Let’s go analog for a moment: grab a pen and a piece of paper, and then write down a handful of meaningful things you’ve been intending to do. Label this list “Someday”: Declutter your home? Read a classic novel? Take a road trip? Get into shape? Join a yoga class? Learn how to meditate? Start a new business? Play an instrument? Contribute to your community? Fall in love? via Someday | The Minimalists.
#1: You Can Afford Anything. You Just Can’t Afford Everything. Don’t tell me your values. Show me how you spend your money, and I’ll know what you value. Don’t tell me, for example, that you “can’t afford” to travel the globe or invest for retirement if you’re simultaneously buying nice clothes and hitting the bars. There’s nothing wrong with clothes and bars if it’s a deliberate, conscious choice, and you’re cool with the trade-offs. But Read more…
Overrated: Unrestricted freedom. Underrated: Carefully designed constraints. Constraints actually increase our skill development rather than restrict it. We need lines to show us where to add color, not a blank canvas to draw on. As an entrepreneur, I struggled to manage myself until I realized that I needed to add some structure to my day. I began to only scheduled calls in the afternoon. I blocked my email inbox until noon. I required myself to Read more…
So far, her experience contradicts studies that have recently claimed that “long commutes are killing you.” And financially, she benefits from living on a train: The flat-rate ticket costs her about $380, whereas she had to pay about $450 for her previous apartment. However, living cheaper is not the only goal she has in mind. “I want to inspire people to question their habits and the things they consider to be normal,” Müller told The Post. “There are always Read more…
6. Housesit. Housesitting usually means you’re working for free, but sometimes you do get paid. If you aren’t getting paid, it’s a free place to stay and you may stay in some very nice homes as well. This can be a great way to make money while traveling or at least a way to cut your travel costs. 7. Work remotely. I know someone who traveled for around one year and still kept their day job. Read more…
Nothing is certain in life including your financial future. However, the 4% Rule gives us a solid framework to plan with. Life is a bit of a game. If you’re lucky enough to have been born in a place with opportunity where hard work is rewarded, you can take your life in any direction you want. However, a large determiner of your success and well being can also be attributed to your attitude. You can choose Read more…
It would be wise for us to stop always asking how to acquire more and instead, start asking what to do with the influence we already have. The interactions we have in this world offer both a great and challenging opportunity. They can be positive or negative. They can add value to the lives of others or they can take value away. Our opportunity for influence can become an important agent for change or it can Read more…
Now not all “boring” people are rich and not all rich people are “boring.” But the more laid back lifestyle you lead could likely lead you to an accumulation of wealth over long periods of time. When helping folks with finances I always like to show people two pictures of houses. One is a brand new mansion and the other is a modest rambler that was built in the 80’s. I often ask “who is Read more…
By doing. Do or do not do. There is no try, young Skywalker. Start now. I write because that is what I was born to do. I can’t stop writing. But I’ll admit, sometimes it’s awful tough to get started. Some days I need a little extra push to get going. We all do. But once you get that ball of momentum rolling down the hill, it’s tough to stop. Even the most hard-core marathon Read more…
Spain — In last few years (and despite the economic downturn), Spain has become one of the premier places to teach English. There are plenty of jobs, the government has an active program for attracting teachers, and your visa means you can freely travel around Europe. There are also many opportunities to teach private lessons on the side. You don’t get many benefits (or high pay compared to Asia or the Middle East), but the Read more…