Tracking your expenses – and comparing against your income – is still the best starting point when you’re trying to intentionally save. But sometimes, there’s no time for all that. I get it.
If you’re in a busy season, that doesn’t mean your saving has to fall by the wayside. There are still incredibly easy things you can do right now to monitor your money so that you stop overspending.
Continue reading “The easiest way to stay on top of spending (no tracking required)”Psst – if you’re looking for a way to keep track of how much you’re saving, stick around for the end of this post.
Got a big lofty goal that feels out of reach?
That’s what saving money feels like for many people: whether you’re saving for your emergency fund, your next vacation, or another big purchase. When you don’t have a lot to spare AND you don’t have a track record of saving successfully, motivation becomes critical to your success.
So help your brain stay motivated. Make your savings journey more visible.
And by that, what I mean is: track your progress in a way that’s guaranteed to remind you that you’re really doing this.
Continue reading “Your secret weapon to saving money? Make your progress visible.”If you’ve decided enough is enough, or that everything is too expense and AI is on track to take our jobs and dominate humanity, then I’ve got news for you.
This is a good time to start planning. While we’re at the start of the year, and the world is still relatively intact. (Someone check back in 6 months.)
Regardless of where you are in your savings journey, there’s a mantra to be adopted and a strategy to be had. See below, based on where you currently sit.
Let’s assume you’re starting from ground zero. You don’t have a savings bone in your body. And while it sounds like the adult thing to do, it feels so foreign and at odds with how you’ve lived your life, that you just can’t really see yourself doing it. You don’t even understand how to tactically do this.
Continue reading “Make 2026 your year for saving. For real.”Assuming you’re in the privileged, fortunate position to be gifting at all this year… Because let’s face it: 2025 was a gut punch to most of our wallets.
Tips to help you save on your generosity this season:
This puts a visual reality to that nebulous universe of family, friends, loved ones and randos that you feel obligated to gift this year.
Oh, Fall. That time of year when the air feels crisper, the hoodies start to come out, and pumpkin spice returns to coffee shops everywhere. For better or worse.
It’s my favorite time of year for all these reasons….maybe you too. Which is why if we’re not careful, it can also be an expensive time. (Those PSLs add up. And they cost more right now simply because it’s September. Those evil geniuses.)
Some ways that I’m watching my wallet as I get ready for spooky season:
Continue reading “Pumpkin spice won’t get me this season.”In list form, because I haven’t the patience to make this more fun. And let’s be honest: lists are most fun.
Keep in mind that my vice is food, gang. I don’t do food or grocery delivery, so I’ve at least got that going for me. But this gal loves to eat, and loves to be outside in the summertime. A financially lethal combination.
So instead of blowing all my money on patio meals, here’s how I’m trying to save in the moment when temptation strikes:
No matter if you’re dirt broke, rolling in money or just doing okay. This bit of wisdom is something that’s always stuck me – and it comes top of mind anytime I see news stories about financial ruin.
The wisdom is this. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
This is the typical punch line to every scam story. The retiree who was sold a dream that cost them their life’s savings, and now has to go back to work. The business savvy investor who took a bad bet on a ponzi scheme, and is now out millions of dollars. The army vet trying to find herself, who devotes years of her life to a multi-level marketing scheme that pressures her into taking on tons of debt – with nothing to show for it. And all these people were promised that their investments were either secure or bound to reap the rewards….if they only keep pushing.
You might even consider the people who unwittingly wire thousands to bad actors on the internet, simply because they’re in love. Even the human experience of finding love can be rife with scam potential.
Which brings us back to the wisdom above.
Continue reading “Maybe the most important financial advice ever?”Gang, the financial fitness journey is challenging enough. The combination of mentality and behavior change alone can is new for many of us. And the consistency and diligence required to build wealth is a marathon all on its own.
Let’s not add shame to the mix.
If you’re someone who’s embarrassed that they don’t understand how credit card debt works, yet you have tons of it, let go of that shame now.
If you’re someone who has a mortgage, and you’re embarrassed because you don’t understand how escrow works or if you’re still paying PMI (private mortgage insurance), let go of that shame now.
If you pay for any kind of insurance – health, automobile, etc – and you’re embarrassed to admit that you don’t understand how deductibles or premiums work, let go of that shame now.
And so on and so forth.
Continue reading “There’s no shame in not knowing.”Let’s get one obvious thing out of the way here. Having money is pretty great.
Being able to pay your bills – without worrying how you’ll afford the rest of your life – is critical for our well being. Having extra money on hand to enjoy hobbies, care for loved ones and treat ourselves from time to time – pretty awesome. And getting to a place where you can smartly put away money into savings or investments? That’s the dream right there.
And sure. It would be cool to get massively rich somewhere along the way.
But let’s not hold our breath on that last one, to decide that we’re “good” with money. Let’s not even hold our breath that we’ll hit a certain amount in our bank accounts or with our debts, before making that determination.
Instead, let’s decide right now that we’re good with money.
Continue reading “Being “good” with money isn’t just about having it.”The Scoop: Doordash plans to offer an ‘Eat Now, Pay Later’ plan for those who’d prefer not to pay upfront for their food. Frankly, I’m not sure what to think.
The Pro: On the one hand, giving people the option to pay for purchases when they’re financially stable enough to do so always sounds great.
Continue reading “If all your money goes to food delivery- the temptation just got worse.”