’m more than familiar with the enemy of gratitude: entitlement. Even though growing up poor […]
Why You Should Have a Lean and a Luxury Budget
Ever since I began to view my money as a tool to provide freedom and choices in my life, I’ve no longer considered a “budget” to be a four-letter word. Instead, I find that it is something that liberates me to actually look more closely at my values, spend more freely on many things and […]
Exactly How To Calculate How Much You’ll Pay Under the Proposed Tax Bill
The proposed tax bill we’ve all been waiting for is finally here (oh wait, that was just me?!). If your situation is similar to mine, you’ll be a little relieved at the changes since the last vague tax plans were presented. I’m excited to update the calculations so that you can see just how your tax […]
The Undebatable Best Way to Invest Your Money
The personal finance community talks a lot about investing. We collectively cover the fundamentals, risks, benefits, and logistics. All of this is generally focused on investing money in the stock and bond markets. But is investing in the market the absolute best way to secure your financial future? I would argue that it isn’t. The […]
Structuring Categories in YNAB to Simplify Your Tax Planning & Preparation
My posts about how I set up and use YNAB have quickly become some of the most popular articles on my blog. So today, I’m combining talking about two of my favorite personal finance topics: YNAB and taxes. Whether you prepare your own taxes (give yourself a pat on the back friend!) or you have […]
Historical Returns Don’t Predict the Future, But Your Behavior Does
Personal finance is said to be disproportionately more about behavior and significantly less about actually having the necessary knowledge. It explains why so many people don’t even have $400 to cover a small emergency and also why the majority of investors lag the stock market returns each year. If we go back to the absolute […]
