Many of the meals that my family truly enjoys are made out of just a few ingredients. My family loves spaghetti night. I just boil up a box of spaghetti noodles and, for a sauce, mix together one can of tomato sauce, a few dashes Italian herbs from the pantry, Read more…
If you have read personal finance blogs for any amount of time, you know that Vanguard is a great choice. Actively managed funds have a very difficult time beating their low fee, index counterparts that were popularized by Vanguard. Furthermore, the choice of a Vanguard fund is simple as well; the Read more…
The average American household earns $63,784 before taxes, which amounts to bringing home $51,100. From that amount, they spend $9,004 on transportation, $6,602 on food (of which $2,625 is spent at restaurants and $3,977 is spent on food eaten at home), $5,528 on insurance and pensions, $1,604 on clothes, $2,482 Read more…
Saving for Retirement (And Why You Should Start ASAP) Once you have your high interest debt under control, as we discussed in Part 2 of the series, it’s time to start thinking about the future. When you’re 24 (or even 34), retirement seems like a ridiculously long time away. And, unless you’re Read more…
Every time someone complains to me about their state of finances, the first question I ask them is this, “Do you track and record your expenses?” or “Do you know where your dollars are going?”. Most of the time, they will shrug and say, “No”. And there…right there you have Read more…
How do you create multiple streams of income? Save, Save, Save – Save 10 – 20% of your net income every year. Expand Your Means – Start a side business or side career that generates additional income. Create Multiple Baskets – Invest your savings and additional income into investments that Read more…
According to the non-profit group Giving What We Can, an annual income of $40,000 places you in the richest 2.0% of the world’s population. An income of $25,000/year puts you in the top 3%. Even a minimum wage job ($7.25 and hour, 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year) puts Read more…
… And so it began… one terrible bicep curl and painful sit-up at a time. No, being at the gym was not fun at first. Matter of fact, it sucked. I felt as though it was absolutely the most humiliating and frustrating thing I had ever put myself through. I Read more…
The way in which Mr. FW and I structure our lives is unusual, but remarkably rewarding. Finding a purpose deeper than simply spending money and consuming pop culture has made us happier, more peace-filled people and has strengthened our marriage in unexpected ways. Sharing these experiences with all of you is one Read more…
I use mint.com heavily to track and audit our budget. The article below has some wonderful ways to use some slightly more advanced features. Mint is a great tool for basic budgeting, and you can really optimize it by making the most out of some of its features. With a Read more…