This is what our Christmas tree looked like Christmas morning. It looked nice, but there was probably a little less underneath it than there was under yours. This was intentional.
Experiences
Black Friday
3 minute read
It’s the time of year where we rush to stores to buy the latest gadgets on sale, save a few dollars, and act like untamed animals which inevitably results in multiple news stories about awful things that people have done to others to make sure they got the deal they were looking for. All for something that we’ll probably forget about in a year or two, if not sooner. There’s plenty of evidence showing that experiences provide much more happiness than material things. However, most Black Friday deals revolve around getting a good deal on a “thing” rather than an experience.
Three Ways to Travel Cheaply
4 minute read
My favorite stories that people tell me are about the strategies that they use to travel cheaply and the experiences that they’re able to enjoy by doing so. I love traveling but, as we all know, I don’t love spending money. However, I’m more apt to spend money on a trip than on most material things. Even so, I still don’t want to pay more than I have to. I’ve recently been able to speak with four people who frequently travel cheaply and I wanted to share a little bit about how they do so and what I’ve learned from them.
Spending Money Is Hard
2 minute read
This may sound like a stupid statement to some, but I’m sure there are plenty who emphasize as well. Sometimes I get so caught up in saving and working towards my financial goals that I feel guilty when I spend money, even when I’ve budgeted for it. This is hypocritical since I try to teach people to budget for things and then use that money to pay for them.
Find Your Group
2 minute read
This post isn’t necessarily a post about financial planning, but it explains my experience from spending 3 days with a bunch of financial planners. As I mentioned earlier this week, I was in Chicago from Sunday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon for the NAPFA Summer Leadership Meeting. I was fortunate enough to meet with many successful fee-only financial planners who are passionate about NAPFA’s mission as well as NAPFA Genesis’ mission.
Want to Travel the World for 10 Months? Live Below Your Means
2 minute read
I love hearing stories from people who have been able to fulfill their dreams by being financially wise and living below their means. Last week, I spoke to a gentleman at the gym who told me a story about something that he and his wife did that I thought was amazing. The reason that they were able to accomplish such an awesome goal is simple – they live below their means.
Can money buy happiness? It depends on what you do with your money.
2 minute read
XY Planning Network published an article this week titled Can Money Buy Happiness? Maybe Says Elizabeth Dunn which made me think of a couple of similar conversations that I had this week. One of those conversations was with a friend who is my age and one was with a gentleman at the gym who I talk to most days of the week and who is about my father’s age.
The 35-Year-Old with Almost 3X Salary Saved
3 minute read
In my opinion, there’s a lot to be said for living a simple life. I see a lot of value in a life where you don’t feel the need to get caught up in all of the latest trends, to compare yourself to others, or to spend money to impress others.
Saving Money While Traveling: Airfare
< 1 minute read
Amanda and I love to travel but I don’t love the costs associated with paying for it. We’re very blessed that Amanda has great employment benefits which alleviate some travel costs, but we still take measures to ensure that we don’t spend more than we have to.
