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
Money Management
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
Is Brewing Your Own Beer Cheaper Than Buying? Yes, After 261 Beers!
I'd like to introduce you to Jeffery, my kegerator… I built Jeffery back in 2014. He cost about $1,500 in parts to make and is the cornerstone of my homebrew operation. I’ve been brewing my own beer, cider, and hard seltzer for about 7 years now, and while I still like sampling local craft beer and buying the odd case from the store, most of what I drink these days is
6 Tips to Becoming a Ninja Tax Organizer
I used to hate filing my taxes. Every year I would complain, procrastinate, make excuses, then finally on deadline day I would take a messy stack of forms to my tax guy and cry for last-minute help. It wasn’t fun at all. Then something changed. I grew up. I put a system in place. And lucky I did! Today, even though my tax situation is more complicated than most families’,
2021 Financial Goal-Setting and the Fresh Start Theory
Have you ever heard of the “fresh start theory”? It’s basically a theory that people are more likely to tackle and achieve their goals if they begin them on a landmark date ... Like the 1st of the month, their birthday, January 1st, or any date of significance. Landmark dates are motivating. They mark the exact date when you stop being the old you, and start being the new
HM Bradley: A 3% Interest Checking Account Based on your Savings Rate
I just learned about a cool new bank that some of you nerds might like. It could be a great tool if you are currently building up an emergency fund, saving up a down payment for a house, OR, if you want to earn a decent interest rate on an existing pile of cash! This bank is called HMBradley, and they offer a 3% interest rate on regular checking accounts. Pretty dang
Bad Excuses to Spend Money 💵 🤷♂️ 💵
What’s worse than watching your friends spend money on crap they don’t need? I’ll tell you... It’s hearing them afterwards try to convince you why their purchases were actually good choices! My buddy recently bought a brand new Audi A4. Very sleek and sexy car. And while I’m really stoked for him and want him to enjoy the finer things in life, his reasons for the purchase
