Merry Christmas Eve, Friends! Before you set off on your fun-filled weekend of spoiling one another with presents and delicious meals… check out this video about what kids really want for Christmas. This 2-min video came out ~5 years ago, so some of you may have seen it already. It’s called “The Other Letter”, made by IKEA Spain. **Fair warning: Get a box of tissues
Family Finance
Our Foster to Adoption Journey
Someone had the balls to ask me this recently... “Do you think you’ll be able to love an adopted kid as much as you would love a biological kid?” And here’s another comment I got a couple weeks ago… “Are you only fostering kids because you’ll get paid to foster?” I was afraid of questions like this. In fact, questions like this are the reason I haven’t shared many
All About Wills and Estate Planning in Plain English
Wow -- there were a ton of responses to the recent letter to my wife post about estate planning if I were to suddenly die. I guess I’m not the only one feeling underprepared for that type of situation! Researching this stuff a bit further, I wanted to share with you all what I’ve been learning. At the top of my list has been figuring out some type of formal will(s) for me
Dear Wife, Here’s How to FIRE If I Die Early
I was thinking the other day that although my wife and I make all of our financial decisions together, I am usually the one pulling the trigger and moving the money around. I like to read boring terms and conditions, geek out on all our tax stuff, deal with real estate, etc. I have a passion for personal finance, which helps! She does not -- and I don’t blame her as most
20 Money Questions for Your Partner + My Wife’s Answers
Good morning, money nerds! I recently came across an old quiz from a post called 20 Money Questions to Ask Your Significant Other. These 20 questions are designed to bring couples financially closer together by understanding each other’s past, present, and future thoughts around money. It’s not just for new couples. Even though my wife and I have been together for 10+
We Buried Treasure in the Australian Outback 7 Years Ago
Happy Friday, everyone! Today’s story isn’t really about personal finance ... But, it does involve finding hidden treasure! 💎👑💍!! And it could also be a cheap-ish adventure of a lifetime that you can plan for your kids! (Or in my case -- future kids!) The story starts about 30 years ago, back when my friend was ~10 years old… The Backstory ... My
There’s no such thing as a free cruise… Or is there?
About 10 years ago, my wife ran into the room and yelled, “Babe! I won a free cruise! All we need to do is take a phone survey and we get to go on a free cruise!” Bless my wife. She’s gullible. It’s one of her many adorable qualities (and also probably the reason she married a fool like me.) I hated to burst her bubble, but I said something like … “There’s no such thing
10 Financial Statistics of the Average American
Good morning, money nerds! Today I thought we could play a little game called “How do your finances compare to the average American’s?” Below I’ve gathered 10 money statistics about the average U.S. household’s finances. And while this data has no actual effect on your personal situation or trajectory, it’s still fun to see how you stack up. I’ve also showed my own
How I Went Mining and Made My Wife’s Unique Engagement Ring (The Best $1,390 I’ve Ever Spent)
Inside: See how one guy used a bit of creativity and elbow grease to create a one-of-a-kind Montana sapphire engagement ring. Last year we did a post about engagement rings and held a few competitions for the cheapest ring, the most expensive, the oldest ring, and funny marriage proposal stories! (winners were announced here) I also promised to share the story about my
Would You Accept a Car as a Gift? Asking for a Friend …
Hypothetically, let’s say you know a guy who owns a 2010 Prius. The car is mechanically reliable, fully paid off, and lightly used. Then one day, this hypothetical guy gets a phone call from his wife’s parents ... They want to buy him and their daughter a new car, free and clear, as a gift. This gift car would be larger than the Prius, have more modern and awesome features,
