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
Money Management
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
2021 Money Goals: Mid-Year Review/Revise/Remove!
Hey there, happy people! How’re we all doing this morning? This year is FLYING by. I just stumbled across a list of money goals I wrote down at the start of the year (I say “stumbled across” because I literally found them buried within a stack of messy papers on my desk -- the WORST place to keep your goal list!). Anyway, despite my horrible organization skills, I’ve
Inflation Quiz – How much do you know about this topic?
Have you noticed all the news about inflation recently? This topic sure is blowing up. 😉 Get it?... Blow up? Like balloon inflation? Wa-WAH. I’m sorry, bad joke. Honestly most of my jokes about inflation usually fall flat. OK, that was the last one, I promise! It’s just really difficult for me to write about boring topics like inflation without making crappy
Who Are You Surfing With?
My favorite surf spot is Topanga Beach. It’s a pretty well-known break in Los Angeles, so it attracts all types of surfers from around the city. Usually, everyone in the water is divided into 2 groups ... You’ve got the really good surfers who sit way out in the deep back section. They’re mostly a fit and young group of people who have years of experience. They surf the
Your Money and Your Time: How to Master Both
People sometimes make fun of me for getting up at 5am... But I tell them it’s part of my “pay myself first” rule. “Paying yourself first? Isn’t that an old money rule from one of those finance books? What’s that got to do with getting up at 5am?” Well, as you probably know, the pay yourself first rule exists because most people are bad at money management. When
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
401(k) Rollover to IRA: Why Bother?
Hello friends! How are you this fine morning? Have you ever left an employer and accidentally forgotten about your old 401(k) account? Maybe you intended to roll it over to a new retirement plan, but the paperwork felt daunting so you never got around to it ... (About 30% of you should be nodding your heads right now, according to studies.) Then after years of the
Dollar Cost Averaging vs Lump Sum Investing (What to Do With a Pile of Cash)
A friend of mine just admitted to me a big money problem… She has a little over $200,000 in CASH sitting in her checking account! 😳 Hot dang! That’s a lot of moolah!!! Some of you might be thinking, “What’s the problem? That’s awesome! I wish I had that much in savings!”... Well, the problem is, her money isn’t actually invested in anything. It has wicked
1 in 10 People in the U.S. Have Missing Money. Here’s How to Claim Yours.
Hey money lovers!!! I just learned about an AWESOME website that helps you find unclaimed money that is owed to you! Maybe this is old news for some of you, but this is the first time I’d ever heard of it. Searching last night I found more than four hundred dollars in missing funds and payments for some of my friends and family!!! (Sorry for all the exclamation marks, I’m
