budget
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RV Travel & Spring Allergies: A Trip Down Memory Lane
Its the first of April. You know what that means. Spring is here! Your friends and family are pulling April Fools Day pranks. And my tree allergies are kicking my butt. Every year, tree pollen
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Square Foot Gardening: A Simple, Efficient Approach to Growing Vegetables
I grew up in the country. My family always had a vegetable garden. For us, gardening meant a large plot, plowed and raked, then planted with long, widely-space rows of vegetables. It also meant w
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Food Waste in the US: Causes, Impact & Solutions
Ive been thinking a lot lately about how much food I consume (and waste). Im not happy with how I shop and eat, and its not just because Im fat right now. I dont like what Im eating and I dont li
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The Pink Tax: Understanding and Overcoming Hidden Costs for Women
Women working to achieve financial independence face an extra hurdle: the hidden cost of being female. Though it’s cheekily referred to as the “pink tax”, the additional cost women incur for pe
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The Benefits of Outsourcing: Reclaim Your Time and Focus
When people talk about saving money, DIY is one of the first things that comes to mind. Learn how to fix things around the house! Change the oil in your Prius! Make your own cleaning supplies!
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Europe Trip Cost: A Detailed Breakdown of 2 Weeks of Travel Expenses
I like to travel. Over the past decade, Ive probably made an average of two international trips per year. But you know what? Never once in that time have I tried to track how much I spend while
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Mindful Shopping: Reduce Consumption & Find Lasting Value
The older I get, the less I want or need. The older I get, the less I like to spend money. And when I have to buy something, I try to practice mindful shopping. When I was younger, I wanted (and/
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Identity Economics: How Your Self-Perception Influences Spending
“Who are you?” my cousin Duane asked me on Saturday afternoon. Wed spent the day playing nerd games together and were taking a break for pizza. “What?” I said. I wasnt ex
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Smart Car Buying: A Personal Finance Journey
Its funny. Fifteen years ago, daily personal finance was a chore for me. I didnt understand how to go day to day making smart choices that were aligned with my values. I wasnt even sure what my v
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New Car Buying Guide: A Step-by-Step Checklist for a Great Deal
Congratulations — you’re about to snag a new ride! We’re assuming that you’ve already done some research: You know how much you can afford to spend, which car you want to buy, and the true market
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A Digital Native's Journey: From BBS to Blogging
Ive been on the internet for a long, long time. Via local Bulletin Board Systems, I started reading USENET newsgroups — mostly Star Trek and comic book and computer game stuff — durin
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College Essentials: What Freshmen *Really* Need (and Don't)
Those ubiquitous checklists of “dorm room essentials” for college freshmen are filled with items that will be ditched by the end of first semester. Some parents “go to the store and grab a list
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Portland Timbers Season Tickets: A Personal Look at Opportunity Cost & Conscious Spending
Saturday night, Kim and I joined 25,216 other soccer fans to watch the Portland Timbers defeat the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 during a crazy rare August rainstorm. (Portland gets a lot of rainR
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The Paradox of Wealth: Why More Money Doesn't Guarantee Happiness
Money, the conventional wisdom says, doesnt buy happiness. Modern psychology seems to back this up, with studies suggesting that beyond an income of $75,000, money doesnt make you any happier.
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Ultra-Light Packing: 20-Day Travel with Minimal Luggage
Hello from Portugal! Last Thursday, I returned to Europe for the fourth time in the past ten months. This time, Im here for work. Im speaking at yet-another chautauqua about financial independe
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2020 Financial Goals: Reducing Food Expenses & Improving Well-being
Im pleased to report that 2020 is off to a fine start. As I mentioned in my year-end review, 2019 sucked for me. I have high hopes that this year will be a vast improvement. So far, it has been
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How Selling Our Home Transformed Our Finances | Wendy Mays
Hello! My name is Wendy Mays, and Im super happy to share a bit of my story. In the past couple of years, my husband and I have taken several big steps to change our financial future. From the
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Calculate Your Car Expenses: Comprehensive Driving Cost Calculators
My girlfriend recently bought a new car. After 23 years, she sold her 1997 Honda Accord to a guy whos more mechanically inclined than we are. Kim upgraded to a 2016 Toyota RAV4, and she loves i
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Spring Yard Work & Productivity: A Portland Perspective
Spring has sprung here in Portland, and that means yard work. Ill spend most of March completing my project for Audible and The Great Courses — which means things around here may be slow
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Build Credit Fast: A Beginner's Guide to Improving Your Credit Score
Most Americans know that its important to build credit but many dont know how. If youre one of those confused about how to build credit, youre not alone. In 2019, CNBC reported that around 40% o
budget
- Home Office Makeover: Before & After Remodel Ideas & Expert Tips
- Calculate Your Commute Costs & Explore Savings
- Capital Budgeting for Entrepreneurs: A Beginner's Guide
- Budget Snapshot: 24-Year-Old Living with Roommate, $62K Income
- Unlock Airport Perks: A Guide to Using Priority Pass
- Building a Financial Safety Net: Krys' Debt Payoff Journey
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Why Traditional Banking Still Matters: 6 Key Benefitsdiv.cust...
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Investing vs. CDs: Should You Put Your Money in a Certificate of Deposit?I have money to sock away -- but it won't go into a CD any time soon. ...
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Understanding Stock Taxes & Capital Gains: A Comprehensive GuideAs an investor, you spend a lot of time carefully researching and planning your investments. Play your cards right, and you stand to generate significant profits from your stock portfolio. But lik...
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Interest Rates & the US Dollar: Understanding the RelationshipThe Effect of Interest Rates on the Dollar Interest rates can motivate foreign investors to move investments from one country to another and therefore from one currency to another. Higher int...